Write to the Point with Elizabeth Maddrey

Today we get write to the point with Elizabeth Maddrey.

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

I’m a nerd at heart, that’s probably the first thing that has to be said. While I’ve been writing forever (truly – I don’t really remember ever not writing little stories), I’ve also been interested in computers since 1980 when my dad brought one home. My sister and I used to sit and program games (in BASIC) and then play them for hours. That was in Los Alamos, New Mexico. My dad worked for the National Lab there – so nerdiness runs in the family, too. Regardless, that nerdiness took me to through a science and technology magnet school for high school and onward to a PhD in Computer Science.

I met my husband the first day of our freshman year at Wheaton College in a computer architecture class (he’s a nerd too). We got married the summer between his junior and senior years (I’d just graduated on the 3 year plan). Now, almost 18 years later, we live in the suburbs of Washington DC (close to where my family moved when I was in the 6^th grade) and I get to stay home with our two boys (5 and 1), homeschool the oldest, teach programming online, and write. It’s pretty awesome.

Sounds very nice. And I am a nerd too, just a different kind. As my husband would call me, I am a choir dork. I never played sports but was involved in any and all drama or music I could find.

How did you come to know Jesus as your Savior?

Growing up, my mom always had backyard Bible studies for the neighborhood kids during the summer. Part of each would be an invitation to accept Christ. When I was three, I told her I wanted to do that. She made me wait until after everyone went home and then talked to me more about it because she wasn’t sure I really knew what I was saying. But I did, so I prayed with her. I’m grateful to have had the blessing of growing up a Christian in a Christian home!

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

My recent release is my second novel – and it’s the second in the Grant Us Grace series. (Book 1 is titled Wisdom to Know.) The second is Courage to Change – here’s the back cover:

Should you be willing to change for love?

When Phil Reid became a Christian and stopped drinking, his hard-partying wife Brandi divorced him. Reeling and betrayed, he becomes convinced Christians should never remarry, and resolves to guard his heart.

Allison Vasak has everything in her life under control, except for one thing. Her heart is irresistibly drawn to fellow attorney and coworker, Phil. Though she knows his history and believes that women should not initiate relationships, she longs to make her feelings known.

As Phil and Allison work closely together to help a pregnant teen, both must reevaluate their convictions. When Brandi discovers Phil’s new relationship, she decides that though she doesn’t want him, no one else can have him. Can Phil and Allison’s love weather the chaos Brandi brings into their lives?

What I hope readers take away at the end of my stories is that God’s grace covers us – no matter what and that sometimes the choices we make have consequences that are hard to bear, but even so, God walks along side us if we are faithful. I also aim for that happy sigh moment that you get at the end of a good romance – when you know that the people who belong together have found a way to be together.

I just need to chime in here regarding Wisdom to Know. I have read the book and it is so real. I could very much relate to the story about a young woman who had an abortion and her life goes downhill from there. If you follow my blog you know this is my sister’s story. And Elizabeth has some snappy dialogue, love it!

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

I make every effort to blog Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I’ll admit I’m not perfect at keeping to the schedule, but I really do try! The content is…random. I post tidbits about family life sometimes, Spiritual insights I’ve had, behind the scenes (or deleted scenes) from my books, announcements, book reviews. Really whatever I can think of to fill a few paragraphs.

What are you reading right now?

I’m actually between books right now. I just finished Broken Wings by Shannon Dittemore and am trying to figure out which of the many books on my pile to grab next.

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

When my husband and I first started looking into adoption, we had the opportunity to be considered for a placement through some friends of my mother’s. Ultimately, the birth mother ended up choosing a different family because I don’t scrapbook. At the time, I was devastated to lose this opportunity simply because of a craft I didn’t enjoy. As time progressed, my mom heard stories here and there about the baby and her new family and the troubles they were experiencing due to conflict with the birth mother. The details of the situation made it so clear to us that we were not the right family for this situation and though it hurt to miss out on the placement, in the end we would not have been able to deal with the details down the road as well as the family who was chosen did. Additionally, having seen that side of placements, it made future missed placements and our two successful adoptions so much easier because we were able to rely on the fact that God would bring us our children in His time.

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

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

I’ve had a number of friends (and lost several as well) who were confused because they couldn’t understand why someone intelligent would be willing to have faith in God. And while I don’t really get their confusion, to me the two are not in any way opposed, I do know that when you’re smart and consider yourself capable, it’s very easy to start relying on your own knowledge rather than remembering that God’s wisdom is beyond our ability to understand. I always loved this passage because it helps me remember that being a Christian won’t always make sense to those around us – and it has soothed the hurt of losing a friend because of their inability to understand my faith.

Where can we find you on the web?

My website (where I blog, plus other fun info): http://www.ElizabethMaddrey.com

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/ElizabethMaddrey

Twitter: @elizabethmaddre

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/emaddrey/ (I have a board for each book as well as homeschool links and things I think are funny or interesting – another random collection.)

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

Nope, thanks for having me!

So glad you could join us today, Elizabeth.

Readers, Elizabeth is giving away a copy of her book, Courage to Change. U.S. residents only and we need at least five comments to have a drawing. So leave Elizabeth a comment by April 30th at 5:00 pm to be entered.