Happy Memorial Day

In honor of this day to honor those fallen in service to their country, I'm taking a break from work ... and blogging ... and writing. Just for today.

Instead, I'm spending time with family and remembering those whose sacrifice allowed the freedom for me to worship God and pursue my dreams.

Happy Memorial Day!

Dear Enemy

Have you ever had an enemy? Maybe not even someone out to get you personally, just someone on the other side of a conflict or situation. Someone you have learned to hate or at least dislike. When their behaviors line up with your expectations, well, at least some things in life make sense. It's the good guys against the bad guys.

Not that we like to admit it, enemies seem to be a part of life. But Jesus taught that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us for His name's sake. How on earth are we supposed to love people like that?

For Annie Rawlings, the main character in Jack Cavanaugh's novel Dear Enemy (Bethany House, 2005 and Oak Tara, 2009), she has every reason to hate the Germans. An army nurse during World War II, she's experienced the horrors of war and heard about the atrocities of Nazis shooting the American wounded. The conflict gets even closer during the Battle of the Bulge as she watches her best friend die ... then her husband ... and she is captured by the German soldier who killed him.

Hatred simmers to a boiling point. However, over the next few days stumbling through the forest, Annie discovers that life isn't so black and white. Some of the "good guys" do bad things and some of the "bad guys" show compassion. And beneath the skin of an enemy, there may lurk a friend ... or more. (But will her friends and countrymen ever understand if she has a change of heart?)

What about you? Have you ever discovered common ground with an enemy? Did that change your relationship? How?

Making Friends

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." ~Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)

Growing up and through high school, I was very shy and insecure. Somehow, I'd gotten the impression that others would reject me if they really knew me. That it was better to stay quiet and out of sight on the perimeter of the crowd than to be singled out for attention.

I remember my mother quoting the first half of the above verse many times. My heart longed to have friends, but fear held me back. Instead of being friendly and reaching out to people who probably felt the same fears I did, I withdrew into myself, filled my journal with angst and bad poetry, and tried to be content knowing I had one Friend in Jesus who stuck much closer than my often bratty, younger brothers.

Until I packed to go away to college. Something clicked in my head and heart. If I was ever going to change the perceptions of others, it was the perfect opportunity to start fresh. If I was ever going to show on the outside the person I'd become on the inside, it was time to take the risk and be friendly.

Be friendly. Two extremely hard words for an introvert. But I tried. I made eye contact. I asked about the people I met. I made a point to remember their names. And in the chaos of moving into dorms, lots of other people were doing the same thing. Before I knew it, I had a host of friends. And (shocker!), they actually liked me and my sometimes-quirky sense of humor. I gained confidence through those friendships and returned home from college a changed person.

It's a life lesson that has stuck with me ever since. If I want to have friends, I must be a friend. Take the initiative and reach out. Because, very likely, the person I approach might just be too shy to make the first move.

What about you? Do you find it easy to make friends? Or are you the shy-type who struggles in a crowd? What does "be friendly" look like to you?

It's Time For a Vacation

At 11:00 last Friday morning, my 14-year-old stepped off the school bus in front of our house. Her summer vacation is officially underway.

(The boys and my teacher-husband aren't free until the end of this week.)

With over two months of freedom hanging tantilizingly before us, what are we going to do this summer?

Rising to the top of our family's list are athletic events. A basketball skills camp. Special Olympics state track meet. A church sports camp. Another month of baseball games and the league tournament. Football weightlifting sessions. Swimming lessons. Not to mention a family pass to the city recreation center and frequent trips to the pool.

Beyond the sports, I see time outside enjoying the warm weather ... from under a shady tree or rocking in a chair on my front porch. A good book, colorful flowers, the smell of freshly mown grass, and a glass of cold lemonade. A planned trip to Branson, Missouri with a swing through Tulsa, Oklahoma on the way back to visit friends who recently moved. Fireworks displays and grilling hamburgers.

Why do we take vacations? To rest. To change the scenery. To reconnect with friends and family. To create new memories. To experience new places. To recharge our emotional reserves and return ready to tackle the next project.

What about you? If you were to plan a vacation, where would you most want to go? Why?

One Step Closer

What have I been reading this past week? My latest manuscript.

Why? Because I'm one step closer to reaching my dream of being published in fiction.

For those following my blog who aren't writers, here's my abbreviated version of the Path to Publication:

1. Get an idea. Brainstorm, research, outline, and put 80,000 words on paper. (Check)
2. Revise and send out chapters to critique partners. (Check)
3. Revise again, incorporating the feedback received with an empasis on theme or symbolism. (Check)
4. Read out loud. Polish. Check for any misplaced commas, etc. (Check)
5. Develop the sales tools needed to get the attention of an editor or agent -- synopsis, pitch, one-sheet, and proposal. (Check)
6. Since the bigger publishing houses only accept proposals submitted through agents or after meeting authors in person at writing conferences ... research potential agents and their submission guidelines. (Check)
7. Send queries to several agents. Wait to see if they are interested and want to see more of the manuscript. (Check)
8. Register for a writers conference. Request appointments with particular editors. Prepare verbal pitches. Hope and pray they request a proposal and/or three chapters after you meet them. (Check)
9. Get an agent to agree to represent your work.
10. The agent shops the manuscript to specific, targeted publishing houses to attract the interest of an acquisitions editor.
11. The acquisitions editor - whether he/she learned of the manuscript from the author or an agent - presents the project (and others) to the publication board. Marketing and sales input is gathered, and they decide whether to offer a contract and set the terms.
12. The contract is negotiated and signed.
13. The editing process begins. The publishing house sends a letter full of content and plot changes. The author makes the changes and sends the new manuscript back. Copy-editing is done and changes approved. Final galley proofs are sent and signed off.
14. Meanwhile, the marketing department develops the back-cover blurb. The cover is designed and approved. The sales team gets the season catalog and makes the rounds to get bookstores to place their orders for books. The author works with the marketing department to get advanced copies out to book reviewers, schedules blog tours, and send out press releases.
15. The book is sent to the printer, pre-orders are filled, and the author plans a launch party.
16. Marketing continues. Hopefully, lots of people buy the book and tell their friends.
17. Repeat. (Except, if you have an agent, skip steps 6 through 9. If you have a multiple-book contract, also skip steps 10 through 12.)

In the last three weeks, I've checked off steps seven and eight! One book editor wants to see the first three chapters. One agent wants to see the full manuscript.

Does that mean I have an agent? Not yet. Does that mean this editor will fall in love with my book and be able to convince the publishing board at her company to offer a contract? I hope so, but no guarantees. And I'm still a long way from step 15. However, I am one step closer ... and that is worth a celebration.

What about you? If you are a writer, where are you on this path? If not, what path are you on and how do you measure progress toward the goal?

Hard Work

Dreams are nice, but as Thomas Edison said, "There is no substitute for hard work."

Work is physical or mental activity done in order to achieve a purpose. A sustained effort to overcome obstacles in order to produce or accomplish something. And hard work would be ... um, extra work in order to reach the goal.

Last week I went to the Colorado Christian Writers Conference. In many ways, attending a conference qualifies as work, especially for an introvert with chronic fatigue syndrome. Being around people all the time drains energy that isn't easily replenished while sleeping in a different bed. Actively networking and meeting people. Attending classes and workshops from breakfast to bedtime. Skyrocketing hopes and nerves before meeting with agents and editors. Recovering quickly when appointments didn't go quite as planned.

I'm back home, but the work didn't stop when the conference ended. Now it's time to apply what I learned in all those workshops, followup on the contacts I made, and submit the requested materials. Not to mention redesigning my website, revising another manuscript, writing a few articles, and brainstorming my next project.

There is no substitute for hard work when it comes to getting dreams off the ground. Thomas Edison should know. He experimented with thousands of different filaments before finding the right combination to produce a long lasting glow in a light bulb.

What about you? What work does your dream require? Have you ever tried to get by with less? How did that turn out?

Navigating: Where's North?

I remember when my younger brothers were in Boy Scouts and learning about backpacking and camping. One important skill they needed to master was the use of a compass.

A compass is a device used to determine geographic direction. It usually consists of a freely rotating magnetic needle that points to the earth's magnetic north pole. By turning the compass case, I line up the "N" for north under that needle and then find the direction I want to go.

Let’s say you needed to go east (and didn’t have the handy Rocky Mountains outlined against the western sky). What would you do first? Find which way was north using the compass and face that direction. The rest of the directions -- west, south, and east -- are relative to north. So, in order to head east, you would turn 90 degrees clockwise or to your right.

The same can be said of navigating through life. Orient myself to the truth, and the rest is relative to that unmovable reference point. And if I ever get lost or confused, I can always compare my current direction to the truth and see if I've veered from the correct path.

What about you? What do use as a reference point in life? Do you look there first when changing your direction?

Patchwork Dreams

Imagine being an unwed mother in an Amish community in Missouri. Even though you confessed your sins and were forgiven, the rumors and lies have ruined your reputation along with any chances at close friendships and finding a good man to marry. 

Such is the situation of Becky Troyer, in Patchwork Dreams by Laura V. Hilton (Whitaker House, 2011). Her heart longs to be loved, but she is afraid to step out of the shadows. What if she got burned again? Will she ever be able to piece together the scattered pieces of her former dreams?

Then a distant cousin of her father's arrives from Pennsylvania. Jacob Miller has a girl back home, but after one look at Becky, he decides to do everything he can to bring a smile to her face again. Even if it means falling in love and risking his heart.

While the characters in this book are fictional, they wrestle with the same emotions we all do. Yet, like in all good fiction, they reach a happily-ever-after victory. And maybe show us a way out of our own problems.

(By the way, this author is one of my critique partners. I had the privilege of reading the first draft and then bought a copy when the book was released last month so I could see the end result after the revisions and editing. Great job, Laura!)

What about you? Have mistakes from your past held you captive? Have you been unhappy with your situation but still afraid to take a risk? Has there been someone in your life to help pull you forward into freedom?

Your Dream Is Possible

"I advise you to say your dream is possible and then overcome all inconveniences."

~Les Brown

When I think about the word "dream," I used to imagine grandiose, pie-in-the-sky, seeming impossibilities. Those kind of images usually haunt my sleep when I'm on cold medicine -- like riding a purple-spotted hippopotamus down the middle of Main Street after winning the World Series. Never. Going. To. Happen.

But the word dream can also mean a hope. Or a condition or aspiration I long to achieve.

These kinds of dreams include things like family harmony, health, financial stability ... and publication. If I think they are impossible, I'll only sit around wishing and hoping, but never achieving. In order to make these dreams a reality, I need to take the advice offered by Les Brown at the beginning of this post.

I believe my dream of publication is possible. So I'm at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference this week and weekend. The inconveniences to overcome? Three kids at home, lunches to be packed, carpools, school activities, a Special Olympics track meet, not-so-restful-sleep away from home, my introverted comfort zone, and the fear of rejection by editors and agents. Yet, I am determined to overcome them in order to reach my goal (and am extremely grateful for the help of my mom and husband to cover things on the home front).

What about you? What is your dream? What inconveniences will you need to overcome in order to achieve your dream?

Navigating: Maps and Travel Guides

If you want to visit a town in another state or take a hike in a National Forest, one of the first things you do is check a map, right?

Why? To see how far away the destination is and long the trip will last. What road will get you there and what turns to take. What kind of terrain to expect and if there are spots to stop along the way. All of this is vital information you need to prepare for the journey.

Another resource is the travel guide, a book that focuses on a particular area. It often includes a little history lesson, a description of must-see places to visit, a list of recommended restaurants, and maybe even a few places to avoid.

What do maps and travel guides have in common? They are both prepared by those who have been there in order to help those who come later. (Just be sure to find one that’s up to date. Our cover-less road atlas has coupons in the back that expired in the 1980s!)

We can benefit from this navigation example beyond our physical journeys. Say you get a discouraging health diagnosis. Or learn your child has special needs. Or want to get out of debt. Or want to pursue the dream of someday being published.

Where do you go for information and advice? To those who have been there. Whether it's a book, a website, a support group, or a friend, we go to the source for the details that will aid our own journeys. How long will this take? What can I expect along the way? What unexpected solutions did they discover? What mistakes can I avoid making? What did they learn as a result?

And, someday in the future, I may be able to pass along what I've learned about this life's journey.

What about you? Do you follow the advice of others or try to forge your own path? What maps and travel guides are you making for others to follow?

Stuck In The Middle

I'm addicted to books. There are piles three wide on the floor beside my bed. My iTouch e-reader apps are loaded with a virtual library. Should I mention that my library card also sees frequent use? I've been known to satisfy my addiction while waiting in the carpool line and while cooking supper. I've even stayed up much too late at night with the desire to read just one more chapter.

Is it any wonder that I became a writer?

With all of these characters -- both mine and in the books I read -- romping through my mind, I'm reminded that every story is about a journey. So, on Fridays, I'm going to share some of the lives of the characters I'm reading about with you.

Stuck in the Middle, by Virginia Smith, tells the story of Joan Sanderson. Like the title implies, Joan is stuck in the middle. She's the quiet dark-haired sister between two vivacious blondes with happy lives. In a boring job a furniture store, she still lives at home with her mother and aging grandmother. Abandoned by her father and an old boyfriend, she's left with insecurities and a superficial faith.

Until a handsome doctor with a strong faith moves in next door.

The rest of the book is a fun romantic read with lively sibling banter and humor throughout as Joan is pulled out of her rut into the kind of life she's always hoped for.

What about you? Have you ever felt you were lacking in comparison to others? Have you ever felt trapped in a life that didn't turn out like you had imagined? What did it take to pull you out of your rut?

In God We Trust

On my way to the gym, I drove past a church marquee board with the following saying: In God We Trust ... It's right on the money.

Since I'm a writer, I appreciated the play on words.

And then the message hit home. This simple, yet profound, statement of faith is perfectly true in each and every situation. In the face of a medical diagnosis. In a heartbreaking or rocky relationship. In disappointing news. In turbulent economic times.

In God We Trust.

And, in case we forget it, we can read the truth for ourselves every day ... right on the money we use.

Navigating: You Are Here

With a son playing competitive baseball, we get to travel to different towns for games. In order to find the various fields, I’ve become reacquainted with searching for directions online.

Type in the address and get a detailed map of the area including satellite photographs and even the locations of nearby restaurants or gas stations.

But to get directions from here to there? I have to type in my starting location. It reminds me of those maps in the mall that show where every different store is located … with a star or arrow labeling “You Are Here.”

I may know exactly where I want to end up, but navigating the journey ahead begins with an honest evaluation of where I am.

How can I determine my starting location? Sometimes it’s easy to see my faults and weaknesses. Other times I need the objective opinion of a trusted friend. My job does annual performance reviews where I get feedback on areas to improve. In writing, critique groups, contests, agents, and editors show me where I stack up against other authors and stories.

It’s tempting to justify, argue with, or dismiss these evaluations, especially if they hit on a sensitive area. But, I want to grow. And in order to measure that growth, I need a starting point.

What about you? How do you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses? Who would ask to give input?