No - not the Blog...My husband and I are finally down-sizing. After nearly 32 years of marriage we are selling our current home and moving into a Condo.
So - this will be my last Blog post until after the move (sometime in early August).
While we are not changing zip codes, we are moving nonetheless...
I grew up in a military family, so relocating every 2-3 years was the norm. I spent my elementary school years overseas and eventually attended three different high schools. Moving forced my sister and I to make friends quickly and we learned to adjust to our new surroundings with ease..
Let me now introduce you to author Carol Stratton. Carol wrote a book titled Changing Zip Codes. She answers some great questions about writing and her book in her Author Interview below:
1.
Please tell us a
little background about yourself and how you became a writer.
I’ve
always loved writing and started to send articles to magazines while in high
school. I have found myself constructing imaginary conversations in my head and
re telling incidents I’d been through but I didn’t get published until I
submitted an essay for our local paper after 9/11.
2.
Can you please give
us some background on this book and what led you to write it?
I’ve
moved about 22 times (but who’s counting) and wanted to encourage anyone who
found themselves following a moving van to a strange house. I am a cheerleader
for any family relocating.
3.
Is this your
first published book? If yes, what were
your thoughts when you first held a copy in your hands?
This is my first
published book and after twelve years of pitching books to editors I could not
contain my joy. The years of sending and getting rejected made that little book
all the more special.
4.
What authors
inspire you most and why?
Jan
Karon, C.S.Lewis, and Catherine Marshall. I lapped up anything Catherine wrote.
She wrote with such transparency in a time when the Christian writing world
seemed to be stiff and more theological then personal. When I first became a Christian I didn’t have
a lot of Christians around so I learned from her writings.
5.
What has been the
most challenging thing you’ve encountered while writing this book?
Telling
people we’ve moved a lot. I married an adventurous entrepreneur and we’ve had a
lot of fun but some people wouldn’t understand relocating so much. Also, sharing
personal stories. Even though I knew some of my stories might reach a reader,
it’s always hard to lift back the tent flap and show what’s going on. I didn’t
always find warm fellowship and friendship in churches and I got discouraged
with some moves.
6.
When you write,
what do you do to motivate yourself and/or keep your focus?
I
think of what a reader needs. As a mover, you find yourself lonely and out of
sorts with your schedule, your house and community. My goal is to encourage
that young mom who has lost her support group and “Mama” who lives across the
country. God is our faithful friend when everyone else around is new and
possibly even unapproachable.
7.
Do you offer your
book in the electronic book formats for various e-readers?
8.
How have you used
this book as a ministry tool to further the Kingdom of God?
It
has opened doors for me to talk to others about how practical the Bible is in
our everyday life. People give me quizzical looks when they know I’ve moved a
lot but I hope my joy in everyday life shows that I love adventure! I’ve had a
lot of interest from military ministries. Part of the proceeds of the book goes
to helping give scholarships to military couples for Family Life’s “A Weekend
to Remember”.
9.
What is your next
project?
I
have a novel coming out next year called Lake
Surrender with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. It’s about a single
mom who has lost her job and house and moves from city to country hauling two
kids, one an autistic 6–year old. She finds the only job available, a cook at a
Christian camp. The problem: she hates cooking and has no interest in spiritual
things. But she rediscovers her true identity at the bottom of a twenty gallon
soup pot. I’ve had a lot of fun writing this one.
You can visit Carol at her website and blog at Changing Zip Codes . To purchase her book as a paperback or an ebook, please visit AMAZON .
Thanks Carol for giving us a great resource to check-out prior to a move - whether it is due to a job relocation, family commitments, or just the need to be in a different size house!
Changing Zip Codes has everything you need to be a moving EXPERT...
Deborah
is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is
written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their
passion. It will encourage and challenge
the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together.
If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to
share it with others.
Moving a lot has its downsides—but it also has its perks. What's important is you to take a look at the lighter side of such circumstances. Bet this book is going to be stellar. Thanks for the insights that you have presented here. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by Koby. Moving indeed presents good and bad points - but overall it is an experience worth having. Changing Zip Codes is a book which sets forth helpful guidelines to make it all go more smoothly. Great sharing!
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