Kendra Norman Holmes

The Royalty Writer

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms”

1 Peter 4:10

Golden Divas, a talent is something that you are instinctually born with that gives you unique skills and abilities. Talent is set apart from knowledge in that it is not a learned behavior, although it can be strengthened and practiced. The Bible tells us that we are all born with distinct talents and gifts that set us apart from each other. When you discover the talents that God has given you and you use them to glorify Him, you will experience a full life! Our loving Lord wants us to feel whole and complete, and it is through talents that we can find our unique calling in life! 

It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you have been BLESSED by God, to tap into the marvelous gift(s) that He has bestowed upon you to share with the world. However, it is imperative that you discern the gifts that God has given you and ask Him to help you walk within your divine purpose.  

You see to be able to use your gifts wisely is such a magnificent and beautiful thing! I had the pleasure of reading a few books from my next guest when I was writing my first novel. There are some authors that you gravitate to because of their style and genre of writing and storytelling and then there are some authors who write with a message of love and a purpose within their storytelling. This is when you know that you’re not merely turning pages (even if it is a page-turner), which leads me to my next guest C50 Golden Diva, she literally feeds you through the anointed words in her novel. The author I am speaking so highly about is penned to perfection in the writing world…

My Golden Diva Interview for the month of March (my birthday month…March 12^th) is definitely sharing all of the talents that God has touched her through her ministry of writing and preaching and teaching. Following the steps with her God-Given Talent that God has ordered her to walk in and going above and beyond with her calling of fulfilling her assignment is someone I would like to call my friend and introduce to some and reacquaint to others Kendra Norman Holmes: Ordained Minister, National Bestselling Author, Motivational Speaker, and Radio Host. This Golden Diva has saved souls via the many talents that God has gifted her to do so by walking in her DIVINE PURPOSE.   

“Writing, for me, isn’t just a craft, it’s not just a past time, it’s not just an art form, my writing isn’t just writing; IT’S WORSHIP!!”    

KENDRA MORMAN HOLMES

My Passion, My Purpose, My Pen

This 51-year-old Golden Diva began her literary career in 2002, Kendra Norman Holmes (writing as Kendra Norman) is an 8-time national bestselling author and founder of the award-winning independent self-publishing house, Royalty Publications. Along with being an ordained minister, she is the author of twenty-two faith-based books. As a wife with a zeal to encourage other wives, Kendra created P.O.W.E.R. (Prayer-Oriented Wives Exemplifying Royalty), a Facebook group for kingdom-minded women who are building extraordinary marriages.

In 2010, Kendra launched The I.S.L.A.N.D. (I Shall Live And Not Die) Movement, a life-changing motivational ministry whose vision is to empower people with God-inspired faith, hope, and determination to live Psalm 118:17 existences despite their present circumstances, situations, or conditions. In 2015, she added “Radio Host” to her resume when she created Royal Pen Network; a one-hour internationally heard weekly radio program powered by Blog Talk Radio, that spotlights artists who use their talents to pen, promote, publish, and produce kingdom-building material.

Walking in her divine purpose, Kendra has had the honor of working closely with such nationally recognized names as television personalities, Bern Nadette Stanis, Malik Yoba, Victoria Rowell, Chef G. Garvin, and Judge Penny Brown Reynolds; not to mention music industry favorites like Deitrick Haddon, Melvin Williams, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Jason Nelson, Jonathan Nelson, Stacy Lattisaw-Jackson, K&K Mime, Jay Caldwell, Myron Butler, Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, Vicki Yohe, Marcus Cole, and Lowell Pye.

In her favorite roles as wife and mother, Kendra enjoys life with her very supportive husband and road manager, Michael Holmes, who as a certified Christian Life Coach and ordained minister shares her passion for Christ and inspiring others. Together they serve as co-pastors of Deliverance Revival Church in Warner Robins, Georgia. They share two adult daughters, one adult son, and five grandchildren.

IN CONVERSATION WITH KENDRA NORMAN HOLMES

C50: Why did you choose the genre of Christian Fiction?

KNH: To be quite honest, I didn’t “choose” Christian fiction; I feel that if anything, Christian fiction chose me. I say that because when I first set out to write, I didn’t have a model of anyone else’s Christian fiction writing in front of me. I just wrote what God inspired. What poured on to the pages of my manuscript was simply a reflection of what (and Who) was inside of me.

C50: What was your first book that was published?

KNH: My debut novel was For Love & Grace which I self-published in 2001. A year later, the rights to reproduce it on an international level were purchased by the book division of Black Entertainment Television (BET). They re-released it in 2004 and asked me to expand it into a trilogy that was dubbed “The Grace Series.” The other books in the series were Because of Grace and finally, More Than Grace.

C50: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

KNH: My writing process hasn’t changed very much over the years. I’ve always been a very prayerful and purposeful writer. I’m still that scribe who prays over my idea first, and then I just sit at my computer to begin to create the story as God inspires. I’m what the industry sometimes calls a “seat of the pants” writer, which means I don’t do chapter outlines or character sketches. There’s nothing wrong with that by any means. Many successful writers plan in detail before they ever start the project. It’s just not my process. I sit down and just begin using my fingers to type out the words that flow to my heart.

C50: What is your latest project that you are working on?

KNH: Currently, my husband and I are in the final phase of completing a relationship devotional. It’ll be his first published work and my 23^rd. I’m very excited about this faith-filled project not only because I know it’s going to bless, encourage, and entertain many, but also because it’s a true labor of love. Working on this project with my best friend, co-laborer in the gospel, and love of my life has been a wonderful experience.

C50: As an author of 22 best-selling books what motivates you to keep churning these faith-filled novels out?

KNH: Passion and purpose work together to motivate me. Writing isn’t a side-gig or a hobby for me. It’s my divine purpose; it’s ministry. It’s a form of kingdom worship. Writing, for me, never gets old or boring. God keeps the desire to do it burning in my soul.

C50: How long on average does it take you to write a book?

KNH: There was once a time when writing was what I did full time. I made the decision about five years ago to return to corporate America. When I functioned as a full-time writer, it would take me about three months to complete a full manuscript. If I were diligent, I could churn out up to four of them per year. Now, with balancing not only a full-time corporate America job, but also serving alongside my husband as pastors of our church, it takes me much longer. These days, getting two manuscripts completed within a year is an accomplishment.

C50: What does literary success look like to you? Is it the financial gain or being able to share God’s word through your writing?

KNH: The financial gain is awesome. Anytime you can do something you’re passionate about and get paid for it; you are truly blessed beyond measure. I’ve been blessed to write for five different “big houses” (major publishing companies) in the life of my career to date, so I’ve seen and enjoyed the financial gain that can come along with professional writing. I’ve been on national television, top radio shows, and received countless awards and recognition. My book titles have landed on numerous bestsellers lists, even grabbing the #1 spot. But for me, there’s been no greater feeling of success than to receive a letter, a phone call, or an email from someone who tells me that they gave their heart to Christ or that their life was changed or even spared because they read one of my books. Those are the highest levels of success to me. It’s like receiving a reward directly from God. Like hearing Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

C50: Who inspired you to write and who is your favorite Author?

KNH: I was really inspired by two people. When I was a preteen, my dad recognized the gift in me and he encouraged me to write. The late Dr. Maya Angelou is my favorite author, and poetry was my first love. Daddy would see me reading Dr. Angelou’s work and would tell me that I was just as good as she and that God had given me the gift to do it too. I guess I believed him and began to believe in myself. I got my start writing poetry, and got my first literary award in my very early 20’s, placing first in a city-wide poetry contest. From there, I ventured into writing skits and plays, but I never thought for a moment that it would turn into manuscript writing or that I’d one day do it professionally. That seed was planted by my first husband who passed away back in 1995; only a couple of weeks before he graduated to heaven, he urged me to boldly pursue my God-given talent to write stories. It would be four or five years later before I actually followed through, but I finally did. The very first manuscript I ever wrote chronicled the intense heartbreak of having to bury him. Writing that manuscript brought me to a place of healing and a sense of peace, and from that point on, God began using me to write manuscripts that did the same for others.

C50: What is life like co-pastoring with your husband? 

KNH: My husband, Michael, is proof of God’s promise. I never thought I’d love again after what I’d been through, but God took my broken heart, mended it, and made it stronger than ever. If someone had told me even five years ago that I’d be in this amazing place of joy and contentment in my life, I wouldn’t have believed it. Neither Michael nor I had ever aspired to be pastors. We had both been licensed in ministry for many years before we met back in 2013.

When God brought us together under the covenant of marriage, we never saw this day coming. As the daughter of a pastor and bishop, I never desired this office. I’d seen the sacrifices and struggles that my father has gone through. I didn’t want any part of it. But when God called us, we had to answer. For me, the experience has been incredible. We haven’t been doing it for quite two years yet, but we’ve already experienced the struggle and the sacrifices, but guess what? We’ve also experienced the favor that comes with being obedient to God. We’re doing it joyfully…all for the glory of God. Deliverance Revival Church (158 S. Houston Lake Rd., Suite 2; Warner Robins, GA) is where God planted us, and He has given us a zeal for souls and a heart for strengthening marriages and families within our ministry. We meet every Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. for family worship and on Tuesday nights at 7:30 p.m., we have an interactive Bible study fellowship that we call “Power-Point.”

My husband and I live together, we work on the same corporate America job together, we’re writing books together, and pastoring together. That’s a whole lot of togetherness, but we’re each other’s best friend, biggest cheerleaders, and greatest encouragers. I’ve had people to ask, “Don’t you get tired of him?” “Don’t you ever need time away from him?” My response is always, “Why should I need time away from myself?” In marriage, the two become one flesh, and I’ll take we-time over me-time any day. We are truly one!

C50: Have you ever co-written a book with your husband? If so what is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

KNH: As I mentioned a little earlier, we are finishing up on a relationship devotional right now. It’s entitled, Cross-Fire: Igniting Passionate, Purposeful, and Powerful Relationships. The devotional uses biblical principles and examples of practical applications that will challenge readers to seek deeper and more genuine relationships with God first, and then with mankind (spouses, children, friends, other families, etc.). The process hasn’t been difficult at all, really. Our writing styles are different, of course. So if I were to pull out a point of testing in our collaborated effort, it more so came in the editing phase. The challenge there was to take our different writing styles and marry them together in one book in such a manner that they flowed smoothly for the readers.

Bonus question

C50: What are common traps for aspiring writers?

KNH: In my experience of working as a mentor for aspiring writers over the years, the biggest common trap has remained steady. PROCRASTINATION! I constantly hear the excuse of “I want to write, but I don’t have time.” It is by far one of the poorest excuses ever, but it is used over and over again. I’ve seen these same complainers on social media shooting half-hour Facebook Live videos of them talking about nothing of substance. I’ve seen them posting photos of them hanging out with friends, and sometimes posting status updates just talking about how bored they are.

I often tell them that this is the measuring stick by which you determine how badly you want to write. This is how to tell if it’s truly a passion for you. Things that we are passionate about, we make time for. When we have those windows of opportunity, we won’t waste them. We’ll grab a chance to work on that manuscript instead of doing mindless live feeds or even sitting around watching hours of television. All these things are distractions and they feed the appetite of our procrastination. Stop making excuses and start making strides. One word at a time.

“One sentence at a time. One paragraph at a time. One page at a time. One chapter at a time. One day at a time… until it’s done!”

There you have it Golden Divas in the month of March my “Golden Diva Interview” with the lovely and very talented Kendra Norman Holmes. You can follow  Kendra via the sites below.

Kendra Norman Holmes National Bestselling Author
(writing as Kendra Norman)
Royalty Writer (official website)
Royalty Publications (publishing ministry)
Royal Pen Network (radio ministry) 

Deliverance Revival Church (pastoral ministry)