Today we’d like to introduce you to Tama Fortner.
Hi Tama, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I suppose my start as a writer happened around the time I was eight years old. It was then that I discovered (thank you, Jo, from <i>Little Women</i>) that there were actual people writing all these books I loved. And perhaps, just perhaps, I could be one of them.
Inspired by Jo’s attic writing space, I set up my own space in the back of my closet, complete with cardboard desk, pens and paper, and a tiny lamp whose cord trailed out the closet and across the floor to the not-so-near, nearest plug.
Fast forward through college, and I landed a job at a small children’s publisher in Nashville. From there, I went on to work as an editor at Thomas Nelson. When home and children beckoned, I decided to step out onto the shaky branch of freelancing—first as an editor, then as a ghostwriter and collaborator working with some of the biggest names in Christian publishing, including the million-selling <i>Indescribable</i> and <i>Jesus Calling for Kids</i> brands. And now, I’m writing books of my own. It’s been a few years since I first set up that cardboard desk—with over sixty-five books to my credit—yet I have never tired of the clickety-clack creations of the keyboard.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Is there ever a truly smooth road?
I always have to chuckle a bit to myself when asked these sorts of questions, often by people dreaming of being a writer themselves. Because when I sum up my career in a paragraph or two, it does sound so easy and smooth, doesn’t it?
The reality is decades of work. Often scribbling notes in the quiet-just-for-a-minute moments of naptime or in carpool lines or at a soccer practice. There were the late nights and early mornings of rushing to meet a deadline while the rest of the house slept. And then there were the “invisible” years of ghostwriting while proving myself to editors and publishers. Even now, when my kids are grown, I find myself juggling the keyboard and a puppy or two, who seem to be convinced that my desk is the perfect napping spot. (An “obstacle” I don’t mind too much!)
“The road” has definitely had its twists and turns, along with the occasional pothole. But through it all, God made a way, offering up opportunities I could never have managed on my own and inspiring me with a wonder of words that has never left me, just as He has never left me to face this journey alone.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a full-time writer, I spend my days working with words. As with most creatives, I suspect, it’s simple and complicated and messy and beautiful all at the same time.
And I absolutely love it. (Ninety-nine percent of the time.)
For now, at least, I specialize in writing both children’s books and Christian nonfiction—particularly devotionals—for all ages. Working in the two different genres gives both sides of my brain a chance to play! I’ve also recently started tinkering around with fiction for kids, which is so fun. All of my other writing requires factchecking and research and being precise with information. With fiction, however, I can just make stuff up! Librarian mouse? Why not! Karate-chopping grandma? Yes, please! I don’t know if these stories will go anywhere beyond my laptop, but I’m having a blast with them.
As for what sets my writing apart, I know what I hope it is. For my devotionals, my goal is to make readers feel as if they’re having a conversation with a friend. Real and relatable; sometimes humorous and sometimes touching and thought-provoking; always pointing back to God. When I’m writing for children, I want to fill them with a sense of wonder in the world around them and in the One who created both it and them.
Over the years, I’ve won some awards and made some bestseller lists, and those are fabulous. But my true treasures? Those are the emails and letters from readers telling me that something I wrote helped them pray when they didn’t think they could, or gave their child a fresh sense of wonder, or reminded them that God really is with them in both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life.
One thing I’m a little extra excited about these days is a new book I have releasing in September with Zonderkidz. It’s a big bucket list item for me . . . a hardcover, jacketed, full-color children’s book. (Can you hear my squeals of excitement? It’s been in the works for about two years now, but I’m still happy dancing over it!) The title is <i>Serah and the First Christmas: A Story of Being Seen and Loved</i>. As you might guess, it tells the story of that long ago first Christmas. But more than that, it encourages readers to take the truths of that story and let them change how they see and love others.
Because, at the heart of it, that’s what I want my writing to always be about. Sharing the truths of the God’s Word, yes, but also encouraging readers to allow those truths to shape and change their lives.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
<i>Listening</i>.
To be a writer, listening is essential. And it comes in all shapes and sizes.
Oftentimes, it’s listening to the world and people around me, letting what is said—and unsaid—soak in and become a story all its own. Other times, it’s listening to the wants and wishes of editors who have a story they want told. And then there’s the listening that happens in the stillness, whether it’s words collected on a quiet walk or being awakened in the night by the “noise” of a writer’s block tumbling down.
Because for me, writing is more than scratching out words on paper or typing them onto a computer screen. It’s listening to those words and how they want to be woven together—and delighting at the sound of them when they blend into a music all their own. Sounds a bit mysterious, doesn’t it? I suppose it is. A mystery I’m so grateful God has given me to spend my days unraveling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tamafortner.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamafortnerbooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamaFortnerBooks
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamafortner/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tamafortnerbooks
