Interview with Nancy Herriman - Breast Cancer Overcomer

Nancy Herriman is the author of The Irish Healer. I met Nancy through Facebook and fellow ACFW members.

Nancy, welcome to Overcoming Through Time.  Would you share either the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help, or the most tragic situation or circumstance one of your character’s has had to get past?

 - Easily the most difficult thing I have recently had to overcome was a diagnosis of breast cancer, which was received shortly after The Irish Healer was bought by Worthy Publishing. A bittersweet time, for certain, where the jubilation of finally selling--after more than 10 years of hard work and numerous rejections--was tempered by the shock of a life-threatening illness. Without the support of prayer and my wonderful church family, it would have been a much more difficult ordeal. Because of this support, though, and the amazing folks at Worthy who have been a true blessing, I have been able to face this trial with (I hope!) a measure of equanimity.

What is your favorite bible verse and why?

- Although this has changed over time, I would say my current favorite is Phil 4:13 ‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ Beautiful, encouraging and very timely for my current life situation.

Disability friendliness:

Is this release available in audio format? Will it be released in large print?  (Thank you – we offer this information to our readers with difficulty reading books in regular print format.)

- Indeed yes, The Irish Healer is available in audio format. It is also available in e-book form (both on Kindle and Nook, as well as directly from Worthy), which permits folks to adjust the size of the font and make reading more comfortable and legible. The wonders of technology! At this time, I’m not aware if the book will become available as a large print in paper.

What is the most important thing you hope your readers will get from your books and why?

- I hope that my readers will find encouragement to persist through difficulties and to know that they aren’t alone, since God is always with us. Understanding why troubles occur does not come easily, but God--if we ask--can give us the grace to persevere and hopefully overcome.

As you researched your book, did you learn anything that particularly touched your heart?

- As I was doing research on the cholera epidemic, I think I was most touched by the fear people of the time must have felt as they dealt with a disease that had a cause they didn’t understand and that they also didn’t know how to cure. Talk about the need for pure and strong faith! Medical solutions of the day were more likely to harm and possibly kill them than heal.

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?

- In that regard, readers who feel themselves to be outsiders or outcasts (in the book, my heroine is an Irish immigrant in a time when they were despised in England) will encounter a story sympathetic to their situation. Also, the two central characters must attempt to heal others when they have lost their confidence or their courage to do so, a topic that not just people who work in a medical field might find therapeutic to read.

Thank you Nancy for agreeing to answer these questions.  Have a blessed day and keep on writing!!


The Irish Healer is available for purchase on Amazon, as well as on Christian Book Distributors,  and on Barnes and Noble as well as in other fine book stores. And The Irish Healer is available for download on Audible.com!!!

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of this author’s books, choice of format.