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August 9 deadline; variety of prizes; FREE to enter; 500 words max

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10 QUESTIONS FOR…Mark Atteberry, “So Much More Than Sexy!”

Author interview with Mark Atteberry

 Mark Atteberry has been the pastor of Poinciana Christian Church in Kissimmee, FL for 20 years.  He has written seven books, including So Much More Than Sexy! (2009)  He is married to Marilyn, his childhood sweetheart, and has one daughter, Michelle.

 

1. Tell us about your latest book.  So Much More Than Sexy! (Standard Publishing) is a book for women, written from a man’s point of view.  The big idea is that, contrary to what culture is constantly trying to hammer into our heads, men are interested in more than sex.  The book is basically a plea for women to aim higher than culture’s standards.  It’s not an “anti-sexiness” book.  I’m in favor of sexiness as much as the next guy.  But I know that both God and men want women to be so much more than that.  There’s nothing more thrilling to a single man than meeting a beautiful woman and then discovering that there’s more to her than meets the eye: intellect, integrity, etc.  At the same time, there’s nothing more disheartening than meeting a beautiful woman, only to discover that she has nothing to offer beyond her looks.

2. How did you get started as a writer?  Karen Kingsbury is a close friend and “discovered” me through our frequent email exchanges.  She thought I had a knack for stringing words together and told me I ought to be writing books.  She introduced me to her agent and pieces started falling into place.  That was seven books ago.

3. What does a typical day look like for you?  As I pastor, I get to my office at about 8:00 a.m. and spend my day writing sermons or Bible study lessons, counseling people, making hospital calls, preparing for meetings, or any one of a hundred other things pastors do every day.  I do all my writing in the evening, after dinner.  I might write for an hour or until 2:00 a.m., depending on if the words are flowing.

4. Describe your desk/workspace.  It’s a small desk with a pull chain lamp.  I work on a laptop with the entire room in darkness except for the lamp.  I like the feeling of darkness around me, as if my laptop is the center of the universe.  If I have lights on or music playing like some of my author friends, I can’t concentrate.

5. Favorite books (especially for writers) I don’t read books for writers.  I’ve tried, but they generally bore me and I refuse to read anything that bores me.  What I really love to sink my teeth into is a good thriller.  I read non-fiction books all day long for my work and I write non-fiction.  So there comes a point in every day when I really need an escape.  Recently, Tom Rob Smith’s two books, Child 44 and The Secret Speech moved me deeply. 

6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you  I am a jazz saxophonist, I have an enormous jazz music collection (records and CD’s) that features many rare items, and I once hit a half court shot at the buzzer to beat a previously unbeaten basketball team.

7. Favorite quote  “Nip it!  Nip it in the bud!”  –Barney Fife  (If you think about it, millions of people need to take this advice.  They would save themselves untold heartache.)

8. Best and worst part of being a writer  Best part: receiving emails from readers who say your book helped them.  Worst part: writer’s block.

9. Advice for other writers  Read.  It doesn’t matter what, just read.  It’s the single most important thing you can do to improve your writing.

10. Tell us a story about your writing experience.   I started writing with a desire to be published 18 years before I got my first book contract.  I accumulated a stack of rejection letters as thick as a Sears catalog, but I kept trying.  When Karen Kingsbury suggested that I become a writer, she had no idea that I had been trying for almost two decades.  When I preach about perseverance and hanging onto your dreams, I speak from experience.

Where can people buy your book?

 You can buy my books wherever books are sold.   As far as I know, all seven of them are still in print.  My web site is MarkAtteberry.net and I am on Facebook.