Heidi Gray McGill's Blog, page 9

A Single Amazon Vine Voice Review Makes This Author Cry…Happy Tears.

Tears Aren’t Always Bad

Authors put heart and soul into stories. I’m no exception. Some days, Imposter Syndrome kicks in, and I wonder if I am making a difference or if my writing is even good. Thoughtful readers who take the time to leave ratings or reviews help remind me what I do is a ministry. More than selling books, what matters is if I am obedient to God’s calling on my life.

Anyone in ministry will tell you it’s a tough life. We desire for God to receive the glory, not us. We look ...

Tears Aren’t Always Bad. A Single Amazon Vine Voice Review Makes This Author Cry…Happy Tears.

Authors put heart and soul into stories. I’m no exception. Some days, Imposter Syndrome kicks in, and I wonder if I am making a difference or if my writing is even good. Thoughtful readers who take the time to leave ratings or reviews help remind me what I do is a ministry. More than selling books, what matters is if I am obedient to God’s calling on my life.

Anyone in ministry will tell you it’s a tough life. We desire for God to receive the glory, not us. We look to point others to Christ, ...

Marbeth Skwarczynski Speaks Up On Behalf of the Silenced

An Author’s Voice

Marbeth is one of my dearest author friends. We connected over our curvy-girl stories, grew our friendship through countless back-and-forth emails and messages as we navigated our ministries, and cemented our friendship by supporting each other on our journey.

Marbeth’s past is not like my Pollyanna experience in the church, but it is real—and it needs to be discussed. Marbeth speaks truth gracefully in her God-honoring stories. Enjoy reading about her journey toward bein...

Marbeth Skwarczynski Speaks Up On Behalf of the Silenced – An Author’s Voice

Marbeth is one of my dearest author friends. We connected over our curvy-girl stories, grew our friendship through countless back-and-forth emails and messages as we navigated our ministries, and cemented our friendship by supporting each other on our journey.

Marbeth’s past is not like my Pollyanna experience in the church, but it is real—and it needs to be discussed. Marbeth speaks truth gracefully in her God-honoring stories. Enjoy reading about her journey toward being an author, and if y...

Getting to Know Audiobook Narrator, Emma Faye, Actor. A Bride for Harley Comes Alive.

Finding just the right voice for “A Bride for Harley” was challenging, but when I heard a sample of Emma Faye’s work, I knew she would be the perfect narrator for my Christian Historical Proxy Bride novella. The Clean Reads Queen joins me today for a get-to-know-you interview.

Heidi: Welcome, Emma. Thank you for taking the time for an interview in your busy schedule.

Emma: Thank you so much, Heidi, for inviting me; I’m so excited to talk about “A Bride for Harley” audiobook! I had a wonde...

The importance of good character development in writing – Know your character so well you see their actions and can quickly put words in their mouth.

Hosting a student for Job Shadow Day was a highlight over the holidays. Abby, a local middle school student, and I spent several hours together. We discussed the book she is writing and her desire to publish someday. She has a strong story and a bright future as an author.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from someone so young, but it certainly wasn’t an individual who knew the ins and outs of her characters. Abby knew how the individuals in her story would respond in any situation.

Knowing yo...

Advent – Expectant Waiting

Advent, with flickering candles and a wreath, was not something I celebrated corporately growing up, but the idea of Advent was a personal and family practice. Every year our family expectantly waited and prepared for the celebration of Christ’s birth.

Even as a child, I knew December 25th was not Christ’s actual birthdate. Even so, I looked forward to singing carols with my family—Lawrence Welk style with smiles on our faces—and listening to my father read the Christmas story from the Gospel...

Giving from the Heart – Holiday Interactions Can Leave Lasting Impressions

The end-of-year holidays usually have people in a more giving mood…or at least giving mode. We’ve learned it is the season of giving. But do we do it with a grateful heart?

I recently moved to a 55-plus community. Thursdays are senior citizen days at the local grocery store I walk to. I seriously enjoy the discount, but not always the crowds. Some of these ladies played roller derby in the day…just saying.

For checkout, I’d rather wait in line than try to find the bar codes to scan myself,...

23 Ways To Say Thank You and Merry Christmas to an Author Without Spending a Dime.

We are blessed to have access to Christian books in numerous formats without having to spend a dime. Many author’s books are in church and public libraries or a part of Hoopla, Libby, or other library system electronic lending libraries. Even more offer their books through Kindle Unlimited, or for free when you sign up for their newsletter or as a teaser for first in series.

When you read or listen to these free options, you are supporting an author, especially if you leave a review. But her...

Child-like Faith: Anticipating the Presence of the Lord

My four-year-old grandson had an exceptional week at preschool, so we celebrated with a sleepover at Grammie and Papa’s.

Papa took him on an adventure in the golf cart and let Avery “drive” the secret path to the Catawba River. Then, they headed to the grocery store for ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Isn’t that what all Papa’s do?

I took over for bath time, reading books, and getting Avery into bed. Bedtime is always special, especially prayer time. Avery’s sweet words matched his tende...