I am honored to be asked by Norma Gail to be a part of this tour. Norma writes for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and her debut book, Land of My Dreams, will be out April 22nd. I know she is extremely excited about this achievement. I certainly cannot wait to read it! To find out more about Norma Gail go to: http://www.normagail.com/my-writing-process-blog-tour-june-23-2014/

And now for why I write and how I write:

What am I working on?

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Why do I write what I do?

I have a strong faith in God that I am not at all ashamed of. Jesus Christ has always been the center of my life so not to write about Him would be a disuse of the talent I feel God has given to me. My main goal is to encourage others in their faith. I think the body of Christ as a whole is lacking in encouragement in living their lives to the fullest through Christ. Besides the fact that I just have to write. When I don’t write poetry or any other form of the written word (I do write stories from time to time) I just don’t feel like…ME!

How does your writing process work?

My writing process is mostly when the words start pouring into my brain I write them down as soon as possible. It is rare that I intentionally write a poem meaning that I will sit down and make myself come up with one. Poems like that don’t normally turn out very well for me. Unfortunately a lot of my poetry decides to come when I am driving in the car and so I have to try to remember it when I get to my destination to be able to write it down. Many times you can find me at Chick-Fil-A with a large sweet tea pondering and writing. ☺ I also study the craft and read other poets work to see what works and what doesn’t. My favorite poets are Roy Lessin, Robert Frost, Helen Steiner Rice, Sarah Kay, and many more! I have two very close friends I send my writing to and they give me direction and help with it, especially if I am not certain it is worded correctly. As far as what I put on my blog, it is done through much prayer and asking the Lord’s direction on which one to use and how to use it.

You can find my blog at: http://marcieheartthoughts.blogspot.com/
Other places to find me?  https://twitter.com/katylyssiesmom
https://plus.google.com/u/0/116601944170151215598/about

Ann Voscamp is a tremendous writer with the ability to put life into words in ways we normally wouldn’t think of them. Her passion for God and His Word is so abundant and infectious. I love reading her work. She has a blog titled “A Holy Experience” at http://www.aholyexperience.com/ and she has several best sellers out, “One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully”, “One Thousand Gifts Devotional: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces” and a photography book, “One Thousand Gifts: Finding Joy in What Really Matters”. 

Nan Jones is my personal friend and mentor. I’ve had her on here a couple of times so you are already familiar with her name and work. Nan has inspired me greatly in my own writing and God’s light shines right through her every day in every way. I have been privileged to work with her on her debut book, Perils of a Pastor’s Wife which will be coming out soon. Nan Jones is an author/speaker who uses the words of her heart to assist fellow Christians in discovering the Presence of God in their darkest hour. Her devotional blog, Morning Glory, has become a place of community for Christians to find encouragement in God’s Word and comfort in His Presence. You may visit Nan at her website: www.NanJones.com or her blog, Morning Glory: http://morningglorylights.blogspot.com/. For personal communication you may email Nan at nan@jubilantlight.com.

Jamie Britt is blind but she can see so much more than we who are not. She shares a message of hope and has a desire to see women find their value in Christ. Blind from birth, she challenges us to see God’s sovereignty and care in the midst of our trials. Through her blog, she encourages women to be transformed by the power of Christ, discovering they are never alone; God shows His love and faithfulness to us every day. Jamie is a graduate of the 2011 NCompass Writers Retreat and the 2012 and 2013 Writers Advance! Boot Camp. She’s also a featured guest blogger on MorningGloryLights.blogspot.com and CindyRooy.com. Stop by Jamie’s blog at www.encouragingwomen-strength.blogspot.com 

Rose Chandler Johnson and I met through Nan Jones. She has a debut devotional book out through Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. I really like her devotional book!  Rose Chandler Johnson met Jesus at the age of eleven.  As a young bride, she left her tiny Georgia town to start a new life. Through years of disappointments and overwhelming obstacles, her faith in God sustained her as she learned to find God in the midst of everyday moments. A devoted Christian and mother of six, she has been a teacher of English and French over the last twenty years. Her articles, poems, and devotions have appeared in numerous publications.  She is the author of the devotional blog, Write Moments with God, and looks forward to continuing her writing ministry in the years ahead. God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea: Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments, which released July 1, 2013, is her first published book.  This devotional has named a finalist in the Selah awards in May and also received the Georgia Author of the Year Award finalist on June 7th in the inspirational-religious category. Rose’s blog is found at: http://writemomentswithgod.blogspot.com/ 

Vicki Byassee Hurley and I met through various friends. Vicki is a bold proclaimer of the word.  Through her creativity and hospitality the truth is declared that will set people free from deception. Always relevant and on target, Vicki’s interpretation of God’s word to you will bring insight and revelation. You can find her blog Releasing Truth at: http://www.releasingtruth.com/

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post! Please go visit my friends websites and blogs! 

Pictures of the journal and Bible are my own. Thank you to my friend Rhonda for the journal when I graduated from high school! 🙂

© Heart Thoughts, Marcie Bridges, 2014