I went to the reunion for my high school 30th in July. Came back and headed right into a VBS program and school. I haven't seen my story file yet. Here it is December. You might say the burners are going full blast right now with homeschooling teenagers, coaching at a local university (new job) working the old job at Price Chopper and teaching rounds of 3 months each at church. Boys have scouts, soccer and archery during the week, to boot. So writing in on the back burner simmering for a while.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Reaching the joining chapters
I have finally edited the first part of the book to death. I'm at the joining chapters where the book will either break and a second book started or it will just flow into the second part of the longer story. It's only 258 pages, but I can see the first book stopping in this area.
A death has occurred, the hero (Noelle) feels forced into starting the quest for the Firestones, if not for herself then in an attempt to stop war from coming to her homeland. She will have to leave home and travel through the forest and mountains with the army. She will be split from those she is most comfortable. She will have to fight for her life and those around her. She will have to learn to depend on Elohim (God) and stand on her own feet to face a dragon. Book 2 deals with the whole issue of learning who she is and what she believes. A couple of younger characters show up in this story, so Noelle is no longer the youngest, they help bring out a bit of maturity in her.
I'm definitely having fun with the story.
A death has occurred, the hero (Noelle) feels forced into starting the quest for the Firestones, if not for herself then in an attempt to stop war from coming to her homeland. She will have to leave home and travel through the forest and mountains with the army. She will be split from those she is most comfortable. She will have to fight for her life and those around her. She will have to learn to depend on Elohim (God) and stand on her own feet to face a dragon. Book 2 deals with the whole issue of learning who she is and what she believes. A couple of younger characters show up in this story, so Noelle is no longer the youngest, they help bring out a bit of maturity in her.
I'm definitely having fun with the story.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Unforgiveable and forgiveness
While the oldest was in a fly tying class tonight, I had the chance to write.
My character is in a train boxcar with a Vietnam Veteran (Hobo) she asks him if he has ever done anything unforgiveable, but still been forgiven. She is thinking about herself.
He tells her a story of a young private that somehow, while trying to strap some grenades to his belt, fumbles it and knocks the pin out of it while in the middle of camp. He panics and throws it. The grenade bounces off the tent in front of him and rolls over to a table where his captain is writing a letter home. Through reliving the scene before his eyes, he tells how the captain forgave the private, told him 'thank you' for sending him home and that Jesus forgives him too. The captain then reaches upward as if someone unseen is bending down to pick him up and dies.
My character asks if the private ever forgave himself for what he had done. "No, not until tonight. I think it is time to stop running away from forgiveness."
Have you forgiven yourself for things you have done? Or are you still running away from forgiveness?
My character is in a train boxcar with a Vietnam Veteran (Hobo) she asks him if he has ever done anything unforgiveable, but still been forgiven. She is thinking about herself.
He tells her a story of a young private that somehow, while trying to strap some grenades to his belt, fumbles it and knocks the pin out of it while in the middle of camp. He panics and throws it. The grenade bounces off the tent in front of him and rolls over to a table where his captain is writing a letter home. Through reliving the scene before his eyes, he tells how the captain forgave the private, told him 'thank you' for sending him home and that Jesus forgives him too. The captain then reaches upward as if someone unseen is bending down to pick him up and dies.
My character asks if the private ever forgave himself for what he had done. "No, not until tonight. I think it is time to stop running away from forgiveness."
Have you forgiven yourself for things you have done? Or are you still running away from forgiveness?
Sunday, November 28, 2010
I pulled the story out again
This weekend I had the urge topull out and look at my main story that I've shoved into the closet for a while. It was a joy to let the character come to life again. I decided to hack out a few parts and concentrate on the story line with the main character. I"ll not bring in the side characters until they are needed. It's easy work allowing the flow of the story to pick up its pace.
Another change was in the name of a character. His name was okay, it worked, but I tried another and it fits my mental picture better for the character. He has more of a toughness about him, broader shoulders to hold up his responsibilities. I think it will bring out his drive and determination. We'll see.
Another change was in the name of a character. His name was okay, it worked, but I tried another and it fits my mental picture better for the character. He has more of a toughness about him, broader shoulders to hold up his responsibilities. I think it will bring out his drive and determination. We'll see.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
city layout
The layout of the story's city is important. The landscape must fit the storyline. I like it when a book has a map at the front so you can get your barrings on where the characters are located or moving to. I'm working on a story that must have a college campus close enough to the oldest section of a town, yet still have restaurant row, a city park and golf course close enough but not cut off by the creek and a railroad. I can picture the city and university I attended as the perfect place, but getting the haunted house in the right spot is still haunting me. Keep those street names lined up and straight.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Goals
I've had to face that fact that my goals in life are not lined up as they should be. I'll no longer be pushing to be published each year as a resolution. I'll keep learning, but teaching the boys through high school will be my main purpose for now. If writing is to be, it will come when the boys are leaving the house for their own careers. By then I hope to have made leaps and bounds in the character development, plot design and every other part of writing that needs to be perfected.
Too many hats makes for a headache and heavy heart. I sent the writing program back today. I believe it was the same lessons I did five years ago with them.
Lets get our goals in life straight before we continue on. God, Husband, kids - these come first. They encompass a whole lot of activity at this point in life.
Too many hats makes for a headache and heavy heart. I sent the writing program back today. I believe it was the same lessons I did five years ago with them.
Lets get our goals in life straight before we continue on. God, Husband, kids - these come first. They encompass a whole lot of activity at this point in life.
Monday, July 26, 2010
writing course
Iget to take a writing course. Whoohoo! It is one offered through the Christian Writer's Guild. Instead of the year long Journeyman course, they now have a 4 month fiction writing session. It centers on the main lessons. I'm excited to work through it, learn a great deal more and see if "Death by House" (possible book name) will take off and get published.
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