This week I’m giving away THREE copies of Melanie Shankle‘s book, Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn. Melanie, on a total whim, began her blog in July 2005. Since then, Melanie has seen her blog readership grow beyond her wildest dreams. Melanie also serves as emcee for LifeWay‘s annual DotMom event and participates in Compassion International‘s blogger initiative. Most of all, she loves being the mother of Caroline and the wife of her husband, Perry; they live in San Antonio, Texas, with their two elderly dogs.
I recently had the chance to ask Melanie a few questions about her book:
Margaret: Where did the name for your blog, Big Mama, come from?
Melanie: I set up my blog and wrote my very first blog post on July 5, 2006. At that time we were one month away from my daughter Caroline’s third birthday. She was in the process of being potty-trained and I was finally going to make her give up her pacifier (It seemed like it was time considering her pediatrician had told me that should have happened before she turned one.) and I was constantly telling her that she was “such a big girl!” in that overenthusiastic tone that mothers use when they’re trying to convince their kids that something is the greatest thing in the world.
And so she picked up on the “big” part of that equation and began to refer to me as “Big Mama”. As in, “Big Mama, are we going to the grocery store today?” I thought it was hilarious and so I named my blog Big Mama, never imagining the long-term ramifications of that decision. Specifically that people now ask me on a regular basis, “Are you Big Mama?” I believe this is one way God allows me to walk in some serious humility.
Margaret: What were the biggest challenges or struggles during the writing process of your book?
Melanie: I think for me the biggest challenge of writing a book was making the transition from writing a short blog post to stringing together enough words to comprise a chapter. I’m so used to telling stories using 1000 words or less that it’s become the way my mind works. And a blog also gives you the luxury of having this ongoing narrative where you assume all your readers know all the people involved in your stories.
With a book I had to make the assumption that people would read it who had never read my blog and so I had to work harder to set up each character and story.
I also discovered through the book writing process that I have unbelievable powers of procrastination. You would be in awe of my ability to decide I couldn’t possibly write one more word until every baseboard in my house was cleaned and repainted.
Margaret: What do you hope will happen in the reader’s heart and mind after they finish Sparkly Green Earrings?
Melanie: So much of that depends on the reader. If they’re already a mother, then I hope it encourages them to find the holy, funny moments in the daily work of raising their littles. Motherhood is such an enormous calling and I feel like it can be so marginalized and make us feel like we have to apologize if that’s “all” we’re doing, but you’re raising a person. A human being. That’s enormous. Honestly, I can’t believe God trusts any of us with it.
But even if you’re not a mother yet or have no plans to be one, I hope the message of Sparkly Green Earrings is finding God wherever you are in life. Trusting that he has a plan and a purpose that he’s always working out in you and that he’ll pave the way.
Margaret: Who should read Sparkly Green Earrings and why?
Melanie: Is there where I’m supposed to say EVERYONE? And maybe Oprah Winfrey? Is that too much to ask?
Honestly, I believe women of all ages would enjoy Sparkly Green Earrings. On the surface it’s just a funny book about being a mother. But on a deeper level, it’s finding the holy in what can feel mundane. I believe there’s a message there for all of us no matter where we are in life.
Check out the trailer for Sparkly Green Earrings.
(RSS Subscribers, click here to view)
To win one of the THREE COPIES of Sparkly Green Earrings, enter a comment on the original blog post at MargaretFeinberg.com. Winners will be selected and announced on Friday.
Congratulations to the winners: Ashley, Kimberly Amici, Becky H
What words and phrases did the children in your life say that still put a smile on your face?
