The Perfect Present by Patti Jo Moore

Merry Christmas, my friends! Many of us are amazed at how quickly this year has flown, and now we find ourselves in the Christmas season again. You’re likely being bombarded with all the ads vying for your attention—many of those ads claiming they have “the perfect present” for someone on your shopping list.

With all the talk of shopping and presents, I was recently reflecting (aka procrastinating) 😉 and mused how the word PRESENT (as in gift) might relate to a writer at this time of year. So I jotted a list that I wanted to share with you, using each letter of the word PRESENT to relate to a writer.

P - Pray – this is what I try to do before beginning my writing—especially if I’m starting a new project or adding a scene to a story. Beginning that time in prayer keeps me focused on WHO my work is for.

R - Read – I know we’ve all heard that to be a good writer, you need to read. So true! Not just reading in our preferred genre, but in other genres as well.

E - Encourage – Think of how you’ve benefitted from someone else’s encouraging words, and try to be an encouragement to someone. As that oft-used phrase tells us, pay it forward. 😊 A simple word of encouragement (or a good book review!) might be exactly what someone needs that day.

S - Share – Do you know of someone who needs help during the Christmas season? Maybe you could share your talents with them. Gifts and food, lending a helping hand, and sharing the gift of your time might be priceless to another person (especially someone lonely or grieving). Sharing books is always nice, too!

E - Enjoy – Please don’t miss the beauty of this Christmas season, wherever you live. Whether you’re surrounded by a gorgeous, snowy scene, palm trees and a beach, or city buildings, there is beauty. Don’t miss the twinkling lights, the beautiful music, and the excited wonder on a child’s face. Who knows? Some of those details might find their way into one of your stories.

N - Naps – Okay, maybe you’re not in the habit of taking naps, but my point is we need to take care of our health during this busy season. No matter how long your To-Do list is or if you’re racing to make a writing deadline, please don’t neglect your health!

T - Thankful – Most important of all, may we be thankful for the Perfect Present sent to us by God, on that very first Christmas so many, many years ago. May we have thankful hearts that He loves us unconditionally, and gave His life for each of us. May we also be thankful for this writing journey we’re on! Have a very blessed Christmas!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

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Sadie's Dream

In a coastal Georgia town in 1900, a young woman prepares to serve as a missionary in Africa.

After being jilted the previous year, she's certain she's meant to remain single.

When she meets a handsome businessman from Savannah, she begins struggling with doubts.

Over time she learns that the Lord's plans are best, and dreams really can come true.

Patti Jo Moore is a retired kindergarten teacher and lifelong Georgia girl. She loves Jesus, her family, cats, and coffee, and is blessed to be published with Forget-Me-Not Romances. When she’s not spending time with her family (including her sweet grandbaby) or writing her “Sweet, Southern Stories” Patti Jo can be found feeding cats—her own six and local strays.

She loves connecting with readers and other writers, and can be found on Facebook at Author Patti Jo Moore or her personal blog at http://catmomscorner.blogspot.com

How A Daily Word Count Gave Me Freedom by Heidi Chiavaroli

I might be the only author who does this, but I can’t resist reading—just one more time!—the final, official copy of each of my novels. Part of me needs the reassurance that there are no glaring mistakes. Another part of me just wants to experience the novel one more time, as a reader soon will.

As I read The Hidden Side that one last time, I couldn’t help remembering the frantic writing that came with being on deadline for my second novel. The idea for this story came late, and I was adamant about not asking for an extension on my deadline. So I wrote. And wrote. And wrote.

Truth be told, the emotional intensity of this novel, which involves a family’s worst nightmare in the form of a school shooting, helped me to write quickly. I was emotionally invested in the characters and I wanted to see their journey complete as quickly as possible.

Yet I was a bit crazy as I wrote. Entirely tied up in the story, I was so preoccupied with it I often felt only half-present with my family, even on the weekends. I was too busy writing to have much time for living.

This year, as I sat down to write my next novel on deadline, I again wondered how I’d accomplish it (and with a new novel being released in the midst of it all!). I didn’t want my life to be filled with constant seasons of craziness, as it seemed it might if I was going to continue in this publishing world. With that in mind, I forced myself to sit down, and get organized.

I took out my calendar and chose a date two months before my deadline to finish  the story. (I wanted to leave ample time for edits.) Then I figured out how many words I would have to write, Monday through Friday, to accomplish this goal.

I cannot tell you how much freedom this gave me. To know that getting those 1,600 words in a day was my job—my responsibility—gave me immense liberty and released me from much stress. Once I completed my words each day, I was free to do chores or relax or read or whatever I needed to refuel my mind. And while my weekends weren’t completely free due to promotional efforts, they were lightened. I was living. Not just writing.

Two days ago I wrote THE END on my newest manuscript. I have two months to edit it before handing it in. This seems doable! I’m thinking I’ll stick with this method in the future. J

You know, this writing life is amazing. But it’s also often a wild, untamed thing. As creative people, we can be tempted to write only when the mood strikes us, or when we feel inspired. But as writers pursuing a serious career, we must set guidelines and get organized. A little bit of structure can provide a lot of freedom.

Do you give yourself a daily word count? How do you balance writing obligations with family obligations?

The Hidden Side:

New York — 2016

Every day Natalie Abbott offers sage advice to hurting listeners on her popular radio program. But away from the comfort of the studio, she struggles to connect with her family; with an out-of-control daughter and an uncommunicative and isolated son, Natalie takes solace in the daily woes of others, turning a blind eye to the pressing issues mounting at her doorstep. Her carefully constructed world implodes when a member of the family commits an unspeakable act. Known as the woman with all the answers, for the first time Natalie questions her way forward.

New York — 1776

Mercy Howard watches in abject horror as the man she loves, her fiancé Nathan Hale, is arrested and hanged as a spy. When asked to join the revolutionary spy ring in Manhattan, Mercy sees an opportunity to avenge Nathan’s death. But keeping her true loyalties hidden grows increasingly challenging as the charming Major John Andre of the King’s Army becomes more to her than a target for intelligence.
    
Mercy’s journals offer comfort to Natalie from across the centuries as both women struggle with their own secrets and well-kept shame—and wonder how deep God’s mercy truly extends. 

Amazon Buy Link The Hidden Side

Heidi Chiavaroli began writing eleven years ago, just after Jesus had grabbed hold of her heart. She used her two small boys’ nap times to pursue what she thought at the time was a foolish dream. Despite a long road to publication, she hasn’t stopped writing since! Heidi won the 2014 ACFW Genesis contest in the historical category. Both her debut novel, Freedom’s Ring, and her sophomore novel, The Hidden Side, are 4½-star Romantic Times Top Picks. Freedom's Ring was also a Booklist Top Ten Romance Debut. Heidi loves exploring places that whisper of historical secrets, especially with her family. She loves running, hiking, baking, and dates with her high-school sweetheart and husband of fourteen years. Heidi makes her home in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and Howie, her standard poodle.

Links:

Website: www.heidichiavaroli.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeidiChiavaroli.Author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiChiavaroli
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16080793.Heidi_Chiavaroli
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hchiavaroli/boards/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidichiavaroli/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heidi-chiavaroli

 

Title: The Diet of a Writer: What Feeds Us – Part IV by Susan Tuttle

The past several months we’ve been talking about what feeds a writer. From actual snacks to technical growth to the friendships we have. Today I want to talk about the staple of our diet. The part that feeds our very spirit and should breath life into every word we write: God.

We can forgo every other part of the diet we’ve spent time talking about, and our writing may suffer in quality, but it could survive. If we miss out on this piece though? We might as well put away our typewriters and not write down another word on paper.

See, writing is a God-given gift. It is the one thing all of us share in common. It spans genres and publishing varieties. No matter why, what, or how you write, you write because when God created you, he placed this gift inside of you. It was the purpose he created you for. And not acknowledging the gift-giver leaves a hole right in the center of anything you write.

Last month we talked about how friends can fill us up. They can, and they are an important part of our lives. But we also need to spend daily time with God for him to renew our vision, bestow direction, and breath life into us—and the words we write. We don’t simply write for entertainment. We write for Him. For his message to be heard.

Some of us do that overtly. Some do it subtly. But we all should be doing that. I encourage you to protect your daily time with God. Begin each writing session by praying over your keyboard. Seek him for direction and invite him into the process with you. He longs to partner with you in the very gift that he gave you. The stories you write with him will far surpass anything you could ever write on your own.

What fills us as writers? Many things. But the only thing we truly need is God.

Susan L. Tuttle lives in Michigan where she’s happily married to her best friend and is a homeschooling mom of three. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire, encourage, and grow women into who God created them to be. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. You can connect with Susan at her blog, Steps, Facebook, or Twitter.

Susan contributes on the first Thursday of each month.

What If You Never Publish? He'll Never Leave You!

by Peter Leavell +Peter Leavell @peterleavell  

—At age 36, I lay in my bed, dying. Blood tests showed I no longer made testosterone because of an autoimmune disorder. 

Treatments helped me recover over the course of a year. I still take treatments.

I lived.

Christ was with me.

—At age 36, my brother Chris was weak from cancer, and at 37, he lay in bed, dying. 

Tests showed there was no hope.

Treatments didn’t help.

He died.

Christ was with him.

What do we know of such things? Hebrews 13:5 Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (NIV)

*******

—He studied a few weeks and plinked out a thriller, then finally cracked into the publishing world with a great contract. He hit the best seller list.

—He studied all his life, and finally decided to self-publish and sold 8 copies. One person grew closer to God because of the work, but the author never knew.

What do we know of such things? Hebrews 13:5 Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (NIV)

*******

—The bookstore sales team was cutthroat, underselling everyone, pinching pennies from publishers and authors. Good commerce practice. Their business grew fast until they were a household name.

—The bookstore sales team tried to honor God. They made mistakes, but tried to be sincere. They couldn’t meet their creditors’ demands, and had to close their doors.

What do we know of such things? Hebrews 13:5 Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (NIV)

*******

Where do we, as Christian writers, put our hope? How do we make sense of a world that looks like a chaotic jumble of unfair events so horrible we're filled with pain—physical and emotional?

The questions that must be answered? No, they aren’t the simple ones that only make us toss and turn at night—mere distractions. These are life and death. These are good and evil. Heart ripping, soul crushing, suffering and agony. Losing a son. Staying up with a daughter who overdosed. Loving when the heart has passed exhaustion long ago.

What are the answers?

Is our journey to live happy lives? Our vision and dream is to publish? Instead, grow closer to Christ. Want to be beautiful? Who cares? Grow closer to Christ. Want to have a happy family? Is that your life goal? Eh. Grow closer to Christ. A house? A great job? Nice car? Pshhh. Grow closer to Christ.

Why?

John 15:5— I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (ESV) 

Christ is beauty and art and hope and dreams fulfilled. Peace with rest. Humility with respect. Love without end. Warmth.

Our only job is to cling to that Vine as tightly as we can with every heartbeat (love the Lord your God with all your heart Matthew 22:37) and the rest is simply details.

Easy for you to say, Peter. You're an internationally published, award winning author. I'm not sure which is harder, before being published, or after. But who cares? 

What do we know of such things? Hebrews 13:5 Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (NIV)

(To learn more about growing closer to Christ, read the Bible’s Gospel of John)

~~~~~

Peter Leavell, a 2007 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history, was the 2011 winner of Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel contest, and 2013 Christian Retailing's Best award for First-Time Author. Peter and his family live in Boise, Idaho. Learn more about Peter's books, research, and family adventures at www.peterleavell.com.

~~~~~

Sigh—He's in a Mood by Peter Leavell

The best part of writing is writing.

The worst part of writing? There's no one to give you a participation trophy. But if you win, people tell you exactly what they think of your work.

The swings are atrocious, and you know them well. Five minutes writing a sentence, we ohhhh, argh, blah, eh, hurl, YES!, awwww, sniff, hmmmm, and thump thump thump our heads on the desk.

Our (undiagnosed?) ADHD/OCD and caffeine fuel the fire, no doubt. But beyond that, why do we write? What makes us subject ourselves to the pain?

Two words—we hate math.

Or maybe we hate accounting. Perhaps a strong dislike for boredom (that’s me). Perhaps your timid body has the heart of a lion, and writing is the way you can express yourself, like T.S. Eliot. Anyway, does it matter? You don’t choose writing. Writing chooses you.

Moods—moods—moods. Ah, yes. Wrestling a mood into some semblance of control is harder than asking a toddler not to get out his toys for the day because company is coming. You can’t change the fact you have a toddler. Or that company is coming. You might toss the toys, but I don’t recommend it. The moods are coming. The writing is here to stay. And hiding the keyboard won’t keep you from writing for long. It’s best to let the company come inside and step on a Lego. Let the moods come.

Working through moods is an act of will.

The not liking our own writing mood is a weakness that can be our greatest strength. Use the mood to read books on how to write. Pick up the masters and study a particular passage where the voice is strong. Emulate. Work until your mood changes in three minutes. Remember the feeling is just a mood and doesn’t reflect real life, no matter how much you’ll try to convince me.

Don’t give up on your dream. I didn’t let moods stop me (they slowed me down, however) over ten years of writing practice. But the persistence paid off!

Peter Leavell

~~~~~

Peter Leavell, a 2007 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history, was the 2011 winner of Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel contest, and 2013 Christian Retailing's Best award for First-Time Author. Peter and his family live in Boise, Idaho. Learn more about Peter's books, research, and family adventures at www.peterleavell.com.

~~~~~

Do You Use Voxer? by Susan Tuttle

As a writer I’m always looking for useful apps that will help me in my writing career, so when a friend of mine told me about Voxer I decided to try it out. And I LOVE it. So I’m sharing it with you today.

 

Voxer is basically a mash-up of a walkie-talkie and voicemail. You press a button and start talking. If the person you’re speaking to is there, you move back and forth in your conversation as if you were holding a walkie-talkie. If they’re not there, the message will save for them to play when they have a moment. You don’t need to walk around holding the phone to your ear. No dialing and waiting for voicemail to pick up. And much easier than tiring your thumbs writing a lengthy text. Just simple convenience.

 

How does that help a writer, you ask? Simple.

1. Brainstorming: I’ve had many brainstorming sessions with writer friends using this app. Either we chat back and forth as we work through their plot, or they send an idea for their storyline and I get back to them when I can. That’s part of the beauty of this app…they can quickly shoot me the question the moment it hits them, and I can answer when I’m able.

2. Encouragement: Writing can be a lonely affair. And as a writer, I often have fellow writers on my heart. This app has allowed me to shoot them a quick message and pray over them, encourage them, or share something funny. Sure. Texts do the same thing. But sometimes it’s nice to hear someone’s voice as you go through your day—and I don’t even have to make their phone ring. It’s simply recorded for them to play when they have a moment.

3. SOS Calls:  We all have those moments. We’re in the midst of writing a story. The flow is good. Words are flying. But something in your story needs addressing. Not enough to stop you, but enough to tie up precious brain space. Voxing comes in handy in these moments. You can toss the question or problem to a friend without disrupting either one of you. Then pick it apart later when you both have the time.

 

It might seem like a short list, but Voxer has dramatically changed how I interact with my writer friends. Emailing never seemed fast enough, and many times what I wanted to pass on was far too long to text. However, it was often not pressing enough to warrant a phone call. This has found a happy middle ground for communication, and it’s one I have every intention of continuing to use. 

 

If you’re not on Voxer yet, it’s a free app and I highly recommend it to you and your writing communityJ

Susan L. Tuttle lives in Michigan where she’s happily married to her best friend and is a homeschooling mom of three. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire, encourage, and grow women into who God created them to be. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. You can connect with Susan at her blog, Steps, Facebook, or Twitter. 

Writing from Your Pressure Cooker Life by Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy

I read Stephanie Rische’s interview “Beth Moore’s Novel Approach to Loving People” published in Today’s Christian Living (November 2016).

In the article, Moore talked about how she’d like to write like Jan Karon, but nothing in her life was like Karon’s books. She had to be true to being someone who’d been victimized.

Many of us have come from what I call pressure cookers. That’s a home or family like a pressure cooker. People inside are abusers and victims. Abusers pressure the victims with verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. Depending on how high the pressure setting is, victims have their gumption and identity cooked to some level of vulnerability.

Moore gave an encouraging statement about victims who feel like they’re up against something that can’t be fixed: “The truth is, sometimes there isn’t a way back. But with Jesus, there is a way forward.” After her pressure cooker past, Moore wants her writing to let others know how wonderful the Lord is.

One stride forward for Bible study writer Beth Moore is a novel she has written. She believes God prompted her to step out of her comfort zone, but even in writing fiction, she had to be true to her vulnerability.

This made me think about how my past has affected my writing.

I enjoy romantic suspense, so it seemed natural to write it. In the three inspirational romantic suspense novels I wrote, I couldn’t seem to get the balance right. In one, the romance and the suspense were good, but the inspiration was lacking. In another the suspense and inspiration were good, but the romance was bland. In the third … You get my drift.

Also, in those novels, my writer’s voice never showed up.

Writing from the Pressure Cooker’s Steam

I think often writers are called to write with God from the vulnerabilities in our lives—either from how we learned to manage the pressure or how we traveled through it and came out of the cooker.

Besides other pressures I grew up under, we moved about every two years, inside and outside of the US. I let out the steam from my pressure cooker by being witty and funny around others. (I had to make friends fast before we moved again!) I used humor to entice people to accept me.

In writing my fifth book, which was published, I let go of my preconceived notions about what I was to write. The words poured out in my writer’s voice. The book was an inspirational contemporary romance full of humor, sass, and tenderness.

In hindsight, I believe God first wanted me to learn about Him, then He wanted me to learn to write through the four rejected novels, and finally He wanted me to write with Him from what my pressure cooker past gave me.

Maybe you have been called to write from how you handled what was inside your pressure cooker. Maybe you write comedy, fairytales, or fantasy.

Writing from the Pressure Cooker’s Process

I think some writers are guided to write with God directly from their tumbled lives. Through non-fiction or fiction, they stay true and show others how to find hope.

Perhaps God has called you to write from your vulnerable state like Moore, because that’s what will help your readers most. You may write women’s fiction or devotionals giving hope.

How has God directed you to use your pressure cooker life in your writing?

God can release the lid on your pressure cooker so, through writing, you can help others. Click to tweet.


<<>>

About the Author

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little-known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two of her short stories. Zoe self-published two books of contemporary Christian short stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys leading workshops on the craft of writing; speaking about her faith; planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren; and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John. 

Learn more about Zoe M. McCarthy at her website: http://zoemmccarthy.com

Calculated Risk

Calculated Risk
by Zoe M. McCarthy

What happens when an analytical numbers man meets a mercurial marketing Rep? Romance is a calculated risk…

Jilted by the latest of her father’s choices of “real men,” Cisney Baldwin rashly accepts an invitation to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a sympathetic colleague and his family. Nick LeCrone is a man too much her opposite to interest her and too mild-mannered to make her overbearing father’s “list.” Now, Cisney fears Nick wants to take advantage of her vulnerable state over the holiday. Boy, is she wrong.

Nick wants little to do with Cisney. She drives him crazy with all her sticky notes and quirks. He extended an invitation because he felt sorry for her. Now he’s stuck, and to make matters worse, his family thinks she’s his perfect match. He’ll do what he can to keep his distance, but there’s just one problem—he’s starting to believe Cisney’s magnetism is stronger than he can resist.

Purchase links for Calculated Risk: http://zoemmccarthy.com/books

Lifetime of Study by Peter Leavell

Push yourself. No one will do it for you.

Your characters are only as brilliant as you. 

Book clubs across the world, critics living in New York, and college professors looking for something to be angry about, read our work. The thought is frightening.

Here’s the only way to strengthen your work:

Make theology, psychology, and philosophy your life study.

You've studied craft. Excellent. But you're not done. You've simply taken English 101. 

Important: Genius and clever and smart have nothing to do with deep characters. Hard word, determination, and insanity are key.

Credit Kade Leavell

Study theology because everything done throughout history is a search for God or an escape from God. Knowing theology gives the writer an ability to stretch your character’s crisis to unknown heights.

Psychology is my weakest point, because I’m not interested in Myers Briggs and his amazing personality quiz. Putting people into categories makes me uncomfortable. I prefer to do my own observations and answer to myself the eternal question resounding through the millennia—why in the world did he do that?

Philosophy is overlooked because we like to believe our lives are based on doctrine and sound principles, not sheer reasoning. However, most of our lives are based on philosophy. The United States, simply put, is based on philosophical ramblings of Greeks and Romans, with an economic system built loosely on ideas of a Scottish moral philosopher named Adam Smith. Our characters agree with these philosophies, or they don't. Having studied these philosophies gives us tools with which to expand our characters.

Tradition, as another philosophical example, must start as a new way of doing something, then last at least a full generation. Given this test of time, the tradition is probably good, but the reasoning behind the tradition is lost. A traditional school year is plotted around a farming harvest cycle. We take it for granted some scientific survey found the cycle works best, but it's not true. The writer, knowing the philosophy behind traditions, help give depth to our characters, whether the writer wants to use the information in their novel or not.

Real life decisions look like cause and effect. But in our books, there must be some sort of continuous trail of logical progression which makes the reader say, ‘ah yes. That makes sense. I don’t agree, but I can see why.’ Human behavior, many times, is more like, ‘what in the world? Why did you do that?’ 

When our character enters a crisis, his or her ability to reason through the problem and proceed is only as good as your personal studies of philosophy. You can’t write something you don’t know.

By studying theology, psychology, and philosophy, we may shed light into our character’s reasoning that will resonate with the reader that he or she hadn’t known about themselves. Is there anything more satisfying?

If your character is in love with history, science, art, or some other aspect of humanity, your studies have exploded into so much more awesomeness. No one said writing deep characters would be easy. But if it were easy, everyone would do it.

How to proceed? The secret is to start.

—Read the Bible once a year. Twice, if you can, in two versions.
—Adding a book discussing doctrine or Christian history never goes amiss.
—Consider picking up a scholar such as C.S. Lewis or Dorothy Sayers and read everything he or she has written. It’s a great starting place to stretch both theology and philosophy. And you'll learn how to be a scholar-first-class.
—Don't believe everything you read. Test the ideas with first the Bible, then other works.
—Psychology periodicals abound, and are fairly easy reads. Again, I prefer just studying people.
—Read classic literature, since most classics are a blend of intriguing plotline and character development.

—Pick up Plato and Augustine. Grind through them, taking notes and outlining.

I'm not saying study is easy. But I am saying study is worth it.

Can you put a price on education? Devote yourself to a lifetime of study, and your work will reflect in your characters!

~~~~~~

Peter Leavell

Peter Leavell is an award winning historical fiction author. He and his family research together, creating magnificent adventures. Catch up with him on his website at www.peterleavell.com, or friend him on Facebook: Peter R. Leavell.

~~~~~

We Need Each Other by Heidi Chiavaroli

When I was growing up, my mother used to tell me a story about my great-great-grandmother. My mémère lived to be one hundred and two, and guess what? She was a writer.

She wrote a book when she was a young adult. And of course, back then, you didn’t just click a mouse and send off a query. You sent the whole kit and caboodle. Every chapter, every page, every sentence you had sweat over. All of it, off to an editor who would hopefully mail your baby back to you.

Well, my grandmother’s manuscript did get returned. Rejected. And, not having any other person’s encouragement or opinion, my grandmother destroyed her hard work. She took the rejection to mean she didn’t have what it took. She couldn’t be a writer.

I’m convinced that if I lived in the same time as my grandmother, that would have also been me. But because I live in a different time, with different opportunities, I was encouraged in different ways. If you don’t have the support you need as a writer, consider seeking out an option or two below.

National Writer’s Groups and Organizations – When I first felt the urge to write seriously ten years ago, I went to one of my favorite author’s websites. Karen Kingsbury listed a number of writing organizations and I picked the one I thought would suit me best—American Christian Fiction Writers. They were phenomenal. Not only did they hook me up with a critique group, which I am still with, but they gave me a scholarship to attend my first national conference, where I met a handful of amazing women who have encouraged me over the years. It’s been fun to watch some of them go on to become bestselling authors. 

Local Groups – If you prefer meeting with other writers in person, check out your local library. Chances are someone knows of a local group of writers.

Critique Groups – Okay, I know I mentioned this above, but really, I can’t talk critique partners up enough! You can sharpen one another’s writing, and encourage at the same time. I don’t know how many times I’ve felt ready to give up only to have one or both of my critique partners encourage me. No one can encourage like another writer. Share the journey.

Conferences – Not only can you meet agents and editors in the industry at conferences, but you can form more connections with other writers, both new and farther along on the journey. No one can encourage you, sympathize with you, and rejoice with you, like other writers!

Websites and Blogs (Such as this one!) – Many authors have resources for writers on their websites. Or subscribe to blogs such as this one to get that daily encouragement.

There’s one thing all these options have in common: they each connect us to other writers. 

Writing can be a solitary journey. But I’m convinced that if my grandmother had any of these resources at her disposal, she wouldn’t have felt so badly after that first rejection. She may have continued to write, maybe even kept her stories for me to read one day.

We need each other! So don’t be a stranger. Speak up, get connected, and get writing!

Heidi Chiavaroli is an author, runner, wife, mother, and grace-clinger—not necessarily in that order. Ever since taking her first trip to Plimoth Plantation with her sister, mother, and grandmother at the age of nine, she has been fascinated with history and its significance to today’s people and culture. Heidi is the winner of ACFW’s 2014 Genesis Contest, Historical Category. Her debut novel will release next year from Tyndale Publishers. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and Howie, her standard poodle. Learn more about Heidi on her website: www.heidichiavaroli.com. 

The Journey of a Pirate's Family

Peter Leavell

My wife sat at the canoe’s bow. I played rudder in the back, while my son (16) and daughter (13) rowed. We floated on heavy waves within sight of Seattle’s Space Needle.

We weren’t making much headway against the wind.

I offered encouragement. “Throw your back into it, me hardies.”

To keep their spirits up, I started singing a sea chantey—as fathers are wont to do.

My daughter asked my son if a mutiny and a keelhauling were in order. Their accents descended to 17th Century Spanish Main pirates.

None of this helped my wife’s seasickness, but like the true sailor she is, she kept a stiff rowing pace for the rest of us.

Our captain’s cabin was still a mile and a half away.

I was thinking, how absurd is this? Humans travel 24,000 miles per hour to grace the moon with our presence. We rowed at about .00001 knots per hour. But gravity presses us against the water, wind shoves us backward, and our muscles fight against both. Why? Why put ourselves through the torture?

Why write? Why did I spend ten years, three manuscripts, one million words that no one will see simply to see a book on the shelf for six months? Why did I dig deep into myself to see if I could conjure something people would pay to read? Why all the emotional pain, suffering, and ecstasies with every defeat or success?

Traveling to the moon would be easier.

Here’s my story on why I did what I did—yours is probably different. God gave me the desire. I performed the work (with His blessing). And one day, I woke up, and I was an author. Ten years of effort.

So what was the point?

The journey.

Grinding through plots, getting to know my characters, researching the past and the locations—there’s the magic. The entire point of Ecclesiastes is to enjoy the moment. Because that’s all the satisfaction we’ll find—loving the work God give us. The joy reflects His character.

Yes, your dreams can come true. But then what? You look back on the journey.

Ready to set out.

Our arms ache from rowing. We kiss the dock. Slaps on the back and a cool drink of iced tea inside the captain’s cabin for all. Our dinner discussions ranged from how we looked for surfacing nuclear subs to Jaws to pirating a nearby barge next time we’re at sea.

Writing, as in life—the journey that brings the most pleasure. Pause and enjoy your characters. Love the setting. Revel in the plot. Let God take care of the agent or editor.

And, if given a choice. Be a pirate. Always be the pirate.

Aarrrr.

~~~~~

Peter Leavell is an award winning historical fiction author. He and his family research together, creating magnificent adventures. Catch up with him on his website at www.peterleavell.com, or friend him on Facebook: Peter R. Leavell. 

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Resurrection to New Life by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

Death, I’ve discovered, doesn’t always mean death with a capital “D” – that surrendering of this world for our Heavenly home (I know, I know, not real uplifting and encouraging so far, but stick with me, I’ll get there, promise!).

As we conclude the Easter season of Jesus’ death and victorious resurrection, I’ve given thought to the ways I’ve died—and risen—of late, and in that rising found the hope, the refreshment, the renewal and encouragement of resurrection and the sureness of God’s hand in my life and in my writing.

Let me explain.

First, the ‘death’ part. Over the last several months, writing has taken a necessary backseat to the rest of my life. We’ve replanted our lives in fresh soil after nineteen years of raising our family and establishing ‘home.’ We’re settled, and we’re acclimating, and we love our new digs, but talk about exhausting! Plus, our family has grown by one precious, joy-bringing soul as we welcomed our first grandchild. He’s just magical, know what I mean? He's local, so we love spending our spare time being doting grandparents. Everything is ‘new’ – and everything is different. A death to the life we knew before, a surrender, has leading me to the life God wants my husband and I to lead in the here-and-now as we enter what is obviously a new chapter of our story.

Grand-JOY!

Still, to be blunt and honest, the lack of writing time/focus was—and still is—making me crazy. Why? Because it’s my call. Non-productivity burns like fire in my chest. Storytelling is what I believe God wants and needs from me--even in those moments when I sit at the desk in my sparkling new office, prepared to write, and nothing comes to me. Oh, I have the plot ideas, and I have deadlines to chase, but finding the words, the scenes can be difficult.

#BostonStrong!!

Now, the resurrection part. These small ‘deaths’ have led me to trust. Breakthroughs do happen, and unexpectedly—like finding out my book finaled in a writing contest—like flying to Boston to cheer for my son who ran the Boston Marathon and finding myself in a plane, at 30,000 feet, swept at last into the heart of a Christmas story I'm writing that's set in Florence, Italy. 

Struggle calls me to a deeper commitment and faith, a stronger reliance on God, and not myself. So, my encouragement this month is to be fruitful according to God’s will. In other words, don’t fret the daily circumstances and frustrations. Rather, surrender to what is and be exalted in your calling, no matter what.

Because you know what? God’s got this.

Blessings, friends!

~~~~~

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Hearts Communion earned a win for Best Romance from the Christian Small Publisher's Association. Finding Home won the Selah award for Best Novella. Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.

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Country music bad boy Chase Bradington is on the comeback trail. Fresh from rehab for alcohol addiction, and transformed by the power of Christ, Chase is battling to rediscover the music he loves and a career he nearly ruined. Then he meets up and comer, Pyper Brock, and instantly sparks ignite.

Pyper knows of Chase’s reputation, so despite a rampant attraction to the handsome and talented icon, she soundly dismisses his romantic overtures. Decades ago, her father, in a drunken rage, tossed her and her mother onto the streets. No way will Pyper make the mistake of falling for a man whose done battle with the bottle.

What happens when Chase’s quest to win Pyper’s love breaks down chains of resentment and eases the long buried wounds of her childhood? And what happens when Pypers father shows up in Nashville, clean, sober and seeking a chance to apologize?

Can Pyper follow a pathway to peace when it comes to her father? Can she fully trust Chase? Above all, can a sin damaged past be released in favor of forgiveness?

Releasing 11/1/2016 ~ Available for pre-order now at Amazon.com in PRINT and E-BOOK formats