Bette answers some of her most frequently asked questions:

After reading Serenity Bay, I have to wonder, is that your own story? How did you get interested in the subject of Domestic Violence?

No, Serenity Bay isn’t my story. I’ve never been involved in a violent relationship, either with my husband, or my parents. But at the time that story came to be, a good friend of mine lived in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Two summers before I wrote Serenity, a family physician in that tiny town killed his three daughters and himself and the story made national headlines. That little ocean front town was absolutely devastated. Until after it happened, they had no idea that he had been a violent husband, or that his wife had left him because of it. They never suspected a thing; and their astonishment was directed at both his horrible last deed and his complete deception. How could such a monster live among them without their recognizing his evil nature?

My friend told me about how the Presbyterian Church in the town reached out to the grieving mother. And I couldn’t help but see how God had used that terrible event to draw others to himself. Though God hadn’t created the event, he would not be hindered by it.

At the same time, I attended a weekend seminar for families living with domestic violence. And, I had another close friend whose husband had been violent. It seemed that everywhere I turned, the subject confronted me. I wanted to understand two things: What kind of woman would get into a situation like that? And why didn’t she just leave?

As I tried to find the answers, Serenity Bay was born. For me, writing is my way of working out the answers to questions I can’t escape.

So, what about Pacific Hope?

Another no on that one! My husband of twenty-eight years has been incredibly faithful.

The story of Pacific Hope came from a stray comment my brother made when he showed me the pictures of his cross-Pacific sailboat trip. I’d asked him about traveling alone for so long with his wife, Cindy. He said, “Cindy was such a great first mate. I trusted her completely.” That one comment rolled around in my mind for a long time, and I began to wonder, what would happen if you had to sail with someone you didn’t trust? And voila, a story was born!

How much research do you have to do for your work?

Research is the most fun part of my job. I do as much as I need to in order to understand the subject involved.  For Pacific Hope, I learned to sail, taking sailing classes on Puget Sound until I’m now qualified to test for renting a twenty-seven foot boat on day excursions. That’s the best kind of research. But I’ve also flown with the civil air patrol during search and rescue training, and ridden in a toboggan after avalanche training, and visited a “hideaway” for victims of Domestic Violence. I’ve been trained to serve on a care team for AIDS patients, and visited the half-way house for those living with the disease.

The director of Air Search and Rescue for Washington State liked Thin Air so much that he made it required reading for all of his new volunteers! And the woman who ran the domestic violence shelter had a bet going among her staff to see if the character in Serenity Bay was real or imaginary. Most of her staff lost the bet!

It makes me very happy when those who help me think I’ve done a good job portraying their subjects!

How long did it take before you published your first book?

My first work was a biography for Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center. They planned to publish it for the fiftieth anniversary of the Conference Center. It was a project God directed, and for that reason, I feel privileged to have taken part. I learned so much from the editors who helped me, and I’m a much better writer for the process. 

It took six years to write that first book, which was published in 1996. After that, it took several years to find another project that I could sell to a mainstream publisher. The route from writer to publisher is a long and arduous journey. I think you must know you are called in order to survive the journey!

How much do you write every day?

I consider myself a full time writer, though I don’t write for eight hours every day. I sit down after my morning walk, and continue writing for about four solid, uninterrupted hours. In that time, I hope to finish five good pages. Sometimes I write more. I think the record for my personal best is eleven pages! After that much writing, I’m shot. So, I have lunch and rest. In the afternoon, I do the busy work that accompanies writing – talking to editors, answering my email, working on promotion and so on.

What drives you? What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

The word that drives me is INFLUENCE. I hope that my work influences believers to think in new and different ways about the things they observe in the world around them. Though I would never contradict the Word of God, I see us believers as so emeshed in our own sub-culture that we no longer understand or have compassion for those in our world. We seem to be driven by fear, viewing all outsiders as enemies, rather than potential believers. The people around us are not the enemy! They are nothing more than prisoners of war!

I want my writing to build a bridge between believers and their world. Then I hope believers are enabled to cross the bridge to reach the world around them.

(This question came from a class I taught at a writing seminar) Who cooks for you?

The audience laughed at that question! I’d just finished a seminar on writing efficiency, and it looked to them as though I had to have domestic help. I don’t. Let me assure you: My house is a mess, my sink is full of dirty dishes and I can barely cook. I struggle every day with the same problems all of you face. My family has conflict. My kids are too busy. I can’t keep up with everything everyone expects of me. I want a magazine layout family room, but I live with real people! One thing I have learned: It doesn’t all have to be done. The dishes can be just as done before dinnertime (when you do them at four-thirty in the afternoon)– as they are when you do them three times during the day.  The rugs do well with one vacuuming a week. Sheets don’t have to be changed every Saturday. (Sorry mom!)

The world wants us to look like Jennifer Anniston, to write like Toni Morrison, to be as domestic as Martha Stewart. But that isn’t what God expects. The trick to the whole thing is to find out what HE wants you to do, and concentrate on that. As for the rest of the world’s expectations, let them go! They will drive you nuts if you let them. And when it is all over, the only question that matters will be the one Jesus asks. “What did you do with what I gave you?”

For some of you, He gave you children. They need you now. For others, he gave you ministry. It needs your focus. To others, he gave a needy family member. That should be your emphasis. Find your satisfaction in doing what he has called to do – and let the rest of it go!

What does your family think of your work?

In a crazy sort of way, my husband Kim is proud of me. He suggests ways to put my work out into the public eye. He gets hair-brained promotional ideas. But Kim isn’t a reader. He doesn’t especially value books. Still, it tickles him to talk to people who have enjoyed my work.

The kids have varied responses. Maggie reads everything I write, sometimes more than once. Eric reads out of obligation, I think, and gives very serious feedback. The other two really aren’t too impressed. When people say something about being the famous author, I remember that my kids still call me “mom.”

Why are so many writers also speakers? What makes you want to speak to groups?

The short answer is that seminar teachers tell writers that we ought to speak in order to promote our work. There are fifty thousand new titles published every year. Speaking is a valuable part of promotion. Still, not all writers are accomplished speakers. Many of us are terribly shy. Some of us hate being up in front of an audience.

I’m quite the opposite. I love meeting with people. I love shaking hands with those people I was born to serve. It gives me energy to be with an audience, and I love to share the things that God has shown me. I don’t assume that my ideas are especially unique or completely correct. I simply share my perspective as I struggle with the same issues that all believers have in common.

Being an immensely practical person, I want tools that can help me succeed, or overcome. When I find them, and they work, I’m excited to help make someone else’s journey a little easier.

Most of all, I know how hard it is to run a long and lonely race. I love finding ways to encourage my brothers and sisters in their race. We can finish. And we can finish well!

Where did you get the idea for The Guidebook for New Believers?

I was reading the Christian Book Distributor Catalogue while sitting in the bathtub one evening, recovering from a long day of work. And, when I got to the section for new believers, I realized that every book in the catalogue required the reader approach their new faith with the same diligence as I approached my first chemistry class. Read the book. Look up the answers. Fill in the blanks. Study. Memorize. Work. There was nothing else available for new believers.

And I got to thinking about the folks I’d worked with over the years. Baggage handlers. High school drop outs. Ex- drug addicts. With these new believers, I’d used the standard schoolbook approach. And I’d failed. Many had dropped out of the process, opting out of relationship with the church at the same time. They seemed discouraged, tired, unable to complete the course.

And I got to thinking that these folks needed something that would accommodate their learning style as well. Not every new believer can approach their faith with the same diligence as a college level course. But every believer should have the opportunity to grow. So, The Guidebook was born.

What advice would you give the new writer?

Stop thinking about being published, and focus on becoming the best writer you can become.  This will ease some of the pressure and anxiety you feel about your work.

Then, visit my section titled, “For Writers Only.” There, you’ll find other valuable links and suggestions – use them, talk to other writers, join a critique group. If God has called you, no one can stop you! Publishing will happen in due time, and the timing belongs to the Lord!