Cindy: Tell us about the time that you quit just after getting started.

Glenys: I’m so glad you asked about that! It was way back in 2010, and I was busy writing Love Letters from God: Bible Stories. (It would become my first book and point the way to many more, but I didn’t know it back then.) 

I began with great gusto, rising early every morning, eager to pour out my thoughts on the page. I remember really feeling that God’s Holy Spirit was holding my pen and writing for me. 

However, one day I stopped. That old friend, Discouragement, came visiting, tapping me on the shoulder and whispering lies, like You’re not good enough. You’ll never get published. You’re wasting your time. (I’m sure, if you’re a writer, you’ve had that same visitor too.) 

I quit. I was halfway through and I quit. 

But one day, several months later, my husband asked me “Why did you quit? What would have happened if Noah had only built half a boat?”

That not only made me laugh but also gave me the encouragement I needed. God, as great and omnipotent and mighty as God is, could not help me publish half a book. 

And so, I finished the manuscript, and four years later, my first book hit the shelves. If you’d like to read the whole story, it’s here. (And incidentally, that silly comment by my husband led to THIS book, publishing in April 2027, my first attempt at a humorous Christian picture book.)

Cindy: When you started out as a writer, you had a focused goal to get your first manuscript into the hands of Zondervan. How did you achieve this?

Glenys: I knew there were only two ways to publish that first book: either via an agent or to attend a Writers Conference. I chose the latter. 

To begin with, I thoroughly researched all the steps I would need to take to pitch my book at a conference: getting my manuscript professionally edited (thank you Crystal Bowman!), writing a proposal, and making a mock-up. (I had to do that because the original book had real love letters from God attached to each page in a lift-the-flap envelope, and so it was important to provide a visual for the editor.) 

When I’d done all those things, I then researched Christian Writers Conferences to find one that an editor from Zonderkidz was attending. I registered, signed up for a one-on-one ten-minute slot with that editor, practiced my pitch over and over, secured an endorsement from Crystal Bowman… and all those steps are what got my foot in the door. (I still don’t have an agent.) 

When you ask, "what didn’t work," my answer to that would be… giving up. The only sure way NOT to be published is to give up. Don’t do that. 

Cindy: How do you seek God’s direction for your writing, and how has He directed you?

Glenys: I pray… a lot! (And I walk!) I feel closest to God when I’m outdoors, and so if I’m ever stuck, I take a long walk and I pray as I go. Without God, I would have no words to write.

Cindy: How did this first book launch your career?

Glenys: Love Letters from God: Bible Stories became a series of four titles. Then I began writing rhyming board books and it wasn’t long before the Snuggle Time series, all published by Zonderkidz, was born. (Later on, when my name was established, I was able to secure contracts with Paraclete Press, who publish my Bedtime Blessings series, and Beaming Books, who publish my Little Mole series.)

Cindy: How did your first book, Love Letters from God, evolve into a series?

Glenys: Any time an author has an idea for a series, that is a great thing, but its success really depends on the sale of your first book. Love Letters from God: Bible Stories was actually inspired by a book called The Jolly Postman, which was my children’s favorite story. It’s a fantastic tale about a postman riding his bike delivering letters to Nursery Rhyme characters. The innovative feature in this book is that it contains real letters in real envelopes.

The second release in that series was The Jolly Christmas Postman, and so right from the start, I knew that if the original Love Letters from God book was successful, (which it was) I was going to write Christmas Love Letters from God. Then it was only natural to follow that with Easter Love Letters from God, and Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart, a book that contains fourteen stories of women and girls in the Bible. (Incidentally, the Love Letters from God Devotional releases in November, so I’m excited about that!)

Cindy: How did you get the idea for your Bedtime Blessings series?

Glenys: The idea for my Bedtime Blessings series was inspired by my grandchildren. Ever since they were small, I've been saying a blessing over them at bedtime. I look into their eyes, gently trace a heart on their forehead and say their name. For Colette, my youngest grandchild, I say: "Colette, you are a blessing and I love you." The sweetest thing is that she then returns the blessing to me. (Incidentally, Colette is now ten, but she still asks me for her blessing at bedtime!) 

The three books in this series are written in rhyme, and explore God’s peace, love and care. God’s Perfect Peace features woodland animals. God’s Great Love features jungle-themed creatures, and God’s Gentle Care contains barnyard animals. Each book closes with four blessings that can be personalized for your child (including the one I say over Colette.)

Cindy: Why is important to bless our little ones?

Glenys: The idea of blessing our children is a beautiful and powerful theme running throughout the Bible. The patriarchs of the Old Testament spoke words of blessing over their sons, and Jesus himself took the children in his arms and blessed them. Words are powerful. Who knows the power of a child hearing words of affirmation spoken over them every single night?

Cindy: Why is this latest one so special to you? 

Glenys: God’s Gentle Care is written from my heart. I believe that our great God cares for me every moment of the day or night, holds me tight and loves me with a love I cannot understand or measure. What an important truth for little ones to know!

Cindy: Why do you believe children's books matter in God's kingdom?

Glenys: Sharing stories of God’s love is a wonderful way to sow seeds of faith in little hearts. When we snuggle together to read a story, love is present. When we share a story of faith, God is present too.

Cindy: What unique opportunities do children's writers have that writers for adults may not?

Glenys: Children are in their formative years, when what they see, hear, and feel helps form who they are becoming and the people they will grow up to be. Therefore, when we write for children, we have the enormous privilege of shaping their lives, touching their hearts and helping, in some small way, to mold who they will become. What a tremendous blessing that is!

Cindy: What do you wish more Christian writers understood about writing for children?

Glenys: That our words truly are powerful. Our words have the power to heal, but they also have the power to harm. We cannot write flippantly or half-heartedly or carelessly about such important things. What we write we truly need to believe. And all our words should be covered in prayer and guidance from God. 

Cindy: Looking back, what themes do you see God consistently weaving throughout your books?

Glenys: Overwhelmingly, I write about a God of love. To me, there is no lesson about God as important as that. God’s great love, and the fact that NOTHING can separate us from it, is the thread that runs through all my books. 

Cindy: How has your writing evolved since your first published book?

Glenys: I have grown so much in my writing journey. I never truly realized, when I first began writing, the power I had to touch a child’s heart. Over the years, it has become increasingly important to me not to scare a child (by including overt details about Jesus’ crucifixion, for example); not to dwell on topics such as sin or shame (because I have met so many people who have turned away from church in their adult lives) but instead to focus on that God of love who called me by name and gave me the gift of writing.

Cindy: If you could sit down with the Glenys who was just starting out, what would you tell her?

Glenys: Not to quit on that half-finished first book!

Cindy: What would you say to the writer who feels called by God but hasn't seen results yet?

Glenys: Just don’t give up! Remember Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.

Cindy: What legacy do you hope to leave for the next generation of Christian children's writers?

Glenys: I hope to inspire writers who come after me to pray, to pursue their God-given talents, and most of all to remember the enormous privilege they have as seed-sowers of God’s great love.

GIVEAWAY!

Paraclete Press is giving away a copy of one of Glenys Nellist's books. To enter, leave a comment on this post by August 6th.

Cindy is a children’s author and interactive story adventure specialist. She is the founder of Designed2Glow, an engaging resource designed to help adults build better futures for kids through interactive story adventures. Her debut picture book, The Wonder of Under, debuted in February 2024 and was on the #1 New Release spot for a children’s concept book category on Amazon for three weeks. She has written for publications, such as Clubhouse and Clubhouse, Jr. magazines, and is currently working with a writing coach on her first mid-grade novel, Almost a Ghost.

When she’s not spinning tales, she’s rocking it as a professional marketing strategist, blending design and content to engage audiences. She delights in uncovering hidden gems while traveling with her husband, throwing epic-themed family events, and making magical memories with her grandkids.

WEBSITE: designed2glow.com
STEP INTO STORY BLOG: designed2glow.com/blog
NEWSLETTER: Join the Adventure
FACEBOOK: KitLitWriter
INSTAGRAM: @designed2glow + @graysoninvisiblephillips