Ever Get That Feeling . . .
October 30, 2008
. . . that something needs to change?
I’ve been feeling that way for the past month, maybe two. Last fall my family and I moved from the Chicago suburbs to a small town outside Kansas City where my husband took a job as a head pastor. Our kids were changing schools, and with my youngest in school for the first time, I was looking to go back to work to make ends meet. Between getting a new home set up, kids ready for the school year, job hunting, and getting settled in a new church as the pastor’s wife, God made it pretty clear that I needed to set my writing aside.
Ironically this was all four weeks before I attended the 2007 ACFW conference — to which I’d been given a scholarship to attend.
After the conference, my agent followed up on the contacts I’d made with a couple editors, but God closed the doors on those opportunities. That was okay — I was busy with work and home and a Bible study I was leading, not to mention my editing business. There was just no time to write.
But lately I’ve found myself longing for time to sit down with my characters and follow them around. I have two books started, one that finaled in the ‘07 ACFW Genesis contest, and I want so much to see how those stories turn out. Now with a newborn that we’re committed to me staying home with — and a busy editing business — there’s still no time to write.
But the desire is back.
Why?
There are other things in my life that God’s been showing me need to change. And He’s right. I know that. But for whatever reason part of me keeps bucking it. It’s probably laziness, being set in my own comfortable, if muddy, rut.
I want to change, but I want to do it for the right reasons. I suspect that the things God wants me to change might be tied in to this desire to get back to writing. I don’t want any altruistic motives that if I toe the line with God, He’ll come through on the writing contracts. I want to change because I know God wants me to change.
So, hm. Here I am still, feeling like the wind might be changing. And that it’s probably a good thing. But I can’t seem to find the willpower to do it. Maybe it’s lack of sleep, maybe it’s the flu I’m fighting, or the fatigue I had those last 2 months of pregnancy.
Or maybe those are all excuses.
Whatever the reason, something needs to change. And it needs to start with me. Me and God.
Ever get that feeling?
October 10, 2008
Affordable Novel Critique Service has been updated — new services, new referral program.
Review of Hometown Favorite
October 10, 2008
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Revell (September 1, 2008)
by
Bill Barton and Henry O. Arnold
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Bill Barton is a business partner with Compass Technologies. An active member and volunteer at his church, Hendersonville Chapel, Barton is a regular speaker at services and other events. He lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with his family.
Henry O. Arnold has been a professional actor, writer, and director in theatre, film, and television. He co-wrote and produced the film The Second Chance starring Michael W. Smith and wrote the screenplay for the first authorized film documentary on evangelist Billy Graham, God’s Ambassador. Arnold lives in Portland, Tennessee.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Talented, handsome, and personable, Dewayne Jobe rose from humble beginnings in rural Mississippi to play college football in Southern California and beyond. One of the best wide receivers in college ball, Dewayne is assured a promising career in professional football as one of those rare athletes whose exceptional abilities place him in a league of his own.
He easily finds success both on and off the field. Dewayne’s got a beautiful, intelligent wife running his lucrative endorsement business and carrying his child and the pristine white picket fence to boot. The only thing lacking is a road sign confirming his address on Easy Street.
But catastrophe looms right around the corner and ultimately strikes with a crushing vengeance. Will Dewayne’s faith and character stand the test of such tragedy? Or will he lose everything–including the love of his life?
This modern retelling of the story of Job will capture readers with the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people–and how good people can survive.
Combining realistic sports action and a deadly serious challenge to faith, Hometown Favorite is a story that won’t let you up off the turf until the game clock hits zero.
If you’d like to read the first chapter of Hometown Favorite, go HERE
“An amazing story of betrayal, forgiveness, redemption and hope. The characters are vibrant and alive. Barton and Arnold have a rare and keen understanding of human nature, making the spiritual truths of this story both profound and compelling.”
~Michael W. Smith, recording artist
“Like a close game and a score that just won’t turn around, Dewayne’s true fans and Hometown Favorite readers will appreciate the daunting odds fate doles out and this story’s hard-won outcome.”
~Darnell Arnoult, author of Sufficient Grace
Sally Says: When they say the book has realistic sports action, they’re not kidding. A good chunk, maybe the first third or half, is pretty detailed football action. Now I’m a big baseball fan and I do like football once baseball’s over, but the details on the sports was a bit much for me.
That second half of the book made the first overly sport part all worth it. I do recommend Hometown Favorite. You may decide to skim some of the sports action, but once you get to the heart of the story, I think you’ll find it an amazing read.
But hang on. The second half of the book blew me away and actually gave reason for the sports information I’d read. This is another book that isn’t what you first think when you read that opening chapter, and again that’s a good thing.
I don’t want to give away what happens, but it came as a total surprise to me, and the book turned out to be an incredibly touching story of finding hope in the midst of terrible hurt.
FINALLY!
October 8, 2008
My son was sure this baby had decided not to be born, after all.
It’s been a busy year, and I’m sure that with another child, it’ll only be busier, but I hope to get back to blogging more. At least once I get some good chunks of sleep in.
Here’s to sleeping on my stomach again.
A Review of A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell
October 6, 2008
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
(Bethany House October 1, 2008)
by
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
A Constant Heart is her sixth novel. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. She has been called one of the clearest, most original voices in the CBA.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In a world of wealth, power, and privilege…love is the only forbidden luxury.
“Trust was a valuable commodity at court. Traded by everyone, but possessed by no one. Its rarity was surpassed only by love. Love implied commitment and how could any of us commit ourselves to any but the Queen? Love implied singularity and how could any of us benefit another if our affections were bound to one in exclusivity? Love was never looked for and rarely found. When it was, it always ended badly.”
In Queen Elizabeth’s court where men and women willingly trade virtue for power, is it possible for Marget to obtain her heart’s desire or is the promise of love only an illusion?
A riveting glimpse into Queen Elizabeth’s Court…
Born with the face of an angel, Marget Barnardsen is blessed. Her father is a knight, and now she is to be married to the Earl of Lytham. Her destiny is guaranteed … at least, it would seem so. But when her introduction to court goes awry and Queen Elizabeth despises her, Marget fears she’s lost her husband forever. Desperate to win him back, she’ll do whatever it takes to discover how she failed and capture again the love of a man bound to the queen.
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Constant Heart, go HERE
Sally Says:
Siri Mitchell is one of my new favorite authors.
Really. I’ve read three of her books (loved Chateau of Echoes – read it three times), and I really need to get my hands on the three books of hers I haven’t read. This is the first historical I’ve read by Siri, and it is fantastic.
Typically I don’t read historical fiction, but historical English fiction has intrigued me for a while now. This book gives you an eye-opening look at life in Queen Elizabeth’s court and will make you very glad you didn’t live in that time period. Very, very glad. 
While the book starts out with what may seem like a cliched storyline, it quickly turns out to be so much more than a simple romance. I was sad to see Marget’s story end and would love to hear there’s a sequel coming.
If you’re looking for a book that’s blatantly Christian, this one isn’t it. It’s an incredibly well-written, riveting, clean story that does mention God but isn’t about life as a Christian or growing as a Christian. To me, that’s not a problem — I want gripping, clean stories, and Siri has delivered with A Constant Heart. If you’ve never read a book by Siri Mitchell, pick this one up. You’ll enjoy it.