WRITE: YA Friday: Dear Teen Writer
Dear Teen Writer, I get it. I do. I was there, right where you are. I survived middle school (“junior high,” we called it) by connecting more with books, words, and stories than with the real people around me. I locked my poetry in a journal. Stories hung in the air like ripe fruit on a tree, waiting for me to stretch enough to pluck them. But I never told anyone. Who would understand? The hidden way—that was easy. Engagement is hard. What if you share your words and people hate them? Or—worse—laugh at you? It’s simpler to talk about other things or to remain, as I did, in your own silent world. What if you could go somewhere that offered a community of word-artists led by a mentor willing to pour himself out on your behalf? Someone who’s been there, done that, and is still learning? What if you could ponder and plot, crush and create amidst a group of others working the same way for the same purpose? What if you could have guidance for the weaknesses and encouragement for the strengths? What if you could exist for a few days as a small army amidst a larger one? What if you caught a glimpse of the great plans God has for you and your words? I challenge you to reach out. There’s a place where others gather who value language and story the way you do. There are mentors who have walked your road, faced your challenges, and conquered your obstacles. You already know their language because it resounds through your life. And when you spend time with them, you’ll realize you’ve come home. I know a place like that. And it’s not too late. The Florida Christian Writer’s Conference March 1- 4 offers a Teen Track taught by author, father, and teacher par excellence Bryan Davis. Come. Spend time with his tribe. They’ll welcome you, challenge you, and surround you with grace. Teens 13-19 get a bargain rate for the Thursday-Sunday noon conference of $450 (more than $300 off the cost for adults). Scholarships may still be available. Check it all out at www.flwriters.org. Write me with questions and I’ll do my best to help. If this conference doesn’t work for you, I have others to suggest. But come. Don’t hide. Come. With hope,...
read moreREAD: Review, Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker (Emma Rae Creation Series)
Sometimes an author creates a place and a people so warm and intriguing that you want to return. Again and again. This explains, at least in part, the popularity of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables books or Jan Karon’s Mitford novels. And I also believe it applies to the whimsical world Sandra Bricker creates for her readers in her Emma Rae Creation series. At the Tanglewood wedding hotel in Atlanta, little things mean a lot. And Sherilyn Caine, diva of detail, is ready. She has her dream job, a dream fiancé, even a dream return to friends and adoptive family in Atlanta to accompany them. But as she manages others’ weddings in expert style, she wonders if her own is about to fall apart. The problems begin when little things—including two lost wedding dresses, an unwanted pet, and a mysterious allergy—loom large. Will they overpower Sherilyn’s happiness as well? In Always the Baker, Never the Bride (Abingdon, 2010), readers fell in love with the Tanglewood and its diabetic cake artisan, Emma Rae Travis. A warm wedding party of characters and sparkling touches of humor only added to the book’s charm. Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride (Abingdon, 2011) brings it all back with the delightful additions of Sherilyn; her doctor fiancé, Andy; and plenty of detours along the way. Creative, fun extras include wedding tips and tricks at the close of each chapter with the additional bonus of some of Emma’s best recipes. If you need a fun book to help you escape the winter doldrums or an inspiring read to remind you that the truth sets free, say “I do” to Always the Wedding Planner. Like me, you’ll wish the Tanglewood were real—because you know and love the people who work there. Watch the book trailer. Find a local Christian bookstore. Find the book on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or at Christian Book Distributors. (FTC disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free from the author. I was not required to post a review or a positive response). Does this sound like a fun read? What other novels have created a community that begs you to return? Leave a comment on any of my posts between now and Valentine’s Day for an entry for my Valentine’s prize pack that includes a treat or two from Sandie Bricker. More details to...
read moreREAD: Review, Home Front by Kristin Hannah
Take the classic story (boy meets girl, boy marries girl, boy goes to war, tough times ensue, all live happily ever after) and turn it on its head. Take its passion and drive and twist until it hurts—again and again. Include bold-but-believable characters and enough plot twists to keep the pages turning on their own. Put together an ending that redeems without negating the pain, and there you have it: the recipe for an amazing novel. Kristin Hannah’s new release, Home Front (St. Martin’s Press) is anything but formulaic. Her protagonist, Jolene, rises from a background of brokenness to create what she considers the perfect life: a husband, two children, and a successful career as a military helicopter pilot. But is the secure wall she builds around herself and her loved ones as impenetrable as it seems? When Jolene’s husband, Michael, reveals his dissatisfaction with their marriage, it shakes. And when an unexpected deployment sends her to the Persian Gulf, it crumbles. Or does it? The best books inspire personal change. I already had a certain level of insight and compassion for military families. Home Front gave me more. The author’s extensive research allowed her to write this book with accuracy in place, event, and technical detail. More important than that, however, is the accuracy with which she brings her characters—and their challenges—to life. Read it. Love it. And find yourself giving honor to those who defend the Home Front. They’re worthy. And so is this heart-breaking, inspiring novel. My grandfather served in the Marines, and my husband’s father was a career Marine. During our California pastorate, we served a church that contained many military families. I don’t think I’ll ever take these defenders of the home front for granted. How has military service — yours or someone else’s — affected your life? Does this sound like a book you’d enjoy? I’d love to have your response. Watch the book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1YD8xFTjr0 Find this book on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble (FTC disclaimer: I received an electronic advance reading copy of this book free from the publisher. I was not required to post a review or a positive...
read moreWRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference
Dear Writer WannaBe, I know you’re out there. And today, I’m thinking of you. You’ve slogged it out alone for so long. You sit at your computer and dream of creating a masterpiece (okay, several). And you know God wants to use your words. Maybe you’ve written a novel or a chunk of a nonfiction book. Perhaps poetry bubbles from your pen like foam off an overfilled glass of Coke. Are you working on a screenplay? Or do you prefer to tackle shorter pieces like devotionals, greeting cards, or Bible studies instead? But, yes, my friend, you have a problem. You don’t know how to get your work out there, do you? These days, you hear so much about self-publishing. What’s up with that? And then there’s the whole “agent” thing. Who needs one, and why? I understand. You’d love to meet some editors in person, to find out firsthand what they need and want. You know you should keep improving your craft, but when will you find the time, and where will you find a teacher? Could you take the chance to have a professional evaluate your writing and give you some tips to make it shine? Of course it sounds scary—but imagine the possibilities. After all, Mom’s opinion can only take you so far. You’re right. Those are some deep needs and extreme expectations. But did you know, my WannaBe friend, that you can find hope, help, and encouragement at a writers’ conference? Please take time to consider attending the 25th annual Florida Christian Writers Conference (FCWC), March 1-4, 2012. Allow me to share some reasons this conference could meet your needs (and a few of your wants as well): Superb Speakers: Best-selling author and collaborator Cec Murphey (Gifted Hands, 90 Minutes in Heaven) will keynote this year’s conference. Terrific Teachers: The FCWC offers continuing seminars (including fiction and nonfiction mentoring clinics) as well as individual workshops, all taught by industry professionals. These people know their stuff and share it, too. Amazing Appointments: Dedicated time with your favorite author, editor, or agent to discuss you, your work, or the sad state of the economy (Okay, I was kidding about the last part—but it’s your fifteen minutes). Fantastic Friendships: You’ll love spending time with other WannaBes. You speak the same language, so make sure you stop talking long enough to improve your writing. Stellar Setting: Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center in Leesburg provides a tranquil, beautiful setting. And the meals rival Rachael Ray’s (or your mom’s). Don’t have the money? Let’s talk about that. If you or your child wanted to play the piano, wouldn’t you do your best to find the funds for lessons? And then there’s your pet. When Scruffy needs something, you make sure she has it. Right? You invest in what you value. Isn’t it time to put your money where your words are? By the way, the FCWC offers a unique opportunity for teen Writer WannaBes (I know you’re out there): hours of hands-on Teen Track training with fantasy author and teacher extraordinaire Bryan Davis at a discount price. Teens, seniors, or in-betweens can register, check on scholarships, and discover many other details at the conference website. Do the research. Pray about it. Send me questions. But consider this my personal invitation to shed some Florida sunlight on your writing. I’d love to have you join me at the FCWC. ...
read morePRAY: Waiting on His Answer
Most of us don’t like to wait. We live in a day of instant everything. If we can’t have it right away, we figure out how to have it virtually. Can’t spend an evening with friends? Enter Skype or FaceTime. Can’t make the high school reunion? Create a Facebook group and catch up the new-fashioned way. Growing up near Cincinnati, Ohio, I watched as my next-door neighbors waited on the answer to a passel of prayers. Jim and Sharon Eyrich had adopted their son, Jamie, as a newborn. Sharon was tall, glamorous, and (best of all in my pre-teen eyes) the owner of a beautiful quarter horse, Hickory. When the Eyrichs adopted Jamie, I fell in love. I spent hours with Sharon and the baby I deemed “the cutest in the world.” Before long, I had the privilege of watching him while she did house- or yard-work. Soon, I graduated to true babysitting. But something was wrong, and Jamie’s mother knew it. Sometime after his first birthday, her son was diagnosed with congenital hearing loss. I remember Sharon repeating the doctor’s words: the little boy was so smart he fooled everyone except his mother into believing he could hear. Jamie’s diagnosis initiated a long season of prayer. Sharon didn’t know it, but as she waited on God to heal her son, she showed me the power of true faith. But Jim and Sharon did more than wait. They pursued any treatment they thought would help their little boy. By the time he was three, they made a big decision: Jim would change jobs so the family could move to St. Louis and a school that would best meet their son’s needs. By this time, Jamie and I were so close that he cried whenever I left to go home. And I still looked up to Sharon, whose faith moved me to examine my own. Jim moved first. Before Sharon and Jamie could follow, she had to transport Hickory, and asked me to go along. I loved every moment, from dining at Steak ‘n Shake for the first time ever, to caring for a very active Jamie, to helping settle Hickory into his new digs. You can guess the next part of the story. Sharon and Jamie joined Jim in St. Louis. Years passed. I went to college. Married. Moved. And lost touch. For a while, my parents received the Eyrichs’ Christmas cards. I knew they adopted another baby—this time, a little girl. But before long, I had no contact. I prayed for my special friend on his birthday each year and wondered what kind of man he became. I wondered about those prayers for healing, too. One day, his name came up on a Facebook search. I could see enough to know this was “my” Jamie. But what I couldn’t see was that those long-ago prayers were answered. For the past twenty-plus years, Jamie has worked at McDonald’s (twenty years at one location and, since August, in a new store). He helps his mother care for the horses who took Hickory’s place and is active in his local church. But the most important thing about Jamie? His faith. Here, his pastor describes his tender heart much better than I could. But what I see on Facebook is a man who loves...
read moreWelcome
I've asked God to use my writing and speaking to count for eternity. I'm passionate about relationships and creativity.
