Author: blogespresso

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. Hi, I’m Rachel Schaf. A mother of four incredible humans, three sons and one daughter, who are now grown and finding their way in the world. After nearly two decades of single motherhood, I married my husband, David, in 2021 and gained two more amazing stepsons…and in 2023, a wonderful daughter-in-law. Earlier this year, I stepped into a whole new chapter: becoming a grandmother!

Professionally, I’ve spent the past 19 years in engineering software sales. A career path that’s sharpened my analytical, scientific side. But outside of the office, I’m an artist, a dreamer, and a lover of all things soulful. I find joy in the garden, in color, in old forgotten treasures waiting to be made beautiful again. I’m endlessly curious and find myself drawn to ancient wisdom, astrology, numerology, and the inner workings and patterns that shape both human nature and the unseen world around us.

I like to think of my poetry as multi-layered and multi-dimensional—reflecting that liminal space I often inhabit, with one foot in the tangible, one in the etheric. Much of what I create comes through dreams, spontaneous inspiration, or channeled insight. I write to express the sacred spark I feel within, and with the hope of reminding others of their own innate worth and wonder. 

I think of myself as a “Lucid Intuitive”—because clarity, mystery, and deep feeling are lenses through which I most love to experience the world.

While I’m currently based in Pennsylvania, I’ll be planting new roots in Tennessee at the end of this summer. This has been a transformative season, full of endings and new beginnings. It feels like a blooming…both a coming home and a bold stepping out. God Spark is my first public offering from that space.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “God Spark”?

A2. The biggest challenge in writing God Spark wasn’t the writing itself, it was getting over myself. My ego, my fears, and the inner critic that questioned, ‘Who am I to share this?’ 

I’ve danced around my voice for years, but this time, I felt deeply called to show up fully and put myself out there. That meant getting vulnerable, trusting the spark inside me, and allowing the words to rise without over-editing my soul in the process. It was less about perfecting the message and more about finally being willing to be seen by all.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. The Bible has undoubtedly been a huge influence on my writing and worldview. But honestly, my reading list has evolved (and zig-zagged) throughout every season of my life’s journey, and many of my choices would have raised a few eyebrows! Ha-ha!

If I hone in on the last 5 years, a few standout works have deeply shaped my perspective and voice. The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer helped me open to the expansive nature of the self. Todd Henry’s Louder Than Words taught me the power of finding and honoring my authentic voice.

I’ve also been greatly influenced by spiritual and metaphysical texts, including Kimberly Moon’s Psychic Empath, Linda Howe’s How to Read the Akashic Records, and several of Dolores Cannon’s works like Jesus and the Essenes, Between Death & Life, and The Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth.

Books on healing and embodiment, like The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk and The Missing Element by Debra Silverman, have deepened my understanding of trauma, compassion, and the human condition.

Other works that have piqued my interest include The Gene Keys by Richard Rudd, Diane Stein’s The Women’s Book of Healing, and Suzanne Giesemann’s The Awakened Way and Wolf’s Message. I’m currently reading Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, and it’s speaking straight to my wild feminine spirit.

Each one left its mark, whether through insight, affirmation, or sheer wonder, and I have no doubt they’ve all helped shape the lens through which I now connect, create, and write. 

Q4. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. Currently, my favorite spot to visit is the 73-acre farm my husband, David, and I purchased in 2022. It is tucked into the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Rogersville, Tennessee. We’re currently in the process of creating a sanctuary for anyone in need of renewal, from children with disabilities engaging in animal and art therapy to overworked adults seeking retreat and reconnection with nature. We envision our land becoming a portal for holistic wellness, hand-crafted wine, delicious food, and creative, family-friendly life experiences that awaken every sense. 

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘God Spark’?

A5. Writing is an integral part of my sacred time and space: a place where I also meditate, pray, breathe, process, and dream—but sharing? That is another story.

There are pages I’ve poured my heart into that never saw the light of day, tucked away, burned, or thrown out in a moment of fear. Vulnerability tends to feel too dangerous. I’ve wrestled for years with the belief that I wasn’t good enough, especially when the truths I carried deep within didn’t fit nicely into the religious constructs of my “church” upbringing, a framework more rooted in fear than in love.

For a long time, I stayed small. Quiet. Hidden.

But motherhood, with all its beauty and chaos, helped shape me. As my children grew more independent, I finally had the space to turn inward and face the parts of myself I’d long avoided. The past twelve years have been nothing short of a soul-deep transfiguration: a reckoning, a remembering, a return to God’s love.

“Write a book” had been sitting on my vision board for over a decade. I had no idea how or when, I only knew the calling wouldn’t let go. Then, this past February, I said yes to a simple poetry challenge: 21 poems in 21 days. I didn’t expect much… but something cracked open. The words came like channeled waves, unfiltered and alive. I didn’t just write poetry, I remembered myself in the process.

This book of poems is the result of my personal surrender of the ego. These pages carry my heart, my healing, and my hope: that those who read them will feel less alone, more seen, and deeply reminded that their unique perspective, their heart, and their voice also matter. It is woven with tenderness and truth, the kind that gently calls one home, a return to love.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘God Spark’?

A6.  Funny enough, as I mentioned earlier, God Spark was born out of a 21-day writing challenge, 21 poems in 21 days. I’d already developed a morning ritual of journaling for about 30 minutes a day, so I just swapped out journaling for poetry, and it became a beautiful daily rhythm of coffee, quiet time, and letting spirit flow through the pencil. If I do the math, that’s about 630 minutes…or 10 hours, give or take a few mystical detours.✍️😉💫   

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. Paper book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/hAb0tic and Book Leaf Publishing eBook Store: https://ebooks.bookleafpub.com/product-page/god-spark-channeled-messages-of-love-and-awakening 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘God Spark’?

A8. I can’t begin to comprehend God through intellect alone. Honestly, I could spend a lifetime just contemplating the chapter of Genesis and the scientific, esoteric, and spiritual significance of water throughout the remaining passages of the Bible, “the face of the deep” (tehom) versus “the waters” (mayim), which were divided by Heaven after light was divided from darkness, and even before the Earth was created. 

I will remain eternally curious!

Long story short, I’ve come to know God, not through the rigid concepts I was taught since childhood, but by stepping outside my small mind and seeking inward, and believing, in faith, through my heart space. This is where God’s eternal omnipresence becomes fully alive. 

To me, God is liken to the water of life (Jesus), and a fiery breath (God’s Holy Spirit); a slow burn of constant love fuel for my eternal soul. God is the vibrational spark that rises from deep within; both feminine and masculine; pure life force; all the colors of the rainbow combined; sentient; all-knowing; cosmic; alive—the source of all creation. My inspiration!  

The simplest way I could express the inspiration and the energy behind my collection of poetry became both the title and the cover for my book. 

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. I’m new to book writing, so I don’t have a formula, but I do believe in writing from a place of inspiration and purpose. When something stirs deeply within me, I trust it’s not just for me…it’s meant to reach someone who needs it. This sense of spiritual alignment keeps things fresh for me, and, I believe, it naturally flows through to the reader as well.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. It’s not just valuable advice for writing; it’s also valuable advice for how one chooses to show up in life. Don’t compare your story to another’s and don’t chase originality. Originality is overrated, and truly original ideas are rare. Every story borrows from what came before it. What the world needs right now is you. You were created for such a time as this. Your voice, your soul, your perspective! Write boldly from your heart center; let your signature frequency, your light, shine on any familiar subject, and it will instantly feel brand new and powerful.

Book is available on Amazon