Laura Loveberry - Giiiiirl, Keep Climbing

by Laura Loveberry

As an inspirational speaker, I saw the need for additional support after our women’s conferences ended. Anxiety, loneliness, depression, chronic illness splat into our lives. We may lose loved ones, be crushed under betrayal, or spiral downward financially. Ugh.

Life is messy.

The purpose driving me to write flows from a passion to lift up one another. The word “courage” stands inside “encourage.” You and I need grit. I write to encourage, equip, and energize women.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,” John 13:34-35 NIV.

At speaking events, we hug, pray, and giggle, enjoying the sister bond. I wrote my novel to offer this hope, healing, and a heartfelt message for people to take home after our impactful events. Ladies can start book clubs. I consider my books handheld, paperback missionaries. My novel and two nonfiction books share life-changing truths, using wit and my attempt at wisdom, weaving in the Word of God.

Readers describe my women’s books as unique and uplifting. They flip the pages giggling, sometimes tears brimming, and often gasping, “I can’t believe Laura wrote that?!” They request more copies to comfort friends in hardships. Yesterday, a friend ordered 12 books to give away.

My joy as an author overflowed.

Readers tell me they laughed out loud, loved the sisterhood, and couldn’t put down my first novel, Bowl of Berries Book Club. It’s set in southern Michigan. Here’s the novel description. A variety of women get trapped in a vault with a tattooed dude. A book club sprouts out of a botched bank robbery, a bowl and berries and a brand new book. Their bond grows. As their lives intertwine, will their deep-rooted secrets, shocking twists, and crazy adventures prune them? Will they cultivate fruitful lives after digging deep into their pasts? What would you find unlocking the vault of your soul? Five complete strangers are about to find out.

My nonfiction books glean from a collection of my articles found in Simply Hers, Everything Men, and Simply Seniors magazines. When Marlanea McGraw asked me to write my Life is the Berries spiritual articles in her secular magazines, she aroused the author inside me. Without Marlanea believing in my writing, these books would not be. With watery eyes, I thank Marlanea for starting my author adventure. It’s a humbling honor writing heartfelt articles over the years.

I give God all the glory for this outreach opportunity.

My nonfiction books, Goodbye Chaos Hello Calm and Invite Delight, are packed with “aha” standalone chapters, challenging us to better ourselves. One friend reads a chapter a day like a daily devotional, along with her Bible. She grabbed up more books to give to her friends going through trials These books open the door to hope and humor even in the hard. Readers laugh, love the uplift, and learn to lean into the LIGHT. I pray they enjoy the read like a bowl of berries, double-dipped in chocolate, delivered on a hectic day! Ahh.

My best-selling author friend, Ann Spangler, said, “I love it! Laura’s exuberance, energy, and personality come through on every page.” She added, “Readers will connect with Laura’s tenacious faith, earthiness, and humor. Her great content will grab readers.”

There’s hope found in the pages.

I hope readers will grab a copy and be inspired to spread encouragement to others.

Simply Hers readers, you encouraged me to finish the books, too. Walking around town, hearing your feedback, you humble and inspire me. I type, grinning ear to ear. Readers motivated me through the challenging, and often brutal, process of bringing the books to fruition. When you shared your heart about the impact of my articles, you grew my grit to not quit.

I am grateful to our Simply Hers readers.

My newest children’s drawing books include a story to never give up, don’t quit, and you can-do-it mindset. Cartoon It and Caricature It teach a step-by-step caricature course. Schools love the affordable books for kids. My author visits include my cartooning faces of students. What a blast with Arty the Puppet!

During the Covid shutdown of my speaking events, I adjusted my outreach. I pulled out my hair, screaming at my keyboard often, but persevered writing books in three different genres. Whew! It’s worth every heavy sigh when readers hug me, smiling, grabbing up more books to give away.

With tears brimming, readers shared how their lives relate to my stories, creating an author/reader bond. With hand on my heart, eyes welling up, I’m overwhelmed with the goodness of God. We don’t waste our hardships, zigzags, and pilgrimage when we grasp empathy and walk alongside others facing mountains. We love God and love people. It matters.

I’m a speaker who writes to shout, “Giiiirl, keep climbing!”

Thank you, reader friends, for the reciprocal encouragement. Hugs.

My books are available locally at Ten East Treasures, Quincy Book Haven, Birdie’s & Howell Gifts & Boutique, Maranatha Book Store, Roost Oil, Warner Oil, and Toasted Mud. Find my books on the worldwide web at lauraloveberry.com and splatterpainthero.com.