Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Guest Post by Ann Marie Bryan



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.



5 comments:

Marilyn R. said...

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.

Erica said...

Wonderful interview!

lollipops said...

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

Unknown said...

Seems like a good read to me. I love how I can identify with the main characters past.

Unknown said...

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.

The Christmas Heirloom: Four Holiday Novellas of Love through the Generations by Karen Witemeyer, Kristi Ann Hunter, Sarah Loudin Thomas, Becky Wade

  The Christmas Heirloom:  Four Holiday Novellas of Love through the Generations  October 2, 2018 by  Karen Witemeyer   (Author),  Kristi An...