I would like to introduce to you folks , Paula Moldenhauer and invite you to come along with us as we interview her for her new book Awaken a very soul-stirring devotional.
Q: The good news is this week is the release of your first devotional book, Soul Scents: Awaken. (http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Scents-Spiritual-Journey-Embrace-ebook/dp/B019ICBW02/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450471247&sr=8-1&keywords=Soul+Scents%3A+Awaken) Any author would be excited, but what’s the best part for you?
The fact this book feels foundational to everything I want to share with the world. Birthed over more than a ten-year span, it shares insights the Lord gave as He freed me from a performance based religion and deepened my understanding of the wonder of genuine relationship with Him. His love is deeper than I dared dream, and He desires we walk in joy and freedom, not striving, tension, and self-deprecation. I know I will write more non-fiction books in the future which delve deeper into these concepts, but this series chronicles the incremental journey, the discovery, of the best part of my life—and what I believe Jesus offers all of us as the best part of any life.
Another thing which makes me excited is readers can choose to can walk a full year with me in this spiritual journey. This is the first volume, which is a thirteen week devotional, and a new volume will release every three months. Though the spiritual journey I offer readers took me over ten years, I truly believe the progression of content in this collection will be life-changing for readers in 2016, not because I’m a fabulous writer, but because God is a fabulous Teacher. These devotions simply pass on the life-changing truth He taught me over the last ten plus years.
Q: Talk about the ten-year span.
A: What I love best about this is I can honestly say the concepts in this series are tried and true, birthed organically over more than ten years of my spiritual journey. Some devotionals in the collection were written more than ten years ago; others were written 3 weeks ago. As I edited the material penned in the past, I was awestruck by how true they are. I was more naïve when I wrote those particular devotions. Life hit pretty hard in the last ten years, but the spiritual discoveries of those early writings are still true on the other side of life’s raging storms. I had no idea how deep the Lord would take some of those concepts, and I certainly had no idea all I was praying when I prayed the prayers in this collection. But from this side I can honestly say He is faithful. All He showed me is true. That gives me a lot of confidence in what I’m offering readers.
Q: You mentioned a spiritual progression in the collection?
A: While all four volumes have content penned in the past as well as content written recently, the last two volumes include devotions designed to show how the concepts in the earlier volumes have deepened and stood the test of time. To be vulnerable, our family rode some difficult waters after the earlier devotionals were written. In spring of 2015 I tried to write about the really hard years, but I often dissolved into tears at the computer. I wasn’t ready to write about all that for the public. The Lord called me away from those efforts and invited me to spend time with Him. I journaled, did some more Bible study in the Song of Solomon (which was one of the deep studies I did many years ago), and rested. Truth be told I spent a lot of time talking to my plants last summer! And the Lord, always the Healer, did what He does best and healed me. In the fall the Lord released me back into focusing on this project. I wasn’t really surprised (although I was very pleased) when those months of seeking God resulted in devotions for volumes 3 & 4 of this collection. Even though I thought I was not productive last year, I was finishing the writing in this series without knowing it. I love how organic that is.
Q: You’re calling this book release your Christmas miracle. Can you explain that?
A: Publishing is a very long process. Though the content of this book was written over a span of more than ten years, but its birth from editing to publication happened in less than a month. This is very unusual. I’ve published both traditionally and non-traditionally in the past and had good results with both, but this particular series is quite intimate, and I decided long ago I wanted to oversee the whole process myself. Originally I wanted it to release for 2016, but it looked impossible. Then in a 48 hours span God changed everything. And here we are today.
Q: What happened?
A: The last Saturday in November it dawned on me that the word count on this project was too large for one volume. It was actually four! Then I realized the first volume needed very little work from a writing standpoint. That same Saturday I “happened” to have a conversation with novelist Lisa Samson. She asked what I was working on and out-of-the-blue volunteered to do my artwork! She’s launching a new business under the brand, Lisa-Joy, which offers illustrations, adult coloring pages, and other original designs. (https://www.facebook.com/lisajoyart/?fref=ts) Her offer made me believe the time-frame could actually happen. Within 48 hours a whole team—artwork, editing, proofreading, formatting and cover design—was assembled and committed to getting the first book published before Christmas! I even had a project manager who initially contacted me! These amazing people simply believed in the project and dug into the work! In less than three weeks we went from my content, which still was in revised draft stage, to publication.
Q: I can see why you call it a miracle! Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
One thing I love about publishing this work through my own company is Amazon allows me to offer the books *free* on Kindle download a few times. I know it is all about the marketing to them, but it’s more than that to me. It means this gift of my heart is available to anyone who can download a free Kindle app to her phone, computer, or tablet. I love how accessible that is. I hope it will attract readers who might not have spent money on a devotional, as well as provide for those who feel the pinch of the economy. The book is offered for free on Kindle this Monday! (December 21). The print version releases by Christmas. . I’ve asked the Lord to raise an army of people to help get the word out so the Soul Scents collection can be discovered and accessed by people who might not even look for such a thing.
Q: How can my readers help with that?
A: The best two things you can do are to tell others and leave a review on Amazon. The more reviews appearing on Amazon early in a book’s release, the more visible Amazon makes the book.
Bio:
Author, speaker, and mom of four, Paula Moldenhauer encourages others to be released into full potential through freedom in Christ and the empowerment of God’s grace. Published over 300 times in non-fiction markets, her first devotional book series, Soul Scents, releases in four volumes beginning with Soul Scents: Awaken. Paula’s first two novels released in 2012. Sometimes empty-nesters, Paula and her husband, Jerry, enjoy four adult children and a wonderful son-in-law. Paula loves peppermint ice cream, walking barefoot and talking to her flowers. For inspirational articles, book information, and speaking topics visit: www.paulamoldenhauer.com
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