Write Now Literary is pleased to announce A Place For My Heart, a
Christian Fiction by Ann Marie Bryan, April 17-21, 2017.
ASIN: B06XWXW6CG
1. How did your life as a writer begin?
Writing a book was nowhere on
my list of things to do. It never crossed my mind. While I enjoy
reading, editing and writing, I never thought of publishing a book.
I wrote my first novel to
inspire and empower readers, especially those who are waiting on God for a most
significant gift – a husband. I wanted to testify about the
faithfulness of God who understands and meets all our needs.
Here is the background story.
After I got married, several of
my friends and relatives (some living miles away) wanted to know how I met my
husband. I had to share my love story, over and over again. Of course, no
one wanted to hear the short version of the story.
Six months later, I was
stretched out on the sofa at home on a Sunday afternoon, still recounting my
love story. After hanging up from that call, it hit me - Write a book!
A long deafening pause followed.
A book?
Every reason not to write this book came to
mind. Yes, every reason. But, I knew that I had a story to
tell. I also knew that if God called me to write this book, He would
equip and surround me with wonderful godly helpers.
So, like any well-thinking Christian woman, I took
the matter to the Lord and felt the peace to proceed with this mission.
This led to the publishing of my first book, “Unforgettable, My Love Has Come
Along”.
Though the process of writing this novel, I have
learned that God will use you when you make yourself available. True too, I
have discovered how much I like writing. Most surprising and delightful are the
connections that I continue to make with amazing readers, authors and many
others. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.
2. What makes you feel inspired to write?
Writing is a natural way for me to
process my emotions and a conduit to inspire those around me. My inspiration to write comes from God, my
family, friends, readers and fellow authors.
As a
Christian fiction author, I write to educate, inspire and empower others. I
desire to tell great stories with fascinating characters to show the awesome
power of God in the lives of people and places.
3. How did you come with the idea for your
current story?
“A Place For My Heart” is the highly anticipated
third installment in the Encounters of the Heart series. The series came about in an unusual way. I
am a member of the Tallahassee Authors Network (TAN) Christian Sub-group and we
decided to write an anthology about the consequences of sin. As I wrote my
short story for the anthology, the story took on legs of its own, and became
the first book in the Encounters of the Heart series. The series is based on
Proverbs 4:23 (KJV) –“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the
issues of life.”
Book 1 - Shades of the Heart is a novel about the
courage to love in the midst of broken promises, and ultimately about the
healing power of forgiveness.
Book 2 - Mirrored Hearts: Sealed By Fire is
stirring and deeply satisfying new addition in the series. It details the
struggles of two broken hearts, mended by enduring love and sealed by fire.
Book 3 - A Place For My Heart is an emotionally gripping account of a most unexpected
love between Chandler Peynard and
Sabrina Benjamin. The central theme in
this compelling story is God’s grace. In his darkest moment, Chandler discovers
the Lord of all creation and becomes a witness that grace wins every time. Sabrina learns to place
her confidence in God because He will keep His promises. Life-altering struggles are often the pathway to new
beginnings, and “A Place For My Heart” demonstrates
this.
Although the books are in a series, they are also
standalone novels.
4. What is the best piece of advice you would
give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Determine why you desire to write.
Don’t be overwhelmed by your lack of knowledge about writing or the publishing
industry. Select an individual, group or organization with the knowledge or
ability to help you succeed. Educate yourself. Do research to obtain
information on how to best leverage your knowledge and abilities to fulfill
your dream of becoming an author. Read, read, read. Benchmark
against the best in the area of your writing assignment. Nevertheless, be a
trend setter. Do not be afraid to break new ground.
5. What do you have in store next for your
readers?
I
am excited about my writing journey, and I am thankful for the opportunity to
share with others. Currently, I am writing the fourth book in the
“Encounters of the Heart” series. This novel will detail the story of Tyler
& Madison. It will be released in early 2018.
6. Is there anything else you’d like to share
with your readers?
As always, I am delighted to
write and share what God has placed on my heart. I pray that my books touch readers in a meaningful way, and that they will
experience the amazing grace of God as they read.
Further, I hope readers will realize that there is
usually more to a person’s behavior than what meets the eyes. There are usually
innate circumstances in an individual’s life that impact his/her behavior and
disposition. However, having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ makes a
difference. Jesus Christ transforms lives and brings hope in the midst of
despair.
I
hope too that readers will be reminded that love is a beautiful emotion and it is okay to love passionately, very passionately. However, loving
someone is never as easy as we would like it to be. Keep in mind that, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love
does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek
its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but
rejoices in the truth;” (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)
Importantly, all our actions and choices are driven by
the desires of our hearts. In light of that, we need to stay connected to God
through prayer, meditating on His Word and then applying His Word in our daily
living. God is all powerful and there is nothing that will happen in our
lives that will surprise Him. We will be victorious in all our situations if we
continue to rely on Him and seek
help to overcome difficult situations.
7. Describe your book in three words?
Gripping,
compelling and romantic.
Genre: Christian Fiction
About The Book
Crushed by heartache and desperate for an escape, he makes a life-changing choice.
When Chandler Peynard staggered into Sabrina Benjamin’s life, he was desperate for an escape route. Battling feelings of isolation, he erects barriers around his heart, often times leaving a trail of broken dreams behind him.
Sabrina’s happily-ever-after was ripped away months ago, but she hadn’t given up on finding love. Still, she was caught off guard by her feelings for Chandler, a man who could hardly be described as a model man of God. As an unexpected bond develops between them, she wants more – A lot more than Chandler is prepared to give, because falling in love and putting down roots are not a part of his plan.
Touched by Sabrina’s kindness and faith, Chandler makes a life-changing choice. However, complication is inevitable when the past he’d long thought was buried, pushes him to confront matters he would have given anything to forget. As he struggles to release himself from his past and embrace the future, he offers Sabrina a place in his heart, but she demands all of it.
In a season that brought so many changes, Chandler longs for peace in his soul and yearns for love. Will he trust God with all of his heart to overcome his past? Will he be able to testify that God’s grace wins every time? Will he find the strength to take a chance at life and love with Sabrina?
About the Author
Ann Marie Bryan is a dedicated, graceful, multi-talented leader with a passion for excellence. She is the CEO & Founder of Victorious By Design, an organization committed to providing top quality professional writing services, comprehensive personal and professional development programs and exceptional performing arts services to meet the unique needs of individuals and organizations.
A Christian Fiction author, Ann Marie writes to educate, inspire and empower others. She desires to tell great stories with fascinating characters to show the awesome power of God in the lives of people and places. “A Place For My Heart” is the third installment in her bestselling, Encounters of the Heart series.
Ann Marie's greatest passion is to empower others to succeed by tapping into their God-given potential. She enjoys writing, reading, dancing, teaching, meeting people and traveling. With all the knowledge and experiences that God has so graciously blessed her with, Ann Marie is determined to make her life a ministry for the Lord.
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5 comments:
Ann Marie Bryan is a new author to this read. However, after reading her post and about her books the books sounds perfect for Christian readers or nonbelievers to gain a love for God.
Wonderful interview!
Ann Marie Bryan has left a new comment on your post "Guest Post by Ann Marie Bryan":
Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for this wonderful opportunity. Stay victorious
Seems like a good read to me. I love how I can identify with the main characters past.
Hello Ann Marie,
I've enjoyed the interview and learning how you got started. Sorry I missed your other stops.
I hope you've met some new readers on your tour.
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