21 DAYS OF LOVE - Kathy Ide, Editor - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I first became acquainted with Kathy Ide when she was the editor for my book Pirate’s Prize. Then we met face to face at an intimate writer’s retreat in Texas. Since there were only about a dozen women there, we really got to know each other. We have been friends since then. I’ve been included in several of her collections. I used the 21 Days of Christmas devotional book in December. I’m looking forward to using 21 Days of Love. Several of my favorite authors have selections in this one.

Bio: Kathy Ide is a published author/ghostwriter, editor/mentor, and writers’ conference speaker. In addition to being the author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors, she is the editor/compiler for the new Fiction Lover’s Devotional series. Kathy is the founder and coordinator of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network (www.TheChristianPEN.com) and the Christian Editor Connection (www.ChristianEditor.com). To find out more about Kathy, visit www.KathyIde.com

Welcome back, Kathy. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’ve been writing for publication since 1989, and I’ve been a full-time freelance editor since 1998. I teach at writers’ conferences across the country, and I’m the director of the Orange County Christian Writers Conference. I’m also the founder and director of two organizations for freelance editors: the Christian Editor Connection and The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network.

You’ve created a Fiction Lover’s Devotional series. What inspired you to gather a collection of short fiction stories to be used as devotions?

I’ve always loved Christian fiction, and I’ve seen the power of fiction to touch hearts and change lives, both firsthand and hearing about the experiences of others. But you know, in my quiet times with the Lord, reading a chapter from a novel just doesn’t seem quite appropriate. So a devotional with short fiction stories seemed like a great solution.

Tell us about the books in this series.

Each one contains 21 short fiction stories, followed by brief life applications, each written by a different author. Some contributors are best sellers, some are mid-range authors, and some are new writers. The first book was 21 Days of Grace: Stories that Celebrate God’s Unconditional Love. That came out June 1, 2015. The second book, 21 Days of Christmas, came out September 1st.

Tell us about this third book, 21 Days of Love.

21 Days of Love: Stories that Celebrate Treasured Relationships contains stories about all kinds of love. Boyfriend-girlfriend. Husband-wife. Parent-child. Teacher-student. Even love for pets and showing love to strangers. It released January 1, in plenty of time for Valentine’s Day. It makes a wonderful gift for friends and loved ones. And it’s a great way to get yourself into the spirit of love.

What is unique about this series?

Most devotionals contain true stories. And those are great! But so many believers today are big fans of Christian fiction … because fiction can be a powerful way to soak in spiritual truths and apply them to our daily lives. In this devotional, the authors share the themes and messages they see in the pieces they’ve written, and encourage readers to look for those types of things in these devotional stories as well as in other fictional things they might read.

What life circumstances worked together to put you in a position to be able to create this series?

Since I’ve been a professional freelance editor for several years, I’m able to edit the submissions I choose to use, polishing them without losing the author’s unique voice. And since I’ve been teaching and speaking at writers’ conferences across the country, I’ve connected with several authors at all levels, including well-known best sellers. So there are a lot of people I can personally ask about submitting to the books in this series. And I’ve developed a strong social media presence, so I can get the word out to other writers as well.

What other books have you written?

I wrote Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors, to help writers and editors learn how to proofread manuscripts for typos, inconsistencies, and errors in punctuation, usage, grammar, and spelling, according to the industry-standard guidelines.

What do you do besides write?

Read, of course. And go to movies. I also love to travel with my husband. We visit our out-of-state relatives (when they’re not visiting us—which happens often since we live in Southern California). We also enjoy going jet skiing and camping in our RV.

Can you share some of the names of the authors who have contributed stories to the devotional?

Absolutely! 21 Days of Love has chapters written by several well-known, best-selling novelists, including Susan May Warren, Sherry Kyle, Renae Brumbaugh, and New York Times best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall. There are also stories by writers you may not have heard of. At the end of each chapter is an author bio that gives some background information, and usually the author’s website. So if you really like a story you read, you can find out what else that author has written. You may just find some new names to add to your favorites list.

And if you haven’t read much Christian fiction, this devotional will give you a small taste of several different authors and genres, without having to commit to reading an entire novel. You might just discover that you actually love Christian fiction!

What other books are planned for the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series?

21 Days of Joy: Stories that Celebrate Mom, comes out April 1.

If these first books sell as well as we anticipate, the series will continue with new titles, topics, and themes. I’ll be announcing those on the Fiction Lover’s Devotional website, www.FictionDevo , and on my website, www.KathyIde.com . Fiction readers can find out what new titles are coming out, and fiction writers can get the writers’ guidelines that explain how to submit to a future book in the series.

Where can people purchase the books?

They’re available online at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, Barnes and Noble, and other websites. If you go to FictionDevo.com, you’ll find several links that will take you directly to the ordering pages for all of the books in the series. You can also find them at Christian bookstores and Barnes and Noble.

Tell us about some of the stories in 21 Days of Love.

This book has stories about all kinds of love. The first chapter is about a high school girl who is suffering the aftermath of a tragedy that has left her wondering if God really loves her. Another story is about a little girl whose family is too poor to purchase store-bought valentines for her classmates. One is about a young Amish mother who’s grieving over some choices she and her husband made that separated them from their families. Some of the stories are about people who don’t have a special someone in their lives to celebrate Valentine’s Day with. And one is about a harried wife who decides to do something unexpected and spunky for her husband.

What is your story in 21 Days of Love about?

I wrote about a young woman who believes she has found the love of her life, a man who has swept her off her feet with grand romantic gestures of affection, like filling her apartment with fresh-cut flowers. But one night he shows his true colors and she begins to second-guess what love is really all about.

How do you hope readers will use 21 Days of Love?

This book makes a great gift for family and friends, with its beautiful debossed hardback cover, full-color interior, and even a ribbon page marker. With stories about all kinds of love, it’s great for just about anyone.

Like the other books in this series, 21 Days of Love makes a wonderful daily devotional. And if you want to go deeper, you can get a Study Guide with additional questions to ponder about each of the stories. It’s available as a free PDF download at www.FictionDevo.com or as a 99-cent e-book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

What do you hope readers will get out of reading 21 Days of Love?

I’m praying the Holy Spirit will speak to the hearts of everyone who reads this devotional about how much God loves them and how they can show that love to those around them.

Thank you, Kathy, for sharing this beautiful book with us. I've enjoyed the first two and look forward to my book arriving so I can use it soon. I know my readers will love it, too.

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