This week I have a two part series for The Journey. Today is part one of The Journey with Kathleen E. Kovach. Please welcome her as she answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey?
I have told stories all my life. Before I could form letters, I would chatter in the backseat of the family car, spinning yarns that would make my older sister roll her eyes and declare, “Mom! Make her stop!” Once I learned how to write, my stories filled notebooks.
Psalm 139:13 says He knit me in my mother’s womb. I believe at that time he also placed in me the desire to write. In May 2002, He answered the desire of my heart, which was to take my writing to the next level. I won the Unpublished Prose contest at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, (CCWC,) validating that I was, indeed, on the right track. When I went forward for my certificate, I heard God clapping and asking, “What will we write next?” It was at that moment I realized I had a writing Partner. He’d been guiding my career all along, and in 2002 I felt His validation. Hey, I really can write!
It was also at that conference that I met my first editor, Tracie Peterson, then with Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents line. My first book, Merely Players, now in the compilation, Florida Weddings, was birthed in 2004.
Tracie had just helped form an exclusive group, American Christian Romance Writers, (ACRW.) After hearing that I should join by three different people, including an editor who gently and with compassion told me I needed to learn how to write, I decided God must be leading me in that direction. I attended their first national conference in September 2002, and I remember thinking this was what heaven would be like. All of the attendees had the same thought processes that I had, and every one of them no doubt had Multiple Character Syndrome—MCS, too many imaginary friends wanting their stories told.
I enjoyed ACRW so much that I began volunteering. When it became ACFW, American Christian Fiction Writers, to include all 
genres of Christian fiction, I became the Colorado Area Coordinator and eventually the Rocky Mountain Zone Director, which promoted me from one state to six. In both cases, my job was to organize members into local chapters.
Through ACFW, I learned what it meant to be a Christian author. Before, I simply wrote the stories in my head. But soon I was focusing on the message behind the story. I learned about theme and how to weave in the Spiritual thread. My most precious letters from readers are those that say how my words helped them through a tough time or the plot made them see something a little bit differently. I’m still telling my little stories as I did in the back seat of the car, but God is my writing partner now. He helps me weave in His message.
As Paula and I worked on Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal, [ www.titaniclegacyofbetrayal.com ] we prayed for our Christian worldview to become evident. We made a conscious decision to not preach, or make the story exclusive for believers only. We sincerely wanted for those who didn’t necessarily share our world view to hear the message of hope, forgiveness, freedom.
I pray I continue to be sensitive to His leading. I have seven Christian romances published, and I’m now considering writing mysteries for the secular market because that particular genre does better there. If the Lord feels the same way, I know He will continue to weave in His message. There are so many readers out there who need to hear the gospel, and only my writing Partner can help me present it in the way that draws all men to Him.
Brief Bio:
Kathleen E. Kovach lives in northeast Colorado with her hubby of nearly four decades. They traveled the world via the Air Force, raised two boys, and are now grandparents. She enjoys fishing and camping, seeing live plays, and singing either on a praise team at church or loudly in her car to rockin’ oldies. She also has created Craft Cinema, [ www.craftcinema.blogspot.com ] a blog where the passion for movies and the craft of writing collide. Kathleen leads a local critique group and is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serving as the Rocky Mountain Zone Director. An award winning author of Christian fiction in the romance and comedy vein, the Lord has blessed her with laughter, and so she presents spiritual truths with a giggle, proving herself as one of God‘s peculiar people. Visit Kathleen at www.kathleenekovach.com.
Please come back tomorrow to come on The Journey with Kathleen’s co-author Paula Moldenhauer.
As the “older sister” I can attest to all Kathy has said and add some other stories about riding in the back seat with her! LOL
Thank you for hosting us, Kristena! Once your readers have finished this article, perhaps they can jog on over to http://amberstockton.blogspot.com/ to read about the spiritual journey in Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal, and why we chose to back off on it a little. The article also shows how Paula and I have the same brain. We both wrote the article (about 50/50) so it might be fun to figure out who wrote what. 😉 You will also have the chance to win a free copy of the book in Kindle format.
I knew my sis would chime in. Yes, we often had “issues” in such close proximity for hours upon hours. My tendency toward car sickness was probably the worst thing she had to endure. 🙂
I think that is why neither of us like coffee though.
Ain’t THAT the truth!