Fiction Friday | Getting to Know Annette Mace

Please Welcome Annette Mace to our blog today for Fiction Friday.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Well, I have one husband, two sons, one daughter in law, and three grandsons 😊 and we have lived in Tasmania our whole lives.

Glenn and I are approaching, this week in fact, our 32nd wedding anniversary. Our youngest son lives with us while studying at Uni to become a teacher, and our eldest son and his family live a little over an hour away. My grandsons are the most precious people in my life, I can’t get enough of them.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I’ve always loved to read, and have always leaned towards novels, but as a child I never really had a favourite author or series I followed.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and to write?

I love to read fiction, a good story with a bit of humour, floats my boat. I enjoy a couple of different genres. Having an appreciate for Christian romance/drama but also, it’s a bit out of the box, but I am also hooked on Ted Dekker’s books. Which are classed as Christian thrillers. I guess I like my books like I enjoy my chocolates, assorted.

I usually have two books on the go at a time, one fiction and one nonfiction. At this moment, fiction wise, I have Ted Dekker’s most recent release, ‘The Girl Behind the Red Rope’ and in the nonfiction category, ‘Defining Moments’ by Bill Johnson, which refers to the stories of great evangelists throughout time and their defining moment that released them to live in their God-given calling.

So far, I’ve only written one book, which is my story or testimony of the years from 2006 to 2013. I may have a devotion book in my future, God willing.

4. Did you have any favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

Thinking back, I don’t really remember reading too much as a young child. I know in high school though, I pretty much read anything I could get my hands on. Attending a Christian school, I mainly borrowed from the library any Christian novels that sounded interesting.

As an adult, in secular circles, my favourite authors would be Liane Moriarity and Cecelia Aherne. In Christian fiction, I have every book Francine Rivers has written, including her devotion book, and I also love Dee Henderson, and as I mentioned before, Ted Dekker’s books hook me in every time.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

An author is something I actually never imagined or aspired to be. It’s even hard to acknowledge it even now. It’s not so much that I never wanted to be an author, it’s just that I have an amazing story to tell that I believe needs to be shared.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I guess you could say that I came to become an author when I was prophesied over. After we had gone through a hellish period of time, I was invited to share our story on various occasions, and many people would comment, ‘you need to write a book.’ My thoughts on the matter were, ‘I’m not going to write a book until God tells me to.’ One day, I was out with a small group of women from my church for a coffee.

One woman brought along a friend who was visiting from Victoria. She’d asked me a question and I answered her, and when I’d finished, she said, “Have you ever considered writing a book?” I responded with my usual answer of, “No, I’m not going to write about our story unless God tells me to.” She then stated, “you say you won’t write a book until God tells you to, well right now, He is telling you to. As you were speaking, I saw a book coming out of your mouth. This book is a story He desires for many to read. As people read it, some will be saved, and some will be healed.” As she was saying this to me, everyone sat there very quietly, and the Lord’s words through her spoke to my spirit, and I knew from that point what I had to do.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

You know, it only occurred to me about a month ago, that I am right now living the life that I was always meant to live. I get to go around different locations, sharing our story and meeting new people, so that’s in group settings, and then I get to sit one on one with people as a Life Coach and Spiritual Mentor and get to listen to their stories and struggles. So, I guess I’m currently doing what I have been purposed to do, all the while being an author.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

Apart from reading a good book, I also love going to the cinema. I love watching a movie on the big screen while munching on popcorn. I love going for walks along the beach too. We live on the coast, so the beach is virtually at our back door. I also love family time. I love having a meal together and all sitting around our big dining table eating and laughing together.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

Well, we actually had a trip planned for this year, to visit the Greek Islands, which I’ve always wanted to do, but now with the global virus that won’t be happening, but we’ll get to do it one day. But locally, I have a place I like to call ‘my favourite place in all the world!’ I haven’t yet been to ‘all the world’ but I still stand by my claim. It’s a little location on the East Coast of Tasmania on the Freycinet Peninsular, called Coles Bay. We go there camping every summer. You have to google it. When you see it, you’ll agree with me, it’s the most beautiful place.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

Mmmm, I think maybe Brene Brown, Heidi Baker, and perhaps Oprah Winfrey.

Brene Brown, because she’s intelligent yet down to earth, wise but has a great sense of humour. She seems such a strong woman yet relatable. There’s just so much I could learn from her. I’d just want to sit and listen and gain from all she has to give.

Heidi Baker, she’s the most beautiful Holy Spirit filled individual that I kind of envy her, just a little. She carries the presence of God in her and upon her in the most loving and gentle way that it simply oozes out of her. I would just love to be near her and soak up what she has.

Oprah, well, she’s one fascinating woman, but it’s probably for more selfish reasons that I’d love to share a meal with her. She’s got limitless resources, and countless contacts, I think she’d be able to help me to release our story in a more powerful way than I could ever manage or even imagine on my own.

Finally, can you tell us about your latest release. Where can we buy the book and where can we find you on the web?

My book is, ‘It’s Official It’s a Miracle.’ A hard copy can be ordered online through our website www.setfreetosoar.com or through Facebook: facebook.com/SetFreeToSoarAU

It can also be digitally downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, google play and kindle books.