Deanna Nowadnick is the author of Fruit of my Spirit. Welcome to Cindy's Book Reviews Deanna, I look forward to getting to know you this this interview...So a few questions...
What made you want to be an author?
I
did not plan to be an author. I just wanted my sons Kyle and Kevin to
know how I met their father. They’re young adults now and some of the
cringe-worthy details were beginning to emerge. I didn’t want the fact
that they’ve been the benefactors of a beautiful marriage and a
wonderful family to get lost in the giggles and groans of old memories.
When I started writing, the chapter on Love went straight to the chapter
on Self-Discipline. And by the time I was done with those two chapters,
there was no stopping me. Even as I wrote, I had no idea where the book
would go or where it would end up. I did know that by the time I got to
the chapter on Patience, a theme had developed.
How long have you been writing?
I
have always written, but this is my first book. I even majored in
English in college, but I never enjoyed writing assignments. I actually
think it had more to do with being told what to write, rather than the
writing itself. Just this week, I sold my first article to a women’s
magazine. I love telling stories and I love that writing gives me a way
to share my stories.
Tell us a bit about your book, and how you came to write ?What kind of research have you done for this book?
Fruit of My Spirit
is a memoir of short stories. What started as one story quickly became a
much larger story of God’s love and faithfulness. And as you’ll see
from the book, God has encircled me during joyous, sad, cringe-worthy,
heartwarming, forgettable, memorable moments in life. As the stories
came to mind, I just focused on getting the words down, not expecting
the whole project to become an actual book. Finally one day I said to
anyone who’d listen, “I think I wrote a book.”
How is being published different than you thought it would be?
I
never expected the book to resonate with readers like it has. As I
wrote, I knew that God was giving me special stories to share; I just
didn’t expect to have the opportunity to share those stories in the form
of a real book. Now I’m challenged to think about ways for more of us
to share our stories. So many have come to me and said, “I have a story
to tell.” And that’s when I’ll reply, just start with that one story.
The whole writing process can be so intimidating, and then I remember
Anne Lamott’s book, Bird by Bird. When a writing project loomed for her brother, her father’s words were, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” Fruit of My Spirit began as just a single story. I hope others will be inspired to begin with their own.
What
else can we look for from you? What are you working on? How do you
write?
I have the first draft of Book 2 almost done. Signs in Life: Meeting God at the Corner of Grace and Mercy
tells of those times when God has come alongside and guided, directed
and turned me. The book is another collection of short stories, this
time recounting when God has met me at life’s crossroads, when I’ve been
“on point” with God, not because of anything I’ve done, but because a
loving, gracious, merciful God has been there time after time, again and
again. I just returned from several days in Palm Springs. It was a
delightful time in which to relax and write. Stories can come to me at
all times of the day and night, but my writing needs a quiet time and
place, free from distractions. I’ll use my computer for the first draft,
but then I need to print and hold the pages in my hand to edit. I need
to touch and feel the words and then I need to read them out loud. I’m
always amazed at what I think I write compared with the actual words on a
page. Only when the words are spoken do I catch those moments.
Tell us one thing about yourself that we might be surprised to learn (one quirky thing about your writing or you personally)
I’m
a quirky writer. With both books, I had the title come to me before the
words. With both books, I had pictures come to me before the stories.
Yes, Book 2 has more family photos! About me personally? Book 2 has a
travel theme. My first car was a Plymouth Valiant with a push-button
transmission. It was an olive green, actually a color that doesn’t exist
in nature anywhere!
Tell the readers where they can find your book, and find you online.
Amazon
and Barnes and Noble have the book and the ebook should be available
soon! Readers can find me on Facebook, Twitter and the Fruit of My
Spirit’s website (where you can get the first chapter of the book).
A bit about the book:
Fruit of My Spirit
is a memoir of missteps and misdeeds in which Deanna Nowadnick writes
of the hugeness of God’s love and faithfulness. Reframing life in God’s
grace, she discovers an indescribable, indefinable, inexplicable love
that has encircled her without fail throughout life. Fruit of My Spirit
is for anyone who’s ever questioned God’s ability to love and forgive,
who’s ever wondered about their place in God’s family or God’s place in
theirs. Deanna offers hope for those who dare to question, who secretly
wonder, and who fear to ask. Through stories of love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control, you will experience the enormity of God, too.
Thanks, Cindy! I love being able to share the book with readers. It's truly been a most wonderful adventure.
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