Christa Kinde's Blog, page 21

MONDAY: Do you have a favorite ornament?

This is such a fun (and oft frenetic) time of year. Our family calendar has exploded with extras—rehearsals, shopping trips, baking days, parties, and concerts galore. We’ve twinkling lights inside and out, and it’s been fun to pull out the Christmas music and tree ornaments. Authorial news with a side of seasonal chit-chat abound. Come and see!

Book Tables. Lots of my spare time this last week was spent in getting ready for book tables. And that meant setting up at the church offices, where there is table space aplenty.

For the Byways books, I have special stamps that become part of the “signature” I leave for readers who secure signed copies.

The first of the book-related events was last Friday at an elementary school. You can read more about it on this post over at CJMilbrandt.com. I had so much fun hanging out with kids and chatting with their parents.

Trees and Trimmings. I spent part of today decking the proverbial halls. After more than twenty Christmases, I have enough ornaments to trim multiple trees. Still, each year I keep an eye out for one new ornament to add to the collection. Since becoming an author, that’s become one story-related ornament. Here’s this year’s find:

Do you recall the story tie-in?

And, hey! Do you have a favorite ornament? Care to share a picture? You can either send me a pic to share or pin it to the Reader Show-and-Tell board on Pinterest! : )

Gearing Up for 2016. It’s always tricky to get much writing done during the holidays. But I’m systematically wrapping up loose ends in preparation for the New Year. My 2016 writing plans are ambitious … but doable. And I’m really looking forward to picking up Sage and Song again. I’ve missed young Kester. Have you?

RETURNING IN JANUARY 2016

OUTTAKE: Skimming the Surface

“No one can comprehend what goes on under

the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out,

man cannot discover its meaning.”

ECCLESIASTES 8:17

Skimming the Surface

With Koji added to the Pomeroy household, winter weekends usually included a trek to the pond with shovels and skates. The young angel was determined to improve his skills. Not that Prissie minded. Excuses to get out of the spare room were nice. Perhaps that’s why he provided so many of them.

“Where are Zeke and Jude?” she asked.

“They did not wish to leave their current occupations.”

“So it’s just us.” Scanning the gray sky that threatened more snow, she added, “But not really.”

Dark eyes searched her face. “You know we are not alone.”

Koji quickly laced into his borrowed skates, then offered his hand with a gentlemanly flourish. Prissie accepted his help with as much grace as her bulky clothes allowed. But as soon as she was on the ice, she forgot her clumsiness. Gliding across the duck pond was definitely her favorite way to fly—with her feet still safely on the ground.

For a long time, the only sound was the scrape of blades on ice, but eventually, Prissie asked, “How many angels can you see from here?”

Turning his gaze skyward, Koji reported, “Two hundred and seven, not including myself.”

“So many?”

“There are several Flights overhead, stretching their wings.” His mitten patted her gloved hand. “It is a quiet day.”

Prissie didn’t often ask for more than reassurances, but today she pressed, “Anyone I know?”

“Just me.” With a hint of a smile, he added, “But not really.”

She was beginning to understand her friend’s little jokes. This one was a gentle reminder that she was never alone. Ever. The God who was always near must have known she needed to get a little closer. In Sending Koji to her side, He’d given her a peek into an invisible realm. Her best friend made it easier to accept all the rest by faith.

Turning to skate backward, she said, “You never explain much.”

“No.”

“Is it because there’s a rule about it? You can’t reveal any of heaven’s secrets?”

Koji gripped her forearms as they circled the pond. “I will answer your questions if I can.”

Prissie sighed. “I don’t know what to ask. But I do want to know more.”

“In truth, I do not know how to begin,” said Koji. “There is more than I can tell in an hour or a day or a year. I could speak for the duration of your lifetime, and still, there would not be enough words.”

She stopped skating, and they drifted to a stop in the center of the pond. “When we first met, I thought heaven was here. The blue door opened into my own corner of it, and you and Milo and Harken were everything I needed.”

The young Observer slowly shook his head. “We are a small part of something vast. As are you.” Pointing to the ice, he said, “The ice is pond-deep, and the sky is an expanse. But they can touch here, at the boundary between.”

“Like us.”

Koji nodded and offered plainer words. “With me, you are skimming the surface of heaven, just as I am skimming that of the created world. Not truly a part, yet taking part. We both know more because we can meet here.”

Prissie thought she understood.

Taking the lead, Koji began skating backward, drawing her after him. “As it is written, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).’”

“Meaning … I’ll never find the right questions because heaven is better than anything I can imagine.”

Koji nodded, but the hint of a smile lingered on his face. And it felt like a promise. Heaven was vast and unimaginable, but it would be heaven. What more could she ask?

 

Look into these things …

“Even angels long to look into these things.” –1 Peter 1:12

♦ What do your friends do to cheer you up? How do you encourage your friends when they’re down?

♦ Can you imagine something better than you can imagine? Try. What things do you think would make heaven wonderful?

♦ Have you ever met someone who changed your perspective on the world? In what way did they open your eyes?

MONDAY: Where do you send Christmas greetings?

Definitely Thankful. I’m not sure I could have packed more into my November if I tried. And in a good way. Lots accomplished. Any NaNoWriMo-ers out there? And who’s ready for December? I’ve been gently nudging my husband to get the ornaments out of storage. Gotta love this time of year! Authorial chit-chat and general newsy-ness abounds. Come and see!

Mini-Challenge. I don’t want to neglect the Mini-Challenge I posed at the end of October. I’m only seeing one review posted to Amazon during the stipulated time frame, and I don’t recognize the reviewer’s name. So if you took part, point me toward your contribution so I can drop a little something in your mailbox! ♥

 

Christmas is Coming. And that makes it the perfect time to highlight one of my short stories. Starched and pressed. Ragged and distressed. Poised and polite. Bouncing and bright. Angels have always served in pairs, but Baird is sure there must be some mistake when Kester shows up on his doorstep. The vividly energetic redhead couldn’t have been more different from his genteel new apprentice. Yet their rocky beginnings give way to a unique balance, proving that friendship can flourish in the unlikeliest of places, given time, trust, and the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Angels in Harmony is a Threshold Series companion story that overlaps the events of Book 3: The Broken Window. You’ll learn how Baird and Kester met, then follow them through the holiday season. Not only is this digital story beautifully illustrated, it’s FREE. Be sure to download your copy! Already own it? Awesome! Why not go for a re-read. Then add a gift or two to the Threshold Series’s Secret Santa board. And as always, reviews are appreciated. Show these two Worshipers some love! ; )

Upcoming Book Tables. I’m gearing up for a couple of December book tables. One at an elementary school, and another for my church. The latter is a slightly-delayed Release Party for the Angels devotional. If you’re in the San Diego area, I’d love to see you there!

Signed Copies. I’ve had a few people make private inquiries about the availability of signed copies of my books. If you have PayPal, I can make that happen. Email me about either my Christa Kinde titles or the new-in-print books by (also me) C. J. Milbrandt.

Print editions of the Byways books!

Little Books. Okay, I’ve been sitting on a surprise. Here’s what’s new in the Coming Soon category: print editions of the Threshold Series companion stories!

These will be the cutest little books!

Christmas Mailing List. If you’re not already on my mailing list, this is the perfect time to hop on. I send out postcards at regular intervals throughout the year. If you’d enjoy receiving something from me and mine, I’m prepping a Christmas mailing now!

Who would you send a Christmas card to if you could?

Angel Unaware, Part 11: Homemaker

The November issue of Christian Fiction Online Magazine has released, which means the next installment in my ongoing Threshold-based serial is ready for readers. Follow the links below to Part Eleven, “Homemaker.”

He was the new kid, and he needed a friend.

Story Summary: Marcus had never been a typical cherub. Raised on earth instead of in enclaves, he blended right in with humanity. The perfect Graft. But what Marcus wanted more than anything else was to become a warrior. So he asked God for a mentor. Marcus gets his armor fittings and swordsmanship lessons. But he also ends up with a couple of well-meaning foster parents, three nosy siblings, a lonesome landlord, and a new best friend.

Angel Unaware, © Copyright 2015 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved.

Part Eleven: “Homemaker”

Christian Fiction Online Magazine, November 2015 | Read it now >>

After you’ve read there, I hope you’ll come back here with any comments and questions. : )

OUTTAKE: The Forever Song

“Day and night they never stop saying:

‘HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE Lord GOD ALMIGHTY,

WHO WAS, AND IS, AND IS TO COME.’”

REVELATION 4:8

The Forever Song

Prissie knew what it was like to have a tune running around and around in her head, but that was nothing compared to Koji’s musical tendencies. He was always humming, singing under his breath, or serenading right out loud. It was hard to tell if it was a heavenly habit, a personal quirk, or some kind of game. Many times, he didn’t seem to realize he was laying down his own sound track.

“Is that the same song you were singing earlier?”

Koji’s hands stilled. They were at the kitchen counter, peeling apples for one last pie. The young angel shook his head, but answered, “Yes.”

She blinked. “You don’t sound very sure.”

“Even if the song changes, it is still my song.”

“That makes it sound like you only know one song.”

“Indeed.”

Neat spirals of apple peel accumulated on the cutting board while Prissie wrestled with his answer, but it was no use. Koji thought like an angel, and she was only human. “Sometimes when you’re singing, I almost recognize the melody. Like it’s from a song I learned when I was little. Or heard once on the radio.”

Koji nodded. “We all know the forever song.”

Prissie frowned. “I don’t.”

He gently poked her, right in the middle of her forehead. “Not here. The song is not a memory.”

“Then what is it?”

“Thoughts become lyrics. Sacrifice becomes incense. Faith become fruit. Work becomes worship. Joys become melody.”

She grumbled, “I’m talking about music. You’re talking about … life.”

Tipping his head to one side, Koji asked, “When do I sing?”

“All the time!”

“Then what is the difference between life and song?”

And she was stumped.

Koji reached for another apple before saying, “There are places in the Scriptures where the lyrics are archived. They are not the same without the melodies woven through, but the words live.”

Prissie pared her apple and began slicing. “Am I allowed to hear one of these songs I’m supposed to know?”

The boy’s hands stilled once more. And for an answer, he began quoting from Revelation 15. “And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious.”

“Is that heaven?”

“It will be.” Koji continued, speaking the words with reverence. “They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb.”

Moses had a song? Prissie knew he’d written the first five books of the Bible. And the song of the Lamb was all the way at the end. In the book of Revelation. Beginning and end. All of Scripture. With a start, she asked, “Does that mean the whole Bible is somehow a song?”

Koji’s eyes sparkled, and he switched to singing for the final part. The melody sent goose bumps all up and down Prissie’s arms.

“Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty.

Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages.

Who will not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name?

For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You,

for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” –Revelation 15:3–4

♦♦♦

Look into these things …

“Even angels long to look into these things.” –1 Peter 1:12

♦ If you were laying down a sound track for your life, what songs would you include?

♦ What do you think Koji was talking about when he said, “Thoughts become lyrics. Sacrifice becomes incense. Faith become fruit. Work becomes worship. Joys become melody.”

♦ Can life and worship be separated? Should they be? When does life become worship?

OUTTAKES INDEX >>

Bible Studies: Women of Faith

Bible Studies. I’ve written oodles of Bible studies. Some for women. Some for teens. Some for … well, anyone who’s a student of the Word. This past week, my publisher emailed to let me know that four of my Women of Faith Bible studies are getting a new look. Which is the perfect excuse for some show-and-tell.

The other three titles that are due for re-release with brand new covers are Living Above Worry and Stress, A Life of Worship, and Discovering God’s Will. Maybe you (or your moms) would like to check them out! ; )

OUTTAKE: In the Beginning

“In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the

foundations of the earth, and the

heavens are the work of Your hands.”

HEBREWS 1:10

In the Beginning

Prissie grabbed her Bible and climbed into her bedroom’s windowseat. There were things she wanted to know. About her new friend in particular. About angels in general. But she wasn’t sure where to start. Although she’d been encouraged to read her Bible from the time she was young, she’d never studied a single topic before. “Am I supposed to start reading at the first page and watch for angels to come up?”

Asking an empty room wasn’t much good. With a small shrug, Prissie flipped to Genesis 1 and settled in to read. To her surprise, she ran into her first angel by chapter three. She was just rereading the verses when someone knocked. “Is that you, Koji?” she called.

“It is.” The boy opened the door and leaned through. “May I join you?”

“Please.” Prissie self-consciously lifted the Bible. “I was only reading.”

The young Observer climbed onto the wide seat and leaned close. “Did you make a discovery?”

“How did you know?” He only shrugged, so she pointed to the passage she’d found. “I didn’t remember that there were cherubim in the beginning.”

Koji read Genesis 3:24 aloud.

“After He drove the man out, He placed on the east side

of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword

flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

“Doesn’t that mean that Adam and Eve knew about angels?”

“Indeed.”

Running her thumb along pages edged in gold, Prissie asked, “How many more verses about angels will I come to if I keep reading?”

“There are more than two-hundred and fifty references.” Koji lightly touched her arm. “Perhaps if you began with the concordance …?”

Turning to the very end of the book, Prissie checked the index. There weren’t hundreds, but her Bible listed nearly forty verses about angels. “So I should start with these?”

“Please.” Koji gazed at her with earnest expectation.

It wasn’t hard to figure out what he wanted. “Now?”

His smile was all the answer she needed.

♦♦♦

Look into these things …

“Even angels long to look into these things.” –1 Peter 1:12

♦ Where do you do like to your Bible reading?

♦ Have you ever done a word study through the Bible, looking at one particular theme? Do you use Bible studies or workbooks?

♦ What’s the difference between Bible reading and Bible study? What can you gain from each?

OUTTAKES INDEX >>

Mini-Challenge: Angels Devotional

Who wants a postcard? Whenever I plan a trip, I like to issue a mini-challenge. Since I’ll be hither and thither for the next little while, it’s the perfect excuse to offer an incentive. Let’s set a two-week time limit. If you’ll post a new review of Angels: A 90-Day Devotional About God’s Messengers by Monday, November 16, I’ll drop a postcard in the mail for you. Comment below to let me know that you’re taking part! : )

Facebook Party: Tonight!

If you’re a fan of science fiction & fantasy, you’re cordially invited to tonight’s Facebook party. My friend Kara is hosting an event with games & giveaways. Drop in! Giveaways include the first two books in the Threshold Series by Christa Kinde and Galleries of Stone, Book 1: Meadowsweet by C. J. Milbrandt. The festivities start at 4:00 p.m. (Pacific). EVENT PAGE >>

NEWSWORTHY: Writer of the Year

San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild. I’m a member of the SDCWG, which boasts a host of local critique groups and hosts two annual writer’s events. The Writing for Life conference in October is the big one. In the main sessions and workshops, writers find encouragement on the path to publication, answers to from experts in the industry, and help in honing their craft.

For those hoping to secure a traditional publishing contract, the conference is a huge opportunity to sit across the table from publishers, editors, and agents. And the floor is opened in both small and large formats for Q&A. Not only that, but attendees get to spend hours with other writers. I think this is especially valuable for fiction-writers. We’re a bunch of introverts who live slightly out-of-step with those closest to us. When you discover that there are others who listen to the voices in their heads … who dream up whole worlds we wish we could visit … and who “get” that characters are people, too. Well! It can be a big encouragement to see so many kindred spirits coming out of the woodwork.

Although I’m a homebody, I can no longer claim to be a wallflower. These events prove that I’m more ambivert than introvert (yay, middle ground). This was my third conference, and I was laughing, waving, hugging, and swapping writerly gossip with oodles of folks who share my passion for story. I raided the book tables, then hunted them down to sign their work. (Doncha love a book splurge?)

My haul, all by local authors!

[My tastes: mermaids, aliens, angels, and graphic novels]

And as I’ve mentioned in past posts, the SDCWG hosts annual writing contests. There’s a spring writing contest, and authors can enter the books they published in the past year. Aspiring writers can enter unpublished manuscripts. There’s an award for excellence … and they name a “Writer of the Year.”

Floored. Flustered. Flattered.