C. Kevin Thompson's Blog, page 5

Writers Anonymous (A Seriously Write Blog)

I recently read a book for an author review/endorsement. I’ve done several over the years and am always flattered to think another author would even be okay with me endorsing their work. As I read this particular book, I found myself thinking of how the author could have “done this” and “done that” to make it better. After each chapter, I would have to check myself and remember the genre was different. The parts and details I wished would be present—but weren’t—would have been great additions…within the genre I write. Not this one. As I thought about other reviews and endorsements I’ve done in the past, I remembered similar feelings when the book’s genre was different.

I run into the same issues when I read books, watch movies, or binge TV shows for pleasure. I’m always analyzing, examining, wondering why. It’s almost as if becoming an author has tainted me as a consumer of other people’s works. The genres in which I write cause me to see the worlds I depict a certain way, limiting me in the absorption of what could be.


To continue to read the remainder of the article, click HERE!

Author Behind the Story series - Candace West

Wow! What a difference a month makes, eh? Last time we did an Author Behind the Series blog post, everybody had toilet paper in the stores. I saw a meme a couple of days ago showing a toilet paper aisle in a store filled with all the different types. The caption read: Throwback Thursday. Funny stuff.

However, not all of it has been fun and games. "Online learning," "social distancing," "flattening the curve" are all new words and phrases that will surely find their way into Merriam-Webster's Dictionary soon. Doomsday reports of catastrophic death totals will make even the most ardent introvert clean some things that haven't been wiped down with a clorox-laced wipe in a while. 

We are praying for safety and health during these troubling times. Those of us who take reasonable precautions should weather the storm, regardless of your political affiliations.

With all this extra time on our hands (Have you noticed we are getting by okay without rich sports stars bouncing, hitting, or kicking balls around?), one of the things we can do more of is read. I'm hoping for a uptick in the number of people getting turned on to reading. Never before has there been such a plethora of material out there. Surely, everyone can find something that interests them. All they have to do is look. And this blog site is one of those places where readers can find out about authors and their writing and possibly find a "new favorite author."

With that segue, I want to welcome a newer author to me. She is part of the Mantle Rock Publishing family, of which I recently became a member. She has been with MRP longer, having just published her second novel with MRP. Please welcome to the virtual Florida front porch (we are keeping our CDC protocols in place), Candace West!


Candace, as is our custom, give us a quick bio to get us started. In fifty words or less, who is Candace West? 
I’m a recovering tomboy. Growing up, I was a strange blend of Tom Sawyer and Anne of Green Gables. Mississippi mud flows through my veins, but the Arkansas Ozarks captured my heart. Jo March understood me better than most of my friends. She introduced me to historical fiction, by the way, which is what I write!
Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life? 
When I was twelve, I loved exploring the woods and playing in the mud. Mama instilled in me a love of reading when I was little. I also loved hearing a good story. Before we moved into the country, we lived in a small town. Most of the people on our street were retired. Often, I would migrate from house to house, sit on the porches or carports of my elder neighbors, and ask them to tell me a story. And what great stories! My grandpa and granny also enriched my childhood with stories of their formative years. Storytelling was inevitable! I stumbled upon writing on a long car trip to Colorado one summer. To pass the time, I penned my first short story, “Following Prairie River” in my notebook. The rest is history.
That's cool. What educational background do you have? 
My parents homeschooled me from the third grade until graduation, and I consider it to be one of the greatest blessings of my childhood. Through school, my relationship with my parents deepened. Being a preacher’s kid, I didn’t have social problems because I had a church full of friends. After graduation, I attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello and graduated with a B.A. in English. I chose Monticello because it was close to home. I could commute and keep my part-time job working at a crop duster service.
What makes you cringe? 
Unacknowledged text messages. If I send a friend a text message, I don’t expect them to answer immediately. Everyone has busy lives, and sometimes we forget. I understand it. But neither do I expect the message to go completely ignored. I guess I’m old school. It feels the same as being snubbed in person. If someone speaks to you, be polite and speak back. Text messaging is someone speaking to you. Even a simple thumbs-up would be better than silence. That’s just a pet peeve of mine.    
Besides storytelling, what talents do you have? 
I sing and play the piano, bass guitar, and acoustic guitar. You would have to ask my friends their opinions of it, though. Hearing myself sing is another thing that makes me cringe, by the way. I try to do it for God’s glory, though. My piano playing is okay, though my mom has the real talent there. I’m much more comfortable playing the bass or guitar, sitting more in the background.
We are our own worst critics! I play the drums and sing too. I get it. 
Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author?
I quit writing for a time after a good friend of mine was tragically killed. Every time I tried to write, the process was too painful. The words would dry up before I could write them. Even though I didn’t accomplish a lot of writing in that season, I learned words and emotions would return with patience and a little courage. The act of writing during or after tragedy heals the writer…and the reader. The most important thing in the process is never to rush it. Don’t force the writing. Many times, it’s better to let the words come to you, if that makes any sense.
Makes perfect sense. Even when you aren't dealing with anything tragic. Rushed writing leads to deleted writing more times than not.
Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? (I know it's like choosing between your children, but...)
You are right! It is like choosing between your children! Lane Steen is so much a part of me because she came to me at a time when I needed her the most. God used her to bring me through a painful time in my life. We grew together and healed together. But I’ll have to say that for now Valley of Shadows is my favorite. After ending Lane Steen, I ached to resolve the situation between Lane’s parents, Earl and Lorena. But how? The rift between them was a chasm. After all, Earl had kidnapped their daughter and disappeared. They had too much to overcome.
Or did they? I had to find out. The process and adventure of the characters showing me how to overcome was both painful and joyful. At times, they lured me so deeply into the story that I had to remind myself they were fictional characters. Over time, Earl captured my heart. I never expected the villain in the first book to become the hero in the next. No one else in Valley Creek did either. I think I’ll always hold a special place for him. Getting to know Earl was a gift.
Should we have put a "SPOILER ALERT" sign in that last response somewhere? :-)
Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing? 
These days my writing is sporadic, if I’m lucky. Raising and homeschooling a nine-year-old boy takes a lot of time. By nature, I’m a night owl, but I reserve those times for reading. Sometimes I do write late, but it’s not a good way to wind down after a long day. Characters sometimes refuse to hush when I’m tired. After housework and schooling, I try to squeeze time in to write. I’m not always successful, though. I have to remind myself to keep trying, to never stop writing. Even though I’m not always typing away, I’m making notes of the stories buzzing around in my head.
Knowing what you know now about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to the person thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursue since they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction book in them that would be helpful to others? 
Just make the time and put those words down on the page. Even if you only have ten or fifteen minutes a day to spare. You might have a busy schedule like me, but don’t let it discourage you. Get those words inside of you on the page. You never know who it may touch. I once had a writer tell me that even if those words never went beyond my desk drawer, it still might touch just one who needed it most. I’m nowhere near being a bestselling author, but I can honestly say that I’ve been blown away by readers who contacted me after reading Lane Steen and now Valley of Shadows. I never knew those stories would stir or bless them so deeply. They, in turn, have blessed me more than I can describe. And it has made the writing and publishing journey so worth it!
How do you come up with the names for your characters? 
This is a funny question! When I first started writing, we still had things called phone books. I would open the phone book and scan names until I found one that sounded right. For my first novel, I think I pulled Lane’s name from the phone book. Most of the other names come from family names. Mr. Wallace was named for my grandpa Wallace, for example. Other names come from a list that I compile. Tabitha was the name of a girl in my Kindergarten class, and it became a favorite name of mine. I used it for Tabitha’s character in Lane Steen. In Valley of Shadows, Ella’s character is named for my great-aunt.
If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be? 
Oh, that’s a hard one. There’s too many on my list. After some thought, I chose Corrie Ten Boom. From the first time I watched “The Hiding Place,” I was riveted by her story. Here’s a lady who knows nothing about warfare or the underground, yet she and her family are thrust into it. God used her harrowing experiences to fill her with such wisdom, grace, and even humor! How could she even laugh after living through tragedy? Yet, she did and even thrived. I love hearing her tell the stories, especially the one of the Nazi soldier who asked her forgiveness after the war. Wow! Forgiveness is a subject that resonates with me. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Only God makes it possible.
If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus?
Now, this one is easy because I’ve thought a lot about it over the years! It would be Peter! Here is a crude, brash fisherman. Wishy-washy. Opinionated. Bold one minute, cowardly the next. He is the perfect candidate to betray Jesus. The Lord said that Satan desired to have him. Why? Could it be because of these flaws? Yet Jesus calls him a rock. While Judas gave up on Jesus’s messiahship, Peter never did. I love studying Peter’s transformation in scripture. This man who rebuked the Lord for talking about His coming suffering later writes, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.” 1 Peter 4:1. I would love to sit with Peter and ask him scores of questions. What was it like to walk with Jesus? To witness His miracles? His death? His resurrection? His ascension? Though Peter in the beginning was wishy-washy, I believe he had one characteristic that never changed. He was teachable.
Why do you live where you live?
My husband and I make our home near our families and the church my dad pastors. We grew up in the Delta. Our friends and church family are here as well. Though I love my home, I would much rather live in the Arkansas Ozarks where I set my stories. My family’s roots are nestled up there in those picturesque hills and valleys, along the creeks, within old, cherished cemeteries, and vacant homeplaces. As often as we can, my family retreats back to those places during the summer, spending several days enjoying and resting in the beauty. For me, it’s like going home. Have you ever visited a place that speaks to you this way? You see it, and you just know. Almost like love at first sight. And I’m always loathe to say goodbye.
Yep. The beach. On a balcony. Watching the waves roll in. Listening to the roar that never ends, even in the dead of night. Nothing washes stress away for me more than that.
We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?
Yes! Martyn Lloyd Jones’ Spiritual Depression encouraged me in my walk with the Lord so much. It details the types of spiritual battles that Christians fight. I taught it for our women’s class at church. The ladies and I read the book together and discussed a chapter each week on Wednesday nights. Every chapter, filled with wisdom, would speak to different situations we were facing. If you haven’t read it, let it be the next book you order and read.
He has several that are good! Good choice. I remember reading "Preaching and Preachers" years ago in seminary. 
Candace, as we near the end, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover? 
No matter who you are, no matter your circumstances, you are not beyond hope or redemption. You are special in God’s eyes, and He has a plan for your life. My stories carry this theme of transformation and redemption. Forgiveness is always possible with God. He takes the dark places in our lives and pours in His light. Walking with Him is a transforming journey.
Awesome.
Readers, you can find out more about Candace, her writing, stay in touch, and more, at the following sites and in the following ways:
Newsletter signup: https://www.candaceweststoryteller.comFacebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/inspirationalnovelInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/candace.west.posey.10Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/candacewest111To purchase Valley of Shadows: https://www.amzn.com/B084YQHMS9To purchase Lane Steen: https://www.amzn.com/B07VCZ5MV3
Readers, here's the back cover copy of Candace's latest novel, Va lley of Shadows :

Forgiving is far from forgetting.
Lorena Steen gave up on love years ago. After arriving at Valley Creek to visit her daughters, she stumbles first thing into Earl, the husband who abandoned her.
As for Earl, facing Lorena while fighting his own demons tempts him to flee town. How can he rebuild a relationship with his daughters and cynical neighbors when guilt shadows every step?
While the storm brews between them, another storm descends on Valley Creek. Will a ghost town stand in its wake?
But then the townsfolk devise a plan. All they need is a former concert pianist and violinist. A wife and husband estranged.
Can Lorena and Earl set aside their feelings to rescue a community? Even though it sweeps them back through valleys best forgotten? Especially when a forbidden love claims his right to win Lorena’s heart?

Until next time, everybody, stay safe, stay healthy, be smart about your specific situation during our times of quarantine and six-foot-apart relationships.
Kevin

Prayer Changes Things…Even God’s Mind (A Seriously Write Blog)

(Read Deuteronomy 9:18-10:11 first.)



“Prayer changes things.”

There is no place in Scripture where this phrase has more meaning than here in Deuteronomy and where it actually happened in the books of Exodus and Numbers.

This passage is a retelling by Moses to the next generation of Israelites about what happened to their forefathers. Moses explains why their forefathers were formed into a nation, and what God wanted to accomplish through them. He also explains who their forefathers were as a nation in relationship to God. He then goes on to describe their present state of affairs and where they were about to go.

Into the Promised Land.

However, if it wasn’t for Moses praying for their forefathers— twice —the nation Israel would look very different and maybe even have a different name. “Toast” is the one that readily comes to mind, for God was going to wipe out Israel on two separate occasions and make Moses into a great nation in its place. They could have been the Sons of Moses instead of the Sons of Abraham


To read the remainder of the post, click HERE!

Kevin Returned as a Guest on Lena Nelson Dooley's blog

Welcome back, Kevin. Tell us about your salvation experience.

It occurred in November of 1981. I was eighteen years old. Cindy and I had been married for about three months. We were home on a Wednesday evening, watching TV, when a knock at the door came around seven o’clock. It was the youth pastor from a local church and a friend we had gone to high school with standing on our front porch. I answered the door, and they asked me if this house was the address they had on their little note card. I informed them they were looking for the house two doors down. So while they were there, we struck up a conversation, and in the midst of it, they asked me “the question”: If I was to die tonight, would I know for sure I was going to be in heaven? I admitted I was not sure. As a matter fact, it was a different question I had pondered for over two years: Was there more to this life than working really hard, accumulating a bunch of money and assorted stuff, and then dying and leaving it all to your kids? I felt like there had to be more to this life than that, but I didn’t have a clue what that would be. If there wasn’t, then why bother to obey laws and rules? Why not eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die? I didn’t word it like that, but does that sound familiar? That’s how I felt. But something inside kept telling me such hopelessness was unwarranted. There was more to this life. That night, on my doorstep, as an eighteen-year-old newlywed who already owned his own house, I gave my life to Christ. Now, all these years later, I am rich. Not in money and stuff. But I am rich in the things thieves and rust and moths can’t touch.
I love to hear salvation stories, and yours is a good one. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?


To read the rest of the interview, click HERE!


And don't forget about Kevin's latest novel!
You can read more about it HERE!
And if you read it, please consider leaving a review! Thanks!

Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Matt Koceich

Okay, so full disclosure here. Matt and I go way back. We "met" on a Christian authors' web page over ten years ago (?) where authors with WIPs (works in progress) could submit them into this contest. It was a very unique contest in that there were stages. First, if memory serves, you started with the title of the book and the "logline" (which is a one-sentence description of the book...they also use those in films as well). People voted on the loglines, and the top however-many made the cut and moved on to the next round. The second round consisted of a Back Cover Copy blurb. Those that made the cut got to move on to round three, which was about submitting the first paragraph (or maybe it was the first chapter?). Anyway, you get the gist. I made it into the third round, if memory serves, before my work, which became my first published novel, The Serpent's Grasp, got axed from the competition. Ironically, it won the Selah Award in 2013, and I attribute that contest to helping me hone some skills and aspects of the novel.

Matt, on the other hand, won the contest with his novel, The Sending. Since those days, he has continued writing in genres which have proven to be right up his alley.

So, without further ado, let us welcome to the Florida Front Porch no stranger to heat and humidity and a Texas transplant, Matt Koceich! 

Matt, as we do with all our authors, give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, tell our readers who is Matt Koceich?

I’m a sinner saved by God’s grace. I am a husband and father. I am an elementary school teacher.

That's another thing we have in common (besides the sinner saved by grace deal). We were both in education back then during those contest days, and we still are today.

Speaking of education, what educational background do you have?

Picture the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter. I didn’t really have a choice about the high school or the college. They more or less chose me. I started the first part of my high school journey in Charlotte,

NC. I had gone to a private school from Kindergarten all the way up to 10th grade with the same kids. Then a wonderful thing happened (cue the sarcasm). My father came home one night and said he was moving the family to Florida. Joy.
I survived the move and finished my junior and senior year of high school in Tampa, FL (public school was a nice culture shock) and then went to Florida State for college. Again, the school chose me because FSU was the only acceptance letter I received. My SAT scores had a lot to be desired, and I guess the other colleges wanted to use their choices on other, more “promising” students. In the end, I am very grateful that FSU gave me the opportunity they did because I was the first in my family to go to college.
Fast forward a few years…I attended the University of North Texas where I earned my Masters degree in Education. I am living proof that everyone blooms at different times!
Oh, man...I didn't know that. I'm a Gator fan, so you just dropped a couple of notches on the faves list, dude. (Just kidding!) And as for blooming at different times, I get it. Same for me.
Let's shift gears a little. I’m going to give you a shotgun list of favorites. List your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite. 
Favorite Song of All-Time: Zach Williams “No Longer Slaves.” These two lines say it all: I’m no longer a slave to fear. I am a child of God!Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): “The Jesus I Never Knew” by Philip Yancey. Yancey pulls back the curtain of stereotypes and gives the reader a beautifully refreshing, historically accurate picture of Jesus.   Favorite Bible Verse: 1 John 4:16! It is a timeless comfort to know that God’s love for me is the ‘constant’ I rely on in this crazy world. Favorite Movie: Casablanca!!! I absolutely LOVE the witty dialogue spoken by emotional characters who each pursue their own selfish goals, only to discover in the end that friendship is the best gift of all.      Favorite TV Show: This is Us. I enjoy how the writers seek to remind the viewer that everyone matters.Favorite Novel (other than your own): The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe. This story is a magical wonderland for the reader’s imagination and soul-inspiring with its subtle gospel messages.Favorite Author (other than you): C.S. Lewis. The way he could write one story (like Narnia) and have it appeal to so many children and adults at the same time is special and timeless. Favorite Sport: Baseball. My wife and I love to get old school and keep score during the games.Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): TX Rangers. They’re local so we’ve rooted for them over the years. Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: None. School was hard for me. 
(Isn't that interesting...typically, teachers are the ones who LOVED school! That's why they are teachers! They never have to leave it.)
Favorite Subject Now: Reading! I’m making up for lost time.Favorite Time of the Year: Winter. I love Christmas and the long break to spend time with the family playing Ticket to Ride and doing puzzles.Favorite Place to Vacation: Disney World. It helps you feel like a kid again! Favorite Drink: Coffee. Dark roast. No cream or sugar. That is all.Favorite Food: Any iteration of Italian…pizza, rigatoni, lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs. My mouth is watering!

Everybody seems to have a bucket list. Do you? If so, what’s on it? If not, why not? 
My number one bucket list item is to make it to Israel and see the places Jesus saw. It would fill my heart to be where he was and see the beautiful lands where he lived and ministered. I know that a trip there would really make the Bible come alive!
Do you have a crazy, interesting, behind-the-scenes story about the publishing world you’d like to tell your readers without boring them to death with industry gobbledygook?
About thirteen years ago, I was blessed to be a part of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. It was a great opportunity for me to grow as a writer. It was an online correspondence course, so I could enjoy learning from published authors all from the comfort of home. The course culminated in a 5-day retreat in Denver, CO where I had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to sit with Jerry and learn from him, one-on-one.
For someone who had sold a gazillion copies of Left Behind books, Jerry had (and still does) a huge heart to help writers from all walks of life. What a tremendous blessing that was to sit across the table and watch him eviscerate my writing. Jerry is the real deal, and I will always be grateful for his friendship. I would encourage everyone to look him up online and invest in his writing classes!
It says something when you can sit quietly while other authors "eviscerate" your writing. You have to have a thick skin in this business, don't you?
Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? 
Come, Follow Me. My 365-day devotional started off in the classic I wasn’t trying to write a book fashion. I remember feeling the need to inspire anyone on Facebook who wanted to read a daily devotion. I started writing one page a day and posting them. It started with the idea of what it would be like if God wrote me a letter…what would it look like? What would He say to me?
I had a difficult relationship with my earthly father, and for the longest time, and I was seeing God through the same cracked lens. I needed to dive into the Bible to see what God thought of me. The theme of God’s love quickly surfaced, and I was compelled to share what I found with the Facebook world through daily devotions.
After I posted about a month's-worth of devotions, a teacher friend who I had not seen in ten years said I should get the devotions published. I said something along the lines of “Great idea, but I don’t have any connections.” You know how it goes…sending out all those “please print my book” queries and getting the “keep your day job” rejections eventually take their toll.
The teacher told me to be patient. A few days later, she e-mailed me the name of her editor. Unbeknownst to me, my friend had been doing freelance writing for the ten years since I had last seen her! I sent her editor a batch of the devos I had written and got a contract soon after. 
That's a "God thing," as I like to call them. You didn't solicit it. It came to you from Him. Those are the most awesome moments, aren't they?
Tell us about what project you are currently working on.
I’m finishing up final edits on my latest IMAGINE book. This installment has the main character travel back to the tower of Babel. As with the other books in the series, the lead struggles with an issue that’s been affecting his/her relationship with God. This book deals with the struggle of wanting to fit in. Our identity as children of God plays a big part in this book. 
Knowing what you know now about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to the person thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursue since they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction book in them that would be helpful to others?
Write your story! No one else has the experiences you have. Like the Amazing Race, life will place a million roadblocks in your way, but you can do it!
Don’t worry about coming up with what you think might sell. Just write from the heart and everything else will fall into place. Please don’t drive yourself crazy trying to make something happen before its time. Write it. Give it to God. Move on to the next book.
Amen.
Besides being an author (Right?), what’s the craziest thing you have ever done?
Back in the summer of 2014, our family went on a six-week mission trip to Ethiopia. Part of that glorious African adventure included a week in the far southwest part of the country. We went to a jungle village called Makki. The ride down there was insane. We’d been cramped in the car for hours. Night fell, and we literally found ourselves “in the middle of nowhere.” Our driver was lost. Our phones didn’t work. We had no way of contacting the missionaries that were there waiting to meet us.
Then, when we finally made it to the village, we had to cross through a river on foot. It was late at night. We were all emotionally spent. The water was waist high and running at a good clip. All I could picture was a local alligator getting ready to eat me for dinner. When we walked through the jungle to our cabin, we couldn’t believe our eyes. The walls had big holes where the termites left their marks. It was something out of a horror movie. We could hear baboons jumping across the roof in the middle of the night. Stephen King couldn’t have written a better script!
And we complain when the power goes out for a couple of hours...thanks for the perspective check!
What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?
The story of the woman at the well in John 4. It’s a great story of second chances and redemption. I love how the encounter with Jesus completely altered the trajectory of the woman’s life. Before the well, she was covered in shame because of her past lifestyle choices. She was judged before she even did anything. She had to go to the well at a time when the other women would have been long gone so she could avoid ridicule.
However, all that changed after she met Jesus. Now, we see her running back to tell everyone in her village about Jesus. The Bible tells us that many believed because of her brave testimony. Jesus took her shame and threw it out the window. He breathed new life into her, and she became a leader who couldn’t contain her excitement to tell the world about the Savior.
Matt, it's been a pleasure having you stop by and share from your heart. We are going to have to somehow meet face-to-face someday, (possibly at a writer's conference?) and share some iteration of italian (I'm a pizza-holic, myself, with a debilitating need for calzones and garlic knots drenched in butter.) Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover? 
I would like to use this last entry to give the wonderful people reading this hope. I mentioned earlier that my formative years of schooling were not productive to say the least. My 7th grade teacher told my mother, that in her mind, I would not really amount to anything more than being a C student. That sounds harsh (and completely unacceptable) but based on my grades and work ethic, her opinion would have made a safe bet in Vegas.
I share that story only to remind everyone of a great line from Tenth Avenue North: “You are not the sum of your past mistakes.” Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has wonderful things planned for you. Don’t let the devil tempt you into thinking otherwise. If your dream is to write books, go for it. If your dream is to paint, go for it. If your desire is to help the homeless, go for it. Whatever it is, take the first step in faith. God will not let you down!
Awesome! 
Dear readers, if you wish to get to know Matt more, you can find/follow him at these locations:
Come, Follow Me Daily Devotional Journalhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1643522078/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i15
Imagine Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B076N9YQQQ/ref=dp_st_168322129X
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/Matt-Koceich-Just-Past-the-Books-122172144504013/

Until next time, may God bless America, and more importantly, may America bless God,
Kevin

"What Makes a Writer Write?" A Podcast Interview with Yours Truly by Andrea Boeshaar

Excited about this! A couple of weeks ago, Kevin did a podcast interview with Author Andrea Boeshaar for her "Discover the Story" podcast. It went live March 7, 2020. 

Check it out under the "Episodes" section. The podcast is titled, "C. Kevin Thompson: What Makes Writers Write?" It was a great interview. 

Thanks to Andrea for having me as a guest!


To hear the podcast, click HERE and scroll down to the list of podcasts to find his!

"By the Book" Blog Interview with Yours Truly by Author Heather Greer

This was a great interview. We really got to answer some heady questions and delve into some great writing topics! Thanks to Heather Greer for the opportunity! And don't forget to enter the giveaway! Deadline is March 9th! - Kevin

"FULL OF CHARACTER" with C. Kevin Thompson
While I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting today’s guest in person, I get a strong sense from some of his interview answers and bio information that we’d get along well. I hope you enjoy his interview and then take time to check out his books. And don’t forget to comment on this post to be entered to win Kevin’s giveaway!What character from the books you’ve read has impacted you more than all the others?
You can read the remainder of the interview and enter the giveaway before the March 9th deadline HERE!

Can't-A-Bury Tales (A Seriously Write Blog)

Gather around children, and I will tell you a tale of magic and wonder…of tome proclamations and essayist ratifications…

Once upon a land, in a time not so far away, was an author who wrote a story. The words, flowing from the deepest recesses of her mind, bubbled up and poured from her fingers. Soon, those words blended with the page, and they became as one. It was as if they were meant for each other, like two long, lost lovers, embracing once again after so many epochs of separation and loneliness. This story would never have been the same, the author believed, if the words found their way to any other swath of papyrus.

So magnificent were those verses, they began to multiply, and before long, an entire manuscript was formed, crafted, and molded like putty in the hands of an expert potter. The people close to her, stood attentive, admiring the prose, and chanted with one voice, “This must be for all people! Do not keep it to thyself!”


You can read the remainder of the story here!

Kevin is a Guest on Heather Greer's "Write Stuff Wednesday"

I was invited to be a part of fellow author Heather Greer's Write Stuff Wednesday blog. In these blogs, authors share a quote that has resonated with them and helped shape their writing, their life, or both.Here was my contribution: “Everything has a purpose, or premise. Every second of our life has its own premise, whether or not we are conscious of it at the time. That premise may be as simple as breathing or as complex as a vital emotional decision, but it is always there.”
If you read this quote out of context, you may think it’s from a theologian or Bible teacher. Rick Warren would surely agree. Other experts in other fields would as well. However, the quote comes from the very beginning of Lajos Egri’s The Art of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives. He goes on to acknowledge that some writers may call it a “goal.” Others refer to it as a “root-idea” or a “theme.” Others still ask the question, “How can you tell what road to take unless you know where you are going?” In the end, however, they are all talking about purpose, or premise.
Click here for the rest of the article!
And don't forget about Kevin's latest novel, The Letters!Available NOW!

Perspective by Peter - A Novel Spotlight by Peter Younghusband on Yours Truly (From the Land Downunder)

Dear Readers,

When you write a new book, it is always such a blessing and humbling experience to see people spend their hard-earned money on their purchase of your work. It is also humbling to have other authors, readers, bloggers, reporters, and the like be willing to interview you, spend time talking about your book, being willing to read your book and give it an honest review...the list is so overwhelming. Yet, I am so grateful to know all these wonderful people and get to know new folks along the way. That has truly been one of the best parts of becoming a published author - getting to know so many great people.

One of those people is Peter Younghusband. Peter and I crossed paths a few years ago online. We've even spoken once via Facebook phone, which was wild, as Peter lives in Australia (a place I have always wanted to visit!), and I live in the States.

When Peter approached me with this opportunity, I jumped on it. So, read on, and find out some of the theological basis for The Letters. And can I say here, that I was very careful to make sure the "theology" was embedded in the story, in the characters, and in the action, as opposed to telling a story and then stopping, almost like an aside in a play, while a character preaches to the audience. This story is Rachel's. It's her journey. She's telling it from her perspective and no one else's, which I believe makes this story a little more unique and more like A Christmas Carol in its design. And so far, the reviewers have confirmed for me that they think I succeeded.

Enjoy!

Kevin
 


Today, I am spotlighting novelist, C. Kevin Thompson and his new release, The Letters. I have read a few novels of Kevin’s, and he definitely knows how to tell a great story! This is a supernatural tale concerning the spiritual effects of abortion on the mother and baby. This is a highly controversial issue worldwide, and Kevin deals with all the issues involved. I have my copy pre-ordered.So let’s investigate this novel further...

To read the rest of the novel spotlight, click HERE!