Leah E. Good is a daughter of God, lover of stories, homeschool graduate, and passionate orphan care advocate. She lives with her parents, brother, and Shetland Sheepdog in beautiful New England. But she also likes to write. Leah is the author of the book Counted Worthy, and hopefully many more to come. Please enjoy our interview with her!
What inspired you to write Counted Worthy?
My brain generates story ideas a lot faster than I can write them. One day I was playing around finding Bible verses that would make good story titles. When I looked at Acts 5:41, a story idea started forming alongside the title. Since I was working on a different book project at the time, I decided to just write a short story. That short story ended up being chapter one of Counted Worthy.
If there was one thing you wanted people to get out of your book, what would it be?
That’s a tough one! There are several big themes in Counted Worthy. When I started writing it, I wanted to engage people emotionally and make the trials of the persecuted church real to readers. I wanted them to not just be aware of persecution but to care about the individuals being persecuted.
Do you plan to write more books?
Yes! I had hoped to have another finished by now but adulthood struck, and I’ve been giving priority to working and figuring out my trajectory for the future. The current plan is to write a sequel to Counted Worthy. Writing a sequel is proving difficult for me, though, so I may try to get back into the swing of writing by working on a stand alone novel.
If there was one thing you thought was important for tween and teen girls to know about following God, what would it be?
Hmm. I’m barely out of the teen years myself, so I feel like I’m still figuring this out for my own life. As I’ve observed my peers, I have to say that the girls who are closest to God seem to be the ones who have a very personal relationship with him. Going through the motions of Christianity doesn’t equal effectively following God. We have to take time to be with Him, to learn what He cares about and make it what we care about, to allow Him to shape us and guide us and mold our dreams for the present and future. I’ve always been intrigued and inspired by Proverbs 25:2 which says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” Take time to sit at Jesus’ feet and search for the mysteries God has concealed!
Who is your favorite character in Counted Worthy and why?
I almost always fall for a secondary character rather than the protagonist–both in books I read and books I write. In Counted Worthy, my long time favorite is Bryce. A lot of Bryce’s personality is based off my brother and how I imagine he’d react in a situation like the one in my story. Since my brother and I are very close, Bryce is an obvious favorite for me.
Aside from writing, what are some things you like to do or that you are passionate about?
Orphan care is probably my biggest passion. About a year and a half ago, one of my friends introduced me to a friend of a friend who was living in India serving as a foster mom for twelve orphans there. That young lady recently returned to the United States, but I still stay in touch with the other young lady she was working with. Having that personal connection has been such a blessing to give me a way to participate in a ministry I care about. Besides that, I love teaching in homeschool settings when the opportunity arises. My favorite pastimes include going to museums, swimming, and trying new things.
What is your favorite scripture and why?
John 14:27 has been my go-to verse for years. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Remembering this verse helps me to refocus if I’m stressed or scared.
Throughout the book writing process, what is one way that you saw God’s hand in it all?
God’s fingerprints are all over the entire process of writing and publishing Counted Worthy. The actual publishing stage was probably where His hand was most obvious. As I prepared to bring the book to print, I sent out several endorsement requests to prominent figures in the Christian community. When Brett Harris responded saying that he wasn’t sure he’d have time to read the manuscript or not, but he’d try to, I was elated. It was a total God thing that Brett ended up reading it quickly, liking it, and helping me through the process of gaining funding through Kickstarter and spreading the word to readers who really connected with the story and were blessed by it. It was (and continues to be) an amazing experience.
Thank you, Leah!
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Want to learn more about Leah, or read her book?
Buy Counted Worthy: http://amzn.to/2a5i6i4
Blog: leahegood.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeahEGood/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leahegood
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/leahegood
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