What's To Be Admired?

The longer I work on my writing, the more I have a greater appreciation for what an accomplishment it is to be a published author. There might be some authors who climb the ladder by skipping a few rungs but I think this is the reality. An author negotiates each step up the ladder feeling like they are blindfolded, handcuffed and with ankle weights on. When they reach what they perceive is the top of the ladder and “voila”, remove the blindfold...they see that the ladder’s rungs have grown exponentially.

So, what’s to be admired?

I am amazed by authors like Tracie Peterson and Nora Roberts who are so prolific. How can they write so many books in a year? You know they must have learned how to be disciplined and treat their writing like the job it is.

I delight in authors who can make characters come alive and not seem like clichés. I recently was introduced to a Colorado author, Kristen Heitzmann. I read some of her books and her characters seemed like they were real people with strengths and weaknesses trying to live life. Lee Child and Harlen Coben have some unforgettable characters that have hooked me and their upcoming books are always on my “wish list”.

Who doesn’t admire Jane Austen? Okay. There are probably some of you. But her style and word choice can tickle your ears like a beloved melody that is familiar if not known to all. I love the clear voice of Lisa Samson’s “Hollywood Nobody” young adult series. You find yourself zipping through all four books in no time. “I’m just sayin.”

I will never forget staying up into the wee hours reading Brock & Bodie Thoene’s Zion Covenant and Zion Chronicles series and trying in vain to stifle my sobs so I wouldn’t wake up my husband. And it takes a lot to move me to tears.

I regard highly Vince Flynn, C. J. Box and other thriller and mystery writers who keep me guessing or so involved in the story that I can’t wait to finish the book. (I experience many late nights reading with my Kindle and reading light so as not to disturb my husband who probably wouldn’t notice even if I left the overhead light on. Do we see a pattern here?)

Even the authors who share their knowledge with us about the craft of writing are certainly worthy of my admiration. Although I may struggle to remember their words of wisdom and to apply them, they have turned on the lights for me in more ways than I can list in this short blog post.

So, what’s to be admired? The scores of writers who have persevered and poured out their guts, funny bone or poetic phrases for our enjoyment and awe. Congratulations! And for the rest of us, keep writing and maybe one day someone will admire our use of the gifts God has given us that we struggle to express on paper.

************

Elaine Clampitt is Secretary/Treasurer of Mile High Scribes. Her normal schedule has been interrupted with the return of two of her children home from college for the summer. She is trying not to let this interfere with her writing pursuits, although, with ice hockey season coming to a close, she anticipates having more time to write, watch Hawaii 5-0 reruns and travel to warm and sunny places.

Author Admiration

June is Authors I Admire month here on the Inkwell.While I admire anyone who finishes a book, there isn't room to honor each of you individually, so before I go any further can I just say, "KUDOS!" to all you authors out there, published or unpublished!

I planned to write several short paragraphs on a variety of authors including some of my favorite contemporary CBA authors, but I instead found my heart drawn to the late Madeleine L'Engle. She has impacted my authoress heart perhaps as much or more than anyone I've read. My hope is that my thoughts of her will encourage your writing journey as they have mine.

Madeleine L'Engle
November 29, 1918 - September 06, 2007

Madeleine L'Engle published 63 books in her lifetime of 88 years. The most famous, of course, is A Wrinkle in Time. Part of the reason I celebrate Madeleine today is that she persevered. According to the sources I checked A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times. But Madeleine didn't give up.

Madeleine's perseverance and tenacity are certainly to be admired, but as I've read her non-fiction books I've also experienced her as a woman of great humor, intellect, and compassion. While her thoughts of life ran deep, she also didn't take herself too seriously. She accepted that the world was full of those more talented and intelligent than she, but believed she still had something to contribute. Her faith journey was quite unique, and it inspires me. She interacted in a culture of great intellects, many of who were agnostic or atheistic, but despite and environment that (to me) didn't seem to support faith, she emerged as a woman who not only knew God, but offered Him, in her own, unique way, to those she encountered.

But perhaps it is my personal experiences with her writing and the briefest of experiences of her as a person that made me choose her for this post. Here's my story: As a youth, my brother loved the Wrinkle trilogy and encouraged me to read them. However, they freaked me out! Something about them tested the safe little "Christian" box I had created for myself. After graduating from college, I gave them another try while teaching 3rd graders in public school. My closed mind was ready to think (a least a little) outside the box, and I was blown away by how these fiction stories impacted me. I explored new ideas I hadn't dared to think about life, God, control, freedom, good and evil. I couldn't help myself. I stayed up late one night and scribbled a long, messy missive pouring my heart out to the famous author. Not too long after I was surprised to receive a hand-written response scribbled to me on a family letter that told of Madeleine's personal life--her children and travels. Soon after my fiance took me to hear her speak, and I got my first autographed book. Somehow I felt my little 23 year-old heart and that of this woman I greatly admired had truly connected.

Recently I had another heart-connection as I read A Circle of Quiet, a non-fiction book where she shares a lot of her inner self--her thoughts on writing, faith, and interacting with the world. In this little book I was especially impacted by two things. The first is a personal story she told. She sets up the scene by talking about how she'd spent her thirties writing and being rejected while she raised her children. She believed the surrounding neighbors thought her an oddity, and she weathered what she perceived to be whispered comments about poor Madeleine who spent all those hours scribbling away but would never be published. (Whether or not the neighbors were talking, I don't know, but I have, of course, imagined just such gossip circulating about me and felt her angst!) Madeleine had told herself that her forties would be years of productivity and success, when her books actually made it into print and she began her life as a true author.

Madeleine then went on to write about her 40th birthday. It was on that very day she received another of those 27 rejection letters. She decided then and there that she wasn't spending another decade writing only to be rejected. She began to dismantle her office, telling herself she would never write again. After she'd been cleaning out the office for a while she realized that in her mind she was composing a story as she worked--a story about an author who weathered rejection. She says at that moment she realized she was a writer. She would never quit. Madeleine talked about how the decision, made in the midst of rejection, was more powerful than it could ever have been if it had been reached at any other time. Again, I had BEEN there and her words resonated deep within. I was a writer. I had determined to be one in the midst of rejection, not just success. I would persevere.

The second thing that impacted me greatly was a thought she had about what she had to offer the world. I can't find my book right now or I would give you the direct wonderful quote. But here's the heart of what she said. Madeleine was told by one of her intellectual friends that she had nothing to offer the world that had never been said. As she processed his comment, she came to believe that he was right. She may never have anything to say that the world had never heard--but it didn't matter. It had never been said the way she would say it.

Then and there I felt validated. I may not be the smartest or more original person I know. I may not even have anything especially new or profound to offer. But what I do have is me. What God wants to say through me will not be said the same way when offered by anyone else. It is the Lord's truths, offered through my fingerprints, that will leave their mark on just the people who could only hear it the way I say it. And that is enough.

My interactions with Madeleine have offered me perspective in the face of disappointment, faith that grows outside my safe little boxes, a determination to persevere, and a belief that what I say has value to the world. In my opinion, Madeleine has given me some of the most important gifts a writer needs.


A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers devotional thoughts, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to breathe His fragrance.

HIS Writers Then and Now

What a delight to participate in the early posts of ACFW Colorado's first website. Wahooo! I love it when I can see the hand of God shaping something, and it's been obvious from the "Get Go" that He is in on this one.

My position with ACFW Colorado is as president of the Denver chapter, HIS Writers. HIS Writers was the first chapter to incorporate in the Rocky Mountain Region and it has been a pleasure to be a part of the journey from the beginning. (I invite you to check out our page on this website for specifics about where we meet and what we have to offer.)

By way of introduction I'm a homeschooling mother of four who is also called to the writing journey. I'm passionate about God's grace and intimacy with Jesus and write a free, weekly devotional, called Soul Scents, on those themes. I also share random thoughts, review books, have an on-going series on the Song of Solomon on my blog, GraceReign. I enjoy doing "work for hire" projects for David C. Cook Publishing, writing curriculum for churches and Sunday Schools. My writing has also appeared on Crosswalk and Emphasis on Moms, as well as in other on-line and print magazines, and in several devotional and personal experience books. My two novels are as yet unsold, but few things are as fun to me as writing a story.

ACFW has been a large part of my writing journey teaching me to hone my craft, opening networking opportunities, and even, on ocassion, providing connecting points that have led to publication. But the best part of the ACFW experience has been the spiritual and personal support of a loving community. ACFW is full of quality people who are committed to prayer and encouragement. I'm not sure I'd still be in this business if not for the prayers and kindness of my ACFW friends. I believe strongly in the good work ACFW does and am honored to give back to it as HIS Writer's President. If you're not part of the ACFW team, let me encourage you to not only join us, but to take the time to get to know the ACFW community. You'll be glad you did.

Please indulge me as I give a little history of HIS Writers and the development of ACFW Colorado. I'll mostly focus on the Denver chapter and leave the rest to those more involved at the state and regional level. But I think it is cool to look at the whole picture, see what God has been doing with us, and celebrate! So here goes!

For many years I've participated in a critique group with author Kathy Kovach--even before the publication of her first book when she officially claimed that title. :o) One day she shared with me that God had given her a vision to see writer's groups start up and down the front rage. Not long after that the American Christian Fiction Writers launched a program to establish local chapters, and Kathy was asked to be the Colorado coordinator. She believed this to be the vehicle for the earlier vision God had impressed upon her.

The first official meeting was with Kathy Kovach, Sharen Watson (co-founder of Words for the Journey), and myself. We sat at Armadillos in Thornton and dreamed. Sharen offered her experience, which helped us shape our dreams into practical reality. We were off and running. We had several meetings in South Denver, which pulled from people in ACFW across the front range and included a large contingency from the north Denver area and Colorado Springs. We meet at restaurants for fellowship and had our first Christmas party in the home of Megan DiMaria. Our first big author event included a booksigning and teaching time with Donita K. Paul, author of the popular DragonKeeper series.

Eventually Kathy focused on starting a local chapter, established it in Denver, named it HIS Writers, and set up officers. The first person to serve HIS Writers with Kathy was Bonnie Doran, who acted as secretary/treasurer and helped with the initial technical set-up of banking, etc. Eventually Kathy prayed in HIS Writer's first officers: Margie Vawter, president; Yours Truly, vice-president; Jill Hups, secretary, and Bonnie Doran, treasurer. Choosing to serve as vice-president was a big deal for me. I remember feeling drawn to the position, but wondering if I was crazy due to my already full life homeschooling four children, teaching part-time at an umbrella school, and writing. I asked my husband what he thought about the position, sure he would say I didn't have time for it. When he said he thought I should do it, I was a bit surprised, but firmly convinced that God was calling me to serve in that capacity.

Margie's leadership for the Denver chapter was powerful--her consistency in prayer and the support she offered her leadership team made her a trusted leader and treasured friend. We joked about warning anyone interested in leadership in HIS Writers that they would be stepping into the fire as all of us on the board, including Kathy as overseer, went through difficult circumstances in our personal lives that first year. The trials brought us together and many of our emails and work sessions included support and prayer for each other. God truly bound our hearts together, and Margie persevered as president through the loss of her dear mother and personal health issues that affected her eyesight--not an easy thing to swallow when you make your living as an editor who is required to read for hours a day.

That summer Margie organized the first board retreat for HIS Writers and invited us to her family cabin deep in the mountains. We're talking four-wheel drive access only! Our goal was to spend some time in prayer and then to get to work. The work part never happened. God met us on the mountain and spoke deeply into each of our hearts, promising healing, refreshment, and His directing hand no matter what each of us would face in the coming year.

HIS Writers began to grow and some of our early speakers included the board members, emerging authors Tina Forkner and Megan DiMaria, Barbour author Darlene Franklin, best-selling author Lisa Tawn Bergren, and Rachelle Gardner, then an editor, and now an agent with WordServe Literary.

It was especially fun to see HIS Writer's members release their first books. Among those who published first novels since HIS Writers began are Megan DiMaria, Debra Ullrick, and Nancy Wentz. We also saw Donna Schlachter and her husband publish two devotional books, and several of our members publish in book compilations and devotionals. We love to celebrate our author's achievements, and give glory to God for opening the doors of service in our chosen field.

Since those early years HIS Writers has been a jumping off point for the establishment of other local chapters, the second incorporating in CO Springs. Other chapters, including one that meets in South Denver will soon be starting as well. Each time a new chapter begins those of us in HIS Writers feel like part of our family has moved out and set up a new home, but the wonderful connection provided through the state organization keeps our hearts happy. A highlight last spring was a state-wide ACFW retreat, and we look forward to that being a yearly experience.

Last summer our fearless leader, Kathy Kovach, was asked to move up to the Zone Director position, and Margie Vawter was asked to replace Kathy. That left HIS Writers without a president, so Yours Truly took the plunge. We enter 2009 with a strong board: Niki Nowell, vice-president, Jill Hups, secretary, Donna Schlachter, treasurer, and Darcie Gudger, Publicity Officer. We covet your prayers as we seek to encourage and equip writers who share the marvelous truth of our Lord. It is my prayer that HIS Writers be a safe place where God's grace binds us together and strengthens us for the journey of writing for publication.