Congratulations to the following winners:
Janet Estridge for winning a copy of The House on Foster Hill!
Shannon Torkelson for winning a copy of The Story Travelers Bible!
Krista Dowdey for winning a copy of The Story Travelers Bible!
Sarah Mathew for winning a copy of The Story Travelers Bible!
Shirley Chapel for winning a copy of A Secret Courage!
Winners, please e-mail your mailing address to my assistant Christen (amy@triciagoyer.com).
Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Mesu Andrews’s
Isaiah’s Daughter!
My Writing Desk
In August of 2016 we moved from WA State to North Carolina to be closer to our kids and grandkids. Now, one daughter’s family is thirty minutes away and the other daughter’s family is four hours away. And the Lord has placed us in an amazing church family. I love it! Writing, however, is now a little more challenging to fit into my busy schedule.
When our kids and grand babies party downstairs—and I’ve got a deadline—I go to my loft office, put in my earplugs, and write until my eyeballs fall out. I’d love to say I consistently write two thousand words per day and always work in my lovely loft office. Not so. I may go a week without writing anything, and then there are seasons when I write 14-16 hours a day. When I have coffee and feel cozy, I can write all day—and most of the evening.
It’s all about comfort and mood for me. In the summer I often move all working paraphernalia (i.e. coffee warmer, carafe, creamer, computer, phone) out to the porch swing and write while enjoying the view, the quiet, God’s creation. Sometimes I just sit in my living room recliner and am grateful for air conditioning in the summer and a warm fire in the winter (and the infuser with scented oils for my daily migraines).
My favorite part of writing is editing; my least favorite is the first draft. Friend Jill Eileen Smith described that first draft discomfort best when she said writing characters for the first time feels like meeting people at a party and trying to make conversation. It’s awkward. You don’t know what to say. But by the second or third edit, I know my characters well enough to hear their conversations in my head. My manuscript becomes the notes I take on those conversations. Okay, hearing voices in my head sounds a little disturbing, doesn’t it?!
Perhaps all writers are a bit looney to fall in love with characters, story, the craft itself. But I suppose we’re in good company. Good ol’ King James said God’s people are to be peculiar. Other translators interpreted the Greek word, ‘holy,’ but both mean separate, noticeably different than the world around us. I’m grateful to be one of those peculiar writer folks who enjoys sitting in my mountain cabin—loft, recliner, or porch swing—pondering my Creator and writing the stories He helps me create.
Day in the Life
7:15am – woke and read my YouVersion Chronological Bible passage before getting out of bed (or it wouldn’t get done). Dog jumped on bed. Husband fussed at dog—and me for letting said dog on bed.
7:40am – shower in the smallest shower on earth.
7:55am – Facetime with daughter #2.
8:25am – husband looks over my new website draft with me and suggests changes.
9:00am – started load of laundry – white clothes.
9:05am – cut up leftover chicken in frig and put in freezer.
9:25am – thaw, cut, and marinate stew meat for shish kebabs.
10:00am – wash, cut, roast beets for smoothies.
10:15am – white clothes in dryer.
10:30am – answered most important emails and social media catch-up 1. Yes, I’ll do Tricia Goyer’s blog ☺ 2. When would my webmaster like to chat about finalizing new website changes? 3. Solidifying a new Psalms novella project with three other authors. 4. Asking my assistant to start a couple of projects—newsletter and graphic designs 5. Answer Facebook comments and post at least one thing on my Author Page.
11:25am – finally ready to write something! Woot! But wait…need to plot out the first thoughts on that Psalms novella before I lose the thought – Open a Scrivener (writer’s software) project and plug in characters and a rough plot.
12:30pm – finished pot of (decaf) coffee ☺ and realize I’ve gotten distracted by research on characters and timeline. Need more research before I’m ready to plot. Research online and in favorite Bible dictionaries and Timeline: • The Timeline of History, the New 3rd Revised Ed. by Bernard Grun; published by Simon & Schuster/Touchstone, 1991.• Today’s Dictionary of the Bible, Guidepost Edition; compiled by T.A. Bryant; published by Bethany House, 1982.• New Bible Dictionary, 2nd ed.; organizing editor, J.D. Douglas; published by Tyndale, 1982.• Complete Works of Flavius Josephus, translated by William Whiston, A.M.; vol. III Antiquities of the Jews, Books IX-XVII; published by Baker Book House, 1994.
2:20pm – first dose of migraine meds; fixed a smoothie; continue research
3:30pm – called my hubby to ask where to find Daniel’s lineage in Scripture (needed an excuse to chat with him since he has a late meeting tonight, and I needed a break from research). ☺
3:40pm – continue research
4:00pm – assistant sent an email that website page acting funky; emailed webmaster to fix; done within the hour. Jones House Creative is A.W.E.S.O.M.E.
4:05pm – continue research
5:30pm – fed my dog; took migraine rescue med; continue research.
6:15pm – fed myself; continue research—found a great map of the city of Babylon in my ESV Study Bible!
6:35pm – daughter #1 called to chat
7:05pm – assistant sent preview of newsletter to review/proof.
7:35pm – brain is fried; no more research; work on this blog post. ☺
8:45pm – hubby home from work; powering down for the night to debrief with hubby about the day before bed.
Books Authors Read
Favorite book as a child: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
What book did you read that first made you want to be an author? The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
What was the last book you read, just for fun? Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
What books are currently on your nightstand? Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson
What upcoming release are you most looking forward to? (mine! Isaiah’s Daughter, January 16, 2018) Two books release on same day—February 6, 2018! A Passionate Hope by Jill Eileen Smith and A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette
More about Isaiah’s Daughter
Ishma comes to the prophet Isaiah’s home as a five-year-old orphan, devastated after watching her family destroyed and living as a captive. With tenderness and care, her lively spirit is revived, and the prophet and his wife adopt Ishma, giving her a new name—Zibah, delight of the Lord. As the years pass, Zibah wins Prince Hezekiah’s favor, a boy determined to rebuild the kingdom his father has nearly destroyed. But loving this man awakens Zibah’s painful past and calls into question the very foundation of her father’s prophecies. Can she learn to rely on only Yahweh, who gives life, calms fear, and conquers nations?
Purchase a copy of Isaiah’s Daughter
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | CBD
Mesu Andrews’ deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for her readers. She and her husband, Roy, live in a log cabin snuggled into the beautiful Appalachian Mountains with their dog, Zeke. The Andrews’ have two married daughters and a small tribe of grandkids. Mesu loves movies, football, waterfalls, and travel.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube
Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Read full privacy policy here.
Got my book , A Secret Courage by Tricia Goyer that I won on Writer Wednesday. Thank you and I shall be reading it as soon as I finish the book I’m on now.
I hope you enjoy it!