2017 Local Authors Expo Spotlight: SL Stoutermire

Author SL Stoutermire

Books: Strength: It’s What I Found When I Removed My Makeup; I Said Yes
How to reach the author: e-mail SL Stoutermire at author@slstoutermire.com or visit her website at www.slstoutermire.com
Quote SL Stoutermire uses as a guide in life: Psalm 138:7-8 New King James Version (NKJV) 7 – Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. 8 The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.

SL Stoutermire will be one of over 30 authors featured in the Birmingham Public Library’s 2017 Local Authors Expo, taking place on Saturday, August 19, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., at the Central Library.

SL Stoutermire was introduced to books at a very early age by her role model and aunt. She fell in love with books and would read everything she could get her hands on. The library was the greatest place to be. She would lose herself in the books she read. She always considered herself a reader, but never thought she would be adding to the wonderful world of books.

Stoutermire has endured personal pain most people couldn’t cope with; she had ten miscarriages. But she and her husband survived it, and are now proud parents of seven children. In her new inspirational book, Strength: It’s What I Found When I Removed My Makeup, Stoutermire describes personal trials she has overcome in life and the process she went through to find her way back to God. She goes into details about physical, emotional, and social difficulties she faced.

“I had no plans to write a book, especially one that spoke of my life in any way,” Stoutermire said. “God led me to this book. He placed it in my heart and allowed the Holy Spirit to pour it out of me.”

During her journey, Stoutermire realized how so much of her life was pretense. No one knew the personal battles she dealt with nearly every day.

“Every time someone asked, ‘How are you doing?’ I did what we all do,” she said. ”I gave a generic response, ‘I'm doing well.’ The truth was, I wasn't good at all. I was so lost. I felt as if I couldn't share what I was going through with anyone because, well, you just don't do that. Right?”

In the book, Stoutermire says that is where the makeup comes into play. Everyone uses makeup in a metaphorical way to cover up issues so that they can appear picture perfect.

“What we end up doing is denying ourselves the opportunity to get help and give a testimony for God,” she said. “That's what I did for a very long time. I metaphorically hid behind the makeup. Once I started to remove the makeup, I discovered my true self. I discovered God in new ways. He led me to who I was called to be in Him. He told me that I had to go out and share my testimony regardless of how uncomfortable it was for me in the beginning.

Join Stoutermire at the Local Authors Expo as she follows God’s instructions and gives her testimony. “It's okay to not be okay. I'm encouraging everyone to remove the makeup,” she said.

Stoutermire has co-authored another book, I Said Yes, which is being released on August 12, a week prior to the Local Authors Expo, and will also be available at her book signing table. The book is co-written with a group of fellow entrepreneurs who all overcame their fears or roadblocks to become amazing entrepreneurs. Stoutermire also has three more books scheduled to be released later this year and two more coming out in 2018. She’s also a contributing writer for an Alabama publication.