Monday, April 7, 2014

Guest Post with Cecelia Simon, author of The One Day Hope





The One Day Hope Author's Bio

Cecelia Simon is a twin sister, and sibling of 5. The collegiate coaches wife of retired NFL pro athlete, John Simon, mother of two sons, John and James, Educator, Counselor, and Speaker.

She is also the CEO and Founder of Caterpillars Transformed, Inc. A Christian women’s ministry organization that is committed to “transforming lives into the beauty of creation” by empowering young ladies to allow God to transform the way they think, according to Romans 12:2.

Cecelia possesses a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling and is currently an Elementary School Guidance Counselor in Hattiesburg, MS where she and her family resides.



1.       Introduce yourself to our reading audience?




HI, my name is Cecelia Simon. I have been married to my college sweetheart for 10.5 years. We share the privilege of parenting two precious sons, John who is 8 and James who is 7. We reside in Hattiesburg, MS where I am currently the 3rd-6th grade Guidance Counselor at an elementary school. I hold a bachelors degree in Business Administration w/emphasis in Human Resources, a Masters Degree, in Professional Counseling and certifications to teach 4th – 8th grades in Language Arts and Reading in the states of Mississippi and Texas. In addition, I also possess a Texas Real Estate License.  I love to read, write, and watch football!!


2.       What was the inspiration for this book?
You know, I never really had a desire to write a book until God told me that I would in December 2012. Prior to December 2012 I’d been journaling my prayers and my feeling for about 9 years. In doing so, God developed my love for writing, and eventually established a book out of my diligence to communicate with Him through written expression.



As for the inspiration for this book, I’m sure it came from the willingness to be transparent and tell my story…the real story. See, most people think when you’re from a small country town and marry a NFL Pro Football player; all of life’s problems go away. Not true. Money doesn't solve life’s issues. It bandages them, but doesn't heal them. I wanted people to know that I don’t have it all together and the person you see now has nothing to do with money or the life in the NFL. It has everything to do with the power of God on my life and the things he used through the NFL to transform who I am today.  The NFL life was a detour to me destiny.
3.       What message do you want the reader to grasp?


I want the reader to understand that if they GROW through the process glory awaits them. I want them to know that giving up when times get hard is for the weak at heart. My reader needs to know that through the hard times, God is developing a leader in them. There are things that come from struggling that won’t come from a degree, class, or career. Trials build character and you’ll see just how strong you really are when weight is applied.  One day, everything in your life will turn around, so hold on to your hope. It’s what’s fueling your faith.


4.       Briefly tell us about your organization, Caterpillars Transformed.
Caterpillars Transformed is an organization committed to the transformation process. Every person needs to
know that they were created for a purpose and the treasure that God has placed on the inside of each and every one of them can’t be aborted. There’s someone who needs their gift and they must die empty! Caterpillars Transformed targets young ladies ages 14-22, but is not limited to that age group or gender.
God has anointed me to help Him transform lives into the beauty of creation by one positive thought at a time. CT’s scripture reference is taken out of Romans chapter 12 verse 2 and I am dedication to setting a Transformation Trendsetting Movement all around the world.


5.       What do you like most about being an author?
I like sharing my story and I enjoy inspiring and empowering others to know that they are not alone on this Christian walk. We all have a story to tell. We all have a responsibility and a purpose. We all must share the love of Jesus and his resurrection until the day he returns for His people. It is my responsibility to spread hope! I love encouraging those that need it at just the right time.


6.       Is your book fiction, or non-fiction?
My book is non-fiction. It is a true account of the things my family and I have been through and how we overcame hard times and adversity.


7.       Why do you choose to write inspiration rather than secular?

I choose to write inspiration rather than secular because over the years, I’ve taken much of what is secular out of my life. Secular has failed me in many ways. The world and the choices I’ve made have caused me much pain. I didn't find hope in the secular; I found hope in THE Savior. As a result, I’ve given Him my whole heart. I want others to find the same hope I did. That’s why I choose inspirational writing over secular writing.


8.       What do you do when you’re not speaking or writing?
When I’m not speaking or writing I’m most likely at a sporting event cheering our two sons on in soccer, basketball, football, or baseball. You can also find me waving my pom-pom in the stands screaming and hollering for the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles football team where my husband is the Running Backs Coach. We are definitely a sports family and I love every minute of it!!


9.       Are you planning to make writing a career?
I would love to make writing my career and also pursue my organization, Caterpillars Transformed full-time. It is my hope and my dream.


110.   What advice would you like to leave with our readers?
I would like the readers to know that life may throw some curve balls at you…you may get hit a couple of times, but don’t give up. Don’t die there. There’s a peace that surpasses all understanding when you totally surrender your heart to Jesus and begin to do life God’s way. He’s waiting on your “YES!”




Chapter Excerpt

Life After the League

And Jesus said unto them… for verily I say unto you,
If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall
say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be
impossible unto you.
—Matthew 17:20 (kjv)


On May 24, 2003, I graduated from Louisiana Tech
University, and less than two months later, on July
5, 2003, John and I were married. Can you imagine
sending out graduation and wedding invitations at the
same time? Yeah, that was me! Such a stressful, yet fun
time indeed! After the wedding, I moved to join John in
our brand new home in Nashville, Tennessee. We began
our new life together in a new state, starting his second
year in a new career with his new wife. It was more than
a dream come true! John worked so very hard to get to
this place in his life, and at that present moment, we
were about to share his dream come true together as Mr.
and Mrs. Simon.


All was well! We were enjoying life and love and the
joys of being a part of the NFL family and then the
unexpected happened. About a month after we were
married and settled in our new home, John was released
from the Titans Football Organization. He was no
longer employed. What a huge mountain to climb as a
newlywed couple! To say the least, we were devastated! I
didn't have a job, John no longer had a job, and we were
totally dependent on God for our next move.


Everything we were taught in college was being
tested and tried. You see, faith doesn't really become
reality until you have to use it. After you've gotten full 
on the knowledge of God, there will come a time when
 you will have to apply what you have learned, but don’t fret. 
God will not put more on you than you can bear. If


he can trust you to get the blessing through you, he will
give it to you, but first you've got to grow through some
things. God wants to see if you can praise him when
you don’t know the outcome…through the good and
the bad, the pretty and the ugly. Now, that’s real faith!
It was not by happenstance that we were in Nashville,
Tennessee, with no jobs and no family, and only God. It
was a setback to be set up for a comeback!


For the next two months, all we had was time on
our hands, so we sought God daily, attended church
regularly, and surrounded ourselves with people who
would encourage and build us up. Sound familiar? It
should. This is the formula for winning at life. Seek God
daily in prayer and in his Word. Attend a Bible-based
church regularly where you are taught to apply the word
you are receiving (Joshua 1:8). Lastly, surround yourself
with people who will build you up. This became our daily
routine, and we were strengthened because we had one
another, but most importantly, we had God!


In times of trouble, you don’t need to feed your spirit
negativity, and you don’t need to be around people who
will. The only way you will win is when you tell yourself
what the word of God says about your situation! Double
the blessing is when you have friends and family who will
encourage you and do the same. This is the same formula
I used in college when John left for the NFL. I quickly
found out God was all I needed! I took these same three
principles that I used back then and was now applying
it to my marriage. Faith doesn't have to be complicated.


Do what you know works! If it worked before, it will
work again on another level, but with more faith. Faith
believes what it doesn't see! As newlyweds, we trusted
God through that time of unemployed uncertainty.
On October 4, 2003, John received a call from the
Washington Redskins and was asked to join their
football roster as a running back. We were elated! That
was a long two months of just waiting! It felt like two
years! That one phone call would change everything. We
never gave up hope, and the little faith we held on to was
the beginning of how we learned as a married couple
to trust God with our lives, our finances, our careers,
and our marriage. John would go on and play for the
Washington Redskins for two years after his release
from the Titans organization, and then, unfortunately,
a recurring shoulder injury would end his career in the


We eventually sold our first home in Tennessee after
staying in it a year and a half longer than we had planned,
and decided to make our new home in Dallas, Texas. For
the next eight years, life would take us on a roller coaster
ride of twists and turns. Nevertheless, our foundation
was built on the Word of God and growing stronger day
by day. God had shown us in many ways how faithful he
was in those first three years of marriage, but we’d never
thought we would have to experience what was to come.
God was about to show us just how much more faithful
he could be.


When we moved in March 2005 from Bellevue,
Tennessee to Frisco, Texas, I was four months pregnant
with our first son. Neither of us had jobs and truly had
no idea what we were going to do next. We had some
irons burning in the fire, but nothing major. Both of us
possessed college degrees, but we didn't expect John’s
football career to end so quickly and that after two years
of marriage we would be trying to figure out our next
career moves. At that time, real estate was booming. We
thought that industry would be a great fit for the two
of us. I went to real estate school and received my real
estate license, and John received a license issued from
the State of Texas as a loan officer. We dillydallied in
that for a while and weren't fulfilled. I tried my hand at
modeling after the birth of John IV and landed a couple
of gigs, but still, there was no fulfillment…no purpose.


By this time, money was looking funny! What we had
saved from our NFL days was dwindling away, and with
no money coming in and everything we had going out,
our stash was drying up. This was not an easy transition
coming from a pro-athlete lifestyle. We were totally out
of our financial comfort zone! It was not that simple to
just pick up the phone and call the first one you knew on
speed dial and ask to borrow money to make up for the
difference in expenses.

The lifestyle John and I established, based on his pro athlete
income, was one that needed more than hundred
dollar loans to maintain. It was a quick lifestyle change
in and an immediate lifestyle change out. We adapted
going in and tried to adapt coming out. We soon found
ourselves at a point in our lives where for the first time,
we had to get real jobs. I mean a nine to five! John was
not a first round draft pick. He wasn't one of those
players that made millions of dollars. All professional
athletes don’t make dust (money that’s never touched
because it’s not needed)! John was a free agent. I was a
new wife, John was a new husband, and we were now in
our third new state, now with a new baby, in less than
three years after our NFL debut as a married couple!
But God had a plan. He always does.

By now, John had begun to pursue his teaching
certification and was hired as a physical education
teacher and coach at Griffin Middle School. It was some
income but not enough. We were grateful but would
eventually experience foreclosure on our home. By this
time, James, our second son, was already three months
old, and this life we grew to know after the league was
serving us up many losses. I’ll never forget the morning
John got up to leave for work and his truck was not
parked in the spot he left it the night before. The re-po
man had come and served us notice. God was beginning
to subtract things out of our lives that we thought made
us who we were, and started to multiply in our lives, his
grace and mercy. Material possessions were being taken
away day by day. Our home, rental properties, and cars
were dropping like flies. God was stripping our outsides
so we’d become more like him on the inside.


Author's Website: www.ceceliasimon.com

Where books can be purchased: Barnes and Noble.com, Amazon.com, Tate Publishing.com, and at my website at www.ceceliasimon.com


The Writer's Life Magazine

Interview with Sheila L. Jackson, author of 'Where Was God?'



Sheila L. Jackson lives with her family in Shreveport, Louisiana. She is an anointed speaker, teacher, and writer that utilize her gifts to carry the Word of God to those in need of spiritual soul food. Sheila has penned two, inspirational non-fiction books, The Enemy Within and Through the Eyes of God. She has also written several inspirational and social articles for a local newspaper and magazine. 
Her latest book is the Christian fiction romance suspense, Where Was God? (Their Hearts Burned to be Together).
For more information about this author and books, visit her website at www.sheilaljackson2.com.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning? 

When I finished the first draft of my manuscript, it was trash. I have some knowledge of how to write a novel. I knew I needed help and eventually joined a writers group to assist me through the process. They taught me about POV, plotting, and all the important ingredients of writing a fictional novel. I listened to their critiques and applied what they taught me of how to get my manuscript published. I submitted it to publishers and agents, received many rejection letters, but I kept the faith. I knew that I had a great story. I just had to find the right publisher. Within four or five months of trying, a door was opened and I received my first contract for my romance novel. 

Where did you come up with the idea to write your book? I speak at numerous women conferences and found that there are many women and men that have been holding on to painful issues of their past. They are broken, wounded, and feel defeated. I wanted to write a story that gives hope and shed light as to why so many people are unable to move forward from hurtful events that have taken place in their lives.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers? 

Where Was God is my first fictional novel, it was a three years journey. At times, I wanted to throw in the towel, but in the end, I knew that I had a great story.   My love for writing and inspiring others gave me the strength that I needed to complete this story.
My encouragement to writers is that you align yourself with knowledgeable people, such as writers and critique groups. Attend writer conferences, go to the library and find books that will teach you about the publishing industry, how to find the right agent, and to fine tune your manuscript. 

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?
My Publisher is Concerning Life Publishing. I discovered them online while    browsing, Brian Grove website, How to Get Published with a Mainstream Traditional Publisher.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?
Yes. As a first time author seven years ago, I didn’t expect to be signed to a publishing contract within eight months of submitting it. I thought that the publishing companies did all the editing and marketing, but I quickly learn that the author played a part in the process of getting their book out to the readers.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?   
My next book, Joi and Payne, hopefully will be out by the end of 2014. And then, it’s on to the next book, Pastor Wright, which will be released in 2015.


Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online? 
I love hanging out on Facebook. I joined the social media site as a way of networking years ago, and have made lasting friendships because of it.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book? 
I want to bring the lasting scars of abuse to light. Most families try to sweep their dirty little secrets under the rug, but they always come to surface. Parents don’t realize how they mar their children with hurtful words. Some are able to rise above physical and emotional abuse, while others succumb to it, never able let go and live a normal life.
  
Q: Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?  
Yes. If writing is your passion, never let anyone stop you from doing just that. Know that it takes only one yes to fulfill your dreams. Rejection will come but use it as a teaching tool to better your craft. Don’t wallow in it; keep moving and one day someone will see your hard.