A Case for Hibernating

Four and a half MONTHS? Seriously, it's been that long since I've posted here, fellow Nudgees? I knew it had been a while, but really . . .

However, there is a reason -- and for once not an excuse! (I love making that discinction) If you're still out there -- or you've just stumbled onto this place -- I'd love to share that reason with you, not only so you won't think I'm a slacker (I think that ship has sailed) but because I think it might be helpful to any of you who feel overwhelmed and sidetracked from the really imporant stuff -- like, hello, your purpose in being here.

Here goes.

First of all, the past several months have been absolutely packed with career-changing events. None of them are headline news, but for me they've been significant.

       * I finished the third book in The Reluctant Prophet trilogy. Too Far To Say Far Enough will be released in October 2012. It was the most complicated thing I'd ever written and, according to my masterful genius of an editor Jamie Chavez, perhaps a little TOO complicated. I'm in the midst of chiseling away what shouldn't be there so I can find the angel (you know that quote from Michelangelo, right?)

        (And by the way, if you're looking for an incredible free lance editor for your adult novel, Jamie is your girl. If you've complete a middle grade manuscript and need editing, I highly recommend Joyce Magnin.)

       * I'm rewriting/revising all four of the FaithGirlz non-fiction books (Girl Politics, Everybody Tells Me to Be Myself, Body Talk and The Skin You're In) which is actually a treat because how often does an author get to go back and improve on something that's already been published? I'm really grateful to Zonderkidz for this opportunity. 

        * I'm also updating the Lily fiction and non-fiction books which are being re-released by their new publisher, Tommy Nelson. Now THAT is a trip! I wrote those books in the late 1990's, early 2000's, and I was afraid before I started that I would find my past writing to be trite and amateurish and funky. With a couple of exceptions, though, the words and stories still rang true, and I love my precious Lily as much as ever. Again, what a very-cool opportunity. The first two, Here's Lily  and The Beauty Book release April 12. On that day, Lily and I are totally going to celebrate on the Tween You and Me blog, so hopefully you'll send the mini-women  you know in that direction.

    * I wrote a book for teen girls called The Whole Guy Thing which Zonderkidz will release on April 23. It was an interesting project for me at age 60, but the perspective of age and the help of the girls on my teen blog and their guy friends have made it what I hope will be seen as an honest, straight-forward, not-just-about-the-rules guide for girls to make their own decisions about the males in their lives. Because when you get right down to it, the choices really are theirs. It will be interesting to see if I get flack from parents. Actually, I would like to have that conversation . . .

    * I've signed an agreement to write three novels with Christian singer, speaker, author, and actress Rebecca St. James, to be published by Thomas Nelson. We're writing for the older teen/twentysomething audience on some of the issues Rebecca hears repeatedly from the young women she ministers to. The first one has to do with self-injury (known as "cutting"). I guess I never have shied away from the hard things. I'm setting it in Montana on a sheep ranch, though, and we've already met some intriguing characters, so it isn't going to be a downer at all. I'm hoping that spending time with "Kirsten" will help me heal from my grieving over Allison. (No, she doesn't die in Too Far! I just miss hanging out with her)

 

That's all great news. The writing and speaking are alive and well and I'm so blessed - and jazzed -- to be able to continue ministering, hopefully until I keel over at the computer or fade into senility -- whichever comes first.

It's been the challenges that have kept me quiet on the internet, out of the social media loop and sometimes even away from my email inbox. They haven't been so much discouraging as they have been impetus to take a deep look at where God's taking me. They're things like this:

        * I've proposed several ideas to my tried-and-true publishers and have been sometimes shot down, sometimes ignored and sometimes sympathized with in the midst of the "no." Writers have to get used to rejection, but honestly, it had been a long time since I'd experienced it. I can't say it was humbling because I've never just expected that anything I throw out there is going to be snatched up and published (thank goodness it hasn't been!) But it has been puzzling. The market has changed so very much, and I had to figure out whether I want to change with it.

           * While The Reluctant Prophet books have gotten wonderful reviews and have won awards (RP was just announced as a finalist for the ECPA Christian Book Award yesterday -- how cool is that?) , they frankly haven't sold well at all. I'm actually grateful to Don Pape at David C. COok for not canceling the trilogy after Unexpected Dismounts, as many publishers would have felt like they had to do. I joke that people are passing their copies around too much instead of making their friends buy their own -- but I know there are more significant reasons for the lackluster sales.     I've said before -- and this is NOT a criticism of wonderful authors like Beverly Lewis at ALL -- that if Allison were wearing a bonnet on those covers, she might have had a better chance. A gal on a motorcycle doesn't attract the attention of the typical reader who goes into a Christian bookstore. Which means we have to reach our audience in different ways, and quite honestly, I don't know how to do that. So I've had to spend some time these last several months contemplating whether I want to learn how, or simply give up writing for adult readers and put my energies into the girls.

        * I also have a passion for a particular idea for a middle grade trilogy that's been percolating for a while. A publisher recently showed interest and encouraged me to develop it. But here's the thing: it's sort of a fantasy. I've never written in that genre. I've only recently started to enjoy even reading it (should I come out that I've never read Tolkein?) Am I too old to make that change? Can I pull it off, or are die-hard fantasy readers going to tear me apart? Or can I even worry about that because I'm feeling like this is a God-thing?

Those are big things, seeing how I may only write for another ten or fifteen years as I phase into teaching and mentoring fresh new writers. So because there are only so many hours in the day (kairos time notwithstanding!) I've made that kind of contemplation a priority over chatting here with you on the blog, posting on Facebook, tweeting, Pinteresting, LinkingIn, and revamping my website. In a sense, I guess I've hibernated this winter. Christine Valters Paintner, in her incredible book The Artist's Rule, validates that for me:

 

        "We can perceive mental blocks and spiritual or artistic dryness as periods of uncertainty, of incubating, of trusting the seeds deep beneath the surface. We recognize the rhythms of nature as the rhythms of our own soul. We have cycles and seasons as artists also . . . Embracing quiet periods, rather than resisting them, can lead us to more peacefulness and deeper expression of our art making."

So now here comes the sun (my favorite Beatles' song). If you're still with me or have just joined us, I hope this can be the re-start of our journey together -- a journey of nudges and resistance and obedience and outrageous outcomes. Chime in if you're in.

And as if to say, "Yes, this is right," my granddaugther took her first step today.

 

Blessings,

Nancy Rue