Welcome Martin. Thank you for stopping by. Tell us about your latest book.
My most recent book, A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapades in a Noisy World, is a compilation of 52 devotions, all of which relate spiritual truths to camping, hiking, or backpacking experiences I have had with either friends or family members. Since devotional books are quite common and do not enjoy a long shelf life, I wanted to put together something different this time. What sparked this story? As with most of my devotions, these come from true life stories. I had made the pitch to the publisher at Ambassador International. While he showed interest in publishing the book, he was not overly fond of any of my proposed titles. Along this same time, I was attending the annual Asheville Christian Writer’s Conference and asked one of my writer friends, Latan Roland Murphy, if she might have an idea. She gave me the title, which the publisher loved and accepted. What’s the one thing you haven’t yet written, but hope to one day? With the exception of one of my books, all my published books have been devotional in nature. I would love to write a novel, but am not sure I ever will. While I know all the mechanics of doing so, they just have not come together in any of my previous attempts. I am still holding out the hope that it might happen one day. What genre do you enjoy reading the most? Although I read many genres of literature, historical fiction is my favorite. I have a love for history and fiction, so I can think of no better way to put them together. What are you reading now? The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer, The Confessions of St. Augustine, and Heart Cry of Every Teen. At the moment, no historical fiction is on my list. Where is your favorite place and time of day to write? My writing space began as a secluded spot in my quiet office. Currently, it is nestled in a part of our small patio townhome between the den and the dining room. Since my children are grown and gone—and since the grandboys my wife keeps leave after supper—I have plenty of quiet time if I need it. My main time for writing, however, begins at 4:30 a.m. I’ve always been a morning person—my brain shuts down around 8:30 p.m.—so my inspiration comes before the sun rises. My desk is the bottom iron table on which once sat a sewing machine that belonged to my great-grandmother. The top is a thick piece of plywood that either my father or my grandfather mounted on it. It’s a small space, but with most everything I need stored on my laptop, I don’t require much space. Share one thing our readers may not know about you. I did not start writing in earnest until I was almost 50—in 2009 to be exact, the year my father died. I’m not sure the connection between those two events, but for some reason I felt compelled to begin writing devotions and articles. My father was not a writer, except for his sermons, so I don’t think it was his example that compelled me. What is your next writing project? I am working on finding a publisher for a nonfiction work I have written but am revising. What advice would you like to share with a beginning writer? Don’t give up. Getting published, whether for a book, devotion, or article, is getting increasingly more difficult, so patience is necessary. Write for the right reason, and God will open the doors he wants your publication journey to take. Please give us the first page of your book. BRING ON THE RAIN Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. James 1:2 “Into each life some rain must fall.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. AND IT DID. BY THE bucketful. My wife and I had headed to the mountains for a few days of camping. Check in wasn’t until two p.m., but the camp host said we could come anytime. Knowing the tendency of thunderstorms to crop up around noon in the mountains, we went early. Gorgeous sunny cool weather greeted us … for one hour. No sooner had we erected the tent and put up a tarp than a gully washer marched in. My wife headed for the tent. I stood outside under the tarp. We had chosen the place for our tent based on the electrical box’s location. That spot was also the low spot of the campsite. As the water ran, it puddled several inches deep outside our tent. Soon, I heard my wife say, “We have a problem.” I didn’t have to ask what. Having no shovel, I used the next best thing, a hammer, to trench the water away from the tent. Then I took the broom and swept away the excess. After the rain stopped, we placed a tarp around that part of the tent to ward off any future puddles, which fortunately never came. Share your bio and your social media links with us. Martin Wiles lives in South Carolina and is the founder of Love Lines from God. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, minister, and author who serves as Managing Editor for Christian Devotions and as a proof-editor for Courier Publishing. He is the author of six books and has been published in numerous publications. His most recent book, A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapades in a Busy World, released in December 2019. Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Whisper-Woods-Quiet-Escapes-Noisy/dp/1620208652 Website: www.lovelinesfromgod.com Social media links: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/martinwilesgreenwoodsc Twitter:https://twitter.com/linesfromgod Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lovelinesfromgod Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-wiles-5a55b14a Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/martinwiles Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27658029-martin-wiles
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