DON’T MISS A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF The Homeschooler’s Book of Lists. Read the entire interview for further details!

sonya-haskinsSonya, describe yourself for our visitors.

I had to laugh after I read this question. I don’t have any hobbies at all except for writing. Now I love to do many things – try to teach myself to play musical instruments, hike, play with the children, scrapbook, etc., but the problem is that in reality right now I only have time for one hobby and so I do what I enjoy and also feel called to do – write. If I ever do have any spare time, I greatly enjoy reading!

As far as music, I drive my family crazy, but I tend to get focused on a few songs. Right now every morning I listen to a couple of songs from Amy Grant’s Christmas album and also two songs from the new Point of Grace CD. The words in the Point of Grace songs remind me each morning before I go about my daily activities that I have been called and it is my choice about how to live – focused on God and others or not. I want to live my life focused on God, my family, and others and these songs help me start the day with this attitude.

As far as ministries, I focus a lot of my time on homeschoolers in our community – helping new families get started, giving them books, providing advice, setting up activities, etc. I also love children and many parents know that they can trust my family with their little ones. I consider this a ministry as well since situations arise when parents need to leave their children for whatever reason.

My husband and children and I are always willing to take care of these little ones. I also do public speaking and meet a LOT of people in the community. I enjoy using each and every meeting as an opportunity for ministry by telling others about Jesus Christ.

How do you find time to connect with God?

We began going to a new church last year – the Johnson City Alliance Church – and the pastor and people in this congregation really seek God. They worship Him and praise Him and seek Him. I greatly enjoy going to Sunday school and church and truly connect with God when I’m there. Also, I go to a couple of local restaurants a lot to work and I usually take my Bible with me. Not only does this give me a chance to read my Bible and listen to God, but frequently people come over and ask me what I’m doing so I can then share the gospel with them as well. Other than that, I do Bible study with the children during read aloud time and I feel like God speaks to me through those Bible study times as much as he speaks to the children. God is so amazing!

Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?

I LOVE to read and I do this as much as time allows! Much of my reading time is spent reading aloud to the children. I particularly enjoy juvenile non-fiction. My favorite authors are Russell Freedman, Jim Murphy, and Augusta Stevenson. I recently read The Pawn, by Steven James, and it was excellent! It’s an adult fiction book about a serial killer, but it was published by Baker – a Christian publisher – so it has all the drama and excitement and a terrific story line, but it does not have sexual content, curse words, etc. There is to be a whole series and I look forward to reading the others.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

When I was young, I spent a lot of time writing in my diary and writing stories for my friends. I was co-editor of the newspaper in high school and then I wrote for our college newspaper as well. I worked for a local county paper in college and after graduation. Ten I worked at several other jobs where I helped with company newsletters, brochures, etc. Chris and I married after college and then I had Sarah a couple of years later. At that time I knew I still wanted to write so I began seeking magazine article assignments. I continue to write magazine articles and greatly enjoy writing them! I share all this because sometimes people will say, “I am going to write a book” or “I want to be published,” yet they have never even written a letter to the editor or a simple essay. You wouldn’t want someone operating on you who hasn’t at least taken some courses in medicine. In the same way, anyone can write and everyone should write, but this doesn’t mean everyone’s writing will be published. If God has called you to write, learn as much as you can, practice with all sorts of different writing styles, read lots of great writing, and above all – write as much as you can find time to write!

Anyway, that was my mini-lecture. Back to my journey… When I was pregnant with our last child, I almost died. The doctors, my family, and I really didn’t think I was going to make it. I was in the hospital two months and in and out for the next year, had a round of chemo, and basically was miserable. I still have pain from the complications. During all this, my husband encouraged me to begin writing again because I wouldn’t write while I was sick. I was so depressed and in pain and my mind was foggy from the medication and I couldn’t organize my thoughts well. Finally, despite the pain, I guess I just realized that I was not yet dead and God had given me a gift that I should use. I told the Lord I would use this gift for as long as he has me remaining here on earth – whether that was one more day or 50 years. The next year, the Lord opened the door for my first two books to be published. The Homeschooler’s Book of Lists is my seventh book. All this has happened in the past four years. Again, we serve a mighty God!

homeschoolers Tell us about your current book.

This book was created because after we began homeschooling many years ago, I thought it would be really GREAT to have all the things I needed for school in one place right when I needed it. I compiled lists that contain information that answer questions commonly asked by kids in regards to the academic material studied in grades K-8. Then, I went through all the different subjects and put in lists of things the kids might not know to ask about, but that they should really know the answers to. Now, the book can be used as reference if you need to answer questions while you’re doing schoolwork; it can be used as a resource for parents who want to make copies of lists to supplement students’ books; the lists in the book can be used as memorization tools. One handy feature that a lot of people are unaware of is the CD in the back of the book. Parents can use the search feature on the CD to find lists on particular topics and they can also use it to print out lists.

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

I had been compiling list ideas for a couple of years. I also met with other homeschool moms who submitted many of the best list ideas in the book. I am always open to ideas from others.

List your most recent books.

  • The Homeschooler’s Book of Lists (October 2007)
  • Knoxville Zoo (2007)
  • Bristol Motor Speedway (2006)
  • Soddy-Daisy (2006)
  • Bristol (2005)
  • Johnson City (2005)
  • Jonesborough (2005)

What’s next for you?

I will see what doors the Lord opens, but I am working on a foreign language book for elementary age children and also a book about homeschool support groups.

Where can visitors find you online?

www.sonyahaskins.com www.homeschoolblogger.com/homemakerscottage

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