Feb 13 2009
Friday wrap-up — and a great letter
Early early this morning I said goodbye to an editing project I’ve been working on since November: Wayback, by Sam Batterman, coming from VMI Publishers in May. Wayback combines three of my favourite things: science, speculation, and faith. It follows a team of scientists as they travel through time to the antediluvian world — that is, the world just before Noah’s Flood.
Last night I sat down to give it a final proofreading, so I got to see how all the changes Sam and I made have come together to create a better story. I ended up working until 2:00 in the morning, but what fun. While you were snug in your beds, I had a front-row seat to the most cataclysmic event in history.
Today I start editing a book about a family in a small Michigan town, and I printed out 322 pages of YA fantasy for critique. I have the best job in the world.
As I finish up this week of blogging, I want to remind you that I want to hear about your journeys in writing. Have you written or published a book, learned something really cool about writing, or undergone a creative overhaul lately? Let me know! I’m always looking for Wednesday passages, interviewees, and links of interest to young writers.
I’ll finish up with a few words from a young writer in England who wrote to me last fall. Judith Elizabeth is a regular commenter around here, and she had some great things to share about her own writing journey and her vision for ministry through fiction. I asked her if I could share some of her letter here, and she graciously gave me permission. Enjoy!
Dear Rachel,
Hello from England! My name is Judith Elizabeth Allen. I found your website via Boundless, after reading your article ’20-Something Reasons to Live at Home.’ I’m 24 and I live at home with my parents and my three younger sisters, so I definitely appreciated your perspective and encouragement in that article! :) Since I discovered it, I’ve enjoyed exploring your website and reading your blog – commenting, too! (One of the “Elizabeths” who comments on your blog is me!) It’s been a real encouragement …
A little introduction … I’m a home-school graduate and a writer. I’ve written for most of my life – I actually have the very first story I ever wrote, when I was 4! When I was 12 I dreamed-up, designed, illustrated and wrote a series of historical paper dolls and my parents published them – I sold about 10,000. (Although, you wouldn’t think so, judging from the number of books I have left!) When I was 14 I wrote my first (short) novel. And when I was 16 and graduated, I decided to be writer – before being a wife and a mother! “Being a writer” has always, I must admit, been one of the many things I’ve done since graduating – I help my father with ministry, I’m a “housedaughter” and help my mother with housekeeping and homemaking, I help my younger sisters with school, I’ve helped young home-schooling mothers with small children and babies … and more! I’ve written as much as possible and learned a lot just by writing – stories of all shapes and sizes and novels short and long. Now I’ve completed one “serious” novel and I’m editing two more – intended to be a trilogy. I’m also planning more novels – enough to keep me busy until I’m 80, at least!
Judith went on to talk about her passion for writing as a way to reach into the prevailing culture and bring change. I applaud her mission, as it’s one I share.
One of my passions as a writer is for children. Every time I walk into a high street bookstore here in England, it breaks my heart to see the books being sold for children between eight and sixteen. There are still some old classics (‘Anne of Green Gables,’ ‘Little Women,’ ‘The Famous Five,’ ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ ‘Swallows and Amazons’) available, but most of the books are modern novels – about illicit-romance and black-magic, mostly. Illicit-romance is presented as desirable and good and black-magic is presented as harmless and fun. When I was a child, the boys and girls I read about in novels were my heroes and heroines. Some people “suggest” children may unconsciously imitate the attitudes and behaviours of the people they read about in books. I know children do consciously and deliberately imitate the attitudes and behaviours of their heroes and heroines and it breaks my heart to know children are looking up to boys who practice black-magic and girls who experience illicit-romance. I would so, so, so love to write books – good, exciting, adventurous books – about children and teens who live in strong families and have good male/female role-models and overcome evil with good. The stats. for depression in children are heartbreakingly high here in England and I would love, somehow, to write books that break through the darkness that surrounds modern children and bring them a message of hope …
My other passion as a writer is for our generation. There are countless strong, wonderful Christians in our generation … but there are many (here in England, anyway!) that are floundering in disillusionment and doubt and apathy and purposelessness. I believe with all my heart that G-d has SO much more for Christians! History is the ultimate adventure and romance, the ultimate fight between good and evil in the hearts and souls of mankind, the ultimate “epic” … G-d’s “epic.” History is also full of men and women – REAL heroes and heroines – who had unshakable faith in G-d … who lived and died for Him … who gave up everything to answer His call and defended His truth with their last breath. And although history is full of evil and injustice, history is also full of some of the things our generation is craving – lasting romance, strong families, men who were men and women who were women. Just writing about it in this letter sends shivers down my spine! I want to write novels that capture a reflection of G-d’s “epic,” that present our generation with the heroes and heroines of our Judo-Christian heritage, that uphold the “Garden of Eden Ideals” we’ve lost sight of … and through fiction based on historical events and imaginary characters based on historical ones, inspire our generation to stand up and be counted for G-d … even if (especially when!) being counted for G-d means giving up everything to answer His call and using one’s last breath to defend His truth.
On that powerful note, I’m signing out for the weekend. See you all on Monday!
