Athena Dean Holtz’s life has taken several unexpected turns. A pioneer in the Christian self-publishing industry 40 years ago, she describes herself as a publisher, speaker, author, professional emcee, podcaster, blogger, former radio host, bookstore owner, spiritual abuse survivor and a pastor’s wife.

Currently, she’s the founder and publisher of Redemption Press in Enumclaw, WA. Named Publisher of the Year by the 2022 Soul Café Awards, Best Female Podcast Host of the year in 2021 by the national Spark Media for her “All Things” Podcast, and was the visionary in creating the Book Marketing Pro Academy. She and her husband tell the story of their recent marriage in Together for a Purpose: Love and Mission in Marriage and Ministry. 

Athena started her writing career with the Point Man Ministries book, NAM VET: Making Peace with Your Past, which chronicled Vietnam veterans’ emotional struggles before PTSD was commonly known. God then led her to walk away from a successful multi-level marketing business and share the pitfalls of the industry’s schemes in the books, Consumed by Success: Reaching the Top and Finding God Wasn’t There and All the Glitters Is Not God: Breaking Free from the Sweet Deceit of Multi-Level Marketing. Although things were moving forward for Athena professionally, personally, she was in trouble. She got caught up in spiritual abuse and eventually lost both her first publishing company and relationships.

Athena shares her experience of how God restored the years the locusts had eaten in Full Circle: Coming Home to the Faithfulness of God. She continued in her recent book, Together for a Purpose, which includes giving her a fresh start in marriage and a new publishing platform. She describes her journey in the book’s description.

“In the aftermath of spiritual abuse and toxic leadership, one woman’s shattered life is restored by the faithfulness of God. Athena’s driving desire for affirmation and attention pulled her away from her family, husband, and children into what she thought would bring happiness. Deceived by Scientology, forays into mysticism, and twelve years in a restrictive and legalistic cult, she lost everything – her marriage, relationships, home, business, money, and reputation. This is the candid and inspirational story of how her eyes were opened, how God restored what had been lost, and gave her the desires of her heart, including a new love.”

Together for a Purpose is described as “A unique story of two seasoned travelers who find each other and marry later in life is told from two viewpoints with openness and candor …

“This engaging and often humorous narrative written by a high-powered Christian woman publisher and a not-quite ready-for-retirement widowed pastor deals with change and criticism, blended families, issues of compatibility, and meshing as a couple.

“More than just a love story, this growing-in-faith story touches on what we all long for—belonging, being loved for who we are, and finding a place of service to God and purpose in our everyday lives.”

The overarching theme in both books rests on Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Athena transparently shares the struggles she and husband, Ross, encountered as they began blending two lives into one. Despite his congregation watching Ross faithfully care for his first wife until her dying day, her death and his subsequent re-marriage rocked the church he pastored. After their marriage, career-woman Athena continued her professional activities, which was a shock to Ross’ routine. There were stepchildren and their families who needed support.

“Learning to navigate new seasons can be an example for the people who are watching you,” she added. “When people know you are going through suffering, and you model it in a way that honors God.”

But the sweetness of a healthy marriage took Athena by surprise, “After unhealthy, toxic relationships, to have a husband who loves me well – I didn’t know it could be like this,” she said.

The short book touches on issues with which small groups and couples can relate and includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter. Examples include: “What is your story?” “If they made a movie of your life, what would the title be?” “What in your life has God turned to good that wasn’t?” “Can you name three unexpected events in your life that God put there to mature you?”

She believes the book can be useful to anyone working through change – losing a career or a loved one, retirement, the empty nest, major loss, trials or adversity.

“Learning how to weather that in a way that brings spouses closer together and to not sacrifice their relationship. That’s our mission in marriage. If people understood what God was calling them to do together there would be less fall out, less divorce.

“If we don’t process our pain, we become vulnerable to deception,” she cautioned. “You see a lot of deception in the Christian church. So many people are broken who have never let God into those places to process.”

Athena touches on this area in her memoir where she encourages readers to become wise warriors and understand spiritual warfare. “You can’t resist what you don’t recognize,” she said. “We have to understand the strategies the enemy uses to take us out. If our battle is not with flesh and blood, our spouse is not the enemy. Too many people don’t recognize how the enemy operates, and they aren’t on guard.”

Author Rhonda Stoppe wrote an endorsement for Together for a Purpose, “The kingdom of God is made up of millions of stories that impact others” is my favorite takeaway from this beautiful book. This real-life romance account will give you hope, bring you joy, and show you how, even when life doesn’t make sense, God is constantly working his good in the lives of couples who are called to His purpose.”

Rhonda is just one of the authors Athena has invited to participate in the She Writes for Him writer training events, which started producing compilation books in 2020. Athena enlists a seasoned writer to equip and encourage those with less experience. Writers critique and cross promote each other’s chapters to eventually form a book like, Trusting God: 31 Days – 31 Women – 31 Stories – One God, published in 2024.

During the pandemic She Writes for Him went online and virtual, described as a cross between a women’s retreat and writer’s conference, without the pressure of having to pitch to an agent. Training included how to write devotions, children’s books, or an author’s own hard story.

“It became almost a movement, with a community who wanted to honor God with the work they were doing,” Athena said. “I’m all about helping women tell their stories in a way that has impact and get those words in front of people. It’s interesting to watch the difference when you have other people who love the Lord around you cheering you on.”

In 2024 she decided to expand to allow men to participate and moved the training under the umbrella of the Book Marketing Pro Academy (BookMarketingProacademy.com).

Writers can join for less than $50/month and have access to feedback, live coaching, one-on-ones, small group coaching, recorded classes with application exercise, editing – whatever the author needs.

Athena realizes how much she benefitted from the guidance of her editor of more than three decades who early on coached her on how to write, add dialogue and description. She learned how to retain her voice and put out a product that is compelling and that people will want to read. Athena created Redemption Press and the Book Marketing Pro Academy to help other Christian authors get their start.

“Many of the publishers out there don’t really help an author learn how to sell directly, build a newsletter and an email list, or use social media in a way that honors God and isn’t pushy or irritating,” she said. “There are so many predatory companies – you have to do your homework.” Redemption Press has qualified as a Best Christian Workplace three years in a row.

She enjoys helping brainstorm with those who bring her a book idea but don’t know the next steps. Interested writers can get started by connecting with Redemption Press Publishing for a free manuscript review (redemptionpress.com). Athena and her team will look at the manuscript and see if it is a fit for Redemption Press. If so, they’ll work up a proposal. She’s always on the lookout for a good study resource to build up the body of Christ.