Meet the Author Erynn Sprouse

I must admit it excites me every time I get a new meet the author interview in my email inbox. I love getting to know all these wonderful writers, and I hope that you enjoy getting to know them, too. Erynn Sprouse is an author who should be no stranger to you if you follow Come Fill Your Cup and their Finer Grounds Series. If you would, help me welcome her to Church of Christ Women Authors!

--Susan

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I have always wanted to be a writer, but growing up I never would have dreamed I'd be writing about the Bible. Hebrews is such an amazing book, though, and I wanted to share its insights and empowerment, so when Kristy Huntsman asked if I'd like to do one of the Finer Grounds studies for Come Fill Your Cup, I was glad for the opportunity.

How long does it take you to write a book?
Perfected took about eight months to write.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
With homeschooling and little kiddos, it's nearly impossible for me to get any writing done at home. I'm sure there are a bunch of mommies who can relate; if I actually manage to get focused, it only lasts a moment before something needs my attention. So whenever I'm working on a study (like Perfected or for a ladies retreat, etc.), my sweet husband takes care of the kiddos for a several hours while I go off to a coffee shop and work there, headphones in, caffeine fuel at the ready. He does that for me sometimes multiple times in a week as my deadline nears.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?
I've noticed that I tend to group descriptors in threes. A sentence seems incomplete, unbalanced, and even cold with only one or two adjectives. ;o)

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
One of the things I love best about the Bible is its self-sufficiency. With work, you can understand it better than most commentators by using the Bible to interpret the Bible. That said, study tools and sound commentaries can be useful. I use a Bible study tools program called Logos and find it invaluable. I also appreciate the Truth for Today commentary series and the notes made available by Workshop in the Word.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
With six kiddos, there is never a dull moment. We love to be out in nature together camping, hiking, picnicking, just enjoying each other. I like to knit and crochet, though I tend to leave the yarn for the colder months.

What would you tell other Christian women who want to write?
Try it! Write an article and send it to Come Fill Your Cup (submissions@comefillyourcup.com). It's worth a shot. The more you try, the better you'll get.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I've only written the one book so far, so it's my favorite! I'm looking forward to writing a book on the Psalms, though. Studying for that book will be great!

Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
They say good writers are readers, and I think it's true. For Bible studies, the more you're in the word, the better your work will become.

What do you like to read? 
I love to learn about history, so my favorite books are biographies and historic fictions. I also enjoy utopia/dystopia stories; no one can really invent a utopia, so it makes Heaven that much more exciting to look forward to.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I wanted to be a writer, but more than that I wanted to be an astronaut... until I learned how much math was involved! I never did like math much.

Fun fact.
The year I turned 18 was a big year for me. I became a Christian in February, got engaged in April, turned 18 in May and got married in August!