This month, I’m chatting it up with author, Paula Mowery who wears many other hats, as well. She has several published works, which we will discuss in this interview.

Welcome to my website, Paula!

Thanks for having me. I always love a good interview.

I’ve read that you’re a former homeschool mom. I was never one myself, but I know some who have a hard time adjusting when their children go on to public school, at some point. Did this happen to you?

Well, I homeschooled my daughter all 12 years. Just this last year, she started as a freshman at Liberty University Online. This was as much of a test for me as her. I kept thinking, “Did I properly prepare her?” I am happy to report that she is doing great, scoring a 4.0 her first year. It is quite different knowing I am not the one instructing or facilitating her, but I am very proud of her and the wonderful opportunity God afforded me to be able to be in charge of her education through those critical learning years.

Tell us, Paula, how do you balance all the commitments and responsibilities of home life, pastoral wife duties, your own writing, including being a columnist for Christian Fiction Online Magazine, and acquisitions editor for Prism Book Group?

The key to balancing all of the tasks I’m faced with each day is taking advantage of every moment. I am a very organized person. I’m talking to the extreme. I have a calendar/planner which is laid out in weeks. I utilize this resource to make sure deadlines get met. I also try to schedule to accomplish tasks ahead of time because, as a pastor’s wife, I have to be flexible when something comes up that takes precedence. I have my tablet and notebook wherever I go so I can edit for my authors or write on my work in progress. I write and edit in the car, while waiting, and even sitting in front of the TV with my family. 

Tell us about Be the Blessing, the novella that won the Selah award.

Be The Blessing is the sequel to The Blessing Seer in which Addy, a pastor’s wife, learns to see blessings others can obtain through obedience to God or even just asking. In the sequel, Addy learns that she is called to bless others even if that means she is suffering trials herself. Through her personal trials God gives her the opportunity to reach out to others and bless them. These trials give her the platform on which to touch people with God’s love.

Readers contacted me, expressing how the message in these two books have encouraged and challenged them. What more could I ask for? And then, I was informed that Be The Blessing had finaled in the Selah’s. That was quite enough. I was just shocked and thanking the Lord. That evening at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference award banquet, I was thrilled to receive a certificate as a finalist and be named with so many other great writers. When my name was called as the winner, I almost didn’t recognize it. My eyes misted and all I could say under my breath was, “Thank You, God.” I believe because of the extra recognition for this book, others have picked it up and read it. I have had readers since that time contact me, thanking me for the message. What a blessing!

Is there a connection to its prequel, The Blessing Seer, or can they both stand alone?

As stated above, The Blessing Seer is the first book, however, you can read Be The Blessing without having read the other. I hope readers might want to read both. The Blessing Seer gives the beginning of this journey of what God wants for Addy’s life. Be The Blessing just continues to show this path God has her on. And, you never know, there could be another.

Why did you choose this particular subject to write about?

I heard a sermon illustration one time about a man going to Heaven. He is being shown around by an angel. He arrives at a large warehouse filled with beautifully wrapped packages. When asked what all of the packages are, the angel answers, “These are all of the blessings God wants to give to His children but they haven’t asked or obeyed to be able to receive them.”

I pondered that story one night as I went to bed. After a few moments, I had to get out of bed and write down the outline for The Blessing Seer that God had given me. After The Blessing Seer released, my editor asked if I was planning a sequel. I hadn’t originally, but she got my mind to thinking and Be The Blessing was born.

Paula, will you share with us about your other published works?

Brave New Century is a collection of four historical romance stories. I was so privileged and honored to have my story, Forgiven, join the other three authors’ stories. These stories were the brain-child of Lisa Lickel. She wanted stories set in 1900 in different cities. I had just gotten an interesting story my father had found through researching our family ancestry which occurred in early 1900’s. My story is based on that incident and my paternal grandparents.

Legacy and Love contains two contemporary romances which have a theme of leaving a Godly legacy. Originally, I hadn’t written these two novellas to go together, but they fit so well in their theme, Prism published them in the same book.  

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing or editing, I spend time with my husband and daughter. Being a pastor is a stressful job, and we try to unwind by going out to eat different places or riding to the mountains. You might also find me reading Christian novels. I share my love of reading with my daughter. We like to discuss the books we read.

Where can readers find you online?

You can find me at my blog: www.paulamowery.blogspot.com. There you can find a link to my other blog and Facebook. I also write for www.christianonlinemagazine.com.

Is there anything else you’d like us to know?

Not everyone feels a calling from God to write, but I do. My books are a part of my ministry to tell others about Jesus and encourage other Christians in their walk. I am thankful and humbled that God would call me to do this.

Last question, Paula, just for fun. Tell us three things we’d be surprised to know about you.

First, I am majorly old-school when it comes to my own writing. I still write out my first drafts in a spiral notebook in pencil. A lady at my church graciously types my stories into a document and sends it to me. When I have it in a document on my computer, I print it out and put it into a three-ring binder to revise.

Next, I am an interpreter for the deaf. Each Sunday morning I sit on a stool in front of the church and interpret my husband’s sermons for our deaf members.

Many people say they married their high school sweetheart. Technically I can say that I married my middle school sweetheart. I was actually in first grade with my hubby. When we were in middle school, we “went together.” Then, I moved away for a couple of years. When I returned, we got back together as sophomores in high school. We dated all through high school and college. He proposed to me on my graduation day before I went across the stage to get my BA. I don’t remember much about the graduation. We married five months later and celebrate 25 years this coming October. Were we meant to be or what?

Paula, thank you so much for taking the time from your busy schedule to be with us. I’m honored to have you.

If you’d like to win an electronic version of Paula’s book, use my Contact page and type “Drawing No. 1 ” in the comments box. The deadline to enter is August 24th.