Saturday, August 26, 2023

Interview With Author Sheila Malsam


1. What inspired you to write this book? Upon discovering my value in Christ Jesus while battling an ongoing struggle, I grew my faith in the Lord. I went from knowing of God to developing a personal relationship with Him. I went from attempting to control my life to surrendering my all to God and giving Him control. My experience impelled me to teach others the goodness of the Lord as well as lessons I learned along the way in hopes that others would also discover their value and be who they are created to be!  

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? My book is a story of triumphs and lessons learned while attempting to find solutions to unwanted circumstances during not one, but two troubled marriages. I share how I clung to attachments such as doubt, fear, worry, self-pity, control, blame, insecurity, and unworthiness that kept me from receiving what God had in store for me. I share how God revealed Himself to me through the storm and how He used my pain to grow me stronger, wiser, and more confident of His love which led me to an awakening in my spirit and a personal relationship with Him. My story was written for, but not limited to the woman who feels defeated, unworthy, and hopeless. It will offer hope to anyone who struggles with a dream that feels out of reach!  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? My hope is for my reader to discover their value in the Lord, knowing they are worthy of living a fulfilled and abundant life. For them to believe there is power in prayer and to believe that with God, all things are possible!  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? I grew through a storm God allowed me to go through for a purpose, so it seemed fitting to choose, “Growing Through the Storm,” for the title. I chose a flower growing in an unlikely spot, a dry crack, for the cover design to show that we can grow and bloom despite our struggles.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? Someone needs to hear your story to find hope and encouragement in their struggle. We go through struggles to help others when they struggle. Being vulnerable and authentic will help others connect and relate better to your story.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? As more and more problems arise in our fallen world, Christians are recognizing the importance to come forth and share their testimony in hopes to teach, inspire, and encourage those going through a similar struggle. I see self-publishing increasing and competition growing.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? My story is based on experiences in my personal life that grew me, so yes. My career experiences came in handy as well. There was a time I felt hopeless with a job going nowhere that I didn’t enjoy. I prayed and put my faith in the Lord to come through for me with a more fulfilling career. The Lord was good to keep me at my job until I gained the experience necessary for a more rewarding opportunity.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? My writing style is telling a non-fiction story in detail in hopes to teach, inspire, or convince my reader of something that will help or improve their lives. My writing is similar to inspiring Christian writers, using scripture to support my story and stories and lessons that offer personal reflection.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? Since my story was based on actual life experiences, it was necessary to be careful how to share and what to share about others involved in my experiences. In doing so, my heart softened, and forgiveness came easier because I learned to not assume my offenders intentionally meant to hurt me.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? No one is exempt from struggles. There’s pain involved in every one of them, and purpose for the pain in each struggle. One doesn’t have to be going through a divorce or be in an unhealthy relationship to relate to or learn from the lessons I learned that I share in my story. One of the lessons I learned is if our faith is not grounded in the Lord, our struggles can lead to feeling hopeless which can lead to unhealthy attachments such as control, self-pity, fear, doubt, worry, and unworthiness that keep us from living the life God created us to live. My story will help others discover their own value in the Lord. It includes points to ponder at the end of each chapter with thought-provoking questions and comments including scripture and prayer for personal reflection regarding struggles my reader may be facing. There’s no denying God’s hand is and has always been on my life. I am a blessed, and all of God’s children can be too if they surrender their lives, hearts, and circumstances to Him and trust He will provide!  

Sheila Malsam, co-founder and co-owner of the Prayer Capsule, is a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. She is a Stephen Minister, Woman to Woman Mentor, three-time attendee of the Proverbs 31 She Speaks Conference, and a member of the John Maxwell Team certified to coach, teach, speak, and train. She is passionate about teaching, inspiring, and encouraging others through sharing the life lessons she learned during real life experiences she battled. It is her hope to bring those she encounters to the Lord so they too may know their value in Christ Jesus and live the abundant life they were created to live! for more info, please see: www.Sheilamalsam.com

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on LinkedIn. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.4 million pageviews. With 4,600+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.  

 

 

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