Pressing Me Out of My Comfort Zone

Amy's 20th birthday

As many of you know, my daughter passed away 6 1/2 years ago at age 28 after a lifelong battle with multiple disabilities. Two months after Amy's death, I participated in a workshop taught by the talented writer/author Alice Wisler on Writing the Heartache. This workshop freed a fountain of words that poured out of me. 

Over the next 10 months or so, I continued writing and showed some of my scribbling (for lack of a better word) to a couple of author friends and was encouraged by them to take my writing to the next level and submit a couple of articles for publication. They were super kind in offering advice and even critiques but my deep-seated fear of rejection and lack of confidence kept me from taking that next step, until God intervened.  

In October 2018, I was contacted by the founder and senior editor of the online publication Broken but Priceless:The Magazine asking me if I would be their guest writer in January. My initial thought was "I am not a writer" and that's what I responded back to Erin. She told me to pray about it because as she was praying about who to ask, I kept coming to mind. That gave me pause. Even though we are friends on social media, I had never spoken to Erin about writing. 

Embracing this opportunity the Lord provided, I emailed Erin back to tell her I would do it even though I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to read what I write. For many, it wouldn't seem like a big deal or even a challenging thing to do. For someone who fears rejection and lacks confidence, it's a big thing. I have much to learn about the craft of writing but I know this is the path I am supposed to be on at this time. Where it will lead, I don't know for sure. But I know the One who does and that is good enough for me!

Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

If you would like to read my article titled Grief is not Temporary, you can sign up for your FREE copy of the magazine to be delivered to your inbox. Erin Elizabeth Austin and those who write regularly for Broken but Priceless share a much needed ministry encouraging those who live with chronic illness or are caregivers for someone suffering a chronic illness/disease. 

If you are in a hurting and/or desert place, I hope that you'll find refreshment among the stories shared by these women. I know I've been encouraged by their faith and fortitude in the face of their many trials and tribulations. May God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you peace. Amen!

Here is the link to the magazine if you would like to sign up>>>Broken but Priceless Ministries

A Bookish Adventure with Just Reads Tours!

Congrats to all finalists of #TheChristyAward 2018! Come celebrate with them at The Christy Award™ Gala, and don't forget about the 2nd annual Art of Writing Conference. Attend both events on Nov. 7, 2018 in Nashville, TN for just $99. @ChristyAward in collaboration with @JustReadTours is giving away TWO admissions to both events!

Enter at justreadtours.com. Click on The Christy Award™ graphic on the home page and enter away.

Hurry! This giveaway ends on October 20, 2018!  This giveaway and its prize are in no way endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook and its subsidiaries.

#ReadGoodFiction #giveaway #christianfiction #bookawards #2018ChristyAward #justreadtours #ChristyAwardGiveaway #TheArtofWriting #AuthorConference #justread 

Have a blessed weekend!

 

Guest Post ~ Writer Carrie Fancett Pagels ~ Why do a serial?

Why would authors write an anthology together?

1. Fellowship in writing. It can be a great process to share ideas, brainstorm, and discuss possibilities--because typically most writers are working solo.
   
   
2. Practice. Some serials are like a writing challenge almost. There is a serial I was involved with two years ago, that will just be coming out in a blog hop in 2013, in which you had to write the next section to CONTINUE the story. Now this is a stretch, let me tell you. Because if the previous writer left you with a conundrum you had to solve that, plus you had to go over all the earlier information with a fine-tooth comb to be sure that your section was CONSISTENT with the characterization and storyline. Honestly, part of the fun, though is that VOICE will be different for each author and so such a project does showcase each author’s voice.
   
   
3. A gift to readers. The reason I asked the Colonial Quills authors if there were some willing to do a Forted Frontier Christmas anthology with me was because I wanted to have something as a present for our faithful readers. So each week from November through mid-January, we have short sections of a story. This type of format is very different from the other serial I referenced, and is easier in many respects because each author could add characters and storylines to the serial because this was not a writing challenge nor a single story per se—rather all of these characters by all of these authors were enroute to a destination near where our original characters were forted.
   
   
4. A chance for unpublished authors to demonstrate a sample of their writing skills in fiction. Within our group there are a number of us who are not yet published in fiction, including myself. Within our anthology, even other members got their first chance to read some of their colleague’s writing! And hopefully readers will discover some writers whose books they have not yet read but whose sample, in the anthology, intrigued them.
   
   
5. Practice in writing shorts. Doing a complete clean section takes focus, especially if you are mindful of what came before and what is coming after your section.

Come on by and visit us at Colonial Quills to read our serial anthology and see how this all works. http://colonialquills.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_4.html

Thanks for having me Anne!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bio – Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D

Facebook Author Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carrie-Fancett-Pagels/317053071710640?fref=ts

Facebook Personal Pagehttp://www.facebook.com/carriefancettpagels

Twitter https://twitter.com/cfpagels

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/carriefpagels/

GoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5548131-carrie-pagels

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=131454255&trk=tab_pro

Carrie Fancett Pagels (www.carriefancettpagels.com) writes “romantic” historical fiction. She is represented by Joyce Hart. ACFW MidAtlantic Zone Director. Blogs at “Colonial Quills” (http://colonialquills.blogspot.com) and “Overcoming With God.”