1. What inspired you to write this book? I wanted to tell our story because when we were going through the adoption process, there wasn't a lot of helpful first-hand information out there that gave a real life look at what adopting is really like. It can be a difficult and lonely process. But more than that, I felt the Lord telling me that He had given me a story and now I needed to tell it.
2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? My book is based on the true story of what lead my husband and I to adoption through foster care while at the same time telling the story of our oldest daughter's life and how she ended up in foster care and eventually was placed with us. The story takes you through our struggle with infertility and the toll it was taking on our lives and relationship. Everything changed when the Lord put adoption in our hearts and we began to pursue building our family through adoption through foster care. Woven into our story is the story of our daughter's early life. A little girl trapped in a cycle of violence and abuse who eventually ends up in foster care. When she is placed with us, a new struggle begins as we try to help her overcome her past and become a family. Many people have commented that they had no idea that this sort of abuse and trauma of our children is taking place not only in our country but in our own communities and that's exactly who I wrote this story for. The children who are suffering in silence. I also wrote it for my daughter who had the courage to face her past and start her life over again. Above all else, it is written for the glory of God.
3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? Infertility seems to be a topic that is rarely talked about and yet is a horrible thing to deal with. The pain is almost indescribable. I hope that my book encourages people to talk about it more and also encourages those who are going through it to keep pushing forward. I also hope that adoption can be better understood and that our story not only encourages people who have been through it but also shows people what a worthy thing it is to consider for your family. More than anything I want to encourage people to put their faith over their fears, no matter what their fears are. You are more than your past, more than your circumstances, and the good Lord does have a plan for you.
4. How did you decide on your book's title and cover design? I chose the title for the book before I even wrote chapter one. I knew that I wanted it to be God and Good Horses because that's what saved me and that's what saved my daughter too. Without God, our family wouldn't be together and without good horses, I would be lost and so would my daughter. The cover design was a complete God thing. The design team at Christian Faith Publishing asked me to describe what I envisioned for the cover in three words. I told them Wyoming, cowboy, and Christian. I had no idea what they were going to come up with based on that but I had a picture in my head of what I wanted. When they sent me the first draft, I was completely blown away by how close the cover was to what I was picturing in my mind. I worked with the design team to get the cover just right, even adding a real picture of my daughter and her horse Joker into the clouds. The design team was so awesome to work with.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers - other than run!? My advice would be to stay true to yourself. You have a unique voice and perspective, don't water it down or try to be exactly like someone else. Write about what you know and what you're passionate about. Your readers will feel that passion in your writing.
6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is headed? I am new to the book world so I am learning new things every day but it seems to me that people are hungry for original and true stories. I can't tell you how many people have thanked me for being brave enough to share my story and confided in me that they have a similar story. I think right now in a time when our world is often topsy turvy and divided, it's really important to share our stories and let other people know that they're not alone in what they're going through. As far as the publishing industry goes, I think there are a lot of great options for people to self publish and get there works out there. I've also worked with a lot of people who have been eager and willing to give me help and direction as a new author and I think that's a great thing!
7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? I was always taught to finish what you start and that was really handy as finishing a book is a daunting task. There were several times I thought about quitting because it was "too hard" or "too time consuming" or doubt and fear would try to creep in and tell me that what I was doing was pointless. Perseverance was key was to writing this book.
8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? When I'm writing, I think of it as painting with words. I want to pull the reader in, make them feel what the character feels, feel the sun on their face, smell the earthy scent of the prairie, etc. I think I am a very descriptive writer while at the same time I try to keep it simple and keep the story moving forward. I'm not sure if my writing is similar to his or not but I really admire CJ Box's style of writing. It's fast paced and punchy and makes you feel like you're right there in the action.
9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? As a mom of 3, just finding the time to write was a challenge. I might write several times a week or not have time to write for a month. I spent a lot of late nights in front of my computer when everyone else was asleep to get the book done. There were also parts of the book that were difficult to write because I had to relive those moments and it was not always easy to make myself go back to those memories and put them on the page. Some parts of the story I feel like I pulled directly from my heart. The parts of the story about our daughter were a challenge in themselves because I wanted to tell her story as close to what really happened as I could, but I didn't want to ask her to relive those moments over and over again so I could write them. So I did a lot of praying about her side of the story and I asked the Lord to show me how things happened, what places looked like, etc so I could stay true to the story.
10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? I think that my book is a unique story. Even if you have not been through adoption or infertility you can still relate to it. It is real, it will make you angry, it will make you sad, it will lift you up. My hope is that it leaves you wanting more, helps you heal from something that you have been through, opens your eyes to things that you didn't know were happening, and most importantly renews your faith in the Lord.
Wyoming native Sallie Jo Hawken loves the western way of life. Besides writing, she enjoys rodeo, roping, working with horses, and photography. She lives with her husband and their three children on a small acreage in central Wyoming. For more information, please see: Sallie Jo Hawken Author
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