Into the woods, TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOOOOOUSE!

     You know you sang it in your head.

     Both my sister and my best friend have communicated their displeasure with the blurring of my Flight notes in my last post. I tell you this so that, if you were also frustrated by the fact that I did not leave my top-secrets notes out in the open air for all eyes to ravage before the due time... you are not alone in your displeasure. Sorry I'm not sorry. 

     Over the past two weeks, I lived with my grandmother. She usually lives with my uncle and aunt, but they went on a trip. I was my grandmother's companion while they were gone.  

     This was a wonderful time for me because I was able to spend some quality one-on-one with my grandmother, who is called "Gramummy" by all of her grandchildren (don't ask me, it was the doing of an older cousin). We ate ice cream, watched movies, and played lots of Scrabble. Seriously, lots...

of...

Scrabble. 

     It was also a profitable time for me because Gramummy's house is quiet. With six people living in my house, it is hard to find a good place to focus on writing (yet another reason I usually write late at night). I was able to start putting my updated outline to good use.

     Another advantage to living with Gramummy was that I had a living reference for one of my characters, who is an old woman. I loooove writing old people. This character is one Mrs. Highland, and though she is different from my grandmother, they do share some qualities. This was extremely helpful in some of the times when I got stuck. 

     Mrs. Highland and Benjamin have a particularly interesting (and by that, I mean awkward) relationship. Let's just say that she gets frustrated with his secrets almost as much as I do. 

     While I wrote at Gramummy's house, I used Facebook to track my daily word counts. I will continue to do so until the draft of Flight is finished, so be sure to follow my support page. Your encouragement and prayers help more than you know. Plus, I post a little of what I write to help make up for the blurred outline notes. 

Post Tenebras Lux!

-ST

Storm Day

     To brainstorm Flight and get rid of writer's block, I decided to do a sort of storyboard. I chose a day when I could be home and, most importantly, when my sister would be out all day. We share a room, so it was essential for her to be absent while I laid out my top-secret notes.

     The weather was cloudy and rainy -- perfect for a brainstorm. I started the morning by printing all relevant notes on Flight. Look at that stack! That's not even all of my notes; it's all plot-related stuff (no character development) and there were handwritten notes I had to sort through.

     The stack was mostly comprised of random ideas and short scenes I had jotted down. Half of my writer's block problem was that I couldn't remember all my ideas. 

     To create a brainstorm, mind and body need proper fuel. So I made this pretty omelet for lunch. Random fact: I don't like eggs, unless they are mixed with a lot of other good things like cheese or cake batter.

     While I was creating this beautiful meal, someone by the printer asked, "What's all this?" I had left my stack of notes out in the open! Sure enough, my mom was bent over the printer, reading the top note. 

     "Nothing, nothing! Don't look!" I snatched the papers up and hugged them to my chest.

     Mom's smile turned coy. "Oh, I see! Your printed story! I think I saw a chapter title."

     "I wish. The story isn't refined enough to have chapter titles yet." 

     That was close. Whatever she saw, it wasn't integral to Flight's basic storyline.  

     After lunch, I got down to business ("to defeat... the HUNS"). Flight notes got sorted into piles on my bed. As I went through each page, I had to scissor the papers into pieces. I cut ideas I wanted to keep and put them in a pile. Some of the ideas were whole scenes, some were just lines. Old and unwanted ideas went in the Book Box of Rejects (and were later moved to the envelope of rejects). 

   
Alongside the note sorting, I made a brainstorming list of ideas and possibilities. The list was unstructured on purpose, meant to be a splash page of everything I hoped to capture in Flight's plot. This was necessary because the plot and characters have drastically changed many, many times.

     

Sorting took most of the afternoon. By the end of it, I needed something completely different, so I dusted my house while listening to Kingdom Pen Radio. If you are a writer, you NEED to tune into Kingdom Pen. Such entertainment which speaks the native language of a writer's heart is rare indeed.

   

 I made a cup of Teavanna's Youthberry and Wild Orange Blossom tea before jumping back into Flight. Like my Muggle mug? Say "Muggle mug" aloud; it tickles the tongue!

     With my new brainstorming fuel in mug, I began the storyboarding(ish) process. The floor of my room is speckled, which made the papers difficult to see, so I laid a blue blanket down. 

     

On the blanket, I arranged the pile of Usable Ideas in the plot's chronological order. Not only did it look cool, but it let me see the whole story at a glance. I touched ideas, moved them around in the plotline, saw what worked and what didn't. To wax poetic, I caught the flow of the story.

     The ideas became sparse as the plotline progressed. I had an ending worked out, but the more I looked at it, the more I hated it. Afraid to throw out the whole ending, I put all the information in an envelope separate from the rejects. 

     As the sun began to set, I lit my favorite candle and turned on my sister's lantern lights. The relaxed atmosphere helped me translate the storyboard into an outline. I spent over an hour getting the details on paper. 

     So, was the brainstorming session successful? Yes. I now have a vision for where I am going in 

the story. I know what comes next... mostly. There are still several mysteries. Since I scrapped my ending, I really can't say just what's going to happen there. And something is missing in the beginning; I know what it is, but I don't know how to solve it yet. These unanswered questions are good because they will leave me room to create as I go. The important thing is, now that the cobwebs have been cleared away by the brainstorm, I can go again.

     Post Tenebras Lux!

-ST 

New Project: Editor

     I love editing. There is something magical about being a second pair of eyes, watching a piece go from good to better. I catch typos, plot holes, and litterary faux-pas in published materials all the time.

     Last year, I wrote that I was available to be an editor or beta reader. No one contacted me. I thought, "Oh well, I guess God doesn't want me to be an editor."

     A few weeks ago, I read an ad put out by a site called Geeks Under Grace. I didn't know anything about GUG, but the ad caught my eye because they were looking for an editor. I seemed to fit the requirements; my favorite one was "Loves God and loves geeks." That night, I drafted my resume. 

     It wasn't long before I heard back. Geeks Under Grace wanted me to be one of their editors! I have been learning the ropes and getting to know a lot of Godly geeks.

     I am calling this a "project" because it is currently volunteer work. The pay, for me, is the experience. I am learning about editing and working with people who love Jesus. It is so much fun!

     So, come visit Geeks Under Grace! They have a ton of awesome material for Christian geeks of all kinds. 

     Post Tenebras Lux!

-ST

     

Adventure in Haiti (A True Story)

     This past week, my family and I visited Haiti. It was the first time I had been out of the country (unless you count the Canadian side of Niagara Falls).

    

All the cousins before the wedding.

We went because my cousin, the lovely Nicole, was marrying a Haitian man named Onny. Nicole and her family have been involved with the Haitian church for years. Now she and her new husband will continue the work together from inside the country.

     After hearing about Haiti from Nicole for the past few years, it was exciting to finally experience it. My sisters and I rode with Nicole and Onny from the airport to the house where we were staying for the week. Onny commented that we didn't talk much, but that was because we were absorbing everything with our mouths hanging open. Talk about culture shock.

Homes built into the mountains. Picture by Michaela.

 

   
     Haiti is one of the 20 poorest countries in the world. The towns we drove through felt like half inner-city slums and half Indiana-Jones-style Middle Eastern. The house where we stayed had no indoor plumbing. Electricity ran for only a few hours in the evening via a generator. It was fun to adapt and learn an everyday life different from my own.

     Though the earthquake in 2010 devastated Haiti, we saw people getting back on their feet. There were many gardens growing tomatoes and cabbage (say "shoo" in Creole), very few piles of rubble, and even roads being re-paved.

     My cousin and her family have been working closely with a particular Haitian pastor. This pastor has many projects to help people. One thing he does often is take orphans into his home.

My sister and I with the village kids on the wall of their original church.

     We went to a village that had a church made of tin and tarp. Their original church of stone was
destroyed by the earthquake, and now the people are exposed to the elements during the services. The pastor and several members of the church are working to rebuild the church, plus build an orphanage and a hospital. Nicole and Onny have a vision to be part of this huge work.

     We also visited a woman's house that had a collapsed roof and cracks in the walls caused by the earthquake. With help from my uncle, the pastor is working to build her another house. They have the land bought. Now they are waiting for funds to build the building.

     The pastor also works closely with a school. The school currently has about 50 students, but it is capable of holding 200 more, if people could afford to pay the government-imposed fines.

 

Kyle "Foo" (cousin), Michaela (sister), Nicole (cousin).

Spiritually, the people of Haiti are much like Americans. We all fear and do not see how powerful God is; for unsaved Haitians, they fear voodoo. We all misplace priorities and put emphasis on things we can see and touch, rather than eternal things. We all need the counsel of others to spur us toward Godliness. Though these things are our faults, we all do some things well. We worship from the heart. We care for the hopeless. We hold to the true Gospel; that Christ died for us, rose again, and will return, and we will be with Him forever if we trust Him.

 
     Our cultures are very different, but if we only have the Gospel in common, it is enough to share the love of Christ. I am thankful for the opportunity I had to see Christ's crazy ("foo" in Creole) love spreading over Haiti. Please pray with me for both countries, Haiti and America.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Game Plan Report Card

• Writers Conference -
       I got in contact with two writer friends who have been to several conferences (respectfully, Johnnie Alexander, who gave me Jeff Gerke's wonderful book years ago, and my cousin Heidi Chiavaroli). They were both extremely helpful and more than willing to give tips. Much to my relief, they also gave the same basic advice: start at a small local conference, then go to the larger national conferences. There is a good conference near me next year, so I will save my pennies.
• Learning the Craft -
       Thus far, my research has revealed that there are no creative writing classes at the college closest to my home, though I could take English or journalism. There is another college not far from my house that offers a creative writing class. However, the semester has already started. In light of this mess, I am currently doing what all former homeschoolers like me do very well: self-education. I am reading several blogs and books on the subject of creative writing. My goal is to compare different styles. There are TONS of materials out there. I've found books everywhere: the Amazon Kindle store, my local library, Abebooks.com, and even an old textbook of a Hermione-approved thickness at Goodwill. I think I will be busy for a while, at least until I decide to take classes or not.
• Writing Flight -
       Currently working out the details of the climax and the beginning. Since these are related, it shouldn't take too long. Stay tuned.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

The Dreaded (But Necessary) Game Plan

     Well, I’m back. And what an adventurous summer I’ve had! For the last couple of months, I have been (yet again) serving at Word of Life. It was amazing. I was able to watch God work in lives in a way I never saw before. The people I served with were incredible men and women dedicated to making the name of Jesus famous. We survived and thrived through many tales worth retelling, though this blog is not the place to relate them. For me, it was a tremendous blessing to be at WOL this summer.

     Now that I am back home, I am working on the next steps in my journey. I have created a game plan to help, which I will now share with you (you being my loyal… loyalists… who keep me accountable and will hopefully and loyally smack me if I stray very far from my plan).

ST’s Not-Very-Complicated-But-Effective Game Plan For Writing and Publishing:

1. Go to a writer’s conference (or two or three). I’m in the process of researching this out. What I am mostly finding is that it costs a bucketful of cha-ching to attend any conference. I haven’t robbed a bank lately, so it might take a bit to save up enough to go. I am also looking for any tips on which conferences are the best, so if you’ve been to one, let me know.

2. Learn the writing craft. I know a LOT about writing, but learning more is always good. This step may be a process of just researching the interwebs, or I may take some classes. Don’t know just yet, but I am moving in this direction.

3. WRITE! Flight is still my current goal. I have developed a schedule to force myself to sit down and work on it. Basically, on every available night from about 9 to midnight, I will be the Princess of the blank page. I’ll go to bed at the stroke of midnight. I tested this plan last week and it seems to work well. I’m a  night owl, so my brain works creatively in those hours. The trick will be finding available nights, but my life is fluid enough to  this out.

     There it is, folks! That’s the plan. I will keep you updated as it continues to unfurl. 

     If you are a writer, what kind of plan do you have in place to help you get your project done?

Post Tenebras Lux!

-ST

Oh, P.S. I will very soon be posting the Doctor Who article I mentioned previously. I'm so excited about it. I hope you love it. The title is "The Weeping War: In Defense of a Doctor Who Adversary." Don't blink and miss it! ;)

What the Hattedsmileyball am I Doing?!

     Flight. I am doing Flight.

     And a million other things, of course. 

     Those other things include StoryShoutOut, childcare, hospitality, reading, counseling, studying, sleeping, exercising, teaching, cooking, procrastination, preparation, relaxation, worshiping, worrying…. Sorry, whew, I ran out of breath!

     However, as far as this writer’s journey goes, Flight is the current focus of my pen.

     Flight is the working title/code name of my new manuscript. I started working on it this past year (and last Nanowrimo). My previous book, the one I was working on when I began this blog, has taken a backburner. (This is because the characters are stubborn and refuse to give me a coherent plotline. I think they are upset with me because I dragged them through Nanowrimo 2012).

    Flight is top secret. Whereas I have previously shared my drafts and ideas with close friends and family, Flight’s plot is going to be completely confined to my mind until its’ completion. I especially want to keep my sister and my best friend in the dark until then. They usually have huge influence in the stories I write, but I want Flight to be a special glimpse inside my imagination for them.




     What I can tell you about Flight right now is:

• The genre will be Science Fiction.
• The story will  not be very long; one or two short books at the most. 
• I really want to have the story done before I turn 24, so I have about a year and a half. That might seem like a long time, but if you take another look at the “million things” list above, you’ll understand better.
• Most of the research phase is done. Right now, I am working on character development. That mainly looks like short stories focused on each individual character, showcasing their past and present lives. I will be updating this blog as the work continues. 

   
     And so the Road goes ever on!

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

i Sees ALL youre Misteaks!

     A friend told me about a book he read that was written and (presumably) self-published by one of his friends. I asked for his opinion of his friend’s writing. He hesitated and then said, “He’s not professional yet. There were a lot of editing problems.” I cringed inside.

     Editorial failure is one of my greatest pet-peeves. The slightest mistake can pull a reader out of a story faster than a spelling bee stings. It degrades an author’s reputation as a reliable storyteller. It is the bane of suspended belief.

     I don’t know any writer who edits perfectly by themselves. Even I don’t. (Shocker!) Auto-correct only goes so far. Sometimes you just need another pair of eyes.

     Trouble is, most professional editors are super expensive. If you need someone to just go over the basics of your manuscript, please consider me. I am not a professional, but I do have a knack for spotting poor grammar, incorrect sentence structure, telling instead of showing, etc. 

     The best part is, since I’m not a pro, I won’t charge you anything for short stories or the first few chapters. If you have a long novel you would like me to edit, we can talk about that after the first chapters.

     If you would like me to edit something for you, or if you have questions, please email me at storytellersilverloom@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

"Cadi is a thorough editor with a keen eye, and found every mistake I missed. She provides compassionate critique and whips grammar, structure, and point of view into shape. Editing with her was an enjoyable experience, not just work. I'd recommend her work to any writer." 

                                         - Mirriam Neal, author of Monster

 "As a writer, being able to see through your reader's eyes is invaluable. Cadi does this very well indeed, and is excellent at examining the course of your plot and the usefulness of your prose. If you're looking for a roadmap for your revisions and a way to make every change count, I highly recommend Cadi."

                   - Jake Buller, writer

Shouting Out

     I read an article written by a man who self published a book that was the #1 bestseller in non-fiction on Amazon.com for a few days. He described exactly what he did to publish and market his book, and then at the end tallied up the total cost. He spent about $30,000.


     As a writer pursuing authorship, that number freaked me out a bit. I don't have and probably won't ever have that kind of cash to spend on a book.

     I noticed that most of the $30,000 was spent on marketing. The author paid for an animated trailer, radio interviews, an audiobook, and more. He even paid people to market the book in various places for him.

     Then God said, "Let there be a light bulb above Cadi's head."

     This author had to go to tons of different places to market his book, from blogs to business websites. But what if there were a place, a group, so well known for their coverage of media, that if your book could be featured in this place, thousands of people would be sure to see it? What if it were a crazy combo of talk show, podcast, video, radio, blog, news report, and any other kind of media? What if this place was THE place that authors would want to be seen on? That readers would enjoy watching? That EVERYONE who loves a story will want to follow?

     That was the beginning of StoryShoutOut.
     So, I started it. I want StoryShoutOut to grow into a reliable hub that will entertain and educate lovers of story. I am making it to be an entertainment center for everything relating to stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

     Of course, I expect this project to take years before it gets any sort of following. But I am building a great team to help me with the blog posts, videos, interviews, giveaways, and, of course, stories. It is going to be a fun ride.

     Here is a link to the site: storyshoutout.com. Please come visit! And if you would like to be involved, just go to the contact page and let me know.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Sticky Notes

  

  Just over a year ago I told you, my faithful readers, to save a sticky note reminding you to check back here for some exciting news.

     As I said, that was a year ago... and, unfortunately, I still cannot tell you the news I wanted to.

     I was going to announce the publication of a poem-story of mine in an anthology. But it hasn't happened yet. I don't know that it won't happen sometime, but it is taking much, MUCH longer than I expected.

     So, yup, I'm still an unpublished writer.

     I know I've talked about this before, but it's really nuts how God's timing doesn't work the way we picture it will. "COME ON, GOD! DON'T I KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR ME?!" Nope.

     Thankfully, He doesn't leave us hanging for long. Suspense always has a culmination.

     Right now, I am still writing. Nanowrimo will be an unofficial endeavor this year; no way am I going to make 50,000 words this time. I'll be working as much as I can on a new (top secret) book with the working title "Flight." My other book, the one I have been working on since I began this blog, if currently in time-out because it refuses to speak to me. Bad book.

     I went back to Word of Life this summer to work in the bookstore again. Someday, I want my own bookstore....

     Oh, that's right, I was talking about suspense!

     Well, God has given me another project to do while I work on becoming a published author. It's a big project. Hopefully, it will become a HUGE project.

     What is it, what is it?! Are you dying to know??? Is the suspense killing you?!

     I was planning to tell you. Then this post got long. Sooo, I guess you'll have to wait until the next post.

     Which will, I promise, be posted later THIS WEEK. Not next year. You have my word.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Refreshments, Anyone?

    

     Here is a public confession: I’m stupid. Now, don’t try and tell me different, all you compassionate people. It’s just true. But it’s ok, ‘cuz no matter how smart I am, there will always be someone smarter than me. I don’t have to be clever. I just have to follow the right Person.

     When I came home after going to the Word of Life Bible Institute for a year, I thought I was pretty clever. I thought that because I had spent a whole year studying the Bible, Satan would have a hard time tripping me up. I thought I would never go back to the person I had been. I was prideful. Yup, you know where this is going.

     Fall. Splat. After just a little while, I stopped reading the Bible consistently. I lost interest. I lived for myself instead of having a servant mindset. I fell back into old sins. I was basically useless.

     Around Christmas time, my dad asked me, “Have you thought about going back to WOL to help with summer camp?” Yeah, I had. But I procrastinated in trying to contact anyone to see if they could use me. Honestly, I didn’t really want to go back. It was too uncomfortable.

     Praise the Lord, He is faithful to pull me off my lazy rump! He hates my comfort zone way more than I do. He proved that once again, when I got a call from the STC coordinator earlier this year.

     STC stands for Summer Training Corps. It is a group of young people who do all the behind-the-scenes work during summer camp. Most of them are volunteering teenagers. They do everything from washing dishes to manning the rock wall.

     So, ring, ring, STC coordinator calls me and asks, “What are you doing this summer?”

     “I have a feeling you are about to tell me,” I think. I was right. He asked me to come back to WOL for the summer as an STC Supervisor, which means I would be over a few teenagers in a work area.

     Comfort zone collapse. Blam. I was a camp counselor last summer, but we got new campers every week. STC is nine weeks of working and living together. I felt unprepared to be in leadership for that amount of time.

     Turns out, I needn’t have worried. The four girls under my supervision were amazing. I had so much fun with them. Our work area was great too; we were in the camp bookstore! (Shout out, Michelle Black!)

     God used this summer to remind me that I have to trust and obey, because there seriously is no other way. I realized that I needed discipline and accountability. I needed to stay rooted in His Word and pray continually. Not because I should, but because I love Him and desire to know Him more. It’s nothing I did not know before, but like I said, I’m stupid, and I forget. I am so thankful that He continues to remind me. He is faithful. 

     Friend, we are all stupid. But it’s ok. It doesn’t surprise God. He doesn’t want us to get smart, He wants us to get into Him. Let me encourage you to get refreshed. Put aside distractions for a while. Spend some time – yes, a long time – reading the Bible. Pray. Ask God to continually turn your heart toward Him. It is one thing in your life that you will never regret. And don’t stop there. Joshua 1:8 says that if we meditate on the Word all day every day, we will be successful. I don’t know about you, but I want to be successful in God’s eyes.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST
     Philippians 3:8-14

(Lemonade picture: wikipedia.org. Word of Life Summer Camp Instagram picture taken by the WOL Tech Guys)

It's Out Of My Hands

     Once again, I will be going AWOL from the internet. This time will be much shorter than the last. I cannot give details now, but suffice it to say that the events surrounding my departure are definitely God's handiwork. When I return, I will tell you where I have been and what God has been up to in my life. For now, all I can tell you is that this song by Matthew West perfectly describes how I feel. (Except for the part where he says, "There You go healing these scars." Then all I can think about is that line in Kung Fu Panda 2....) Anyway, here are the lyrics:

Post Tenebras Lux!

-ST

Fiction: Is It Worth It?

     I am writing a book. It is in the science fiction genre. My goal for the book has always been higher than simple entertainment. I want my book to glorify God, not just make a reader happy. But every once in a while I wonder, "Is it worth it?"

     There are some who say that fantasy and science fiction are a means of escape. That we use fiction to "get out" of the world for as long as we can. They say that much of modern day fiction is causing us to pull away from reality. That we are forgetting that this world has real consequences and requires us to take real responsibility. 

     God has often used fiction in my life to draw me back to Him. But I have also often been distracted by fiction.

     If, as Christians, we are to keep our eyes focused on Christ, then how does fiction, and entertainment in general, fit in? I don't think God wants us to live dull, boring lives. But if glorifying God more means abstaining from time-wasting entertainment, then surely He will bless those who obey. The question is, does God want me to?

     This is one of those areas where Christians will never totally agree, I think. And that's fine, because we aren't supposed to agree on everything. But I want to hear all the views.

     Is fiction worth it? Is writing fiction, reading fiction, and watching fiction on the TV worth the time we give it? What say you?

Scared Stiff

    

     I have many fears when it comes to writing. I'm afraid I'll never finish my book. I'm afraid no one will like my story. I'm afraid that I am wasting my time. And I am especially afraid someone will have the same idea I have and publish before me.

     My Dad has told me many times that fear is the opposite of faith. Faith is trust, after all; so I am afraid when I am forgetting to trust God.True, but there is another reason for my fear.

     Pride. Ow, just reading the word hurts. I get caught up in this work I am doing and forget Who I am doing it for. I get competitive with my fellow writers and then I feel bad for not measuring up. Then that still and quiet Voice reminds me that it doesn't matter what the world thinks. It is all going to burn in the end. What really matters is what HE thinks.

     Do you ever feel insecure about your writing?

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

The End is... Somewhere...

     

     I have started writing again, but with a clean slate. The previous plot is obliterated. I have many of the same characters, but I am trying to develop them fully. Right now, all I have is the bare bones of a story. It's exciting and nerve wracking; I can't wait to see where the characters take the story, but I don't have a clue where the end might be.

     Maybe to say, "I'm writing again" is misleading. I have not begun the first draft. But I have given some careful thought to what messages I want to weave into my story. To me, messages are the most important part. Whether writers intend to or not, every story carries messages. Most are subtle. Satan likes to use messages to make people think certain behaviors or beliefs are normal and ok. Jesus also likes to use messages. Look at His parables - every parable has a message that points people to God. So here are some questions I asked myself while I was thinking about the messages in my story:

Why should someone read this book?

Entertainment will be the reason why they pick it up, more often than not. As for those who want to have a break from the junk in the worldly stories, this book will be a safe haven.

What do I want my readers to remember after reading this book? How do I want to encourage my readers toward the straight and narrow path?

I want to make my readers hungry for God. I want to feed them with His Word so that they will develop a craving for it. My characters must be constantly encouraged with the Word, because then my readers will be encouraged. At the end, I want the reader to be well aware that God is loving and trustworthy; whether they truly believe it or not is up to them.  

Like I said, these are the bare bones of the story. I also wrote down some other questions, like:

What is my goal with this book?

What do I want to see happen at the end?

What lessons must be learned along the way?

These are yet unanswered. We'll get there.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? 

Post Tenebras Lux!

-ST  

 

Where in the World has Storyteller Been?

     It has been more than a year since I've taken a break from writing to do other things (see post God's Timing). This post will attempt to explain where I have been, what I have been doing, and why I haven't been writing.

     I told some of my "elf" friends in the Underground that I'd been busy "learning how to wield my sword." What I meant by this was that for the past year and a half I have been at the Word of Life Bible Institute receiving biblical training. It was amazing.

     Picture this: a full year of learning about the Bible, surrounded by people who are pursuing God with all their hearts and Bible teachers who are ready to answer your questions. The Word of Life Bible Institute (affectionately, WOLBI) offers classes on nothing but biblical training; no English, math, science, etc. Just the Word of God. Amazing.

     Not only are you being taught the Bible, WOLBI gives you various opportunities to put what you learn into practice. You are sent with your Ministry Team to help out in the local community throughout the year. Then, at the end of your formal training (sometime in June), you serve as a counselor at the kids/teens summer camp. Serving is not for the faint of heart, but it is what God calls us to do, and He certainly provides everything we need to do it. Amazing.

     This past year at WOLBI has been the most challenging year of my life. It has also been the best year of my life. God has changed me through His Word, and that is always a good thing.

     I HIGHLY recommend you consider going to WOLBI, no matter what age you are (I know many couples who were married and had kids when they went). What could be better or more important than studying the very Word of life (Phil. 2:16)?

     If you have yet to graduate, then I also suggest you look into summer camp. It is a week of absolute fun!

     Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Word of Life website link: wol.org

Here is a video about the Bible Institute:

P.S. No, WOLBI did not ask me to write any of this. These are all my true thoughts that I just couldn't wait to share with you!

Square One… Again

     See this book? It is The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction by Jeff Gerke. I love this book. And I hate this book.
     I love this book as in - if you write Christian fiction, you have to go and buy yourself a copy! Right now! Here is the link: CLICK HERE! Go now, then come back and finish reading this. I don’t care if your summer job didn’t work out and you don't have any money, go and buy this book!!!
     I hate this book as in – it completely destroyed my story. Demolished. Foom, gone. Bye-bye.
     When a friend of mine gave me this book, I never would have guessed it was so destructive. But I read it, and it’s too late now. See, Jeff Gerke showed me that my story is nowhere near finished. Turns out that my plot needs to be re-thought and, more importantly, my characters need to be fleshed out.
     Here I am, thinking my story is as good as I can possibly make it, sending it to authors and looking for agents, when suddenly – WHAM! – I’m nuked by a ferocious, yellow-covered, 300+ page paperback that saves me years of learning lessons the hard way.
     What does that leave me with? Pretty much nuthin’. I have a junk finished-manuscript-turned-rough-draft, a bunch of characters who are little more than display mannequins from a mall, a plot riddled with unoriginal material, and lots of prayers for creativity.
     So, it’s back to square one… again. Back to the majority of dreamers without a completed work. It’s all rather discouraging when I think about it.
     All that said, I am looking forward to seeing what God will do with my story now. I have no doubt that I was supposed to read Jeff Gerke’s book, that it was God’s plan for me to read it at this time. I’m wondering if He will allow me to create another, better, story out of the old ashes, or if He’s preparing me for something else. I’m going to work on it as much as I can this year, but it’s been hard to find time to think much about it. God has given me some good ideas, I just need to talk to Him about it in earnest and figure it out. And then I need to write it.
     Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST
     (Oh, and I don’t really hate the book; it’s amazing. And you still need to buy it.)

God's Timing

    

     Sometimes God's watch does not run at the speed we want it to. Sometimes we think we know the best way and time for something to happen, but God knows otherwise. Sometimes His will is clear to us, but more often we cannot see the path our story is taking.

     This is where I am right now. I know God has a plan for me, but I do not have a clue what it is.

     For the past few weeks, I have not been actively pursuing an agent. (Maybe you have noticed that my last update was in the beginning of April?) The reason for that is I have been waiting and preparing for something.

     In the second post on this blog, way back in September, I said, "I am going to keep pursuing getting this book published unless God tells me to knock it off." Well, God has told me ( not suddenly, but quite decidedly) that I need to stop looking to be published at this point in time.

     No, I did not hear His audible voice; I know He wants me to pause in my journey simply by how my circumstances are.

     When I first began searching for an agent, I thought my book would have a contract by the end of 2010. At least, I strongly hoped it. The way things were going seemed like perfect timing back then. But my life story is taking a different turn, and I have to trust that God's timing is perfect. I am confident that what is happening in my life will accomplish His good purpose.

     Basically, there are some things I have to do before I can resume my search for an agent and/or publisher. It will take me at least a year and a half (and that would drive me insane if I didn't believe this is the way God wants it to be). I am not even sure that is a good time line, because I have discovered my book could use some major rewriting. So that will also have to happen before I can think about publishing again.

      I hope to be able to post here still, but it won't be as often as I have been. Please keep me in your prayers. Let us continue to walk the narrow road that leads to Christ.

     Post Tenebras Lux. After Darkness Light.
-ST

A Bunch of Randomness

     Greetings, dear readers! Just a quick update to let you know what is going on.
     
     1: I am still agent hunting. Or, better said, agent researching. Some authors, publishers, and even agents I  emailed for information haven't responded. I emailed them all several weeks ago, so I think it's time to buckle down and decide if I want to spend the energy on the agents, even though I don't know much about them.

     Another reason I haven't been vigorously pursuing agents lately is because I have been thinking about the alternate ways of publication. Two publishers in particular have caught my eye: Creation House and Marcher Lord Press. I am thinking I should email some of the authors that have worked with these publishers and ask for their opinions. What do you think about small publishers like these?

     2: I asked several other authors to read my manuscript, and a few of them agreed! Whoopee! I do not have permission to release their names, and it may be a while before they are finished reading it, but I am praising God for these opportunities! (Writers, if you are looking for endorsements, see my post "How to Get a Book Endorsement.")

     3: I've been tagged by Madeline at The Stuff I Throw Under My Bed. The rule of the tag is to list eight books you would like to live in for a week, then tag eight people. So, here goes:

     Book 1: The Magician's Nephew (C. S. Lewis). I would love to watch the world of Narnia come into being. And talking to Aslan wouldn't be so bad, either (hee hee).

     Book 2: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne). Hey, Captain Nemo, can I please drive your ship? Just once?

     Book 3: DragonQuest (Donita K. Paul). Minor dragons rule.

     Book 4: The Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien). By the time one week was over in this book, I would have enough of walking and battles to last me for... oh, about forever.

     Book 5: The Black Cauldron (Lloyd Alexander). Never, ever judge a book by its movie. Ever.

     Book 6: Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (L. Frank Baum). Oz is one step above Wonderland in insanity, admittedly, but I think I could survive it for a week. 

     Book 7: Tears of a Dragon (Bryan Davis). Let's skip chapter 19, shall we?

     Book 8: North! Or Be Eaten (Andrew Peterson). Beware the nameless evil named Gnag!

     Now to tag eight people. I will comment on your blogs to let you know if you are tagged.

     Seth, The Narrowing Road

     Squeaks, Hidden Doorways

     Araken, Writer's Passion

     Macey, A Girl's Journey
 
     Izori, Evening Stars

     Jessica, safirewriter

     Silver Angel, Silver Angel's Musings

     Galadriel, The Wordsmith's Shelf

     Alright, well, if you've made it this far, you have more patience than I have. So much for a "quick update." lol

     Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

  

How Goes the Search?

     I cannot believe it has been over a month since my last update!

     So, how goes my search for an agent? Slowly. This past week has seen more progress than the previous four, I think.

     Let's see, I told you about the book, Christian Writers' Market Guide. This month I've been reading through the agents section. As I went through the lists, I looked specifically for agents who are seeking new writers (like me) and books in the sci-fi or fantasy genres (like my book). I narrowed down about nine agents. Yesterday, I emailed four authors about one of the agents. One of the authors replied already, and it looks promising. One agent down, eight more to research. *sigh*

     I'm afraid my book has taken the backseat lately. Necessarily, though. I've only been able to pursue agents on the weekends, for the most part.

     I bet most writers do not have as much trouble finding an agent. But I am picky. I do not want to end up with someone less than helpful. I am seeking someone who will be able to help me understand the steps of writing and publishing, who will listen to my ideas, and give me wise council. And I would love it if he or she is a Believer.

     But I am beginning to wonder if this person exists. Oh, well. I am praying God will lead me to the right one.

     On a lighter note, I have been writing on this blog for half a year, now. I am amazed and excited by all the "traffic" it has seen! As of today, there are 32 followers! I never would have thought so many people would take an interest in my blog. So, thank you, reader, for being a part of my journey. Your encouragement is such a blessing!

     And thank You, God, for guiding me and blessing me on my way.

     Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST