Today I welcome author Suzie Waltner as she shares about her journey and process to publication. She's offering a $10 Amazon gift card, so read on through to see how you can enter a random drawing for that sweet gift.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14

I have a confession: I am not good at waiting. My family knows not to send me Christmas and birthday gifts too early because I open them right away and don’t wait until the day of celebration.

We live in a society where waiting is something we dislike. We get our food through drive-thru or heat it up in two minutes in the microwave. We have express shipping so that thing we ordered arrives in one or two days. We zip around in our cars to get from place to place in a timely manner. No, waiting is not something most of us like to do.

But waiting is something that happens a lot when you get into this writing business. You may be currently waiting for a story inspiration or waiting to hear back from a contest, editor, or agent. And even after that contract is signed, you wait again—for your edits, for release day, for those first reviews to trickle in.

When I first scheduled this guest post, my new book release date was July 5, but that got pushed back to September 6, so I’m waiting once again. But it has allowed me to finish writing the next book in my series and send it in, not to mention clearing up my summer calendar so I can put more time into promoting that new release. It’s also allowed me to connect on a deeper level with a group of women from my church and opened doors for some new friendships.

There’s something about waiting that is necessary. In the waiting, we are silent enough to hear God’s leading and direction. In the waiting, we find rest and renewal. And in the waiting, we are reminded that God is in control. He already knows the outcome.

Are you waiting on something? Maybe God is using this time to bring you closer to Him or to give you some much needed rest from the hustle and bustle of the world.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

About Suzie: 

Suzie Waltner is a lover of fiction and is first and foremost a reader. When she’s not at work or reading or writing, you can find her cheering on the Nashville Predators (hockey) or dancing an hour away in Zumba class. Until her second year of college, her life plan was to become a veterinarian. Suzie resides in a suburb of Nashville, TN and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers as well as Faith, Hope, and Love Christian Writers. Sign up for my newsletter and download your free novella.

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

More About Suzie:

What fun or unique things can you tell us about yourself?

a.    I have completed a half Ironman triathlon (that’s a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and a half marathon (13.1 mile run) back to back to back in one day. It was a tough one and I finished just under the 10 hour cutoff time because I couldn’t catch my breath during the half marathon and ended up walking it. But I finished and now know the true meaning of endurance.

b.    I didn’t want to be a writer when I grew up. In fact, writing was never even on my radar until college. I wanted to be a veterinarian right up until I fainted watching a surgery performed on a sheep my second year in college.

How did you get started writing?

It was NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) that challenged me to pick up a piece I’d started in a creative writing class in college and finish it. That became my first book (which I independently published before I had learned anything about the craft of writing). It was finishing that first book that inspired me to keep writing, though.

What can readers expect from you next?

My first book with Anaiah Press is currently scheduled for release in September. Midnight Blue is about the lead singer of a popular country band who crosses paths with his high school sweetheart ten years after he broke up with her to pursue his music. What he doesn’t know is the daughter she introduces him to is also his daughter. Will they find a way back to each other or was their love a one-hit wonder? For the latest news about my upcoming book release, sign up for my newsletter or follow me on social media.

Giveaway:

I’m giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift card to one person who answers at least one of the following questions.

What is your favorite genre of music to listen to? OR Do you have a favorite song?

*Giveaway open internationally where accepted.