World Blog Tour—Catching Up with Andrea Merrell

By Andrea Merrell

Christian writers support and encourage one another by letting readers know about other writers. We do this through blog tours. Edie Melson invited me to answer four questions and then point you toward three authors whose work I support.


What am I working on now?

The majority of my time is spent editing, editing, editing—books for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, devotions for www.christiandevotions.us, and freelance jobs. My biggest challenge is balancing my time between writing and editing. My second book, Praying for the Prodigal, releases in March of 2015, so I’m busy with the finishing touches. I write devotions, articles, and blog posts, but I have three novels in various stages that are begging to be completed. I also have a short Christmas story due to release online in September of 2014.

Blogging is a new adventure for me, but I am exited to partner with Alycia Morales to bring you www.TheWriteEditing.com. This site is designed especially for writers, written from an editor’s perspective, and we strive to give helpful tips to both new and seasoned writers. We feature a guest blogger on the first Monday of each month to share their wisdom with our followers.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

Because I write in a variety of genres, that’s a difficult question to answer. I always want my words to be informative and uplifting to the reader, whether fiction or nonfiction. It’s important to be as real, transparent, and down to earth as possible, especially in nonfiction. If I can challenge a reader to keep moving forward, inspire them to reach higher, and give them hope and encouragement, I feel I have accomplished my purpose.

Why do I write what I write?

Someone once said, “If you think about writing when you get up, go to bed, and all through the day, you’re a writer.”  I am a writer and find inspiration all around me—through a song, a movie, or something silly one of my granddaughters says. Other times it comes through a trial, or simply during my morning devotion time. 

I love to mentor new writers and help them get started on their writing journey.  Murder of a Manuscript gives writers short, simple, easy-to-read-and-follow guidelines to help them polish their manuscripts, making them as clean and professional as possible. The purpose of my prodigal book is to share my own heartbreaking experience and the lessons I learned, giving other parents hope, encouragement, and practical advice from someone who’s been there and survived.  I enjoy writing Christian fiction with relatable characters and real-life scenarios that will inspire the reader and point them to the Lord, without being preachy. To me, writing is not a job; it’s a ministry and a calling.

How does my writing process work?

Sometimes it’s as easy as sitting down, putting my fingers on the keyboard, and allowing the words to flow freely. At other times, it’s more difficult, especially when my inner-editor wants to keep interrupting the flow. I am primarily a pantser or SOP writer (seat-of-the-pants).  I do a lot of editing, proofreading, and rewriting (and eat a lot of dark chocolate).

Next on the world blog tour, I’d like to introduce you to these writers:

Ann Tatlock

Ann Tatlock is an award-winning novelist and children's book author. She also serves as managing editor of Heritage Beacon, the historical novel imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Her books include Sweet Mercy, The Returning, and Travelers Rest. She teaches workshops at writers’ conferences, and lives with her husband and daughter in the mountains of Western North Carolina. You can read more about her work at http://www.anntatlock.com.



Cindy Sproles

Cindy Sproles is an author and speaker, whose dream is to do nothing more than craft words that speak from the heart. She’s a mountain gal, born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains. Cindy is the Executive Editor of ChristianDevotions.us, and Acquisitions Editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.  Her devotions and articles are published weekly in several newspapers across the country. Cindy is the coauthor of He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion, and the author of New Sheets: Thirty Days to Refine You Into the Woman You Can Be. Connect with her at http://cindysproles.com.  

Kathy Ide

Kathy Ide is a full-time freelance editor and writing mentor. She is also  ghostwriter/collaborator and a speaker/teacher at writers’ conferences. As an Editor Services Coordinator, Kathy matches authors, publishers, and agents with professional freelance editors/proofreaders through the ChristianEditor Connection. She is the founder and director of The ChristianPEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, a professional support organization for aspiring and established editorial freelancers. Kathy is the author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors (formerly Polishing the PUGS). She is the abundantly blessed wife of a fabulous man and mother of two terrific sons. Visit her at http://www.kathyide.com.


Thank you to Eddie Jones for starting this World Blog Tour and for being a publisher who cares about furthering God’s kingdom through the ministry of the written word! Visit Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. 

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