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Cares:
Mark Twain is quoted to have said: I would have written a shorter letter, but I didn’t have the time.

I think Mark Twain pretty much sums up my venture into rough draft writing. Every story I’ve written has turned out to be around 100,000 words the first time around. Inevitably, I whittle that number count down to 80,000, give or take a few. I can totally relate to Mark Twain. My first drafts ramble. This one is my longest yet. I’m past the 100,000 word mark and have nine more important/climactic scenes to go. Hip-hip-hurray for the delete button!

Concerns:
Yeah, um, Christmas shopping? Still haven’t done it yet. It’s going to be a busy weekend.

Husband = sick, sick, sick. Please, oh pretty please, let this not spread to the rest of us!

Celebrations:
So close to finishing the rough draft of Wishing on Willows! Makes me bounce in my seat just thinking about it. There’s always a small part of me that freaks out when I endeavor to write a new book. A small part that says, “Those last three were just a fluke. You won’t be able to do it again.” I’m quite sure that voice won’t ever go away, but it’s nice to shove it in the closet for the time being.

Question to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations today?removetweetmeme

I love to read. But I will be the first to admit I’m picky when it comes to fiction. It’s hard for me to pick up a book and get lost in its pages. Occasionally, it happens. I start reading a book and the story sweeps me away, transports me to a different time and place. Even less occasionally, quite rarely in fact, a book comes along that doesn’t just sweep me away, but leaves a fingerprint on my soul, leaves me different from when I first started reading. It changes something inside me. Gets me to look at the world and my faith differently, alters my lenses.

The books I consider life-changing, for me, are few and far between – easily counted on the fingers of my left hand. Recently, I’ve added one more to the ranks. Havah: The Story of Eve, by Tosca Lee. A month after finishing, and I still can’t stop thinking about it. About Eve. About how real she became between the covers of that book. About the pain and hardship she had to endure. Talk about taking the story of creation and breathing life into it.

Contrary to what you might be thinking, I didn’t write this post to give a glowing review of Havah, no matter how deserving. I actually wrote it to reflect on life-changing fiction in general. What makes it life-changing? Is it the prose? The story? The theme? The characters? A mysterious combination of all four, plus the Holy Spirit moving in the reader? And can I write life-changing fiction?

I think I can write engaging fiction. I think God has given me the ability to tell a good story. But life-changing? Not sure if I’ve reached that place yet. Not sure if I will. Not sure if every author who pens a story is meant to. Or needs to. But wow, when it happens, there’s something very magical about it. Something very profound. Something very….well, life-changing.

Questions to Ponder: Do you want to change lives with your writing? Have you ever read a life-changing fictional book? If so, please share!removetweetmeme

Cares:
In the spirit of Follow Friday, check out my friend Krista Phillip’s blog. She conducts some of the funniest interviews I’ve ever read!

I haven’t done any Christmas shopping yet. Or taken a family Christmas picture. Eek!

Concerns:
Students are sort of off the walls for Christmas and our break doesn’t start until the 22nd.

Our son’s been waking up in the middle of the night screaming bloody murder and doesn’t want to go back to sleep. He clings to me like a baby monkey. This is very unlike him. Could he be having night terrors?

Celebrations:
My story is chugging right along. I wanted to finish before January 1st and I think I’ll do it.

My family is healthy, happy, and enjoying this Christmas season.

Triple date tonight with friends. Those are always fun!

Question to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations on this white Friday morning?removetweetmeme