Confessions of the Heart: Interview with Canaa Lee

Part I:
An up close and personal interview with Canaa Lee author of Confessions of the Heart


What were you like at school?
In high school, I was a social outcast.  I always had my nose in a school book.  I was an overachiever and involved in a plethora of activities: piano lessons, girl scouts, 4-H, leadership events, summer enrichment programs, skating and band.  It was not easy being different.  My brother made fun of me all of the time, and people talked about me in school.  I was shy and stayed to myself.  But that lasted until I went to college.  All of those hurt feelings, low self-esteem, teasing and jokes came out, and it was not nice.  I became conceited, arrogant and prideful.

How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
Writing a book is not just about developing a piece of literature.  It also includes an attractive tag line, a book cover, marketing strategy, developing themes that draw people into the story.  I definitely was not able to do this without a publishing company.  It was a daunting task to find a reputable publishing company. As a result, I thought I would attempt to self-publish my book.  It initially sounded like a good idea.  I was cover designer, editor, publisher and marketing team.  It quickly turned out to be a lot of work and required a lot of time.  I was getting nowhere fast.  The book did not get a lot of feedback.  I quickly found out that everyone wants to self-publish; it is almost impossible to get discovered.  I had to decide on the right points of the story to highlight; this was one of the most challenging tasks to do.  I decided to take the book down and make some revisions.  The Lord brought me Christian Faith Publishing.  I believed the story is one that is worth telling.  The literary agent agreed with me.  

Now when I write, I think about a cover and opening lines that will catch people’s attention.  These are two important things that are essential when writing.  I learned when getting my new release published that presentation, opening and closing thoughts and visuals are imperative elements to keep in mind during the planning and writing process.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?
I find that I have moments of energy and exhaustion.  When I find myself really passionate and inspired by God, then I can sit down, and thoughts and words pour out of my mind and my heart like a rushing river.  In my mid-20s, I struggled with my relationship with Dad and dating, so I was moved to write poetry.  That season has passed, and I cannot write anything that is poetic in nature.  In contrast, there are times in which something stirs up within me and I want to write in it down, but nothing comes out.  In those times, I sleep a lot, and wait several days or weeks for the thoughts to come together in one cohesive, thought-provoking piece of literature.  It really depends on the season I am in my life and the message I want to convey.

Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
As a writer, you must have a balance.  I have been writing since I was in high school.  I have written two math books.  They were not as successful as I would have liked for them to be.   In my past life, mathematics was my passion, the area of my career I spent my all my time and energy.  However, when I surrendered my life to Christ in 2013, I did not intend on writing my new release, “Confessions of the Heart.”  I dedicated and placed this book in the hands of the Lord.  I have seen more success and doors of opportunity available because my ego has been put aside; I have allowed the Lord to guide and to lead me.  When you come to the understanding that success comes from the Lord, and when you don’t acknowledge Him, and then it hurts you as a writer. 

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
It is my intentions to be original, and deliver content in a way that both intrigues and sparks curiosity in potential readers.  Too many times we go after what is new and fresh, but not always what people need.   It is my desire to give people a story that is inspiring, motivating, truthful and encouraging.

What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
My Dad was a poet and a public speaker.  He was very talented but didn’t know how to share that with me.  As a freshman in high school, I tried to write poetry.  It was not very good at it.  But as I got older and gain some life experiences, the feelings and thoughts of my broken heart began to pour of me.  I would sit down and write; I could find the right words for the stanzas for rhyme.  So it is not that I couldn’t write but it was provoked by the trials and tribulations, and heartache and pain.  Writing became therapeutic for me, and gave me an outlet to express my feelings and emotions in a constructive way.



                                                          What is your book about?
“Confessions of the Heart” is just a snap shot of my thought life in my mid-20s, and immediately after surrendering my life to Christ.  When I experienced a broken relationship with my Dad, it influenced and skewed my thoughts, feelings, and emotions about every other man I got involved with.  It also affected my perception of God.

What did you edit out of this book?
I did not tell about all my relationship struggles or how God used my younger to help explain some things about life to me.  In addition, I did not talk much about my Mom in this book .

What draws you to this genre?
Many times we Christian forget how we used to be, and do not take the time to tell our stories.  This is a perfect opportunity to share my life in such a way that people are drawn to Christ. All the trials and tribulations have allowed to me relate to many different people on many different levels. 

Why do you write?
People are bombarded with much information all the time, and they do not know where to go and what to believe.  I use my gift of writing to give people sound Biblical advice and direction; give people encouragement, inspiration and motivation; to understand and to strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is only reason to do anything: to the glory of God.








Want more?  Part 2 is coming! 

Join us February 7th for a LIVE interview with Canaa Lee of Confessions of the Heart. 

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