This week’s featured Voice is Keri Norton. She is a northern MN girl with two adopted boys who keep her busy as well as remind her of God’s blessings daily. She graduated in 1995 from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, MN with a major in Bible and minors in both church ministries and English (with an emphasis on creative writing). She worked one year as a journalist for the local paper, but decided that was not the direction she wanted to take her writing. Her husband is very supportive of her writing dreams and is also her encourage to continue on when she gets lazy on her WIP. Both her boys (Kody-10, and Jaxson-almost 3) have special needs, so she has a very soft heart for people with special needs and tends to include them in some way throughout her WIP.
What is the biggest writing challenge you’ve encountered this past year–craft, career, writing life, etc.?
Just sitting down and doing it…life seems to get in the way too often…surgery, boys’ appointments, church activities.
How did you solve it?
Being accountable to someone for my time spent on the WIP. Pick a spouse, friend, or someone from the forum here to keep you on track.
What is the one thing you learned that you could share with other writers?
One important item to learn early is to be true to yourself about your writing style. As I stated above, I worked as a staff writer/journalist for my local paper for about a year, but it just wasn’t my style of writing and neither myself or my editor were happy with my work. Be willing to admit your strengths and weaknesses and be flexible enough to allow the Lord to guide your writing.
Tell us about your current WIP.
The Faith Walkers
Beaten and left for dead in the northern Minnesota wilderness, nine-year-old Mariah is forced to rely on lessons Papa George taught her about outdoor survival and faith in Christ.
Keri, thank you for being this week’s featured Voice and sharing about your writing life. Visit the My Book Therapy forum and chat with Keri!
Be sure to join us on Friday, October 16 at 8 pm EST/7 pm CST for a My Book Therapy chat with Keri and our book therapists, Susan and/or Rachel. To access the chat forum:
*Log into My Book Therapy.
*Click on the forum button.
*Sign in with your username and password, if necessary.
*Click on the Chat tab.
*Your name will show up in the box on the right hand side. To comment, type in the box in the bottom under the yellow smiley face.
*In the chat room, we will abide by chat etiquette–type ? for question, type ! for comment, and type GA for go ahead after you’re completed your question or comment.
*If you have any questions, e-mail lisa@mybooktherapy.com