Into the Fire

Moving you . . .

 

 

 

Yesterday I spoke of tears, the emotion behind them. People have mixed feelings about "being emotional", some viewing it as a curse, others celebrating the depths of it. Most fall somewhere in between.

I've read novels from methodical writers, and I usually find them technically precise but emotionally unsatsifying. If I wanted examples of technically accurate writing, I'd choose to read manuals or pamphlets.

I want to elicit emotion, but I can understand if emotion gets in the way of story. If it travels hand in hand with story and is written to dramatically and creatively convey the depth of emotion, chances are it will be a favorite.

When I'm at my best, emotion of every kind fills the pages of my stories. Hopefully not to overwhelm but to saturate the page with the human condition in all of its vulnerability, foolishness, passion, and need. Those emotions are what move me to write.

What moves you to write? What moves you to react to a story?

 

Father, I thank you for emotion and passion. I know they come from you in all forms. There is beauty in their depths. Thank you for the beauty - everything good comes from you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Tears . . .

 

                           

 

So many things make me cry. I can cry over a sentimental commercial. Anything to do with dogs or horses. I used to cry at the first race on Opening Day of horse racing many years ago. I cry when I see certain individuals because I sense the Lord's touch on their lives. Of course certain movies and good novels with meaningful scenes that speak to the deeper things of life elicit tears from me. Praying often results in crying. Almost anything military, patriotic, or concerning the demise of our country as we've known it.  

I know some of you are hard-pressed to produce tears. And I know it doesn't mean you don't feel things deeply. Emotions are funny things. Some people hide them. Some people analyze to diffuse emotional responses. Some people react in anger to the thought of being brought to tears to protect themselves from displaying their feelings.

What makes you cry? Is it hard for you? Were you always this way?

 

Father, I am who I am. Terribly emotional. Deeply emotional. Truly touched by things that make others wonder why. But I feel your heartbeat in those deep expressions. I can't help it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Sunday's Offerings

 

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

 

Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)

 

Why I write novels . . .

 

         

Of course there are multiple reasons for writing anything. If you must write for your business, for a speech, for an assignment, or for fun, there are many ways and desires to write. Those who choose to write novels usually give specific answers when asked.

I write novels because I believe in inspiration. I see and hear characters, and I learn what happens in their lives. Some are spiritually lost and others are spiritually found. They struggle, they hurt, they laugh, they cry, and they must figure out what impacts their lives. Without inspiration I couldn't write a word, let alone 100,000 words to form an actual story.

I write novels because I have been given something to say. What I have to say will affect some and not others. No matter how much I'd treasure writing The Great American Novel and touching many lives, it's ultimately not up to me. All I can do is write the stories with which I've been endowed. Strive to write them well, work to make them meaningful, and pray whoever might read them will be somehow affected.

I write novels because I love reading them, and even though "there is nothing new under the sun", there are unique characters who can find themselves in original situations and relationships and can contribute to the lives of their readers.

Those are my primary reasons for writing novels.

 

Father, thank you for the books you've given me to write. It's been an intriguing journey, and although not always what I expected, I don't regret any of it. I know you walk before me, and my request is that you won't let me stray from the path you designed just for me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.   

Season Premieres

 

  

 

                          

Fun time of the year for those of us who enjoy television. Two of my favorite series kicked off Tuesday night. For NCIS fans, this season will be bittersweet as they struggle to recover from the exit of very popular character "Ziva David" played by Cote de Pablo. She's endeared herself to many, and the outcry has been fierce. It was her decision to leave as it's rumored she's pregnant. Daniela Ruah who plays "Kensi" on NCIS LA is pregnant with her first child so it will be interesting to see how this will be handled. (Some die-hard JAG fans will recall when Catherine Bell was pregnant with her first child and managed to make it through the entire season with the use of clever techniques for shooting her scenes.)

With television characters we have visuals to add to dialogue. What contributes to our decisions to latch on to characters who become our favorites? Is it the same dynamic as the process for our favorite novel characters? What are those intangibles we often discover after allowing a character into our lives?

 

Father, I appreciate the creation of characters, the beauty of adding layers. May these unique actors discover who gives them their talents and gifts. May they appreciate the maker of their skills. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Halting fear . . .

 

 

 

Once upon a time during my first year at the racetrack, I lived in a small cabin. It had a skinny bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower, a bedroom big enough for a single bed and a dresser with a floor rug in between the narrow space, and a tiny kitchen back to back. It was one step up to the only wooden door with a glass window and, I think, a red and white curtain over it. There was one small window in the back corner of the bedroom with a raggedy old screen on the outside. The cabin was settled amidst evergreens and a vacant house a few yards away and located not too far from the track. The landlord lived in a house a ways away behind the cabin.

While I lived there, I had one of the most - if not the most - terrifying experiences of my life when someone - to this day I don't know who - tried to scare me in the middle of the night and totally succeeded. What I learned from that episode is fear can be crippling and paralyzing. I couldn't scream, I stood gripping my car keys after moving half inches at a time to get my jeans pulled on over my pajamas so as not to make even a suggestion of noise. My heartbeat was all the noise I could stand. And I learned that I could only wait so long before I had to risk exiting the cabin and running to my car. (There were no electronic locks then either, so I had to fumble with the keys to unlock the car door.) 

Well, this item isn't near as horrendous for me as that fright, but there can be the same crippling/paralyzing fear when it comes to writing. Some of you know I'm attempting to write a crime novel/police procedural. This is a huge stretch for this love story writer. It's a case of a story nagging me to the point where I could no longer resist at least laying down the first words which led to the next words which led to a few chapters . . . and so on.

I've had the true blessing of a professional aiding me in the procedural part of police work, and without him there would've been only a few words written.

So what's this got to do with fear? Right? Well, I'll tell you. I am so halted by the fear of making critical mistakes that I keep ignoring the voices urging me onward. After all, I'm over 70K words so it really is getting into book form, but, geez, each scene where I must bring the actual procedural aspects into the story stymies my nerve and brings a fearful halt to the continuation of the process. It's taking way too long to overcome and stomp into submission because of the error factor. To attempt this kind of novel and fail in the area which is critical to the story? Paralyzing.

What about you? Any fear factors affect your writing?

 

Father, you know I count on you. And even then I postpone and fret. Forgive me for the game playing, and please help me finish this work. Thank you, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Friends . . .

 

  

 

Father, thank you for the many friends you've given me throughout my life. They've loved me, blessed me, taught me, consoled me, made me laugh and cry, prayed for me, and encouraged me. You have been my closest friend even when I failed to realize it. You've always known me at my core and stuck with me even when I didn't know you. Nothing and no one comes close to who you are, but you've given me the next best ones to walk with me through the journey of life. I love them all, Lord, and am so grateful for each one. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Gotta do it . . .

 

                        

 

                    Just gotta do it sometime.

 

Father, thank you for your grace and innumerable blessings. Thank you for salvation. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Sunday's Offerings

 

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

 

Acts 8:4-8 (NIV)

Using the good and bad . . .

 

   

 

In the past two days we've talked about our good qualities and our less-than-stellar traits. Now the question for a writer is, "How do I incorporate what I know about myself to make characters seem real?"

We're never alone in our idiosyncracies. Our strengths and weaknesses are common to many. Creating characters who don't seem stereotypical challenges our capabilities to make personalities real and honest but still convince readers of both their unique and familiar tendencies. No easy task, but it's what makes fiction important and meaningful. By making fictitious characters feel like we "know" them, we cross the line between imaginary and real. We transpose a reality to our stories, manufacturing empathy and pushing investment, hoping to leave a lasting memory at the end of the book.   

Do you see how valuable the positives and negatives can be when writing story?

 

Father, you know us all. When we yield to your design, we are useful and can do meaningful things. Apart from you: we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Au Contraire

 

                                    

 

So? Do it quick now. Top three negatives you perceive yourself to have. Here are mine.

 

                Jealous        Stubborn       Suspicious

 

Am I jealous of "things" people have? No. I'm jealous when women speak to my husband first without acknowledging me - when any women act like that. Some Christians insist on replacing the word stubborn with determined. Huh-uh. I'm stubborn. Sometimes it's a good thing. Other times: not so much. And, yeah, I'm suspicious of just about everything and everyone until I can discern the situation.

 

Lord, help me to be the one you want me to be. All my negatives are generated by my flesh. Any goodness belongs to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.         

Qualities . . .

 

 

 

Okay, I know you're not gonna like this, but: quick! Name three qualities you possess. And, yes, to be fair, I will name the first three that came to mind:

                      Loyal            Listener         Compassionate

Am I compassionate always? No. Am I a good listener? Most of the time. Am I loyal? Once I establish my loyalty to a person, place, or thing, I am fiercely loyal.

 

Thank you, Lord. Anything good in me I owe to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Meanderings . . .

 

 

 

So where does your mind go when it needs to escape from writing? We never fully escape. We wind around what we're working on, but we can't really get away from it. Once it's done, far easier to set it aside for the "aging" process. To remove ourselves from the finished product is a relief. We know we've accomplished what we set out to do, and we can rest in that. But, oh that nagging story that's not yet done.

I'm meandering. Can you tell?

 

Father, get me back to it. Really you're the only one who can. Please. Or let me settle into your timing. Whatever you want . . . In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

'nuff said.

 

                         

 

                                     Seahawks 29  Fortyniners 3

 

                         

 

                                    12th Man set a new record.

 

                                   

 

                 136.6 decibels at Century Link Field

 

God, every victory is sweet. There are so many different kinds of battles. Thank you for the times we win, no matter when or at what. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

            

Sunday's Offerings

 

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

1 Peter 4:12-14 (NIV)

Mutual Admiration Society of Authors?

 

                          

 

Are authors just a bunch of mutual admiration clique-ish people? And is that all wrong?

Anyone who's hung out with publishing industry people (authors, agents, editors, publicists, marketers, publishers, etc.) knows there are cliques. Let's face it: groupings create cliques. Whether it is at school, at work, at play, or on the web, we all gravitate to people who are like-minded or who challenge us or who make us laugh or . . . We tend to form groups where we either fit in or employ similar interests. We're either leading or following, contributing or taking it all in, in the center of activity or on the peripheral edge.

As a writer, I want to promote the authors who I think have done something special. I give honorable mention here in reviews to those authors who've given a good effort but either aren't in my normal genre selection or haven't quite exceeded expectations (good or bad). Recently, I've decided to reduce my reading, attempting to be more selective in order to avoid disappointment and, honestly, wasting my time. And, although reviews have much subjective material in them, reviews also reflect the type of writing skills, styles, or voices of the authors. There's a distinction which can be made between not preferring the genre to what constitutes less than impressive writing skills.

There's no accounting for particular tastes, but gushing over mediocre novels perhaps is the one thing in publishing cliques which doesn't work for me and makes me wonder if authors praising authors is a good thing. Of course many authors are avid readers and are entitled to their opinions of other authors' works, but if they're going to gush, they better give good reasons for doing so. Good reviews must sound authentic.

I want to support authors. I want good reasons to do this. I don't admire all authors, other than to give them props and credit for jumping through the various hoops to get their work between covers. They deserve appreciation and respect for that. 

Do you belong to the "Author Mutual Admiration Society"?

 

Father, please help me to be the best I can be in all areas of my life. First and foremost: to hear and obey your voice, Holy Spirit. If I can do that, I will be better at everything I do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Away . . . for a day

 

  

 

                                      See you over at Novel Rocket.

 

Father, thank you again for all the beauty you allowed to remain after the Fall. Thank you for seeing us through the hard seasons of life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Never forget . . .

 

                      

                                                   09/11/01

 

     We will not forget when, who, and why. We will not.

 

 

 

             We remember. We will always remember.

 

God, please forgive us for what we have become. Please know that the remnant desires your forgiveness and we repent for the goings on, the travesties, the outright sins of our One nation under God. We understand your judgment, but we plead for your mercy. Please. In the Name, Authority, and Blood of Jesus, Amen.

Rule it out . . .

 

                     

 

Those of you who know me understand that "rules" must make sense to me before I will observe them. Of course this fact applies primarily to writing. When professionals decided that new writers needed guidelines in order to keep them from submitting manuscripts full of annoying prose, "they" created basic rules of writing so unfinished writers could examine their work with a measure of fundamental grammar knowledge and suggested methodology for storytelling language.

The problem with these rules is some writers take them as the law of the writing land and apply them religiously to their creative processes, stunting style and voice while being somewhat "correct".

The most important "rules" for me when I consider writers are these: know grammar and know who you are as a writer. Grammar knowledge reduces the stress of having your work edited. You will know when you consciously choose to reject the traditional grammar rules to enhance your work with a different style. The proper grammar which used to be taught in good schools is cumbersome for fiction and doesn't always work. But if you choose not to observe the rules of grammar and are unaware of breaking them, chances are your prose will appear poor, inexperienced, or crude. Especially to an editor.

Some of the rules often pushed with a note of authority are ridiculous and shouldn't always apply. I'm not going to list them because I don't think their value warrants repeating them here. As the funny graphic above implies, "House Rules" are the ones you decide upon as you create your story. The emphasis you use, the genre you choose, everything within the body of the story shouldn't be determined by the rigidity of writing rules. Expand your originality without abandoning good writing sense. Be who you are.

As far as writing according to a strict set of rules? Rule it out. And most certainly: Don't make deals with demons!

 

Father, your rules are designed to help us live a more abundant life. They're for our benefit. You allow flexibility in so many areas, but you do require Jesus. If only more of your creation would believe you are who you say you are. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.   

 

The real deal . . .

 

                       

Either you decide to do it or you don't. Either way it's a commitment. As far as skills or hobbies or work goes, you either commit to it or you don't. You might think there's an in-between, but if you're lackadaisical or haphazard with something, you are not committed to it.

Most things that hold great value to an individual, a society, or a people require commitment. Within that commitment resides resolute intention, attention, and retention. Work in other words.

Ask anyone who commits to writing a book. Whether they fly through the pages or struggle with each word, to continue a project means that even when it's the least attractive to them because of other demands, laziness, fatigue, no inspiration, or a complete lack of desire to persevere, commitment requires the work be done. Whether or not it's painstaking or fluid, at some point commitment overrides all other objectionable reasoning.

You must decide what "it" means to you. Then commit. One way or the other.

 

Father, I'm committed to you. I fail miserably at times, but you own my heart and I want to please you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.