As an artist and writer I capture the Kingdom of our God and release to you His beauty and majesty. Having been a nurse for 35 years, I know how busy our lives can be. Life can become so overwhelming that we lose sight of the value and delights that God has already placed on Earth for us to enjoy. We live such fast paced lives that we forget how important relationships are and how powerful forgiveness is. I capture with my camera the beauty that surrounds us. That very beauty that we miss when we forget to slow down, enjoy the scenery, and stop to smell the roses.
As a writer, I have a unique gift to be able to tap into that secret place we all hear about. I am able to write poetry to give encouragement, to help you feel what you need to feel, to help you express yourself, and to let you know that you are not alone. I could not tell you how many times I have felt all alone and even abandoned. There are countless times that, like David in Psalms, I would have to give it all to God. All the rawness of emotion, no holding back, even a shouting match to God as I released it all to Him. Then just like David, I would realize that my only help comes from the Creator. The one who formed us in His image is the only one able to fix us when we feel broken. Psalms is like poetry.
I love mysteries, adventures, and sci-fi. It doesn’t matter if it’s books, tv shows, or movies. I loved watching how the characters formed in Star Trek…all of the franchise. Watching their developments and who they became on the spinoffs was very interesting. When God gave me the idea to write a book, I was like, OK. I never figured I would actually complete it. Over the years I would start to write a book and would never get past the first page. There were three of us in a writer’s group from church. We would try to meet up a couple of times a month. We joked about being like the ‘Three Musketeers’. So what would we call ourselves if we had to be different people? Katana, Quill, and Susa. Using those nicknames and our personalities, I wrote the Prologue and part of the Epilogue of the book God gave me the idea to write about. The writer’s group broke apart because our schedules no longer allowed us to meet. I joined an artist mentoring group by Matt Tommey. I thought I was going to learn how to sell art. God had other ideas. “Write one hundred words a day. Freestyle.” I was like really, God? How was I going to write one hundred words a day? The challenge was on. What I realized was that most of my Freestyle Poetry writings are right around 100 words each. When I realized that, I got a download from God for several chapters of that book. That is how I began to write sci-fi. ‘From Katabole to Genesis: The Memoires of Susa and the Chrysalis’ was born. It is currently the first book of a 5 book series so far but I don’t know if I stop there or if I will get more downloads.
I currently reside in the largest unincorporated town in Ohio. Both people and chickens are my neighbors. In my dog pack are my loves. I miss my cats and pups that have already passed. I love for flowers those treasures that my neighbor calls “weeds.” Smelly plants are my thing: Mint, Russian Sage, and Rosemary. Dandelions and Sunflowers make me smile. Wild Violets are my favorite. I think all Roses should have a scent and am disappointed when they do not.
Thanks for stopping by.
Love and Life,
Tonya
