This week in our Five Things series our focus turns to Nancy Rue, author of over 111 books, including 9 novels for adults, 17 for teens, and 60 for tween readers, as well as 2 parenting books, 32 non-fiction books for tweens and teens, and the features for the FaithGirlz Bible. Her Lily Series, published by Zondervan, has sold well over one million copies. Her latest novel, The Reluctant Prophet, released in October 2010. For a complete list of adult fiction, click here, for ‘tween books, click here.
Nancy Rue is a charming, devoted, passionately gifted writer who pours her faith into her books with the accuracy of a Chef preparing his favorite meal.
She travels extensively–at times on the back of a Harley Davidson—speaking and teaching to groups of ‘tween girls and their moms. She’s funny and shares her faith openly. Simply put she speaks and teaches while she shares and cares her way into the hearts of her readers.
She knows the secret of this life. She makes time to drink deeply from the source of her inspiration and pours out her stories for the world to enjoy.
“I am living a God-directed life, doing what I was meant to do, what I love to, what allows me to give what I’ve been given. I spend as much of my time teaching, filling my well, hanging out with the people I love, as I do writing, and that has made all the difference.”
If you think that is a great introduction, and I hope you do, wait till you read the Five Things Nancy offers us this week.
Five Things About Nancy Rue1. Nancy Drew made me a writer.
Okay, so, Nancy Drew and God. I read every Nancy Drew book then in existence between December 1961 and March 1962. At ten years old, I wanted to BE Nancy Drew and drive around in that little blue roadster solving crimes her lawyer father was evidently too lame to figure out. But that day in March when I closed the last one, having read it (and all the others) at least twice, it came to me (and this is where God took over) that I didn’t want to be Nancy Drew. I wanted to write books about Nancy Drew, or someone like her, or someone not quite as perfect as she was. The dream faded in and out until I was 27 years old.
Then God put the divine foot down and said, “Do this.” So I did. That was 111 books ago, and I didn’t write a single one without knowing God was in it all the way (except for the times when I stupidly didn’t listen . . .)
2. I started out writing short stories for women and submitting them to magazines like Redbook and Ladies’ Home Journal.
Silly woman. The rejections came back so fast I practically developed vertigo. Then it occurred to me that I hadn’t been listening. I was a high school teacher. Why wasn’t I writing about what I knew? At that time every denomination in the Christian faith had a magazine or a Sunday school take-home paper for teens, so I collected all their sample copies and guidelines and went to work. Before I knew it, I had sold 50 stories and had a book idea. It’s amazing what happens when you listen to God. Duh.
3. When Focus on the Family asked me to write some books for tweens, I said no.
Yikes. It sounds like I was an expert at not listening! I was writing for all of their youth publications by 1993 when a representative from their book publishing arm asked me to put together a proposal for some books for middle grade readers. My response? “I actually only write for teens.” After my husband said, “Are you crazy?” I said I’d give it a try. That was the beginning of the 30-book Christian Heritage Series.. That’s when I really started listening. Since then I’ve written three series for tween girls and 16 non-fiction books.
4. My first try at a novel for adults completely bombed.
I’d written the Christian Heritage Series and a teen series when Focus asked me to give an adult series a shot. Yeah. I felt like I’d been shot by the time I’d written the first one three times and we all agreed to cancel the contract. It would have been the end of my “career” as a novelist if that editor hadn’t moved to another publishing company and contacted me and said, “I know you can do this. There’s someone I want you to work with.” That was 8 novels ago. While my heart is still so very much with the tween and teen girls and I continue to create for them, I do love writing for taller girls as well. Winning a Christy for The Reluctant Prophet sent me the message, “Thank you for listening.” I’m just glad someone else was, too!
5. I have a gorgeous 6-month old granddaughter.
I know that has nothing to do with my being an author, but what kind of grandmother would I be if I didn’t mention her and how precious and smart and loveable she is? Actually, she has a great deal of influence on my work as a writer. We have to create a better world for the likes of her, and writing fiction that shows what that could look like in an individual life is my part in that. It’s what God is asking me to do. And I’m listening.
So, does Nancy Rue interest you now? She’s learned a valuable lesson that we would do well to learn. She listens to God.
How do I know this? Because she kept plugging away at her writing even though she found little acceptance at first. And even after she found some success, she turned down an offer to write a classic series that would endear her to many young girls. Does that not show you that God’s blessings are without repentance. It seems God was determined to have her write and after years of struggle, she began to listen.
What a joy it was to have Nancy Rue featured this week on Five Things! Thank you, my friend, for offering us a sneak peak into your world. May God continue to be glorified in and through you all of your days.
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