Author Interview: She Is My Child by Tammy Coulter

About the Book

Book: She Is My Child

Author: Tammy Coulter

Genre: Memoir

Release date: June 7, 2022

In 2007, fourteen-month-old Ava was diagnosed with Morquio Syndrome, a rare, progressive, genetic disorder for which there was no treatment. The jarring news left her mother Tammy reeling and wondering what the future held for her daughter. As the days following the diagnosis blurred together, Tammy saw two paths before her—fall apart or fall into the arms of the Lord. For a time, she did both, struggling with her emotions one moment, feeling God’s peace the next, all while continuing to care for her young family. Slowly, through near-constant prayer and Bible study, her burgeoning faith grew stronger than her fear and distress, leading her to a path she hadn’t seen—one that would test her even more and offer help for Ava.

In She is My Child, Tammy Coulter shares her spiritual journey, alongside Ava’s physical one, from diagnosis to surgeries to a long-anticipated Morquio clinical trial that had them flying to Chicago every week for more than two years. She reveals the most difficult moments and the greatest victories, as well as the humorous situations she and her daughter so often encountered, while highlighting God’s provision and what He taught her along the way.

Click here to get your copy!

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About the Author

Tammy Coulter graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville with a communication arts degree and a certificate in technical communication. She was a technical editor until the birth of her son, when she became a stay-at-home mom. After the birth of her daughter, her role expanded to include researcher, student of the Psalms, and full-time prayer warrior. In addition to writing, she enjoys quilting, reading cozy mysteries, and studying Bible prophecy and current events. Tammy lives in Madison, Alabama, with her husband, two children, and their Jack Russell terrier.

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Interview with Tammy

Q: Please give us a little introduction to your book. 

Tammy: My memoir is really two stories, the first being my daughter’s physical journey with a rare disorder. I discuss everything from her diagnosis to surgeries to an eventual clinical trial in Chicago for the first and only drug to treat her disorder, which affects her physically but does not cause any cognitive impairment. She and I traveled from Alabama to Chicago every week for over two years so that she would have access to a medicine that could halt or ameliorate her symptoms. Otherwise, she would have had to wait two to three years for it to become commercially available. She is now sixteen years old and about forty-one inches tall, and she doesn’t let her shorter stature stop her from living life to the fullest. Our time in Chicago also resulted in meeting so many wonderful new friends who became like family to us. The second story in the book is about my spiritual journey. While my husband and I walked with each other through everything and shared similar emotions, I mainly discuss my personal faith journey as a mom and an individual, seeing God work in amazing ways. Other than a few times over the course of our journey, it was just Ava and me traveling to Chicago, so that’s where my faith blossomed and where I learned so much more about trusting and leaning on the Lord. There were definitely some difficult days, but with God’s help and Ava’s personality, we had so many wonderful days filled with lots of fun and laughter. That girl is a hoot!


Q: How long did it take you to write this book?

Tammy: It took me about ten years to write this book. Part of that was actually going through everything and the rest was finding the time to put it all down, edit, and actually get it published. When Ava and I began traveling to Chicago, I sent out some updates to family and friends, telling them what was happening with Ava or the trial or my frustration at the airport and the funny things that happened there. They came to expect them each week, so if I missed one, people would ask where their update was. I am so thankful for that because those updates became a journal of our travel and clinical trial experiences and helped me to put the book together. Once we stopped our travels, I began homeschooling Ava and our son Grant, so my days were very full, which didn’t allow a lot of time for getting all of my thoughts down. Now that they are both older, I have finally had time to get everything together and have it published. I should note that Ava has also had a chance to weigh in on everything I included, and there was nothing I wrote that she wanted me to take out. She enjoyed the book.


Q: What do you hope readers take away from your book?

Tammy: I hope readers will be encouraged by my book. As I saw God working in our lives, I wanted other people to know about it, even perfect strangers if we happened to strike up a conversation. I just wanted to share how He provided for Ava and for me as we went through all we did. He always gave us what we needed–strength, faith, new friends, and even laughter and joy.


Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Tammy: Most people would not think of me as someone who is fascinated by true crime stories and forensics. I am so interested in what makes people do the things they do and in how law enforcement is able to find the culprit much of the time.


Q: In what setting do you enjoy writing the most? 

Tammy: I prefer to be indoors shut away from everyone and every sound, so no music or television for me as I write.


Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Tammy: When I am not writing, I enjoy quilting (both piecing and applique), punch needle, reading, spending time with family, walking with my dog, and listening to my favorite online pastors discuss Bible prophecy and current events. I also have an affinity for Andy Griffith and Gomer Pyle reruns.


Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your book?

Tammy: Readers can find out more about my book in two ways:

• By going to the site set up by my publisher: tammycoulterbooks.com
• By going to my personal blog site, where readers can find out more about me, my book, and any new books that may come along: tammycoulterauthor.com

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More from Tammy

When my daughter Ava was diagnosed with Morquio Syndrome, I was crushed and very frightened. Morquio is a progressive disorder and there was no treatment for it. How was my mother’s heart supposed to handle that? I’ll tell you how. By immersing myself in God’s Word. Only then did I begin to calm down and grow stronger in my faith, leaning on Him in ways I never had before. As I look back, I am still amazed at everything we went through and how God was present in all of it.

When we embarked on this trial, everything was new. The name of her disorder was new, seemingly constant doctor visits were new, and then, after four years of prayer for a treatment, a clinical trial for a new drug to treat Morquio was new. And so was the location. Chicago. That meant getting on a plane every week, also new, and flying there from Alabama, just me and my daughter who had just started kindergarten. It surely felt like God was doing a lot in such a short time. And He was. He took all the newness and turned it into both a testament to His provision and lasting memories for both of us. Not all of those memories are pleasant (the cab incident for one, though we joke about it now), but they remain as evidence of God taking care of us, bringing a sweetness to each remembrance. But, oh, so many of them are, and while we were going through something quite serious, the Lord, in His goodness, allowed us adventures, fun, laughter, and new friendships. Best of all, I had the most wonderful traveling companion who, at her tender age, taught me a thing or two along the way!

Just the other day, at a routine checkup, a specialist Ava sees said, “You just never cease to amaze me at how well you do.” I added that comment to so many other comments and experiences that have paved the path of my learning to turn to God first instead of immediately jumping into the quicksand of fear that will quickly suck me in if I let it. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Ava is now sixteen and the shy little girl I so worried over years ago currently wants to be a theater teacher.

I wrote this memoir to share how God provided for our family during a stressful period in our lives. It may make you cry some. I hope it makes you laugh a lot (let me tell you, Ava is a hoot). But the thing that would bring me the greatest joy is someone being encouraged in their own circumstances and life trials.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

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Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 8

Texas Book-aholic, January 9

Artistic Nobody, January 10 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, January 11

Cover Lover Book Review, January 12

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, January 13 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, January 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 15

Beauty in the Binding, January 16 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 16

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 18

Guild Master, January 19 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, January 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 20

A Baker’s Perspective , January 21 (Author Interview)

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tammy is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Link for giveaway: https://promosimple.com/ps/23643/she-is-my-child-celebration-tour-giveaway