Why I Started Writing:

I’d love to say I started writing because the Lord told me to and I instantly obeyed. But that would be a lie. I’ve always loved to write and had some success publishing devotionals and poems when my children were small. Then as an empty nester, I began to write a humorous inspirational column for our local newspaper. When loyal readers told me I should turn the columns into a book I said, “NO! Publishing a book is hard and may take ten years, or I may never succeed.” Then our son said I’d be doing something for ten years anyway—why at least try to publish a book? I finally got smart and asked the Lord what he thought. That was eight years, four books, and hundreds of articles ago. Now, instead of telling the Lord and everyone else “No!” I’m asking, “What’s next?”

Authors Who Have Influenced Me:

In spite of her salty language, Ann Lamott’s Bird by Bird helped me see beyond my little self and grow as a writer. Cecil Murphey is another writers’ cheerleader and champion whose books on writing broadened my thinking and increased my skills. As to style, I love humorists Erma Bombeck, Dave Barry, and Phillip Gulley. I love to find humor in everyday situations, tell on myself, then shine a light on my foibles to find a way for God to show up.

Books I Have Written:

My first book, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top, (http://amzn.to/1Od1Qo6) is a humorous devotional to help readers discover the sweetness of God’s bottomless heart;

The Heart of Humor: Sixty Helpings of Hilarity to Nourish Your Soul (http://amzn.to/1PUNeQt) is a compilation of 45 funny stories and 15 articles and lists of ways humor helps us;

Shock the Clock (http://amzn.to/1XQ3F3t) is a unique time management workbook for writers and other creatives;

All three of the above works brim with whimsical drawings by my son, a former professional animator.

Touchable God: Finding the Lord’s Friendship Through Prayer (http://amzn.to/2b0uxZa) is my latest book. It combines stories from my own prayer journey and prayers for friends in crisis.

What I'm Working On Now:

Although I have no plans to publish another book, we’ve seen how well my pea-brained plans work out! My schedule is full of speaking gigs for a variety of venues, from women’s groups to civic organizations to writers’ conferences. I’m also writing magazine articles, movie previews, newspaper columns, and devotionals for the many publications who enjoy my “nutty with a dash of meat” style.