Interview Friday with Shriley Kufeldt, author of Bible Bites

After growing up with four sisters in Illinois, then raising two daughters, Shirley Kufeldt and her husband left Illinois and her daughters to retire to Northern Wisconsin in 2007. Having participated in Bible studies for over 30 years and hearing of the efforts of so many others over the years to document their personal walk of faith, she developed the Bible Bites series. Mrs. Kufeldt participates in Tea Party activities as time allows and cares for her one grandchild (when asked) with joy.

VS: I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today. How long have you been writing?

Shirley: I struggled with journaling my prayer requests many times over the years and was never successful. Trying to focus on a blank sheet of paper just didn’t work for me and my prayer journals turned into whining sessions that did not glorify God and I knew it. Over the years, I accumulated bits and pieces of knowledge, saw others who were successful in areas where I was not. When the recession started in 2008, I began journaling in a book my friend had developed over ten years ago. After completing her journal in just 30 days, I found that I wanted to journal more.

VS: What inspired you to write your book? If this is a personal story about you, please share about the decision to open up about your life. 

Shirley: At the end of 2008, my retirement funds were rapidly being depleted, so I asked God what I could do. I had just discovered I enjoyed journaling but there was nothing in the Christian book market that matched the idea God had given me. The first title I came up with was God’s Word, My Walk. But I knew the name was a very important component to success so I just asked God for the name. The title became Bible Bites.

VS: Can you share with us a little about your current books?

Shirley: These are all small personal journals developed to start a Legacy series. The first title is MEET GOD AND HIS SON. Verses in this journal focus on God’s unconditional love for each of us as individuals and the salvation that He offers through Jesus Christ.  

About six ago as I was facilitating a Bible study I asked ladies to respond to the verses they had just read. The one comment was “Wow” as they learned about God’s unconditional love for them, which is now THE WOW FACTOR.  

Quite a few years ago, I learned to take my eyes off my problem and focus on God for the solution, hence, GOALS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESS.   

We just had election this year and we will have elections in the future. In AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE I found scriptures that apply to governing, justice and leadership to include in this journal.  

VS: What did you find to be the most challenging part of writing your books?

Shirley: I went about getting these books published the wrong way. I was assembling scripture and looking for a printer, sending out requests for printing quotes according to a specific set of criteria—size and pages. The printing estimates were too expensive. I signed up for many email subscriptions, reading to learn the self-publishing industry.  

One day I noticed Halo Publishing, thinking this would be another rabbit trail of wasted time.  Numerous e-mails and phone calls directed me to Lisa Umina who took her time with me. In one of our conversations, I mentioned that Eagle River, Wisconsin has Cranberry Fest every October and 40,000 people come to town for the full fall colors, cranberry treats and a craft fair. She focused on that event and was the impetus that got me from publishing “someday” to actually moving forward. She had to convince me that I had a good product because I still felt uncertainty in my heart.

VS: What part of your book do you feel really stands out to you personally?

Shirley: Early one morning I walked out in front of a vacation home in the summer and took two sunrise pictures, one of which is the front cover of MEET GOD AND HIS SON. This was a great gift from God for me to use to glorify Him. God gives each of us a gift to use that somewhere along the line can be used to glorify Him.  

VS: Do you have any other works in progress? Can you share a little about them?

Shirley: I would like to develop a series of topics coupled with a small Bible of just the Psalms and Proverbs. My target audience is high school graduates leaving home for the first time to give them the timeless wisdom of Proverbs and the abounding love of God in Psalms.

VS: What do you think are the basic ingredients of a good book?

Shirley: A good book examines a problem with a thorough diagnosis or definition and looks at the events that reveal a problem. Finding the root of the problem, not just the symptoms, is the real challenge. The symptoms are really just all the tentacles that extend outward in so many different directions. Once the root is exposed, it can be attacked with God’s Word. There are no easy solutions and no quick answers. But a good book will show a progression of good starts, setbacks, regrouping and a continuation to the eventual honorable resolution of the problem. And it might take a lifetime to reach that conclusion.

VS: Where can the readers of The Writing Mama find out more about your writing?

Shirley: Bible Bites can be purchased through Halo publishing - www.halopublishing.com

Your readers can visit my blog at www.BibleBites.net

VS: Is there anything else you would like to share with us about being a “Writing Mama or Dad”?

Shirley: All my life I had always been a shy person. I knew I always wanted to get beyond that so about 15 years ago, I began to attend a support group at my church and I always did my homework. I wondered why I felt compelled to work on myself more and longer than anyone else did for the years I attended. I saw too many women only show up for one meeting or one study and they missed out on what God could accomplish through their lives.  

During the past three years of writing my prayer requests, I’m experiencing the transforming and renewal process where God is doing something in my life that may not have occurred otherwise. I've been involved in a tea party group and I am more confident in my life and it's easier for me to confront a wrong now without experiencing fear.

The World of Ink Network will be touring author Shirley Kufeldt’s personal devotions book series, Bible Bites published by Halo Publishing International. You can find out more about Shirley Kufeldt’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bb3ofxd

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com