Today’s post is very unique. I have the privilege of hosting none other than TC Avey, the author of ‘The Precipice’. I had the opportunity to talk to her about her new book, the meaning of life and her vision. The ‘Precipice’ is a book that I personally would recommend to be expanded into a movie.

TC has been gracious enough to offer her Book for free to a random commenter on this post.

 

Brief Bio

TC Avey is a Christian devoted to God, family and friends. She is passionate about encouraging Christians to live a life dedicated to Christ as well as helping them understand the importance of preserving our national freedoms through knowledge and love. She blogs at Wisdom of a Fool. You can also follow her on Twitter and GoodReads. Her book, The Precipice: When Everything We Know Ends, is available for purchase on Amazon by clicking here.

Life Signatures Interview with TC Avey

 

LS: Who is TC Avey and what is your Mission on earth? When all is said and done, how would you like to be remembered?

 

TC:Tough questions, Lawrence. I’m still learning who God created me to be. Learning how to be a Christian wife, mom, sister, daughter, friend and writer. Daily I mess up. These mistakes help me realize how grateful I am for God’s unending grace. It’s my prayer that when I die people don’t remember me, but that they remember God in me. That they find hope for their lives, that they go to the cross and discover just how amazing God truly is. So I guess this is my mission: To learn to die to myself so that others see more of God and less of me. I’m a work in progress…as we all are.

 

LS: Here at Life Signatures, I talk much about the failures and struggles of many visionaries. How has it been with you with the pursuit of your personal vision?

 

TC: It’s an up and down battle. Some days my purpose in life seems crystal clear, and other times it’s foggy. Daily I must seek God and ask Him to set my priorities and to reveal the next step to me. Sometimes I hear Him speak with clarity, and other times I have to wait to hear His voice. Constantly the distractions of this world pull at my attention. I put on the Armor of God each morning to help me remain steadfast to God and His will for my life. As Ephesians 6:12 says, our battle is not in the physical (though that’s where we mostly feel it and see it) but it’s in the spiritual. Spiritual warfare is real. Without committing daily to God and to my family, I cannot hope to remain true to who I was created to be—a servant of God, a lover of Christ.

 

LS: Your bio on social media indicates that you are an Indie Author. Would you please tell us what that is?

 

TC: An “Indie Author” is an author who is not affiliated with any publishing house or agency but has published a book—I have independently published a book that is available on Amazon.  Whether I ever get a book published through an agency or not, I am glad that God enabled me to bring this book to the world.

 

LS: Did you always know that you were a writer/Author?

 

I began writing as a child. I loved making up stories and writing poems. In High School I dreamed of being a writer. One day during church I even told God I would use the writing gift He gave me to bring Him glory. But then I lost sight of that vision. I got wrapped up in “making a living”. I went to college and acquired two degrees—neither related to writing. I spent years chasing the “American Dream”. It wasn’t until I was pregnant that I began writing again. Once I started, I knew this was what I had been searching for in all my other jobs. This was my passion. Writing brings me closer to God. It brings a satisfaction no other job came close too.

LS: Wow! That’s amazing. Many times people give up on life because of a supposedly wrong choice they made initially with their careers. Yet I must ask this: Can we say that your two degrees are useless?

 

TC: In “worldly” terms, yes, they are useless. I do not work in any capacity as a RN or using my BA in Criminal Justice. However, both degrees have shaped me into the person I am. They have taught me to critically think and do research for my books. They’ve molded my understanding of the world and taught me the value of education as well as the importance of serving others.

It can be tempting to think I wasted time pursuing things outside God’s plan for my life. But it’s all in how I chose to view the course my life has taken. Yes, it’s taken me years to find my passion and hone my writing, but God has blessed the road I’ve traveled and used all my education and careers to provide me with life lessons I never would have had otherwise. He really is able to use all things for His glory and our good.

LS: How did you get to write a book for the very first time and receive more than 25 positive reviews and accolades literally in months?

 

TC: This may sound trite, but I give all glory and credit to God. I don’t deserve any of it. In all honesty I feel as if I’ve stumbled my way through each step. If it weren’t for the connections God placed in my life I don’t think my book would have ever been published.

When I began blogging in 2011 I focused on building a platform. I quickly burned out. So I sought God and He helped me see that my main purpose is not in my stats or platform, but in building relationships. This concept revolutionized my writing career and brought clarity to what God’s purpose was for me.

I can honestly say I cannot remember the last time I checked my stats. Each time I blog, I don’t see it as building a platform, I see it as making lasting friendships. I enjoy praying for others, helping them grow in their walk with Christ, and encouraging them in their own pursuit of fulfilling God’s calling in their life.

When God changed my motives for blogging I had no idea that one day the people I had connected with would one day help me turn this book into a reality. I feel truly blessed to have made so many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

LS: In other words, we can say that networking, whether intentional or not was the key for you? Did you build these relationships intentionally?

 

TC: Networking has been crucial. God has brought people into my life who have helped me in countless ways, such as editing, cover art ideas, marketing, and so on. They’ve also provided encouragement, prayers, and wisdom both in personal matters as well as for writing.

I was intentional in the sense that I wanted to really Connect with them, to build friendships that are based on give and take.

I was not intentional in thinking that “someday these people will help me”.  I have some wonderful blogging friends who have never read my book (and have expressed reservations about ever reading it) and that’s okay.  I still value those relationships and want to continue building them. I pray I never slip into the mentality of “what’s in it for me” when it comes to helping others and making friends.

LS: What have been the greatest lessons in authoring ‘The Precipice’?

TC: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV.

This verse became abundantly clear as I inched my way to publishing my book. There were so many things I didn’t know and didn’t understand. So many times I wanted to rush ahead and hurry to the next step before completing the previous one.

I had to trust God and wait for Him to reveal the plan to me. Sometimes I would get stumped and not know what to do, but Go always revealed what I need t know when I needed to know it. He brought wonderful resources into my life through the friendships I’d created while blogging. Without the help of God, family, and friends this book would never have been published. I could not have done it on my own. My own understanding and abilities are not adequate for such a task. But God is and He has limitless resources to help His children when we will seek Him.

LS: I have read the Precipice and found it extremely captivating with a thought provoking message, how did you come up with that writing style? Did you have many options on the way that the book would be written?

TC: As I mentioned in the introduction of my book, I sat in church one day thinking about my religious freedom and realizing how precarious it is. After church, I sat down and wrote most of this book. Interestingly, this is the only book I’ve written in third person. I have two other unpublished books that are both written in first person. First person is how I prefer to write, but that’s not how I felt led to write The Precipice.

How it finally came together was due to a rigorous process. It began with three short stories. Friends helped me brainstorm and come up with the idea of the Reality Checks (which are modern events people can research further through the links provided at the end). They also encouraged me to include Discussion Questions so that readers were encouraged to go beyond the stories and news articles and assess their own relationship with Christ as well as challenge them to be more informed and engage in the world around them.

I truly believe God guided this entire conception and birth of this book. I’m just not that clever.

 LS: Let’s talk about the message of the book. I think it is a very urgent message to this generation. What triggered you to deliver this message?

TC: I’ve always enjoyed reading The Bible and history books. I also have a passion for politics. A few years back God began showing me how all these intertwined. Now I cannot listen to the news without thinking of God’s Word. My heart is troubled that there are so many people who call themselves Christian and yet they seem unaware or unconcerned at the affairs transpiring in this world. We are called to be salt and light. The Great Commission was given to every Believer of Christ, not just those in the ministry. We must share God’s love with those inside and outside the church. We must take as stand for what is right, but we also must make sure we do it in a loving manner. Christ must be our focus and priority. His love can guide us and change the world. But being willfully ignorant and/or apathetic regarding the evil in this world will only end in sorrow for all.

LS: If you have read my review about the book, you notice that I have recommended for it to be expanded to a movie script. What are your thoughts about that?

TC: First, thank you for your awesome review! It blew me away when I read it. I am humbled by your words. While I would love to see this book turned into a movie (I think it would reach a greater audience that way), I only want that to happen if it is God’s will and for His glory. I trust Him to complete what He started.

LS: What is the message in ‘The Precipice’?

The message is that the world is at a tipping point. We still have time to turn the tides, but if we continue ignoring God, and/or pushing Him out of our lives, we will fall over the edge. History proves this. As do the Old Testament accounts of the Israelites. Each person has a role to play in shaping the affairs of our world. Christians must be about our Fathers business. We must be Kingdom minded, and not have our treasure in corruptible things. People, not possessions matter.

 

LS: What is your message to would be authors who are otherwise afraid of the costs of publishing their books?

Cost does not have to be significant in order to be published. One just has to do more of the work themselves instead of outsourcing.

•  For editing, instead of hiring someone, have friends and family read the book. You don’t have to take all their corrections or suggestions, but they will give you a great start. Read, re-read, and then read your book again. Don’t rush the editing. It’s crucial. Mistakes will still happen, but try and make them as minimal as possible by using Early Readers (people you trust to give you good/honest feedback).

•  For ebooks, Amazon has a free publishing service, Kindle Direct Publishing (https://kdp.amazon.com/). They also have instruction on how to properly format your writing, or you can outsource the formatting for a small fee.

•  For the cover art, you can try to design it yourself by keeping it simple like I did, or actually pay someone to do it for you. Regarding spending money, cover art is money well spent. People will purchase a book (or not purchase it) simply because of the cover art. However, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good cover. Just do your research, check your options, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

•  For editing, formatting, and cover art don’t be afraid to ask for help from other bloggers who are also writers. This is where building relationships really comes in handy.

•  For making a print book, one can use Create Space (https://www.createspace.com/) through Amazon. Barnes and Noble also has a free e-book publishing service. I’m sure there are more venues available, but these are the ones I am more familiar with (though I have not utilized all them myself).

Finally, trust God. Keep your focus on HIS will and not your own. He won’t steer you wrong, though getting a book published may take longer than you’d like.

Don’t rush the process, there’s so much to learn, so much personal growth to be had as you learn to trust God step by precious step.

 

LS: TC, I must ask you this. Every answer you have given us has an element of God in it. I feel in my heart that you should share with us your story about your God. How did you get to know him?

 

Wonderful question, Lawrence. God has played a major role in my life (though I didn’t always realize how awesome He is).

I asked Jesus to be my Savior at a time when I was in danger of slipping over the edge. Depression plagued me and thoughts of suicide raced through my mind on a regular basis. Yet God spoke through my darkness and pierced my heart with His love.

I spent the next fifteen years chasing God one moment, only to turn away from Him the next. My flesh warred against my spirit as I struggled to submit and follow Him. But God loved me through it all.

For the past five or six years I’ve been learning about who God is, falling in love with Him, and learning to surrender my will to Him. He’s able to use all my failures, setbacks, and selfish pride to draw me closer to Him as I realize my continual need for a Savior. He truly loves me even when I’m “unlovable”, even when I’m refusing His love.  No one is beyond His reach or love. No one is beyond His grace.

Our world tends to value independence and accomplishments. I’m learning the eternal worth of following Christ and realizing that the only things worth accomplishing are the things God wants for my life.

 

-The END-