It Could Happen Anywhere

I was going to start the interviews of my author friends after January began, but last night one of them sent me the answers to the interview questions and I had to share this interview now. I cried when I read about this woman's life. It began so typically, but in a day, everything changed for her and her country.
Somehow, here in the United States, we feel insulated from this kind of thing. After reading this I realize that it could happen here or anywhere.

The thing that stood out to me is that she has a very joyful personality even after everything she has been through. You will not feel depressed after reading this interview. She is a very positive person. Please read the interview with my new acquaintance, Sanela Jurich.

My name is: Sanela Ramic Jurich

My genre: 1.Fiction / Historical 2.Fiction / War & Military (Although I wanted it to be Romance).
The title of my book is: Remember Me
My website: http://www.sanelajurich.tateauthor.com

1. How long have you been an author and when did the desire to write (the writing bug) bite?

I've been a published author since June 7th, 2011, but I knew I was going to be one ever since I can remember.

I heard someone say once that in order to become a writer, you don’t just learn the skill; you have to be born with it. It’s inside you all along. It’s your calling.

I strongly believe this to be true. I remember exactly the first set of books I’ve ever read. It was Greek Mythology given to me by an old neighbor. I was seven years old at the time.

I know, you might say that Greek Mythology is too complex for a seven-year-old, but to my-seven-year-old mind, this was fairy tales. I loved reading about those strong, smart, wise Gods and gorgeous Goddesses.

And as I was growing up, each time I’d feel lonely, or sad, I’d always go back and read those wonderful stories that never failed to inspire and make me feel better.

Soon after I read those, I had my library ticket and was spending most of my after-school time there. My parents didn’t mind, since they both worked. I was left alone a lot, so the fact that I’d actually enjoyed being in a library was kind of like a relief to them.

I absolutely loved reading and so, in my heart, I knew that some day I was going to write cool stories to make people laugh and feel good.

I wasn’t going to write sad stories; all of them were going to be happy and fun. Filled with love. I’d sometimes write short stories just to amuse myself. They were filled with child’s imagination, funny names, and, always, love…

At some point, I'd even started to think like I was reading a book. For example:
I’m having a normal conversation with a friend or someone, at the end of their sentence, I’d think to myself something like: She said, as she looked away. Or... she stated, but the icy look in her eyes said otherwise….

I learned to read people’s facial expressions at a very young age. It was all so amusing to me. I loved being in a crowd - like in a crowded bus. I’d hide in the back and just watch people, telling myself their stories, just by reading their facial expressions and body language…. I’d usually make them funny.

When I was fifteen, my whole life changed in a blink of an eye. The world I saw through my fifteen-year-old eyes was not innocent and pretty. It was filled with death, sadness, and hatred.

You see, I was born in this cute town of northern Bosnia, called Prijedor. Now days, this town is known for its horrible concentration camps that were run by the Serbs in 1992.

I know, when you hear the words “concentration camps” you think of the World War II and Nazis. But no, this was not our grandparents generation time, this was our generation, 1992… on the threshold of the 21 century.

I remember my parents talking and thinking that war was going to end before it had even started… the world would not let another Nazi genocide go on.

But, to our surprise, the world did let it happen. It went on for four years: Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, Concentration Camps, raping and slaughtering women and children…

It all happened.
And so my writing had to be put on hold....

When I had finally moved to the United States in 1993, I was a completely changed person then. My dream of becoming a writer became just that… a dream; so distant and unreachable. I thought that even if, somehow, I managed to learn enough English, I could never write happy, fun stories any more. My mind was reset and it was filled with darkness, pain, and distrust.

But in time, little by little, my sense of humor returned. The writer in me was getting tired of being quiet. So I'd started thinking like I was in a book again.

For example; I’d go to the Six Flags with my husband, children, and our friends, but because I’m afraid of heights, I wouldn’t go on any of the rides... (I know... I bore myself sometimes too).

So, anyway, I’d sit on the bench and wait for them to get off their rides. It’s perfect because the place is always crowded which gives me a chance to just watch people undetected. For example, I'd see a guy talking to a girl. I'd watch their facial expressions and body language to determine whether they like each other, so my inner analogue would go something like: “I don’t care,” she said firmly. Turning around, she smiled, ever so slightly.... Etc.

One day in July of 2009 on my way to work, I'd dropped off my two boys over at my mom’s house. She had made some comment about my kids, which got me a little upset and I thought to myself, boy, if this was a book, that comment would be perfect…

And so, my mind had started building a web of events and before I knew it, I had about three chapters. The character of Sabina, the mother, was born…

2. Why did you choose the genre you write in? Are there plans to write in another genre?

Honestly, I didn't chose this genre. It kind of chose me. When I first started writing this book, it was going to be a romantic tale between Johnny and Selma. However, as I was writing it, the story itself took me to a completely different direction then what I'd previously had in mind. I know it sounds kinda crazy, but it's true.

What's amazing about writing is the fact that you never really know where you'll end up. Your characters take on a life of their own and you just go with it.
So anyway, Selma and Johnny fall in love when she is sixteen. They get separated by the war. The story is told from Selma's point of you, so she tells you about her falling in love, then being taken away from home and thrown into a concentration camp where she gets raped and tortured repeatedly.

When she finally gets out, she's broken beyond repair and doesn't want Johnny to know of anything that she'd been through. On their way out of their home town, she witnesses Johnny getting killed by one of the soldiers...

However, as I said before, the romantic in me could not let my book have an unhappy ending, so I'd found a way to bring Johnny back into the picture and restore Selma's faith in God.

At the end, love prevails and they live happily ever after.
So, I thought the genre was definitely going to be romance, but the experts at Tate said it was Historical... I guess it's a little bit of everything.

3. Please tell about each title here:

So far I only published one book - Remember Me.

I did, however, sign another contract with Tate Publishing and am waiting for my second novel to be sent to production. It's going to be a sequel to Remember Me. Not sure what the title is going to be yet.

4. Do you do speaking engagements? Tell about your subject matter.

Yes, I do.
The subject that people seem to be most interested in is my own story of how I became an author.
Others ask questions about my experience in Bosnia, and so I talk a little bit about both.

5. What has been your most rewarding experience as an author?

Getting some things out into the open and having people read and comment about my work.
6. Where can your books be purchased?

My book can be purchased anywhere books are sold: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, etc. It can also be purchased directly from my websitewww.sanelajurich.tateauthor.com and Tate Publishing's website as well. Also, autographed copies can be ordered from my website via PayPal.
7. How can readers reach you through twitter? through facebook? through your blog? through your website?

I can be reached through my website and Facebook:www.facebook.com/sanela.jurich

8. What was your biggest surprise at being an author?
I was really surprised at how much marketing I have to do myself. I was one of those people who thought that the hardest part was behind me once I signed that contract with the publisher. Boy, was I wrong, haha!

However, I try to look at it in a positive way and enjoy every single moment of it. I am loving every step and the experience I'm gaining. There is absolutely nothing in the world I'd rather be doing than writing and then sharing it with others.

9. We all know that writing can be a lonely occupation, what do your family and friends do to lift you up when you are down?

They buy me books and leave me alone, haha!

10. What is the last song you sang while you were all alone at the top of your voice and where were you?

It was an old song by Boys II Men - End of the Road.
I was in the kitchen loading up my dishwasher. I thought I was alone until I heard soft giggles coming from behind me. My nine year old son, Denny and my four year old son, Devin were cracking up. They find it hilarious that I have an accent even when I sing.

Sanctuary

“Lord prepare me to be a Sanctuary,


Pure and holy,

Tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living

Sanctuary for You.”



I was singing this song with the congregation of my church during worship on Sunday morning. Most of the time when I sing this song, I think about my body being the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is Scriptural. I felt that there is more to this song than meets the eye so today, Monday, I got out the faithful dictionary and looked up the word ‘sanctuary’.



Sanctuary- a holy place, as a building set aside for worship. 2. A place of refuge or protection; asylum, shelter.



All right, what does this mean to me? I began to ask the Lord what this meant to me. I have rejoiced for many years that God, the one and only God, chooses to dwell in me. I am humbled by this observation. I enjoy sweet fellowship with the Lord as He honors me with His Presence.



I have come to realize that many people hunger for a place of refuge. They go here and there looking for peace and security. They meditate and try to find something within themselves to calm the storms brewing inside them. They look for a shelter and protection.



While Jesus is the Sanctuary, He has called us to be His hands extended. In this, we are to not only house the Lord in our heart, but to provide a safe place for those who are tossed about in the harshness of this present world. In being a peaceful, content, and sheltering person, we are examples of the love of God. We are not to set ourselves up as the answer. No, we are only a sample of what God can do with a life. If we are no different than the people who are unsettled and harassed by the world, why would they want what we have?



Letting Jesus portray Himself in our lives provides a safe place for those who are troubled to find the peace we have found in the Lord. We become a sanctuary filled with the Presence of God and showing people how they can also have the “peace that passes understanding”. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” I thank God for this provision in our lives.



Elaine Littau, author of Christian historical/western books

Gypsy Phoenix, A Birthright of Hope by Kimberly Thompson

Gypsy Phoenix, A Birthright of Hope by Kimberly Thompson is a true story about an American girl caught between two families. From her earliest years of life Kim had questions about her birth and adoption. Although her adoptive parents never hid the fact that she was adopted, the specific details were never given to her. This is the story of one little girl growing up with mental and physical abuse and many questions. If it hadn't been for the love of her grandparents it is doubtful that she would have survived.




Her life as a young adult began on a downward spiral and it is remarkable that she emerged with a sane mind. After many years of searching she emerged with a love for God and finally the answers she looked for her entire life. It is a gripping story full of pain, loss, love, and hope.



Elaine Littau, author of Nan's Journey and Elk's Resolve

Feeding the 5000

Feeding
the 5000

I was at a meeting last year where the subject was "Feeding the 5000". Perhaps you are an author wondering how you are going to get your book into the hands of the multitudes or you may be someone with a mountain of debt or some other insurmountable task. The speaker that night said that Jesus didn't just plunge in and start feeding everyone. He had the disciples divide the group into companies of 50s and 100s and also the women and children. Some estimates are that the crowd was really about 15, 000 people. They just counted the men. There were 5000 men. He said that when we have something we need to do we need to divide the task up into manageable pieces. The end result will be the same, but the process is a process of faithfulness.
Whether it is putting an extra $20 on each bill or setting your book sales to 10 to 20 books per month. The process is faithfulness. Today one of my author friends celebrated the sale of over 5000 books. (Not everyone is John Grissom so 5000 is huge!) All of the author friends rejoiced with her. She did it one book at a time. Faithfulness..Feeding the 5000!

Today my interview is with Tracey Marley. You will enjoy her story.


1. What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
Tracey Marley, author of Promise for Tomorrow

2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
That I am real and that I face the same struggles, temptations and trials as the next woman. I am very much a work in progress and it is the through the power of God that I wrote this story and have been able to experience the blessing of watching it become a published reality.

3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?
About seven days after I started my first book! I've always enjoyed journaling and such but when I dreamed the story of Promise for Tomorrow and started to write it down, I couldn't seem to stop. In seven months, I wrote it and the other four, possibly five, rough drafts for the remainder of the series as well as a separate stand alone title.

4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
Although I write fiction, I like to keep it real. I purposefully write situations and characters that are sometimes sticky and hard to deal with because that's what we face in reality. The Christian life isn't perfect nor will it be this side of Glory. I like to toss in a little humor to lighten things up, but in the end I want my readers to walk away with insights and truths that they can apply to their everyday life.

5. Are you a reader?
Yes. I love reading Christian romances as well as Bible Studies/Self Help books.

6. What are you reading right now?
This Present Darkness, a fiction novel, written in 1986 by Frank E. Peretti. It deals heavily with spiritual warfare which is something I deal with on a regular basis. There is no doubt as to why God kept putting it in front of me time and time again. I am also doing the study When Godly People Do Ungodly Things, by Beth Moore.

7. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
Promise for Tomorrow is the first book in the Heritage House Series. Forgiveness for Yesterday, book two, is what I am currently trying to finish. Where book one teaches the beauty of hope, love and restoration to the broken hearted, book two will teach the cost, gift, and value of God’s forgiveness to the undeserving, and how He expects His children to mirror that forgiveness to others.

8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
Time is always a struggle because I'm not just a writer. I'm also a pastor's wife, a mom and a graphic designer. In addition to those demands, either right before I write or right after I write I will often go through what is sometimes intense spiritual warfare. Depression, anxiety, doubt, fear, temptation—you name it—can often leave me feeling sidetracked and overwhelmed. I battle against this by surrounding myself with the truth of God's word. The Bible tells me in Isaiah chapter 55, verses 10-11 that: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." These verses remind me that God has given me a message to share through a story and that as long as I'm obedient to Him, He will bless me.

9. Please put a description of each of your books here. (back matter is ok) Promise for Tomorrow is the tale of a heart’s journey through the changing seasons of life and how God can bring something beautiful out of the ashes of loss and gives promise for the future—whatever it may bring.

Back cover copy:
Karen McMasters is tired of trying to convince everyone she is okay. It has been five years since the death of her beloved husband, Eric, and time still feels frozen in the past. The only cure for Karen and her children is to move away from the memories of what they have lost. Now living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Karen meets Amanda, a fun and vivacious spirit who dates Chris Lanning, the handsome bachelor with a past that offers more questions than answers. Chris offers an introduction to his best friend Bret Sears, allowing Karen to meet the first man whose Christian ideals match his striking good looks since Eric. Karen feels God’s spirit telling her it is okay to move on with her life, but what about her children and the memory of her loving late husband? As Amanda unearths more of Chris’ mysterious past, Karen searches for ways to minister to her friends while trying to figure out what God’s plan for her includes. What terrible injustice happened to Chris? Will temptation threaten to ruin Karen and Bret? Or will they rise above and seek the assurance God offers them if they listen to his Promise for Tomorrow?

10. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
My contact is traceymarley@embarqmail.com or traceymarley.tatepublishing.net. Books can be ordered through my website or anywhere books are sold.



It is great to get to know the writers. If you missed one of the past interviews of the talented authors I have been interviewing be sure to visit my blog and catch up. These are interesting people!

Fearless by Max Lucado

“Fearless, Imagine Your Life Without Fear” by New York Times Best-Selling author, Max Lucado was a voice of hope in a world of despair. Mr. Lucado points out the facts about the biblical account of Jesus and the disciples in the fishing boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jesus led them into the unpredictable waters knowing it would not be a relaxing cruise, but a challenge of faith. While they were being sloshed with sea water would their faith stand? Would Jesus allow them to die? What purpose did this challenge serve? Why would he allow them to go through this trial? These questions are some of the questions we ask today about issues in our lives. Jesus’ words ring clear through the ages. “Take courage…Do not be afraid…Do not fear…”
The author states that the children of today have more fear than people in the past had who were locked up in mental institutions. That is quite an observation. I am sorry to say that I think it is true. With many Scriptural references and dissections throughout the book, the book refuses to be stale but instead vibrates with life and hope. As an added bonus there is a 37 page discussion guide that is perfect for personal reflection as well as group discussion. This is one impressive book.

Finding Home by Jim Daly

Jim Daly's book Finding Home was compelling. Although he never suffered physical or sexual abuse the other things he and his family endured were still things that no one should never have to endure.
The fact that he grew up as a hopeful boy is remarkable to me.

Every day people give up over less than Jim endured on one of his bad days. The part of the book that really resounded in me was his account of his mother's death. I suppose the reason was that my own sister died and left five children, the youngest being six and eight years old. I saw my nephews in that chapter as they suffered over their loss. No one could take the place of their mother. The difference was that Jim and his siblings had no one to hold them and tell them that all would be well.

His narrative rang true in that he wrote the way a boy thinks. Boys can squeeze out joy in the middle of hard times as long as they have access to a bicycle or a ball and bat. This book emphasises the importance of people stepping in to make a difference in the lives of people that cross our path. Coaches, teachers, pastors, and friends are necessary for kids. We must be there to lend a listening ear and wise council. This book is a "must read".

Progress Continues on "Elk's Resolve" the Sequel to "Nan's Journey"

I am happy to say that the progress on the sequel to "Nan's Journey" is moving along steadily. At this time the script for the "Elk's Resolve" audio book is completed. Terry and I have made our selections on the voice to deliver the story. Also, the book cover selections have been sent to me and I polled our family and some of our friends about their opinion on them. Tate does such a good job that is it difficult to make the selection. Soon I will post the finished product selection for the book cover of "Elk's Resolve".

"Elk's Resolve" is the continuation of the story begun in "Nan's Journey". The question of "What happened to the baby?" is answered and more issues are addressed. The main thought behind this book is dealing with depression, prejudice and demonic attack. Hopefully, the reader will be encouraged and uplifted after finishing the last page of this book.

I don't want to write for the sake of writing. I want to bring hope and help to people who read my stuff. I have been in prayer for everyone who reads these stories, praying that they will find the help they need through our Lord.