And Let There Be Light!

I met Christian Children's Author Jennifer Mauter in 2010 via
Facebook, and through this meeting I had the opportunity to read and review
her book Illumination Station-The Big Adventure .
I have seen many creative characters through the years, talking
vegetables, animals, robots, and insects; but I must admit that this was
the first time that I had ever seen anyone use light bulbs as
characters.



Jennifer's characters are not only
creative, they are also fashioned in such a way that children will be
able to relate to them. The storyline shows children that good or bad,
there are consequences for all actions. I enjoyed this story so much
that I bought a copy for my niece who seemed to enjoy
it as well.



Jennifer has been kind enough to share some of her thoughts on being an author, and it is my sincere wish that you will all enjoy getting to know her as I have.







1. Tell us a little bit about yourself: Where you are from, Your book, etc…



I
am a mom and grandma from Gibsonburg, Ohio. I taught Sunday school for
many years and wanted to find a way of one, getting children to class,
and two, holding their interest once they got there. I wrote a Christian
Children's Book "Illumination Station-The Big Adventure." The idea
came to me after praying for an idea that would teach children about
God's Word in a unique, fun way.



God gave me the idea
of using special light bulbs that only illuminate through God's Word.I
then developed the town of Illumination Station and its two streets;
Commandment Drive and Temptation Highway. I researched light bulb terms
and named my characters after them. Whenever a towns person is led
into temptation, their light goes out and everyone knows why. The only
way to earn their 'illumination" is through community service. It
teaches children that there are consequences to their actions.



2. Are there any authors that greatly influenced your writing style and what were some of your favorite books as a child?



I can't say that any authors influenced me, but my favorite author was Dr. Seuss and of course, Nancy Drew.



3. How long did it take you to get your first book published? Were there ever moments when you became discouraged?



I was very fortunate that the first publisher, Tate Publishing Co., Inc. awarded me a contract.

The discouragement is from marketing. It's been very difficult, if not nearly impossible to "get the word out."



4. What made you decide to write for Children/YA age groups? Are you currently working on anything else?



As
I mentioned above, I was a Sunday school teacher for many years and
found a great need in getting children interested in God's Word. I
wanted to make it fun to learn about God.



5. What do you find the most difficult part of being an author?



Marketing
is without a doubt the most difficult part of being an author. I don't
sell myself well, and therefore struggle to market my book. I feel that
it takes a strong, confident person to market a book, because you have
to sell yourself as well. I'm really not that person, but I'm going to
keep trying.



6. What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?

I love scrap-booking, sewing and doing creative art projects. Interior decorating is another favorite hobby of mine.



7. What words of encouragement would you give to children who might not be great readers?



I
tell children that the whole world opens up to them through reading.
There is no limit to where they may travel or what they can do. We are
so blessed to have the ability to read and explore everything through
literature.



8. Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?



I
am disabled due to a neurological disorder that causes chronic nerve
pain from my neck down my spine and into my arms and legs. I don't
however let the bad days discourage me. I'm so grateful to wake up
every day. I choose to overcome the pain, not let it overcome me.



9. If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?



I
would love to meet Joel Osteen or Oprah Winfrey. Joel's soft-spoken,
spiritually uplifting words fill me with encouragement, and forgiveness.
Oprah's life class is a life-saver. After experiencing a very difficult
situation, I am now able to put my focus where it belongs, not where
it's been.



10. Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc.?



My blog is called Illumination Station. (Now I have to remember to update it!)



 So ends another episode of Kids Korner with me, Children's Author Aileen Stewart. Join me next week for another exciting episode same krazy time, same krazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal blog Aileen's Thoughts any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, and life in general.


Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com