Tell us about yourself.
I am married to Marty J Griffin, for 40+ years. We have two daughters and seven grandchildren. I have a PhD in Philosophy with a specialty in Human Services. I have owned a consulting company for small business startups and nonprofits. I love true stories and history. I've written several financial books from a Christian perspective aligned with the word of God. My current book "The Truth – A Christian Catechism" is my first Christian book that discusses the word of God, religion, believers of Christ, and churchgoers. I love studying and sharing the word of God to discover new rich insights to elevate my faith.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana as a Catholic. Between the ages of 18 and 32, I switched between Catholic and Baptist faiths twice. Thereafter, I became a believer in the Full Gospel Baptist faith from ages 32 to 60. I believe God called me out of Full Gospel Baptist for a dessert experience, which then led me to become non-denominational. After experiencing so much serving in different religious backgrounds and my dessert experience, I felt the Lord pulling on me to write my current book to enlighten humankind of the truth of God's word compared to synthetic religion. Thus, "The Truth" was born.
What was your journey to getting published like?
My journey to getting published was a great challenge. I tried to get published by known publishers but to no avail. I then decided to self-publish. I have paid for a professional editor and bible literate leaders as editors, which took a while. Setting my book on Amazon was a challenge, but I got it done. Through my research and diligence, I discovered the difference between Kindle eBook format versus ePub. In addition, I have learned the difference in the cost of self-publishing and using a publisher, as well as the benefits received. Self-publishers earn more, but the work is exasperating.
What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received?
The best feedback I've received is how strong I am in my faith and persistence when I believe God is directing my steps. To hear one of my mentors who is very astute in bible literacy say to me, "this book, "The Truth" is a God thing, and you have truly put the work in it."
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
My advice to aspiring writers would be to put a plan in place for the entire book-writing process from beginning to end. Know how and when the book is expected to be finished. Hire a successful published author as a coach or mentor. Ninety days out before publishing, hire an honest and good marketing/public relations firm with a clear plan for the money with projected outcomes. Make sure the firm can share proven results from other authors.
