I have such a treat for you all today!  I can't wait to introduce you to author Jenn Doucette!  She has just released a new book through Harvest House/Hearts at Home and is excited to share it with you.  I met Jenn at Hearts At Home last year in the hospitality room, where I was nursing a baby and fighting sickness.  Jenn was sitting there, and we struck up a conversation.  She told me she had a new book coming out this year, and I asked her (as I often do) to share how she got published.  I loved her story so much, I asked her to come and share it with the writing workshop I was leading that afternoon.  So she did and the ladies loved her!  I know you will too! 

I did ask her to share her publishing story here, as I just love it-- and I think it will encourage those of you who write, or who have a desire to write.  She also addresses how she balances writing and family... good stuff!

I am reading her new book, Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This right now, and it is perfectly aimed at today's busy moms.  She even has verses to look up and action steps to help us get off the fast track and focus on what is really important.  Jenn is a funny lady, and I think you all will enjoy "meeting" her today through this little interview she and I did. 

As a bonus, Jenn has promised to send a copy of her new book to one lucky winner.  Just leave a comment here and I will draw a winner from the comments I receive.  Can't beat a free book, signed by the author, mailed to you personally.  I know that is the best kind of prize for me!  And now, on with the interview!

Your title is "Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This."  Describe what makes a best or worst day for you as a mom. 

Best:  

Every one gets along, everyone is healthy, everyone’s homework is done on time, everyone’s clothes are comfortable and hole-free, my fridge is well-stocked, the chicken’s not limping, the fish isn’t listing to the side, the sun is shining (I live in the Northwest . . . I can dream, can’t I?), and the bills are paid.  

Sigh. . .. sounds awesome, eh? 

Worst:  

I wake up late because my youngest was messing with my alarm clock the night before only to realize my three grade-schoolers are mere moments from missing the bus so I hand them each a granola bar for breakfast, toss some lunch money in their backpacks and get two of them to the bus stop; the remaining first grader lingers behind while trying to tie her shoe in-between sobs that she’s the “student of the week” and I haven’t sent in any special show-and-tell around the historical theme of the week (World War II era pottery made in Nigeria), nor have I sent in treats or a handmade photo anthology of her life. 

Not to mention . . .  

The bills are overdue.

My period is early.

And my husband used up the last of the coffee.  

Oh, it is such a bummer when he takes the last of the coffee!  That alone can set a bad tone for my day! 

What prompted you to write this book? 

Something I call The Busy Stage of motherhood, the one that follows the tumultuous toddler stage. The toddler stage is challenging to be sure, but the crazy, hectic, carpooling, after-school activities stage is loaded with its own challenges and pressures.  

Once I entered into the Busy Stage, I took a look at other modern-day mothers and realized that we’ve come a long way, baby; but we’ve also become our own worst enemy. In a lot of aspects, our lives have become much easier than the previous generation – we have technology to thank for most of that. But we’ve also entered into a time when the possibilities for burnout are innumerable. The pressures to coordinate, administrate, decorate, and donate are simply mind-boggling. 

I asked my mom once how she survived The Busy Stage. “We didn’t do as much.” was her simple answer. “We weren’t expected to do everything.” 

Mothers in previous years didn’t lug their offspring to every sporting event, school club, church meeting, and PTO event; they felt the freedom to pick and choose, and to say “no” occasionally. 

My book is all about creating boundaries for yourself and your family. It’s about learning to stop and take a break now and then before you break down. Oh, and it’s also about the funny things that can happen to you if you don’t. . . .  

It is so refreshing to hear from a mom who "gets it"-- who is right there with us, doing what we're doing and speaking our language.  What is your single best piece of advice for a mom on the run? 

To do the best you can with what you’ve got in the time you’ve got.

So simple, yet so profound... you can't do any more than that.  And you have to let all the other stuff go.  Sounds so easy, but guilt and regret can bind you up if you let it.

Can you share how you got into publishing?  (I just love that story!) 

I love this story too! 

Well, I’m a reformed “yes girl.” It became apparent to me awhile back that I simply couldn’t do everything. Profound, I know. 

About 5-6 years ago, I felt very antsy about my future. My youngest was about to enter kindergarten and I was bombarded with requests ranging from church secretary to PTO officer and beyond. I decided to commit myself to prayer. Not feeling good, fluffy bunnies prayer but real wrestling-with-God-like-Jacob kind of prayer. I just kept telling Him, “Show me what you want me to do. I won’t do anything that I’m not 100% sure of You calling me to.” 

After a year of prayer wrestling, God put a whisper of hope in my heart that He wanted me to be a writer. So I approached my husband with this lofty dream of mine. He didn’t even bat an eye. Thought it was kind of a “no duh.” 

Well. 

About three days later, the internet finally arrived at our house and I spent the first few minutes surfing around for Becky Freeman’s website. I had read a couple of Becky’s humorous mom books before and wanted to thank her for the encouragement as well as for the writing inspiration. I finally found her contact information and wrote her a simple e-mail. As a p.s. to my e-mail, I asked her to say “hello” to someone she had mentioned in her acknowledgements of one of her books. 

The next day that very friend e-mailed me back. He had been a good friend and one of my professors while I attended university several years back. And he was a literary agent. 

“Send me your stuff. Becky says you want to be a writer.” He said. 

I sent him some stuff. He loved it. I edited and improved it and learned how to write a proposal. Within a few months my friend/agent sold it to NavPress. And *Poof* I became a published writer. 

It’s hardly ever that easy, nor is it that quick. 

I believe God made my publishing story happen so easily so I couldn’t take any credit or glory away from Him. And I believe He honored me for that excruciating year of prayer wrestling I did with Him. 

I’ve since received my share of rejection letters and moments (months?) of self-doubt that plague every writer.But I do know one thing: God wants me to be a writer. 

And so I write. 

In that same vein, as a busy mom of three and committed wife, how do you balance family and writing? 

Oye, that’s a good one. 

Sometimes I do a great job at this; other days I really stink it up. Let’s focus on the positives today. Here are some strategies I use to try and balance out my writing obsession . . .er . . I mean job, and mommyhood: 

1. I have my own office out in the garage. This enables me to “go to work” when I have a deadline; it gives me privacy, solitude, and quiet. As you can imagine, it’s tough to head back inside some days. But having my own office also allows me to “leave work and go home.” 

2. I try to do all/most of my writing when the kids are at school and my husband, Ben, is at work. Some days are easier than others. But when the kids get off the bus, I try to meet them at the door with a smile and an after-school snack.  

3. I dole out household responsibilities. I can’t do it all (not by a long shot), so we work together. The kids have one chore pretty much every day after school; this really allows me the freedom for keyboard time. 

4. I say “no.” A lot. Although I’d love to be room mother, the team mom, church librarian, and the nursery coordinator for MOPS, I’ve realized that I can’t be a writer and do all those things. In order to keep up with my freelance projects, speaking engagements, and book projects, I have to miss out on some of the fun stuff.  

(but writing is pretty dang fun to me, so I don’t feel too bad) 

5. I pull late nights when I have to. Again, I like to read to my kids at night, tuck them in bed, and have some face time with my husband. After they’re all snuggled down in their blankies, I head back to the office, just me and my cup o’ joe.

What's next for you? 

I co-authored a devotional book for teens that releases May 1 by Revell Publishing titled, Go Up! Devotions for Faith that Connects. 

Right now I’m preparing to speak at the Hearts at Home conference that takes place March 16-17 in Illinois. I’m also working on my first fiction manuscript. Here’s a sneak peek: 

Mission-bound Mia Tredway becomes the unwelcome beneficiary of a deceased client’s millions. And her kids. While she navigates through instant motherhood, Mia must decide whether to sacrifice the wilds of Africa for the wilds of the upper class. The thing is, why would God give her such a love for the African people and a willingness to sacrifice the material comforts of America, if His plan involved sending her to live among the spoiled, rich, and famous?

I remember following your progress like you would an athletic event when you were doing NANOWRIMO.  I was constantly checking to see if you would make the word count!  Your novel sounds great-- I hope to see it in print one day, as I will be one of your first readers!

And finally, sweet or salty?  (as in, I could live without chips, but I gotta have chocolate... or vice versa) 

Sweet, sweet, and more sweet!  

Thanks Jenn for dropping by my little blog and sharing from your heart.  You are a dear-- and I loved having you stop by.  Be sure and check out Jenn's site at www.daisyministries.com to learn more about her and to check out her blog.  When she has time (ha!) I would love to have her come back and share about her writer's group.  She has some great stories about how they have helped her in her writing journey.  Jenn, how about it?? 

Don't forget to leave your comment to qualify to win a free copy of Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This!