Christian Author, Kay Baker, Debuts Her First Book, Sentenced to Life

Author Kay Baker currently resides in Northern California and worships at Abundant Life Fellowship church, a non-denominational Pentecostal church. She was widowed in 1999 after 34 years of marriage. She has five children and eight grandchildren.

She was incarcerated in the early 1990s for a white-collar crime. During her incarceration she went through a life-changing experience when she became a born-again Christian, received the Lord Jesus into her heart and life.  Many say that inmates go through “jail-house religion” and once they are free they go back to their old ways. However, for Kay Baker, from the day she received her salvation, she never turned back, never looked back to her life before she found Jesus.  From the day of her salvation she has dedicated her life to do what God has called all Christians to do- live a life of integrity, a life trusting in God, a life following the example of Jesus. 

Kay Baker loves to write and has written articles, essays and editorials from a very young age. She has published her first book “Sentenced to Life” which is based on a true story, her own life story. She writes about ordinary people who find salvation through extraordinary circumstances. God brought her from a very long way and through her book she wants to encourage her readers and give them new hope in Jesus. She speaks to small groups on issues which motivate and encourage her audience, that only though living a life with Christ can one find peace and love in these very troublesome times.

Tell us about the genre of your work. 

My book and books to come will be Christian fiction based on true life stories.

Why did you choose this genre?

I chose this genre because I have personally gone through a traumatic situation in my life. Only through my trust and faith in God was I able to survive and make it through the adversities I faced.  Through my book(s) and through my writings I want to encourage those who have been and are going through traumatic circumstances in their life that no matter what situation they are going through God will give them the strength and courage to make it through them all

How is writing in the genre you write, different than other genre?

Writing in this genre allows me to write from my heart and, in the case of my first book, from personal experience.  Only in this genre, Christian fiction, can I reach those who need encouragement, those who have lost hope and tell them about Jesus.

What are some of your books, stories that have been published?

I have only book that has been published so far—Sentenced to Life. 

Can you tell us more about your book?

Sentenced to Life

This book is a true life experience written in fiction form.

ISBN:  978-61739-091-3

It was released on March 22, 2011 by Barnes and Noble. 

It is available at: 

http://kaybaker.tateauthor.com  (my website)

www.barnesandnoble.com                

www.amazon.com

Synopsis: 

Kathy Williams looked every bit the part of the successful career woman. At a time when women were just emerging into high-profile jobs, she had it all—an impressive title, a wonderful husband, beautiful children, a good home. But it was all just a façade.

In reality, her salary wasn't enough to maintain her family's comfortable lifestyle, and they had to keep up with the Joneses, after all. As director of investment banking for AMA Global Investments in Manhattan, New York, she had access to clients' funds, what amounted to millions of dollars. Opportunity was in her hands; the door was wide open for financial gain. She gave in to temptation, to the devil's whisperings. Just a few dollars won't hurt. They won't even notice. They have millions of dollars in their account. They don't even know what to do with their money.

Taking a little here and a little there and moving some numbers around, Kathy was able to pad her own salary. But it wasn't long before she was caught and sentenced to eleven years in prison. Realizing how far she had fallen from grace, Kathy turned to Christ, asking forgiveness for her sins.

Sentenced to Life is Kathy's story of how she fell into temptation but was able to overcome challenges in her life and ultimately find peace and victory over her own lustful desires and misguided actions through a close relationship with Christ.

Where do you get your ideas for writing?

My book(s) are all based on true life experiences.  I choose my main characters from people who have gone through traumatic experiences and have been able to overcome their circumstances through faith and trust in Jesus.

What is your favorite thing about your book?

My favorite thing about my book that has already been published and the one I have just finished writing is that it is the story that ordinary people can relate to.  We all have heard of the stories of affluent people who have overcome addictions but these are people, who are rich and famous, have the financial resources to get “help” for their problems.  These are people who the ordinary, everyday working man cannot relate to.  My book(s) tell a different story, a story of overcoming through a life with Christ, a story which brings hope and encouragement to the ordinary person whether they are rich or poor.

Why and when did you begin writing?  Is there any one person who had a big influence on you or encouraged you to write?  

I have always loved writing.  I started writing articles, essays, editorials from a very young age. I started writing my book, Sentenced to Life, in early 2009.  I wrote this book as an evangelizing tool to bring lost souls to Christ.  One of the commands that Jesus gave all Christians is to spread the Word.  I found that I could do a better job of spreading the Word by using my God-given gift of writing.  I knew that people could relate more to a story based on real life experiences rather than one that was pure fiction.  It is categorized as fiction because I do change the names and settings of the book to protect the privacy of the characters.

There is really no one person who has been a big influence in my writing.  What has been a big influence in my life, which I want to share with others, is my own salvation and my love and faith in Jesus Christ.

What is your writing schedule?  What atmosphere do you need to write?

I submit articles for publication once a month.  I do not need a specific atmosphere to write.  Sometimes in the middle of the night a thought will come to me. I have a note pad on my night table and jot down these thoughts when they come to me.  Often times I write in cafes where there are people constantly moving around.  That kind of ambiance makes it easy for me to write because my writings are about real life people.

What projects are you working on now, or plan for the future?

The book I just finished writing, which I need to edit and then submit to my publisher, is about a woman who had gone through serious domestic violence and abuse.  My next project is about a woman who had been constantly raped.  I have already interviewed my subject and just have to create the setting for the story.

What kind of advice or tips do you have for someone who wants to write and be published?

Everyone has their own style of writing. Find your style.  Do not copy someone else’s style. Everyone’s dream is to write a bestseller.  Be prepared to promote your book after it is written and published. 

Are there any other comments, advice or tips that you would give to beginning writers?

Writing is the easy part, promoting is the more difficult part of being an author/writer and takes a lot of time and patience.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I am a member of several ministries at my church. I spend a lot of time doing volunteer work. I give motivational, encouraging talks to small groups.  I love reading, mostly fiction.

Include anything else you may wish to add.

To be a good writer one has to have a passion for what he is writing.  Without that passion words will just be words, without meaning.  The story will not flow.

What “Made It” moments have you experienced in life?

It is very gratifying personally and spiritually when I hear that someone has been saved or led to Christ through reading my book.  It is in these times that I know that I have not written in vain, that my efforts have brought someone out of a life of negative to a life of positive.

The very first time I had this kind of “Made It” moment was when a friend’s husband, who was in county jail, read my book and passed it on to others in the jail.  I got the news that 3 people received Christ because they read my book. It is very humbling that God used my book to bring these 3 people to Him.

Note from Sylvia: You can visit my other blog at: http://love-faith-and-guts.blogspot.com/that features a preview to my new book, Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts.