NEWIM Writers
Several women who are part of NEWIM’s Writers’ Group are published authors.
We invite you to get to know them, listen to their stories, hear their heart.
Hi, I’m Kathy Collard Miller
God led me into writing by giving me a love for words and creative writing. Even back in junior high, I tried to write a novel entitled, That Boy Rik. I think I finished one chapter. I wish I had saved those papers.
My passion for writing is Christian non-fiction, blogging and articles.
The most surprising thing I’ve learned about writing is these days you have to market your own creations. When my first book came out in 1980, the publisher did everything. But of course, there wasn’t any internet!
Someday I hope the Lord gives me the opportunity to be in a public place and see someone reading one of my books. I want to see her face when I say, “Excuse me. I authored that book. Would you like me to autograph it for you?” Won’t that be fun?
My most recent completed projects were two devotional books: God’s Intriguing Questions: 40 Old Testament Devotions Revealing God’s Nature and God’s Intriguing Questions: 60 New Testament Devotions Revealing Jesus’s Nature.
One surprising thing about me is I sky jumped—tandem, of course.
Contact me at KathyCollardMiller@gmail.com
Website: www.KathyCollardMiller.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KathyCollardMillerAuthor
Twitter: @KathyCMiller
Pinterest/Kathyspeak
Kathy’s Amazon author page
Cindi McMenamin
I've been writing since before I started school. I started out writing children's stories for my stuffed animals, pets, imaginary friends and anyone who would "listen" to me read them. 🙂
Today, after getting a college degree in Journalism and spending several years writing for newspapers and magazines, I write Christian non-fiction books, a weekly blog, and articles for several online publications.
The most surprising thing I’ve learned about writing is that God continues to teach me as I write for others. Sometimes I labor over an article and by the time it's published I realize I was the one who most needed to read it! (God is so faithful in ministering to us as we minister to others.)
I've thoroughly enjoyed helping writers become published authors for the past 15 years. Now as a Certified Writing Coach, my personal coaching through the NEWIM Writers Getaway, as well as follow-up coaching with other clients, has resulted in seven writers receiving traditional publishing contracts or self-publishing their own books in the last two years.
One surprising thing about me is I spelunked through the California Caverns many years ago and was okay with being completely covered in mud—until it hardened on me after a couple hours!
Contact me at Cindispeaks@msn.com
Website: www.StrengthForTheSoul.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strengthforthesoul
Cindi’s Amazon author page
Hi, I’m Deanna Harder,
I spent many years pursuing a corporate business career, but my goal, once I retired, was always to be a writer. After attending a NEWIM’s Writers Getaway, I began a weekly blog in 2020, and from that came the impetus for my first book, Simple Faith.
Simple Faith is a devotional book, straight from the heart, as I share practical and down-to-earth observations of everyday occurrences from a Christian perspective. You will discover how the simple things in life can lead you to a deeper relationship with your heavenly Father. You will be challenged, entertained, and encouraged on your faith journey.
Through my participation in the NEWIM Writers Group, I have developed relationships with fellow authors who are a great source of inspiration and encouragement.
Contact me: info@dlhministries.com
Website: www.dlhministries.com
Deanna’s Amazon author’s page
Hi, I'm Kim.
Kim Johnson
I've been writing articles for church newsletters and worship dramas for over 40 years. Yet, I never considered myself an author. My focus as a pastor's wife was serving God. Writing was just one of many ways I could. Then I experienced a devastating, unwanted divorce and my world exploded. I felt worthless, broken and useless. That's not how God saw me, however. In fact, he mended my heart and multiplied my opportunities to serve him. I authored a skit circulated by Concordia Publishing, was a contributing author in books by Marita Litthauer and Jay Payleitner’s The One Year Life Verse Devotional; and had stories published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul and A Cup of Comfort book series. My devotional “Working Women’s Devotions to Go” was released in 2007. But He wasn't finished. God also used my divorce experience to equip me to lead adult divorce recovery classes for many years. With constant requests from parents for information to help their teen cope with the family breakup, writing took center stage and What About Me? How to Survive you Parent's Divorce for teens was created. It was released by Elk Lake Publishing in September 2020.
The most surprising thing about my journey? It was completely unexpected. Philippians 1:6 says, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." There is no limit to what God will do in and through us, if we are just willing to make the journey, no matter what it looks like.
Contact Info: Kim.diann.johnson@gmail.com
Website: www.KimDJohnson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TipsForTeensWhenParentsDivorce
Kim’s Amazon Author Page
Hi, I’m Jenny Lynn Estes,
My passion for writing grew out of a desire to help others connect with God on a deeper level. Having led women’s retreats for over ten years on a variety of ways to grow in our relationship with God, I discovered the Anglican Rosary and found my true calling. At the end of the first Rosary retreat I presented, I realized there were few resources I could recommend for further study. So when I attended the NEWIM Writers Getaway in November of 2018 God made it clear to me that I was to write a book about the Rosary that covered all the essentials for praying with one.
The Anglican Rosary: Going Deeper with God—Prayers and Meditations with the Protestant Rosary was published in June, 2019 and has become the definitive book on praying with a Protestant Rosary. Since then I have joined forces with another Anglican Priest’s wife and we are about to publish the first in a series of books on using the Rosary to meditate on the ninety-nine Christian names of God based on the Holy Trinity. The Anglican Rosary: God the Father—Devotions and Meditations on 33 Names of God was published Dec. 2020.
To stay informed of subsequent publications please follow me on my Amazon author page at: amazon.com/author/jennylynnestes
Contact me: jennylynnestes@gmail.com
Website: jennylynnestes.com
Jenny’s Amazon author’s page
Hi, I’m Deanna,
I first met the wonderful writers of NEWIM last fall. I googled “Christian writing retreat” and there you were! I had no idea where I was going or what I’d be doing, but connecting with you all has been a highlight in my writing life.
Before my father died, he reminded me that Mom had asked me to write a book. At the time my boys were in college, and the notion of writing was unfathomable. Writers write books. By the time Kyle and Kevin were adults, I’d run out of excuses. I was also at a time when I could pause and reflect.
Fruit of My Spirit: Reframing Life in God’s Grace was my first publishing endeavor. My second was Signs in Life: Finding Direction in Our Travels with God. Both are collections of stories that tell of God’s love and faithfulness and his remarkable grace and mercy. I’m currently working on Book 3: Bouquet of Wisdom: Blossoms of Love, Joy, Peace, and Hope with more stories, but more devotional in format.
My reading favorites are rather eclectic. Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird gave me the courage to write and to keep writing. Jane Austen warms my heart. Kathy Collard Miller has fed my soul and nurtured my faith in so many ways. And special mention has to go to Carolyn Keene who gave a young girl her first real love of reading. In third grade I truly just wanted to grow up and be Nancy Drew.
On my desk is a rock with the words “Choose Joy!” etched in it. It’s my inspiration for each day. As an author, it is my hope that my own words might share that joy we find together as children of God. With Him, it can be so.
If you’d like to connect: Website: deannanowadnick.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FruitofMySpirit/
I’m also on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Just search Deanna Nowadnick.
Hi, I’m Merry,
My desire to write started as a child in elementary school. I loved making letters as a preschooler and wanted to write then! A third-grade class applauded a story I read aloud. I loved writing big reports for class, but it wasn't until early adulthood that I sensed a "God" call to it. A memorable experience was a woman who did not know me, gave an extensive "word of the Lord" very specifically addressing "books seen inside of me". That was one of many spiritual nudges.
Having a heart for the lost, I find myself often writing messages for those among my Facebook connections, but I've written messages for many years teaching the Word of God to women and children as well as leading them to worship him. I love writing for the Lord, and it's fun to work at children's stories. I've also written blogs and two children's books and had the privilege to read my picture book a few times to elementary students at their school. It's so fun to see them holding my book, reading to themselves!
I do hope someday to speak to an audience of women outside my church who need a fresh word from the Lord. Nothing gives me greater joy than to be used by God.
My completed projects include Lolly's Fish Tale; When She Meets A Bully Face To Face, a picture book for children ages 4-7, and Apollumi: Journey To The Great King, a story for children ages 8-12. I have three projects on the burner now; an anthology for the writer's group I lead called The Book Binder, a chapter book for 8-12-year-olds called Max; The Dragon Slayer, and a sequel to Lolly's Fish Tale called Huffington, The Impatient Pufferfish. I hope to complete these by 2021!
So, the most surprising thing I learned about writing is: We do it alone, but we don't walk in it alone. What I mean is, networking with other authors becomes like a family. The comradery is wonderful. We really are never alone, at least, we don't have to be.
The surprising thing about me is I love to scuba dive. My first and only opportunity came on a short-term missionary trip to the Philippines. I LOVED it.
Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/merrystreeter
Contact me: Merry.S.Streeter@gmail.com.
Facebook: facebook.com/MerryJensenSenecaStreeter
Blog: https://pearlsofwisdomgodswordforeverydaylife.blogspot.com/
Hi, I’m Luann,
I attended the Writers’ Getaway on 2018 and 2019 and I have loved meeting with the NEWIM writers each month. I always come away inspired!
I honestly don’t remember a time when I wasn’t passionate about writing, except for a week or two when I was in the second grade. My teacher gave me a D on a paper and I was mortified. I recovered, however, and by the fourth grade I was writing a book entitled, That’s Life. I have no idea what I thought I knew about life but I was hard at work.
I wanted to be a high school English teacher so I majored in Creative Writing. But God had other plans. I ended up pausing college until my youngest was in Kindergarten. I loved studying about writing and ended up working with exemplary K-12 writing teachers at the CSULB South Basin Writing Project.
Journal Keeping—Writing for Spiritual Growth actually started as handouts for Newim’s Springs Retreat. For each retreat, I just kept typing up more handouts until I had to bring a second suitcase to carry them all. Finally, I went to a writers’ conference at Mt. Hermon to see about publishing. I was shocked that I had so much formal education in writing, years of working with writing teachers, and was actually teaching writing at SJSU, and yet had no clue about the publication process. Crafting a book from my handouts was quite a learning experience!
Contact me at LuannBudd@gmail.com
Website: www.LuannBudd.com
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