When goal-oriented Georgia author, Tim Riordan, was eighteen-years-old, he made a list of 100 things he wanted to do in his life. One was to write ten books. Today, with a whole lot of life left (God willing), he’s about to publish number eleven.
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, he was raised in a home that valued learning. His family shared long-term goals with one another and books they intended to read in the coming year. “My mother helped me and my siblings to understand that God placed us here to influence others in positive ways.”
When he was twelve-years-old, he taught in children’s church and started preaching at age fourteen. “It’s a little crazy now to think about a fourteen-year-old preacher, but God used those early days to continue to grow in me a love for His Word and to show me that He’s looking for availability more than ability.”
Tim’s availability is evident. Whether writing Christian Living books, Romance, or Suspense, his goal is to encourage others to develop a passionate relationship with Jesus. Inspired by John Grisham’s novel, The Testament, to speak of spiritual issues and creatively share the Gospel through fiction, he writes romance, suspense, and action-packed adventure under the pen name, Judah Knight.
“Through my non-fiction, I hope to continue opening readers’ hearts and minds to the liberating truths of God’s Word. Through fiction, I want to connect with people who do not know Jesus and show them how they can have relationships they’ve always dreamed of having, and ultimately, that relationship needs to begin with Jesus.”
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His first published book, a novel, took him four years to write. “I would write for one hour a day at lunch while also working on a non-fiction book that I completed and began sharing with publishers. In 2014, as a way to help my daughter raise money for a mission trip to Cambodia, I self-published my novel, The Long Way Home. In 2016, I rewrote and republished it as the first book of my Davenport Series.”
Tim’s advice for aspiring authors is “Don’t write alone. Many writers are loners, however we function better in community because God made us that way. Allow others into your life to read chapters, offer encouragement, share criticisms, and ultimately help you publish. I also urge new writers to maintain consistency. An hour a day of research, marketing, and writing will ultimately lead you to become a published author.”
On Tim’s 100 things to-do list was to hike the 2200-mile Appalachian Trail. In his twenties, he started at the beginning of the trail and hiked a few days. Little-by-little he’s made it north. This past May, he hiked 229 miles and passed the halfway point in Pennsylvania. “I plan to hike a minimum of 200 miles per year and should finish in the next four or five years. Backpacking is a spiritual experience for me. It’s a wonderful time to spend with God as I hike along and think of His creative beauty.”
Tim loves to connect with readers on his website at www.timriordan.com and invites you to check out his Christian Living books on his Amazon Author page. To access his novels, look for them under his pen name, Judah Knight.
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“I have always worked on the principle of giving people grace and space–grace for when they mess up and space for when they need to grow up.” —Meg Davenport in Finding My Way
So nice to meet you, Tim, through Serious Writer’s FB page. I think your bucket list at age 18 is an inspiration for all of us. I plan to recommend it to 18-year-old students that I know.
Keep up the good work, and I hope to one day join you in the ranks of “published author!”
Blessings,
Stephanie
Thanks, Stephanie, for stopping in and commenting.
Great article! It really inspired me to keep on writing.
Hey Evelyn. It’s Tim Riordan. Thanks for your comment. I’m constantly awed that God uses us to make a difference in the world. I consider it an honor and a trust to write books that encourage people’s faith. Writing can be a difficult challenge for all of us, so I’m grateful to be a small encouragement to you.
Ah. Mission accomplished, Evelyn. 😃 Thanks for sharing.
Mr. Tim is correct, any place you find that allows you just to get alone and spend some time with God is something you have to do. I used to call out to God many times while carrying a ruck sack many miles at a time in the military, but my favorite alone time with God is sitting atop a hill on my ranch. Sometimes it’s just me and God. Other times, my animals gather around me. Special times indeed. Thanks for this insight into a wonderful author and man.
Thanks J.D. for your comment. I love being alone and find that my times backpacking or scuba diving are great spiritual experiences. As a believer, pastor, and author, I have found that I must be alone not only to write, but also just to encounter God and seek a word from Him. I’m actually about to leave today for a week in the mountains for prayer, study, and planning. I’m grateful to my mother and brother who encouraged me to take spiritual retreats many years ago. “Be still and know that I am God” has become a great challenge to me.
Thanks JD for commenting. Your hill sounds divine. 😍