How Does an Idea Spark a Story? ♦ Pamela S. Meyers ♦ Giveaway

Hi, Whisperers. It is my pleasure to welcome my friend and fellow-author Pamela S. Meyers, who is sharing a 'Story behind the story' guest post with us today. 

Oh, and Pam is offering a giveaway of this book to one of my readers. See below for details.

Welcome, Pam! Let's learn about your book, Second Chance Love . . .

Book Title:   Second Chance Love    
Author Name:  Pamela S. Meyers
Publisher:   Bling/Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Release Date:   1/24/17
Genre:   Inspirational Romance
Series/Stand Alone:  Stand Alone (possible sequel in the works)
Target Audience:  Adult women

Chicago lawyer Sydney Knight and Texas bull rider Jace McGowan have nothing in common but everything to lose when they are thrust together during a weekend rodeo in rural Illinois. Neither one of them would have imagined two years ago that the deep attraction they sensed during a day-long outing would resurface when Sydney’s boss assigns her to Jace’s legal case.

Sydney has been through a world of hurt since losing her dad when she was sixteen, then being dumped the morning of her wedding. She’s sworn off romance and instead devotes her time toward a partnership in her father’s law office.

Jace has found faith in God and wants out of his sponsor contract with a risqué restaurant chain that requires him to pose with scantily-clad women. He’s about to bail on the contract and pay steep penalties—something he can ill afford, given that his deceased father left the family with unpaid taxes.

Sydney is determined she’ll get Jace out of his contract and return to Chicago with her heart intact, but Jace is just as determined to help her see they are meant to be together. Can a city girl with roots deep in Chicago and a bull-riding rancher with roots deep in Texas give themselves a second-chance love?

 The Setting of Second Chance Love, and How it Came to Be

  By Pamela S. Meyers

I have been attending the Pioneer City Rodeo in downstate Illinois for over ten years and for a lot of those years I longed to write a story set there. A couple years ago I began plotting the story. I knew my hero would have to be a bull rider. Bull riding is my favorite event and I also enjoy watching and attending PBR events (Professional Bull Riders).

I actually started a story set at the rodeo not long after the first time I attended it, but then it was shelved as other opportunities came up. A few years ago, three other authors were developing a novella collection to be set at Cheyenne Days, a large rodeo that takes place in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I joined the project and dusted off the story I’d started and set it there. When the publisher rejected the novella collection, I decided to work the story into a full-length novel and moved the setting back to Illinois. It was meant to be at the rodeo I’ve come to know so well.

It didn’t take me long to develop Jace McGowan, the hero, in SCL, but Sydney Knight, the heroine, took a bit longer. But over time everything gelled the way it was supposed to. It’s been great fun to write because with every pass through the story I felt as though I’d been at the rodeo again, reliving it all. And, during the time of the writing when I attended the rodeo, I paid attention to details I’d never noticed before.

I only hope the townspeople of Palestine, IL where the rodeo takes place feel I presented their little slice of heaven on earth in a way that is pleasing to them.

Available on Amazon in both Kindle and Print versions: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946016047

A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, author Pamela S. Meyers lives in suburban Chicago with her two rescue cats. Her novels include Thyme for Love and her historical romance, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Her novella. What Lies Ahead, is part of a novella collection, The Bucket List Dare, which is now available at Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Second Chance Love from Bling!, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, releases in January 2017. When she isn’t at her laptop writing her latest novel, she can often be found nosing around Wisconsin and other Midwestern spots for new story ideas

Pam's Social Media/ Website Links

• Website:.  www.pammeyerswrites.com
• Blog:  www.pamelasuemeyers.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/pamela.meyers
•  And:   www.facebook.com/PamelaSMeyersAuthor/
• Twitter:  pamelameyers

About the Giveaway:

* * * For a chance to win your choice of either an e-book (for Kindle) or a print copy of Second Chance Love, use the comment section below, leave a message for Pam about what you've just read, and include your email contact information–disguised to protect your privacy (e.g: janedoe (at) 123xyz (dot) com)–so we can contact whoever becomes the winner. 

This giveaway will run for one week from today  ending February 6, 2017, at Midnight CST. Winner will be drawn through random.org and will be notified via email on Feb 7.  

 Best wishes to all who visited today–and through the week.

And a great bigh THANK YOU to Pam for sharing her book and story with us.

God Bless!

The Trusting Heart, a Devotion from Lynne Tagawa

The Trusting Heart

by Lynne Tagawa

     “For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.” (1 Pet 3:5-6)

     Sarah trusted God. She also obeyed Abraham. Is there any connection? At first we might say, Well, if I were married to such a godly man, it would be easy to submit and treat him well. Things would be great. This is the “if only” lie that destroys marriages. I suspect that many of us toy with it at one point or another.

     But in reality, every man, even great men like Abraham, has feet of clay. And there’s the rub. There may come a point where you are certain that your husband (or father or boss) is making a mistake.

     This happened to Sarah. Not once, but twice. You see, Abraham was afraid. His wife was so beautiful that he feared that someone would come along and kill him for her. So in two different situations Sarah was asked to say that she was his sister. (Check out the full accounts in Gen 12 and 20.) Problem was, in both cases she was scooped up into the ruler’s harem.

     Can you imagine? You’re married, involved in deceit (well, she was his half-sister), and you certainly don’t want to have happen what was inevitably going to happen. What would you have done?

     “Look, Pharaoh, it’s like this. I’m actually married. Abraham is my half-brother and he didn’t tell the whole truth.”

     I wonder if she was tempted to blow the lid off the deception. But as it was, something really, really amazing took place instead. God went to bat for her. In both cases, God did not allow Sarah to be bedded by these rulers. He plagued Pharaoh. He actually came to the other ruler in a dream, telling him that he was a “dead man” because of Sarah. Naturally, both men restored her to her husband and sent them off.

     Sarah was affected by her husband’s questionable decision. Did she fight it? No, although I hope she would have drawn the line somewhere. We aren’t called upon to follow our husbands into sin. She couldn’t sleep with either of those men, and I’ll bet she was crying out to God. She must have felt torn, not wanted to go against her husband’s directive and shame him publicly, but knowing she’d have to sooner or later.

     But I suspect that while she may have shed tears privately, she never had a public breakdown. Remember the last words of the passage? She was “not afraid with any terror.”

     Submitting to authority is an act of faith. We submit to God, knowing that He is fully trustworthy and keeps His promises. But what about human authority? It is fallible. Our husbands—or fathers or bosses—are only human, after all, and they will make mistakes in judgment. However, human authority is ordained by God, and unless that authority commands us to sin, we obey, knowing that in doing so, we are obeying and honoring God.

     Faith-filled obedience leads to peace, the peace that passes all understanding. By looking to the One who does all things well, our anxieties are calmed, and we are enabled to follow in Sarah’s footsteps through the rocky places.

     You may be facing such a crisis. Your husband is dead-set on questionable purchases, or perhaps you have a disagreement about the children’s schooling. You know you must submit to your husband. But he’s wrong!

     Sometimes disagreements are trivial. Sometimes they are not, and a husband’s poor decision could lead to harm. Sarah was brought to the very precipice. I wonder what went through her mind. But she trusted in God and He delivered her.

     Lord, give me the grace to follow in Sarah’s footsteps. Help me to look past human authority to You. Grant me that peace that passes all understanding in the dark and difficult seasons of life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Lynne Basham Tagawa is an educator, author, and editor. The author of Sam Houston’s Republic, (http://graceandtruthbooks.com)  she lives in Texas with her husband.

• Lynne’s editing services: http://www.lynnetagawa.com  
• Blog: http://gracetrails.blogspot.com

Striving

by Peggy Blann Phifer @pegphifer

"Striving to be better, oft we mar what's well." William Shakespeare, King Lear.

This quote struck a chord with me and I thought it could certainly be applied to writing. We all know how important it is to get our story or article written. Just get it down on paper or word processor. It is OK to write a 'crappy' first draft. In fact, I've even heard well-known writers advocate that. Like the old commercial from Nike – Just Do It! Then, let it rest a while. Set it on the back burner to 'steep,' then bring it back to the front and see what can be done with it. That we need to edit at this point is a given. The following quotes tell us where to start:

·        "The abstract is seldom as effective as the concrete.'She was distressed' is not as good as, even, 'She looked away.'" John Gardner, novelist.

·        "Look for all fancy wordings, and get rid of them." Jacques Barzun

·        "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences." William Strunk Jr.

·        "Look for the clutter in your writing, and prune it ruthlessly. Be grateful for everything you can throw away. Re-examine each sentence that you put on paper. Is every word doing new work? ... Simplify. Simplify." William Zinsser

·        "Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. Never use a long word where a short word will do. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. Never use the passive where you can use the active." George Orwell

·        "Never use a long word when you can find a short one. ... Pick up every sentence in turn, asking ourselves if we can possibly make it shorter." Sheridan Baker, essayist.

Okay, we've heard that advice in various forms and from various folks ever since we began this writing adventure. And it is GOOD advice, valuable advice, and we're heading for disaster if we don't adhere to that advice, although that last one can make us cringe when we're striving for word count.

As new, un-established writers, we do have to follow most of these rules if we want to become established, published writers. Unless, that is, you've a hankering to paper a room with rejection slips.

However, where does it stop being advantageous and become destructive? Is there such a thing as over-doing all this cutting? Are we in danger of cutting the very life out of what we've written?

I think there has to come a time when enough is enough. As old Will said, sometimes when we try so hard to make it better, we go beyond the point where it is 'well' and ruin it. It is true that after a certain time we, as the author of our work, cease to see it objectively – if we ever do. We have a tendency to become so attached to our words, what we have written, that it is painful to consider deleting a single one of them, let alone complete sentences or paragraphs. Gasp! But it must be done, and when we can no longer see it as a reader would, it is time to hand it over to other eyes.

My point to this whole dissertation is that we, being new to the game, may be tempted to follow all the advice cited above—and from others—and edit so severely that there is nothing left alive in the manuscript. We've effectively killed it…marred what's well, while striving to make it better.
 

Where's a good stopping place with this editing? I don't know. I may be jumping off into the deep end here by tackling this. Finding or hiring a good editor to work with you would be a good idea. This has been discussed with one or two of the lists to which I belong. Experienced eyes can spot things that we've grown so accustomed to we no longer see them. 

Another source I recommend is the book Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print by Renni Browne and Dave King, from  Harper Collins, Second Edition, available for Kindle at http://amzn.to/2jF8vyD)

I guess all I'm trying to say is that while careful editing is a must, be careful not to edit out the life of your manuscript.

The above article is a reprint written while I was still striving to become a published writer.  Peg Phifer-Copyright © 2004 ©2017

Okay, now it's your turn. Has striving  to follow those so-called rules made your manuscript dull and lifeless? 

Please share!

Behind the Scenes of Shoba Sadler's CHILD OF DUST

Today we'll sit down to chat with Shoba Sadler, author of the contemporary title Child of Dust. Shoba will take us behind the scenes of her unique new novel and give us a glimpse into her writing.

Shoba, why did you choose to write this type of novel?

Social status and cultural barriers makes for great conflict. Child of Dust is like a modern-day classic of Romeo and Juliet only instead of opposing families, these lovers, Kim and Bryan, have cultural and social barriers to contend with.

Kim, the rich and spoilt socialite who loses her money is taken under the wing of her reluctant chauffeur, Bryan, who has his own struggles to deal with. They find love under the most unexpected circumstances.

Can you tell us why you started with an Asian setting for your first two novels?

I was founder of Agape Christian magazine in Malaysia. I also freelanced for the leading English, secular newspaper in Malaysia, The Star. My feature stories forThe Star were several page write-ups with gorgeous photos. Many of my stories were selected by the features editor to be cover stories as well.

As I interviewed people all over the world for Agape, I saw God moving powerfully in Asia and yet there were so few stories coming from there especially in the Christian romance genre.

In Asia, Christianity is seen very much as a Western culture. Yet so many Asians have had powerful encounters with Jesus Christ. Then there is the struggle to validate their faith in the midst of culture, tradition, loss of identity, social stigma and so on.

There alone you have so much material for backdrop, tension, drama, conflict and final resolution.

An example of what I mean can be seen in my short story Finding Enlightenmentthat was awarded second place at faithwriters.com. It can be read here:http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article-level3-previous.php?id=54362

Talk a little about your unique setting.

When I read novels I am drawn to the backdrop and setting. A great description of the setting subtly woven into the story is what makes the difference between being a narrator who takes a person on a journey through his "telling" and a facilitator who steps out of the way altogether to allow the reader to explore the journey on his own. The writer should aim to be the facilitator and not the narrator.

There is nothing like a great setting to make the reader feel like they are there with the characters. It is like the difference between watching a 2D and 3D movie.

Unfortunately, many formulaic romance novels that are churned out in quick production-line succession fails to capture this allure of setting because it takes research and time. It is also not easy to write setting discreetly in the background and that is the only way to write it. Otherwise it will seem like reading lecture notes instead of a story.

I read one review of a multi-cultural romance set in an Asian country where the reviewer said she felt like she was reading a tour company's brochure and that is the wrong emotion to invoke.

So another reason I wrote Child of Dust was to give romance readers a chance to explore unique settings and backdrops not normally experienced by a reader in the current trend of romance novels available out there.

We'd love to hear a little about the historical background for your novel. Will you talk about that?

The main character, Bryan, Kim's chauffeur has been deeply affected by the Vietnam war in the sense that he is the illegitimate child of an American GI and a Vietnamese woman. This historical background sets a different dimension to the story and adds intrigue and authenticity.

Who would you say is the audience for this novel?

Child of Dust is an appealing read for anyone. As I have also written for the secular press, I am able to write in a manner that appeals to all walks of life both Christian and non-Christian. I have had non-Christians tell me they were so engrossed in the story that they didn't not notice the message of the gospel woven into the story. Yet that message is undoubtedly there.

I am an inspirational writer and everyone loves a good inspirational story just as they love watching a Hallmark movie.

What readers have to say about the novel:

"Make sure when getting ready to read Child of Dust that you don't have anything else planned for the day, you won't be able to put this book down. I could go on and on about this book. Highly and strongly recommend it. Is it possible to give a book 10 stars?" --- Debra Dunson, reviewer at The Edgier Christian Fiction Fan

"I found the writing of this story to be close to excellent.... I found this book to be one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time. It was interesting, the story kept moving along, and I learned a lot as I read this story. I found myself intrigued with the constant difficulties faced by the protagonists – and their stories were presented so much more like real life stories than any other book I have read in a long, long time." --- Marina, Community Writer, California

"This novel has a consistent rhythm, adding surprise after surprise, twisting our emotions at each new difficulty Kim faces. I couldn't put this book down, waiting to see if any or all the ends would be tired up. I would actually like to see the novel transcend into a movie. An amazing read." --- Brices Mice Christian Book Reviews

About Child of Dust: 

Beautiful but spoilt Vietnamese socialite, Cao Kim Lye, learns of her parents shocking death from the dashing Amerasian family chauffeur, Bryan Nguyen.

Kim steps out of a world of crystal and chandelier to enter the dust and chaos of working-class Hanoi. She finds herself living under the roof of a shop cum living quarters with Bryan and his adoptive family.

Ever conscious of the privileged class, Kim struggles against the emotional ties she forms towards Bryan, the reluctant saviour, who considers her an unnecessary hitch to his already complicated life.

He still bears the scars of abandonment by his mother and his American GI father when U.S. troops pulled out of Vietnam.

Eventually Bryan and Kim's powerful attraction to each other begins to break down the wall between them.

About the author: 

Shoba Sadler has been a journalist for 20 years and founder of Agape magazine in Malaysia. She is a versatile inspirational author that likes to write in multiple genres. She has pioneered a new genre in Christian multi-cultural writing with her novel Child of Dust and her many award-winning short stories can be read here http://shobasadler.com/?page_id=250

Her passion for writing is matched only by her passion for cooking with farm fresh produce. She lives a healthy lifestyle on a farm with her husband, Kevin, a talented musician, who also loves to surf and ski. They grow their own vegetables and fruits and share their home with a multitude of animals and wildlife. They are passionate about buying directly from local farmers who practice organic farming.

Introducing Debut Author Janell Butler Wojtowicz w/Giveaway

Whispers in Purple is pleased to introduce author Janell Butler Wojtowicz and her debut novel Embracing Hope.
First, let’s learn a little bit about Janell. 

Janell Butler Wojtowicz, born and raised on an Iowa farm, was one of those kids who loved to write the dreaded “What I did on summer vacation” essay. It’s no surprise that she has spent her entire 30-year career in writing, including newspaper journalism, Christian higher education and nonprofit public relations, and local government public information. Much of her writing has been the “people stories” of trial, tragedy and triumph, which are reflected in her debut novel.
Janell is a freelance writer/editor, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband, Frank, live in New Brighton, Minnesota. She has two step-sons, a step-daughter-in-law and three step-granddaughters.


Now, let’s find out something about her debut novel, Embracing Hope.

• Book Title – Embracing Hope
• Author Name – Janell Butler Wojtowicz
• Publisher – Discern Products
• Release Date – November 14, 2016
• Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance Fiction
• Series/Stand Alone – Stand Alone; series in development
• Target Audience – Female ages 18 and up; single, married, divorced, widowed; protestant, nondenominational. Reader occupation: small business, corporate, healthcare, nonprofits, ministry, missions, and home-based. College-educated readers and those in higher education careers will find the plot and setting relatable and reminiscent.

About the Book ~ Synopsis:
Christian college dean Drew McKinley mourns his dead wife and still wears his wedding ring. He stumbles on a desperate journey to understand God’s motives for her tragic death. Crossing his perilous path is Allison, a graduate student and new employee in the dean’s office. Even as she deals with financial hardships, she recognizes Drew’s unresolved grief from her own loss. Putting up a roadblock is Chris Whitney, the handsome but egotistical student senate president. He carries the secret burden of a dysfunctional family and a below-the-surface temper. The road Drew must navigate is fraught with career upheaval, a reawakening heart, substance and domestic abuse, a violent assault, and the struggle for forgiveness and restoration. Will Drew finish his journey to embrace the hope God offers, the love Allison shares, and the guidance Chris needs, or will he turn his back on all three with catastrophic consequences?

Where can I Buy This Book?:

• · Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=janell+butler+wojtowicz&sprefix=janell+butler%2Caps%2C400&crid=2RKNVF7OLH34B
• · Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/682248
• · Barnes Noble Nook - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embracing-hope-janell-butler-wojtowicz/1125151446?ean=2940153857114
• · kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/embracing-hope-1

Where Can I Find Janell on the Internet?:

• Facebook - www.Facebook.com/janellbwoj
• Blog - http://janellwoj.wordpress.com
• LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/janellwoj6
• Discern Author Page - http://discernproducts.com/?book_author=janell-butler-wojtowicz
• Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16046310.Janell_Butler_Wojtowicz
• Website - www.janellwoj.com
• Email - janellwoj@comcast.net

What About that Giveaway?:

Janell is offering a free digital copy of Embracing Hope for your Kindle reader. To enter, simply leave a comment for Janell in the section below, along with your contact information (so we can contact you in case you win) using this example: you (at) your email host or domain name (dot) com. This is so those pesky ‘bots’ can’t steal your email address.
Giveaway ends one week from today at midnight, Thursday January 19, Central Time. Winner will be drawn through random.org and notified via email on Friday, the 20th.

Writing Prompts & Hints

by Peggy Blann Phifer @pegphifer

As I sat at my computer yesterday afternoon, staring at the last lines of my current WIP (work in progress) trying to figure out where I wanted to go next, I happened to glance to the left of my desk where I have some of my oft-used writing 'how-to' books and spotted the book (pictured below).

Note: As far as I can tell, this book is out of print, but it seems to be available through other sellers, if you want to check it out.

Writer's Digest Books ©2002, ISBN: 1-58297-142-0

I thumbed through the first few pages, looking for inspiration. While the pages are not numbered, about 20 pages in, I found one I'd highlighted and it caught my attention again. On that page, the author, Monica Wood, wrote about a smallish spiral notebook with lined pages she called her 'word notebook.' In that little notebook she kept lists of words. Not phrases, not quotations, just . . . words.

She wrote that that notebook accompanied her while reading, and whenever she stumbled upon a word she liked, she'd write/add it to the notebook. She also keeps that notebook beside her while writing. "I use it on days when words come hard," she wrote. "Some days I check that notebook for a zesty word that can replace a dull one."

I remembered being intrigued by that idea and acting on it, so I went in search of the notebook I'd started at that time. I found it, though it is a bit battered, it's pages stained about two-thirds of the way up from a day when one of my cats had jumped up on my desk and knocked over a full cup of hot coffee. 

Sigh.

But the word list I'd started was still readable, and I want to share some of them with you.

• engender
• ingraining
• fractious
• egress
• denouement
• thwart
• declarative
• puny
• imbue
• penurious
• saturnine

There are quite a few more on my list, but I think that's enough for starters. Aren't they great?

So, having re-discovered this neat idea, I will now have a new, blank notebook with me as I read, and keep that list of new words I've found beside me as I write.

Now here's a challenge: We're only nine days into a brand new year. What if you were to adopt this idea for yourselves and start your own list of words?

Are you with me?

Would love to have you join the conversation in the comment section!

TWEETABLE:

Use words to spark your writing creativity http://bit.ly/2isyQQz @pegphifer #writing #ideas - (Click to Tweet)

Ac-cen-tuate the Positive

by Peggy Blann Phifer @pegphifer

Well, it's a brand new year! What's in store for us as writers? Good question, huh? Of course, we can't know, but there are a few steps we can take to help us achieve our 2017 writing goals.

I was browsing some old files over the weekend and came across an old article I wrote about fourteen years ago that struck me as worth repeating. See what you think.

There’s an old, old song from which we, as writers, could learn self-discipline. It goes like this:

“You’ve got to ac-cen-tuate the positive,

E-lim-inate the negative,

Latch on to the affirmative,

Don’t mess with Mr. In-Between!”

Some of you of a 'certain age' will recognize those lyrics and are smiling and nodding your heads. They do have something to say, don’t they?

You see, every writer, whether an old pro or a rank beginner, has times when we begin to wonder if we should have chosen another vocation. Those days when sitting in front of the computer staring at a blank screen with blinking cursor can be pretty discouraging. We have no idea why we’re there, what we’re going to say, or how to say it. Been there?

Yes, we all have. I can’t tell you how many times it’s happened to me when sitting down to write this column each week. Today’s is no exception. I avoided staring at the blank screen, though, and gazed out the window for a while, when those lyrics just popped into my head. I thought, well, okay, what do I do with them? As I wrote them, the rest of the idea came right away! Amazing how these things happen.

So, we’re going to talk a bit about ‘e-lim-inate the negative’ part of the song. The old tired-but-true axiom that “can’t never did anything” is as apt today as it was when it was coined. If we say “I can’t” then it’s for sure we won’t. Have days when you feel yourself wavering, wailing “I’ll NEVER be a writer! I just can’t do this!” Um-hum. Deadlines don’t always help, either. Although there are some writers who thrive on them, deadlines do seem to push that panic button that causes us to doubt ourselves and lose faith in our abilities. Here’s something I’ve used before:

‘It would have taken about a year to finish the book at this point, but reading it had depressed Peggy severely. The work to be done was tremendous, and if she completed it—then what? How could she submit it anywhere when she feared lawsuits and dreaded professional criticism? And when she compared her work to that of Glasgow and Fitzgerald and Benet—how could she dare to think of herself as a true writer? She had worked hard and long hours, but that was not enough to qualify her as a literary figure. And she was sure that the authors she admired had no need of someone like John at their elbow, helping them all the time. Someday, perhaps, she would go back to the book, but at the moment, the entire project seemed to her like little more than a waste of time.’

            Peggy, in the above message, is Margaret Mitchell. And the unworthy manuscript – “Gone With The Wind.”

Interesting? Discouragement, depression, fear . . . all are part of the negative and we need to work hard on them. If we don’t, then we surely will fail in our attempts to become writers.

Almost as counterproductive is “Mr. In-Between.” He personifies apathy, a lack of passion for this profession. And, their writing shows it! Funny thing is, many of them are big sellers, and that’s pretty ironic, to my way of thinking. How many times have you picked up a book with an interesting title, or colorful cover, or because it was by a well-known author—whatever it was that attracted your attention—bought it (or borrowed at the library) only to get it home and find everything was sterile and generic? You know what I mean. There is a no-name setting in a no-name town (or city) with non-description of much of anything. The story-line may be okay, but there’s a great deal lacking . . . it just doesn’t keep you interested. There’s no enthusiasm to turn the next page. You probably didn’t even finish the book. Makes you wonder how it ever got published. And, I’ll bet you sat back and said “I can write better than that!”

Compare that to a book you have read that was so well written, so captivating, that you couldn’t put it down. You kept turning the pages, one after the other, until you reached The End…and realized it was 4:00 AM. That book was the result of the ‘positive’ side of a writer. No, the writer wasn’t perfect. Probably had a few of those ‘negative’ and ‘in-between’ days, but, more often than not, decided to ‘ac-cen-tuate the positive’ and ‘e-lim-inate the negative’ and gave ‘Mr. In-Between’ the boot. This writer managed to “Latch on to the affirmative!”

We can all do that, and our greatest advantage and assurance is to be sure we are writing in His will. When you face that blank screen, don’t stare at that blinking cursor. Put your knees to the floor and ask for His help and guidance. I guarantee that you will be able to surmount those negative and in-between times.

Back to the present. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this. Can you think of ways you can ac-cen-tuate the positive and latch on to the affirmative this year? Do share!