When I read “Uplifting stories of light and hope,” the article written by Penny Woods in the April 2023 edition of Kentucky Living magazine, I sighed with relief. Thanks to her positive review of Every Window Filled with Light and Every Day Filled with Hope, the E-book versions of both books remained on Amazon’s top 100 list in the category of Women’s Religious Fiction last week. In addition, the paperback version of Every Window Filled with Light also bounced up and down repeatedly into Amazon’s top 100 in the category of Contemporary Christian Fiction. Seeing my name listed on the same page with Charles Martin, Karen Kingsbury, and Beth Moore, even for only a few days, was thrilling.

I can’t take credit for the increase in popularity of my novels because I’m like Gideon, the least of my tribe, trying to push a massive boulder up a mountain. I’m a new author. My publisher is small. I have a tiny marketing budget. Since March 2021, when my first novel was released, I’ve worked hard to promote my work, but I was out of ideas. I prayed to God, I’m going to work on the next story you’ve given me. If there’s something else to be done to promote the first two Weldon novels, you’ll have to do it. And a few days later, on Christmas Eve, I opened an email from Penny Woods, who writes reviews for Kentucky Living Magazine, which is distributed to more than 1,000,000 households in Kentucky.

I have no idea how Penny Woods discovered my books, but I consider her article a gift from God. After all, He also gifted me with the stories. To Him be all the glory. Being a finalist for a Selah award for both books is due to His hand on the projects. The Selah Award winners for this year will be announced on May 30, 2023.

A friend said she thought the article written by Penny Woods was excellent because it sparks interest but doesn’t give away the stories. I love that Ms. Woods included, “Writing characters who openly and honestly reveal their flaws is important to Stovall” At book clubs, readers often tell me one of the things they like best about my novels is that my characters are not the typical perfect Christian. So many readers ignore Christian Fiction because they feel the characters are too goody-goody.

If you’d like to read the entire article in Kentucky Living, click on the picture of the magazine above or this link:  https://www.kentuckyliving.com/lifestyle/uplifting-stories-of-light-and-hope

I am so thankful to God for how he continues to help me, every day, in every aspect of my life. God is so good to me.

If you’d like to buy Every Window Filled with Light, click on the book jacket. If you’d like to buy Every Day Filled with Hope, click on the book jacket. I’m currently working with an actor who is recording the audiobooks which I hope will be released this year.

All for Him!

Shelia