A Time for Every Purpose By Davalynn Spencer

Davalynn Spencer

One wall of my office bears a dozen framed book covers, three literary awards, and a modified Winston Churchill quote that I purchased from a Christian gift shop following a book signing:

Winston Churchill
by United Nations Information Office,
New York [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

never 

never 

never 

never 

never 

give up.

Every colorful, artistically designed and titled cover on that wall came about after I was told time had run out. That it was too late for me to be a novelist. Too late to pursue my dream.

“You really should have started this years ago,” said the successful author who met with me in a one-on-one at my first writer’s conference.

Evidently, my skin was thicker than I thought, because I thanked her, gathered my portfolio, and went to the next workshop on my schedule.

That was the spring of 2008.

What the well-known, over-worked author didn’t know was during those “years ago” that she referenced, I was raising two children, traveling across the country with my rodeo bullfighting husband, and writing feature stories for Western magazines and inspirational publications.

Later I worked full time as a daily newspaper crime-beat reporter who had no creative energy left after a day spent sitting in a courtroom, covering fires or automobile accidents, or following Search & Rescue teams up Colorado mountainsides.

My dreams and I were exhausted.

However, God has a way of finding “a time for every purpose under heaven.”

Ultimately, I faced a decision. Would I pursue my dream, or would I give up, give in to a well-meaning naysayer’s observation? Would I sit back and vegetate on the latest television drama for the rest of my life, or would I improve my craft, sharpen my skills, pick up the torch?

Today, my desk sits across the room from that wall of framed book covers that circle the Churchill quote. Imagine how I answer when asked what advice I give aspiring writers.

What about you? Have you been told it’s too late to follow a dream? How did it affect you? Did you let up on the accelerator for a while, stunned by someone else’s lack of faith? Did you persevere in secret, enjoying the process and counting it worth the cost regardless of the outcome?

In our world of immediate gratification, trusting God’s perfect timing is an often uncomfortable, though fruitful, challenge.

I’d love to hear your story. Please comment below and share about God’s timing of His purposes in your life.

About Davalynn Spencer

Wife and mother of professional rodeo bullfighters, Davalynn Spencer writes cowboy romance, both historical and contemporary. She is an ECPA and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author and winner of the Will Rogers Gold Medallion for Inspirational Western Fiction. And she’s fairly certain her previous career as a rodeo journalist and crime-beat reporter prepared her for life in Colorado wrangling Blue the Cowdog and mouse detectors Annie and Oakley. Connect with her at https://davalynnspencer.com/ 

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The Miracle Tree by Davalynn Spencer

The Miracle Tree
by Davalynn Spencer

Laura Bell needs a second chance, not a new romance. Home to heal and start over, she finds the neighbor boy she once idolized is a sharp-edged former Marine with secret wounds of his own. Eli Hawthorne’s prayers are finally answered when Laura returns, but he’s half a man now, and his scars may be too much for her. Laura and Eli can fill the empty places in each other’s heart if pride doesn’t keep him from trusting God and fear doesn’t blind her to the miracle of the boy she left behind.

Never Give Up by Sylvia Stewart

Sylvia Stewart

Do you experience days when you feel like giving up on writing? Does it sometimes feel like publication is out of reach for you? 

Author Sylvia Stewart shares her writing journey and reminds us that it’s never too late! ~ Dawn

Never Give Up

I began writing when I was about thirty-five—writing for publication, that is. I’ve been writing all my life. I grew up as a missionary kid (MK) in the Belgian Congo—now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Journaling and sending letters home from boarding school was a great way to learn how to pull thoughts together and make them interesting.

My first effort to write for publication happened when we were in missionary service in Malawi, East Africa. I saw a butterfly migration and after doing a little research in an encyclopedia, I wrote a short piece titled “Butterfly Power” that was immediately published in The Pentecostal Evangel.

“Wow,” I said to myself. “That was easy!” However, I learned that writing for publication wasn’t as easy as I had thought. It was two years before I had another article acceptance.

I read many writing instruction books during those formative years as a writer. I also took a correspondence course in Creative Writing (there was no internet then). Living in Africa before the advent of computer technology made it very difficult to connect with editors. However, I continued to send in an article now and then, send letters home to my parents and to journal. Many of my journal entries later became grist for articles.

During our years in Malawi, I began to write a novel for pre-teens. Kondi’s Quest needed 24 years to develop. When we retired from mission assignments in 2001, I was able to join a critique group, which greatly helped Kondi’s Quest mature, and it was published independently in the summer of 2014. Seattle Rayne, Book 1 in the Sweet Romances series, came into print in the fall of that year, and sequels to Kondi’s Quest followed: Kondi’s Joy, in 2015, and Kondi’s Secret in 2016. In October of 2017, Montana Skye, Book 2 in the Sweet Romances series, will first appear in Wonderland Wishes, a boxed set of six brand-new Christmas novellas. Later, it will be published independently.

Becoming a published writer is a journey, and like most journeys, it may take a long time to reach the desired destination—publication. To accomplish God’s purposes in our task may seem wearisome and our success unprofitable. But we won’t reach our goal if we give in to discouragement and despair. I’m still writing and publishing at seventy-seven years of age. So, as Winston Churchill said: 

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” 

“Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about.” 

“Never, never, never give up.”

Seattle Rayne

Seattle Rayne

Loneliness has hovered over Rayne DeMarco’s life ever since leaving East Africa to live on her own in Seattle. Frequent infusions of coffee have neither enlivened her flagging business as a freelance writer nor her social life.  Seattle’s gray winter skies seem to mirror her life.

Then a mama cat with three rambunctious kittens finds a home in her above-the-garage apartment, and a handsome Montana cowboy, Matt Hayes, walks back into her life. Bring in a puppy who needs a little love and you have a Seattle romance that is as sure to warm your heart as the hot coffee Seattleites crave.

Wonderland Wishes

Just released! Sylvia’s Montana Skye is included in the boxed set, Wonderland Wishes—a collection of NEW Christmas romances.

Sylvia Stewart grew up in the Belgian Congo (which later became Zaire and the Democratic Republic of Congo). She spent 21 years as an Assemblies of God missionary in Malawi, East Africa, with her husband, Duane. In 1992, they were asked to go to Ethiopia to found a Bible College. They spent 11 years in Ethiopia doing mostly Bible College ministry. She has published four books since 2011. Kondi’s Quest, Kondi’s Joy and Kondi’s Secret, the Mysteries in Malawi series, were written for pre-teens, but adults find them interesting, too.  Seattle Rayne is Book 1 of the Sweet Romances series. Montana Skye, Book 2, will be published in October 2017.

Learn more and connect with Sylvia here:

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Sylvia-Stewart/e/B005I6LOU6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1502908036&sr=1-2-ent  

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sylvia.stewart3

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SylviaStewart3  

Website link: http://www.sylvia-stewart.com    

Follow Your Passion by Mary Manners

I love to write. Penning stories is definitely my passion. I have been writing since before I knew how to form letters (I would scribble on paper and then share my story aloud). To me, writing is akin to breathing; I must engage in it to have life.

I am a pantster by nature, but I do begin each story by creating a notebook that contains basic story ideas and elements, as well as character traits and descriptions. This is especially necessary when constructing stories that are part of a series. My favorite part of writing is when a character does something completely unexpected. It’s so much fun to see where a story takes me.

One week, during middle school, I had a particularly rough time. I remember asking my dad why certain things happen. To answer, he brought home a poster of a dog in a washtub with the headline, “Is today really necessary?” He told me to use life experiences in my writing, and it worked. Now, when I write, I think of him and understand the purpose in certain life events.



I love coffee and scented candles. I never listen to music while I am creating, but scents really put me in the mood to write. If I am working on a Christmas novella in the summer, a pine-scented candle really helps to create an aura of the holiday season. My favorite writing days begin at about 4 am with a cup of black coffee and a veil of pre-sunrise darkness. It’s cool to create an entire alternate universe and watch it come alive while the world is still nestled soundly in bed.

To all new writers, my advice is to stick with it. Successful writers carry on even when it’s not fun, or they don’t feel like writing. You cannot wait for your muse to visit. You must go out and chase that muse, tackle him and drag him home. I spent many years running marathons. This training has helped me tremendously to stay true to my path as a writer, especially when the going gets tough. Never, ever give up.

~~~~~

Veiled Gems (Diamond Knot Dreams #1)

Lila Brooks believes in fairytale endings for everyone but herself. She coaxes her dream of opening a wedding shop into reality when she commissions Morgan Holt to transform a run-down Victorian house into an all-inclusive bridal boutique, Diamond Knot Dreams. Clover Cove’s residents have whispered that the house is filled with spirits, but superstitions have no place in Lila's life.

Morgan Holt spent the better part of his youth transplanted from one foster home to another. Separated from his older brother, Gunnar, at an early age, they’re reunited shortly after Morgan’s arrival to Clover Cove. But the last thing Morgan wants is to trust his heart again to a family—or a woman as beautiful as Lila Brooks. He has plans to finish work on the Victorian and then ride off into the sunset, a move he’s perfected over the years.

Soon Lila and Morgan have a chance at their own Happily Ever After, but will events from the past destroy their future?

~~~~~

Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime exploring her joy of writing. She has two sons, a daughter, and three beautiful grandchildren. She currently lives along the sunny shores of Jacksonville Beach with her husband Tim.

A former teacher as well an intermediate school principal, Mary spent three decades sharing her love of learning. While growing up in Chicago, Mary worked her way through a variety of jobs including paper girl, hot dog vendor, grocery store cashier, lifeguard, swim instructor, pizza chef, and nanny. Many of these experiences led to adventures that bring humor and insight to her stories. Mary loves long sunrise runs, ocean sunsets, and flavored coffee.

Connect with Mary at her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com. “Like” her author page on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.



It's Never Too Late by Dora Hiers

Dora Hiers

When it comes to time, I'm a firm believer that most people fall into two different categories:

those who are usually a few minutes early

That would be me. I'm the one sitting patiently at the airplane gate an hour before the plane is due to board. 

and those who are perpetually running late 

Hubby fits in this category. You know the type. He's the guy standing in the Starbucks line as the airline announces the last call for a boarding flight.

My sweet hubby

He doesn't just arrive late, he also includes some type of dramatic announcement of his presence, usually a booming, "Well, well, well." Those of us who like to keep a low profile, well, we've learned to adjust or duck our heads in embarrassment, just accepting his energetic personality as one of the things we love about him. Can you see that mischievous glint sparkling from his eyes? >

What about when it comes to our writing? 
Do you worry that you'll be too late in achieving your dream, of holding your story in your hands, of seeing your baby in print?

Maybe you crested the "hill" more years ago than you care to admit, and you've been knocking on the publishing door for decades. Hundreds of rejection letters are crammed into the deepest, darkest hole in your closet. Or maybe the agent you've been hoping to land has just turned you down for the fourth time. Wherever you're at, take hope in God's promise:

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

Eccl 3:1, NKJV

We've all endured traumatic events at some point in our lives. Maybe it was a divorce, a tragic accident, a serious illness, or the death of a loved one. Whatever the circumstances, it shattered our perspective, made us lose our grip on reality for a time. It's only later, when we look back, that we realize something good came out of it, that God weaved those painful threads into a glorious tapestry as only He can do. 

Trust Him with your writing dream. He has a purpose, a plan, and He will reveal all of it in His time.

You see, God's timing is always perfect, never too late and never too early. Rest in that, stop fretting, release the stress and worry over not being published back to Him, and leave it there.

No matter where you're at on your particular writing journey, take time to treasure the friendships He's placed in your path, to savor the actual gift of writing for writing's sake. Cherish Him because He is enough.

Where are you on your writing journey?

Do you worry about the timing?

Journey's Edge
Purchase Link

A Routine Audit? Hardly.
Red flags—including some goon who's following her—raise McKinley Frasier's suspicions that numbers don't add up at the insurance firm. When someone tries to snatch McKinley's daughter from school, she turns to police officer and ex-fiance, Renner Crossman—the cop who walked out on her a month before their wedding. But Renner's not the same guy who broke her heart ten years ago. He calls himself a "new man." She trusts the new Renner with her daughter's safety...but what about her heart?

Dora Hiers is a multi-published author of Heart Racing, God-Gracing romances. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Treasurer for ACFW-Charlotte Chapter. Connect with her here on Seriously Write, her personal blog, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

My Journey to Publication by Karla Akins

Karla Akins

A couple weeks ago, Karla Akins shared her heartbreak over her son's arrest and encouraged us to weather the storms with her adapted poem, Write Anyway. Today, she's back sharing her journey to publication. Hope you enjoy! ~Dora

I’ve been writing since I held a piece of chalk in each hand.

As a young child I was ambidextrous until I gradually adopted my left hand as the one to hold my pencil. I have a bump on my middle finger where I used to grip the pen far too tight. I don’t think many people see those writing bumps on kids today. They come out of the womb typing.

I wrote reams of poetry in fifth grade. That same year I entered an essay contest and placed second in the county. (The boy who sat behind me won first.) In Junior High I wrote a poem and entered it in a radio show’s “Win a Tie for Your Dad” contest. I woke up one morning and heard my name and my poem. In high school I wrote a three-act musical and my drama teacher took all us corn-fed Kansas kids to NYC to perform it at a theater convention. I was sure I was headed for the big time.

God had other plans.

I met a handsome minister and got married. While my children were small I took the mail order Writing for Children and Teenagers course through the Institute of Children’s Literature and finished it. I wrote for anything that needed copy: organizational newsletters, magazines, church letters and local newspapers. Writing has always been as much a part of me as my crooked little toe. I wrote for bigger magazines and got rejection after rejection. But I’m a stubborn soul and believed that I was called to do this writing thing and refused to quit.

After my children were mostly grown, I participated in NaNoWriMo in 2003. After a year or two of participating in NaNoWriMo, I stumbled across a call for stories by a homeschool curriculum company. That led me to write several narrative biographies to be included in compilations. A few years after those were published, the publisher asked me to write a book about Canada.

Simultaneously I was introduced to some writers online, and learned about ACFW. I was also introduced to my current online critique group where my writing got a thorough working over. I learned more in one year of participating in the critique group than I did in all my years of writing combined. I can’t stress enough how important finding a critique group is!

I didn’t have to search far for an agent. One of our critique group members became an agent at Hartline Literary Agency where she was already working. Linda Glaz became my agent and sold my book to Pelican Book Group’s Harbourlight imprint. My current book, The Pastor’s Wife Wears Biker Boots is due out tomorrow!

If I were going to give advice to new writers today, it is this: don’t quit. No matter how many years stand between you and publication, if you don’t quit, you will be published as long as you remain teachable and apply the things you’re taught.  

So tell me, how did you get started? I’d love to know!!

The Pastor's Wife Wears
Biker Boots
Purchase Link

Pastor’s wife, Kirstie Donovan, lives life in a fishbowl, so when she hops on the back of a bright pink motorcycle, tongues start to wag at the conservative, century-old First Independent Christian Community Church of Eels Falls. 

Kirstie loves roaring down a road less traveled by most women over forty, but she’s not just riding her bike for the fun of it. Kirstie has a ministry. However, certain church members have secrets to hide, and when God uses Kirstie’s ministry to fill the pews with leather-clad, tattooed bikers, those secrets could be exposed…and some will stop at nothing to hide the truth. 

Join Kirstie and her motorcycle “gang”—two church matrons and a mouthy, gum-smacking non-church member—as they discover that road-toughened bikers are quite capable of ministering to others, and faith is fortified in the most unexpected ways.

Karla Akins is a pastor's wife who rides her own motorcycle. She is the mother of four boys and one step-daughter, and grandmother of five. She lives in North Manchester with her husband who is the pastor of Christian Fellowship Church, her twin teenage boys with autism, mother-in-law with Alzheimer's and three rambunctious dogs. Karla and her husband have been in ministry together for 30 years. You can contact Karla for speaking engagements via her website at KarlaAkins.com.

Perseverance – Never Give Up – Never Surrender by Renee Andrews

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4

A few years back, right after my first sale, I was asked how many manuscripts I’d completed before finally making a sale.  I know authors who can say, “My first manuscript sold.”  Wow!  I think that’s wonderful!  Amazing, even!  But my answer was nowhere near my first manuscript.  In fact, I’d written 21 complete manuscripts before the first sale.  Double digits. 

Now, before you start wondering how I found editors that continued to read my work after I sent that many manuscripts, let me explain that the majority of those never made it to the post office.  I knew they weren’t ready, and I didn’t want my first impression to be anything less than my best.  So I kept writing until I thought I got it right. 

Realizing that I might not be the only author who’d had a test of perseverance on the way to publication, I polled a few authors and learned that there are several who were also into double digits before they sold…

• Renee Andrews (21)
• Stephanie Rowe (18)
• Tanya Michaels (14)
• Karen L. King (14)
• Jennifer Lewis (12)
• Beth Cornelison (12)
• Jennifer Echols (10)
• Bonnie Gardner (10)
• Lois Winston (10)
• Jane Myers Perrine (10)

What advice would these double digit authors give those who are continuing to write, but haven’t received that coveted call yet?

Renee Andrews

Write every day. Don’t stop at partials (I didn’t allow myself to start another manuscript until the one in progress was complete).  Set your goals high.  Enter contests (you never know when your future editor will be judging that entry – but by all means, have the manuscript finished and ready to go if it is requested).  Don’t be discouraged by the stack of manuscripts under your bed. Consider each one another step closer to the goal.  Good writing and good storytelling takes practice.  And finally, celebrate milestones, no matter how small they appear (finish a chapter – go out for sushi, get a request – go out for sushi, win a contest – more sushi).  Are you sensing the pattern here? I love sushi ;) 

Stephanie Rowe

Keep trying to improve. Write new stories—don’t get bogged down in revising existing ones. I really found that by the time I started a new manuscript, I’d evolved enough as a writer that the new story was fundamentally at a different level than my previous times. The few times I tried to go back and rework old stories, I discovered that I still instinctively worked within the parameters of that early story (even if I rewrote a new story from scratch with the same characters), which meant that the story still have the same fundamental flaws as the original. Write new, be self-critical, and keep striving to get better. Take online classes, go to conferences and take workshops and never think you’re as good as you’re going to get! And SUBMIT! I had over 130 rejections before I sold and I’d entered 97 contests.

Tanya Michaels

Keep writing, keep submitting, and keep in mind what one bestselling author once told me, "The difference between a published and unpublished author is one person's opinion."  You just have to find that one senior editor who loves your stuff and is willing to approve the buy...which won't happen if you don't submit!  Meantime, there's a terrific collection of Snoopy "rejection" comic strips that kept me laughing.

Karen L King

You are in charge of your destiny. You can choose failure by quitting.  And it really does come down to those who are willing to persevere, those who are willing to really work at improving their craft, those who are producing new stories, and putting the work out there again and again are the people that will be successful. I've seen a lot of really talented authors fall by the wayside, because they're not willing to learn, or not willing to risk rejection, or they keep rewriting or submitting the same thing over and over again.  So keep plugging forward.

 Jennifer Lewis 

Keep working! You can only get there if you keep trying. There is an element of luck involved, but you can only be lucky if you are in the right place at the right time, so keep writing and submitting. If you get any feedback from editors, agents, authors, etc, take it to heart and use it to improve your craft, because you get better with each book you write.

Beth Cornelison

Don't give up! Study the market. Don't give up! Educate yourself in the business. And did I mention, don't give up? :-)

Jennifer Echols

Write the book you want to read.

Bonnie Gardner  

Hang in there. Practice makes perfect. 

Lois Winston

Keep writing. Don't give up. My first novel was a 50,000 word romance that spanned 35 years.  Ten years later that book had been revised into a 95,000 word romantic suspense that takes place over the course of a few months.  It became the second book I sold.

 Jane Myers Perrine 

Keep writing. Keep submitting. You won't sell if you don't.

Renee Andrews spends a lot of time in the gym. No, she isn't working out. Her husband, a former All-American gymnast, co-owns ACE Cheer Company, an all-star cheerleading company. She is thankful the talented kids at the gym don't have a problem when she brings her laptop and writes while they sweat.  When she isn't writing, she's typically traveling with her husband, bragging about their two sons or spoiling their bulldog. 

Renee is a kidney donor and actively supports organ donation.  She welcomes prayer requests and loves to hear from readers! Write to her at Renee@ReneeAndrews.com or visit her Web site at www.reneeandrews.com. Her newest book, Picture Perfect Family, released in February.

 

Connect with Renee Andrews on Facebook or on Twitter.