Interview With Author Andy Cole-Kinsey
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Andy, based in Greater Manchester, UK. I have spent the last 18 years building a career in digital marketing and technical SEO, but recently, I navigated a completely different journey: the Church of England’s discernment process, coming out the other side as an ordinand. As someone who is neurodivergent (I have an ADHD and dyslexic profile), my experiences have deeply shaped the way I approach theology, ministry, and communication. Called and Tested is my first book in this space, written to help others navigating that same complex institutional machinery.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Called and Tested: Navigating the Church of England Discernment Process. It was entirely inspired by my own journey to ordination. The official Church literature can be polite, formal, and assuming of a perfectly linear mind. As a neurodivergent candidate, I wanted to create the exact “translation matrix” or field guide I wish I’d had when I started—one that dismantles the panic, provides practical strategies for the rigorous panel assessments, and gives people permission to drop the mask.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Because of my ADHD and dyslexia, staring at a blank page can easily trigger executive dysfunction. To get around this, I rarely type my first drafts. I prefer to dictate my thoughts using voice notes on my phone when the hyper-focus hits. I also rely heavily on “body doubling”—sitting in a room with my wife, Vicky, or working in a bustling coffee shop to stay anchored and focused while I organise my thoughts.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I appreciate writers who aren’t afraid to be practical and brutally honest about the realities of faith and ministry. Books like Jules Middleton’s Surviving the Discernment Process were legendary “underground” reading during my own journey, showing me the incredible value of unvarnished, real-world corridor intelligence over polished corporate brochures.
What are you working on now?
Alongside my ongoing technical SEO role, I spend a lot of time developing digital resources and content for neurodivergent Christians. My focus is on making ministry, faith, and the often-daunting discernment process much more accessible for people whose brains work a little differently.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Given my background in digital marketing and search engine optimisation, I lean heavily on good organic search strategies. I focus on building niche, highly targeted platforms and ensuring they are optimised for user experience. This means that the exact people who are searching for this highly specific, reassuring guidance can actually find it when they need it most.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write the exact book that you needed but couldn’t find. If you are struggling with the physical act of typing or formatting, do not let that stop your story. Use dictation software, record voice notes, and just get the raw ideas out of your head first. You can always tidy up the spelling and grammar later.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
During my initial discernment process, my minister told me: “The faster you try and run at it, the slower the Church tends to move.” As someone whose brain naturally wants to process solutions at 100mph, that advice forced me to apply the brakes. It helped me embrace the waiting period and realise that institutional silence isn’t a delay or a rejection—it is just a decompression chamber.
What are you reading now?
I am usually dipping in and out of books on local transport heritage, Manchester history, and practical theology—essentially anything that connects big historical or spiritual ideas to everyday, working-class community life.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to continue writing resources that sit directly at the intersection of neurodiversity and faith. I want to keep translating complex, heavy institutional language into accessible formats, dismantling the barriers that make church leadership difficult for neurodivergent individuals to navigate safely.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring a robust study Bible (preferably an audio version if the island has good battery life!), a comprehensive book on UK transport history to keep my analytical brain engaged, and a highly practical survival guide so I wouldn’t be stranded for too long!
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