About Vicki
As a kid growing up in the San Francisco Bay area of California, some of Vicki’s best friends were books. The Secret Garden, Jane Eyre, A Wrinkle in Time, or The Island of the Blue Dolphins, were always close at hand. (And to this day remain close at heart.) Almost as soon as Vicki learned to read, she wanted to write. Her first novel, The Adventures of Barbie, was lovingly bound in crayon-covered cardboard—and eaten by a neighborhood dog shortly after its “release.”
Fast forward a decade or so… After graduating from high school, Vicki was preparing to enlist in the Navy and become one of the first women to enroll at the Annapolis Naval Academy. But one week at a Young Life camp in Canada changed the direction of her life and her future career. As Vicki read the Bible for the very first time, she began to understand that God was more than a Creator. He was also a Father who loved her as His very own child. In one of Vicki’s very first prayers, she asked God whether she should enlist in the Navy. She felt His response to her was to do what she’d always felt she was created to do—write.
Vicki set aside dreams of Annapolis and enrolled at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, to study Journalism. While completing her degree, she spent a year studying abroad in Florence, Italy, where she nurtured her love of travel and pasta. Upon her return to the States, she met and married her husband Mark Kuyper.
Shortly after graduation, Vicki and Mark moved to Colorado Springs. After the birth of their two children, Ryan and Katrina, Vicki was hired as a Creative Writer for Current, Inc. where she worked for five years. During this time, she wrote everything from greeting cards to children’s books to an award-winning sheep pun calendar.
After leaving Current, Inc., Vicki enjoyed balancing her freelance writing career with being a stay-at-home mom. Over the past fifteen years she has completed a wide variety of projects for a diverse clientele, which include:
- Working as a primary simplifier for the NIrV Bible.
- Writing, and acting in, a series of videos for Christian booksellers, one of which was awarded a national Telly award for Excellence in Business Training Videos.
- Reviewing books for Crossings Christian Book Club.
- Writing the video script of “Becoming a Contagious Christian for Teens” with the Willow Creek Association.
- Writing magazine articles for American Baby, CBA Marketplace, Clarity, and Country Discoveries.
Vicki has also written over 25 inspirational gift books, which include:
- Be Patient, God Isn’t Finished with Me Yet (Honor Books)
- Jesus Speaks to Teens (Bethany House)
- 101 Ways to Be a Great Mom (Blue Sky Ink)
- Simple Living (Inspirio)
- 100 Most Important Bible Verses (Thomas Nelson)
Vicki’s most recent book, Breaking the Surface: Inviting God Into the Shallows and Depths of Your Mind, tackles the problem of building a relationship with Someone you can’t see, hear or touch—and all too often forget is right there with you every minute of the day. In addition to writing, Vicki is also a popular speaker at women’s retreats and special events. Vicki and her husband, Mark, currently make their home in Phoenix, Arizona. When Vicki’s not writing or speaking, she can often be found on the road, exploring some exotic locale—with more books stuffed in her luggage than clothes.