Biblical and Historical Fiction

Lenten Greetings and Blessings!

When you read this, I'll be on my way home from a week's vacation in Paris and London, a trip sponsored by my husband's company. And Dave and I will have "done" the Chunnel for our first time, plus much more. Will you see some of our trip in my WIP? Of course. . .

We'll have "done" the Louvre for our second time. This time, I'll have focused on the Louvre's Last Supper paintings, which may be titled something else (according to my research). Why those paintings? For a decade now, I've been writing the memoir-like stories of men, women and children disciples who were likely at Jesus' last Passover Seder family meal, likely held in the hall of a wealthy home that could hold more than 200 people.

I've been interested in Jesus' followers, especially the "girls"/women and children, ever since I was a young girl myself growing up in China with my missionary parents and grandparents. You can read more about that in my book, Women of the Last Supper: We Were There Too.

The stories of Jesus' disciples that I've written have been portrayed nearly every year for a decade in "my" church. (See the photo above for this year's disciples, missing several.) First I wrote the twelve men's stories, then twelve women's stories, and now I'm writing six children's stories. This year my new story is "Anne," Jesus' younger sister who is mentioned in the Gospels, although not named like their four brothers are (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3).

I share "Anne's" story with you today, and trust it will help prepare your heart for the glory of Easter. Are my viewpoints controversial? You bet! But they are extensively researched, both Biblically and historically. And I feel called by God to share this perspective whenever possible.

A BLESSED SISTER: “ANNE”

I am Jesus’ younger sister, “Anne.”I was named for our maternal grandmother, whose name is known from Christian tradition. My sister and I and our four other brothers, James, Joses, Judas and Simon, are mentioned several times in the New Testament, but most people don’t know much about us.

As you might guess, my siblings and I dearly loved our wonderful oldest brother, Jesus. Although my brothers waited until after Jesus’ ascension to heaven to become his disciples, my sister and I eagerly became two of his first followers, along with our beloved Mother Mary. So, of course, we were there for Jesus’ last Passover, that special meal that would become known as the Last Supper and commemorated for two thousand years by Christians, like you.

My Mother Mary and her sister Salome, my aunt, were blessed sisters because of how they were related to Jesus. But I, too, was a blessed sister, because I was one of Jesus’ younger sisters.

It was so awesome to grow up with him as my older brother. Perhaps you have heard that some Biblical scholars think my siblings and I were really Jesus’ cousins or Joseph’s children by another wife. But if that were so, why didn’t the Gospels call us his cousins, or tell about Joseph’s other wife? And why were my brothers repeatedly named in the New Testament and called Jesus’ brothers, even by the townspeople of Nazareth? Thankfully, many theologians affirm we were his siblings, Mary's other children. And I’m eager to share with you just a bit what it was like to be Jesus’ sister.

Do you have a brother who can fix anything? My brother Jesus could. He could even fix things and animals and people that nobody else could. How do you suppose our Mother Mary knew he could turn water into wine for that wedding feast in Cana? We, his family, had already experienced many times his special powers from Yahweh. He could perform miracles like the prophets in our Torah. But he always told us not to tell anyone.

When I was little, in the evenings Jesus used to lift me to his lap and tell me stories about how much Yahweh loved me. Of course, other children and teenagers gathered around us as we sat on the stone bench in the cool shade of the olive trees behind our home. Sometimes he carved little toys for us from scraps of wood from our family’s shop.

I’m sure you know we Jews loved to sing and dance, and my brother Jesus was no exception. He had a beautiful voice, and a special way of clapping his hands and tapping his feet. He and our other brothers often sang Psalms together in harmony. My other brothers sometimes forgot the words, but Jesus never did. He was the one who led the singing during our Passover Seder celebrations each year. Our relatives and friends used to say Jesus had the most melodious voice they’d ever heard. They said he sang like an angel. They were right! When I close my eyes, I can still hear him singing my favorite song, Psalm 23.

I was one of those who watched Jesus ascend to heaven a short while after his cruel crucifixion and resurrection. Watching him disappear into the clouds was a glorious and exciting ending to his time here on earth.

Yes, I was an ordinary sister transformed by my extraordinary brother. You, too, can experience this transformation, and live or die for the glory of God.

Easter Joys and Blessings, Millie Samuelson :-)

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

Recently, I decided the time had come. Although I have often asked friends to proof my manuscripts in order to find errors and suggest improvements, I decided to pay a pro for a thorough critique of my suspense manuscript. Why? Because, even though my writing often sells, I want to improve. How better to improve than to hire an objective professional to scrutinize a story and to point out my blind spots?

Let me mention up front that I wouldn’t hire a book doctor who was unknown to me. Rather, I chose a respected author and mentor who frequently speaks at conferences and “knows his stuff,” as they say. I told him not to pull any punches, that I wasn’t merely interested in selling my current manuscript. I asked him to point out mistakes, but especially flaws that I tend to repeat. He certainly did! In case you can benefit from my lessons, here are a few things I hadn’t realized about my writing:

● My characters chuckle too much. When you write a novel in 30-minute spurts here and there, it’s easy to forget what you’ve written. As a result, too often my characters chuckled without my even noticing how frequently it was happening. (I used Word’s search function to track them down and changed some.)

● I occasionally repeated the exact same phrase twice on a page. For example: In my current story I have a truck that “braked to a halt” at the gate of a facility, then moments later, drives forward and this time “ground to a halt” inside it. How could I miss my own boring repetition? Somehow, I did.

● A few times I forgot to check my facts. Maybe you’ve been there: in the white-heat of creativity you type something, and you’re not quite sure it’s factual or not. “I’ll look it up later,” you think, and you continue writing. In my case, one such instance portrays a character flicking off the safety of a semi-automatic pistol—on a type of weapon that doesn’t even have a safety. (Groan. I shot myself in the foot by forgetting to check my facts.)

● Occasionally I still include wasteful words. For instance, “Dr. Kossler pulled out the chair and sat down.” In that sentence, “down” is unnecessary fluff. Although it’s possible to sit up, that conveys a different meaning. My German doctor should have simply walked to the desk and sat. That is only one of multiple words I wasted.

● From time to time, certain characters tend to say things that don’t quite ring true as normal conversation. Why? Because I, the author, wanted to tell readers some information, so I sneaked unnatural-sounding dialogue into my characters’ mouths. It doesn’t work. (Enough said on that subject; I’m zipping my lips.)

● More often than I realized, I begin sentences with the word “but.” This was a gigantic blind spot for me. Sure, contradictions arise, and “but” is a perfectly fine word; however, I got lazy and leaned on it too often. My revision is making greater use of “however,” “on the other hand,” “yet,” “although,” or simply reworded sentences.

● Without intending to, I occasionally allow alliteration into my sentences, which can result in a tongue-twister that draws attention away from the story. Here’s my worst offender: “The clouds resembled colossal clumps of cauliflower solid enough for a boy to clamber up.” (Huh? I wrote that? Sigh. Guilty, your honor. I won’t let it happen again.)

Although there’s no guarantee that my current manuscript will be published after I finish revising it, I’m glad that I made this investment at least once. By hiring a pro writer/editor to spotlight my errors and weaknesses, I’ve discovered ways to increase the quality of everything that I’ll write in the future.

Did it hurt to subject my literary offspring to a book doctor’s poking, prodding, and criticism? No way! In return for my money, I received the equivalent of a treasure map. This marked-up manuscript provides a guide to upgrading my writing. The competition out there is fierce. I want my work to be as good as it can be, and there is no time for wounded pride. After all, what you don’t know about your writing really can hurt you—or at least your chances of getting published.

Okay, your turn: what kinds of repeated mistakes have you discovered in your manuscripts? By sharing lessons you’ve learned, you can help fellow writers who might still be committing them.

Rick Barry

Staying Motivated During Spring Fever

By Mary Allen

As buds bursts forth, spring fever can play havoc with the motivation to write. Days of rain can leave you tapping revelry with your fingertips trying to awaken inspiration while warm, sunny days cause you to gaze absentmindedly longing to be “out there”. Whether spring fever, winter blahs, back-to-school blues, or writer’s block, here are some ideas I’ve used successfully to freshen creativity and re-stoke motivation.

1. Go ahead and get “out there”. Walking, gardening, visiting with friends, family, or grandkids, whatever you do, do it OUTSIDE. I learned in England that it’s okay to walk in the rain on a regular basis. (Don’t tell my mother.)

Research shows that twenty minutes outside causes a physiological change that stimulates the brain to creativity. It's nice to have my personal beliefs backed up by scientific research. The activity and fresh air also improve sleep at night, a known mood enhancer and creativity-builder.

2. Watch a favorite movie, the sappy, intriguing, or feel-good kind that stimulates energy. You know which ones you walk away from thinking, “I just love that movie!” (On rare occasions I have to watch two back-to-back to pamper myself out of a mood.)

3. Read a favorite novel. New novels can be inspiring, but old favorites can be left when the writing mood is stirred without feeling the book is unfinished.

4. Choose a chore, craft, or game that you can complete quickly. Completion can be a big morale booster. Take an area of total chaos and create order - wash dishes or clear one counter. A hug from the kids or hubby for devoting a half hour exclusively to them to play a game or eat a meal can crank the creative juices into overdrive.

5. Drink lots of water. The brain doesn't function well when dehydrated. Coffee and colas, consumed to keep going, dehydrate the body, so lighten up on them.

Often we tell ourselves we don't have the time to do these things. However, they are the very things that keep us balanced, healthy, and creative. How can we afford not to do them?

I'd like to know, are you struck with spring fever? Do you get a kick out of walking in the rain? Do you have a trick to self-motivate? Can you change your mood or stir up creativity in 15-30 minutes?

These are a few of my favorite things: Writing Books

Today, I'm going to share a couple of my favorite writing books with you.

Plot v. Character is a new writing book, releasing in the fall of 2010. Jeff Gerke, the author, has developed software (which I love) that walks writers through the creation of stories through two means. Starting with 1) the plot or 2) the character. Most writers have a style that they prefer -- I tend to be strange (shocking I know!) and will start some stories with a plot idea and others with a character. I'd used the software when I'd get stuck in a book or to help flesh out a germ of an idea.

What I love about the book is that it takes the gems from the software and puts it in a very easy to read and apply format. The book has lots of practical applications and covers just about everything a novel writer needs. It's not genre specific, so really is a tool that any novelists can use with success.

First, the book deals with creating likable characters. It addresses everything from physical attributes to the major events and inciting incidents that character must deal with. Then it turns to marvelous plots. The author relies on the three act structure to form the bones of the plot.  I would still use the software to help me implement all he talks about, but the book alone is gold.

Another book that I love and recommend to most aspiring writers is James Scott Bell's Plot & Structure. (His Revision and Self-Editing is equally good.) Plot & Structure's strength is the very easy way that Jim explains how to formulate a novel. When I get stuck in a plot, I'll pull it out and read a few pages for inspiration. I always come away with practical tools I can immediately apply to the novel I'm writing. And this book is loaded with excellent exercises that you can apply immediately after reading. I highly recommend it!

Ten Surefire Ways to Destroy Your Writing Career

          1.  Never rewrite a first draft. You’re a genius. Rewrites are for amateurs.

2.       2.  Don’t worry about grammar and spelling. That’s what editors are for.

3.       3.  Don’t bother mastering plot and character arc. Who cares about those pesky little things as long    as your heroes blow up a lot of stuff and the main characters fall in love?

4.       4. Write only what’s trendy and hot.

5.       5.  Post all your emotional baggage and lose your temper on Facebook. You’re most certain to get read that way. And you’ll be remembered.

6.       6.  Be a diva. Act eccentric and neurotic—especially when pitching a story to an agent.

7.       7.  Slam other writers and agents in your blog. And if you get a bad review, lay into the reviewer on their blog in the comments section.

8.       8.  Ignore your editor. If they were really smart they’d be writers.  (Those who can, write; those who can’t, edit. We all know that.)

       9.  Use lots and lots of adverbs continuously, incessantly, and passionately.

          10.  Write only when you’re in the mood and the “muse” inspires you.

Do these ten things and you’re sure to destroy your writing career.

I guarantee it.