Interview and Book Giveaway with Londa Hayden

 I'm pleased to introduce Londay Hayden. She will be giving away a copy of her book, Date Pray Wait to one lucky blog follower.

Besides entertainment, what do you hope readers will take away from your book?

It is my hope that the reader will develop a very real relationship with God and not just view a moral dating practice as a religious duty. 

 

What sparked your decision to journey down the adventurous path of writing ?

I was inspired as a songwriter first and then a few years ago, I decided to write books. I started out with a children's book to help raise funds for African orphanages. Then I stumbled upon a site that encourages writers to write a novel in a month. I accepted the challenge and cranked out my first book. After that, I submitted this very unrefined manuscript into a contest which made it to the third round, miraculously enough. Thank God  it didn't win. In hind sight, that manuscript was really poorly written and I would have been terribly embarrassed had it been published. I then submitted a true short story to a blog contest and won $500.00. This let me know that my stories had value. I'm still experimenting with genre in trying to find my voice and niche in writing, and the many rejection letters I've received can prove that statement. However, I have managed to complete a 80,000 world fiction novel "Where Two Rivers Meet," which recently was recognized for outstanding achievement in writing. 

How does FAITH play into your writing?

My faith in God is my greatest inspiration in life and it seems to bleed into everything I write no matter how generic I try to remain.  

 

What are your hobbies other than writing?

I like to travel to new places and meet interesting people. However, I find it difficult to resist the temptation to turn every encounter into an unexpected interview.  But I will not deny my writer's instincts the opportunity to indulge upon a fabulous new story with a colorful character. I enjoy the theater and attending concerts of some of my favorite artist whenever possible. Of course, shopping is also fun, seeing the newest movies on the big screen, and going to museums to see great art or the planetarium and other sciences. I meet with friends for breakfast or lunch as often as possible. The beach is also a place I like to retreat to for peaceful restoration and inspiration. We used to live closer, and I could go more often. Now I enjoy retreating to my backyard and watching the hummingbirds buzz through the garden. We also go to visit my mother and other family several times a year since they live in another state and are elderly now. 

What are couple of your favorite books? What are you reading right now?

 

Two of my favorite books when I was growing up were "Charlotte's Web" and "Little Women." 

Right now, I am reading "The Hunger Games" Trilogy. I also read things pertaining to the writing craft and marketing. "How to Write for Kids Magazines While Working on a Debut Novel" by Vicki H. Moss is a current book I'm reading at the moment. I usually end up reading several books at the same time, which makes it difficult to finish anything. 

Do you have a blog or website where readers can connect with you? 

 

I just started a brand new blog on wordpress called "Date...Pray...Wait." I am hoping this will attract young Christian singles who are making their way through the dating experience. The purpose of this blog is to help create an open dialog with my readers and offer encouragement and social networking opportunities to Christian singles. You can access it at http://www.datepraywait.wordpress.com/

I also have a writers blog on my own site at http://www.londahayden.com/, where I talk about everything pertaining to writing, marketing, grammar, and my ongoing life as a writer.