I’m here with another author interview—and another debut author as well!
Meet my friend Stephanie King. Stephanie and I met At the ACFW Conference in 2023. We were on the same flight and I heard her say she was heading to a writing conference. We shared an Uber to the hotel and had dinner together that night. And a friendship was born. This year, we roomed together at the ACFW Conference. It was fun to get to know her better. And she is a debut author! Her first book released in August of this year.
So here’s a little more about Stephanie and her novel, Fellowship of the Frazzled Moms.
When did you first know you wanted to write? How did you begin?
I don’t recall a time when I haven’t written. In first grade, I composed several three-to-five-line poems and stapled them together. I informed my whole family that I had written a poetry book. It wasn’t until I was already a mom and a scientist that I wished I had studied the craft of writing and tried to make it a career.
What gave you the idea for your book?
The idea for Fellowship of the Frazzled Moms was born out of my own disappointment at being known only by labels—wife, mom, room mother— rather than feeling like a worthy person. My only “accomplishment” in the world’s eyes was raising a family, and somehow it made me feel like I wasn’t enough. I also saw several new moms around me with that same hollow, exhausted look in their eyes. I began to wonder what would happen if those two moms, the one with “big kids” who spent her time finding lost shoes and signing permission slips and the new sleep-deprived one, saw more in each other than they could see in themselves.
What is your favorite genre to write? To read?
I like to read many genres including, contemporary, historical, romance, and suspense. However, my favorite genre to write is humor. Most often I do that through nonfiction anecdotal articles about the life lessons God teaches me. And on social media sharing the hilarious things my kids do and say, but don’t tell them. (D’Ann’s note: follow her on social media. Her posts are indeed funny!)
How has your faith shaped your writing—and vice versa?
I am constantly learning about God’s character through my writing. He tempers my impatience and shows me how to worship with my creativity. Sometimes my mouth gets me into trouble because I have a broken filter and speak before I think. But when I write, I pray over my words, do a fair amount of backspacing, and allow God to direct my next sentence. I have also become more attuned to the ways He molds my character through everyday experiences like feeding my turtles and walking my dog.
I hope you’ve enjoyed meeting Stephanie and hearing a little about her book and her writing journey. If you have young moms in your life (or are one!), I think Stephanie’s story will hit the spot.