A Labor of Love
What’s the most difficult writing you’ve ever done? Perhaps it was a pesky piece of prose that wouldn’t come together. Or you lacked inspiration and the words wouldn’t flow. Or it could be the tears flowed freely because the words weighed on your heart. I recently wrote my greatest labor of love—the eulogy for my 87-year-old mother.
In fiction, we reveal the underlying layers of our characters because it makes them real and identifiable. In writing about my mom, I wanted to pay tribute to an inspiring woman from the unique perspective of being her daughter. Surprising things like how as a young, divorced mom raising two small children, she sometimes wore a black leather jacket, fire engine red lipstick, and big black sunglasses. She wasn’t rebellious, but she could be independent, feisty, and speak her mind.
When she needed a new car, she took me with her to a car dealership that advertised “Nobody walks away.” The salesman who waited on her suggested she come back with her husband. Mama, all of five feet tall, proudly rose to her feet and squared her shoulders. “Nobody walks away? Well, watch this!” Taking me by the hand, head held high, she marched out of the showroom. Then she drove straight to another dealership where she plunked down cash for a shiny new vehicle.
My mother took us on car trips every summer. With the windows rolled down, she’d belt out theme songs from musicals at the top of her lungs. She adored covered bridges and we’d travel over many country roads to find and photograph them. A fun and adventurous traveling companion, she took me to Europe several times and on a Caribbean cruise. She sent me to London for a semester. Mama did so because she wanted her child to view the world with its diverse people and cultures. The Lord knew her generosity would help make me the writer I am today. Later on, she visited the Holy Land, Egypt, Russia, Europe, Hawaii, and Alaska. After turning 60, she went whitewater rafting and parasailing.
My mother loved Jesus and studied her Bible daily. She baked countless cookies and volunteered for many projects with a wide smile and an even bigger heart. She taught kindergarten for 11 years and invested herself in her “children.” Mama gave talks to local groups, digging deep into her research and opening the eyes of her audience to topics such as human trafficking and the need for clean water in impoverished areas of the globe.
Finally, Mama was a voracious reader. She kept a journal for years where she faithfully detailed her thoughts, her life. She wasn’t perfect, but she did the best she could, and that was more than enough. If you earned her loyalty, you had it forever. If you earned her love, it was unwavering and steadfast.
This is the kind of real-life woman who can inspire a great fictional character! If you have trouble giving “life” to your characters, look no further than the people all around you. I dedicated my debut novel, Awakening, to my mother as well as my latest release, If You Believe, which was the last thing she ever read.
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| Portrait of JoAnn Durgin's Mother |
For Mama~
You taught me by example to love words—
the wonderful images they create
and the senses they evoke—bringing
sight, touch, smell, hearing, and tasting
into glorious, vivid being.
I grew to love the way words roll off the tongue,
the way they sound.
How, when paired with other words,
words can bring new worlds to life.
You opened my mind to embrace ideas
and encouraged me to dream.
You gave me wings and
taught me to fly on my own.
You modeled strength, character, and
grace with dignity.
You showed me I could do nothing on my own
without Christ in my heart.
I’m doing my best to follow your example
and pray I’ll always make you proud.
Thank you for giving me life and
demonstrating how to live fully, confidently,
and passionately.
For that and so much more…
I love you now,
I love you always.
~JoAnn
Who has inspired you in your writing journey?
Blessings, friends,
JoAnn
Need character ideas? They're all around you!
#seriouslywrite #encouragementforwriters via @Gr8tReads
#seriouslywrite #encouragementforwriters via @Gr8tReads
How JoAnn Durgin's mom inspired her writing!
#seriouslywrite #encouragementforwriters via @Gr8tReads
#seriouslywrite #encouragementforwriters via @Gr8tReads
If You Believe
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| If You Believe |
From the author of The Lewis Legacy Series, If You Believe brings readers the story of Brendan and Edlynne. Can a man struggling with a terrible tragedy and a woman wounded by betrayal find love together?
In charming Asheville, North Carolina, nestled in the shadows of the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains, firefighter/paramedic Brendan Williams barely has time for himself much less a social life. After his world was torn apart by a family tragedy, the only woman he sees on a regular basis is Mimi, his beloved grandmother. When he meets a beautiful cake baker/decorator on his delivery route, he wonders for the first time if she could be “the one.”
Edlynne (“Edie”) Harris begins her days in a bakery downtown before dashing off to her job as a ticket agent at Asheville Regional Airport. Besides her two jobs, she volunteers for a ministry benefitting displaced and abused women. Then a handsome new delivery driver at the bakery snags her attention. She’s been fooled before, and the last guy she dated a year ago stole more than her smile.
When Edie and Brendan independently enter a Valentine’s Day contest, they’re challenged to plan the “perfect date.” For personal and unselfish reasons, they’re both determined to win the cash prize, but if chosen as finalists, they’ll be pitted against one another. Will the competition sour their growing attraction for each other, or does God have another plan? When the Almighty’s involved, anything is possible!
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| JoAnn Durgin |
