How about a quick quiz: Which African animal is referred to as the animal mafia? Which African animal is said to never forgive? Which of Africa's Big Five has killed more big game hunters than the other four combined? What African animal fights much like the Roman army of Jesus' Day? Which of the African Big Five are powerful swimmers?
How many did you know? All of them?
Let us speak to the author of an incredible devotional book, God in Africa – 90 Days in the Land of Majesty & Mystery (where you’ll find the answers to the questions above).
Please welcome Shirley Corder, a South African Christian author based in Port Elizabeth:
You are a wife, mother, former nurse and a cancer survivor. Now, give three words that describe you as a writer?
Inspirational; Narrative Non-fiction (although I have written several novels which I haven’t published) Creative
Tell us about your latest book, God in Africa. It is very detailed and well-researched. How long did it take you to write and what would you like readers to take away from their reading?
The actual writing took a month. I did it as part of a NaNoWriMo challenge so I was under pressure. However, I thought I knew plenty about the topic and wouldn’t need to do much research – and soon learned how little I knew about my own land! Because of the time crunch, I didn’t spend time on research then. At the end of April, the book was a rough draft. I then went back and did research. So in all, it took about four months.
What would I like readers to take away? I have three goals for the book. 1. That they will learn about the incredible continent of Africa. 2. That they will see God as the author and orchestrator of it all. 3. That in the light of what they’ve read, they will examine their own relationship with God and draw closer to Him.
You've written a number of books. Which one are you most proud of, and why?
I think God in Africa. It turned out to be a huge challenge but I really enjoyed writing it and learned a good deal in the process.
How do you celebrate when a book is finished?
I go out for a meal with my husband, and the following day I start on the next one.
What's your next writing project about, and how are you preparing for it?
I’m currently writing a memoir walking through my year of cancer treatment and adding a devotional slant to it. Preparation? Well, I lived it and have a draft of the story already done taken from my journal of the time. I use Scrivener to write my books, and so I’ve broken the draft into approximate chapters. I can’t say I’m enjoying walking through the experiences again – but I am challenged by finding suitable scriptures and applying them to each stage. It’s amazing how almost every day in my Quiet Time I come across something that fits the theme of my book. Whenever something strikes me as relevant, I slot a file with it into the relevant spot in the story, so when I come to actually write that chapter, I haven’t forgotten it.
How do you manage to connect with your readers, and what is the best compliment you've received to date about your writing?
Mainly through Facebook, and recently some folks have started to contact me on Messenger. I also belong to several groups on Facebook, in particular, my Street Team (a.k.a. Shirley’s Book Brigade), which is for folk who are interested in promoting my writing. There, we discuss different aspects of the book of the moment, and some of them do beta-reads or receive an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for a possible review when the book comes out.
Best compliment? Ooh, that’s tough. I think this one written by a lady in America who reviews many books: “I have been blessed beyond measure to be able to have read this devotional by Shirley Corder. In all my years of reading, never has a devotional touched me in such a personal way. Shirley has a way of bringing South Africa to life for me all while having me draw closer to God. Thank you for this amazing book that I intend to read again and again!”
You can buy God in Africa by following this link:
(She’s currently running a sliding price range, at $0.99 for this weekend only, then gradually going up.)
About Shirley:
In her previous life, Shirley Corder was a registered nurse and busy minister’s wife and mother. Following a confrontation with aggressive cancer in 1997, she turned her hobby of writing into a lifestyle, and has been writing for publication ever since. She has currently seven books published on Amazon. She is also contributing author to 13 books to date, including four Guideposts anthologies and some Chicken Soup books. She has published hundreds of devotional and inspirational articles internationally. She is also group director of CWOSA, an internet writers’ support group for Christian writers of Southern Africa. Shirley and her husband of over 50 years live only two blocks from the sea in beautiful Port Elizabeth, South Africa. They have a daughter and two sons, all happily married and serving the Lord, and she is the proud grandmother to four boys and two girls, covering an age span of 21 years. When she is not writing, she enjoys making greeting cards, plays several musical instruments, and is co-director of a local choir.
For more information about her writing, visit her writing website at www.shirleycorder.com.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shirl_Corder
Email: shirley@shirleycorder.com