Blog

World Blog Tour – Catching Up with Cindy Sproles
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 by Cindy Sproles

Christian writers support and encourage one another by letting readers know about other writers. We do this through blog tours. Andrea Merrell invited me to answer four questions and then point you toward three authors whose work I support.

What Am I Working on Now?

I’ve often said, “Don’t ask, you’d never believe me,” but I love what I do. Professionally I’m managing three websites –www.christiandevotions.uswww.inspireafire.com, and www.writersadvancebootcamp.com. But writing wise, I’m finishing up the second novel, Coal Black Lies, in a series of three Appalachian Mountain Novels. Mercy’s Rain, (Kregel Publishing) is available for pre-orders now on Amazon.com, but it actually releases January 27, 2015. Needless to say, I’m more than thrilled to have this dream come true. I love my Appalachian heritage and it’s a joy to take bits and pieces of our past and weave them into intriguing stories. I want folks to know the mountains of Appalachia like I know them. I want them to walk the river banks, smell the breeze, and see the sunrises that crest the summits of the mountains where I live. The Appalachian Novel series are stand alone novels, but they take the reader into the richness of the mountain people, their hardships, and their survival. There is this deep underlying faith in the mountains – something you must experience to understand and in these novels, you don’t just read about it – you live it with the characters. The Appalachian Novel Series walks to the river and baptizes you into the thick of the culture here in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.

Otherwise, I spend a great deal of time reading devotions for ChristianDevotions.us and traveling and teaching at writers conferences across the country. Part of my position as Executive Editor is to provide encouragement, mentorship, and assistance to new writers who want to take their skills to the next level. I love working with new writers and seeing them spread their wings.

Among other things, I am the acquisitions editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Books, imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. I am a devotion writer and I understand the call to teach through a devotional book or inspirational non-fiction, so I love this position with Lighthouse.

Outside of these things, I work part-time for Comfort Keepers as their office manager. My second love, is that of the elderly. My job at Comfort Keepers allows me the opportunity to help place caregivers into the homes of aging so they are better able to remain steadfast in their homes over institutional living.

In between all that “stuff” my family spurts through. We’re planning a cruise to Nova Scotia in the fall. (Excitement).

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

Writing wise – my work pretty much stands in a field all by itself. Or that’s what publishers tell me. My voice is strong in the mountain dialect and it washes over everything I write. This passion makes my work very transparent and vulnerable.

This is one of the things I try to teach new writers – to find your voice. Find what you are rich in and then scratch the scabs of your heart until you bleed all over the page. Readers can smell fake a mile a way, but when they sense genuineness and vulnerability, they dive into the words.

Why do I write what I write?

That’s easy. It’s what come natural to me. I am who I am and I am blessed. That comes through into my writing.  I want people to take their hardships and turn them into valuable life lessons that enrich their lives and help them understand how God works through these things.  I write what I write because within it lies the difficulty, the path through, and the success of having been passed through the fire.

How does my writing process work?

I crank up Whisperings Piano then close my eyes. What happened yesterday or a week ago that stung my heart? Then I start to wrap around it. I have to dig into my soul, search deep into the compassion of my being to find the emotion that needs to hit the page.

I work best in the early morning. It’s quiet, I’ve rested through the night. My mind is clearer in the morning before the day starts to bite away so this is my most productive time. I aim for 4000 (two chapters) words a day, but if I only hit 1900 I consider that a successful writing day if the words are good.

For me, I write to the halfway point in a novel. Then stop. Go back and re-read the entire first half. Round two is rewrite, tweak, highlight those spots where the reader needs to “feel,” and embellish those spots. I have three writing critique pals who stay on top of the work, and these folks are unique. One is NOT a writer. She’s simply an avid reader. She reads everything with a very critical eye. Because she is an avid reader, she’s quick to find holes or little things that act as stop signs for the reader.  I have a female critique partner who is wonderfully loving yet, very honest. She’s great to help me get it right but encourage me as well. Finally, I have a guy critique buddy who guides with his head not his heart. Between these three, my work process gets tweaked a lot. But the finished product speaks for itself.

I always pay a professional editor to go through my manuscript when it’s complete and this is a practice I recommend to every writer before your manuscript leaves your desk to be shopped. It’s an investment in your career. And as tight as the market is, this gives you a leg up over other work going into publishers and editors.

Outside of that, the fuel is chocolate – Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge. HUMMM.

Meet three of my friends:

kellyTERRI KELLY

Terri Kelly is the First Grade teacher at The Mountain Community School. She has a Masters Degree in Education and nineteen years classroom teaching experience. Her passion in education is to make a positive difference in the life of her students.

Terri is also a writer and is the acquisitions editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas in the children’s division, Staff Writer for ChristianDevotions.us, and assistant director of Writers Advance BootCamp. A featured faculty member at conferences, she is published in Spirit and Heart, A Devotional Journey and Faith and Family, A Devotional Pathway for Families. Terri’s first middle grade novel, Mary Slessor – Missionary Mother (Journeyforth Books) released in early 2014.

 

AaronDGansky_headshotsmall

Aaron Gansky is an author, teacher, and editor.

 www.aarongansky.com

His first novel The Bargain (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) was released in December of 2013. His YA Fantasy series can be read free here. He has written two books on the craft of writing fiction; Firsts in Fiction: First Lines and Write to Be Heard (with Diane Sherlock). To find out more about his books click In addition to being a loving father and husband, Aaron Gansky is an author, novelist, editor, mentor, teacher, and podcast host. In 2009, he earned his M.F.A in Fiction at the prestigious Antioch University of Los Angeles, one of the top five low-residency writing schools in the nation. Prior to that, he attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing where he studied, in part, under Bret Anthony Johnston, now the Director of Creative Writing at Harvard University.

As a Creative Writing teacher in California, he brings his expertise on the craft to several writing conferences around America where he speaks on a variety of topics. 

In 2009, he began an online literary journal to publish poetry and flash fiction. Since that time, The Citron Review has grown in reputation and prestige. It is now one of the premier publishers of the internet’s best flash fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.

In 2013 he began his Firsts in Fiction Podcast with Steve McLain. Shortly after, Heather Luby joined the line up. Together, the three dispense practical, in-depth analysis of how to write powerful fiction. 

As a writing mentor, he prides himself on taking new writers and teaching them the craft and skills they need to succeed. 

MAIN Torry Martin 

www.torrymartin.com

Although Martin has a long list of accomplishments as an actor, author, storyteller and a standup comedian, he prefers to use his gifts for laughter, writing and entertaining to bring serious messages to audiences through the softening blows of humor.  After telling a typical “Torry Story” revolving around his own blundering and misfortune, Martin pulls in the spiritual lesson in a sometimes subtle way. “If I can keep them laughing while they’re learning it doesn’t hurt their brains as much.”

Martin was a standup comic and actor in Los Angeles before he became a Christian. After finding the Lord, Martin moved to Alaska and lived in a remote cabin with a friend who was studying for ministry. He gave up acting and comedy for two years and studied the bible while becoming grounded in his faith. After being encouraged by some friends at his church, Torry began writing comedy sketches which he entered into the national competition sponsored by the Gospel Music Association called Christian Artists, now called Seminar in the Rockies. He won the grand prize two years in a row and now returns annually as an instructor.  Martin has written for “Adventures in Odyssey”, a children’s radio series produced by Focus on the Family. For this self-proclaimed “hippie-for-the-Holy-One,” the melding of talent and faith have also resulted in the release of several books, including “Under the Circumstances,” and “What a Character,” both are collections of comedy sketches about Christian life.  

 

Published by Lillenas Drama, the books are available in Christian book stores worldwide.  While the sketches rely heavily on comedy to convey their messages, they also harbor moments of drama, often pulling no punches to get the point across. “I like using comedy in my writing because we need to be able to make fun of ourselves,” Martin says. “We take ourselves too seriously, but we don’t take God seriously enough and that needs some fixing.” Martin says he hopes his material will help and audience focus more on their relationships with God and place less emphasis on the technicalities of differing denominations or outside appearances. His blend of hilarious personal experiences, human observations and spiritual applications have made him one of the most entertaining and comical speakers around. From churches to corporate functions, banquets to biker rally’s, or prison’s to praise gatherings, the appeal of Torry Martin’s material makes him a perfect choice for groups and gatherings of all kinds.

Share This Blog:


Mountain Breeze Writer


Previous Posts

Never Look Back
Cindy Sproles

8/2/2024

Words Have Power
Cindy Sproles

7/12/2024

Those Hallmark Holidays
Cindy Sproles

5/12/2024

Deep and Wide or Sick and Tired?
Cindy Sproles

12/18/2023

What Would Jesus Do?
Cindy Sproles

11/10/2023

Chick, Chick, Chick
Cindy K. Sproles

9/30/2023

In My Inperfections
Cindy K. Sproles

8/27/2023

By the Hair of my Chinny, Chin, Chin
Cindy Sproles

7/21/2023

What Dumb Cluck!
Cindy K. Sproles

6/29/2023

Where to Draw the Line?
Cindy Sproles

4/27/2023

Submit! ME?
Cindy Sproles

4/14/2023

Why Are People So Mean?
Cindy Sproles

3/30/2023

I'm Getting Old
Cindy K. Sproles

3/3/2023

To Hear or Not to Hear
Cindy Sproles

1/28/2023

Happy New Year, Happy New Year News
Cindy Sproles

1/9/2023

Happy Neuter Year
Cindy Sproles

12/31/2022

Facing Reality - Aging Parents, Aging Children
Cindy Sproles

12/30/2022

Word of the Year for 2023
Cindy Sproles

12/24/2022

My Grown Up Christmas List - Three Things to Adulting the Right Way
Cindy Sproles

12/13/2022

Weebles Wobble but They Don't Fall Down
Cindy Sproles

12/6/2022

The Man In the Middle
Cindy Sproles

11/24/2022

Diversity is More Than Color
Cindy K. Sproles

11/14/2022

Love in Motion
Cindy Sproles

11/7/2022

Deadbeat or Deadline
Cindy Sproles

10/31/2022

Backstory - The Reader Doesn't Care!
Cindy Sproles

10/18/2022

The Color of Scared - The Final in Seeking Spiritual Renewal
Cindy Sproles

10/14/2022

The Color of Scared - Second of Three in Seeking Spiritual Freedom from Fear
Cindy Sproles

10/9/2022

The Color of Scared - First of Three in Seeking Spiritual Freedom from Fear
Cindy Sproles

10/3/2022

Fog, Mist, Morning
Cindy Sproles

9/29/2022

From a Rooster to a Hen
Cindy Sproles

9/24/2022

Writing from the Hip
Cindy Sproles

9/19/2022

Soggy Scrubby and the Long Goodbye
Cindy Sproles

9/13/2022

Wramping Up for ACWC
Cindy Sproles

9/10/2022

Rest Not, Want MORE!
Cindy Sproles

9/3/2022

Reality for Me
Cindy Sproles

8/17/2022

The Truth in Publishing
Cindy Sproles

8/11/2022

Beyond
Cindy Sproles

8/4/2022

Working with an Editor
Cindy Sproles

7/7/2022

Two on the Way
Cindy Sproles

2/26/2022

The Party's Overrrrr!
Cindy Sproles

2/22/2022

2022 Encouragement for the Writer
Cindy Sproles

1/4/2022

Every Day is New
Cindy Sproles

1/1/2022

Beginning Anew (An Eldercare Note)
Cindy Sproles

12/31/2021

Five Ways to Kill Your Publishing Opportunity
Cindy Sproles

12/30/2021

A Dollar Wisely Spent
Cindy Sproles

12/28/2021

Silent Night
Cindy Sproles

12/25/2021

Back Pocket Projects
Cindy Sproles

12/21/2021

Things are Back on Track - I think!
Cindy Sproles

12/18/2021

Wonky is Hard
Cindy Sproles

4/25/2021

Present Yourself Approved and Professional
Cindy Sproles

1/28/2021

Integrity - An Authors Valued Trait
Cindy Sproles

1/8/2021

Homonyms – Did You Sea/See Them Their/There?
Cindy Sproles

1/8/2021

Writer Self-Care - Welcome 2021
Cindy Sproles

1/4/2021

Hope in a New Year
Cindy Sproles

1/1/2021

One More Christmas Thought - Taken from ChristianDevotions.US blog
Cindy Sproles

12/25/2020

A Christmas Saga - Joy in the Season
Cindy Sproles

12/24/2020

When Writing Grows Hard
Cindy Sproles

12/22/2020

Permission to Quit - No Way
Cindy Sproles

12/18/2020

The Power of the Pen
Cindy Sproles

12/15/2020

The Good, The Bad, and the Memoir
Cindy Sproles

12/11/2020

The Immeasurable Power in You
Cindy Sproles

12/8/2020

Scratch It Till It Bleeds
Cindy Sproles

12/5/2020

Closing Up Shop - Renting or Selling Our Parent's Home
Cindy Sproles

9/5/2020

Humility in Writing
Cindy Sproles

7/7/2020

Let it Percolate
Cindy Sproles

7/3/2020

Mentoring - A Wise Choice
Cindy Sproles

6/29/2020

Divorce My Words?
Cindy Sproles

6/23/2020

Icy Self-Talk Will Freeze Your Writing
Cindy Sproles

6/19/2020

The Power in You
Cindy Sproles

6/16/2020

Waiting
Cindy Sproles

6/12/2020

Who Really Sells Your Books
Cindy Sproles

6/9/2020

Social Media When You Aren't Social Media Minded
Cindy Sproles

4/20/2020

What Really Is Important
Cindy Sproles

4/12/2020

In the Midst of Chaos
Cindy Sproles

3/17/2020

The Heart of God
Cindy Sproles

2/14/2020

Writing in a Pickle
Cindy Sproles

1/30/2020

The Adult Day Care Alternative
Cindy Sproles

1/23/2020

Social Media Blitz
Cindy Sproles

1/19/2020

The Joys of Aging
Cindy Sproles

12/30/2019

The Reality of Who We Are?
Cindy Sproles

12/22/2019

Publishing Trends
Cindy Sproles

11/30/2019

Be Thankful ANYWAY
Cindy Sproles

11/28/2019

Writing Your Mission Statement
Cindy Sproles

11/19/2019

Perseverance to Write
Cindy

11/16/2019

Common Sense Tips for When You Write
Cindy Sproles

11/9/2019

The Battle is Fought
Cindy

10/15/2019

Twelve Tidbits of Wisdom from Top Christian Writers
Cindy Sproles

10/5/2019

Pray with Fire
Cindy Sproles

10/3/2019

The Easy In
Cindy Sproles

9/24/2019

The Art of Self-Editing
Cindy Sproles

9/10/2019

Questions, Questions
Cindy Sproles

9/6/2019

15-Minute Appointments - Important Networking
Cindy Sproles

9/3/2019

Don't Close Your Eyes - Bob Hostetler
Cindy Sproles

2/5/2019

Love Your Faculty
Cindy Sproles

10/17/2018

Forging Ahead after Rejection
Cindy Sproles

7/17/2018

cindysproles.com Privacy Policy
Cindy Sproles

6/4/2018

Closing Up Shop - Guiding Seniors to Letting Go
Cindy Sproles

4/9/2018

Publishing Naysayers
Cindy Sproles

3/16/2018

In Prayer - I Write
Cindy Sproles

3/3/2018

Keep Them Reading
Cindy Sproles

1/12/2018

Encouraged - Even When . . .
Cindy Sproles

1/2/2018

Christmas Tears
Cindy Sproles

12/18/2017

Holiday Elder Care - Be an Elder Elf
Cindy Sproles

11/12/2017

Grateful for a Dream I Didn't Know I Had
Cindy Sproles

11/9/2017

Keep Them Reading
Cindy Sproles

11/1/2017

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Writer Call Out
Cindy Sproles

10/27/2017

Five Ways to Assure Your Work will Find the Slush Pile
Cindy Sproles

10/24/2017

23rd Psalm Revisited
Cindy Sproles

10/21/2017

Contentment in Writing
Cindy Sproles

10/19/2017

5 Common Sense Tips to Better Writing
Cindy Sproles

10/10/2017

Overshadowed
Cindy Sproles

8/21/2017

Chicken Soup for the Soul Callout - Stories about Love
Cindy Sproles

8/21/2017

Five Keys to Overcoming Rejection
Cindy Sproles

8/12/2017

Writing Call Out - Chicken Soup for the Soul
Cindy Sproles

8/10/2017

When Words of Encouragement Wane
Cindy Sproles

6/28/2017

Writing Truth with Love
Cindy Sproles

1/13/2017

Oh To Be A Writer
Cindy Sproles

1/4/2017

Why Write?
Cindy Sproles

1/1/2017

Scammed
Cindy Sproles

6/21/2016

The Pain of Unsolicited
Cindy Sproles

3/9/2016

Not Alone: A Literary and Spiritual Companion for Those Confronted with Infertility and Miscarriage
Cindy Sproles

11/21/2015

Thankful Despite . . .
Cindy Sproles

11/20/2015

Stepping Up to Na-No-Wri-Mo
Cindy Sproles

11/16/2015

The Gift of No Gifts
Cindy Sproles

11/2/2015

Writers Be Encouraged
Cindy Sproles

10/15/2015

Keep ‘Em Reading – It’s the Writer’s Responsibility
Cindy Sproles

8/13/2015

Saying Goodbye
Cindy Sproles

7/17/2015

Overcoming the Fear of Writing Failure
Cindy Sproles

7/8/2015

Making the Move – Home to Assisted Living
Cindy Sproles

6/17/2015

I Kid You Not
Cindy Sproles

6/6/2015

Hearing the Call to Foster – Renee McCausey
Cindy Sproles

1/13/2015

Throw Out the Crutches
Cindy Sproles

1/10/2015

So You Were Asked to Be A Beta Reader?
Cindy Sproles

1/10/2015

REJECTIONS – Aaughhh!
Cindy Sproles

1/5/2015

The Bachelor – Stephanie Reed
Cindy Sproles

12/14/2014

The Making of a Servant
Cindy Sproles

11/30/2014

Miracle in a Dry Season Review – Yvonne Lehman
Cindy Sproles

8/27/2014

Write Anyway
Cindy Sproles

8/26/2014

World Blog Tour – Catching Up with Cindy Sproles
Cindy Sproles

7/22/2014

The Progression of Life
Cindy Sproles

7/17/2014

Instrumental Writing Helps – Aaron Gansky
Cindy Sproles

7/4/2014

The Question Saga
Cindy Sproles

6/29/2014

Defy the Night – REVIEW
Cindy Sproles

4/28/2014

When the Work is Hard to Do
Cindy Sproles

4/1/2014

My Heart Belongs to Him
Cindy Sproles

2/14/2014

Review of The Vicar’s Wife
Cindy Sproles

2/2/2014

The In on Self Publishing – Part 2
Cindy Sproles

12/29/2013

The In on Self Publishing – Part 1
Cindy Sproles

12/26/2013

In a Pickle
Cindy Sproles

10/1/2013

Bigger and Better
Cindy Sproles

9/27/2013

Putting SOCIAL back in Media
Cindy Sproles

8/10/2013

After the Conference Ends…
Cindy Sproles

8/8/2013

Here a Tweak, There a Tweak, Everywhere a Tweak, Tweak
Cindy Sproles

8/2/2013

Can You Hear Me Now?
Cindy Sproles

7/23/2013

Golden Years, Cherished Moments
Cindy Sproles

3/20/2013

Broken Heart Syndrome
Cindy Sproles

9/26/2012

What About Our Elders
Cindy Sproles

8/24/2012

A Minute – A Lifetime
Cindy Sproles

8/10/2012

Water, Water – Who’s Got the Water
Cindy Sproles

7/31/2012