Updates on my books and other projects

Friday Update- Getting Unstuck

We went out to eat (just McDonalds- but I didn’t have to cook) and to the movies last night. It was great fun. It was Alan’s idea and he invited one of his and Lauren’s best buddies. We saw Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, and several times I could hear Alan laughing over the crowd. How terrific is that?! I love to hear my kids laugh and we are blessed that they do it often. Today is the first day of summer break for everyone and I slept in!

Friday update- Editing on Contingency hit a little snag. I got stuck on a scene in Chapter 20. Most of it probably needs to go, but there are a couple of very important realizations that Gavin needs to help Chuck with, so I can’t drop it entirely. While I was spinning my wheels there, though, I went back and began a read-through of the whole book. That helped me stay focused on the big picture and gave me a sense that I was making some progress even though that one pesky scene was being contrary. Editing is lonely work, but I am determined to stick with this through all the revisions.

BTW- While letting that sticky scene percolate… before I dropped off to sleep last night, I had an idea. I think I’ll try it from Gavin’s POV. The edits for the rest of the book promise to be intense. It’s a little flabby. I’ll let you know next week how things have progressed!

Books read this week – Both of these were for school next year, part of Lauren’s Starting Points course. I hope to read some for myself next week.

Know What You Believe: Connecting Faith and Truth by Paul Little. It was a great overview of theology.
How to Read Slowly: Reading for Comprehension by James W. Sire. This was a primer on pulling a deeper meaning from all the types of literature we read, fiction, poetry, essays and so forth.

Psalm 20:1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you

5 Year Goals

By Paula

Earlier in the week, the writers’ Yahoo group to which I belong posed a question about 5 year goals, and the steps I’m taking to realize that goal. I said I wanted to be preparing for the publication of my third book. (Contingency and Indemnity on the shelves… Precedent in process.) I lined out a few steps- whip Contingency into shape, pitch it and so forth. Then one of the group owners cautioned us about listing steps we have no control over. There’s wisdom in that. I can only do what I can do, but the responses of others are out of my hand. Timing is out of my hand. I can only write these stories, the best way I know how (constantly raising the bar on that) and demonstrate that God’s Word holds the answers we so desperately need.
Happy Memorial Day! May God bless and protect all who serve to safeguard our freedoms.
Thanks be to God for the indescribable gift of His Son. Through His blood, we are free indeed!

Passive or Active

By Paula

I’m continuing to work on a major edit of Contingency. One of the things on my checklist is changing or getting rid of passive verbs. Passive verbs indicate the subject is acted upon, rather than taking action. I am disappointed to discover how often I write in passive voice. Maybe it’s because I live that way. It’s not that I never do anything – I stay busy, believe me – but I’d much rather react, than take action. Paul encourages Timothy to take action in his letters. There are a lot of verbs in those two short epistles, and they’re all active. Be an example… reject false teaching… flee ungodliness… be diligent… be strong… hold fast… preach the word… convince, rebuke, exhort. So convicting.

Editing Life

By Paula

I’m getting ready for the final (I hope!) major edit on Contingency. It’s always a tough process, because it means I have to slow down and critically examine every word, every sentence, every paragraph and every scene with emphasis on “critically”. Sometimes that means paring down some things I liked, my favorite lines even, all with an eye to the finished product. Occasionally, I have to fill in things that were missing. I have to ask hard questions- Does this scene advance the plot or is it just ‘there’? Is the POV clear?

Is it tight with no unnecessary words?

My life needs regular editing, too. Have I gotten off-track, wandering aimlessly with no clear purpose? Is my life filled with things that simply add to the clutter without

contributing to the forward progress? Do I have a clear focus on the end product?

I read an article about John Maxwell and his singular focus on the ministry God gave him. In the coming days, I plan to take some time to examine what the purpose of my writing is. What is my mission, my vision? I’ve invested a good deal of time and effort and I’ve definitely seen God’s hands in it, but what is the big picture? Why am I doing this?

What do I intend to accomplish?

See why editing takes so long!

My Writing Goal

By Paula

I have a passion for God’s word. It’s so true. It reveals His character and ours, and it contains all the guidance we need. Just this morning, I was reading Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

To paraphrase (which I do quite often) God doesn’t tell us everything, BUT what He does tell us is enough to face everything in life in a way that honors Him. Several years ago I was struck by the fact that although many people believe the Bible, they don’t know what to do with it. A story began forming… a story about believers put in a very difficult- though not impossible and unfortunately not uncommon- situation, and then walking through the process of searching, struggling and surrendering to God’s principles.

So my goal when I write is to develop real, genuine characters who are not perfect but who wrestle with reacting on instinct or according to God’s principles, and it’s not easy. In Contingency, Bobbi has to face her husband’s infidelity. Divorce is a very real, very reasonable option, but God challenges her to go beyond that to forgiveness and reconciliation. It is a struggle, and it isn’t a happily-ever-after deal exactly, but God does a tremendous thing in the lives of Bobbi and Chuck and others who are touched by this.

I’ll be back to final editing of Contingency soon…