Interview with Diana's client Sharon Elliott

I would like to introduce to our From the Heart readers, Sharon Norris Elliott, published author, public speaker.

So our readers can get to know you better – tell us a little about yourself Sharon. I love and am loved by God. I was born and raised in Southern California and have been in the writing and speaking ministry since 1991.

Do you have a personal mission statement? My ministry, Life That Matter's, exists to encourage members of the body of Christ to discover their life purpose and live up to their full potential. The five divisions of my ministry achieve this goal through the use of WebTV, books, conferences, seminars, and a devotional blog.

Raising Boys To Be Like Jesus and Living A Milk and Honey Life are two of your published titles. Can you tell us what they offer the reader? Raising Boys to Be Like Jesus encourages parents to use Jesus Christ’s life as an example of the type of life they want for their sons. I hope to persuade parents that it’s both practical and possible to raise Godly sons in today’s society. Living a Milk and Honey Life: Letting Go of what’s Holding you Back encourages women to move from the bondages in their lives to the deliverances God has in store.

Did these titles get birthed from personal experience? Both were birthed from personal experience. I tried my best to raise my own boys to be like Jesus. I also understood that, like in His plan for the Israelites, God’s perfect place for me is my land of milk and honey. I needed to leave my places of bondage and walk into my deliverance.

What are some of the creative ways you have promoted your books? For Living a Milk and Honey Life, I host Christian women’s spa retreats entitled Milk & Honey Life Retreats. For Raising Boys to be Like Jesus, I teach Boys Like Jesus seminars.

What type of feedback have you received from your readers? Women absolutely love the retreats and parents feel the insight in Raising Boys is perceptive, astute, and easy-to-incorporate into their daily lives.

What other titles do you have coming out in the next two years? Power Suit: The Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame is scheduled for release from New Hope Press in early 2011. I am working on A Heart for the Word Devotional Collection which will be a collection taken from my daily devotional blog. My four book series – Who God Can Bless – is currently being reviewed by several publishers.

What was toughest about your publishing journey and do you have any advice for other authors out there? Waiting; there’s a lot of waiting in this business. Also early in the business, rejection was a bit discouraging, but you learn that both waiting and rejection just mean you really are in business. My advice for authors is perfect your craft and listen to experts. Do what they say, the way they say it, until that advice no longer works for you and you need to refine to suit your own style.

You also are the founder and director of AuthorizeMe Seminars. Explain what these are and how our reader might find out more information on where they can find one in their area. AuthorizeMe Seminars help you get your book out of your head, down onto paper, and into a professional proposal format ready to submit to an acquisitions editor. You will also leave this fun yet intensive 12-hour seminar with tips on marketing, editing, and titling your book, and much more. Visit www.AuthorizeMe.net to find upcoming seminars or to sponsor a seminar in your area.

Before we say goodbye and allow you to get back to your writing, tell the reader where they might find out more about you. I'd like to encourage readers to tune into my web T.V. show "A Heart for the Word" at www.WebTV4Women.tv. There, women can study the Bible with me at their leisure.

My website is: www.SharonNorrisElliott.com, www.AuthorizeMe.net, and www.MilkAndHoneyLife.com

My blog address is: www.sanewriter.wordpress.com

FB: http://www.facebook.com/SaneWriter

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sanewriter

Thank you Sharon for spending this time with us today. May the Lord continue to open doors of ministry for you and may your titles encourage the reader in their daily walk.

From my heart to yours,
Diana