I
(Debra) have had the pleasure of meeting a North Texas author who is known for
her children’s books, but has recently published a devotional book for adults which I found
unique, helpful, and beautiful. It’s kinda amusing the way we became acquainted
with each other. For years now, the lady who does our taxes has been trying to
get me to call this author because our tax lady felt the author could help get
me published. Unfortunately, that’s not the way the industry works, so I never
did call. However, this year as I sat down to do my taxes, I saw this beautiful
devotional book on our tax lady’s desk.
As
I flipped through the pages, I was in awe. This beautiful book targets an
audience needing hope and comfort for troubled times. The devotional
also has segments which draw upon a physical therapist’s insights. There are
powerful personal stories and timeless truths from the Bible, these devotions
for troubled times offer hope and comfort. Tying body and soul together in a
unique way, each devotion contains spiritual workouts as well as gentle
exercises and stretches for those able to perform them.
So, I decided to call this author and had a delightful
conversation with her. This led to me requesting an interview with her. She
readily agreed.
Interview with Marjorie Parker
Tell
us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, and loved
writing from the time I was very young.
My neighborhood friends and I created a newspaper we called “The
Crestwood Poop,” and we gathered news from neighbors, typed it (longest story
was probably 5 lines) and then sold it door to door for 10 cents. We had a blast.
I come from a long line of writers, starting
with my great-grandmother. My mom said
that as a very young child I told her, “I like it when I hear the clack-ity-clack
of your typewriter, because then I know you’re happy.” Mom was often in her
home office typing a story or writing on a book about her adventures as a
Women’s Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) in WWII. (She finally got that book
published when she was 70!) Mom taught
me all I know about writing, along with the teachers in high school that took
an interest in me and my Texas Tech journalism professors. To graduate with a
journalism degree, I was required to have a story published in a slick
magazine, which I did, and to serve as newspaper intern, which I did at the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. (I probably
learned one of the most important things for a writer at the Star-Telegram –
they forced me to think at the typewriter instead of writing in longhand and
transposing to type. That was invaluable
later.)
Then when I married Joe and moved to
the country to his family’s ranch (we were on the banks of the Red River –
beautiful, and remote!), I sold my first fiction about a fire we had on the
ranch (in the Country Gentleman magazine).
I also became a part-time feature writer and columnist for the Wichita
Falls Times/Record News. I retired from
the paper and started free-lance writing after our daughters were born, and
wrote some children’s stories in my free time.
I had many, many rejections! But my
ever-encouraging Mom said, “The difference in being a writer and being an author is keeping on keeping on until
you finally get published.” Standard
Publishing finally gave me my start, accepting my devotional book “Fun
Devotions for Kids,” then another, “Jellyfish Can’t Swim,” then two stories for
an anthology, “God is On Your Side.” I
was really on a roll until my editor got promoted to another area, and the new
editor never took another thing from me!
What
do you find most challenging about writing?
The
most challenging thing to me is marketing. It’s so much fun to write it (and
even re-write and edit) and it’s so hard to sell it! Right now some really major marketing changes
are happening, too. I’ve lived through many changes, though. In my 40 years of writing, I’ve morphed from using
a typewriter and correction ribbon to a computer, from queries to e-queries and
hardbacks to e-books. Thankfully, my
technologically challenged self can use a computer, although I curse the thing
a bit more often than I bless it!
You
are a native Texan. In your children's books, do you use Texas as your
settings?
My first success with non-devotional children’s books
was with a publisher that I met at a Cattle Raiser’s convention through a
friend of mine. This small publisher, Bright Sky Press, loved anything with a
Texas flavor and liked to encourage new writers. Luckily, Texas was the setting in “Assault, the
Crippled Champion” which was based on the true story of a King Ranch horse
named Assault, who was crippled as a colt and limped so much that no one
thought he’d amount to anything. He went
on to become Texas’ only born and bred Triple Crown Champion. I heard that
story while visiting King Ranch and was given permission to write it for kids.
(And, coincidentally, the publisher happened to be very good friends with a
member of the King Ranch family.)
In
“David and the Mighty Eighth,” the setting is WWII England, where our 8th
Air Force was stationed. One of the
heroes in it is a pilot named “Tex” since I
knew that would appease my “Texas
niche” publisher. This story, too, is
based on a true story. It’s about a boy
growing up in war-torn England
who had a wonderful relationship with an American flight crew. Joe and I have become close friends with that
man and his wife, and they’ve visited us and vice-versa. THAT book promotion was fun – we spoke at the
600-year-old British school where David attended, and I was interviewed on the
BBC!
Tell
us about your new devotional book. The idea of combining physical, emotional,
and spiritual healing is such a clever idea. How did you come about the idea?
My writing for
adults has mostly been with Daily Guideposts (writing devotionals) and
Guideposts. My first adult book has
recently come out – entitled “Shaken to the Core (And Finding God’s Strength)”. You asked how I came about the idea – it was
God’s idea! Really! I was walking into a hotel room – not even
praying or reading the Bible – when a very distinct voice inside my head said,
“I want you to write a devotional book about the human body.” It’s funny that I wasn’t what my kids would
call “weirded out” by receiving a message like that. I was surprised, but mainly
I was excited.
When I got home, I started researching
body trivia to write a children’s devotional book, since my experience was in
that genre. However, when I sent a few
chapters to my editor (one that I paid for writing advice), she told me it was
too much like a science lesson and wouldn’t interest kids. So I filed it away, thinking I’d
misunderstood what God meant. I awaited further instruction.
Have
you had an experience where you have found your devotional useful?
It was probably 8-10 years later that I developed a “mystery illness” that left me so
exhausted, achy and shaky, that I couldn’t do much of anything. And in prayer I asked God to show me His
purpose in that suffering, since I certainly wasn’t able to do anything for Him
in the shape I was in. Right as I prayed that prayer a-knowledge (not a voice this time) came into my head that I would
have to suffer a little before I could write about it. And I immediately knew – I’d just received the final instruction for that body
devotional book! It was to be directed
toward suffering people – adults! I
started right away on the book, and it was the most joyful period of my life as
I researched scripture, interviewed people going through hard times, and used
my own family stories to give others hope.
Many ideas of body trivia came from the physical therapy I was taking,
so I asked my Physical Therapist if she would design exercises to go with each
devotional. I researched a lot for body
facts, too. My very kind stomach doctor
checked my information to be sure the facts were right, and Ken Gire, a
wonderful author and high school friend of mine, gave me great suggestions when
he edited it. And of course, my dear Mom
was my #1 editor and helper. I couldn’t
have done it without her suggestions and help. (I finally discovered what was
wrong with me while writing the book, and I tell about that in it. It turned
out to be a “perfect storm” of inflammation, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar),
and disc degeneration.)
When
I was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring, I was in the final edits of the
book (which I had thought was “late” since it had been scheduled to come out in
the spring). When I got the cancer phone
call, I had just re-read the whole manuscript and been freshly reminded of
God’s promises, His power, grace, help and hope. I felt an incredible peace that
lasted through the mastectomy and recovery.
I had thought I was writing the book for others, but it wound up
comforting ME! God has a wonderful sense
of humor.
What
plans do you have for your next writing project?
I
have two ideas for new writing projects, but can’t quite figure out how to
carve out the time to do them just yet – we’ve got a daughter marrying this
summer, and I’m trying to promote my new book, plus travel with my husband’s
volunteer job as President of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raiser’s Assoc. But
both ideas are for young readers, and I suppose it’s because now that I’m a very
delighted grandmother, kids are at the center of my heart once again.
To learn more about Marjorie Parker visit this web address:
http://www.marjorieparker.com/index.htm
To purchase a copy of Shaken to the Core visit this web address:
http://www.brightskypress.com/infostore/ca.cart.asp?sAction=DisplayDetails&pid=198
