Making a Book (Part 2)

It's been a l-o-n-g time since I posted the first part of this little story of how my book came to be. I'm not entirely sure why I never got back to finishing the tale but let's not worry about that.

(Find Part 1 here )

I left off after signing the contract and settling down to write. The wonderful thing about that window of writing in the summer of 2009 was that it was so life-giving. I thought it was going to be lonely because Byron and the kids left me at home in town while they ventured out with groups of visitors and volunteers for a few different stints. They left me behind in the (astonishingly) quiet house for a few little stretches of up to about 10 days at a time and, guess what--it wasn't lonely at all. I fell right into a routine of sitting at my desk every morning and writing for a good portion of the day. I had this orderly little centering exercise of tea and prayer before I launched into my day that helped to soothe my sense of total inadequacy. The inadequacy wasn't so much in regard to the actual writing. The inadequacy came in the face of the subject matter. I was settling down daily to talk about metaphors that might help us build relationship with God. Any shaking in my shoes or trembling of knees under my desk was well founded.

But, I loved it. Honestly, it was an incredible privilege to have focused writing time and, apparently, my joy showed. Byron said he'd never seen me so happy. I don't doubt his word, but I might doubt his memory. The arrival of each of our four children pretty much put me over the moon each time.

Happy Morning News

I woke up to happy news today. My friend and very published author, Mary DeMuth, had posted lovely things on her well-read blog about my writing and my book.

The number of books Mary has had published speaks volumes :-) about not just her skill as a writer but the significance of what she writes. Obviously versatile, Mary has published parenting books, fiction, instructive books on writing and getting published, as well as a deeply personal memoir.

But what really stands out to me about Mary is the contagious positivity and encouragement she offers. Mary has embraced a generous spirit that does not horde success. Instead, she celebrates every writing victory any of her friends achieves and I am blessed to be celebrated by her today.

Thanks, Mary! Hats off to you, my friend.

Read Mary's thoughts on Approaching God here .

Making a Book (Part 1)

This past week my brain cells have mostly been firing off with words like "abdominal" and "hysterectomy." I've concluded that I'm bored of those words right now and I'd like to think some happy thoughts instead.

A few posts ago, I talked about The Gift of Writing and how I've recently been reminded again just how great a privilege it is that my thoughts were published in the form of Approaching God.

Elizabeth de Smaele wondered if I might share a little about how the book came to be. Thanks for asking, Elizabeth! Thinking on that tale will be a happy distraction from thoughts of upcoming surgeries and stitches and et ceteras (Bleech!)

In 2007 I was in Seville, Spain, at a gathering of the global 24-7 Prayer family. These are some of my favorite folk anywhere--real, ordinary, extraordinary, nothing special, entirely passionate, you-wouldn't-know-them-from-anyone-else activists who pray and live a changed world. I led a couple of seminars and spent one evening talking with an interesting woman that I'd never met before.

Time passed. I suppose someone (I have my ideas of whom) must have tipped the interesting lady off that I like to write and she contacted me. Turned out, she was an editor at Lion Hudson in the U.K. This is why you should spend the evening chatting with people you don't know ;-)

Stephanie met up with me the next time I was passing through England, which wasn't very soon. She asked me what I would have to say on prayer and I told her I thought prayer had everything to do with how we perceive God. She asked me how I would plot out a book on that and I told her I thought I'd look at different metaphors that help us understand God.

She liked it. I was kind of shocked and wondered if I was possibly on something like Candid Camera.

I went back to Tanzania and finally wrote and submitted a first chapter. Then Stephanie up and disappeared! She left Lion Hudson and took off for Dubai where her husband had recently taken a job. I was sure that was the end of that...

But along came Tony. His team had been handed the first chapter submission and, after another long wait, I found out that they liked it! I explained what the other chapters would focus on and they gave me a green light and sent me a contract, which I kept forgetting to sign and send back. (Embarrassing, I know.) Finally I DID sign it and post it back to them some time in June, 2009. We agreed I would have till September 1st to send them the manuscript.

That summer I had several healthy chunks of numerous days in a row alone at home. I settled down to write.

The Gift of Writing

We're in Seattle this week and last night I had the opportunity to attend a gathering of writers. I don't think I've ever been to a writers' thing before so this was a fun new experience for me as about 150 writers spent the evening talking, sharing, learning and being inspired together.

I was particularly impressed by the main speaker, Jodi Detrick, who is one of five folks who contribute to the Faith and Values column of the Seattle Times. Her perspective was fresh and insightful and it made me happy.

As a guest, I mostly just listened all evening and here's one thing I realized...

I have SO MUCH to be thankful for in the story of how my book, Approaching God, came to be!! Oh my goodness!!

It was humbling to hear these gifted writers talking about how difficult it is to get someone to look at a manuscript and yet I had the extremely odd experience of having an editor ask me to submit a proposal and first chapter. It's crazy!

This morning I am keenly aware that the opportunity to write Approaching God was a direct, intimate and very generous gift to this bumbling little writer.

Thank you, Monarch. And thank you, Lord.

Skinny Jeans (or Thoughts from the Train)

I’m sitting on the train on a grey and cold English day. Wonderful, isn’t it? How has this happened?

Heather and I took the midnight flight out of Nairobi to Heathrow on Monday and, next thing we knew, we were standing in the pre-dawn rain outside of Terminal 5, waiting for my dear friend, Anna. Anna got up far too early, collected us and welcomed us to her kitchen fire with cups of hot tea while her sleepy family finished a proper night of rest before appearing, one by one, for breakfast.

We’re here for the triple purpose of my participation on the International Council of 24-7 Prayer, my sharing a bit with the Transit folks who are preparing for the adventures of service that lie ahead, and my meetings with my publishers, the good folks at Lion Hudson/Monarch.

Jumping worlds will probably always jar me, but I do think my infrequent slipping back and forth has smoothed some over time. Last week Heather and I were bartering for second hand boots in the dusty expanse of Arusha’s used clothes market. Yesterday we were standing in Trafalgar Square.

The richness of our experience is not lost on me. I am stunned by it. This morning, as I rode the train to Oxford, all I could think was, “Am I really a writer headed to Oxford to meet with my editor.” Writer? Editor? Oxford? Good grief! I couldn’t have scripted this scene had I tried.

The most wonderful part of this whole trip is that Heather is with me. Her ticket was an extremely generous gift from an extremely generous friend. Heather and I are enjoying the treat of museums and shops and friends and Cadbury’s. And last night, I had the pleasure of buying her a new pair of jeans... Skinny jeans.

I suppose it seems a small thing, but it made me really happy. Heather is 11 and she is blessed much more than she knows to live far away from the pressures of fashion and the Western emphasis on trendy appearance. I suppose that’s why it felt so completely, luxuriously fun to me to buy her something that seems so stylish and practical all at once. It was a treat, and not in the least bit scary because I knew the whole shopping thing would be nicely contained in a couple of short days.

Skinny jeans for my baby girl and the very pleased look on her face they produced. And next week we'll escape back to the land where no one cares. As the mother of an adolescent girl, I am keenly aware that this is called Having My Cake and Eating it Too!