PenWorks of the Word | Featured Author | Demi (D.M.) Griffin

 

Greetings, 

Today, I have the privilege of introducing Demi (D.M.) Griffin, a good friend to all writers she comes in contact with. You may not know this, but both of us write in multiple genres. To be truthful with you, that fact is kind of where the idea for the PenWorks of the Word Blog Tour came from.  

But we are here to learn more about her today, aren't we? Demi's stories are phenomenal. She is a multi-award-winning author who shows a lot of passion for what she does. It doesn't stop there either. Demi also runs a beautiful writing ministry called Devoted Steps, but I will let her tell you more about what she does and how God is keeping her in step with the Spirit. 

Don't forget, we still have a huge KingSumo Giveaway taking place until 11/1. We are gifting 18 books in some form or another, and we are loving every minute of it. Spread the word and share these posts. 

See you in the 'digital' pages. 

M.J.E. 

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For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works. Hebrews 4:12 & 10:24, WEB

DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS

A little about me: Demi or D.M. Griffin... For me, writing has been a gift that keeps me in step with the Spirit. Every book, each character, and the biblical themes knit my heart together in fresh new ways. I hope that my readers enjoy the same experience when they enter the stories with me. A book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights me more than sharing a story.

As a multi-award-winning author, I have been extremely blessed throughout the journey. I write in several genres, which can be challenging but also exciting. The majority of my books are Biblical Fiction, but I also write Fantasy, Romantasy, and Historical Fiction from a Christian worldview. One of the reasons I thoroughly enjoy fiction is that it offers readers access to the depths of the soul we might otherwise ignore. When we read a novel, we suspend disbelief, drop our defenses, and enter the world of imagination that can shine a unique light on Scriptural truth. 

I am a creature of habit who thrives on predictability. That being said, one of my novels, Winds of Ruach, fell outside my comfort zone. If you have ever heard the phrase “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans,” you get the idea. I was deep in the throes of researching and writing a twelve-book series on the disciples of Jesus. My schedule was set. The routine was fixed. I had spent two years dedicated to The Follower Series. In between writing the first draft of book seven and editing book one, I was divinely halted. I didn’t exactly hit a block, so to speak. Instead, I was inspiringly diverted. It frustrated me for a short time.

Looking back on it now, I realize it was a blessing in disguise. At the time, my daily Bible reading took me through the book of Jonah. Jonah 4:4 snagged my attention like a burr clinging to a pant leg. “Is it right for you to be angry?”

That single phrase snared my heart with a compulsion to self-reflect. That meditation took me to places I had not been before. I followed the thread of anger woven throughout my life. Not the anger that manifests itself in hot, fiery outbursts, but the hidden, silent anger that can turn into deadly pride or unrecognizable prejudice.

Anger wears many disguises. Some of those manifest in loneliness and grief. I began wondering what might have happened in Jonah’s life to make him, a man of God, so angry that he would directly and blatantly disobey the Lord. The first short story was the beginning of a five-month diversion in my predetermined writing schedule.

Other verses inspired me as I walked the landscape of Scripture through the books of the minor prophets. Alongside Nahum, I pondered how tragedy affects the trajectory of a life. Walking with Habakkuk, I explored the difference between authentic worship and disingenuous faith. Obadiah is a short and sweet book of the Bible, but it packs a punch. The theme of the resulting short story pulsed around claiming one’s true identity as a child of God.

Finally, Malachi wove the final thread into the fabric of this short-story collection, which is ultimately about the Spirit of God moving through history to accomplish His will and purpose. Malachi’s narrative focused on knowing when to remain silent and when to ask questions of God. As I wrote Winds of Ruach, I thought about the importance of destiny and promise. In turn, that altered the course of my writing for the future, leaving me open to exploring other genres.

Some of my early readers asked me which prophet I liked the most. The only honest way to address that question is to admit that my answer shifts with whatever book I’m currently absorbed in. I was greatly blessed while writing Winds of Ruach, drawing out Biblical themes I had never noticed before.

These five prophets are near and dear to my heart. Truly, the imagination is a gift from God. And yes, I did go back to the 'routine' in writing. It took three and a half years (half a year over my schedule), but the series I was working on prior to writing Winds of Ruach reached completion. God is good even in the distractions.

Since then, I have been on a regular writing schedule, exploring new genres. This month marks the anniversary of the completion of The Encounter Series, a Biblical Fiction series based on four unnamed women of the Bible who had a single encounter with Jesus. Writing Biblical allegory in my fantasy series, The Illumination Chronicles, was both inspirational and challenging as one book turned into eleven. 

One of the things I love about fiction is the power of story to connect to deep, hidden parts of our hearts as we relate to characters who become friends. This is as true for the writer as for the reader. Next year, I have a Romantasy trilogy releasing along with one Biblical fiction novel.

When those divine interruptions happen to us, we can be frustrated, or flexible enough to let God lead us along paths we never could have imagined. I have the next four years ‘planned’ out as far as my writing goes, but I am always open to those divine interruptions that may show me something I wouldn’t want to miss on the journey.

~~~

D.M. (Demi) Griffin writes Biblical Fiction, Fantasy, and Historical Fiction. She has written over thirty novels and won multiple awards.

Stay connected: http://linktr.ee/devotedsteps