On My Own by Donna Lee Schillinger

Join Donna Lee Schillinger, author of the nonfiction Christian Living book, On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free (Quilldriver, April 2009), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in April on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

About the Author:

A born and bred Texan, Donna Lee Schillinger has a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and a master’s in cultural anthropology. She served in the Peace Corps in Quito, Ecuador, and continued to work in social services for 10 years, serving several years as executive director of a homeless shelter for single, young mothers.In 2000, Donna “retired” from social work to take care of her elderly grandparents and homeschool her daughter.

She soon began The Quilldriver, a custom publisher for nonprofit organizations and traditional publisher of inspirational nonfiction books.

Award-winning editor and publisher, Donna makes her writing debut with On My Own Now: Straight Talk from the Proverbs for Young Christian Women who Want to Remain Pure, Debt-free and Regret-free.

She launched a nonprofit organization of the same name, with the mission to provide encouragement for young adults to maintain their Christian faith when they get out on their own. Visit her Web site at www.OnMyOwnNow.com.

Donna lives in rural Arkansas with her husband John and children.

About the Book:

“Freedom! Finally, life on my own!”Excited about making your mark on the world, living life on your own terms and eating ice cream for dinner if you want? Being on your own is so great, but when the decisions get a little more difficult than “Do I wash a black-and-white striped shirt with whites or colors?”, this little book will be invaluable.

On My Own Now shows you how to apply biblical wisdom of the ages to choosing everything from friends to underwear; exercising and exorcising (ooh, creepy); juggling commitments and balancing bills; taking mom and dad for all they’re worth (er, uh, we mean like taking their advice and stuff); and waiting, dating and maybe someday mating.

On My Own Now is about strengthening young women’s faith and preventing the screw-ups that can brand us for life. Donna Lee Schillinger draws on her eclectic past as a rebellious youth, Peace Corps volunteer, social worker, single mother, court mediator and executive director of a home for single young mothers.

She uses gender-reversed Proverbs with real-life applications to wave the red flag of caution for young women, warning against the pitfalls of a post-modern, sexually casual, consumer-is-king society that is indelibly scarring youth with cynicism, sexually transmitted diseases and bad credit.This compact collection of quirky vignettes is great for daily devotions, affirmations, confessions, benedictions and many other religious “tions,” all with the goal of keeping you on the yellow brick road. After all, you’re not in Kansas anymore – you’re on your own now (unless you live in Kansas, then you would still be in Kansas…).

Here's is the interview that I conducted with Ms. Schillinger:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

On My Own Now is about strengthening young women’s faith and preventing the screw-ups that can brand us for life. I draw on my eclectic past and use gender-reversed Proverbs with real-life applications to wave the red flag of caution for young women, warning against the pitfalls of a post-modern, sexually casual, consumer-is-king society that is indelibly scarring youth with cynicism, sexually transmitted diseases and bad credit.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

I had a great professional mentor in Lorraine Short, a former editor I worked under. She really taught me how to improve writing.

I borrowed the format of my book from some of the works of Dr. Robert H. Schuller. And his writings have been very encouraging to me, in the most literal sense of the word "encouraging."
Overall, though, this writing thing is a terribly lonely business. When I get the occasional pat on the back or "chin up!" I save it in a file labeled "encouraging words." Then when I get the inevitable rejection that comes with the business, I turn to that file to help me shake it off.

What are you currently working on?

My next project is editing an anthology called Purity’s Big Payoff/Premarital Sex is a Big Ripoff. The format will be a two-faced book (my new Quilldriver imprint!): on one side, the cover will read Purity’s Big Payoff. When turned over and flipped upside down, the cover will read Premarital Sex is s Big Rip-off. Think in terms of an instruction manual written in both English and Spanish, where one side is English and then the book flips upside down and other side is written in Spanish. Thus the last page of the purity book is immediately followed by the last page of the premarital sex book, but upside down, and vice versa.

Each half of the book will begin with an introduction by me. The intro to the purity book will include discussion of scriptural references to abstaining from sex outside of marriage, as well as the practical benefits of overcoming the strong cultural norm of premarital sex. Then up to 10 selected essays will follow, telling personal stories about how the essayists were victorious in this spiritual battle and have reaped practical benefits in their lives as a result. In the introduction of the premarital sex half of the book, I will tell my motivation for this project, and how important I believe it is for people who have suffered the results of secret sin to share their heartaches with young adults so that they can understand who is harmed in sex outside of marriage and what the very real ramifications of disobedience to God’s will in this area are. There will also be some discussion of the concept of recapturing one’s purity despite past sexual experience. Then up to 10 selected essays will follow, telling personal stories about how the essayists have experienced negative consequences from sex before marriage, and hopefully how God has restored the writer and even given them beauty for ashes.

I still need about three more essays on purity. Let me hear from you if the white dress on your wedding day symbolized something!

Biggest weakness?

Without a doubt my biggest weakness is a lack of interest in self-promoting and a very awkward feeling when I have to do it! I think this is hard for a lot of writer’s to stomach. I recall the day I realized that was the reality of being a published writer. I just felt like throwing in the towel.
I read in these marketing books about people who can sell the gas station attendant a book when they stop for gas. I do not have that kind of personality.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Do you have many people say the Bible? Without it, I would probably just slash my wrists with shells and then wade out in the water to become shark bait. That is, after I enjoyed the solitude for a few months! If I knew I was going to be rescued, I would probably take War and Peace. I listened to it on audio once – unabridged – 57 hours! It was awesome.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

Oh, yes. I can’t begin to tell you in a brief interview how I’ve changed. I went through a tragic loss, followed by depression, then revelation, then inspiration. That journey leaves some indelible marks on a person. To learn more, read the only book I hope never to make a penny on: Dear Hunter: Letters to My Stillborn Son, a free e-book at http://www.onmyownnow.com/downloads.html.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

I have a lot of regrets. And in the end, that’s mostly a good thing. I used to tell my friends in college that when I’m old, I want to regret the things I’ve done, not the things I didn’t do. The same is still true, but the difference is that I now have some serious regrets under my belt and I’m not so flippant about throwing that motto out there. In general, I still say, "Grab the gusto! Take chances. Do something against the odds." Now I would add the caveat to seek God’s will in the matter. And I believe God is the entity out there offering the most big risk/big reward opportunities. If God only ever wanted us to play it safe, there would have been no call for 365 variations on "Do not be afraid" in His word.

I’m glad to be able to say that I have very few regrets of things I didn’t do – most of my regrets are things I did do (fulfilling my own prophesy). I talk a lot about those regrets in On My Own Now.

It has actually taken me quite a bit of thought to come up with a regret of something I didn’t do – some "go for it!" I passed up, but here it is: I wish I had bought my wedding dress! I had one made to save money and I regretted it! Now, I’m already planning a 25th anniversary renewal of vows so I can order a wedding dress. Zensane? You be the judge.

Zensane...hmmm...I might be that every once in awhile:) Thanks so much for the great interview!

WIN PRIZES!!!

ON MY OWN NOW VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on April 1 and end on April 30. You can visit Donna's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March to find out more about this great book and talented author!As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.