Michele Howe is a reviewer for Publishers Weekly, FaithfulReader.com, Christian Market, TeenReads.com, KidReads.com, among many other national and international publications. She has published over 2500 reviews/articles and has been featured on numerous radio shows across the country speaking on topics such as parenting and a diverse range of women’s health issues. Her work has been published in MORE, FIRST for Women, Good Housekeeping, Christianity Today, Discipleship Journal, Midwest Living, Parentlife, Fulfill, Christian Single, Single Parent Family, Focus on the Family, PRISM, and Connections. She also does copywriting and manuscript reviewing for several publishing houses including New Growth Press.

Michele is the author of twenty books for women. Her book, Going It Alone: Meeting the Challenges of Being a Single Mom (Hendrickson Publishers), provided hope and practical help for single moms new to parenting solo. She has also authored Pilgrim Prayers for Single Mothers (Pilgrim Press) and 3rd book of helps for single mothers titled, Successful Single Moms (Pilgrim Press.) In addition to these resources for single mothers, Michele wrote four separate titles combining real-life stories with inspirational prayer retreats. These titles published by (Jossey-Bass) include: Prayers for Homeschooling Moms, Prayers to Nourish a Woman’s Heart, Prayers of Comfort and Strength and Prayers for New and Expecting Moms.

Her newest books include a follow-up resource to Going It Alone titled, Still Going It Alone: Mothering with Faith and Finesse Once the Children Have Grown (Hendrickson Publishers) and Burdens Do a Body Good: Meeting Life’s Challenges with Strength and Soul co-authored with orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Christopher A. Foetisch (Hendrickson Publishers).

One Size Fits All: Making Meaningful Choices, Stepping Into a Meaningful Life was released in early 2013 by Lighthouse of the Carolinas. Burden Lifters: Every Woman’s Every Day Resource Kit for a Healthy, Happy Life was released by Bondfire Books in late 2013 and ACTA Publications released, Faith, Friends, and Other Floatation Devices which is a compilation of stories, quotes, and practical lifestyle recommendations for “staying afloat” during life’s toughest times in 2014. Empty Nest, What’s Next: Parenting Adult Children without Losing Your Mind was released in 2015 by Hendrickson Publishers. Fall of 2016, Caring for Our Aging Parents: Lessons in Love, Loss, and Letting Go released in 2017. Preparing, Adjusting, and Loving the Empty Nest and That’s Why They Call It Grandparenting was published in 2018. Navigating the Friendship Maze: The Path to Authentic Friendship and Living Bravely: Super Incredible Faith Devotional for Kids 6-9.

In addition to her article and book writing, Michele writes a weekly women’s lifestyle and single parenting column at HopeAfterDivorce.org. She is also featured in the new Single & Parenting Resource Video Series as a parenting expert. In line with her passion for working with single parents, Michele’s resources offer encouragement to women of all ages by challenging them to exercise their combination of strengths, skills, and life wisdom in pursuit of a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Recognizing that life is often difficult, women can learn how to recognize (and find solace in) significant life-markers and by so doing, acquire the strength to embrace their daily challenges.

Michele, tell us a little about yourself and how you were raised.

I’m the married mom of four adult children and we have four grandchildren and another on the way.
I’ve lived my entire life in the same area of Michigan and for the past thirty years, my husband and I
have lived near Lake Erie in his grandparents’ farmhouse. I began writing by doing book reviews over
thirty-three years ago and then did some article writing and eventually my first book was published in
1999.

What’s your favorite genre to read and write? Who’s your favorite author?

I read/review mostly non-fiction books for work so I love a good mystery when I have time to read for
pleasure. I’ve been reading and rereading Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle since high school
but I also enjoy C.S. Lewis and Tolkien’s works. My favorite non-fiction author is Nancy DeMoss
Wolgemuth!
What age did you realize you loved books? When did you start writing?

I loved books from elementary age on and one of my fondest memories was getting money to buy
books during the school book sales that happened twice a year. I started writing right after my first
daughter was born about 33 years ago.
Tell us about this book. What did you learn about yourself through writing it?
I had to call on a lot of my personal experiences with my female friendships over the years…I learned
so much from my friends…but I also had to reflect on mistakes I had made along the way. It was a
time of real introspection for me as I wrote chapter after chapter on the different kinds of friends
women have through the seasons of life.

Do you normally use an outline for the books you write, or do you just start with a few ideas?

For me, I develop an outline and the table of contents and those two tools help me stay on track
during the writing process. It’s so easy to lose sight of the primary message I want to communicate
and by referring back to my outline (which contains a mission statement) and the table I find myself
much more focused.

Is there a special place you like to write?

Mornings! I’m an early morning writer…the later in the day I tackle a project the longer it takes me…I
love mornings and find that I write better and faster when I’m still fresh.  

What was something that surprised you in the way this book unfolded? What character do you like
best?
While writing this book on women’s friendships…I saw a fresh value in working hard to maintaining the
friendships I have…to make more time for them…to keep in touch…and to have fun all along the way.

What advice would you give a new author?

Write the message that God has placed on your heart…and be an avid reader of the types of work you
most admire…a good writer has to be a good reader.

What project are you working on now and how do we find your books?

I’m working on a prayer devotional titled, Strength for All Seasons: A Prayer Devotional, which will be
released in early 2019 by Hendrickson Publishers. All my books are available on Amazon.com;
CBD.com and Barnes & Noble.

 

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