Write to the Point with Tamera Lynn Kraft

Hi readers. I am so excited to bring write to the point Wednesdays back to you. I have a whole slew of authors lined up for you to get to know.

Today we get write to the point with Tamera Kraft.

Tell us about yourself, family, where are you from, how long have you been writing?

I’m from Ravenna, a small town in Northeast Ohio. I moved to Akron, Ohio 35 years ago when I married Rick Kraft. Our 35^th anniversary is in January. We have two grown married children and two grandchildren. My son sells Pella windows and is on staff as the college and career pastor and facilities director at his church in Tennessee. He and his wife have two sons, age four and six. They are awesome. My daughter and her husband live in Northeast Ohio. She just graduated from college with a psychology degree and is on staff as the children’s pastor at her church.

I started writing when I was in diapers. Not really, but I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t making up stories. I wrote my first novel when I was in fifth grade. It was awful. I gave up writing fiction and concentrated on curriculum when I was a children’s pastor for twenty years. About six years ago, I resigned as children’s pastor and became a children’s evangelist and children’s ministry consultant. That’s when I started writing fiction seriously for publication.

How did you come to know Jesus as your Savior?

When I was thirteen years old, I attended a church because I heard there were a lot of cute boys. The rumors were correct, so I went back. The church, Ravenna Assembly of God, was in revival. Teens and drug addicts were getting saved every week. This was the time of the Jesus Movement revivals. The church grew from 300 to 1,700 in a period of three years. I surrendered my life to Christ during that time.

Tell us about your latest book(s). What do want your readers to take away after the last page?

A Christmas Promise is about Moravian missionaries to the Delaware Indians in Schoenbrunn Village Ohio, 1773. Moravian Christmas traditions from that time influenced the way we celebrate Christmas today.

During colonial times, John and Anna settle in an Ohio village to become Moravian missionaries to the Lenape. When John is called away to help at another settlement two days before Christmas, he promises he’ll be back by Christmas Day.

When he doesn’t show up, Anna works hard to not fear the worst while she provides her children with a traditional Moravian Christmas.

Through it all, she discovers a Christmas promise that will give her the peace she craves.

How often do you blog and what do you cover in your blog?

I have two blog. My first one, Word Sharpeners (http://tameralynnkraft.com) is about a lot of things that readers and writers might be interested in: book reviews, movie reviews, top ten lists, family tips, devotions, and writing tips. That blog usually comes out three times a week. Revival Fire for Kids (http://revivalfire4kids.com) comes out three times a week and gives helpful information to children’s ministers. I’m also a monthly or bimonthly contributor on Jewels of Encouragement(http://www.jewelsofencouragement.com) , Colonial Quills (http://colonialquills.blogspot.com) , and Novel Pastimes (http://www.novelpastimes.com) .

Can you share with us a favorite book you have read?

I have very eclectic tastes in books, so usually my favorite is the last book I read. Three of my recent favorites are Redemption of Carolynn Hayman by Carole Brown, You Don’t Know Me by Susan May Warren, and The King by Steven James.

Can you share with us a Genesis 5020 in your life?

This is a hard one. There have been many incidents like that. One that comes to mind right away is when I was let go as children’s pastor of a church. It devastated me because I was doing everything right. The pastor wanted to change the direction of the church and fired all of the ministry staff. The children’s ministry was growing and the children were thriving spiritually. My own children grew up in that church, and I’d been there sixteen years. After five years at another church, God showed me I was to resign from that church too. I was confused and didn’t understand. Out of all of this, Revival Fire for Kids was birthed. It’s a ministry that equips and ministers to children’s pastors. If I hadn’t gone through what I did, I wouldn’t be able to understand the hurts some children’s pastors have gone through so I could help them. These incidents also gave me time to pursue writing again.

Do you have a life and/or a ministry verse?

I have two.

Romans 12:1 (NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV) But now, this is what the Lord says—    he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Where can we find you on the web?

Word Sharpeners Blog: http://tameralynnkraft.com

Website: http://tameralynnkraft.net

Facebook: http://facebook.com/tameralynnkraft

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tamerakraft

Is there anything I didn’t ask that you would like to add?

A Christmas Promise can be found at these online stores:

AMAZON

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GM59GN4/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb

PELICAN BOOK GROUP

http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_47&products_id=512

CHRISTIANBOOK

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=48711EB&item_code=WW&netp_id=1206746&event=ESRCG&view=details

Contest: I’m giving away a digital copy of my novella, A Christmas Promise, on this blog. To enter the drawing, leave in the comments a Genesis 5020 moment in your life.

I’m also holding a Christmas Blog Hop on Word Sharpeners this month with a lot of great prizes at this link. (http://wordsharpeners.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/christmas-blog-hop-this-week-129-1214/)

Thanks for having me, Melissa.

You’re welcome, Tamera. I’m so glad you could join us.

Readers, I hope you caught the contest Tamera is offering you. Leave a Genesis 5020 moment down in the comments by December 17th at 5:00 pm to be entered to win a digital copy of her book.