Q&A with Theresa Sneed discussion

I write about angels, because I believe in them! ;)

Tell me about yourself! What do you like to read? Are you an author too?

I am not an author, but I love to read! I read lots of things, but mostly fantasy. I love to acknowledge the angels in my life, because I have an Angel daughter. Hanna died at the age of 18 after a tough life starting with her premature birth on Nov 21, 1983 until her death on )ct. 9, 2002. She had many challenges, but she loved life and loved all those around her. She was Autistic, and had many health problems and was very fragile. We almost lost her many other times over the years. She was able to graduate from Kearns High, and she was very proud of that. But Heavenly Father had other plans for her. She is my angel and I feel her presence near me all the time. She was perfect in our Heavenly Father's Eyes.

Thanks for sharing that, Vicki. From a very young age, I knew that angels existed and have had great hope that there's more to life than meets the eye. Much of what I write comes from a deep feeling that we lived before in heaven and will return there and continue on with our lives. One of the things that has always fascinated me was the time difference between heaven and earth - the whole 1,000 years to one day thing ... I created a chart on it (which I have listed in a post on http://theresatalks.blogspot.com or you can go to it through my author blog by clicking on my picture and scrolling down through the posts until you get to the article about CS Lewis.) Did you know that a person who lives to be in their 80's has only been away from heaven for a little over two hours? That's not even the length of a good movie! We can endure anything for 2 hours, can't we? ;)

I love them too, Shirley! I have a small collection myself, but want to pick up a few more for my book launch - I thought giving away a couple angels would be nice ... ;) You are an author too? What have you written/ or what are you writing?

Vicki~ I wanted to say how sorry I am about your daughter Hanna. What an incredible young woman she sounds like ~

She was. She had so many challenges, because Heavenly Father loves her dearly. She taught all those around her to love more freely. I have written about her on my blog, http://dragonshelving.blogspot.com/. Her birth was the starting point.

I just read her story Vicki - so beautiful ... I looked for a way to follow your blog, but could not find it ...

Oh, I thought there was one on there. I'll have to look and if not set it up for it.

I just went to it, and it's down on the right hand side below all the list of blogs I follow, right underneath the baby picture of me.;P

Thanks Vicki - I'll take another look! Okay, so I have a question for anyone who wants to respond: Why are we fascinated with angels? - Throughout the history of mankind, angels have played an important part in our lives. Some have claimed to witness angels, others have simply hoped that they are real. Why?

I think they show a connection with our Heavenly Father that we all need. They come as representatives of him and encourage us at times when we need them. Even if they are someone in our lives who is helping to answer a prayer, the angels among us.

Yes, I think so too, Vicki. It's interesting that you would allude to 'someone in our lives who is helping to answer a prayer' - they are truly angels in our lives too!
I think that there is also a very real, unseen world that surrounds us filled with angels that are just waiting for a directive from God or a request from one of us to help ... I don't see them as a different 'species' from man/woman, but as actual men and women who have either already come to earth and passed on/back to heaven, or haven't been yet, but will eventually take their 'turn' on earth ...

Exactly!

BTW, This is my Angel Hanna in my photo!

I joined your blog, and I see we have some common friends! The picture is darling ... so sweet ... thanks for sharing!
I received one of the best complements ever yesterday about my debut novel, No Angel - due to the nature of the comment, I will keep the person's identity private, but she said that her son is in jail, and she wants him to read No Angel while he's there, because she likes the way that I explain how we can be tempted by demons (bodiless spirits) too, but never forced to choose - it's all about what we choose from whatever promptings/temptations put before us ...

I am your friend on facebook as well. I beling to LDSForeverfriends and have made friends with so many authors, I love it!

Fabulous! I know! It's fun, huh? So - do you have any questions for me?

Not right now. We are coming up on the 9th Anniversary of Hanna's death. Also, I am doing a tree for the Festival of Trees and titling it The Master Carpenter. All of the ornaments and decorations are going to be made of wood. I am planning on asking my son to build a rough workbench like Christ would have used to be part of the display. I still need to get a tree. I usually go for a pre-lit 7ft tree. If you know of anyone who can help, I'd love it! Anyway, have a good day!

Sounds like a wonderful project - is it in Utah?

So, I thought that explaining a little about why I write about angels would be nice. I have such hope of who we are and where we came from and where we're returning - I wanted to write a novel that wasn't an 'in your face' theological book (though I love those) but a novel that presented things of heaven as the mere setting or backdrop of a story. In No Angel, the main character is Jonathan Stewart, a spirit who dies tragically on earth and doesn't want to go back as a guardian angel, but he has to, because it's required of all post mortal spirits to fulfill at least one angel guardianship - IF they are chosen. Well, no one chooses him for years, because he made it quite clear on the Guardians Unlimited application that he can't stand earth, so who would want someone like him for their guardian? -apparently, the beautiful Celeste Knight.
So, the true story is about his interaction with her while she grows, and also the other forces that exist to thwart Celeste's life - the evil spirits that seek her destruction. It is a book about hope - the hope that we DID come from a pre-mortal existence, and the hope that there is more to life than 'meets the eye' - and that we will return to a heavenly home that we will very much remember after this mortal experience is over.

Yes, my project is in Salt Lake. I live in Magna.
I can't wait to read your book, it sounds so good. I will request it at the Library where I work.

I hope that you will enjoy it. I've received some excellent reviews on it on Goodreads and Amazon!

I saw an old friend today - I haven't seen her since her husband passed away a couple years ago. When I said, "It feels like I should see him walk by - like he's here." She immediately said, "Oh, he is! I feel him all the time!" What a comfort that must be for her...

I know it made me smile!

Well, I believe this group discussion is only supposed to last one moth and we're coming up to the end of it! Thanks for being a part of it, and I hope when we try it again sometime, that we can get some really good discussions going! ;)