Interview with Ann McCauley — Loved by Choice
Ann McCauley married her sweetheart, Randy, thirty-eight years ago. The McCauley���s have seven children (one in heaven), four internationally adopted from South Korea, the Philippines, and Siberia. Ann���s first stories were published by Baker/ Revell in the book, Loved by Choice���True Stories That Celebrate Adoption.
Interview with Ann McCauley.
Contributor to Loved by Choice
4/02/2015
Thanks for featuring me this week, Lisa! I’m stoked. The year 2014, a year of revealing, has led to an exciting 2015 for me. After many months of waiting on whether I had secured a contract with two major Christian publishing houses, the wait is over. After climbing all the way to committee in both houses, my historical fiction was declined. But wait��� Did I say this was exciting?
Here���s the scoop. For more than eighteen years I have been working and honing my fiction writing craft. I obtained my agent in 2007. I now know? ��I am publishable. Which in a sense qualifies me for what I believe God is calling me to do.
In September my daughter, Meg, and I launched a speaking ministry. The first time God nudged me about this was two years ago on my long commute to a summer ACFW Arkansas meeting.�� At the time, I couldn’t see myself doing this. I didn’t understand.�� And, I did nothing. Then in April of 2014, things became clearer. Who better to speak on rejection than one who���s experienced it over the course?�� Who better to understand the heart of the writer than one of its own? I believe God has anointed my heart to speak, write, and inspire many people on various topics, but especially other writers.
Last month when I received the final of the two rejections, I was engrossed in the Bible study, Breathe, by Priscilla Shirer. God used Priscilla���s words to bring me comfort. I chose to take my fiction and lay it on the altar before the Father.
My soul is brimming over. The speaker in my head longs to exhort others, teach them how to follow up on their callings, motivate them to rise to challenges, and inspire them to see God���s dreams for their lives through to fulfillment.
I love taking traditional writing ideas and exploring how God sees them. The Five Spiritual Senses in Your Writing is a workshop I taught recently to the Arkansas ACFW group. How do we create characters who demonstrate the LIFE of God without being preachy? Having been trained in the five natural senses and how they ground a story, I began to realize the spiritual senses play just as valid a role in story.
I am a busy mom of six adult children and a grandmother to five babies under the age of four. So, my writing time changes from day to day, depending on their visits. I work hard at being consistent as possible. My writing is an outflow of my quiet moments with God and I take my calling seriously and keep my goals moving forward. A good writing day consists of time to write and edit for several hours. When the family takes precedence, I try to stay in touch with my writer and reader friends through snatches of time on social media.
In Loved by Choice: True Stories that Celebrate Adoption by Susan Horner and Kelly Fordyce Martindale. ��I share the stories of my own children, adopted from South Korea, the Philippines, and Siberia.
My daughter, Meg, adopted from Seoul, South Korea at five months of age has grown into a beautiful woman, gifted artist, songwriter, and worship leader. She travels with me to large engagements when possible and shares her testimonies. Meg and I have also started 3-2-1 meetings in homes for smaller groups. If you live within four hours of central Arkansas, we would love to share with your church, writers group, women���s retreat, or conference. ��To hear samples of what we do, check out our speaker page at anncoopermccauley.com.
And, stop by my blogs at anncoopermccauley.com! I do my best to pray and pour as God leads. I have no greater desire than to bless you.
Ann���s Speaking Topics
Writer Workshops: Where Fiction and Nonfiction Intersect, Weaving Grace into Your Story, The Believing Writer and Rejection, The Five Spiritual Senses in Your Writing, Christian Publishing in Today���s World
General Topics: Whoa God! You Want Me to What?, The Loss of a Child: What to do When You’re Paralyzed, International Adoption and the Father���s Heart
Homeschooling Special Needs: Cast Your Net, When Homeschooling is Hard
Meg���s Speaking Topics
He Has Made Us Victorious Spirits,��Celebrate Your Singleness: Love is an Open Road,��Hi, I���m Megan, and I���ll be Your Server,��What? I���m Adopted!,��A Homeschooled Girl in a Secular World
If you would like more information about Ann and Meg McCauley you can visit them on their website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, G+, Goodreads, or Pinterest.��
