Leah Forney is a lady that hears God and lets Him lead the way. Like many, the seven times published author, transformative speaker, founder of Purpose Driven University, and podcast host of international streamed Hey Queen Thrive! has a story to tell. She is a sexual assault survivor and thriver who has allowed God and therapy to guide her through her healing so that she can help others overcome their pain and trauma. Writing has also been her form of escape. Using her vision from God has led her to self-published many books, and she now has the tools to assist aspiring authors.
How have you overcome adversity? What advice will you give to others who are still suffering?
My journey to overcoming adversity hasn’t been an easy one. For years, I avoided dealing with the pain of my past. My backstory is that I was born into trauma. I am the daughter of two addicts. I was deemed a crack baby because I was born addicted to drugs. So, from the womb, I was set up. Growing up, I faced many adversities from homelessness, abandonment, rejection, rape, domestic violence, etc. I was broken, broke, busted, and disgusted. One thing that was instilled in me as a young girl was developing a relationship with Jesus Christ. Throughout the years, I ran from that relationship until I found myself in an abusive relationship in my early 20s.
On the last night that he put his hands on me, I barricaded myself into my bedroom and cried out to God. Now, I had not been praying, going to church, or reading my bible prior to this moment. So, I wasn’t sure that God would even hear my prayer. When I cried out, I asked God to get me out of this relationship and I promised to serve him with my life. The next morning, the guy told me to get out of the apartment we shared. I knew then that God had heard me. I kept my promise ever since. My relationship with God and therapy have been two instrumental avenues I took to heal and overcome adversity. My advice to others still suffering would be to acknowledge where you are and decide to heal. Healing is a choice. No one can force you to do it. Until you can be honest about where you are in life and make a choice to heal then the suffering will continue.
When did you start writing?
My journey to writing started as a young girl. I was raised by my maternal grandparents and my aunt. My parents were out of the home battling with addiction and incarceration. Writing was my way of escape. I would write short stories about my parents to avoid telling the truth about being the daughter of two addicts. Little did I know, God would use that same little girl to write and publish 8 books in 4 years.
My journey to authorship began in 2016 when God whispered to me that it was time to write a book. I had no clue about the book writing process. I even thought that God was tripping. I asked him what I was supposed to write about. He told me, “My life”. I sat down and asked God to give me the words. He had the provision already lined up. As I wrote my first book, “Unapologetically Me: Living, Owning, & Walking in My Truth”, God had my editor and publisher in place at my church. We connected and my first book was birthed on April 1, 2017. Almost 5 years later, I have written and published 7 books in total with my 8th book releasing on April 1, 2022.
Where do you get your ideas?
My strategy has always been prayer. When I feel in my spirit that God is leading me to write a new book, I pray about it. He usually reveals it to me in two ways: Either he reveals the title and no chapters, or he reveals the title & the chapters. Usually, when he reveals the title and the chapters I know this is the book I am supposed to write. From there, I use a mind map to do a brain dump about the topic and then I decide which experiences and ideas I want to use that are in alignment with the topic of the book. I’m a non-fiction author. All my books are pulled from personal experiences.
Tell us about Purpose Driven University.
Yes, Purpose Driven University is my new baby. In 2021, God was calling me to shift in my coaching business. I started out coaching women through the book writing process. I did it because that’s what I knew both inside & out. However, I wasn’t being fulfilled. So, I prayed, and God instructed me to examine the type of woman that I was serving in my coaching business. When I took a step back, I realized that I was serving aspiring women entrepreneurs who were published authors or aspiring authors. As I continued to pivot in my coaching business, God was leading me to help these women work through the barriers that were keeping them stuck and not walking into their God-given purpose.
Yet, I knew there was a need in the book writing arena. So, I conducted marketing research and compiled all the feedback from the research, and created Purpose Driven University. It has 5 courses. All of them are self-paced courses. They are all about the book-writing process. The first course dives into the fundamentals of book writing to help you get started. The second course dives into the logistics and what you need to do once your manuscript is completed. There are 2 mini-courses that help you narrow down your message to reach your intended audience and one that helps you to craft your pitch to grab media attention. The last course dives into how to turn your book into a business/nonprofit/ministry.
What inspired your podcast, Hey Queen, Thrive, and its purpose?
Hey Queen, Thrive! The podcast is my other baby. Again, following the lead of God back in 2020 when I was crafting my vision board for 2021, God spoke to me about starting a podcast. Once again, I was unsure because I didn’t know the first thing about podcasting. I knew how to speak. I knew that I was relatable. In obedience, I agreed to launch the podcast. However, I was stuck on a name. One day, I took a nap after work. In my spirit, I heard “Hey Queen, Thrive! I woke up and I grabbed my notebook off my dresser, and I wrote it down. Hey Queen, Thrive! is a show created by a woman for women.
As a podcast listener, I didn’t find too many shows by black women having conversations that no one wanted to talk about. So, I created one. It launched on January 14, 2021. I am proud to say that we are now streaming in 12 countries which are the United States, Denmark, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Nigeria, Singapore, & Kenya. We also have over 1200 all-time plays since its first season. Season 2 is currently underway.
What motivates you?
When I think about what motivates me, I think about my 12 nieces & nephews. They are all unique and special. They keep me young and vibrant. The reason why they are my motivation is that in everything I do, I think about how I can leave this world a little better for them. I am also motivated by life. I am always looking for inspiration in my daily life. I have learned that even the challenges I have faced were made to grow and develop me for the better.
What’s your favorite and least favorite part of publishing?
As a self-published author, my favorite part would be writing my book and having control over the publishing process. I chose to self-publish because I wanted total creative control over my projects. My books are my babies. So, I wanted to be the one to decide on who gets to edit, format, and do my book cover. My least favorite part is the marketing and promoting. To sell a book, you must have a marketing plan. Also, you must know your target audience. I have seen many authors fail because they didn’t have a marketing plan and they didn’t know who their audience was.
What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?
The advice I would give someone working on their first book would be the following:
*Have a clear message: Know what you want your reader to walk away with when they finish reading your book.
* Know Your Audience: Be very specific about who you are targeting with your message. Know that your book is not for everyone, but it is for that one person who fits the criteria of your audience.
*Create a writing schedule: Even the busiest person can find time to write a book. Writing a book is about getting into a flow. Set a timer for 15 minutes and start writing. You will be surprised how much you get done.
* Set a Writing Goal: Decide how many words you will commit to writing each day. The average non-fiction book is anywhere between 20,000 & 35,000 words.
* Set a deadline: My motto is a goal without a deadline is just a wish. Set a deadline on when you want your manuscript completed and ready for publishing. Make sure to factor 4 to 6 weeks for editing.
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I like your story.I had the fortune of raising your younger bother and sisters.Like you they had their struggles with life growing up in ourAmerica.I wish I could of helped them more but l did not know their history. With God’s help they survived and l pray they would find the way to God and therapy and like you thrive.God bless my daughter from another 👩. ❤️.