Author Interview with Jeanette Levellie

Let's give Jeanette Levellie a warm Christian Writer/Reader Connection welcome! Her new book, "Hello, Beautiful," released on April 2nd.

1.  Hi, Jen! It's so good to have you with us today. How did you and Beth Gormong come up with the idea for this book?

Jen:  I made some magnets as prizes for a game I led at a weight loss club I attended. They had various encouraging sayings on them. One was, "Hello, Beautiful!" None of the ladies took one! I wondered what was wrng with them that they couldn't say, "You are beautiful" to themselves. Then I noticed I'd not put one up on my own fridge. I realized this was a universal issue, even with Christian women. We have a hard time thinking we are capable, worth of love, and valuable.

2.  How did the two of you meet?

Jen:  We met at a writers critique group and later became prayer partners as well.

3.  After authoring books alone, how did co-writing a book work for you?

Jen:  I loved it! All the pressure and deadlines are shared with another person, and we, of course, prayed for each other and the project throughout the year-long process.

4.  The whole idea of an interactive journal appeals to me. Why did you choose this format?

Jen:  That was Beth's idea. She is 18 years younger than I am, so she's more in touch with what younger women like. She said that journaling is a "thing" now. And everyone loves coloring pages! Beth designed those, by the way.

5.  What other books have you written? Can you share a bit about them?

Jen:  Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top, my best seller, is a humorous devotional focusing on God's bottomless heart of grace. Comical drawings from my son, Ron, accompany nine of the chapters.

The Heart of Humor is the opposite approach to Scoops, containing humor stories with a bit of devotion sprinkled in. It also features articles and lists of how humor helps us stay healthy, and 22 drawings by Ron.

Touchable God has 25 personal stories about how I developed friendship with God through talking to him. The final 20 chapters are actual prayers for friends in crisis.

Here are the links for all of my books:

Sccops of Grace:  http://amzn.to/2e5qOjl
The Heart of Humor:  https://amzn.to/2I.DX5b8
Touchable God:  http://bit.ly/2aNFaS0
Hello, Beautiful!:  https://amzn.to/2V9Mb3B

My website:  www.jeanettelevellie.com

6.  How would you describe yourself to someone wo has never met you?

Jen:  I am a spunky, redheaded pastor's wife with 35 years of publishing credits and 20 years' speaking experience. My God-given knack for finding humor in the mundane ad grace in the storms, delights readers and audiences in all walks of life. My hobbies include gardening, reading, watching movies older than me, and spoiling my three grandkids and two cats.

Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Jen. It was fascinating to get a behind-the-scenes view of how, "Hello, Beautiful," was written. May the Lord bless the women who read your book and help them to see how beautiful they are in His eyes.