Welcome Shirley Kiger Connolly!

Shirley Kiger Connolly is an exciting new author whose debut novel, Flame From Within—a larger-than-life Civil War saga—will be released in February 2008. In addition, Shirley also has a devotional soon to be out entitled I See God in Simple Things, has authored numerous articles and short stories and runs an international Website ministry for women. Shirley was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and began writing romances as an evangelistic approach to sharing God’s love—a true passion of her heart. Please visit Shirley at her Website at http://shirleykoinonia.tripod.com/.

What is My Focus?

Thank you, Julie Lessman for inviting me to come by and ramble. I write both historical romances and books of devotions. I was thrilled when invited to write about “Everything in Between.”

I recently read Tina Russo’s blog entry here regarding her fondness for vintage typewriters and found it quite fascinating. Isn’t it interesting how her love for the typewriters has become in a small way a conduit to her love for romance writing?

That too is often the way I look at life bringing a comparison to things and marrying them up to others. It is one way I come to find my focus when I write.

Whether I am writing a reflection for one of my written devotionals about the love of God, or writing chapters in my historical romances, everything to me about writing deals with relationships. I find all writing is about relationships. Bringing people together with people in a fiction story or writing a devotional and bringing people together into a closer relationship with God. Relationships.

Dealing with relationships has become the romance of my heart. I need to be careful not to lose that focus when writing.

I don’t necessarily find it in a typewriter. (I use a computer). But I could find it in my chicken coop, as I talk to my hens or Esau my rooster. (He’s handsomely, romantic.)

I often find it in my parlor. It’s easy to pretend my framed Victorian women are real people then create settings and stories that quickly come to life.

When my garden isn’t overloaded with weeds or even when it is, I see romance there in the springtime and while I’m out on one of my rainy afternoon walks, I often dream up a drenching love poem there.

Sometimes while I’m in my Victorian bath I gaze at my claw-foot tub (or climb into it) and while there, think up names for my characters or work on my synopses, if I don’t fall asleep, that is.

I am a hopeless romantic. I can’t help it. God knows. I see Him everywhere.

I guess that’s why I can work both sides of my brain, write both fiction and nonfiction at the same time, and still keep my head on straight.

Relationships. It all centers on keeping my focus right in my romances and with God.

What turns on the romance of your heart?

How do you find your writing focus?

Thanks again, Julie, for letting me come by to ramble! Come visit me anytime.

Shirley Kiger Connolly

Shirley’s Website: http://shirleykoinonia.tripod.com/