Q & A with Author Leah Meahl

Please welcome my friend, and fellow author, Leah Meahl to the blog. Leah and I met last year through blogging, and connected immediately because of our shared faith. She has been very kind and supportive of my writing, and even invited me to contribute as a guest on her blog. 

Leah is a talented, accomplished writer with two books to her name. Her first book, The Threshold, debuted last year. Students at North Greenville University turned Leah’s book, The Threshold, into a film. How cool is that! It’s a powerful story. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/VW1rRDSF9gk  Leah makes a cameo in the opening scene. 

Her new book, Pebbles: 31 days of faith-enriching parables, releases September 25th on Amazon. Please go to her website to find out more about her books and blog. I’m going to stop talking, and let Leah tell you about her new book. Without further ado, the talented, kind, lovely, Jesus loving author, Leah Meahl! It’s a pleasure to have you on my blog. Thanks for sharing with us. Take it away, Leah.

Thank you, Meghan for having me on your wonderful blog! I’m so thrilled to share a little bit about me and the process of writing my latest book Pebbles: 31 days of faith-enriching parables.

1. What made you write Pebbles?

I originally wanted to write a comprehensive guide to everyday faith. I guess it’s no surprise that it was more complicated than I thought. I happened to write a parable for my blog one day and the thrill of it eventually sparked the idea to write a series of parables. Parables are a fun and creative way to get to the heart of a matter rather than just spelling it all out. Writing about certain aspects of faith became easier for me because I could layer them with relatable events, characters, and qualities. 

2. What do you hope to accomplish with Pebbles?

I want readers to have a fresh devotional that they can connect with emotionally and spiritually. I want the illustrations to grab their attention and rest in their minds long after they read them. Most importantly, I want this devotional to give readers a chance to examine the faith they already have and challenge it to a new level in their lives. 

3. What do you like about writing parables?

I enjoy the process of crafting a concise and poetic story. They don’t take long to write and yet they still pack a punch. I love it! I will definitely be doing more in the future!

4. What was the most challenging part about writing the parables?

31 individual stories ended up being a lot more than I thought and sometimes I lacked inspiration. I had to learn to let the ideas come organically and not rush myself. Some parables took a couple hours to write, others took a couple weeks. No matter how long they took me to figure out, I’m really pleased with how they turned out. 

5. Which one of Jesus’s parables do you connect with the most?

I really love the parable of the pearl. The merchant finds a pearl and sells everything to get it. The parable is one or two lines, yet it has always struck a chord with me because of how outrageous it is. To give up everything for a pearl that on the outside doesn’t really do much for you, really reveals how precious the kingdom of God is, even if it doesn’t look like it on earth. 

I’ve had an awesome time writing these parables as well as commissioning the original artwork to go along with them. I can’t wait for readers to sink their teeth into them September 25^th! 

Bio:

Leah Jordan Meahl is a northern girl raised in the south. She has many passions including belting showtunes and drinking too much coffee, but none of them come close to the love she has for God and for writing. She loves fiction and devotional writing, but she also writes a blog for the average growing Christian. Her debut novella, The Threshold, was published in 2019, and she’s gearing up to release Pebbles: 31 days of faith-enriching parables. Feel free to connect with her! 

www.meahltime.com

www.instagram.com/leahjordanmeahl