Patty J. Smith is the first religion books author, who is a guest in the blog. If you read the interview, you may find some issues that everyone of us is questioning, but never dares to ask the God about them. Let’s go into our next talk with Lady Smith.

– What is your book, “Moments with God” about?
– Moments with God is a collection of rosary meditations on a variety of topics and as an added feature, my personal testimony of my journey from sin to redemption. The meditations included are:
A Mended Heart – Rosary Meditations on Forgiveness
Journey To Sunset – Rosary Meditations for Caregivers
Redeemed – Rosary Meditations for Post-Abortive Women
Embrace The Morning – Rosary Meditations to Calm The Storm
And God Still Loves Me – A Journey from the Dark Abyss of Sin to God’s Mercy
– How did you decide to write the book?
– It all started with “A Mended Heart”. I had struggled with forgiveness for many years, and realized my inability to forgive was causing me great pain and holding me back on moving forward in my faith journey. Once I finished that devotional, I was inspired to do three others and include my personal story.

– What was the biggest challenge during the writing process?
– The biggest challenge I faced was quiet time. I was a caregiver for my mom before she passed in February, as well as a caregiver for my dad and uncle. Added to that was regular household responsibilities and my ministries for the church. I found that writing in the wee hours of the morning solved the dilemma.
– How much time do you need to finish the story and publish it?
– It depends on what I’m working on. I wrote one of my devotionals in a week and submitted it for publication. The longest project was “And God Still Loves Me”. My personal testimony took over a year, in fact, I wasn’t planning on having it published, it was my way of coming to terms with my past.
– What about The San Francisco Wedding Planner and Grave Obsessions Series?
– The San Francisco Wedding Planner Series: I call this “tag team” writing. It was a collaborative effort with five authors. In Series I, the first volume was written by all six authors. Our publisher determined the writing order. Once the first author finished a chapter, the second started where the first left off, and so on. In the second volume, each author wrote a short story of about 10,000 words and followed the same pattern as the first volume. Series II, which was just released, tells the back story of each character. Each author picked the character they wanted to focus on.
About Grave Obsessions Series: I am a crime buff and my publisher suggested I do my own series. After careful consideration, I decided it would be a good way to stretch my imagination muscles and agreed. The series follows the life and faith struggles of Detective Dallas Keegan as she tracks down a serial killer that continuously evades capture. Volume I and II are published and I just submitted Volume III this past weekend.
– Who are you?
– I am married and a grandmother of three. I live in Vista, CA with my husband and provide care for my father and uncle who also live with us. I serve as a Regional Coordinator for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, Co-leads Rachel’s Hope After-Abortion Healing Retreats and sing in my parish choir.
I was born in Wimpole Park, England and lived in England and Morocco as well as several state-side Air Force Bases, but consider my father’s last assignment, Moses Lake, Washington, my hometown. I audited for the Dept. of Labor and Veteran’s Administration Offices of Inspector General, served in the U.S. Army Reserve (Transit Control Unit and Criminal Investigation Division) and recently retired as a background investigator.
– What are your writing habits?
– I consider myself a “seat of the pants” writer. I do not use outlines. I just go where the spirit or my characters lead me. You will find me in the living room on my laptop from ten o’clock in the evening until four o’clock in the morning…the quiet time in my home.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
– So far the sales numbers look promising; however, I’m waiting for the quarterly report from my publisher, due out the end of the month. I know my book will be used for some spiritual retreats which should generate more publicity. As far as writing another one, I always have a story floating around in my head as well as devotional ideas.
– How do you promote your book?
– My publisher does a great deal of promotion and I use social media (Facebook, Linkedin, Goodreads, Twitter, Google Plus). Further promotions are done through my speaking engagements and conference attendance.
– You worked in the US Army. What exactly were your occupations and how did they affect your writing?
– I served ten years in the Army Reserves as administrative support for a transit control unit and criminal investigation division. Working closely criminal investigators spurned my interest in the criminal element and helped me understand the investigative process from a detective’s standpoint.
– Tell us more about the Silent No More Awareness Campaign?
– The Silent No More Campaign is a project of Priests for Life and Anglicans for Life, whereby Christians make the public aware of the devastation abortion brings to women and men. The campaign seeks to expose and heal the secrecy and silence surrounding the physical pain of abortion. More information can be obtained at: http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org.
– My favorite question: What is your personal top 3 places in the world that you visited?
1. Casablanca, Morocco: My experience living there gave me an appreciation of diverse cultures.
2. Fiji: Fiji was a tropical paradise with mid-afternoon showers. Unlike other tropical destinations, where I stayed was sparsely populated and peaceful.
3. Washington, D.C.: The monuments were breathtaking and the museums allowed me to gain a deeper knowledge into my country’s history.

You may learn more about Patti at her
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Look at Patti’s book:
Moments With God
The San Francisco Wedding Planner Complete Series 1
Grave Obsessions
Embrace The Morning – Rosary Meditations To Calm The Storm