Author: M.D. Schlatter
Located in: Lebanon, Kansas
Submitted: November 06, 2019
Tell us a little about yourself. For years I have enjoyed making up stories to pass the time and losing myself in make-believe worlds where anything can happen and the ending can always be changed. In 2008 I started writing one of those stories down. When I finished it, I let a few close friends read it and was surprised by the overwhelming response that I should publish it. I looked into doing so and was thwarted by the magnitude of such a project. Therefore, when Dots House offered me assistance, I jumped at the chance.
M.D. Schlatter lives on a farm in the Center of the United States. Today, though she is busy being a wife, mother, and farmhand, she looks forward to leaving a legacy of her writing for the generations to come. Ultimately, she hopes to glorify her God and Savior with her life, her service to family and community, and her creative talents.
What was your motivation behind this project? When I started this project, I wanted to write a 'rags to riches' story. I knew I wanted to have it set in modern society, yet I loved the idea of the courtesy titles. My husband also influenced my writing by telling me that if I'm going to write a modern story, I should only write what I know. Being from Nebraska and having lived in Michigan, I decided I'd tie those two places together in my book. That is how the Seasons of the Heart Series was started.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? First, I hope each reader is encouraged to remember that every person is made in God's image and should be respected. Second, I hope that my readers remember that God has a plan. He is in control and we need to trust Him and His leading in our lives. We never know who will be impacted by our obedience. Most importantly, I hope that other than having an enjoyable book to read, that every reader will walk away knowing that Jesus Christ died on a cross for them individually and will consider their need to accept His invitation.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? In writing, re-writing, and editing this book, I was moved at the revelation that God is writing our story just as I was writing Autumn's. The parallels spoke to my heart to remember that though I am writing fiction, God is not. He truly is weaving the tapestry of circumstances and events in our lives into His greater plan. We need only trust in Him.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? Shawn Lamb, Robin Hardy, and C.S. Lewis would be my three favorite authors and who I think have influenced me the most in my writing.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: I have had many comments about the 'unbelievability' of Autumn not being 'of age' at 18. It is a factual basis that in the state of Nebraska, the legal age of majority is 19. That isn't fiction, though I did fictionalize the interpretation of that statute for the purposes of my writing. Nebraska Legislature Statute 43-2101
