Friday Sisterhood with Missy Tippens

Our Beloved MISSY

Family Status: Married for 25+ years with three kids. One is grown and working as a youth minister. The middle son is in college studying physics. The youngest is a senior in high school. Yes, I'll be an empty nester soon!

What Is Your Favorite Beverage: Diet Dr. Pepper

What Is Your Favorite Food: Spaghetti with freshly grated parmesan. Lots of parmesan! And that might hold a tie with brownies--gooey dark chocolate brownies. :)

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: Read or catch up with DVR'd shows with my daughter.

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life: Probably my husband. But also my Bible study leader, Dotty Gunby.

First Book You Fell in Love With: Anne of Green Gables.

A Book You Wish You’d Written: There are several that have made me cry, wishing I could write like that.

First Book Published: Her Unlikely Family from Love Inspired in 2008.

Most Recent Book: The Guy Next Door from Love Inspired (October) and Hope for the Holidays Contemporary Collection, an indie published boxed set with fellow authors from the Seekerville blog (November).

Available Now!

Out Next: The Doctor's Second Chance from Love Inspired in May.

How Many Have You Written: 8

What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known Then: How to better balance work/writing with family and "real" life.

What is Your Favorite Bible Story: The story of Esther (really enjoyed Beth Moore's study!).

What is Your Favorite Bible Verse: Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

What is Your Favorite Hymn: So many!! I can't pick one. But right now, I'm excited about singing the traditional Christmas carols.

What is an Ongoing Prayer Request You Have: For my children to discover and follow the path God has planned for them.

Friday Sisterhood with Vickie Mcdonough

Family Status: Married, four grown sons, but two still live at home 

What Is Your Favorite Beverage: Coke

What Is Your Favorite Food: Just one? Being honest--French silk pie

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: Read

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life: My dad

First Book You Fell in Love With: A Gown of Spanish Lace by Janette Oke

A Book You Wish You’d Written: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

First Book Published: My first published work was a novella in a collection called A Stitch in Time. First actual book was Sooner or Later. 

Most Recent Book: Call of the Prairie, book 2 in my Pioneer Promises series

Out Next: Song of the Prairie, book 3 in my Pioneer Promises series

How Many Have You Written: 34 

What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known Then: The skills of writing

What is Your Favorite Bible Story: The story of Jesus

What is Your Favorite Bible Verse: Jeremiah 29:11

What is Your Favorite Hymn: He Lives 

What is an Ongoing Prayer Request You Have: That my sons who are not walking with God would turn back to Him

Friday Sisterhood with Winnie Griggs

Family Status: Married with 4 grown children

What Is Your Favorite Beverage: Hot spiced cinnamon tea with honey.  It not only has that comforting feel I always get from tea, but it has a little kick as well.

What Is Your Favorite Food: My momma's crawfish stew - nothing like it!

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: Read, of course!

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life: My mother.  She's not only been a great role model in the way she's lived her own life, but she always encouraged her kids to follow their dreams, not matter how 'out there' they were.

First Book You Fell in Love With: Trixie Belden: The Secret Of The Mansion

A Book You Wish You’d Written: Simple Jess by Pamela Morsi

First Book Published:What Matters Most (published by Leisure Books) 

Most Recent Book: Lone Star Heiress (Love Inspired Historical June 2014) 

Out Next: Her Holiday Family (Love Inspired Historical, Nov 2014)

How Many Have You Written: Her Holiday Family will be number 17

What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known Then: That it doesn't get any easier with subsequent books.  Pouring your heart onto a page is always hard work, but it's totally worth it.

What is Your Favorite Bible Story: The story of Ruth.

What is Your Favorite Bible Verse: Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".  It is such a comforting, hopeful promise.

What is Your Favorite Hymn: It Is Well With My Soul.  Not only is it a beautiful hymn in and of itself, but the story behind it always touches something deep inside me. 

What is an Ongoing Prayer Request You Have: I always appreciate prayers on my children's behalf.

Thursday Sisterhood with Allie Pleiter

Family Status: married with one child just out of college and another child just going in 

What Is Your Favorite Beverage: Coffee, followed closely by the SteakNShake Mocha milkshake

What Is Your Favorite Food: Now that my doctor’s asked me to cut back on the chocolate, I’m really into French macarons and lemon meringue pie (but I still love chocolate).

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: Knit!  I’m an avid knitter.  I even write a knitting blog called DestiKNITions.

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life: I can’t really identify one person.  I had wonderful high school English and drama teachers who gave me my love of the written and spoken word, but many people in my life now have been great influences as well.

First Book You Fell in Love With: Believe it or not, it was John Garder’s Grendel in high school.  I love old epic poetry, and that book turned my perspective on its head by taking the Beowulf story and telling it from the monster’s point of view.  It changed how I viewed the possibilities of story.

A Book You Wish You’d Written: Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus.  So imaginative and enthralling!

First Book Published: My first non-fiction was Becoming A Chief Home Officer from Zondervan.  My first inspirational novel was Bad Heiress Day from Steeple Hill Cafe.

Most Recent Book: The Lawman’s Oklahoma Sweetheart - the finale of the Bridegroom Brothers multi-author continuity series

Out Next: A Heart to Heal, book four in my Gordon Falls series

How Many Have You Written: 23

What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known Then: Your path is unique to you.  Everyone will craft their careers differently, and if you want staying power than you need to be smart but also true to yourself.  You can learn from the author next to you, but you can’t imitate her.

What is Your Favorite Bible Story: Joseph—I’ve directed too many versions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat not to love that great comeback story.

What is Your Favorite Bible Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

What is Your Favorite Hymn: O Come O Come Emanuel

What is an Ongoing Prayer Request You Have: For my two children to find their unique, happy paths as one enters college and the other enters the “real world.”