Tag Archives: Melissa A. Ricks

Interview with author of the Blood Done Signed My Name-Melissa Ann Ricks

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  This week I had the pleasure of posting a review of the  The Blood Done Signed My Name (See review

https://thefeginsreport.com/?p=1864)

M. Ann Ricks, (Melissa Ann), is a Christian Fiction who,using Jesus Christ as her example, as He shared many parables,  creates stories with fictional characters that contend with real life issues and inserts the Word of God to communicate the genuine and unfailing love of God while making it abundantly clear that Jesus is the ONLY answer. It ‘s interesting to talk to authors about what inspired them to write a novel  and the expereinces they have had as an author.

Interview with M. Ann Ricks

 

Describe yourself for our visitors. 

Blessings Linda! Thanks so much for this opportunity!  I am a woman, redeemed and set free by the life-changing blood of Jesus Christ. I’m a wife, mother, author and “Godspirational” speaker living in Bear, Delaware endeavoring to live for Christ ON PURPOSE as I provide Christian literature that will not only entertain but encourage, enlighten and prayerfully restore!

 How do you find time to connect with God?

 Life is most certainly busy for all of us but I’ve come to realize that I must make time with God a priority! Spending time with Him is a necessity especially for those of us who need to hear from Him to write effectively. In the morning, after my sons have left for school, (because the noise level has decreased), before I make a mental agenda for my day, I simply sit on the side of my bed and just tell Him how wonderful He is! His Word becomes alive to me and I immerse myself in His presence. Should mornings not be opportune, I take long showers. I know it seems crazy but I simply stand in the shower.   I talk to him briefly and am then quiet. I just hear from Him. Time to connect with God is of the essence!

Describe the importance of prayer and intercession in one’s life?

It is most important! The bible says that we should pray without ceasing! We are to intercede for others as well. Jesus is interceding for us “real-time” on the right hand of God. Shouldn’t we do the same? He prayed for us and interceded for us constantly during His time in the Earth and most importantly before the Cross. As believers we should mimic His behavior and having a dialogue with our Father God in the name of Jesus is an integral part of the believer’s life. We not only dialogue with God during our prayer time but it is time when we can hear from Him, receive direction and assist others spiritually as we pray for them. Prayer most certainly changes things!

What inspired you to write this book? Book_cover[1]

Linda, so many are living defeated lives, unaware that freedom and life in abundance is available, (even believers, sadly enough). Because of a checkered past, destructive familial history or bad choices, many have decided to live a life of regret and fear; resolving that their fate is irreversible.  I was inspired to write this THE BLOOD DONE SIGNED MY NAME to communicates and confirm that no longer does one need to label themselves unlovable or unworthy. No longer must one call themselves an “alcoholic” or “drug addict” or an inevitable beneficiary of the many generational tendencies and sicknesses that may be passed on from generation to generation.  God wants us to understand and receive His precious gift! Because of His love for us He has absolved all who believe in Him because His blood has erased every sinful stain!

Who are your favorite authors and why?? Favorite books?

Michele Andrea Bowen is my unofficial literary mentor. I love her and her books as she isn’t afraid of sharing the truth of God’s word! She is a bold sister in Christ! Her approachability, honesty and imagination is a blessing! (Church Folk and Holy Ghost Corner)

Frank Peretti is also one of my favorite authors as he truly has the gift to share with his reader what is transpiring in the supernatural. His books have blessed me as they have provided much spiritual insight. (The Oath, Piercing the Darkness)

Tell us about your journey to publication.

Inwardly, I knew that I was not destined to be a “corporate woman” and when my position was eliminated, I had inkling that it was God-ordained, at least for me.  Years prior to this event, I’d resolved to reconnect with the Master and sought to draw nigh to Him.  I don’t think I would have been able to really hear God if I hadn’t been reconnected to Him. “Tell the world about Me with the words I will give you,” is what I heard. Believing that God would give me the words, I began to write my first book; Awesome Wonder: The Gift of Remembrance.My husband said something that enables me to write with confidence; “If God told you to write, then write, and stand on His promises.”  I’m so excited and honored to be used by God to spread His message with the stories that I create. I will continue to do so for as long as He provides me with the stories and the words that will draw all men to Him.

Tell us about your current book? Here is the synopsis:  It will provide an overview….

Are the sins of the father and mother visited upon their sons and daughters?

Undoubtedly damaged, Honey Lamb, like many, is a descendant of an unfortunate legacy of molestation, addiction, murder and bad decisions. For as long as she could remember, she believed the unhappiness she experienced was somehow bequeathed to her. The blood that surged through her veins seemed to be tainted and she often wondered about the DNA she possessed. Experiencing more than her share of misery at the hands of her mother, an alcoholic; the source of all her woes, Honey believed she’d overcome her seemingly checkered path all by herself when she met and married, Mason; a man she loves beyond her own understanding. Unfortunately, unsettling memories emerge to crack the veneer of her seemingly happy existence. Feeling unable to escape what she believed to be her destiny, Honey makes a decision that may have ruined her life. Not realizing God places people in our lives for His purpose, she reluctantly embarks upon a journey that will open her heart to a divine inheritance. Will she accept what God has already given to her or will she shun the invitation of salvation and allow her familial carnal legacy to continue to the next generation? Will she come to understand that Jesus’ blood redeemed us from a self-defeating existence because He became the sinful inheritance for us while at the same time eradicating it forever, giving us a spiritual blood transfusion that would change us all?

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

Crazily enough, I heard the premise of THE BLOOD DONE SIGNED MY NAME while in the shower, spending quiet time with God.  I asked God what my novel should be He gave me the premise.

What valuable lessons do you want readers to learn from your book?

 I want people to understand God’s love when reading THE BLOOD DONE SIGNED MY NAME. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His only son Jesus. Jesus became the sacrifice for us when He died on Calvary’s cross.  Because He died and was resurrected, He showed us the depths of the love!  We are absolved and even justified by the blood He shed for us! We can walk in freedom and liberty because of what Jesus did. A new life regardless of who you are, what you have done or what has been done to you is available! Just believe!

What’s next for you?

It is my hope to assist other Christian writers with my literary workshop for aspiring Christian writers called, “Conversations…. Writing to Reconcile”. I had the wonderful opportunity to share it regionally but would love to be afforded a venue that could allow me to do so nationally. As believers in Christ it is our mandate to reconcile others to God. Using our literary gifts is certainly one way we can accomplish that awesome task. Additionally, for all who are interested, I distribute electronically, (on-line), a monthly newsletter, M. Ann’s Literary Communiqué and prayerfully it will continue to increase in circulation. Lastly, I’ve begun my 4th novel, The SHIFT!

Where can visitors find you online?

Please feel free to visit my website and, www.mannricks.net. You may find my novels on all online literary establishments. (i.e.: www.amazon.com / www.bn.com).  For speaking engagement, Literary Dialogues and book club gatherings, please feel free to contact me directly using: Godsauthor@mannricks.net. I have an Author’s Page on Facebook:  M. Ricks Literary Creations.

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?

I have always enjoyed and had an interest in the art of writing. It was a “hidden love” for many years. Not until the pregnancy of my eldest son did I feel a need to unearth my hidden love and write. I began to simply write about the way I felt about the child growing inside of me and the love that I felt for my husband.  But thank God, only, when I resolved to reconnect with the Master and sought to draw nigh to Him, did the desire to write become stronger and strangely, to my surprise, an urgent need. I realized that this could be my way of bringing souls into the Kingdom of God. Writing and inserting the word of God can in many cases transport you into the presence of God and that’s what I would love to share with all who read my stories.

Linda, this interview is certainly a  BLESSING! Many thanks once again for affording me the opportunity to share myself and my third novel,  THE BLOOD DONE SIGNED MY NAME with your readers!

 

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