Fabulous Friday Feature-Lorna Seilstad

Today we welcome author:

Lorna Seilstad

One commenter will win a copy of
Lorna's book:

 As Love Blooms

Scroll down to see how.

Mary here. I have quickly learned what an amiable person Lorna is. After only a few emails we've become great friends and found similar things to talk about. You'll see this same spirit in her post below. I asked Lorna to tell us how God led her on her writing journey. Here is what she said: 

Excuses! Excuses!

Moses and I have a lot in common. Oh, I haven’t led any Egyptians out of bondage, but I have looked at the path God laid out for me and rattled off excuses that would rival those of the great spiritual leader himself.

You’re probably familiar with the story. God gets Moses’ attention with a burning bush, and then when He begins to disclose his plans for Moses’ future, the excuses start.

(My paraphrase of the story:)

“Moses, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt.”

“Me?”

“I’ll be with you.”

“Who says I can do this?

“I do.”

“But God, what if they won’t believe me? They won’t listen to a word I say.”

“I’ll make sure they do.”

“But I’m not a good speaker.”

“Moses, I made your mouth! I know what you can do!”

“Please, Lord, send someone else.”

“Fine. I’ll send your brother with you. I’ll give you the words to say and teach you what to do.”

Did you notice Moses’ excuses? He doubted himself, he was scared of the reaction of others, and he even begged God to not put him in that position. Finally, God gives him a partner. We humans do like backup.

Now, how Moses-ish have I been in my writing?  A bunch.  When I realized that God wanted me to take the passion He’d placed within me for writing onto a new level, I was terrified. I’d been writing fan fiction on a wonderful site for several years, but I felt a tug that it was time to work toward publication. 

My prayers mirrored Moses’. “What if I can’t do this? What if no one wants to read it? What if I fail?” and I felt God’s answers just as surely.  He even sent me dear friends as backup. Finally, I had to come to a point where I said I didn’t care if I never became a published author, I was going to write because that was what God wanted me to do. I developed a new mantra of “God’s words. God’s will. God’s timing.”

Mary here: that is a great mantra for all of us not matter what the calling. Thanks, Lorna!

God should have just said, “Hold on! I’m going to take you on the ride of your life.”

And He even provided me with an Aaron. Only my Aaron was one of my best friends named Dawn who went with me to my first American Christian Fiction Writer’s (ACFW) get together. She went because she knew I’d never go alone. It was at this first meeting that God led me to my dear friend and mentor, Judy Miller.

I wanted to go to the ACFW conference in 2008, but didn’t have the $500 for the fee. Out of nowhere, we received a check from a credit card for $500 with a note that said we’d overpaid them and this was discovered during an audit. I can assure you that there had never been a time in our lives that we would have paid an extra $500 and not noticed, but God had it covered.

When I went to that first conference, I didn’t expect to land a contract, but I did feel prepared. I had my one sheet in hand, proposal written, and pitch polished. And I’d prayed so hard I was afraid God was tired of hearing from me. I remember singing this little song as I rode down the elevator, “I’m yours, Lord. Everything I am and everything I’m not.” I placed a heavy emphasis that day on the “not.”

I stepped up to my assigned Revell’s senior acquisitions editor, and introduced myself, praying she didn’t see my legs shaking. Then, the worst thing happened. I forgot every word of my pitch.

Blank. Empty. Gone.

What popped into my head was a Seekerville post by Myra Johnson. She’d explained that she'd often handed her one sheet to the editor and sat quietly while they read it.  After all, she said, they were used to making decisions on what they read. Bless you Myra! That’s exactly what I did.

When Andrea finished the one sheet, she asked me a few questions and then asked to see my chapters. I again sat silently while she read two of the three chapters. Thank goodness she laughed at the right places. I knew I was in trouble if she didn’t.

She then set it down, complimented me on my fresh voice, and asked me to send the full manuscript to her. Within the year, I had a three-book contract with Revell.

I’m so glad that God didn’t take my excuses any better than He did those of Moses. God had a plan for me, but fear almost kept me from realizing it.

Are you letting excuses keep from reaching your goals?

Today, I encourage you to give them up.

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Lorna Seilstad brings history back to life using a generous dash of humor. After her first child was born, she quit teaching and became a professional wiper. She says she wiped noses, tears, skinned knees, and baby bottoms, but at naptime, she wrote. She is the author of the Lake Manawa Summers Series and the Gregory Sisters Series. She and her husband have three children and call Iowa home.

To find more information about Lorna and her books:

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Tessa Gregory is nothing if not tenacious. Denied a position as a horticulturist at prestigious Como Park in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she is not above a little benevolent deception in order to get the park superintendent to change his mind and hire her. She plans to infiltrate the world of wealthy and influential people in hopes of drumming up financial support for a world-class conservatory. But before she can put those plans into action, she meets Reese King, a handsome gardener at Como Park--and a major distraction. Still, Reese might be the key to achieving her dream. But is his goal to help her . . . or to capture her heart? 

Against the lush backdrop of manicured gardens and greenhouses full of the exotic, Lorna Seilstad weaves a sweet and sassy story that is sure to delight.

As a graduate of Fannie Farmer's School of Cookery, Charlotte Gregory is thrilled to have the opportunity to travel, lecture, and give cooking demonstrations on the very latest kitchen revolution--the gas stove. And she certainly doesn't mind that the gas company has hired the kindhearted Lewis Mathis to entertain at her lectures.

Lewis encourages Charlotte's work, especially her crusade to introduce fresh, appetizing, nutritious food to those convalescing in hospitals. But young Dr. Joel Brooks is not convinced any changes should be made--especially by this outspoken young woman.

When Charlotte and Joel are coerced into planning a fund-raising gala for the hospital, will this combustible pair explode?

Follow the second Gregory sister as she looks for true love and makes her way in a rapidly changing world in this breezy, lighthearted love triangle that will keep you guessing

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Enter the contest to win a copy of Lorna's book:

As Love Blooms

here is how:

leave a comment (and email address)

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The winner will be announced on my Facebook page

Thank you, Lorna, for joining us this weekend!

We enjoy chatting with you and are looking forward to reading your comments and questions. Or at least your hi, hello, or hey.

Thanks for stopping by!

Don't forget to comment!