photo: Seth Schaeffer

Welcome to our blog hop.  I was introduced last week by Lisha Epperson on her blog with two other writers.  Today, I’m introducing three other writers.

If you follow the trail back from Lisha’s post, you can find more writers to get to know.  I hope to do that once I get home.  This week I have been out of town in St. Louis , MO!

My name is Martha Grimm Brady.  I’m a wife, mom and grandmother.  I’m also a nurse and pastor’s wife.  They are an integral part of who I am.  Retirement hasn’t changed that.

I grew up in south Florida, moved to Jamaica early in our marriage (a treasured life experience), back to Florida and later moved to Texas when our girls were 5th, 9th and 11th grades.  It was a big adjustment for all of us after living in a large international city… but we grew to love the people there.

Now, in north Alabama near one of our daughters and her family, it’s more like Florida than I expected…which is good!  I didn’t expect all the variety we have here from the military and retired military, but I love it.

I started writing in 2007

I’m now a writer…since about 2007.  I still don’t make any money.  But I write everyday, mostly for my blog!

I am not one of those who dreamed of being a writer.  I was too much of an extrovert.  I observed a lot, but was too busy to sit down and write about what I was thinking.  Now I have the time!  So far, I don’t have trouble with writer’s block!  Editing is more of a problem for me!  I blog at GrittyGrace.com.

Blog Hop questions

1. What are you working on?

I write 3-4 days a week on my blog GrittyGrace.com.  Monday and Wed. is usually heavier writing, sometimes as part of a series.  Tues. is usually on the the lighter side in terms of writing.  I have been doing a series on Hymns and Songs usually accompanied by a YouTube of the song, if available.

This summer I’m doing a series called Finishing Unfinished Projects (look in the tag cloud below for these titles) and linking to blogs that teach the skills on video already.  Why re-invent the wheel? I’m trying to use up an abundance of craft supplies and am looking for craft ideas that will help me do that.  This project is really part of my larger series I’m writing this year called 2014 Trim the Fat Challenge.  It refers to not only losing weight, but getting rid of excess in other areas.  I’m not doing great on the weight loss, but have lost about 10 pounds.  I need to lose about 20 more!  We moved into an apartment and are dealing with cutting back on our stuff and generally downsizing!  It is a very apropos topic!

Fridays I usually link to Five Minute Friday where we write on her word prompt for 5 minutes and don’t edit…much.  I love writing there.  It is challenging and I write on topics that are a little different than the everyday.  It has helped me learn to write shorter and not be quite as perfectionistic as was my norm.  It gets me into creative little niches I never expected, which is always fun!

Fridays, I also link to Christian Mommy Blogger’s Fellowship Friday where I have gotten to know Julie Pierce, the owner.  I have learned a lot from her, have found a good friend…and I suspect, a mentor.   I can link posts other than Five Minute Friday here, but that is the one I usually use.

Sundays I link to another group where we usually put up a photo with a verse or quote.  It’s called #GiveMeGrace.  The new person in charge there is Lisha Epperson who had become an online friend before I wrote there.

More recently, there has been a very tiny flame urging me to write a book.  Being the somewhat practical person I am, I said, “Wait a minute, what would I write about?”  As I thought about it, I came up with a topic I wrote about for 30 days last October.  I wondered if I would ever get it done.  I realize if I am ever going to get it into a book…probably an Ebook, I will need to mostly rewrite it!  The title?  Honey, It’s Time to Grow Up!

I fear that the people who most need to read it are least likely to pick it up with that title…but we’ll see what happens between now and the time it is written!  I would like to earn some actual money with all the work I do!

The idea of writing a book is giving me the cold sweats!  But as with all challenges in my life, GOD seems to give the grace needed WHEN it is needed.  I plan to be done with this move/dejunking by the end of the summer!  Then on to the book project!

2. How does your work differ from those in your genre?

I haven’t found many in my genre of grandmothers-who-write-blogs-to-encourage-younger-women-to-mentor-and-be-mentored.  If we narrow down my genre to that, I haven’t found others who blog on that topic at all!  If you know of them, I’d love to meet them.  For sure, I haven’t come across others who have a similar blog to mine.  If I consider my blog in the genre of being encouraging particularly along the lines of Biblical encouragement, there are a few more blogs, but the competition in this genre is still rather slim.

It is Biblical, but not overtly, in the sense of being a Bible study.  I hope it isn’t preachy.  I’d love it if people think it’s a bit funky…at least off center!

It is for young and old.  The tagline is GrittyGrace: at the intersection of the grace of GOD and the grit of life…where change happens!  With a tagline like that, I have a good bit of variety to play with when I write.

It has a category for aging which is unique.  I want to acquaint younger women with the challenges of aging.  They are around older people who seem to complain a lot and don’t want to hear it.  They definititely don’t understand it.  They want to complain too, well, at least vent!  They don’t appreciate when older women laugh at their complaints.  I get that.  But I also get the older woman’s situation.

How can she communicate her grief, sadness, anger and frustration to her children as she sees her life ending…or is that expecting too much?  It doesn’t lessen the joy she feels in watching their lives bloom, but she would like to be able to express what is happening in her life so there is mutuality there.  How to do it without sounding gripey can be difficult. I guess the older woman would like a hearing too.  I think I have the makings of another post!

3. Why do you write what you do?

Back in 2007, when I had just started reading blogs for the first time, I found them missing a voice.  All these mommy blogs were writing and giving advice about life, raising children, being a good wife, etc.  But nowhere did I hear the voice of the woman who had gone full circle through the whole process!

These younger women needed to hear her voice.  It was unlikely they would seek it out, but they needed to hear it just the same.  The voice of the older woman would, for the most part, be a kinder voice than the ones I was reading.  It would certainly be less perfectionistic and have more emphasis on relationships.  Her voice would remind moms that children are not breakable.  They will survive parental mistakes here and there.  They won’t as easily survive unforgiveness, resentment, manipulation or the desire to always be right.

But even there GOD’s grace is always present, ready to forgive when we fail our children, our husbands, our GOD.  It is in those times of failure that we most need Christ and the grace He offers.  And we learn to pass it on to our children as we teach them to forgive as they experience our forgiveness…imperfect as it is!

So I started writing my first blog.  I told no one.  I started writing and commenting and started getting comments back.  I was far from an overnight success!  But gradually, I have gotten known here and there by a few bloggers.  I have guest posted occasionally.  And here I sit.  Not well known at all!  But doing what I know and am called to do.  Over time, the pages have piled up.  I have quite a bit of “paper” to show for my time here.

4. How does your writing process work?

When I was working 3-11, I would come home, take my shower and write until about 2 AM when I was tired enough to go to sleep!

Now, it depends on the day.  Monday mornings I usually write ahead.  Some afternoons and evenings I do as well.  My dream is to get at least a week ahead but everytime I do, life gets in the way and I lose my days.  I can write everything ahead except Five Minute Friday.  The prompt goes up on Thursday night and usually I try to write it then.  It isn’t complicated but each group I write with mixes me in with a different group of women.

This year I have come across a greater variety of women from all my groups and enjoy the people I have found.  They are a mix of color, age, denomination (or not) and lifestyle.  I feel they have added to my life a part of themselves.  Maybe I’m finally finding my niche!

As for how I write, I write everything out as fast as I can.  Then I go through and edit.  I used to try to edit as I went, but that didn’t work out well at all!  I got bogged down in rabbit trails that didn’t help get to the point at all!  It’s much easier to look at the overall product and slash than to slash as I go without knowing where I am going for sure.

Now, to introduce my writers:

Ahem!  This is not a good time of year for people I discovered.  I caught a lot of people who were on breaks, sabbaticals, moving, etc.  Fortunately, I was still able to get some of my favorites to introduce to you!

The first writer I’d like to introduce is Julie Pierce, owner of Christian Mommy Blogger.   Shortly after she became the new owner of Christian Mommy Blogger, I asked if I could interview her.  No, I’ve never done that before, but I wanted to get to know her and took a chance.

I’m so glad I did.  It was an interview via email and she was open and up front as if we were visiting over a cup of coffee!  Since then, I have participated in an eRetreat she did for bloggers that was both devotional and educational.  It was helpful for people like me who are technologically challenged.  It was small enough for some individual help as well.  It was called He must Increase But I must Decrease.  It was a great combination of devotional and blogging encouragement and learning time.

Here is her bio:

photo: Julie Pierce

Hi! I’m Julie and my blog is ChristianMommyBlogger.com.  Christian Mommy Blogger is my e-ministry for YOU! My goal is to educate, encourage and energize you on your writing and blogging journey to serve the King!

I’m married and have two daughters.  I also work as an auditor! I really enjoy the creative and ministry outlet that blogging provides.  My prayer is that I can serve as a resource and encouragement for you.

My strength is in expertly delivering technical knowledge in accessible language that is easy and useful to implement. Looking forward to seeing you on the blog!

My second writer to introduce is Bridgette Booth.  She is a homeschooling mom of two daughters.  The oldest just graduated from Texas A & M.  She and her family attended the church we were part of in Tyler, TX.  We were in such different circles often that I didn’t get to know her as much as I wanted.  What I like about her and the writing I have seen is that she is funny and funky.

She is also southern…from Louisiana…I think.  She has been a writer for a good long while and I’m glad to introduce her to you both for what she has written and for what she will write in the future!  She writes for the youth market but if she ever writes an adult fiction book, it will be awesome!  Over the years, she has also written magazine articles for a variety of Christian magazines.

Here is her bio:

photo: Bridgette Booth

Hi, my name is Bridgette Booth and I still love finding characters that surprise me, but now I also enjoy inventing those characters for my own stories.

I’m fascinated with storytelling, and write about characters which make, produce, start, design, build, and imagine. Essentially, they do things. The children and young adults in my stories are smart, strong, and confident, whether they realize it or not, and their families like each other, even when they fight. And, usually, my stories are sprinkled with history because I just can’t help myself.

So that’s about me. When I’m online I’m either here, or on twitter, or facebook. I’d love for you to say hello. Especially if you’d like to compare notes on The Man Who Wore the Yellow Hat.

My third writer Jenni Ho-Huan is in another time zone across the world.  And all the time zones caught up with me late last night (Tuesday).  Her email arrived soon after I did!  I did the happy dance!

I have met Jenni through her writing at 31 Days to be a Better Writer, a Closed Facebook Group that shares their writing.  (Yes, they take in new members from time to time.  I’m sorry I don’t know details.)

Jenni loves to dig around for meaningful connections between faith and life & write about her finds. She is passionate about living authentically and fully through all life’s seasons. Jenni is wife, mother, and mentor, & author of Simple Tips for Happy Kids & When God Shapes a w.i.f.e.. Her latest book Shed Those Leaves releases in August.

She lives in Singapore where the lingua Franca is English so everyone is able to communicate clearly…at least in theory.   She was born and raised there and is ethnically Chinese.

I don’t have her photo but it is on her blog so you can see it on the link.  There you have my three writers.  They are different in perspective, style, and audience…and no, I didn’t plan it that way!  I hope you enjoy meeting them.  I look forward to the writers they introduce next week!

Next Monday, each writer will blog on her page and introduce you to three writer friends of hers.  They will be linked to me and each of them.  It will give you insight into the variety of styles each writer has as well as her way of working.

Thanks for joining us today for this very long post!