Writing Through the Storm

 

Writing Through the Storm

By Mary Manners

 

 

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..."

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

 

 

I recently heard a quote by former Lady Vols Coach Pat Head Summitt about perseverance. She said, "You can't always control what happens in your life, but you can control how you react to it." Those profound words hit home for me.

 

Recently, my life has been bombarded by unexpected events. My mom has been battling an illness that is slowly taking her life. My mother-in-law is currently hospitalized with complications from a heart catheterization and complications due to diabetes and congestive heart failure. My daughter has begun a new job hours away that has limited her ability to come home and I miss her. My husband also just began a new job and his work schedule is challenging. One of these events might be considered difficult, but together they present a maelstrom.

 

How have I coped? By reading more, studying the Word more, and turning to my Savior for guidance. I also cope by writing. Yes, it is often daunting to focus on my work-in-progress, but escaping to my writing bubble offers a sense of calm amid the storm. I have, in fact, learned to write through the storms of life. There is no perfect time to write...simply time carved from a brain-bending schedule.

 

 





So, the next time the storms of life take you by surprise, take heart, dance (or write, or read) on and trust that those storms will surely pass.

 

~~~~~

 

Buried Treasures

 







When Caroline flees Chicago following the brutal murder of her husband, the last thing she expects—or wants—is to fall for Matt Carlson, a builder with strong roots in the small town of Mountainview, Tennessee. She needs to focus on raising her six-year-old daughter and protecting both their hearts from ever being shattered again.

Matt is struggling with issues of his own…guilt over the death of his wife and the responsibility of raising a cynical teenaged nephew who is dropped on his doorstep, abandoned by Matt's alcoholic sister. He doesn't have time to fall in love, yet he can't help being drawn to the woman who is ready to defend her home—and her daughter—with nothing more than a feisty attitude and a broom handle.

Can Matt's help and friendship convince Caroline to trust again…and when Caroline's daughter goes missing, will Matt be able to find the girl before it's too late and he loses everything he loves…again?

~~~~~

Mary Manners is an award-winning romance writer who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and daughter Danni, and the cherished cats they've rescued from local animal shelters...Lucky and Gus. She loves flavored coffee and Smoky Mountain sunsets.

Mary was named Author of the Year by Book and Trailer Showcase. She writes inspirational romances of all lengths, from short stories to novels—something for everyone.

Learn more about Mary Manners at her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.

 

 

 



Venturing to Other Worlds by Angie Brashear

Angie Brashear

Have you ever felt God giving you direct confirmation that you should follow a particular path? I believe he did that very thing when after planting a seed in a little girl’s hurting heart, he continued to give signs that she was headed in the right direction. Enjoy Angie Brashear’s story as she shares her journey to publication. 

~ Dawn

Venturing to Other Worlds

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, a childhood dream, and a journal. What do they have in common? Take a short venture with me to find out…

My path to salvation began with a classic fantasy, told to me in the midst of my secular world, for when I was in the fifth grade, my teacher read aloud The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis to my class. In doing so, she opened my eyes to adventure and possibilities, all the while helping me escape a world of darkness for a short time. At its conclusion, I wondered, Is God real? He couldn’t be, right? For if He existed, innocent young girls wouldn’t suffer the wrath of drunken addicts, or the torment of abandonment.

I continued to speculate. Each time God placed believers in my path—a high school teacher, a college friend, and a college coach—my fascination with the possibility grew stronger until the truth stunned me like a slap to the face. God indeed lives in the form of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He rescues. He saves. And He waited for me. Then He embraced me. It all started with a little seed, planted in the empty heart of the girl I once was. Yet, I still feared the ways in which the Lord planned to use me.

But I held on to my childhood dream of becoming an author, of escaping to another world and taking readers with me, though I kept my aspiration a secret. At least until my assistant, Terry Malovets, gifted me a beautiful journal filled with scripture for Christmas. In those moments between friends, she shared a surprising observation—she believed I should pursue a career as an author. Can you imagine my joy and shock? How in the world did she know my deepest childhood desire? The one I never revealed to her, or anyone else for that matter.

I spent the next three months wondering whether or not I was willing to take the risk. Was I even capable? I possessed absolutely no professional training in the craft of writing. Through prayer, I decided to take the plunge anyway. After all, I didn't have to tell anyone, right? Before long I filled my journal with ideas and Of the Persecuted was born. A love for reading expanded to a love for writing. A desire to know God became a desire to serve Him, to reach nonbelievers.

Seven months later, I finished the manuscript. Or so I thought. I learned the difficult way (through lots of rejections from literary agents) that my manuscript was flawed. I wrote in omniscient narrative, used passive voice, and filled the story with stilted dialogue—all rule breakers in current fiction trends. The entire manuscript had to be rewritten.

In the months after I finished my first manuscript and sought representation from literary agents, I believe God called me to ask my Sunday school class to pray my work would glorify Him. But that required telling other people I had written a book. I felt vulnerable and feared ridicule. I mean, people in our nation suffered in multiple ways—abuse, poverty, and addiction, just to name a few. What right did I have to ask my class to pray for the publication of my novel? And how would I describe my novel to fellow Christians? Um, yeah, it's a love story filled with violence, but I promise the content is clean and the story will glorify God. So...please pray for its publication.

The more I ignored God, the more he filled me with courage until I finally sought support from my class. No ridicule. No awkward silences. Just praises and thoughtful prayers. Blessings abounded.

I joined ACFW, as well as a critique group, and studied the writing craft. Fellow writers began to recognize the potential in my voice and story, and took the time to help me. And, believe me, I needed a lot of help. Honestly, I still do. But Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” And with the fellowship of Christian writers, I can.

Now, my debut novel has been released through my own Indie Publishing label, 4:13 Publishing. Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to help another writer fulfill a lifetime dream someday.

In all things, I’m grateful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for embracing a lost, lonely girl. That He died for me…there is no greater gift. My prayer is that I’ll never let go of His truth no matter the type of persecution I’m forced to confront.

In the meantime, you can find me venturing to other worlds in His name.

Of the Persecuted

Of the Persecuted

Laila Pennedy awaits death by hanging. For the Rendow Clan rules the Woodlands Region, aiming to slaughter the Faithful. And she deserves to die. But Lars Landre, the man destined to lead the Faithful out of persecution, has other plans hidden behind his rare and mysterious blue eyes. Rescue.

Following the daring escape, Laila seeks the path of a warrior and vows revenge against the Rendow Clan. She embarks on a dangerous journey with Lars, one in which they endeavor to reach the promised safety of a magical village, to train for battle, and to ultimately assure freedom for those with faith in the Maker.

Clashes of weapons and souls. Brutal loss of lives. Unrequited love. How in all the Woodlands will Laila survive?

When Angie Brashear isn’t working or taking care of her family, she writes. Usually at night after her kids fall asleep. She’s a fan of speculative fiction and an avid runner, both of which perplex her nonfiction-reading, football-loving husband. Saved in her early twenties, Angie is grateful for the Lord’s presence in all aspects of her life. She is originally from Rockland, Maine and currently resides in Cameron, Texas with her husband and three children. Follow her at http://facebook.com/AngieBrashearAuthor,  https://twitter.com/AngieBrashear,  and http://angiebrashear.com. 

Those Good Old Classics by Heidi Chiavaroli

Heidi Chiavaroli

Confession time.

Up until recently I wasn’t much of a fan of classic literature. I read the Spark Notes for A Tale of Two Cities in high school, have forced my way through one Jane Austen novel (please forgive me Austen fans—if it’s any consolation I loved Katherine Reay’s Dear Mr. Knightley), and have been known to steer my kids away from Robinson Crusoe in lieu of Harry Potter. I feared the longer descriptions and smaller amount of dialogue in a classic read might ruin my children’s enthusiasm for books.

I recently picked up a copy of Johnny Tremain in order to immerse myself in the setting of my latest novel (Revolutionary Boston). I decided to give it a shot with the kids as a read-aloud. I ignored the temptation to skim over some of the longer descriptions and plunged in, even throwing in a few voices here and there to keep their attention.

It wasn’t long before I realized I didn’t need the voices. My boys loved the story—more so than other, recently published books, I’ve read to them. I found myself enraptured with the story also. Yes, there are some words I wasn’t certain how to pronounce, there were longer descriptions and the dialogue is not as plentiful as Harry Potter, but something about it drew them—and me—into the characters, the time, and the story.

It’s a beautiful thing when that happens, and I pondered why that was so. I have to admit, I think one of the reasons the story captured their attention was because of the longer narrative and vivid descriptions. We were invested in Johnny, liked him despite his flaws, and cheered for him as he found purpose with a crippled hand.

I wondered if some of these characteristics of classic literature that I often avoid can actually make a story stronger. I wouldn’t have felt such a part of Revolutionary Boston without the detail to setting. I wouldn’t have been invested in the character’s relationships if it wasn’t for the time the author took to draw them out, sometimes in longer narrative.

And so I battled with myself. As a writer in the modern world I’d learned not to get too wordy with description and setting, to have plenty of quick dialogue. And as we all know, show don’t tell.

I’m not arguing with these teachings. They are true and relevant to the modern reader. But reading Johnny Tremain made me think I could also learn something (many things!) from the author. Maybe sometimes I shouldn’t be in such a rush to gloss over setting description. Maybe I don’t have to feel pressured to have so much dialogue on each page. I don’t think it’s a formula, but I am convinced that reading some of the classics will make me a better writer. Because at the end of the day, beautiful writing unfolding an enthralling plot is a pleasure to read.

What are your thoughts? Do you read the classics? What is your favorite? Do you believe you are a better writer by spending time in them?

****

Heidi Chiavaroli writes History Woven in Grace. She is a wife, mother, disciple, and grace-clinger. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and has finaled in the Genesis contest and My Book Therapy’s Frasier contest.

Don’t Think. Listen! by Ann Tatlock

People often ask novelists where they get their ideas. Sometimes, that's not an easy question to answer. Today, author/editor Ann Tatlock gives writers an inspiring tip for those times when the ideas don't seem to flow as well as they should. -- Sandy

Ann: Often people ask me where I find my ideas.

My answer? I don’t find them; they find me. Ideas for stories come to me when I’m doing things unrelated to writing--when I’m driving down the road or listening to someone speak or putting dishes away in the kitchen cupboard. They have somehow bubbled up out of that subconscious place where imagination resides, and suddenly they’re there, planting themselves in conscious thought and growing into novels.

Imagination is a gift from God. From out of it spring worlds that have never existed and people who have never lived, and yet once those places and people are captured in words and shaped into story, they are as influential and lasting as anything we’ll encounter on earth.

To do its job, imagination must be allowed wide open spaces of time. It can’t be forced and it can’t be argued with. We have to step back and watch it work the way we watch an amaryllis bloom at Christmastime. To interfere is to smother it. The blossom withers at the hand of the impatient gardener.

Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury is said to have kept this message on his desk: “Don’t think!”

But doesn’t a writer have to think in order to write?

Yes, but that comes later. The first thing a writer has to do is to listen. The imagination has a voice and will speak to you, but it’s a subtle voice and easily drowned out by too many anxious thoughts. If you can’t seem to get anywhere with your story, it may be that you’re thinking so hard you can’t hear what your imagination is telling you to do.

Once characters come to you, they’ll have minds of their own. They’ll tell you about themselves, about who they are and what they’re doing. They’ll let you know how the story should unfold, if you’ll let them.

Twice I’ve tried to kill off characters that refused to die. Turns out, they were right to insist on staying alive. I’d planned those stories the way I thought they should go but, heeding the guidance of my characters, I changed the endings and the stories were better for it.

Before you write, listen. A writer has no more powerful tool than imagination. Don’t squelch it by thinking too hard. Put on some music. Read a good book. Take a walk in the woods. Eventually, you’ll hear the whispers, and those first seeds of plot, character, theme, and dialogue will grow into the novel that you and God and your imagination want it to be.

Do you take the time to listen to your imagination?

~~~~~

Ann Tatlock is a novelist and children's book author. Her newest novel, Once Beyond A Time, was published in December 2014 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Her books have received numerous awards, including the Christy Award, the Midwest Book Award and the Silver Angel Award for Excellence in Media. She also serves as managing editor of Heritage Beacon, the historical fiction imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She lives with her family in Western North Carolina. Please visit her website at

www.anntatlock.com.