We are celebrating with a Friday Five Feature with author Mesu Andrews!! YAY!!
So, Mesu, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet you at ACFW for
the first time in 2016 and then share a delightful lunch with you! Your
publishing story is pretty amazing, but also your unique historical writing
period.
1. What
draws you to the Biblical history genre?
Well, I actually started my journey as a speaker and
Bible teacher. I was an off-the-charts extrovert and never sat still long
enough to write a note, let alone a book. When I was diagnosed in 1997 with
fibromyalgia, my speaking ministry slowed down, and I began journaling and
writing devotionals that I emailed to family and friends. In 2002, I had a
health crash that put me in bed for six months. That’s when I wrote my first
novel—biblical fiction—because my first love is deep research into Scripture.
I’m a library nerd that loves the ancient texts and original languages!
2. Your
journey to fiction publishing started in nonfiction, right? How did the
transition go and do you still enjoy writing nonfiction?
Oooops! I guess I sort of answered some of that
above, but the transition was ugly. I was determined to write something I
called “Deep-o-tionals,” one-page mini-studies that were deeper than a normal
devotional but short enough to get through in twenty minutes or less.
Publishers didn’t want them because retailers wouldn’t know where to put them
on their shelves—study or devotional? I had one of the best agents in the CBA knocking
on every door, but no one was interested. I nearly gave up on publishing
altogether.
Then a friend said, “Why don’t you teach with
fiction?” I was a little offended. I mean, I was a SERIOUS Bible student. I’d
never even read a Christian novel! She then pushed a little harder. “Do you
think you’re a better teacher than Jesus? He taught with stories, you know?”
Ouch! That’s when I started learning the fiction
craft. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do—and I LOVE it!
3. Deep-o-tionals? Really? And what a wise friend to challenge you!!
As
a blog for ‘newer and not-so-new- writers, we’re constantly trying to glean
wisdom from other authors. What advice would you share with a new author…or one
who just really needs to hear some encouragement today?
I guess my advice is, Don’t give up, but listen
for God’s change in direction. If I hadn’t been listening for His change in
direction, I’d still be knocking my head against the wall with Deep-o-tionals,
and I wouldn’t have discovered how much I love writing fiction. He may not ask
you to make as drastic of a change (from non-fiction to fiction), but He may
ask you to consider contemporary instead of historical or YA instead of
contemporary.
And, BTW, I still think I’ll publish Deep-o-tionals
someday. I may even publish Bible studies. But it will be when God opens the
door, not when I have to shove it open with a crowbar. I’m still learning to
watch for His road signs and follow the path He leads me on…not the path I make
for myself with a bulldozer.
4. Wise woman!! You’ve
recently moved to the mountains of North Carolina (GREAT choice ;-), what have
you enjoyed about the move and what has been an unexpected challenge?
My two greatest joys in this move are being closer to
our daughters and their families (love those grand babies!) and the folks at
our new church. We’ve found an incredible sense of “home” already, and I’m so
grateful to my Heavenly Father for that.
The challenge (and it was actually expected) has been
juggling family and new church responsibilities with writing full time. While
we lived in Washington State, we were empty nester “old farts,” who had no
family around and only our careers and friends at church to enjoy. I could work
fourteen-hour days and not feel as though I was cheating anyone. Not so with
family and church family around! I’m still praying for godly wisdom to juggle
all aspects of my new blessings well.
5. Please
share with us about your most recent release and anything you have in the works
for the future.
My most recent release is Miriam, the second
of two installments in The Treasures of the Nile series. Here’s the back
cover blurb:
Buzz Line: Enter an exotic land where a cruel Pharaoh reigns,
pagan priests wield black arts, and the Israelites cry out to a God they only
think they know.
Back Cover Copy: At eighty-six, Miriam had devoted her
entire life to loving El Shaddai and serving His people as both midwife and
messenger. Yet when her brother Moses returns to Egypt from exile, he brings a
disruptive message. God has a new name – Yahweh – and has declared a radical
deliverance for the Israelites. Miriam and her beloved family face an
impossible choice: cling to familiar bondage or embrace uncharted freedom at an
unimaginable cost. Even if the Hebrews survive the plagues set to turn the Nile
to blood and unleash a maelstrom of frogs and locusts, can they weather the
resulting fury of the Pharaoh?
My upcoming release, Isaiah’s
Daughter, is scheduled for Fall 2017. It tells the story of Hephzibah, wife
of Hezekiah—the most righteous king of Judah—and mother of Manasseh—the most
wicked king of Judah. Jewish legend says she was the prophet Isaiah’s daughter,
and my research has revealed some amazing things about her. I can’t wait for
folks to get to know Hephzibah, my favorite name in Scripture—“God’s delight is
in her.” I want to be Hephzibah every day of my life! How about you?
This sounds GREAT!! What a wonderful gift you have to bring the stories/culture of the Bible to life through fiction! Thanks so much for being a part of our Friday Five Feature,
Mesu!!!
You can learn more about Mesu and her books on her website at http://www.mesuandrews.com/
You can learn more about Mesu and her books on her website at http://www.mesuandrews.com/
If you missed out on the posts for this week, it's not too late to glean the wisdom and encouragement.
Julia has a beautiful post about Kissing Frantic Goodbye
And from author Cara Putman we have a helpful post about how to write More than 1 Book at One Time...WOW...feeling that right now!!
Confession: I almost didn't read this post because I don't read historical, biblical fiction. But I love this blog so much, I skimmed down it anyway and saw a pretty cool book cover and the read an amazing buzz line and back cover copy and thought--Whoa, I should be reading historical biblical fiction!!
ReplyDeleteSo then I read the whole article and I am so happy I did. I love the line "I’m still learning to watch for His road signs and follow the path He leads me on…not the path I make for myself with a bulldozer."
I'm a bulldozer planner myself and in the midst currently of situation (nothing awful :-) ) that I'm trying to turn over to God with trust and peace instead of bulldozing my way through a bad plan.
So not only did I find a great new book, I got some words of wisdom and as I know another author who does read and write historical fiction, I'll be messaging her about this blog and about Mesu Andrews.
Great post!
Hi Amy! I love your transparent heart! "Step away from the bulldozer," is something I hear from the Lord quite often, so I'm still right there with you, gal. I pray we can both exchange our hard-hats for knee-pads and spend a little more time in prayer. Blessings on you, sweet sister!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I read many genres - Historical, Women's Fiction, Mysteries, Memoirs, Adventure, and - Biblical. I've read Mesu's books for years and they are wonderful. If you give one a try, I think you will be surprised to find they're many genres rolled into one.
ReplyDeleteI love this interview. And Pepper will tell you looking for God's road signs rather than bulldozing my own path is right where I'm at now!
ReplyDeleteLove your books and your insight, Mesu :-)