Janice Thompson's Blog, page 29

Author Interview: Eileen Key

Over the next several months I will be interviewing some of my favorite authors. I'm tickled pink to start with one of my best friends (and favorite authors), Eileen Key. Eileen and I go way back. Way back. In 2004 she invited me to come to San Antonio, where she hosted me and helped promote my book, Hurricane. I've never forgotten her kindness or her sweet, funny spirit. To this day, she's one of my favorite people on the planet. I only wish she lived closer! I hope you enjoy my interview with Eileen.

About Eileen: Eileen Key is an ACFW success story. Since 2003, she has published numerous devotionals and articles as well as three books: Dog Gone, Barbour; Door County Christmas, Barbour: Forget-Me-Not, Avalon. She has two more contracted novellas which will release in 2012.  Eileen's humorous approach to life has carried her through tough times: including rejections! She lives near her three grown children and three amazing grandchildren. She is an active member of Grace-San Antonio Community Church. To Eileen, life is all about relationships: knowing people and showing them the way toward Christ.

Eileen's upcoming book: Forget-Me-Not by Avalon (Coming in the fall of '11)

Eileen's favorite scripture: Joel 2:25: "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm— my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you

Did you choose writing, or did writing choose you? Great question. Writing chose me! And the more I tried to 'splain I'm not a writer, the more the roots entangled me.

Tell us how you got started. A friend at work asked me why I didn't write and asked me to attend her face-to-face critique group. I've been an avid reader all my life, and her invitation fueled my curiosity. Astonished at some of the erotica presented, I came home and Googled 'Christian-fiction-writer' and found ACRW. I joined the group and began my first novel.

Who (or what) helps you learn the craft? Have you gone to conferences? Taken courses? Joined a writing group? Oh. Definitely American Christian Fiction Writers developed my writing. I've attended 9 conferences, and taken numerous workshops. I'm a member of an excellent online critique group. Yes, I've read books on craft, but I've discovered having someone read what I wrote and point out errors makes me self-edit.

Eileen's newest grandbaby

When you're not writing, what fills your time? Grandkids! It's a blessing to live near my children and their children. . .most of the time! Often I get to pick up my grandson from school—I'm careful to say "get to" instead of "have to" since this privilege won't last many years. My granddaughter is involved in gymnastics and dance classes. What fun to see her grow. And March 30, 2011, we welcomed Samuel into the fold. Nothing like a new baby smell.

What sage advice can you offer writers who are just getting started? Write. Write. Write. If  you choose to write fiction, join ACFW because you'll learn so much. Don't be discouraged. See the scripture I chose. I've had many ups and downs in life and many rejections. Just continue to walk the path the Lord lays before  you.

Tell us about your WIP (work in progress): Currently I'm working on a novella set in Wisconsin. I'm a Texan! Online research rocks. Part of my story takes place at a Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg and I located footage on Youtube. I did have to imagine the yummy smells of strawberry shortcake and barbecued ribs.

Do you plot your novels or write by the seat of your pants? A bit of both. I like to have an idea of where I'm going—nothing set in stone—because once my fingers hit the keyboard, the characters seem to dance to their own tunes.

Do you have a certain editing procedure that you follow? Yep. I'm in an amazing crit group which has taught me so much. We usually write a chapter and send it through for editing. Then I go in, take their suggestions and add or delete. Really polishes up the book before it's sent to the publisher.

Are you affiliated with any professional organizations? If so, please list them. American Christian Fiction Writers, Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers (an ACFW chapter)

Which writing conferences do you attend and/or recommend? Any particular conference instructor who's made a difference in your writing/career? ACFW conference. I have attended Marlene Bagnull's CO conference once, and one held by Jerry Jenkins.

What are your favorite marketing strategies? UGH. Marketing is so hard for me. I can promote your work, but pushing mine is another story! Since I'm not in the "big leagues" I've only done local booksignings. Word of mouth and Facebook is very helpful.

What would you like readers to take away from your book? Interestingly enough all five of my stories have evolved to include forgiveness. I struggled with bitterness in my personal life after a divorce and had to learn to forgive. I have a little cross-stitched "saying" hanging in my home: "Knowing WHY doesn't make a difference. Knowing Jesus does." Took me years to start to absorb that fact, and I'm still a work-in-progress. In this season of my life, I see the Lord restoring what the locusts ate.

Why did you choose to write this book? It's a mystery! A mystery book. I love mysteries. My first sale was for the new Barbour mystery line. I was crushed when it closed. Since I had completed a second book, my agent shopped it all over the CBA, but they said no mystery interest. She finally sold it to Avalon, an ABA publisher of family-friendly fiction.

What is the best lesson you have learned from another writer? Kim Vogel Sawyer wrote the word EMOTE over and over again on my manuscripts. I'm a bare bones, tell-me-what-happened writer. A Barbour editor said I wrote too lean. I figured I wrote like I read: I skip the parts that aren't action. So I've had to learn to describe and emote. Thanks, Kim!

Anything you wish you'd known before you set off to publish a book? It takes a village and an era to get published!

Share the opening paragraph of your book here:

Aunt Della's royal summons stuck in my craw. I deliberately relaxed my white-knuckled hands grasping the steering wheel and guided the rented SUV around an eighteen wheeler. I gritted my teeth and checked the rearview mirror. I should be enjoying the luxury of this ride over my aged Jeep instead of fretting, but Mother's sister grated on my nerves, even when I was a kid. And despite my constant vows to be grown up and not let her boss me around, every time she commanded my presence, I caved in and appeared on her doorstep. Family loyalty and all that. At least that's what I told myself— I didn't want to admit she still intimidated me.

How can readers get in touch with you? Eileenkey@sbcglobal.net and FB, of course!

Morning Edict

As we draw near to Easter, I'd like to share a piece that conveys my motivation for writing. I hope that my passion for the written word comes through, but more than that, I pray my desire to reflect God's heart shines brightest of all.

Morning Edict

Dawn awakens and I attempt to do the same.  With diet soda in hand and eyes still crusted over from sleep, I drag up the stairs and cross over into hallowed territory.  In this sacred place I have witnessed miracles, waged wars and struggled to maintain my sanity. I love this spot nearly as much as I despise it.  A turn to the left, my heart aiming to the right, and I sit to translate His daily symphony.  My ritual has become almost commonplace, and I fear I might one day forget the awesome responsibility of this call – this blissful, gut-wrenching call.

The sublime dances alongside the mundane and I witness it all as my fingers prepare to transcribe the notes on the page.  These two worlds confuse and delight me.  Oh, the wonder of such a majestic composition!  Oh, the fragility of a heart aching to be used.  How great, the ensuing battle between the two.  I find myself forever torn between wanting to do His will and wondering if I am capable of constructing even one intelligent sentence.  Can I lay down my insecurities and selfish desires long enough to pencil the message the Lord places on my heart this morning?  Will there be a message worth conveying?

The instruments begin to warm up – a harsh contrast to my ears as each one pits itself against the other.  For a brief moment I'm baffled by the cacophony of sounds, the sheer confusion of it all. Then, miraculously, all of the dissonance fades into one clear, singular note and I am free to begin.  My fingertips dance across near-silent keys, a stark contrast to the plinking and plunking of yesterday's typewriter.  Today's message tip-toes out onto a bright white screen, and I come alive as the oil begins to flow – blessed, holy oil that washes over me with its invigorating power.  The music is pouring now, and I am tuned in as never before.  I race.  I sit idle.  I sing in three keys at once.  I hold back, suspended in time.  I press anxious keys.  I wait in silence.

Sometimes, truth be told, I forget to wait.  Some days I forge ahead, anxious to meet the deadline, state my case and impress potential readers with carefully crafted words.  On those days, pride becomes my friend.  We feed one another tasteless foods and toast our victories with empty glasses. Then, just as quickly, arrogance gives way to defeat. There are days when I search aimlessly for words, unable to locate even one.  On those days, hopelessness seeps in and the enemy of my soul whispers the phrase I've grown to dread, "How can you offer up what you don't even possess?"  Just as quickly, the voice of the Lord echoes loudly in my ears, reminding me that I possess heaven and earth.  Heaven, I can share with those on earth.  Heaven, I must share with those on earth.

I clamor for forgiveness and the Lord whispers words of solace. Hope kicks in and I'm on my way once more.  Faithful fingers begin to dance with joy and something miraculous occurs.  In that moment, as heaven and earth meet, self gives way to the Spirit of God.  I cease typing and He begins. Tiny black words tumble out onto a barren white screen, then somehow plunge forward into paragraphs.  Paragraphs gently press their way into full pages.  Pages majestically align themselves to compose chapters, and chapters gloriously sing until they erupt into books.  I don't mind playing the role of spectator as His stories take shape.  In fact, I have grown rather accustomed to it.

Tomorrow morning I will rise from my bed and wipe the sleep from my eyes.  I will once again face the challenge of the call of God on my life – to write, or not to write? As I step foot onto that hallowed ground I call my workspace, I will empty myself of all I desire and give myself over.

Again.

 

Shake 'n Bake Seasons

Sometimes we go through rough seasons where everything around us appears to be crumbling. We curl up in a fetal position, convinced the sky is falling. Other seasons are unexpectedly wonderful. We're blessed at every turn, one joyous victory following the other. Life is golden and carefree attitudes rule the day.

And then there are those odd seasons where extemporaneous blessings flow alongside cavernous griefs. I call these the "Shake 'n Bake" seasons. It's as if our lives are mixing bowls into which multiple ingredients have been poured: flour, sugar, eggs, salt, baking soda, oil, and so on. The good and the bad. The not-so-tasty and the sweet, randomly clumped together. We're not sure how the recipe will turn out in the end, but a little mixing reveals something startling: the sweet outweighs the unsweet every time.

So it is with life. We ping-pong through those crazy "Shake 'n Bake" seasons and somehow, miraculously, end up with a sweet-tasting testimony in the end. I know this from first-hand experience. My father passed away in September of '06. Six weeks later, my first granddaughter entered the world, bringing incredible joy to our family. In March of '07, my sister died unexpectedly at the age of forty-five. We celebrated my daughter's wedding three days later. I lost a major book deal in the summer of '07, then sold a series of six books a few months later.My step-father passed away in the summer of '08. My granddaughter Peyton was born days later. I've walked my children and grandchildren through major illnesses and injuries. Our times together have been precious and sweet. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

So, there you have it. Good and bad. Happy and sad. A lovely, tasty cake. Sure, we go through a bit of shaking to get to the finished product, but that only makes us appreciate the sweetness even more. And, isn't it all about attitude, anyway?

I watched the movie Soul Surfer twice this week, marveling both times at the resilience of Bethany Hamilton, a young Christian woman who lost her arm as a result of a shark attack. She never gave in to defeat. In fact, she came back from her injury to win a national surfing championship. Bethany somehow managed to merge both the good and the bad without cratering in-between. The result? A very tasty testimony, one that people around the globe now get to witness.

What about you? Are you going through a "Shake 'n Bake" season? If so, hang on for the ride. Chances are pretty good you'll end up with something sweet on your plate. In the meantime, make sure the words on the tip of your tongue are equally as sweet. After all, attitude is a key ingredient!

Janice's Wild West Road Trip Itinerary

Janice Thompson is hitting the trail!

I would like to extend an invitation for readers and writers to connect with me on my Wild West road trip. This May I'll be traveling from Texas to Montana and back again. I'll stop at over fifteen major cities along the way and will be speaking to writers and/or readers at nearly every stop. You will find my itinerary listed below. For more information about specific locales, please feel free to contact me at booksbyjanice@aol.com. Hope to see you in the Wild, Wild West!

Tuesday, May 3rd: Ft. Worth, Texas (evening event)
Thursday, May 5th: Oklahoma City, Texas (evening event)
Friday, May 6th: Tulsa, Oklahoma (evening event)
Saturday, May 7th: Wichita, Kansas (afternoon event/evening dinner)
Sunday, May 8th: St. Francis, Kansas (afternoon event)
Monday, May 9th: Denver, Colorado (evening event)
Tuesday, May 10th: Estes Park Colorado (no event scheduled)
Wednesday, May 11th: Jackson Hole, WY (no event scheduled)
Thursday, May 12th – Monday, May 16th: Missoula MT (local booksigning scheduled)
Tuesday, May 17th: Coeur d'Alene, ID/Spokane WA: (possible evening event planned)
Wednesday, May 18th: Coeur d'Alene, ID/Clarkston, WA (brunch event in Coeur d'Alene, afternoon/evening event in WA)
Thursday, May 19th: Clarkston, WA: (possible event planned)
Friday, May 20th: Boise ID (evening event planned)
Saturday, May 21st: Salt Lake City, UT (I would like to plan an evening event)
Monday, May 23rd: I will be traveling through New Mexico on my way home and would be interested in planning an evening event.
Tuesday, May 24th and/or Wednesday, May 25th: Traveling back home through the Texas panhandle. Would be interested in stopping off to see writing friends along the way.

For those interested in scheduling an event with me, I would love to teach and/or share about my writing courses. I have a great, uplifting message called "U.N.I.Q.U.E. – Finding Your Unique Place in the Writing Industry." I would love to spend time encouraging other writers with this timely word.

Hope to see you on my Wild West tour!

Come Out and See the Show!

Zaney Muldaney – On the Road to Kingdom Come

I wanted to let you know about an event that might be of interest to your homeschool or private school group. Along with writing novels and non-fiction books, I also write and direct stage plays. I'm currently co-directing a fun musical comedy for kids, based on Pilgrim's Progress. The show is called "Zaney Muldaney, On the Road to Kingdom Come."

Performances take place at Nathaniel Center in Kingwood. For more information, click here.

We're offering a special group rate during our Friday matinee. Just $5 apiece if you come in a group of ten or more. I'd like to offer a personal invitation for your group to join us during this exciting performance. Afterwards, I would love to meet you (and your group). I'll be handing out bookmarks to all students who attend and will also be hosting a drawing for a book giveaway.

If you have any questions about Zaney Muldaney (or any of our performances), feel free to write to me at booksbyjanice@aol.com.

Hope to see you at the show!

I Will Follow Him

S-e-r-e-n-d-i-p-i-t-o-u-s!

Have you ever had one of those serendipitous days…one where everything was so divinely orchestrated that you could do nothing but stand in awe? Today was just such a day.

First, a little backstory:

I spent the past week at a writer's retreat in Round Top, Texas. On the way home from the event (yesterday), I turned up my car radio and listened to worship/praise music. Chris Tomlin's song, "I Will Follow" came on. For the first time, I really listened to the lyrics. (If you're unfamiliar, check it out here.) The words of the song really resonated with me because I'm genuinely desiring to follow Him–step by step, minute by minute, particularly as it applies to my writing. Later that afternoon I left my house to go to the theater (where I direct plays) and the same song came on again. I had to laugh. Clearly, the Lord wanted me to get the message.

At about that same time, an email came through on my phone. It didn't make a lot of sense to me. Basically, the gist of the email was this: My name is Melisa. I'm writing on behalf of Tracey at the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Beverly Browning is doing a seminar with us. You are her favorite author. Can you come tomorrow?

Honestly, I thought the email was a mistake. I didn't know Melisa…or Tracey…or Beverly Browning. And I wasn't sure if Melisa meant Cleveland, Ohio, or Cleveland, Texas! I wrote back with a simple, "Do you have the right person? I live in Texas." Melisa responded, explaining that the Chamber of Commerce in Cleveland Texas (about an hour from my home) requested the honor of my presence at 11:30 a.m. today (Friday) in order to surprise Dr. Beverly Browning, who happened to be in Cleveland, leading a grant-writing seminar. I know nothing about grant-writing (and Beverly's name still rang no bells). Still, I couldn't get the email out of my mind. Hadn't I just told the Lord, "Where You go, I'll go; Where You stay, I'll stay; When You move, I'll move; I will follow You"?

And so…

This morning at 10:30, I left my house to drive to Cleveland Texas. I knew in my heart that I was supposed to go, though I had no clue why! I followed Melisa's directions and made it to the Civic Center at 11:30. Tracey (who works for the Chamber) met me outside the room, very, very excited. She explained that they would stop the meeting, usher me in, introduce me to Dr. Browning, and photos would be taken. Still unsure about what was happening, I asked, "Are you sure you have the right author?" Tracey's response: "Did you write those Bella wedding books?" I realized at that moment that they did, indeed, have the right author. Still, why would Dr. Browning (from Phoenix, by the way), know or care about me? And why would the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce track me down just to make Dr. Browning happy?

Well, they ushered me into the room with much fanfare, and Bev Browning flipped out! (In a good way.) She even cried! Turned out, she's read something like nine of my books since January! (Talk about a fan!) She could hardly believe the Chamber had gone to such efforts to bring her favorite author in. Before long I had most of the story figured out. She'd driven through the town of Splendora on her way from the airport to Cleveland and recognized it as the hometown of several characters in my Bella books….so she'd told the participants in the grant-writing class (sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce). She gushed quite a bit, so they decided to try to track me down (and found me through facebook).

After our initial how-do-you-do, Bev informed me that she reads books on her kindle…so I'm pretty sure that the "Fools Rush In" amazon freebie was what got the ball rolling. She fell in love with that story and bought the next book, then the next.

Here's where the story gets even better.

I'd taken a ton of other books to give away (some to Bev and some to the other guests). Everyone got a free book, and several people bought add'l books, besides. Then we all went to lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. There, I met all sorts of amazing people from Cleveland! If my calculations are correct, I now have three speaking engagements as a result of meeting those folks: one at a church, one at a Rotary Club and one at a reading/library group.

I also got to sit in on the rest of Dr. Browning's grant-writing seminar, (for free!) which got all sorts of wheels turning in my head. (By the way, she's the author of "Grant Writing for Dummies" and is a brilliant, brilliant woman. Her knowledge made my head spin!) I was given a free autographed copy of her book, and she gave me her teacher's notes from the class. Wow!

Yes, it was a serendipitous day. I'm so glad I heard Chris Tomlin's song when I did, and even gladder that I actually followed the Lord…all the way to Cleveland. I'm tickled pink that my characters (D.J. Neeley and those "Splendora sisters") actually led one of my readers to a personal meeting with me. (What fun!)

I'm sure more stories will come out of this, but for now, I'm just glad that I chose to go. I could've stayed home. I was plenty tired after the long week away. But I didn't stay home. I followed…and I'm mighty glad I did.

Oh, and check this out. Bev Browning and I are now facebook friends. She just posted this on her page: Today I cried! Why? The Greater Cleveland (TX) Chamber of Commerce arranged for my favorite Christian author, Janice Hanna Thompson, to magically appear at Grant Writing Boot Camp. I was in shock! She came, she gave everyone multiple autographed books (including me); stayed for lunch (sat next to me) and spent the entire afternoon with all of her new friends. No Boot Camp site host has ever done this for me.

Isn't God cool?!

P.S. My new friend Teresa will understand why I used the word "serendipitous!"

Navigating the Business of Freelance Writing

Introducing…a New Writing Course!

I've just released a new online writing course for pros and it's got me very excited! The course has been designed for those who are published and/or hoping to earn top dollar with their writing. You can find out more here: New Course

"Navigating the Business of Freelance Writing" covers the following ten subjects: Plotting Your Writing Career, Branding and Taglines, Building Your Writing House, Working with a Critique Group, The Conference Experience, Finding and Working with an Agent, Making the Sale (including a primer on contracts), Author/Editor Relationships, Working with your Publisher to Market Your Books, and Sustaining a Lucrative Career.

Most of my courses run in the $199 range, but this one is more affordable. There's an intro price of only $99. These are online audio/video-driven courses and you can work at your own pace. Lessons include an audio script, a worksheet, audio file, video file, and special bonus feature. You will also have access to the site's forums, where you can post any and all questions to me and/or the other participants.

The intro price will go up to 129 in a few weeks, so jump onboard! You can sign up here.

Can't wait to see you there!

Thanks, everyone! Have a blessed day!

Janice Hanna Thompson

www.janicehannathompson.com

www.freelancewritingcourses.com

Writing in 2011

It's January, and you know what that means! For those of us who write, it means looking ahead to the new year, making plans and setting goals. It also means seeking God's heart and will for our writing in the upcoming year. As I did that, the Lord laid the following teaching on my heart, which I delivered at our local writing group this morning:

In 2011, we're to be submitted to a holy God, awed by the things He does in and through us once we take our hands off. Here are a few things the Lord laid on my heart for 2011:

Think about the number "2" in 2011. As I consider that number, I see a picture of a believer on his/her knees, bowed in reverence.

Bowing (physically or emotionally) is an act of reverence: a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration. (We're not revering those who can help our career along, or even the readers who buy our books. We're not revering our stories, books ideas, or even our talents. We revere only one…God.)

Psalm 95:6 We're taught that bowing is a natural posture for the believer: O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before Jehovah our maker.

1 Kings 8:54 Even the mightiest of men bowed the knee in God's presence. And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.

Romans 14:11 shows us that when we're bowed, we're practicing for heaven. ?"'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"

So, what does it mean to bow the knee?

To submit to God's will, not our own. (Can we do this with our writing in 2011?)

It is a sign of respect. (In many countries people kneel before a king.) It's time to stop talking about God in such a glib way. We've got to be careful how we use his name or talk about him.

Bowing the knee means we're humbled, not looking out for our own interests, but for God's.

Bowing is uncomfortable. It doesn't come naturally. It's not like sitting on our rears on the sofa, watching TV and eating potato chips. It's not what we do to relax. It's what we do – in spite of bad knees and arthritic hip joints.

When we're bowed, we're not trying to plan anything, manipulate anything or fix anything. (It's hard to plot a book in a bowed position, isn't it!)

There's an old worship song: We fall down, we lay our crowns (anything we hope to gain) at the feet of Jesus. The greatness of His mercy and love at the feet of Jesus. Think about the wise men, bowing before the baby Jesus, giving him gold, frankincense and myrrh. That's the posture we need to assume when we offer our books, stories, articles, and so on. All good gifts are given from God, and we cast them back at his feet, humbled that He was even willing to use us in the first place.

Final Note on bowing in reverence: If your career feels stuck, if you're disgruntled because you're not seeing the results you'd hoped for, assume the posture. Don't cry out, "why me?" Instead, cry out praises.

Think about the number "0" in 2011. When I think of this number, I see a mouth open in awe of the things God has done.

We're keenly aware that God's ways are above our ways. . .even with our writing. We're so limited by our finite thinking but He has plans that FAR exceed anything we could come up with. (Think about that for a moment as it pertains to your writing!)

We marvel at the things He does—every little miracle is huge to us. An idea for a story…miraculous! A letter from a reader…wow! Lunch with a writing friend who "gets" us…what a gift! Groups where we can mentor and love…what a blessed privilege!

QUESTION: Are we truly awed by the everyday things in our writing life? When we sit to write and words actually come? When the creative spark burns into flame. We need to stand in complete and total awe that the God of the universe chooses to speak to us, (and through us), in any small way.

In 2011 we must begin to acknowledge His holiness, his vastness.

Psalm 65:8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. (The only way to understand his holiness is to spend time with him in worship. Writers must first be worshipers. If you're not a worshiper, don't write.)

(Luke 5:26) Another scripture about being awed by God. "Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today." (Since the beginning of time, man has been awed when God moves in a mighty way. So prepare to be awed in 2011.)

What's it like to stand in the presence of a holy and awesome God?

I STAND IN AWE OF YOU

You are beautiful beyond description ?(then how can we describe Him?)
Too marvelous for words ?(then what words will do?)
Too wonderful for comprehension (how can we write about what we do not understand?)
Like nothing ever seen or heard (we could write a thousand books and still never capture the magnificence of God.)
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom? ?(Not me! So, how can I share what I can't grasp?)
Who can fathom the depth of Your love? ?(If I try for the rest of my life, I'll never be able to fathom love that died for me.)
You are beautiful beyond description
Majesty enthroned above
And I stand, I stand in awe of You ?I stand, I stand in awe of You ?Holy God, to whom all praise is due ?I stand in awe of You.

MY CONCLUSION: As finite mortals, powered by flesh and imagination alone, we can do NO justice to a holy God through our writing. ONLY when we come to Him, bowed in reverence, handing our pens to Him and allowing Him to write through us can we describe His beauty, can we share what we do not fully understand, can we capture his magnificence and reveal His heart to our readers. It's the breath of the Holy Spirit, stirring the waters, like in Genesis. And – just as we would have marveled as we watched the world being spun into existence – we must marvel at the fact that He chooses to use us! If we're not awed by Him, our readers won't be, either. And if we're trying to write in our own strength, we won't truly represent Him through our mere words, no matter how hard we try, no matter how extensive our vocabulary. How could we possibly write "the divine" if we've not tasted of it?

Final Note on being awed: Look for little miracles and you will surely find them.

Now think about the "11" in 2011. I see a picture of a person standing with both arms extended.

We are called to surrender ourselves to His will.

Psalm 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.

Psalm 141:2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Writers are worker bees. We're blogging, marketing, networking, writing, learning, developing characters, plotting and so on. And those are all good things. But there comes a time when you've got to acknowledge that your strength, even on the best day, is not good enough. We serve a hands-off God, (meaning, He wants us to know that sometimes we have to let go…and let God).

Think of your toddler, running to you, arms extended. What's your first instinct? To sweep him into your arms. Same thing with Daddy God. When you're tired, when the stories won't come, when you've lost your way, put those arms up in the air and watch Him lift you above your circumstances.

Hands off: I surrender all – my career, my plans, my desires, my hopes, my dreams. They're all God's to do with as He pleases, not mine.

This flies in the face of how we usually live. We're planners. Organizers. Workers. Dreamers. Those are ALL good things. But if those plans aren't surrendered to him, they're just plans. If those dreams aren't fully released into His hands, they're just unfulfilled dreams.

CORPORATE PRAYER FOR 2011 (Please feel free to share this.)

In 2011 I submit my life and my work to a holy God, bowing before Him in reverence and casting all of my gifts, talents, and abilities at His feet. I'm prepared to be awed by the things He does in and through me (and my writing), but recognize that I must surrender so that He can take control. Lord, show me how to do what you've called me to do with heart bowed and hands extended. I can't wait to see what you've got for me in this new year. May every bit of praise, honor and glory go to You, Lord. Amen.

Stars Collide: The Story Behind the Story

Stars Collide is a story within a story—about two sitcom stars who are in love on their show. . .and in real life. If you want to know how and why I decided to write this Hollywood-driven tale, I'll have to take you back to the summer of 1978, when my father moved our family to Los Angeles so that he could get into the movie business. At that time, I was just a young Texas girl—a wide-eyed wannabe who felt like a fish out of water in the Hollywood world of glitz and glam. My dad had an idea for a movie, but didn't want to write it, so he handed the project off to me. Thus began my (tentative and terrifying) writing career.

Our co-authored screenplay (Liar's Moon) went on to be produced as a movie in the early '80s, starring a young kid named Matt Dillon. I moved back to Texas, and eventually started penning inspirational novels, primarily romantic comedies. However, a piece of my heart has always clung to that wonderful summer in L.A., where doors first opened for me and possibilities seemed endless. Watching my father work as a producer laid the foundation for my whole career as a writer. And becoming a member of the Screenwriter's Guild at the tender age of 19 gave me the tools I needed to offer readers a glimpse into this magical world called Tinseltown.

When I first came up with the idea for Stars Collide (and the rest of the books in the "Backstage Pass" series) I wanted to pay tribute to my father, who passed away in '06. If he hadn't pushed me to co-author that screenplay back in L.A., I wouldn't be a writer today. I knew that I needed to craft a story he would love, so, of course, I set it in Hollywood. And it had to have a few twists and turns, because my father taught me early on that careful plotting makes for an exciting story! I could think of no greater place to set my tale than smack-dab in the middle of a Hollywood sitcom, so that's what I did. Kat and Scott (who play the characters of Angie and Jack on the sitcom) are in love. . .both on set and off. But neither has the courage to tell the other, (at first, anyway).

The "Backstage Pass" series takes the reader on a fast-paced ride through the sometimes-crazy, sometimes-serious world of Tinseltown, where the rich and famous aren't always as they appear on-screen. The first book in the series (Stars Collide) is about the lead actress in the fictional "Stars Collide" television sitcom. Book two (Hello! Hollywood) is about the head writer on the sitcom. Book three (yet unnamed) is about the female director of the sitcom.

I did my best to portray both Old Hollywood and new in this fun new series, leaning on several of the great films from days gone by as inspiration. I hope my readers enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed penning them!

Introducing…A Brand New Magazine Article Writing Course!

I'm tickled to offer online writing courses, covering a variety of topics. This month I'm featuring a brand new course on magazine article writing. Participants in this course will learn what it takes to be successful as an article writer. They will be given the components for a great article, a how-to primer on the various article types, and a thorough study of the submission process. Best of all, they will learn how to develop and maintain relationships with magazine editors so that they can continue to sell, even turning their articles into books! Lesson topics include:

The Life of a Magazine Freelancer: In this fast-paced lesson, multi-published author Janice Thompson offers ten specific keys to bring you success as a freelance article writer. If you're looking to one day earn your living as a full-time freelancer, you will find these especially helpful.

Touching the Reader Where He Lives (The Story Inside the Story): As freelance article writers, we need to be addressing real concerns for real people. In so many ways they are looking to us, through our articles, to offer answers to questions they have about life. And they're hoping we'll meet them at their point of need. In this lesson, article writers will learn how to do just that.

Article Types: In this informative lesson, Janice Thompson offers freelancers a top ten list of article types, breaking down the components of each. No longer will you be limited to writing one type of article. With these article "types" under your belt, the world will be your oyster.

How To Write An Article (Components of a Successful Article): Wondering how to put together the perfect article, one an editor is sure to purchase? This lesson will offer you ten stepping-stones to help you build the strongest possible article, one you can be proud of. Think of these stones as stair-steps, moving you onward and upward toward your goal.

A Prescription (Formula) for Successful Article Writing: Insiders recognize the truth: there really is a prescription for article writers. But what is that secret prescription?  Where can it be found?  It's closer than you think. In this thought-provoking lesson, you will learn that you just have to think like a doctor in order to succeed as a magazine article freelancer.

Writing Personal Experience Pieces (The Power of Story): One article type is seen routinely in nearly every type of magazine. It's written in first person, is chatty (or conversational) in style, is extremely engaging, and often anecdotal. It's the personal experience piece. In this exciting lesson, you will learn how to tell your own story in an engaging and compelling way.

The Submission Process: There is a huge market out there, and it's time for you to get in the game. You want to be a savvy freelancer—one who earns top dollar—and the best way to do that (short of writing a great article) is to understand the submission process. This lesson will give you the tools to do just that.

Author – Editor Relationships: Perhaps the idea of approaching an editor terrifies you. Even the thought of approaching an editor through email or snail mail makes you nervous. It's time to rethink your concerns, writers. If you're going to succeed as freelancers, you've got to jump this hurdle. This informative lesson will teach you how to develop and maintain a strong relationship with your magazine editor.

Turning Your Articles into Books: The longer you've been in the business, the more articles, you've sold, the easier it is to continue selling. And after you've established yourself as one who's willing to go the distance, it's time to begin looking at building your platform. Why? So that you can finally write that non-fiction book! This lesson will give you the tools you need to turn your article ideas into sellable books!

Tricks of the Trade: In this fun lesson, author Janice Thompson reaches into her bag of tricks to help you succeed as an article writer. She offers writers "Ten Tricks of the Trade," giving you an inside look at the industry. Tuck these away and pull them out as needed. May they bring you great success in your adventure as a freelancer!

The course will sell for $249, but we've got a pre-buy special going on for $179. That special will end next week, so take advantage of the price while you can. Visit http://www.freelancewritingcourses.com for more information.