Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Barbara was born and raised in St. Louis. After college she lived in Iowa and South Dakota but has lived for the past 27 years in Kansas City, Missouri. Although born a St. Louis Cardinal fan, she has no problem rooting for the Royals, unless they are playing the Cardinals!
Barbara met her husband, Harold, while a student at Northeast Missouri State College, (aka Truman State University), where she graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education My husband and I have two children, six grandchildren, two of whom were married this past spring and summer.
After two children and several years of teaching I returned to school and have since earned a Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, a Specialist Degree from University of Missouri at Kansas City and a doctorate from the University of Kansas.
I served for twenty-seven years in public education in Iowa and Missouri as both a teacher and an administrator. My last 13 years were with the Raytown School District in suburban Kansas City retiring as the Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.
My favorite place to vacation is in the mountains and my husband and I especially love Estes Park! There is just something about the crisp air at the top of the international divide that is refreshing and invigorating! We also went to Vienna two years ago to visit our niece and her family and that was a special trip, too. Recently I have been blessed to travel with my daughter to London, Paris, the Netherlands, Berlin and Budapest. Additionally, I had the privilege of traveling to Siliguri, India several times on mission trips while helping to train teachers for a mission school her church was helping to establish. .
I have always believed that it is important to act on your beliefs and to be someone who makes a difference. Throughout my life I have volunteered when there was a need and readily took on various leadership roles. This tendency began early in my life and because of this, my father, who was in the Army Reserves for forty years, once said to me he was glad I wasn’t a boy, because I would probably have joined the Army, and as a soldier I would have volunteered for dangerous assignments, which would surely have gotten me shot.
I felt compelled to write this current book after completing a study of the Holy Spirit. During that study I sought out the direction of the Holy Spirit as to what I could do about my concern for the welfare of this country and for the future impact it will have on her children and grandchildren. I felt that God was clearly telling me to write this book. So, I did.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is: Taking Civility Out of the Box: The Insanity of Incivility and What can be done About It. In the summer of 2018, I was visiting in Charleston with five good friends. We had all had leadership roles in the Raytown School District and were all now retired. This was during the first wave of immigrants that were coming into the US when families were being separated and children were being confined in less than stellar environments. All five of us were appalled and we wanted to do something. We tried contacting our congressmen but got nowhere. We thought of some other ideas but nothing seemed to really take hold. After I returned home I was preparing to teach a study on the Holy Spirit and as I did that I felt compelled to write this current book. During that study I had sought out the direction of the Holy Spirit as to what I could do about my concern for the welfare of this country and for the future impact it will have on her children and grandchildren. I felt that God was clearly telling me to write this book. So, I did.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really but I do tend to write about things that I feel passionate about and that passion will push me to find the time.
What are you working on now?
I’m getting back into writing for my blog: “…the sometimes wise woman” because I had to let the go while I was working on the book. I’m also looking at writing an online course related to civility and civil discourse for college students. My next big goal is to accepted for a Tedx talk on the topic of importance civility and civil discourse in a democracy.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That is a great question to which I do not have an answer. I have yet to find one that was truly helpful. My book is published on Amazon. It has 30 reviews and a 4.7 rating but that’s about it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Trust your passion and write what is on your heart. Listen to good advice but don’t let doubts stop you.
What are you reading now?
Love Your Enemies by Alvin Brooks and
The Power of Full Engagement by Loehr and Schwartz
What’s next for you as a writer?
Focusing on the online courses and the Tedx Talk
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?
Biography of Dietrich Bohnhoeffer by Eric Metaxis ( I could finally finish it!)
Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups – A Renovare Resource For Spiritual Renewal
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
My Bible
Author Websites and Profiles
Barbara Condra Website
Barbara Condra Amazon Profile
Barbara Condra’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account