It was one of those weeks. Emotional highs and emotional lows. Last Sunday my friend's husband suddenly passed away, and the news of that took the wind right out of my sails. That was followed by some very good news involving one of the projects I've been working on for ACFW. News I can't yet disclose.
I began work on my next book, which brought on a good feeling. The working title is now The Secret at Journey's End. Oh, how I wish I could just sit down and start writing, but first comes characterization. I need to get to know my characters. Their backstories, what makes the tick, what they like and don't like. Even what kind of clothes they wear, foods they like and don't like. Then the plotting comes. Then, finally, comes the first rough draft, and I do mean rough. It's exciting to start a new story and I've been chomping at the bit to get started on the writing.
Thursday came and I headed up to Wisconsin to attend the burial service for my friend's husband. I saw some of the same people there whom I'd seen at the high school reunion I attended last fall. We all said never did we expect to meet up again so soon at such a place. But there we were. In spite of the bright sun reflecting off the snow, it was a somber afternoon.
One highlight of the day was the time I spent at the lake's edge while I ate my lunch. I'd forgotten how peaceful Lake Geneva is in winter. Frozen solid, covered by snow and a cluster of ice fishing shanties. Cars driving to and fro across the ice. If I'd gotten out of the car I'd have heard the ice cracking as the vehicles headed across the ice. Here in the city, we've not dealt with the heavy snow very well. It's a nuisance to our getting around with ease. In lake country, winter is a welcome time. Not something to be despised.
That same day I came home to receive an email from my agent. My manuscript had been rejected by the editor who had requested the full. Although her note was one of the nicest rejections I'd ever received, it still hurt. One thing I later learned that spelled trouble for the story was some catch-phrases I'd used, such as"a blast from the past." Too much of a cliche. So now I'm making yet another run through the story looking for other such phrases as well as oft-used words to describe things that could also be construed at cleche. Not a horrible chore, but it has caused me to put the new story to the side for a few days.
So now begins another week. I hope it's a little more calm. I've had enough of roller coasters for a while!
1 comment:
I can identify with the roller coaster ride of life. I've even had times of down that I couldn't get up for quite awhile. Now I am working on looking for the good in spite of the bad. The Lord's word says to be thankful in everything so when some friends called us to pray for him for his sickness, I prayed that he be thankful for the sick, in obedience to God, and so that the Lord may be glorified through it; showing His strength through his weakness.
You shared some of the ride in your life, the ups and downs. We can minister to those around us as they observe our actions and reactions to the ride. We can be a positive influence for God through the situation as we point others to look to Him through it.
Now that I've shared this, I expect to be tested in this very thing. Might as well buckle the seat belt, hang on, and keep looking up.
Pam W
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