Welcome to Stephanie Connelley Worlton, author of Hope’s Journey. This post is part of her spring blog tour. Here’s the book’s synopsis: Sydney is a straight-A student heading to college on a scholarship, and Alex is a quiet jock preparing to serve an LDS mission. But their dreams are shattered on the eve of their high school graduation when they find out that Sydney is pregnant. Separated, they must both trust in God as they search for the worth they once found in each other.
List five books you’re read recently that you liked:
- Gifted – Karey White
- The Hunger Games Series – Susan Collins (technically, this counts as three books, but for the purpose of this list, I’m counting them as one!)
- Driven: An Autobiography – Larry H. Miller
- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet – Jamie Ford
- The Help – Kathryn Stockett
What household chore do you have the hardest time keeping up with?
Laundry. Sometimes it seems pointless to even try. There’s nothing worse than getting pulled from my writing (or any other project) to take care of clothes… especially socks. I’m guilty of leaving them unfolded in a basket until they’re pretty much picked down to the last couple of pairs.
List two people you admire and explain why.
Only two? Wow, this is tough. I guess the first one would be my grandma. She is probably the single most influential person in my life. She was the most patient, loving, and accepting person I’ve ever known. My husband, Ryan is a close second. Somehow he manages to juggle everything life throws at him including work, school, family life, and being a scoutmaster. I respect his hunger for knowledge and his drive to continually grow and improve. He inspires me to be my very best!
When did you start writing?
I’ve always enjoyed writing, but up until a few years ago I never even considered writing a novel. Hope’s Journey was the first manuscript I ever wrote and it’s been a very humbling experience to see it published.
Hope’s Journey tackles a sticky problem: teenage pregnancy. What type of feedback have you received?
The feedback has been amazingly positive.Whether we want to admit it or not, teen pregnancy exists all around us. And, while it is a tender subject, it is so relevant! We can bury our heads in the sand or point scornful fingers in disgust, or we can do something to help make a difference. Hope’s Journey doesn’t advocate teen pregnancy. It promotes prevention, self worth, forgiveness, compassion, and repentance.
What type of readers would like your book?
Hope’s Journey is written on a level that teens can understand, yet it appeals to a much larger audience. I have a pretty diverse readership consisting of teens, young adults, parents (mostly moms), and youth leaders. Despite their stage in life, there is a take-away for everyone.
What are you working on now?
I’m just finishing up two manuscripts: a non-fiction Girls’ Camp leader guide and a romantic suspense called All the Finer Things (about overcoming abuse, because, yes, I like the tough-topics). I’m also working on a novel called Lucas Kai (about drug addicted babies) and another one, currently called Beyond Tomorrow that deals with the close connection between this life and the one after it.
Stephanie is a wife, the mother of four children, and enjoys interior design, gardening, carpentry, painting, and being involved with the youth of the rising generation. You can read more about her and her novel at http://hopesjourneybook.com or http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com
A. L. Sowards 
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