Join Anna McLaughlin as she reconnects with longtime friend Cristi Slate in this inspiring conversation about creativity, motherhood, and pursuing dreams at any stage of life. After 16 years of friendship, Cristi shares her transformative journey from participating in an "artist recovery program" to becoming a published author. Her story will encourage anyone who has set aside their creative dreams for the demands of daily life and wondered if it's too late to begin again.

About Our Guest:

Cristi Slate is a lifelong lover of writing and stay-at-home mom to four wonderful kids. Living abroad for over a decade, her unique surroundings and experiences have helped her create unforgettable stories that feature strong women who overcome adversity. In her free time, she loves devouring books, especially those that transport her to different times or places. Her goal is to create compelling stories that will resonate with readers for years to come. At age 40, she transformed her childhood dream into reality, becoming a published author of both adult historical fiction and middle-grade novels that parents can trust.

• Turning 40 as a catalyst for reassessing life priorities and embracing new beginnings

• Viewing creativity as a form of worship and service to God, not self-indulgence

• Giving yourself permission to create, even in the busy seasons of motherhood

• Transitioning from a lifelong dream to becoming a published author in three years

• Building discipline through practical habits like one-page-a-day writing and accountability check-ins

• Embracing the reality that authorship involves both creativity and consistent marketing

• Modeling creativity as a powerful influence on family and community

• Understanding the spiritual and emotional impact of creating over merely consuming content

Cristi Slate's Published Works:

• The Valley Between Us - Historical fiction for adults based on true stories of bride kidnapping in the Caucasus Mountains during the Soviet Union's collapse

• Glory Abroad - Middle-grade fiction (ages 7-13) about an American family of five adjusting to life overseas (first in planned 5-book series)

Inspirational Reading:

• The Penderwicks series

• The Vanderbeekers series

• The Moffats series

• Works by Robert Whitlow (New York Times bestselling author of Christian legal fiction)

• Website: https://www.cristislate.com/

• Social Media: Instagram and Facebook

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The show notes above may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please contact me with questions.The show notes above may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please contact me with questions.

MUSIC CREDITS

Theme music: Brave New World

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Artist: Fantoms

Inspiring Hopeful

Audio source: Jamendo

Artist: Aliaksei Yukhnevich

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