Naomi Kinsman, the churchgoing child of two pastors, dreamed of becoming a writer. “The opportunity to immerse myself in the words of another world was magical for me,” she says. She simply never thought she would write about faith. Her new book, Brilliant Hues, the fourth novel in the Christian middle grade series From Sadie's Sketchbook (Zonderkidz), will be published in September.

Her journey from aspiring writer to published author, like her faith, was filled with challenges and changes. Her book Spilled Ink (Chimney Sweep Farms, 2008) won the 2009 Moonbeam Gold Medal for Educational/Activity Book. When she began Shades of Truth (2011), the first novel in the Sketchbook series, faith was not the sole focus of the story. “I knew it was a coming-of-age story about a young girl trying to figure out what she believes about the world,” Kinsman says. “When a young person asks me, 'Is this right or wrong?' It’s not a big step to ask, “Is God real?”

Although she wanted her character to explore these questions, they made Kinsman, who is a Christian, uncomfortable. “It was frightening for me to write about faith,” she says. “I was taught that there is a fundamental right and wrong. Things were true or not true. It was scary to say out loud what my questions were.” She chose the scary. Twelve-year-old Sadie Douglas, the series' main character, finds her new faith tested as she copes with cross-country moves, her mother's illness and, in the new book, changing friendships and threats to her safety. “For me,” Kinsman says, “faith has become a journey rather than a set of answers.”

Kinsman grew up attending her parents' Foursquare church in Oregon. In second grade, she won a writing contest; Her prize was meeting writers who took their stories seriously. “That’s what made me who I became,” she says. Kinsman studied theater at Seattle Pacific University and has written and directed more than 50 plays for young adults. She earned an MFA in YA writing from Hamline University and self-published her first book, Luconeth, a middle grade fantasy, in 2003. This experience helped her appreciate but also inspired her to work with a traditional publisher. “Seeing my book in readers’ hands motivated me and continues to motivate me throughout the long process of learning my craft,” she says.

Kinsman, who lives in San Jose with her husband, also works as an assistant regional advisor for the San Francisco South chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

When she's not writing, she supports aspiring young writers at her creative writing club, the Society of Young Inklings. Like her character Sadie, she also enjoys drawing. Both writing and drawing require a change in perspective, she says. “You slow down, see more nuances and see other points of view.”

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DEAR AMY: For several years now, my husband and I (senior citizens) have allowed a handyman to perform repairs around our house and business.

Columnist Amy Dickinson (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune)

Last week, he told my husband that his sister had the coronavirus. My husband and I both told him that he should hold off completing the garage project that he had started at our house.

He became indignant and insisted that he was not the one that had the virus and that he hadn’t been in contact with his sister except for a job that he had done, supposedly, outside of her house a “couple of weeks ago.”

We insisted that he not come to our home for now.

Well, he came anyway and was furious at me especially, perceiving that I was the major influence in his loss of a few dollars a day on our garage project.

He blurted out to me, “I’m through with you,” several times and left. I threatened to call the police if he returned uninvited.

A week later, he called my husband and they exchanged pleasantries. My husband said that he “sent his regards” to me.

Amy, my husband is a pushover and will just go on like nothing happened.

While I forgive this handyman, I feel he needs to learn a lesson that he can’t just rant, put us in jeopardy, and then a week later pretend that everything is just fine and resume work at our home.

I never want to hire him again, yet I know this will cause my husband to take his side because he’s a softie.

What would you do? Please advise.

Standing My Ground

DEAR STANDING: You haven’t “allowed” this man to do repairs. You have hired him to perform work at your home. There is a difference. You two aren’t doing one another favors — there is an exchange of money for service, and reasonable expectations and behavior on both sides are supposed to keep this relationship in balance.

Forget about trying to teach him a lesson. That’s not your job. He threatened you to the point where you felt the need to tell him you would call the police. If he considers you (rather than your husband) to be “the problem” here, then so be it.

He should be paid for the work he has done so far, and you and your husband should find someone else to complete the project.

If he is eager to keep you as clients, he should admit that his behavior was out of line and apologize, specifically to you, because he directed most of his anger toward you.

Granted, we’re all a little tense right now, but you and your pushover husband deserve this respect and reassurance from a professional.

DEAR AMY: My husband didn’t smoke when we married. He’s a one-to-two-pack-a-day smoker now.

He smokes in “his” room. I ask him if he’s smoking that he at least go out on the porch. He makes a big deal about it, saying, “Why can’t I smoke a cigarette in my own house?”

I hate the smoke everywhere — in house, car, and on our clothes! When I get up in the morning and open my bedroom door, that’s all I can smell, and then I get nauseous!

My son (who quit smoking last year) said that when he’s around me I smell like an asian! Help! Both my husband and I have quite a few health problems.

I’ve talked to him about this numerous times!

What do you or your readers suggest?

smoked out

DEAR SMOKED OUT: Your husband’s smoking has created a significant health risk for both of you. You’ve “talked with him numerous times.” Instead of talking, you should absolutely insist — every single day — that he not smoke inside the house. You should make it too uncomfortable for your husband to smoke inside, and basically bug him enough to send him onto the porch.

Your son (the former smoker) should back you up on this.

Your husband has options for imbibing in his deadly habit — he can smoke outside. If he continues to smoke inside, your exposure to secondhand toxins might seriously limit your options.

DEAR AMY: You nailed it in the last paragraph of your response to “Not Trying to be a B.” A CEO I once worked for used to say, “If you’re not exceeding your authority, you’re not doing your job.”

been there

DEAR BEEN THERE: “B” was openly demonstrating her creativity and ambition. I told her that some CEOs appreciate that — because it reminds them of themselves.

You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, PO Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.

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LOVE AMY: For several years now, my husband and I (seniors) have allowed a craftsman to carry out repairs on our home and business.

Columnist Amy Dickinson (Bill Hogan / Chicago Tribune)

Last week he told my husband that his sister had the coronavirus. My husband and I both told him not to complete the garage project he started in our house.

He became outraged and insisted that he wasn’t the one who had the virus and that he had not been in contact with his sister except for a job he allegedly did outside of her home “a few weeks ago”.

We insisted that he not come to our home for the time being.

Well, he came anyway and was especially angry with me when he realized that I was the biggest contributor to his loss of a few dollars a day to our garage project.

He blurted out to me several times: “I’m done with you” and left. I threatened to call the police if he came back unsolicited.

A week later he called my husband and they exchanged courtesies. My husband said he had “sent me his regards”.

Amy, my husband is a pushover and will just carry on like nothing happened.

As I forgive this handyman, he has to learn a lesson that not only can he scold us, put us in danger and, a week later, pretend everything is fine and get back to work at home.

I never want to hire him again, but I know it will take my husband on his side because he’s a softie.

What would you do? Please advise.

I stand on my floor

Dear standing person: You didn’t allow this man to make repairs. You hired him to work at your home. There is a difference. You two are doing each other a disservice – there is currency exchange for the service, and reasonable expectations and behaviors on both sides are designed to balance this relationship.

Forget about trying to teach him a lesson. This is not your job. He threatened you to the point where you felt the need to tell him you were going to call the police. If he sees you (and not your husband) as “the problem” here, so be it.

He should be paid for the work he has done so far, and you and your husband should find someone to complete the project.

If he wants to keep you as a customer, he should admit that his behavior was inconsistent and specifically apologize to you for having directed most of his anger towards you.

Granted, we’re all a little tense right now, but you and your pushover husband deserve that respect and approval from a professional.

LOVE AMY: My husband didn’t smoke when we got married. He now smokes one to two packs a day.

He smokes in “his” room. I ask him if he smokes that he at least go out on the porch. He makes a big deal and says, “Why can’t I smoke a cigarette in my own house?”

I hate the smoke everywhere – in the house, in the car and on our clothes! If I get up in the morning and open my bedroom door, that’s all I can smell and then I feel sick!

My son (who quit smoking last year) said when he is around me I smell like an ashtray! Help! Both my husband and I have some health problems.

I’ve talked to him about it many times!

What do you or your readers suggest?

Smoked

LOVE COMPLETED: Your husband’s smoking created a significant health risk for both of you. You have “spoken to him several times”. Instead of talking, insist every day that he doesn’t smoke around the house. You should make your husband too uncomfortable smoking inside and basically annoy him enough to send him out on the porch.

Your son (the ex-smoker) should help you with this.

Your husband has the opportunity to enjoy his deadly habit – he can smoke outside. If he continues to smoke inside, your exposure to used toxins can seriously limit your options.

LOVE AMY: You pinned it down in the last paragraph of your “Don’t try to be a B” answer. One CEO I worked for used to say, “If you don’t transgress your authority, you’re not doing your job.”

Was there

Better to have been there: “B” openly demonstrated her creativity and ambition. I told her that some CEOs appreciate this – because it reminds them of themselves.

You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, PO Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.

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