A few days ago I was asked by author Jenn Doucette to participate in a blog tour for her latest book Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This. I hope you enjoy our interview.

1. With all the books on the market for mothers what makes your book Mama Said different than all the other books for mothers?

Great question! You’re right, there are a number of excellent mom books out there, many of them written by friends of mine (Mary DeMuth, Dena Dyer, Julie Barnhill, etc.).

The ingredient I like to use in all my books is humor, and lot of it. The great thing about humor is that it’s a legally addictive substance . . . I find I can’t get enough of it! That being said, I’ve got some wonderful stories in my books, coupled with some tangible “helps” for moms who are otherwise heading for burnout.

My book is different because it’s written with my stories and my unique sense of humor – heh heh.

2. Jenn, I love the fact that you blog regularily. How has blogging made you a better writer and would you recommend that other authors begin a blog to promote their books. Why or why not?

Bless you for saying that. My good friend, Laura Christianson, is actually the one to look up to in that regard. She is what I call the blogging Queen. I try to blog as often as I can, some weeks I do better than others, that’s for sure.

I have found blogging to be a great venue to get networked, to practice my “voice,” and to let others get to know me better. Blogging helps me stay connected in cyberspace; it gets me to the keyboard. I see blogging as a type of stretching exercise for my actual writing workout.

For writers who have a specific subject (ie: back to my friend, Laura. She writes on adoption and has a TON of information to share with her readers), I highly recommend blogging on a regular basis.

But for those like me, who blog as a type of social connection, it can be difficult to blog EVERY DAY. I’ve found I enjoy it more when I don’t get frantic about it and just blog when I can.

3. In your new book, Mama Said, you use a lot of humor to convey great truth. Who has influenced your use of humor in your writing and do you think you’re a naturally funny person?

I’m Norwegian, so that says a lot. I grew up in a very funny family. We definitely had our down times, but humor and our faith were the foundation and connecting links. In the turbulent teen years, I may have had some rocky times with my parents, but humor always brought us back to the same level.

My grandpa, Max Egge, was the original funny guy in our family. My dad, Jim Egge, is one of the funniest guys I know. So in a way, I came by it naturally, I guess. Humor is definitely one of my passions in life. Some of my favorite funny include:

Jerry Seinfeld

Bill Cosby

Lucille Ball

Carol Burnett

Mike Lowery

Carlos Oscar

Chonda Pierce

4. What is the most funny thing that has happened between you as the author, and someone who has read your work?

As a writer, I’m a bit distanced from my readers, but I ALWAYS enjoy hearing how someone has snorted milk out her (or his) nose after reading my stuff.

That’s just plain funny to me.

J

Here’s one of my favorite reviews written by a GUY:

Laughed so hard I cried
Jenn Doucette is a master story teller who has obviously come to terms with her own neurosis. I know this book is supposed to be for women, and I’m not one of those but still found it impossible to put down. It is uproariously funny. Guys, buy this for the woman in your life then sneak a read. I’m betting that most of you will be sympathetic to what must have been going through her husband’s head during the various episodes.

5. As a Christian, how has God refined you through your writing and what have you learned about His character as a result?

Being a reformed “yes girl,” God showed me I can’t do all and be all to everyone. Through a series of health problems, He lead me to my current career of writing and speaking. I always thought being a writer seemed so lofty and beyond my scope – so I figured I’d make a great teacher and be happy with that. However, God had bigger and better plans (so like Him). He allowed some tough things in my life in order to slow me down, in order to reveal His most excellent plan for my life. He called me to be a writer and a speaker – I’m still amazed by that! I’m also continually amazed to see His involvement with my career; it takes so much of the pressure off, knowing He is in control. And so I write for Him. What a joy, a blessing, an honor, a privilege.

What have I learned about God? That He is good all the time, and all the time He is good.

6. What is your next book about?

Oooh, I’m so glad you asked! Here’s a nibble to get you interested:

(It’s Christian chick lit/romantic comedy titled Mama Mia):

Mission-bound Mia Tredway becomes the unwelcome beneficiary of a deceased client’s millions. And her kids. While she navigates through instant motherhood, Mia must decide whether to sacrifice the wilds of Africa for the wilds of the upper class. The thing is, why would God give her such a love for the African people and a willingness to sacrifice the material comforts of America, if His plan involved sending her to live among the spoiled, rich, and famous?

Wasn’t that fun everyone? If you enjoyed this, why not go and buy a copy of Jenn’s book today….even if you’re a guy.

Earlier today while I was at my day job working with small children, I opened my email to find the following email from Graham Kaye, a homosexual who hates Evangelicals and says that Evangelicals don’t deserve to be on this planet.

Why did Graham write this email to me threatening to treat me like a pinata? Well, it’s because I took a comment he made on a post I mentioned last week, and made it a complete post so that everyone could see what this homosexual wrote.

Here’s the email in it’s entirety as it appeared in my email box at 8:53 AM.

Graham Kaye wrote:
Dear Stacy:

Please look up the website where your friends call Gays the antichrist it’s www.freelibrary.com. And their is plenty more of that hatred on the internet from you allies. Curious how you feel condoning this behavior?

Rev. Dwight McKissic and Rev. Wellington Boone.

At the Family Reasearch Council
“VALUE VOTERS SUMMIT” in Washington D.C.

I’m so glad that you printed my information on your website because I can’t wait for people to write me it makes it easier if the hateful come to me instead of having to look them all up on the internet. I can’t thank you enough for bringing them to me it makes my job a lot easier.

Plus, just so you know, your being monitored by the Gay community so I would be very careful in the words that you choose to incite us. The only difference between you and the Klan is that they wore hoods.

Maybe it would be a good idea if you did. If I were you I would hide my face in shame. You use religion like a criminal uses a gun and we’re tired of it. So put your self out there Stacy.

We’ll treat you like a Pinata.

Website:
IP: 71.107.62.123

_____________________

Now I’m not sure about you, but to me this email is a threat against my physical body. In fact, dare I say that Graham Kaye is inciting other homosexuals who hate Evangelicals to incite violence against me and other Christians. Sure looks that way to me.

However, it appears that Graham is putting on a public face and a private face because he emailed what I reposted above, but he commented on my blog and said the following regarding a podcast he listened to that I did. The comment was posted at 7:12 AM - about an hour EARLIER than he sent the threatening email.

Graham’s comment:

truth Comment: Feb 27, 07 @ 7:12 am

Dear Stacy:

The Gay community busted me, their right I can’t hate anyone. I have tried but I’m not a good hater. If I hurt anyone in the Evangelical community I don’t apologize. I got you to respond the way I wanted and obviously you were hurt by my words and actions. Now you know what it’s like to be Gay. We are attacked like this on a daily basis because you think it’s allowed. Well my point is that it’s not okay and I will go toe to toe with anyone who calls me sick. That goes for you or Dobson, or Robertson, or Falwell.

Glad I could recruit you because you know that’s what we Gay people do for half the day. The other half of the day we wonder if your dog’s available for a date.

Is that why you lumped Gay themed films with a film about bestiality on your telecast so that you could tie Homosexuality with bestiality. That’s very shrewd of you.

I must say though that you actually sound very pleasant on your telecast and I really enjoyed listening to you.

Take care and thanks for the prayers. By the way I do believe in God but just like 200 Billion other people on this planet it’s just not the same as yours.

You are my favorite MILITANT EVANGELICAL.

Best wishes,
Graham Kaye

______________________

Praying friends, I ask that you continue to pray for Graham Kaye and all the homosexuals out there who hate Evangelicals and like to threaten us for no reason. Thank you.

Over the weekend I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Ken Hutcherson, the Pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Washington.

In our interview Dr. Hutcherson talks boldly about what he believes and how he implements biblical principles and practices into his life and church. He leads without fear, and he is a wonderful example of a Pastor who engages the culture and instead of focusing on building programs, focuses on building people through example, mentoring and the principles God has ordained for us in His word.

He is a strong advocate of biblical marriage and has a strong counseling ministry to marriages in his church. He is also a strong advocate of adoption and has set up free programs that help people with adoption.

In our interview he shares his testimony about how he came to Christ and how God changed his heart from hating white people to now leading a church full of white people.

This is a fun, possibly controversial and definitely entertaining interview.

To learn more about Pastor Ken Hutcherson please visit the two following websites. Antioch Bible Church and The Black Man

It’s been a very busy day here in Oregon at the Restore America conference. I haven’t gotten to see most of the speakers speak during the main breakout sesssions, but I did get the opportunity to interview almost all of them for close to 30 minutes each.

In the following days I will have audio interviews from David Brog, Judge Charles Pickering, Ken Hutcherson, Rick Scarbourough and Herb Titus all posted on my podcast page.

I will also post pictures of all of them and a brief paragraph about what the talked about. You will want to listen and be inspired by all of these godly leaders.

More to come later…

Hello Dear Ones,

I am finally getting the opportunity to update my site and let you know about all the exciting things that have been happening here in Oregon.

As you may guess, it’s raining here and I am loving it. I’m sitting here in the media room listening to Pastor Ken Hutcherson preach an extremely lively sermon. He’s awesome.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet him at the media press conference and ask him a few questions. He has a few body guards with him, who came because he often has death threats against him. A few days ago Pastor Hutcherson’s car window was smashed in while he was inside the church.

Since Pastor Hutcherson is a strong vocal advocate for traditional marriage and families, it is no wonder people who believe otherwise would want to silence him. Yesterday he made the comment at the press conference that he fears no man, and only God. I will have sound from that conference later in my podcast section.

More to come later.