Interview with Tessa Emily Hall

There's something special about spending time at a coffee shop with a friend--engaging in a meaningful conversation, then leaving refueled and ready to tackle the rest of the day. What if your quiet times with God energized you the same way?

Coffee Shop Devos offers a warm atmosphere that will inspire you to discover your God-given purpose and live to your greatest potential. Choose your devo flavor in the Menu of Contents based on your current need. Then lean into deeper intimacy with Christ through reflection and prayer. Along the way, you'll pick up tips and recipes for making your own coffee-shop beverage--regular or decaf--to enjoy while you read. And don't forget to share your journey with your friends! #CoffeeShopDevos

Each of the 180 challenging and motivational devotions will leave you feeling refreshed and reinvigorated--almost as though you've shared a steaming pot of brew at a coffee shop with your Creator.

1.      Teen girls today face a lot of challenges. What are some of the struggles they face?

The teen years present a unique set of challenges for girls. It’s a transition period when teens discover who they are, face life-changing decisions and temptations, and leave their childhood behind as they face their future. The Internet and social media have presented a whole new set of temptations and struggles.

Cyber bullying has become the norm. Instagram has made it even more challenging for teen girls to avoid the comparison trap. I believe there is one underlying factor behind most of the struggles teen girls face—and that is the longing they have for affection. Just like every human being, teens yearn to be understood and accepted, and sometimes they’ll go through great lengths in effort to attain this. Girls will often fall for the lie that their number of likes and followers on social media defines their worth.

In Coffee Shop Devos, I hope to bring light to the truth that this desire for acceptance and intimacy has been placed inside of each of us for a reason. Why? So we can discover that Christ is the only One who is big enough to fill this emptiness. Not only does He satisfy, but He walks with us in our struggles. This is why I categorized Coffee Shop Devos by the teen girls’ daily needs—so they can see that He meets them where they are and is the answer to their heart’s every longing.

2.      You write that friendship with Jesus meets our needs for acceptance. What verses or stories in the New Testament encourage you when you struggle with feeling loved or accepted?

When I find myself craving love or acceptance, it’s usually due to the fact that I’m looking at the world to meet these needs. I try to remind myself of the Scripture Galatians 1:10 (NLT), which states, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

If we work to earn man’s approval, we’re always going to fall short. It’s an impossible feat because we cannot please everyone, and no one can provide for us the immense amount of love that we crave.

If we hope to find perfect love from people, then we’re going to be left disappointed. This deep craving can only be filled by deep friendship with Christ. When we receive this, then we can view ourselves through His eyes—and realize that we no longer desire to earn man’s approval, because our confidence is rooted in our identity in Christ.

3.      You share a “dare” for the reader at the end of each devotional. What are some of your favorites?

One of my favorite dares come from the devotion titled “Trash Transformed”. This devotion speaks about how God can use trash of our life—our suffering and even our past mistakes—and transform them into beauty (based on Romans 8:28). For this dare, the reader is encouraged to do a DIY project that will allow them to transform a recyclable object, such as a water bottle, into a piece of art.

Another favorite is in the devotion titled “Too Dirty for a Shower”. In This devotion, I discuss how we sometimes neglect coming to Jesus in repentance because we believe we’re too “dirty” for His cleansing grace. If the reader finds it difficult to move on from past mistakes, I challenge them, in the dare, to throw their sins in the trash. Literally. They can do this by writing the sins on a piece of paper, blot them out with a permanent marker, tear them up, then throw them away. I hope this dare will help teens understand that Jesus has already blotted out their transgressions as well and He “remembers them no more” (see Isaiah 43:25).

4.      What advice can you give to teens about how to step away from busyness and take time to be quiet and hear God’s voice?

If we only understood how productive our time with Him is, then I believe we would never be tempted to skip out on it!

We make it a priority to spend time with our loved ones, don’t we? It’s how we get to know each other and grow in that relationship. Similarly, if we want to receive the depths of Christ’s love for us, experience to the fullness the life He has called us to live, and hear His voice, then we should make it a priority to strengthen our relationship with Him as well. It’s that simple and far too valuable to neglect.

If teens are struggling to make the time, then I’d advise that they analyze their daily schedules. Is there something they can cut back on--such as TV or social media time? Could they wake up fifteen minutes earlier than usual, or perhaps listen to the Bible on audio during their ride to school? Even the smallest amount of time spent with Him can make a big difference! As our relationship with God is strengthened, then we’ll begin to discern His voice and live the life He’s called us to live. But it’s only when we break away from the noise of the world, quiet down, and carve out a space to meet with God, that we will hear His whisper above the other noises vying for our attention.

5.      What is your hope for those who pick up Coffee Shop Devos?

My hope is that girls will come to know Jesus on a deeper level of friendship. The reason I categorized the devotions into the teen girls’ daily needs is so they can realize that Christ is the answer to our heart’s every longing. He is the One we’re searching for, and it’s only through this intimate relationship with Him that we will truly receive the peace, hope, joy, and love that we crave.

Just like how a good cup of coffee gives us the strength and energy for the day’s demands, our time with Jesus rejuvenates us spiritually and prepares us for the day ahead. So, I hope that, after girls read a daily devotion, they’ll be thirsty for more of Jesus and compelled to develop a daily habit of spending time with Him--an addiction that’s far more powerful than even their favorite daily Frappuccino drink from Starbucks. ;)

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books to show teens they’re not alone. Her first teen devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, will release with Bethany House September 2018. Tessa's passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as an Associate Agent for Cyle Young at Hartline Literary Agency, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PURSUE Magazine. She's guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: www.tessaemilyhall.com.

Links:

·         Pre-order Coffee Shop Devos on Amazon https://amzn.to/2Mkp6pT

·         Mark “to read” on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38502332-coffee-shop-devos

·         Author website www.tessaemilyhall.com

·         Twitter www.twitter.com/tessaemilyhall

·         Instagram www.instagram.com/tessaemilyhall

·         Facebook www.facebook.com/tessaemilyhall

Mailing list http://blogspot.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=977607b9c01d013131aa90636&id=9e2fabd0ed

Unwritten Melody: Q&A With Tessa Hall

Does breaking free require breaking the rules?

Cassie Gilbert lives every day in the shadows of her deceased mom’s rebellion. But now that she’s seventeen, she finds herself longing to break away from her grandmother’s suffocating rules, experience what it’s like to be a regular teenager, and fulfill her songwriting dreams.

James Russo, former American Spotlight contestant, escapes to small town Willow Creek, SC hoping to flee from his tarnished past. When a school project pairs him with the shy principal’s granddaughter, he’s determined to get to know this Emily-Dickinson-obsessed and typewriter-using girl. His plan? Convince Cassie to co-write songs for his demo album.

As Cassie gets to know James over “project meetings” (more like opportunities to match her lyrics with his melodies), she becomes intrigued by his sense of adventure and contagious passion for music. But soon, his past becomes exposed. Cassie’s left to wonder—did she make the same mistake Mom did by falling for the bad boy?

Then, Grandma’s control pushes her over the edge. Cassie must choose between remaining in the chains of yesterday, or delving into her own freedom by completing the melody her mom left behind.

Book Links:

·         Mark “Unwritten Melody” on Goodreads

·         View “Unwritten Melody” on Amazon

Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show others they’re not alone—and because she remembers the teen life like it was yesterday (or a few years ago). The debut novel she wrote at 16-years-old, PURPLE MOON (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) was a Selah 2014 Finalist. Her second novel, UNWRITTEN MELODY, released with Clean Reads November 2016. She’s the Founder of PursueMagazine.net, a magazine that inspires teens to embrace their calling. She also enjoys helping writers achieve their dreams through her internship at Hartline Literary Agency.

What was the inspiration behind Unwritten Melody? I loved the idea of having a songwriter (Cassie) mesh her lyrics together with a musician (James), and for the pieces to fit together like a puzzle—almost as though the lyrics and songs were created for each another. I also knew that I wanted to somehow incorporate the life and poetry of Emily Dickinson into the novel. I first learned about this poet in my 8^th grade English class. I remember becoming fascinated – not only with her works, but also with the unique story of her life. After I brainstormed the premise to Unwritten Melody, I knew Cassie’s own life would shadow perfectly that of Dickinson’s and highlight the book’s theme in the process.

What is the message you hope readers will grasp after reading Unwritten Melody? It’s my hope that, through any book that I write, readers will realize they are not alone in their life’s journey – in the questions they wrestle with, emotions they deal with, situations they experience, etc. And hopefully, through following the journey that my characters take, readers can find a solution for their own problems as well. I specifically hope readers will come away with Unwritten Melody with newfound hope for their current circumstances and a deeper revelation of the power of God’s unending love.

Could you give a brief overview of the writing and publication process behind Unwritten Melody? I brainstormed the plot when I was seventeen-years-old—the spring of 2011. I was working on my debut novel, Purple Moon at the time, so I filed the idea away until I could have dedicated time to focus on it. Finally, I wrote the first draft when I was eighteen and working on the edits to Purple Moon. That draft continued to develop and transform as I went through the editing/revision process for over a year. When I was twenty-one, my agent sent me a long edit letter, detailing the major areas that needed to be fixed in the plot. I was extremely grateful for the feedback—yet at the same time, a part of me was discouraged, because it would require a great deal of “book surgery” to fix the errors in the plot. That was a lot to take on, especially after I’d already spent over a year in edits. So, I stepped away from the book and poured my energy into another project. Yet the story didn’t let me avoid it for long. I knew that the book didn’t exactly match the original story that was first laid on my heart several years before, and I was determined to make that happen. To make a long story short—I spent the fall of 2015 applying my agent’s suggestions and rewriting the entire book from scratch. It still has the same characters, premise, and setting, but now the novel matches the original novel I had first brainstormed when I was seventeen. The book went on submission to publishers winter 2016. One day in May, while I was packing to leave for a writer’s conference, I received a phone call from my literary agent with the great news—Clean Reads had offered a contract. J (I knew they were considering it because they had requested the manuscript about a month before.) The moral of the story? Never give up on the story of your heart!

What’s next in your writing journey? I’m currently working on the sequel to Purple Moon (which has been another lengthy project) and hope to finish it by winter 2016. I’ve also been working on a teen devotional that I’m really excited about! After that? Well, I hope to continue writing inspirational and authentic novels for teens and possibly write another installment in the Purple Moon series. I don’t see myself switching genres any time soon! But I do hope to delve more into non-fiction as well. Although God is the Ultimate Author of my future, I always ask Him to give me the desires He wants me to have. Right now, my burning desire is this: To write books that transform lives—stories that portray the power of God’s steadfast love and His unending grace. 

What advice would you like to give aspiring authors? First of all, stay fueled with a passion for writing. Build your writing journey on a foundation that consists of a love for both reading and writing. Write because you can’t not write, because honestly, if you don’t begin with this kind of passion, then it’s going to be far too tempting to quit when the discouragement comes. (Notice that I said when, not if!) It’s important to also find the time to write and stay disciplined with your writing time because perseverance is the only way you’ll produce an actual book. Then, learn as much about the craft and industry as you can through blogs, books, workshops, and conferences. Apply what you learn to your manuscript. Network with other writers on blogs, social media, critique groups, and at writing conferences. Keep a teachable spirit. Remember that, no matter how naturally gifted you may be in writing, every writer could use improvement to grow. Finally, create long-term and short-term goals for your writing journey. I’ve met so many writers who never pursued their writing dreams because, A) They didn’t push themselves to finish a book, B) They gave up too soon, C) They didn’t learn how a book is published, therefore never pursued publication and believed that “being an author” was an impossible achievement.  I love to mentor young writers through my course, Write Now. You can find more info about this 3-month program at this link: http://www.tessaemilyhall.com/teen-creative-writing-mentorship