Ten Questions with… Yvette Allen-Tatum
As a guest previously scheduled before my shift in posting sites, I am happy to welcome Yvette Allen-Tatum, who joins us today to talk to us about her non-fiction book I Didn’t Know: Identifying, Confronting and Overcoming Child Sexual Abuse.
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Author Bio: Author, Teacher, Advocate, Conference Host, Public Speaker, Encourager, Motivator, Ordained Minister of The Gospel, Radical for Christ, the list goes on… Born some 40 plus years ago, this mighty Woman of God is Blessed with Grace, Intelligence and a Prophetic Teaching Anointing.
Yvette is in the process of earning a Master of Arts in Human Services, Concentration in Executive Leadership, at Liberty University. She earned her Master of Divinity Degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Grace Christian College; she is also a graduate of the University of Richmond, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance and a Minor in Leadership Studies. In addition, she has 30 plus years of experience in income tax preparation and bookkeeping.
Yvette is the Founder of Surrounded By Faith Ministries, Inc. Surrounded by Faith Ministries is a DESTINY-DRIVEN outreach ministry with a mandate from God to transform LIVES with the Word of God. The Word of God is not only ACTIVE and ALIVE but PERPETUAL. Because of this, we expect God to EXPONENTIALLY reach those we may never see simply because of those HE has entrusted us to TRAIN and EQUIP.
To date, Yvette has authored two books “Welcome to my Morning Glory” and “I Didn’t Know”, She has taught numerous Bible Studies, has been a featured speaker at several conferences and hosted numerous ministry events; most notably The Throw Yo’ Hands Up Conferences sponsored by Surrounded By Faith Ministries, Inc.
What began as a mandate from God to train and equip women in the ways of the Lord so they would become like the Proverbs 31 woman in the Bible, has expanded to a platform of child advocacy. Actually, her spiritual focus has always been on the family unit – to receive and achieve spiritual wholeness. God has taken this mighty vessel by various routes to touch and reach the masses. First, targeting women – to strengthen them as the nurturing forces they were created to be; and now giving a voice to the voiceless – our children.
All of this is how she started; it has yet to be revealed who she shall be or how she will finish. You’ll just have to wait and see.
Author Site: http://www.yvetteallentatum.com
You can find her books at all online retail outlets and on her personal websites!
About the Writer
1. What five words describe you?
Sorry, I have nine: Author, Teacher, Advocate, Conference Host, Public Speaker, Encourager, Motivator, Ordained Minister of The Gospel, Radical for Christ
2. What drew you to start writing?
I’m really not sure what or who inspired me to become a writer. I have always written in some form or fashion nearly all my life. Most of my early writings probably came from my day-dreams and then just writing down what I dreamed about. From there I picked up journaling and began to write-down different things that I believed God was speaking to me through visions and/or Scripture.
When I started writing plays for my Church, specifically for the Children’s Church program, was when I actually began to believe my writings were for more than an audience of me. During those days, most of those stories came from my personal experiences while going through a divorce.
I guess the short answer is that I have always believed that I had a story to tell.
3. What inspires you?
God, Life and myself – God is the giver of all life and that’s all the inspiration I can handle.
4. What distracts you?
Life – whenever I take my eyes off God I become distracted by life events. My ultimate goal in life is to not be moved by anything other than God.
5. What’s your favorite story? This can be specific, as in a particular book or even story-driven movie, or general, like “I’m a sucker for a hero looking for redemption story.”
I do not know that I have a favorite story, but I too am a sucker for stories of redemption. I also enjoy stories of beating the odds. I can tell you that I am a movie buff and that one of my favorite movies is Sparkle; not the remake, though I did enjoy the twist they added with the remake, but I fell in love with the original movie with Irene Cara and Philip Michael Thomas.
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About the Writing
1. Tell us about your currently available titles.
Well, to date I have written two books: Welcome to my Morning Glory and I Didn’t Know: Identifying, Confronting and Overcoming Child Sexual Abuse.
Welcome to my Morning Glory is my personal adventure of growing up and finding God. It details my lessons learned of looking for love in all the wrong places to how God will bless you when you allow Him to guide and lead you into all truth – including love.
In my current book, I Didn’t Know, I share my personal experience(s) of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). Perhaps more important than the abuse, I explain how I didn’t know that I had been abused. While I understood that I had been inappropriately touched, I did not have the language or the knowledge to communicate that I had been abused – sexually abused. Moreover, I thought sexual abuse was the equivalent of penetration; I later learned that it encompasses so much more.
In addition, I share with the reader(s) how to Identify, Confront and Overcome Child Sexual Abuse (my subtitle).
2. What’s your favorite part about writing these books?
I really cannot say. For me, each chapter was built upon the previous chapter which for me increased the momentum for writing the book. I was enthusiastic about sharing not only my story, but the facts about Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). The facts are equally as important as the stories because people need to know the truth. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” (John 8:32 NIV)
3. What do you hope readers gain most from your work?
I believe there are many lessons to be learned from my book, but the most important lesson is to be able to identify Child Sexual Abuse. Identification is where it all starts. We cannot confront what we don’t know and we definitely cannot overcome those things we do not confront.
The Bible states, “My people suffer for lack of knowledge.” I hope to equip people with the knowledge of CSA and together we can make a mark that cannot be erased by annihilating Child Sexual Abuse.
4. What have you gotten out of your writing?
In a word, “Inspiration!” Each time I accomplish something new whether it is writing or something else, I’m inspired!
5. Do you have any projects currently in the works you want to talk about?
From a literary perspective – I have plans to write a children’s book speaking to children on their level about Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). With this book I hope to help children to be able to identify Child Sexual Abuse and to encourage them to tell a responsible adult that they have been touched inappropriately. I understand that children may not know what I mean by responsible adult, therefore, I plan to identify for them who those responsible parties are: parents, guardians, aunts, uncles, older siblings/cousins, teachers, school nurse, policeman, firemen, etc., in the book. Yet, I am not ignorant of the fact that some of these people could have been the very one(s) who touched them. Statistics show that 90% of child victims know their offenders. Moreover, I aim to equip parents with tools and techniques to get the conversation started with their children. Ultimately, I aim to start a movement to eradicate Child Sexual Abuse one community at a time.
From a Community or Public Awareness Perspective – I am currently gearing up to host my most compelling event as of yet, The I Didn’t Know Public Forum to RAISE Public Awareness and Raise Public Consciousness About Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). The Forum is scheduled for 4/19/14 in Richmond, Va.
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Thank you for joining us today, Yvette, and good luck with your books!
