Phyllis Morneau

Posted On February 24, 2020

• What led you to write?

To be honest, although I loved reading books as a child, I didn’t have a passion to write until I was 51 years old, in 2004, when my husband was stationed in Iraq. I wrote to my husband faithfully every day, either by email or by letter, sharing news of life back home in West Hartford, CT.  It was therapeutic for me to write creatively from my heart in a positive and humorous manner. It helped me to continue to be optimistic and lighthearted during a difficult year when my husband was so far from home.

Although I always enjoyed writing — either essays or book reports when I was in school and then later those long emails to my husband when he was stationed in Iraq — it wasn’t until I started writing my 1st book, a memoir for my family, that I considered myself to be a writer.

• Was there a particular person that influenced you to pursue writing?

The inspiration to pursue writing was actually from a memoir that one of my husband’s cousins had written about herself to share with her family and friends. I read it and thought it was a wonderful idea and then had the strong desire to write my own memoir to share with my family and friends.

For my book, I was blessed to be able to ask questions of my Mom and Dad and to hear the stories of their life as well as those of their parents. I also looked at family photographs to help me remember stories about my own life. It was a way for me to share the love of our family with my children and grandchildren.

What is your preferred genre to write?

My genre is Christian nonfiction and Christian poetry. I have been inspired by reading books in that genre and hope that my books will inspire people as well.

My favorite place to write is sitting at my desk with either pen and paper or my laptop computer. And my favorite time to write is during my quiet time with the Lord in the morning. That is usually when the Lord places an idea about something on my heart.

Usually my ideas come when I am praying or reading the Bible. But they have also come from a conversation with someone or a song that touches my heart or an inspirational book that I have read. I try to stay open to whatever I feel the Lord is placing on my heart to share with others through writing.

• What is your favorite genre to read? Who is your favorite author and what do you enjoy about their writing style?

My favorite genre to read is Christian nonfiction, which is also the genre of the books that I write. I think that my favorite author is John Eldredge and my favorite book is Epic: The Story God is Telling and The Role That Is Yours To Play. It is a book that delivers a powerful message of truth about the reality of our life being a grand drama with God as the Central Character and the Hero in our own story. It is very interesting and inspiring. My favorite quote from the book is “The Lover of our souls, the One who has pursued us down through space and time, Who gave His own life to rescue us from the Kingdom of Darkness, has made it clear: He does not want to lose us. He longs to be with us forever.”

• What are your favorite activities or hobbies outside of work/writing?

My husband and I enjoy retirement. I actually wrote a poem called “When You Retire” about the fact that every day is now a holiday. We love to go on long walks and enjoy nature together. We also enjoy going to the movies, too. And I love to find new recipes to cook for my family. We also enjoy traveling where I always take many pictures and then later enjoy organizing them and putting them into photo albums.

• What is one major struggle you have with writing?

When I am in the flow of writing, I lose all sense of time and can easily write for hours. When I wrote my 1st book From My Heart to Yours: A Legacy of Love, I spent many hours at a time sitting in my recliner using my laptop computer to write. I remember one time that I was literally sitting for hours writing and found that, when I finally did stand up, I was so stiff that I actually had trouble walking. 🙂 So, for me, the most difficult part of the artistic process is to be patient, pace myself, and take breaks periodically.

• What projects are you currently working on?

I am currently working on my 8th book. The  title of the book is Biblical Wisdom for Every Moment of Our Life — Volume 2. It is filled with practical insight, understanding, and divine principles from the Bible. God, the Giver of Life, offers us wisdom in every moment for whatever situation we are facing.

• What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

It is a quote from Toni Morrison. “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

My advice to any aspiring writers would be simply to just start writing. If you have the desire to share something that is on your heart or something about your life that would benefit others, then do it. It is not easy but it is very rewarding.

• What part of your writing is the most complimented?

I have written a memoir, 2 books of poetry, 2 books of meditations, a cookbook, and a book of funny stories from my life. Each book has been well received I think because they are all written from my heart. My readers feel the love that I try to share from my heart to theirs. Also, all my books are honest, practical, and encouraging. My one goal for all of my books is that they will be a blessing for whoever is reading them.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

My Author Page on Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-Morneau/e/B010R8THEY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

My Page on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14781769.Phyllis_L_Morneau

If you enjoyed this interview, be sure to follow me on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date on what interviews are coming up and if there is anything new in the works. If you’re wanting a taste of my writing, be sure to sign up for the monthly newsletter and receive the first, four chapters of my book Second Chances with your welcome email.

If you’re an interested in doing an interview, fill out the “contact author” form to let me know you’re interested and get the ball rolling.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/aarondbrinker

Twitter: www.twitter.com/aarondbrinker