Author/Artist ReviewAuthor: Kimberley and Kayla Woodhouse
Located in: Colorado Springs, CO
Submitted: July 28, 2010
Tell us a little about yourself. KIM: I grew up in a wonderful Christian home, studied music all my life, and went to Bible College where I met my incredible husband, Jeremy. In 2011, we’ll celebrate 20 years of marriage. (Wow. I’m really not that old.) We’ve served the Lord in full-time ministry ever since Bible College and we have the two coolest kids on earth, Josh and Kayla. KAYLA: My name is Kayla R. Woodhouse, I love Jesus, writing, swimming, reading, and painting. I was twelve years old when Mom and I wrote No Safe Haven. I was born with a rare nerve disorder (there are about 25 confirmed cases in the world) called HSAN, Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy. Basically, I can’t feel pain unless it is twenty to thirty times what you would feel, I can’t sweat, so, if I were to get too hot I could die or have serious brain damage. (We keep our house at 64 degrees. It used to be even colder than that! My room is always around 60 degrees.)
What was your motivation behind this project? KIM: Well, Kayla and I both love to write suspense and because of all the TV shows we’ve been on and all the media attention, people are fascinated with Kayla’s nerve disorder and the rarity of it. So writing about a mother and daughter who deal with it came naturally. And in fiction, you can put your characters through your greatest fears and triumphs. It's a great way for people to understand HSAN, and a lot of fun for us to write together. KAYLA: The idea to write together actually came from our amazing editor, Karen Ball. And as the idea settled in, Mom and I loved planning out the story and the different characters we would write. You see, I write certain characters, and Mom writes others. We love Alaska, so the story being set there was a no-brainer.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? KIM: A deeper understanding of Trust. The characters in No Safe Haven deal with this on many levels. Trust in loved ones who failed them, trust in each other, trust in God. Doubt, betrayal, and fear play into the hands of each of them as they learn about true trust. And no matter what you’ve gone through, no matter what you’ve done, God is always there. With open arms. And even though people may fail us, He won’t. Putting your full trust in Him—letting Him take control of your life—is the most wonderful adventure you’ll ever have. KAYLA: One thing we thought would be cool to have in the book was the daughter having the same disorder as me so people could get a sense of what it’s like to have HSAN. But as I was writing my character I was able to actually describe how it feels when I overheat. That’s something I’ve never been able to do before. We also wanted to get readers to know the dangers of HSAN plus the dangers of being stranded in the wilderness of Alaska. People love reading books set in Alaska and since we lived there we thought it would be cool to have it take place there also. We’d like readers to learn that God is always with us no matter what, and that it’s awesome and important to have a strong relationship with God and your family members.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? KIM: My daughter is amazing, and writing together has been a gift and a joy. She also keeps me on my toes, and challenges me as a writer. It was fascinating to see her put into words things about her disorder that she'd never been able to explain before. Writing about it was educational for both of us. KAYLA: I realized even more how I can be a willing vessel and be used by God. I love writing, but using those talents wholly and completely for Him is so cool!
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? KIM: Tracie Peterson, Donita K. Paul, Colleen Coble. They are all not only favorite authors of mine, but mentors and dear friends. Each of them shaped my writing in huge ways. Ronie Kendig and Carrie Kintz. Ronie writes action better than anyone I know, and she and Carrie are the best crit partners I’ve ever had. KAYLA: Donita K. Paul is one of our dearest friends, I think she influenced me not only in person but by her books. I’ve read the DragonKeeper Chronicles all the way through seven times! She really inspired me to let my imagination flow. My favorite scene in all of her books is in DragonSpell where Kale is talking to Paladin and she decides to follow him. Tracie Peterson is another great friend of ours and amazing author. Her Ladies of Liberty series influenced me a lot. And she always makes me laugh and encourages us to keep moving on. Ronie Kendig is one of the best writers in the world, and a challenging critique partner! She and her family are awesome and never quit even when things get crazy. Colleen Coble is a fantastic author and is hilarious! We have so much fun together and I love her smiling face. She encourages me to write, write, write! James L. Rubart is one of our newest writer friends, but even though we haven’t known each other very long his faith is evident and encourages me to live mine more out loud.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: KIM: Kayla and I wrote the book together, but separately. I wrote the POVs (Point of View) scenes of certain characters, and she wrote the others. I wrote the adults, she wrote the kids. What better person to write about a 12-year-old girl with HSAN than a real 12-year-girl with HSAN? And what better person to write about a mom with a child who has a rare disorder, than me? It was fun to bring those characters to life and get on the page the incredible relationship we share as mother/daughter. KAYLA: My first priority is my faith. Nothing is more important than God, He’s the one that gets me through life day to day. I LOVE swimming, my coaches are AMAZING and my team-mates are hilarious. They make me smile and encourage me to go on even though I’m different. I want to encourage you to follow your dreams and use your gifts for God.
Availability: This product will be released on 03/15/11. You may order this item now and it will be shipped to you when it arrives. If you are charging this purchase to a credit card, you will not be charged for this item and its portion of your shipping charges until it is shipped. Available for pre-order NOW through http://www.christianbooks.com/ and http://www.amazon.com/.
Welcome Home: Our Family's Journey To Extreme Joy is now available! You have heard the story of the Woodhouse family on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and in numerous media interviews. Now read the story behind the story as written by Kimberley Woodhouse. You will be touched.
Watch the video trailer for No Safe Haven!
