Whatsoever Things (Author Interview)




Whatsoever Things looks like a great inspirational book with beautiful illustrations and formatting.  What type of readers did you write the book for? This little gem will easily and truly appeal to an established Christian audience but could be a spark to anyone looking for a spot of positivity, beauty, and inspiration.

What do you think makes a great faith based inspirational book?
I think there are two kinds of inspirational writings. There is the motivating, self-help type with good advice for improvement upon oneself, one’s life or one’s faith. And then, there is what I call “contemplative,” work. It’s more like a painting, or a song that you just enjoy. You find its beauty or some aesthetic quality to it almost mesmerizing, thus inspiring at some deep, intrinsic level. It helps you to connect with things you didn’t realize you were even missing. These kinds of projects are authentic displays of the human heart, its struggles and joys, and its best creativity to cope with it all or to try and make some kind of sense of things.

What inspired you when writing Whatsoever Things?
My grandmother had a proverbial museum – I mean house, strewn about with poetry and art books. She also subscribed to bird magazines, like the Audubon Society, and other periodicals that celebrated the gentle beauty of the natural world. Many of these were laced with lovely, classical poetry or in the least, themes of prose that waxed poetic. I just remember perusing these for hours – and sometimes even copying down my favorite quotes or poems. I would trace the little scenes, especially the birds – I just found them all so lovely and inspiring. It really stuck with me as a tender memory of my childhood.


What are your ambitions for your writing career?  Full time?  Part time? When I am not a full-time mother, wife or volunteer in my church or community – I am writing. Said the 30+ years wife, mother of 16, and someone who has been not only called to the fields of orphan care – but has been thoroughly entrenched in them!

When did you decide to become a writer?  When I first gripped my first fat pencil – I was hooked and began copying stories, poetry, hymns from hymnals, my pocket bible – even a little children’s dictionary! Upon receiving an antique typewriter at the ripe old age of about 8 – I embarked upon my first “novel.” And, “completed,” (about 200 typed, full size pages)

When writing Whatsoever Things did anything stand out as particularly challenging?
It was very important to me that the layout be as sublime as possible, so as not to distract in any way from the beautiful artwork I hoped to showcase. I just wanted every frame, every image, every page to be the perfect backdrop and enhancement of the poetic prose so carefully placed there.

How did you come up with the layout and design in Whatsoever Things?
Trial and error! The published version is at least my 100th try to get things write – I mean right! Seriously – I lost count, but it was a wonderful process to see it come together, little by little – and when something just didn’t seem right, or wasn’t a good fit – I loved the inspirational-creative process I felt I would experience at times. In the end – it has become a very personal testimony to me of so many things.

What do you like to do when not writing?
I love just spending time with my husband, children, and our extended family. We also spend a lot of time with our church and volunteering with community things like Youth Orchestra, and Scouts. Nature. Anything and everything nature. Camping, swimming, hiking – always with a good camera of course!

How can readers discover more about you and your work?


Please visit conniekerbs.com

No comments

Post a Comment

© BookInform Press Release and Distribution | All rights reserved.
BLOG TEMPLATE HANDCRAFTED BY pipdig