Meet This Amazing Writer: Cindy Sproles
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How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?
I’ve known since I was a child I was a writer. I just didn’t know how to go about it. But in 2004, God definitely gave me a tap on the shoulder. Well…on the lawnmower. I was mowing my mother’s yard having a great prayer time, when I realized my relationship with Christ was about to change. I promised God I would deepen my relationship with Him by daily setting aside time to pray and study. I would write a devotion a day (to focus me) as I learned to know Christ better. I decided the folks at church needed to develop the same love life with God, so I gave them seven devotions a week to read. Guess you could say they were a captive audience – they read the devotions because they were afraid I’d ask them about them. Anyway, the law of average says if you do something for 30 days, it becomes a habit. That was the goal for my church friends and myself. Thirty days to know Christ better. I answered His call to write the devotions. I never dreamed it would turn into a ministry like
http://www.christiandevotions.us/
What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?
I write in women’s fiction. My voice is strong in that heartfelt emotion of women’s contemporary fiction. The stories I tell are things that make you think and look deep into your heart. I’ve tried writing other fiction (young adult, humor, romance) but my heart lies in the depths of the internal struggles of my characters. I have a strong sense of right and wrong, good and evil in my stories and I love to make a character dig into their soul for the truth.
I’m also working on a non-fiction work dealing with the emotions of parents who enjoy the love of a disabled child.
How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?
I aim for 3000 words a day. Sometimes it’s only 2000 but I aim for one or two good chapters a day. I’d like to do the math, but both my husband and my ministry partner, Eddie, will tell you I’m no good at it. So I refrain from adding the numbers and say this…it takes what it takes to write a novel. I’ve written one in three months and another I’ve worked on for six years. It is what it is.
You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?
He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. He Said, She Said is as simple as this: One scripture, two perspectives, His and Hers. Neither right or wrong, rather two different ways to study the Word. It’s a given, men and women think differently. Eddie and I certainly do! Rarely are we on the same wave length when we write devotions together. It’s because men think with their heads and women think with their hearts. And it’s also because God speaks to HIM differently than He speaks to HER. Eddie and I have written devotions on relationships, friendships, family, personal devastation, loss and everytime God hands us the verse, He leads me one direction and Eddie the other. Our readers are exposed to two views, two schools of thought and one simple conclusion…that God’s word speaks to us in every situation, in whatever aspect of life we’re currently in. Scripture is timeless and there is not a question we can ask that cannot be divinely answered through God’s word.
He Said, She Said provides two of those views. It’s like having two versions of the Bible to study by, NIV or KJV. Our devotions are about as opposite.
For example, Eddie gave me After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10 NIV. Eddie thought I’d write on praying for others because I’m a faithful prayer partner and I did, but not in the way he thought. God spoke to my own failings through this verse. I’d been hurt last year and though I thought I’d offered the forgiveness I should—I really hadn’t. God saw an opportunity to open my eyes to this sin in my life and how I needed to be as Job was…as Christ was…in prayer for those who wrong me and forgiving of the act.
He Said, She Said is humor, tears, joy and conviction all rolled into one package. We tell folks, it’ll tickle your funny bone and drop you to your knees in worship. And that’s ultimately what we hope—that God will use these devotions to help others recognize we’re not preaching at them, rather…we’ve lived through the pain as well and so can they.
What is the spiritual message in your book? What can readers expect to get from reading it?
The spiritual message is God is right there with us. Even when we are in the desert of testing…thirsting to death, our Father knows just when to offer us water. We want readers to see how their lives parallel with the unconditional love of God and through the good times or despite the hard ones, He is a God who is with us, not against us. He will get us through the rough spots, groom us, dress us and celebrate us in every occasion.
Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?
Oh sure, I’ve been discouraged. I retired my job to be a writer and to work this ministry. There’s no money in either and as I watch my bills mount, there is discouragement. Still, I know what I have been called to do and I understand God’s timing and His will. I get discouraged with traditional publishing houses who, because I am a new author, ASSUME my work in not sellable. I get frustrated when I know God calls us to do His work and yet, the doors slam shut because publishing houses are fearful of a weak economy.
Eddie said it well…”God calls us to step up to the plate in hard times. Not fall back.” What a better time than a weak economy for Christian Publishing to leap ahead and share the love of Christ? So that is my frustration. I am encouraged when I receive an email that details how the words God gave me helps change a life or when another writer needs encouragement and God nudges me to offer that encouragement and love.
Writing is a gift…a gift with a great responsibility attached and my greatest encouragement comes when I see that God has actually worked through me to make a difference. Sadly enough, we rarely see the fruit of the seed we plant but when we do, it is an amazing affirmation of truth, proving I am walking within the will He has set for me.
Who’s inspired you the most?
Really? You’re asking me this? Well…there’s lots of writers I look up to and admire who inspire me. But the truth of the matter is, my biggest inspiration is my 30 year old mentally retarded son who has a gift of seeing the hardest times as moments of clarity. He has, in every sense of the word, inspired me spiritually and physically more than anyone person. I’ll tell you why.
My son’s younger step brother stole a large sum of money from him. When the rest of us were struggling to protect Chase from the hurt, he was more than aware of what was going on. We were heading to church one Sunday evening and Chase looked at me and said, “Mom…it’s just money. If he needed it all he had to do was ask and it was his. I’m sure he was just afraid to ask. It’s okay. I love him anyway.”
In my hurt and frustration, this son INSPIRED me. So my gift of inspiration is Chase and I thank God for him everyday. He is a blessing.
Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?
Can’t say I was chosen. But I’m fortunate. I write the trust the dirty work of inny, minny, miny, moe to my agent. Only a fool assumes they’ll never fall off the wave. The success I have found is not in the publication of a book, but in the effort of love to write it. It’s where I learn, where I’m disciplined and where I’m used. I could never assume I can sit back and relax. There’s work to be done and someone has to write the stories God places in my heart.
Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?
- I LIKE CHOCOLATE.
- I love to hike the mountain and soak in the world from the summit.
- I love spending time with my husband and my sons…and I love my animals. We have way too many, but when you work for a vet for 15 years, you get the fallout of pets.
- My dream to travel…I’m a home body but I’d love to see the Alps. I’d love to walk on those summits just once. Other travel would be to start across the country and meet the writers I only know via email but have grown to love so much…oh, wait…that might just be heaven!
Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?
My blog is
http://www.mountainbreezewriter.blogspot.com/
My website is
http://www.cindysproles.com/ .
Of course there’s the ministry site which is
http://www.christiandevotions.us/.
The He Said, She Said devotions post every Friday
We have He Said, She Said Radio on Blog Talk Radio every Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time.
Thank you, Cindy, for visiting my blog and sharing with my readers.
Don't forget, folks, to comment & leave an email address for a chance to win Cindy's (and Eddie's) book!
Blessings, readers!
