Those Summer Days

Okay, so this post has nothing to do with writing or personal growth or what I hope for the future. It just has to do with sunscreen, Slurpees and bubbles in the asphalt.

I love summer! Always have, except when we had 100 degree temps with no air conditioning. But then, that helped me write novels about hot Southern summers in pre-air conditioning days, so there's a reason for everything, right?

My point is, I have been particularly itchy for this summer. For whatever reason, my lovely Virginia turned into a block of ice this winter, and it started getting icy all the way back in the fall. I'm not used to this! My poor lily white skin has been covered in goose bumps wayyyy too long. I just want warmth! (remind me of this if the dreadful heat kicks in sometime)

This week has been another one of those slaps in the face cold weather has dealt us this spring; like Lucy whipping the football out from under Charlie Brown. I keep thinking the warm weather is here to stay and then Woosh! There it goes!

I'm ready for popsicles, sprinklers, summer thunderstorms, shorts, going barefoot, and trips to the pool. I look forward to the moment when air conditioning actually feels good to me rather than just making my bones ache even more because they haven't recuperated from the long, cold months.

Sure, I'm not too fond of feeling sweaty, having a sunburned nose, being bitten by mosquitos, and burning my hand on the seatbelt. But we take the bad with the good any season, and though I'd prefer a perpetual warm springtime atmosphere, I'll gladly settle for the summer months I can have.

The weather tells me today is expected to be well into the 80's, and after yesterday's rainy high 50's/low 60's, I'll take it and gladly so.

Which brings me to an abrupt end of this post. I'm off to enjoy it!

Christy Award nomination for Fireflies in December!

There are plenty of things I consider reliable pick-me-ups, chocolate being high on the list, and now I've found a new one... being nominated for a Christy Award!

The awards nominations were announced Thursday morning, and Fireflies in December has been nominated in the First Novel category. It truly is an honor to have my work recognized alongside so many wonderful books, and I just can't stop smiling about it.

My appreciation goes out to Tyndale House Publishers for believing in this book as they have. It's been such a wonderful experience to be part of their family of authors.

Congratulations to all of the finalists. I can't wait to see everyone in St. Louis!


The complete list of 2010 Christy Award nominees:

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills • Tyndale House Publishers

How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus • Barbour Publishing

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS

Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson • Thomas Nelson

The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth • Zondervan

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE

June Bug by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers

The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson

Veiled Freedom by Jeanette Windle • Tyndale House Publishers

FIRST NOVEL

The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry • Moody Publishers

Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent • Tyndale House Publishers

Scared by Tom Davis • David C. Cook

HISTORICAL

A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey • Revell Books: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

HISTORICAL ROMANCE†

Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander • Thomas Nelson

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

SUSPENSE

Intervention by Terri Blackstock • Zondervan

Lost Mission by Athol Dickson • Howard Books: a Division of Simon & Schuster

The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

VISIONARY

By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson • Marcher Lord Press

The Enclave by Karen Hancock • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

Valley of the Shadow by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers

YOUNG ADULT

Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma • Thomas Nelson

The Blue Umbrella by Mike Mason • David C. Cook

North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

†Historical Fiction includes four nominees due to a tie in scoring.

More Adventures in Editing

This past trip down editing lane, I had one very distinct problem: continuity. The thing just didn't flow.

One of the most important aspects about telling a story is finding the smoothest way from point A to point B. It can't just be a bunch of vignettes without a goal. It has to tell the story from beginning to end with a reasonable progression.

Think about one of those connect-the-dot puzzles kids do. If they don't follow the dots in the proper order, it'll turn out to be a bunch of criss-cross lines. But following the proper path makes a perfect outline of an elephant.

Continuity in a novel is just like that... without the elephants. But then again we're talking fiction -maybe it does have elephants! Anyway, without the proper flow from beginning to end, the wires get crossed and a reader starts to wonder how they got from here to there... or why, for that matter. If the story doesn't follow a clearly marked path, the reader gets lost - whether in time, plot line or character development.

With Catching Moondrops, I realized, with the help of my fantastic editor, that my continuity was a bit out of whack. Addressing the problem seemed a bit overwhelming at first, but it was time to go back to the drawing board. I added a couple of scenes, swapped a few around and then went back to fill in the blanks.

No doubt, it's time consuming. But it's so worth it! A little bit of monkeying around with scenes takes a novel from off-kilter to spot on, giving the writer a sense of satisfaction and the reader a great ride.

So if you're finding yourself mixed up in where to go next with your work-in-progress, step back and eye up that scene order. Look closely at your characters and scenes and see if they match the ebb and flow that you're looking for.

It's time to connect those dots!

Adventures in Editing

This past week I've been working hard on editing Catching Moondrops, and even though this is my third time around with editing, I'm still learning. But I suppose that's the way everything is... there's always something new to learn no matter what we're up to.

But there's one thing I'd already learned in the past that I've had to employ yet again this time around: Be willing to cut. In my writing career there have been plenty of scenes, and even characters, that I've written and then ended up leaving behind at some point, knowing full well that the integrity of the plot would be improved by doing so.

And it can be tough! When I write something in the first place there's usually a good reason for it, so it's hard to just scrap the idea. Not to mention the fact that I've spent time working on it, and it's never fun to just get rid of something I once spent an hour or more creating.

Then again, it's tougher to watch the novel suffer due to self-indulgence. Maybe I wanted to see a particular event or conversation take place, but ultimately it's the overall project that I'm most concerned about. I figure I'd rather throw some of these things to the cutting floor if it means a better book in the end.

So if you're working on something, don't be afraid to do some trimming when necessary. Always look at the big picture, not just one narrow angle. It may hurt to say goodbye, but in the end you'll be glad you did.

• Completely off the subject, I'm excited to announce that Fireflies in December is a finalist for general fiction in the Retailers Choice Awards. I'm incredibly honored by the nomination! Winners will be announced later this week.

His Unfailing Love

It's amazing to me how busy I can get with nothing. Life just gets like that. After a while I realize that my hours floated away on a breeze of to-do lists and Google searches.

But every now and again I'm reminded of why I'm really here. Yesterday, I watched a documentary about the Shroud of Turin, which many experts and religious leaders believe to be the shroud Christ was buried in. No one knows for certain if it really is what they think it is. But the shroud is marked with human features and blood, and what it exposes is horrifying.

The traces of blood themselves indicate that the man who once lay in that shroud was beaten so severely that nearly his entire body was covered in wounds. His head had been lacerated, his hands and feet pierced and his side gashed open.

The man who once lay in that shroud was brutalized.

So whether or not it was Christ who was laid to rest in that cloth, it stands to reason that we can all learn something from the evidence gathered from it. Because that is exactly what happened to Christ. "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

For us, He was betrayed, humiliated, beaten, bruised, bloodied, stabbed and nailed to a cross to die an agonizing death. All so that we never have to pay the ultimate price for our sin. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

All He asks in return is that we believe and dedicate our lives to Him.

So I remind myself... why am I here? I'm here to glorify the Lord with my life. To live in such a way that my obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit testifies to the unfailing love with which He gave His life.

Why do I ever think my to-do lists can top that?

Calendar Update

On March 17th, I'll be presenting the keynote speech at the Enriching Minds Series sponsored by Literacy Volunteers - Pitt County at the Greenville, NC Hilton. For more information you can call 353-6578 or email info@pittliteracy.org. Hope to see you there!

He Told Me So

As a nanny, I can't count how many times I've had to say, or at least think, "if only you had listened to me." It seems like no matter what the sense behind my instructions most kids, at one time or another, will test me by trying exactly what I told them not to do. It's as though they are compelled to find out just how stupid it really was.

And as many times as this has happened with my kids, it's happened with me. I am endlessly feeling the Lord say to me, "Why didn't you just listen?" After all, if I think I know how to help my kids navigate through life, certainly the God of all creation knows how to get me through mine.

I've just had the pleasure of re-reading Phillip Keller's amazing book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. It's a compelling look at the familiar Psalm from the view of someone who knows just what a shepherd is to his sheep... and what the sheep are to the shepherd. There is nothing like getting to know our Lord and Savior better, and this book gives such insight into His character.

I keep telling myself I should only have one singular focus - getting to know Him. The more I know Him, the more like Him I'm bound to become. And as I become more like Him, I can't help but be a better person, and a better witness.

And I'm realizing more and more how spectacular it is to see the peace that comes from focusing on Him. When I realize that He is there to guide me in every single aspect of life, and that He has promised to provide all I ever need, I'm filled with an amazing sense of peace. It's the difference between becoming anxious about life and walking through it with the knowledge that all will be well. Whether it measures up to what I had hoped for or not, I can trust that if I walk in faith, all will turn out as it is meant to be.

What a relief to realize I'm not responsible to make every decision and choose every path - He is!

A Snowy Farewell

All this snow has been ridiculous! As a Southerner, I'm definitely not used to this. However, if I'm going to be snowed in, it can't be better timing than when I have a book deadline to meet.

And I did!

This weekend I finished up Catching Moondrops, and as great as it feels to have it taken care of, I have to say it's really sad to say goodbye to these characters. It's crazy how attached you can get to people who don't even exist! But they've been with me for years now, and it seems strange to think I won't be writing about their lives anymore. It's been quite an experience taking Jessilyn from just-turned-teenager to full grown young woman, and I truly hope all of you will enjoy the final chapters of her journey.

So what's next? I honestly don't know! I've got some ideas, but we'll see what plays out. For now, keep an eye out for Catching Moondrops. It should be popping up in stores by September!