Lagniappe Welcomes...
Author - Tiffany Amber Stockton
Her latest release: Antique Dreams
My Writing Journey & Faith
By Amber Stockton
Like a lot of other writers and authors, my journey toward
publication began many
years ago. I wrote my first short story in 5th
grade with several accolades from both my teacher and my fellow students. It
was even entered into a ‘Young Writers of America’ contest and placed but
didn’t get selected for publication. Ever since I learned to read at age 3-1/2,
I’ve been telling stories. My parents often had to correct me from the extra embellishments
I’d add from what really happened. I could often easily keep a captive
audience, so writing seemed to be a natural progression from the verbal.
I wrote often, but
it wasn’t until I was a Senior in high school that I got the ‘bug’ to write. My
English teacher saw potential, and as an author herself, she encouraged me to
pursue the talent further. However, I became more focused on finishing my
education and getting my degree, so my writing took up residence on the back
burner.
In 1997, I joined an online community for a television show
and wrote my first fan fiction. After receiving a lot of encouragement and
feedback, I realized I might be able to make something of this ability. It took
me another 5 years and encouragement from Tracie Peterson (one of my favorite
authors and a dear friend) before I took the step professionally to begin a
career by joining a national organization called ACFW (American Christian
Fiction Writers).
I did everything I could to improve my skills and develop my
craft. I bought writing books, studied a wide variety of fiction, conversed
with other writers and authors, attended conferences, purchased audio
recordings of workshops and presentations, and soaked up as much information as
I could handle. Almost 4 years later, I sold my first book and took a rather
scary step into the world of authorship.
When I received the notification that my first book was actually going to be bought, so much elation and excitement filled me. The first thought that went through my mind was, “I have to tell someone!” Since the hour was late, and everyone had gone to bed, I logged online.
The only one signed on was the man who is now my husband.
Some people would call that ironic.
I call it God.
One of the biggest moments of my life, and the first person I tell is the man I would marry just 8 months later. Amazing!
A key component in my books is the underlying faith of my
characters. I’m not one to write a phenomenal conversion story or horrific and
tragic events that bring characters from the brink of despair back to Christ.
What I do write, though, is characters living out their faith in real and
practical ways. It’s the way I live my life, so it naturally flows into my
stories. You might not find a gripping tale that has you on the edge of your
seat, heart pounding. But you will find a story that keeps you turning pages as
you discover how my characters use their faith to get them out of the many
predicaments in which they find themselves.
Today, I have sold 14 novels and am represented by MacGregory
Literary.
Total sales for my books have crested the 300,000 copies mark. God
truly has blessed my endeavors, and I look forward to sharing more stories with
my readers in the years to come.
Thank you for supporting me.
An author is
nowhere without readers.
So, please drop me a line any time. I’d love to hear
from you. Find me at any of these places:
Blessings!
~Amber
Tiffany
Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood.
Today, she is an award-winning best-selling author, speaker, and virtual
assistant who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton,
in Colorado. They have a daughter and a son, and an Aussie/retriever mix named
Roxie. She has sold 14 books so far and is represented by Sandra Bishop of
MacGregor Literary Agency. Three of her novels have won annual reader’s choice
awards, and in 2009, she was voted #1 favorite new author for Barbour’s
Heartsong Presents book club. Read more about her at her web site: www.amberstockton.com.
Tiff, thanks for sharing!
Readers, thanks for visiting Lagniappe.
What do you think? God or Ironic that the only person online was her future husband the night of Tiff's big news?
Which one of her books is your favorite and why?
What do you think? God or Ironic that the only person online was her future husband the night of Tiff's big news?
Which one of her books is your favorite and why?
Marian
I pray that you find "a little something extra" in each of your days.
