Spotlight shines on Shirely Kiger Connolly

I have made a new friend in blog land and her name is Shirley Kiger Connolly. Shirley has graciously will give a signed copy of I See God in the Simple Things AND a copy of her historical Flame from Within if there are ten different people who enter for the drawing.

Let's learn a little about Shirley Kiger Connolly

Shirley Kiger Connolly is my penname. I include my father’s last name (Kiger) to give honor to the fact that he, too, was a writer, and it was partly my dad who instilled in me that wonderful desire to write. (Thanks dad.) I live on the Southern Coast of Oregon with my husband , my beloved chickens, our dogs, our cats, and most of the time, I have goats. (We used to have ducks and geese as well, but the raccoons enjoyed them for dinner too often.) I’ve been writing for years, and began publishing both fiction and nonfiction in 2005. Coming up with something clever in my fiction writing and also my lighthearted devotional writing is one of the joys of my life. Give me any subject and I guarantee I’ll come up with something that will make it work into a reflection that relates to God and us.

Please tell us about your newest release.
I will be sharing a bit with you about my new devotional, so this time it is not a novel. I See God in the Simple Things is the first in a three-book series of lighthearted reflections about the real things that happen to all of us, and how God can be found in them all. No matter how simple the situation, or difficult, or painful, it does not matter. God is there. And it is so fun finding Him! Perhaps, you have not often seen the Lord right there in the sounds of a crinkling cobweb, or, perhaps, in the mess you’ve made while trying to fix a faulty pipe with purple glue stuff. Or maybe in that first egg that your sweet chicken just laid on your porch. Simple Things is all about life and how we can help ourselves so much more when we pull in God’s intervention. Yep, we can get through anything when we see Him there with us. I’m sure you’ll agree. It sounds really interesting.


What is the best gift you have given? The best gift I have ever given is an invitation to come to know the Lord Jesus as Savior. I have enjoyed giving that at different times to both children and women I have befriended over the years. What better gift could I give than that?

If your book was being discussed at a book club what do you think the focus of the discussion would be on? The joy of seeing God in everything we encounter; how much better life is when we become aware of His presence in the simplest experiences. When people read my devotionals, they can almost always see themselves sitting where I am and going through what I’m going through, but in their way. The devotional also gives the reader a chance to write his/her own memories in relationship to how God saw them through. I think that would be the focus of the discussion.

What would you like your readers to say about your writing? That I am creative and original. I hope they can clearly see my voice in everything I do (fiction or nonfiction) and will come away saying, “That sounds just like Shirley. No one writes quite like her.”


What are your pet peeves in the writing industry? To be honest? Probably when an ABA author has a difficult time with a CBA author, and vice versa. We are all in this together, and we need to be careful to remember that. There are a lot of wonderful secular authors out in the world, who write great stuff, just as there are wonderful Christian authors. I am a Christian who writes for anyone who will read my material. I don’t think Christian authors should simply write for a Christian audience if they are trying to reach the world with their witness, whether it be in their bio or the story itself. Does that make sense?

What are your dreams of 2009? What do you hope to accomplish this year? That my devotionals will be well read and enjoyed and that I will sell another contract for the historical I just wrote this last year. Know any interested editors? I wish I did!!!


What do you enjoy doing when you are not slaving over the computer creating another wonderful novel or devotional? When I am not writing at my computer, I am usually out with my chickens (they all have names). I enjoy sitting and talking to them. A couple of them jump on my lap (Josephine and sometimes Netta). If I’m not with them, I will go across the road and visit with the goat. I used to raise goats, and I really miss that. When there is a classic movie on TV I will turn that on and veg out. In the evenings I read, either a historical book that is about a famous person’s life (I am reading the true account of George Washington and Martha right now. It is so interesting), or I’ll put my pajamas on and jump into bed, and continue reading whatever novel I am in the middle of. Right now, there are three going at once, would you believe!

What do you want your readers to take away from your devotional?

The joys of Jesus and simple living! (Why is it we make life so difficult sometimes?)

Thanks so much for this opportunity to promote my new book which is coming out toward the end of January. My website and blog for those interested is: http://shirleykoinonia.tripod.com/ and http://apenforyourthoughts.blogspot.com/
I also do author interviews for anyone interested. Please have them contact me at sh1rlee@verizon.net
God bless!

If you would like to win a copy of I See God In The Simple Things and A Flame From Within be sure to leave a comment with a way to contact you. Don't forget you can always earn extra entries by:

1 extra entry-Follow me on Twitter (writebyfaith)

1 extra entry-subscribe to Write by Faith

1 extra entry- follow me on the left hand side of this blog.

2 extra entries- Go and visit Shirley at her blog and come back to share what you saw.

3 extra entries-Bring a friend and have them leave your name in the comment and you both get three extra entries.