Kerry Johnson's Blog, page 5

Go Long & Trust Deep

“Mom, I have to go. There’s a turtle in the road. I’ll call you back.”

“What? Be careful! Are there lots of cars? Be careful!” Mom’s words trample each other.

“It’s at the back of our neighborhood. Barely any cars. He’s just sitting there. I’m parking now.”

“Be careful! Watch out for cars.”

I nod in agreement, then smirk. I’m alone in the vehicle. “I will. No other cars so far. Just me and the turtle. I’ll call you back in a few.”

God sometimes answers my prayers and questions through situations with His creation. So I geared up for it, ready to listen to His voice, because I’d been praying specifically about something in my life, asking God for direction and wisdom.

Asking Him to guide me so I don’t step out ahead of Him. Asking for patience.

Wait…patience, and a turtle?

Oh no, Lord. Turtles are sooo-ooo slow.

The frightened Florida Cooter had a dark shell, long claws, and a striped black and yellow face which remained mostly hidden when I scooped him from the yellow lines dissecting the road.

I was just glad he wasn’t dissected all over the road.

I carried the quiet fellow to safety–the opposite side of the road, where he was headed. Half-dried, hunter green pond ooze rubbed against the pads of my fingers.

Relief that I’d recently bought a container of sanitizing wipes for my truck swept over me.

“I hope you were aiming for the big pond, fella.”

Directly across the road is a tiny waterhole; calling it a pond is gross exaggeration. It’s more like an alligator bathtub. Maybe twenty feet in length and fifteen feet wide, the small pond can’t be any deeper than my knees.

And I’m not very tall.

But beyond this micro-pond, past forty or fifty yards of dry grass and sandy Florida soil, a shimmering sea of a lake stretches out. Acres and acres of water reach a sloped hillside.

Water, as far as my eyes could see. A vast expanse of gray-blue beauty, a veritable turtle paradise, making the tiny pond look like a giant’s tear.

“You don’t want the tiny pond. Go for the big one.” I’m certain he’ll appreciate the advice.

I walk the turtle across the gritty ground, place him gently down, just inside a wide expanse of barbed wire fence (the huge lake is on private property marked by the barbed wire).

Mr. Turtle glanced back with his black and yellow eye then set off. Scuffling toward the turtle-paradise-lake.

How sad if he would’ve ended up in the mud puddle minnow pond instead of the huge lake just beyond.

The turtle slowed on the grass, scoped out his surroundings.

“Go long, fella.” I glance around. Thankfully no cars drive by to see me gesturing to the turtle.

I grin as he crests the hill descending to the lake. Nothing lays in his way except deep, deep water. I turn toward my car.

Go long, trust deep.

Do I do that for You, Lord? Do I trust You as deeply as that lake goes?

Often I pray Proverbs 3: 5 & 6. It was my grandma Mimi’s life verse, and it settles my impatient, selfish mind back on Jesus.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

In life, God often calls us to go long. Long distances, long periods of time, long weeks, months of pain and hurt. Times of uncertainty.

But He also calls us to trust deep–to know Him through His word and believe that His grace will cover the difficult, tedious path.

Believe His plans–His pond–will be bigger, deeper, better. Exceedingly, abundantly more.

Trust Him. Go long, friend, and trust deep. He is so worthy.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph. 3:20 & 21)

Filed under: Musings Tagged: candidkerry, Faith, patience, Proverbs 3: 5-6, Trusting God, turtles

Why We Write

Tonight I’m writing about stories, instead of writing a story.

Well, kind of.

I was asked by my younger son’s teacher to share a lesson on creative writing. For a class of friendly 4th graders I’ve watched sprout up like spring flowers from kindergarten.

I simplified the idea of story and creative writing for the younger set and prepared a fun writing activity, keeping in mind they’re nine and ten.

Why do we Write Stories?

To tell others about something that happened
To create something new with words, using the imagination God gave us
To entertain others
To bring glory to God with words

What’s in a Story?

Characters–who the story is about
Setting–where the story takes place
Action–what happens in the story

Use the five senses in your story:

Touch—Cold, hot, slimy
Taste—bitter, sweet, scalding
Sight—bright, dark, shining,
Smell—stinky, delicious, musty
Hearing—loud, quiet, squeaky

Even writing about writing, the pull toward words and what they make when they’re strung together just so is overwhelming. Beauty and truth in little nuggets of sound and sight that speak to others.

Words. Oh, how we writers love them. (Just not too many of them.)

So…why do we write stories?

Is it for that pull, that sense of creating something from nothing, bringing life to our imagination and giving God’s grace words and wings? Yes.

Not really for this reason, though it’s very true.

Like many writers out there, I’m in the thick of NaNoWriMo 2015, in which novelists and aspiring novelists set a goal of fifty thousand words (or 50k, as we writers lovingly refer to it) during the month of November.

It’s grueling and exhilarating all at once.

So…why do we write these stories?

A quick search online brings up a number of ideas, reasons, thoughts on the matter.

To be fully alive. 2. To make a name for ourselves. 3. To change the world. 4. To discover meaning.

Personally, only number one resonates with me from that list, because when I write, I’m doing what God created me to do.

Making a name for myself isn’t the goal, and my meaning comes from my Creator and my relationship with Jesus Christ.

And I’m much more interested in touching a few souls than changing the world.

“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Hab. 2:2-3)

So maybe it’s more about this, writers.

God putting a story–stories, hopefully–or characters inside you, and your heart bursting with the need to get them out, into the world. Something so vivid you have to give it–give them–words and lives.

Yes. That’s it.

That’s why we write.

Keep writing, writers. The world needs your stories.

“My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” (Psalm 45:1)

Filed under: Musings Tagged: candidkerry, God, NaNoWriMo, Stories, writers, writing

Two Great Books and a Blank Page

I heart books.

All sorts of them. Stories are undiscovered or old friends, holding out a hand for adventure, love, mystery, and lessons in grace.

I read two books recently that blew me away, and I wanted to share them.

***

Promise to Keep, by Elizabeth Byler Younts

I don’t read a lot of Amish. I just don’t. But Elizabeth Byler Younts is an author I’ll always keep an eye out for.

In Promise to Keep, she uses her gentle, lovely way with words, mixing the quiet, insulated world of the Amish with the harsh realities of PTSD from World War II. It’s a poignant story about loss, forgiveness, trust, and blossoming love.

Esther Detweiler has spent her life caring for others, most recently her deceased cousin’s young daughter, Daisy. Daisy is deaf, and her father, Marine Joe Garrison, has no idea how to communicate with or care for his daughter when he returns stateside after service.

He not only mourns his late wife but now carries demons of his own via the war-torn trenches overseas.

Joe’s return to Sunrise, Delaware creates a whirlwind of emotions for Esther and Daisy, who communicate through sign language and are bonded like mother and daughter. Despite her great love for Daisy, Esther–who grew up fatherless–knows she must reunite Joe and Daisy and begin to let go of the sweet young girl.

But how can she without tearing her heart out?

Younts carefully crafts a tale of hurt and loss coupled with grace and forgiveness. There’s some truly beautiful writing in this story. The author’s turns-of-phrase are soft and strong, perfect for the depth of emotion needed to convey Daisy’s socially-shunned disability, Esther’s lonely spinsterhood, and Joe’s heavy nightmares.

The story builds at a steady pace, until the pleasing final chapters wrap up with satisfying sigh. Or two, or three. Fans of Amish fiction and of WWII, grace-filled romance will love Esther, Joe, and Daisy’s story. It’s one I highly recommend.

***

Secrets She Kept, by Cathy Gohlke

People often ask bookworm-types (I’m a proud bookworm) this difficult question: “Who’s your favorite author and/or book?”

Umm, that’s like choosing which of your children you love more/most. Impossible.

So. While I can’t claim to know which book is my favorite, I will claim a favorite author.

Cathy Gohlke’s stories simply change me. They shift something in my soul, on a spiritual and emotional level, and take my breath. They burrow deep.

Secrets She Kept?

It. Changed. Me.

Secrets a mother could never share…consequences a daughter could not redeem..

Secrets She Kept is Hannah Sterling’s story, set in the 70s, about a young woman desperate to make sense of her distant, deceased mother’s life. And it’s her mother, Lieselotte’s story, an independent teenager during Hitler’s heavy-handed regime, in love with her brother’s best friend and grieving a parental loss amidst Nazi turmoil.

Hannah and Lieselotte’s lives run parallel as the author weaves inescapable danger, loss, forbidden love, and their fractured family into a story at times so vivid I had to catch my breath.

The mysterious secrets of Lieselotte’s life unfold page after page, in a haunting way, revealing actions and decisions that, though fictional, honestly reflect the hatred and persecution we’re called to never forget.

And challenge us to forgive those we don’t think we ever could.

If you’re a fan of WWII women’s fiction, romance, or mystery, check out Secrets She Kept. It’s an unforgettable story that stirred my soul.

***

I heart books.

I just started book two in my young adult series. How I love that first, blank page. A blinking cursor and my characters, ready to reveal who they are and what they want–need–to do.

The blank page…where the Holy Spirit leads my imagination, and words combine to create something new.

I’m also praying and trusting God to provide the right agent for my YA and women’s fiction stories, and an eventual avenue for publication (Prov. 3:5 & 6). God is so good and I trust His timing.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever! ~ Ps. 106:1

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Author Cathy Gohlke, Author Elizabeth Byler Younts, Book Reviews, books, Cathy Gohlke, Elizabeth Byler Younts, Promise to Keep, Secrets She Kept, writing

Clothed with Grace

One of the best lessons I learned during the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference I attended last month occurred the night before I left for Dallas.

And it had nothing to do with writing.

Not specifically, though it certainly applies to writing and life in general. To a life hidden in Christ.

During the rush of bedtime/wrestle-mania/brush teeth-a-thon, I split open the boys’ Streams in the Desert for Kids devotional we’d started a few weeks back.

My eyes roved over the day’s devotion, but my mind was on other things.

Namely, the huge mass of clothing laying across our guest bed, the pile of shoes on the carpet, and the enormous open suitcase in which it all needed to fit.

Clothes.

My mind was on clothes.

I’m embarrassed to admit–though it’s true–the most stressful part of the writing conference was figuring out clothes. What would I wear each day, especially for the big fancy Gala/Award Ceremony Saturday night?

After all–let’s be honest. When a bunch of women get together (with a few brave men thrown in), we dress to impress. Each other. We want our hair done, makeup perfect, and a sharp outfit on.

I’m a capri and t-shirt–or in Florida winter, a jeans and t-shirt–kind of girl. I don’t do fancy. Maybe dressy is the more appropriate word. If you see me on a regular basis, you know that.

A friend called my style sporty casual, and I’m good with that.

Not that I don’t enjoy getting dressed up every now and then. (By every now and then I mean, oh, twice a year or so. Easter and Christmas parties work nicely, maybe a fancy date night thrown in for good measure.)

For the ACFW conference I had to plan out three days’ worth of outfits…you do the math.

8x8x4(5-2) + 16= stylish.

Wait. That’s not right.

I needed at least six tops, five pairs of pants (and a skirt, for good measure), and a couple of dresses.

Oh, and 14 pairs of shoes. I’m kidding.

Of course, I’m kidding.

I mean 12 pairs shoes.

My sister–and fashion consultant–was bone weary from my constant texts during the three weeks leading up to the conference.

“Does this look okay?”

“Are these shoes dressy enough?”

“How about this dress for the Gala? Why not!?”

Back to my point here. I read the boys’ devotional that hectic evening, the eve of the biggest venture in my writing career.

And God used my sons’ devotional to grab my shoulders and gently grasp my chin, pulling my gaze heavenward, away from the ridiculous mass of clothing to His fixed place on the throne of Heaven.

The daily devotional just happened to focus on Matthew 6:25-32.

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (v. 25)…So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (v. 28).

That evening, short hours before I flew off on a jet plane with a jam-packed suitcase full of fancy new clothes, I regained a peace that passes all understanding.

Not because of something I did, but because of Who God is and the grace and peace He gives us when we keep our eyes on Him. Knowing He would work out all things for good during those exciting three days–including the very clothes I’d put on.

Because of Jesus, we’re clothed in grace.

Daily. Moment by moment.

“Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matt. 6:30)

 

Filed under: Musings Tagged: ACFW Conference, candidkerry, Clothed in grace, grace, Jesus, Lillies of the field, Matthew 6:25, Writing conference

Newbie Reflections: ACFW Post-Conference Takeaway

The conference is over.

I can’t believe I just typed that sentence.

It’s September 21st, and I’m home in Tampa with two happy boys, a relieved hubby, and a dog that won’t stop licking me. I can live without the licking, but I’m sure glad to be home.

Since mid-June, the build up for this conference–in my own life and in the lives of other newbies (new ACFW conference attendees)–has been an exciting and heavy weight.

So, you might wonder, what does the annual ACFW conference consist of? What do writers do at writing conferences?

Sit in large silent groups with laptops open, feverishly typing away at a manuscript and avoiding eye contact at all cost? 
Throw sentence diagramming parties to make sure we’re following grammar rules to the nth degree in our stories?
Take turns reading our favorite scene from our stories then acting them out? 

Here’s what DOES happen at a writers’ conference:

If you’re unrepresented, you pitch your story(ies) to agents, face-to-face (Sweaty palms, much?)
If you are represented by an agent, you pitch to editors from publishing houses (Normal people, the veterans assured us. Agents and editors are just like us, they said. And they really are.)
Meals shared with brand new middle grade writer friends.

Panels with witty agents giving helpful advice and sharing industry nuggets about genre, sales figures, and self-publishing wisdom.
Really yummy food (no dishes for three days!)
Hugs and smiles from authors you’ve read and loved and look up to. Gratitude sigh, Carla Stewart, Anne Mateer, and Nancy Kimball.

Smiles and encouragement from those who were newbies once, too (last year, even).
Thoughtful, timely words prayed over me as I was about to pitch for the first time, from a woman I didn’t know seated beside me (how I wish I’d gotten her name).
Getting all prettied-up for the Gala on Saturday night. Heels and all.

Worshipping together each day, hands lifted, praising Jesus for Who He is before we even set about sharing our stories. He IS the story, we are the words to share His love and saving grace. This was probably my favorite part of the conference.
Spending time with my mom and sister, who came along for moral support.

Really yummy desserts. (No dishes for three days!)
Seeing my name on the big screen as a YA Genesis finalist? Unforgettable and humbling. God’s grace, lit up.

Sitting in classes taught by boots-on-the-ground authors, veterans and those who have just been published, people brimming with advice, encouragement, and wisdom.
Really yummy chai lattes in the coffee shop. (No dishes for three days!)
New writing friends who clomped through airport parking garages with me in the Dallas heat.

Feeling the peace that passes all understanding guarding my heart as I waited to pitch to agents and editors, knowing dear friends and family were praying for that very thing. God’s peace.

So.

The conference is over.

There will be next year, Lord willing. Nashville. And I won’t be a newbie. I’m glad for this.

In the meantime, we writers write. We plot, read, critique, write more, edit, talk dialogue aloud, and write more.

I’m so thankful to have gone to ACFW 2015.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

 

Filed under: Musings Tagged: ACFW, ACFW Conference, American Christian Fiction Writers, candidkerry, Christian writers, Genesis contest, God, God's grace, Writers' conference, Writing for the Lord, YA Genesis

Pre-Conference Mix & Mingle ~ Kerry Johnson

We’re days away from ACFW’s (American Christian Fiction Writers) annual Conference, this year held in Dallas, TX. I’m excited (and nervous) to join hundreds (thousands!?) of writers who love God, stories, and learning more about the craft of writing. Oh, and plenty of agents and editors, too.

It’s been so fun getting to know other authors through the pre-conference mix and mingle. A great reminder they’re just normal people too, a little scared and a lot excited to see what God has in store for our stories and lives through the words He’s given us.

A big thank you to Laurie Tomlinson for graciously putting this together!

Here’s My Scoop (Mint chocolate chip, please):

Name: Kerry Johnson

Location: Tampa, FL

What you write/tagline/trademark: Young Adult/middle grades “Adventures in Faith,” and Contemporary Women’s Fiction “Stories of Real Redemption.”

Place in the book world: Pre-published, seeking representation. The first book in my middle grades speculative fiction trilogy is complete and I’m outlining the second. My contemporary women’s fiction story is complete with a second book in the works. (I also self-published a devotional, Grace for the Gaps: Rejoicing in Jesus on Life’s Journey.)

On a scale of hugger to 10-foot-pole, please rate your personal space: Mid-level Hugger: 6 You want a hug? I give hugs. You don’t want a hug? We just chat until we’re ready to hug. :)

The unique talking point that will get you going for hours: My hubby & two boys, books, books, and more books (sigh…love romance and middle grades adventure, read voraciously), the strange creatures in our house (our pets, not our kids), Jesus and amazing grace.

Loved ones at home you’ll be missing: My hubby, two boys, and our drooling, squirrel-obsessed dog, Jedi. I’m thankful my mom and sister are joining me for a sort-of ‘girls weekend away’ celebrating my Genesis final. :)

Conference goals we can pray for? Connecting with other writers, especially of the same genre; peace about pitching to agents and editors; finding the agent God has for me.

Anything we can celebrate with you? A final in the Genesis (YA category) and finally sending out my first query. Squeeeeeee :) God is good!

One or two ways we can help you build your platform? You can like my on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. My author website is mostly done, but not quite ready for subscribers.

Thank you, Laurie, for hosting this. I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s answers and meeting you all at conference. Hugs & God Bless!

Filed under: Musings Tagged: ACFW, Author, candidkerry, CBA, Christian Authors, Laurie Tomlinson, Pre-conference Mix and Mingle, Writing conference

Author Interview: Normandie Fischer ~ Heavy Weather

Today on my blog I’m honored to welcome author Normandie Fischer. We met through ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) a few months ago, and I recently read her Carolina Coast Novel, Heavy Weather.

Normandie writes Southern women’s fiction threaded with sailing, real life, and hope. She has four published novels: Becalmed, Heavy Weather, Sailing out of Darkness, and Two from Isaac’s House.

My review of Heavy Weather is here.

First of all, welcome to my blog! I’m so glad to have you here. You’re the only Normandie I’ve ever known. Were you named after the province in France?

I always wished I’d been named after something as glamorous as the beach or the province—or even the ship. Instead my father saw the name on a small street in the California town of Redlands, where he grew up. Nothing exciting about that, but when I eventually married Michael, I discovered that he had also grown up in Redlands and had delivered newspapers on Normandie Court. Isn’t that a hoot? My father loved what he imagined a coincidence. Of course, it wasn’t, was it?

Have you always loved words, stories, and writing? Please share highlights of your road to publication and any stories that inspired you to write.

I studied creative writing beginning in eighth grade under a teacher who drew so much from us. He taught me the poetic, and I’ve written it ever since. But I also sculpted. I’d always been able to replicate whatever I saw and attended art classes at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC, and later in Italy. I received my first portrait commission in my teens. I also wrote for school literary magazines.

In my twenties, I took a job as a proofreader, which led to a copy editing position, then to the job as a developmental editor, and ultimately to the position of senior editor. I loved the work. I continued to sculpt and teach, and won a number of awards while my work landed in various parts of the country. But I wanted to try fiction, which meant a shift in focus. I studied the craft. I bought every book I could find and joined critique groups. I finished a fun story set in Italy and the Middle East (Two from Isaac’s House) that I submitted at a conference. With it, I won the best new writer award for that year and felt the excitement surge–only to plummet when the then-acquisitions editor at Tyndale said he’d love to publish my award-winner if I’d please add more of a salvation message to it. I heard the same from the other two houses whose editors had given me the award.

But we have to know ourselves and our audience, don’t we? I’m a Christian, and my worldview is certainly Christian, but I write for the me I was before I met the Lord. I write real stories of real people for real people, and I hope they reveal truth as I see it.

Life grew complicated in the mid-nineties when the father of my children decamped and I began taking care of my aged auntie, the same woman who had taught me to sail. I was hired by the late Iranian actor and director Reza Fazeli to write his action memoir, which was very exciting, and I began writing Southern women’s fiction (often with a sailing component). Eventually, I met and married the love of my life, and my auntie and I moved to California with him. The rest of the story involves buying a boat big enough for us all, setting sail, writing from on board, finding one agent and then a second. The second found publishers for my first two books, and I decided to indie publish Heavy Weather. And here I am. Many years later, much wiser, having a grand time. Writing, writing, writing.

Now to your thrilling and emotionally rich book, Heavy Weather. How did this story, and these very lifelike characters, come about? Was it one particular character, or a situation from the news? Or perhaps the vibrant, small-town setting of Beaufort, NC?

Storylines come to us in so many ways, don’t they? I began HW knowing I wanted to tell Hannah’s story. We’d learned in Becalmed (where she was Tadie’s sidekick) that Hannah and Matt had lost two baby boys. So, how would Hannah feel if her friends were pregnant? To up the ante, I thought it might be interesting to have her find, rescue, and fall in love with two children, children who would never be hers.

Which brought Annie Mac to my notice. Now I had to learn who she was, why the bad stuff had happened to her, and what could be done to help her. We’d also met Clay at the end of Becalmed, so his entry into this story worked.

I love the idea of small towns in which folk know each other. What I discovered from spending childhood vacations with my family in New Bern (NC) and near Beaufort was that odd folk fit in. They’re often accepted in ways you don’t see in cities. Every family seemed (in those days) to have its odd maiden aunt or its miscreant or some issue that required the town’s help—or at least the town’s tolerance. I’m not suggesting that everyone in any town fits this image, but I know that my spinster aunt had a slew of friends of all sorts, and they supported each other even in their different lifestyles. So, when I decided to use Beaufort as a small town in which to place my characters, I created a core of friends who told each other the truth, who wept with each other, and who rallied together to help someone like Annie Mac.

I don’t often read stories with multiple points of view. Heavy Weather was a refreshing change. Each chapter is written through one of four main character’s eyes: Hannah, Annie Mac, Clay, or Roy. And wow—writing in the antagonist’s (bad guy’s) point of view must’ve been a challenge, yet it enriched the story because the reader grasps where he’s coming from and what makes him tick. Which character’s POV did you enjoy writing in most? How about least?

I loved them all, but I may have enjoyed writing in the bad guy’s head the most. It was certainly the most challenging: how to make him real, believable, and convinced he’s right. He was searching for family in his own highly warped way, just as each of the other characters was. Writing from multiple POVs is so much fun because it gives me a chance to imagine how I’d feel if I were each one. Once I do that, they take on a life of their own and their actions grow organically. They act—or respond–because of who they are and what they’ve experienced. I believe that all actions have reactions or consequences, and how we respond to those consequences—whether the result of our actions or another’s—determines our growth. Roy refused to grow, and the lies he told himself brought on consequences for everyone, including himself.

Heavy Weather is gritty and real, filled with glimpses of raw real life. Infertility, abuse, and racism are heavy subjects. Did the weight of your characters’ lives and difficult situations ever become too much while writing, or was the telling of their stories freeing, knowing it could be helpful to those going through the reality of such situations?

I used to be involved in a counseling ministry and heard more tales than you can imagine. I’ve also lived many years with my share of heartache and loss. I don’t think anyone gets through life without pain or loss in some form, so delving into these issues, watching my characters grow—or not—as each confronts his or her circumstances, not only fascinates me, but also gives me hope. I want to continue to grow as a person, and I think growth only comes when we recognize the lies we’ve told ourselves and figure out how to overcome and accept who we are and how we fit into our world.    

 I might have a teensy fictional crush on Clay, Beaufort’s police lieutenant. Do you have a favorite character from Heavy Weather?

Clay’s great, isn’t he? I think he’s rather crush-worthy myself. But then, I felt that way about Will and Teo—a sailor and a crippled mystery writer. Honey, if you can’t fall a little in love with your heroes (no matter what they look like or what they do or where they come from), then how can you imagine anyone else will?

I’d love to hear about your other books and the story you’re currently working on.

Becalmed (2013) was my debut title and introduces Tadie, Will, and Jilly to readers, so it was fun to write them into Heavy Weather. In it, Hannah has the role of Tadie’s best friend. Girlfriends are so important, so she had to have her own story. (Hence, Heavy Weather) I’m working on another Beaufort book, still titleless, that picks up Annie Mac and Clay’s evolving story and introduces a few more fascinating people who have just moved to town, including another single mother and her bi-racial daughter. I have another nasty fellow in this one—a very, very different sort, but still fascinating to me as I uncover the lies that allow him to act as he does. I can’t wait to reveal more of that story as it evolves. I also have the beginning of a fourth Beaufort book that deals with family issues revolving around an elderly member with dementia.

Sailing out of Darkness (also published in 2013) is another book about consequences and guilt, which I set on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the Italian Riviera. It has some wonderful characters in it—and some of the ditties I wrote. It was a finalist for the Maggie from the Georgia RWA in strong romantic elements and for the Aspen Gold out of Denver. (Becalmed won the Catherine from the Toronto RWA in manuscript form and was a finalist for the 2014 ACRA from the Ancient City RWA for 2014.)

I resurrected Two from Isaac’s House (remember that book that won me the first award? The one that didn’t get published?) because I loved the story. It’s my first foray into romantic suspense and should release this November. I’m also working on a prequel to it, my first novella. My goodness, but they are much harder to write than a full-length story.

***

Normandie, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing about your stories, characters, and yourself. Heavy Weather is a deeply moving tale of friendship, love, regret, and healing.

To find out more about Normandie, check out her website HERE. To order a copy of Heavy Weather, click HERE.

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Author interview, Author Normandie Fischer, Book Interview, candidkerry, Heavy Weather, Normandie Fischer, Southern Women's fiction

Growing up and Growing in

The TV flicks on, and I search for my favorite music station on Pandora. Writing music.

Beside the music menu, Curious George’s face fills the screen. Tears prickle so fast I barely have time to blink before they’re racing down my cheeks.

My mind clicks back. Wondering how long since my boys and I read about George’s fishing adventures with the man with the yellow hat? (Fishing with cake? Only George could pull that off.) How long since we watched the colorful animated movie filled with a delightful soundtrack and a beautiful reminder about friendship?

Okay, so this post isn’t actually about Curious George. (Though it was one of my favorite book and TV show series when the boys were younger.)

It’s about parenthood–looking back, saying goodbye to yesterday, and leaning in to our Father when the looking forward scares us. (Because parents get scared, too.)

This year we have a 6th and 4th grader. Where these little boys went, I’m not sure.

The fact is they’ve grown, and grown, and grown. Now we face the newest phase in parenthood–letting them go, little by little, to new places where we aren’t.

Growing up and growing out.

Pass the tissues, please.

Up ahead looms a middle & high school retreat, where 6th-12th graders spend twenty-four hours at a camp an hour away. Wait, what? Away? Middle and high school?

But this.

And this.

Some laugh and say, “Get over it. It’s life, they grow up, they’ll be fine.” Others squint, tear up, and reach in their purse for extra tissues. “They’re your babies.”

Though they’re not babies anymore, they’re still our children. Still under our care, still young and impressionable. And I’m struggling in this transition, the reality of parenting that says we must let them grow up and grow out.

Become who God intends them to be.

Because God endures forever. Childhood? So very fleeting. “But You, O lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations.” (Ps. 102:12)

Last night, my eleven-year old placed his hand on my shoulder, ducked his-almost-same-eye-level face. “Mom, did you sign the retreat paperwork? I have to return it tomorrow.”

He’s excited to spend time with three classmate buddies in a cabin. Playing games, having fellowship. I’m praying about it, giving my worry to God and remembering His great love for our children (greater than my own).

While walking this morning, I noticed an oak tree in a neighbor’s yard, surrounded by dozens of saplings. Little trees that haven’t been mowed down or pulled out. Acorns taking root and growing.

But instead of growing up and growing out, these little baby trees are growing up and in. Close.

Those saplings reminded me. God doesn’t want us growing up and out like our children are, from us.

“You know everything. You’re all set, on your own now. Have fun!” Says God NEVER in His word. Instead, He wants us close, because He knows we need Him.

Growing up and growing in.

God’s word calls us, reminds us, pleads with us, to stay close to Jesus. To grow up and in. Close to our Savior.

“As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children.” (Psalm 103:15-17)

Filed under: Musings Tagged: candidkerry, children, Curious George, God's word, Growing up, Jesus

Author Interview: Belinda Kramer ~ Jesus and the Children of Galilee

I’m thrilled to welcome author Belinda Kramer to my blog today.

Belinda is a new and dear friend I met through my local Christian writers’ group. She has a warm and welcoming smile and is a big encourager.

When I heard she’d written a book called Jesus and the Children of Galilee, about Jesus and two school- aged boys who meet and follow Him, I was intrigued and eager to read the story.

About the Author:

Belinda Kramer is an educator, journalist, and speaker. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations from the University of Florida and a Spanish teaching certificate for kindergarten through twelfth grade levels. Her publishing career began at the age of fifteen when she entered a national short story writing contest and won first place for her story, “The Eternal Promise.”

She has 15 years of experience in public schools teaching Spanish to middle and high school students. Her love for teaching and guiding young people provided the inspiration for her first book “Jesus and the Children of Galilee.”

When she is not teaching she can be found on a running trail, logging some extra miles. Mother of two grown children, Lauren and Nathan, Belinda currently lives in central Florida with her husband Jack.

From the Back of the Book:

Brothers Benjamin and Joel spend their days casting their nets and dreaming about their futures. Benjamin wants to become Galilee’s most prosperous fisherman, and Joel’s dream is to become an important Pharisee–a Jewish leader of the city. One day, they meet a strange newcomer who takes a special interest in helping them.

They follow this stranger all throughout Galilee, witnessing miraculous events and listening to his wisdom. This man is a healer, and claims to be the Son of God. Benjamin believes that this kind rabbi is the city’s new hero, the one they’ve been waiting for, but Joel isn’t so sure. When tragedy strikes, Joel soon learns a valuable lesson that will change his life and the course of history.

***

K: Jesus and the Children of Galilee is a powerful little book about the earthly ministry of Jesus. It’s written in the point of view of two brothers who meet the man claiming to be the Son of God. The story is a unique and beautiful glimpse at the life of Jesus. Please share where the idea came from, and about your journey to publication.

B: My publishing journey began after I joined the Brandon Christian Writers Group and they sponsored a writers’ conference. One of the special guests was Tim Lowry from Ambassador International, a Christian publishing company. After discussing my idea he asked me to send my manuscript, which I subsequently sent after getting it edited and getting my courage up to send it. They accepted it and much to my surprise offered me a publishing contract.

I was inspired to write it after watching my two young nephews throw a cast net off a dock one Easter weekend a couple of years ago. I asked myself, “What if Jesus had encountered two little boys who were fishing on the shore of Galilee? What would he have said to them? How might he have reached them on such a level that they too would become future leaders of the Christian church?” From these questions emerged my story.

K: I really enjoyed the relationship between Benjamin and Joel. In some ways their personalities reminded me of my boys. Elder brother Joel is serious and thoughtful, full of questions, while younger brother Benjamin is fun-loving and lighthearted, with a simple, sure faith.

This description is particularly rich and poignant. “Two tan boys ran barefoot along the sand. They were born of the same mother, but were as different as the shores of the immense Galilee.” Where did you find inspiration for their characters?

B: I have two children. My 21-year-old daughter Lauren is the oldest and when she read the book she quickly recognized herself in Joel’s character. From a young age she questioned everything. Her younger brother Nathan, 19, is the more playful sort that can make a friend in a minute, much like Benjamin.

K: Jesus and the Children of Galilee has twenty-nine concise chapters; at just over 100 pages, the book is a very readable length for children. As a parent, I appreciate this. Are you a writer who plans and outlines, or did you write one chapter at a time and let the story lead?

B: I wrote as I was inspired by God to do it. The funny thing was that the chapters kept coming to me in short takes. I stayed with that length through most of the book. Maybe it came from knowing that many of my middle school students have a short span of attention. I let the story lead as I felt God directed it. I prayed a lot, asking Him to reveal what He wanted my readers to see and hear.

Once I even dreamed I saw Jesus standing on the shore of Galilee just as I described him in the opening chapter looking out over the water with the wind rustling the hem of his tunic. It’s the only time in my life I’ve ever dreamed with Jesus. It was so very real.

K: The story takes the reader through a portion of Jesus’ ministry, including some of the miracles He performed while ministering on earth. I loved that Jesus and the Children of Galilee gives the reader an up-close-and-personal view of Jesus feeding the five thousand and the healing of the sick girl, as well as a touching glimpse of his arrest and crucifixion, through Benjamin and Joel’s eyes. What was the most enjoyable part of writing this story? What about the most difficult?

B: The most enjoyable part of the story was trying to imagine being there at each of those major events myself as a child. I am 54 years old and I don’t like seeing things as an adult sometime. When you see everything as an adult you can become too cynical and untrusting. Through the eyes of children we trust more and we believe more easily.

The most difficult part was how to talk about the crucifixion. I wanted to focus more on the resurrection than all the horrific details of Jesus’ death. I almost didn’t even write the chapter where the boys see Jesus on the way to Calvary, but my father said it needed to be included. I’m so glad he convinced me because it was important for the boys to see some of the pain and sacrifice Jesus had to endure. We must always remember that.

K: Do you have any more books or story ideas on the horizon?

B: I think the book’s epilogue leaves room for a possible sequel with the characters being grown men. The early days of the Christian church through the eyes of Joel and Benjamin’s children might make another historical fiction book.

K: That sounds fascinating! I’ll pray God leads you to write that story, too.

***

Thank you so much, Belinda, for stopping by and answering my questions and sharing about Jesus and the Children of Galilee. I appreciate and highly recommend this gem of a story about our Savior.

For more information about Belinda and Jesus and the Children of Galilee, here are links to her website and Amazon page.

Belinda’s Website

Amazon: Jesus and the Children of Galilee

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Author interview, Belinda Ford Kramer, Children's book, Jesus, Jesus and the Children of Galilee, writing

The Gladiolus and the Dragonfly

I should chop that thing down.

The emerald green of the gladiolus stem was gone. In its place was a dried out, bare stalk. The flowers had withered away, their deep pink beauty just a memory.

The bloom was off the gladiolus, and my glove-covered hands itched to snip, snip.

But, I didn’t.

I’d planted the seed months ago, in the expectant air of spring. A tiny promise in a bag.

My hubby said it would be tall, and it was. God’s amazing design, from nearly invisible in the palm to breathtaking beauty towering over the garden.

Hidden safely away beneath dark soil for weeks, months, the seed finally sprouted then shot up to nearly the same height as my nine-year old.

The gladiolus flower was gorgeous, well worth the wait. Fuchsia tinted with darker, silken edges, it captured the eye and touched the soul with the lushness of God’s paintbrush.

But in the grip of Florida’s summer heat, the flower faded then shriveled up, as did the stem.

For some reason that day, I didn’t cut down the withered gladiolus stalk.

Weeks passed.

The stalk faded to light brown just outside our kitchen window, its frailty evident when the wind blew and the rain pounded.

I should chop that thing down.

But, I didn’t.

Recently, I glanced out the window to a startling sight. On top of the dried up stalk perched a fuchsia dragonfly, like a king, or queen, surveying its flowery domain.

Its delicate, lacy wings and large compound eyes were perfectly still.

The bright spot of color reminded me of the flowers that once graced the gladiolus stem, and I whispered a prayer of thanks to God for the gift, so close to my window.

See, I have a thing for dragonflies, for their perfectly created gift for flight. They fascinate me, with their acrobatic action and huge, shimmery eyes.

In the days following, the pretty fuchsia dragonfly landed on that dead stalk multiple times.

Insect nap time?

I’m not sure, but how my boys and I delighted in its pink presence throughout the day.

Eventually, another one arrived on the stalk.

Golden and smaller, it also came faithfully, perching atop the stalk and providing a close up view of this fascinating little creature of flight.

And I found myself grateful for that dried up gladiolus stalk. For the reminder of the beauty God brings from the withered away moments in my life.

Wondering, praying, and begging, ‘Please God, what good can come of this?’

~~The difficult, painful months dealing with crippling anxiety.

God’s beauty: Identifying with, understanding, and sympathizing with others–friends, family, sisters in Christ–who’ve dealt with anxiety and depression. Encouraging them.

Best part? I can share that Jesus truly never leaves you or forsakes you.

~~The last six years of impatient waiting and the struggle to trust God’s timing, as I learned to write right in the grace-filled wilderness of this dream He scribbled–with a Sharpie–into my heart.

“Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:5)

God’s Beauty: Walking in faith to the perfect timing of His plans, toward the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference in September, in which one of my unpublished manuscripts finaled. Praying for those who didn’t final, because I’ve been there, many times.

Best part? Whatever the outcome may be, “I’m confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6)

Life isn’t all pops of bright color and flowery beauty. It’s often dry stalks and bare stems. But God will use those times for His glory, to strengthen our faith, and to bless and encourage those He’s placed in our life.

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)

Filed under: Musings Tagged: A Lamp, A Light, and A Writer, candidkerry, Dragonflies, Gladiolus, Trials