Joining us this month is author Rachel Hauck. Rachel and I met several years ago at an ACFW Conference. (Where else?) If you’re a fiction author, there is no better place to meet people, network, and make lasting Christian author friendships. Rachel is a former president of ACFW and someone who can be counted on to encourage fellow writers.

Rachel Hauck is a best-selling author living in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband, Tony, a pastor. They have two ornery pets. She is a graduate of Ohio State University and a huge Buckeyes football fan. Rachel served the writing community as the Past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and is now an Advisor.

In the mornings, she goes to McDonalds for a Diet Coke. In the afternoons, she walks the dog or goes to Spinning. Before she dies, she’d like to have rock-hard-abs.

Rachel’s books include:

• Love Starts With Elle TOP PICK Romantic Times Book Club
• Sweet Caroline EPCA Best Seller August 2008!
• Diva NashVegas
• New Hampshire Weddings
• Lost in NashVegas
• Georgia on Her Mind
• Windswept Weddings
• Lambert’s Peace
• Lambert’s Code
• Lambert’s Pride

Love Starts With Elle came out last month – July 2008. Melissa Parcel of Romantic Times Book Club gave it 4.5 Stars and TOP PICK had this to say:

“Hauck is quickly making a name for herself as an insightful and thoughtful
author. It’s great to catch up with characters from previous novels as well
as meet new ones. Elle is vulnerable, yet wise, and the romantic angle will
leave you sighing with delight.”

Here’s the blurb:

Elle’s living the dream-but is it her dream or his?

Elle loves life in Beaufort, South Carolina-lazy summer days on the sand bar, coastal bonfires, and dinners with friends sharing a lifetime of memories. And she’s found her niche as the owner of a successful art gallery too. Life is good.

Then the dynamic pastor of her small town church sweeps her off her feet. She’s never known a man like Jeremiah-one who breathes in confidence and exhales all doubt. When he proposes in the setting sunlight, Elle hands him her heart on a silver platter.

But Jeremiah’s just accepted a large pastorate in a different state. If she’s serious about their relationship, Elle will take “the call,” too, leaving behind the people and place she loves so dearly. Elle’s friendship with her new tenant, widower Heath McCord, and his young daughter make things even more complicated.

Is love transferrable across the miles? And can you take it with you when you go?

Love Starts With Elle is available at these three online bookstores:

CBD, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

I asked Rachel to give us some insight into how God is using her and her writing.

Jill: When and how did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Rachel: Young, like ten. Initially, I just wanted to be famous . . . hahaha, Then, as I grew older, my father encouraged me and spoke my destiny over me. He’d say, “Rachel, you’re a writer.”

I kept diaries from the first grade until I was about thirty-two. It was in me to write. I studied journalism, but always wanted to write books. Then, one day in ’93, I thought of a character and started the journey.

Jill: Can you share with me some of the highlights of your writing journey – something particularly memorable or humorous?

Rachel:Highlights would have to be meeting other writers, being shepherded and mentored by them. Colleen Coble, DiAnn Mills, and Lynn Coleman played a vital role in my early days. They are still friends and cheerleaders.

Joining American Christian Fiction Writers is a highlight and fond part of my life. I’ve made so many friends, learned so much.

One of my memorable moments, and humorous, was brainstorming with Susan Warren and Christine Lynxwiler after the ’06 Dallas conference. We laughed and argued and laughed. It’s when we really knew we clicked as brainstorm partners. I still rely on them.

Other highlights would be my first sale to Barbour, a Heartsong Romance, and then joining the Thomas Nelson fiction team. From my early, early days, I wanted to write for Thomas Nelson.

I admired author Davis Bunn and had taken some workshops with him during the ‘90s. He wrote for Nelson and I thought that would be the top of the mountain. It’s my pleasure and delight to be a friend of Davis’s as a result of my Nelson connection. And, um, he lives ten miles away from me half of the year.

Jill: Tell me a bit about what you write now and what you hope/plan to write in the future. Do you have a favorite genre?

Rachel: I’ve written romance and chick lit, and am currently writing stories with a strong romantic element. I love strong character driven stories about over coming life’s obstacles. I’d like to write more mainstream fiction where genre rules are not as enforced.

Jill: Do you consider your writing the work God has given you to do for a lifetime or for a season of your life? If you could pursue anything else, what would it be?

Rachel: Excellent question. When I started writing, I went to the Lord and said, “This takes up too much time, too much mental energy and emotion. If this is not what you have for me, then show me because I do not want to account for the wasted time.”

Soon after doors stared opening for me.

I also has to commit all my eggs to the writing basket. I don’t have children, and my corporate career was fizzling fast. I’d day dream about what else I could do for a living. Then I realized I was creating outs, just in case God couldn’t get the job done.

Once I made up my mind, “writing is it” I settled down and gave it my all.

For me, I believe writing is a life long pursuit. But am in constant prayer about it and keeping my heart open to whatever God wants.

Jill: Are there people in your life who encouraged you, who are responsible for you becoming a published author?

Rachel: Absolutely. I named a few, but I’ll name them again! Colleen Coble, DiAnn Mills, Lynn Coleman, Davis Bunn, Christine Lynxwiler, Susan May Warren, Tracey Bateman, Susan Downs.

Jill: Can you share one struggle that entered your life as a result of writing and how God helped you to overcome it, to make you more like Christ?

Rachel: Money. I’m not a big money person, but when I left my software job, our household income went down 2/3rds. I’m not at a place to make all that up yet, and while we do not have the disposable income we’d like for giving, etc., God has really taken care of us. I see His hand, His provision, His care in our lives.

One another note, I struggle so much comparing myself to other writers. I want to write like them, be like them, well, you know the drill. I’ve had to leave all that behind and focus on who God created me to be, finding my creativity and talent in Him.

Jill: Likewise, is there a particular joy in this writing business/ministry that God has used to remind you that He is, in fact, using your words to His glory?

Rachel: I love writing. I love my publisher and editor. I feel so amazingly blessed. One day while walking the dog with my husband I said, “Writing makes me feel so deeply satisfied it’s scary.”

But it’s a blessing because I know I’m walking out something God put in me to do.

Jill: Has writing opened opportunities for you to give your testimony and witness for Christ or minister to fellow believers? If so, can you give one example?

Rachel: A reader wrote to me after reading Georgia On Her Mind. There was a scene where a secondary character encountered Jesus in person. He said to the heroine, Macy, “I’m undone. I’m undone.”

The reader was so touched she told her husband, “I want to be undone, too.”

I love to bring deeper realities of Jesus to people – how He loves us and wants to interact with us.

Coming up next – Rachel is working on an exciting project to be released in the spring of 2009. Keep an eye out for details!

To learn more about author Rachel Hauck and get to know her better, check out her website and blog here.

Thanks Rachel, for joining us this month on Spotlight!