The Heart of Christian Romance

OH SEEKERS!!! I am so very glad to be here with you all today! My first ‘community’ of Christian authors started here when Mary Connealy introduced me to this wonderful, passionate, and…crazy bunch of encouraging writers over seven years ago. How? Well, it started when I read one of Mary’s books and thought “Oh my goodness!! She writes Christian ROMANCE novels!! That’s what I write. I didn’t even know there was such a thing.”
 
Meeting Audra and Julie followed after that and then Ruthy – and all of them wrote these amazing novels of redemption, hope, healing, and…um…ROMANCE (some a bit steamier than others…ahem…Julie “Kissing Queen” Lessman)
 
So, with that intro in mind, I’m excited to chat with you all today about a topic very near and dear to my heart.
 
Romance in fiction…. Particularly romance in fiction written by Christians. 

Are you ready?
 
Let’s do this!
 
The big story of the Bible is all about relationship. God’s relationship with his creation…and then out of that relationship we find almost every conceivable example of relationships and how they work well. We also learn how they can be dysfunctional – because, let’s face it, we live in a dysfunctional world. Which is why I think lots of Christian fiction is moving toward a more ‘realistic’ description of life in novels.
 

The real world is messy. Our hearts are messy. And…our relationships are messy – so we really need stories that bring hope in the middle of all the mess.
 
What I’d love to do today is encourage a healthy dialogue about this topic of realistic writing in one of our most intimate relationships we experience – the romantic kind.
 
First off, the word ‘romance’ is not in the Bible, but here is Harper Collins Dictionary’s definition: the actions and feelings of people who are in love, especially behavior that is very caring or affectionate.
 
(A Side Note: the Bible does have A LOT to say about love)
 
I think this definition encompasses what lots of us want to see when we choose to read romance. Deep down, even in the secular world, the books that have a romantic story at the core (not just the physical intimacy portion) are the ones that show the ‘affection’ and ‘caring’ as an outpouring of love.
 
Why is that?
 
Because we all love…Love.
 
We crave it.
 

Our souls were made for love. First and foremost, we were made for the Creator-creature love, but the Bible clearly portrays various forms of God’s relationship-love to his people. Father-child, Savior-saved, Friend-friend, Groom-bride, Lover- beloved, and lots more.
 
Since we’re talking about the ‘romance’ type love, then let’s focus on Scriptures view of the Groom-bride and Lover-beloved relationships to see what God says about it.
 
The best representation of this kind of love in the Bible is in Song of Solomon, but beware: if you understand the imagery depicted in this book, you’re going to find it’s super-duper intimate in its descriptions. The Lover in S of S gives us a good clue of how ‘romance’ is shown in a man and woman’s relationship and…it is shown in a physical way.
 
It’s really cool how God uses a “story” through Song of Solomon to teach a deeper truth about Christ’s pursuant, faithful, tender, passionate love for his people. 

Christianity Today says it like this: The Bible “presents God himself as a lover and his courting of creation the Great Romance.”
 
It’s pretty clear through the story of Song of Solomon that the Lover and the Beloved are enthralled with each other. They both seek each other out and long to be together. And this ‘love’, this romance, between the Lover and his bride is not just words or sweet dialogue, it’s displayed through very clear actions – to show to us the beauty and happy purpose that romance plays in the lives of two people (within God’s best plan).
 
How does this information play out in fiction?
 
Years ago, there wasn’t a distinction like ABA and CBA. Actually, CBA is fairly new in the grand scheme of fiction. Books like Jane Eyre and even Chronicles of Narnia, both written from a Christian worldview, were on the shelves next to Frankenstein and Philip Pullman (okay, Pullman is a more recent author, but you get my point). “Real life” was portrayed in Charles Dickens in all its gory mess, and people, Christians and nonChristians alike, picked up the books and read them. (which I HOPE is still our goal as we write quality fiction to any reader).
 
Nowadays, though, our media is soaked with its ‘brand’ of romance, which can leave a rather hollow and hopeless heart behind, but…they do a great job of making their stories relevant to the culture and selling their definition to a world desperately searching for love.
We, as Christian authors, should tell an even better and more realistic story because we have the deeper secret behind what is God’s ‘best’ for romance…and the ultimate answer for our love-hungry hearts.
 
In a recent interview, I was posed with this question:
 
Some people have a problem with Christian romance, what would you say to them? 
I gave the interviewer the short version, but I’d like to flesh out the answer a little, particularly as it relates to the accusation that romance in fiction ‘tempts people to sin.”
 
This is a serious declaration and one that causes me to ask two specific question.

1.)  Did the author glorify God in what they wrote? I think there ARE boundaries in writing romance. As an author, my words and influence is bigger than I can imagine, so as I write romance I not only want it to be winsome, organic to my story, and beautiful, I want it to glorify God. As authors, we need to be accountable and prayerfully consider what and how we write romance. It’s definitely not a ‘free for all’.
 
For example – I’m a mom of teens – and (at least once) have had the ‘what’s too far’ talk with my kids as it refers to dating-relationships, however our main question to our kids is “what’s the attitude of your heart and how can you keep your attitude in-line with God’s, even in romantic relationships?”
 
We, as Christian writers, have a chance to promote romance God’s way!
 
Otherwise, people can certainly find plenty of other books to read that will help desensitize them to sex-outside-of-marriage, abuse, and lots more. Julie Lessman says it much better than I ever could in her article here. http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2009/05/life-on-edge.html.
 
If we’re writing romance from a Godly perspective, we must make sure any actions we write about that are outside what God says is okay, must have consequences to them (either internally, externally, or both) So…if I have two people who sleep together outside of marriage (and one or both are professing Christians), then I need to show the consequences of that choice and not play it off as ‘oh well, that stuff just happens.” There are spiritual ramifications when we step outside of God’s ‘best’ for us, and if I’m trying to show God’s best through my novel, I’m presenting those consequences.
 
There are natural ‘guardrails’ up on my heart as I write because I profess to have the Holy Spirit guiding my words. One of the gauges I put up for myself is “Can I let my daughter read what I’ve written and feel unashamed about what she learns about me and her Savior?”
 
I love writing romantic scenes…organic and realistic ones that flow out of the story. If kissing is a natural progression for my characters and story, then I’ll write kisses. If my characters are newlyweds, then I want the world to see how exquisite the romance between two people who love Jesus can be…just like the intricate beauty displayed in Song of Solomon.
I write romance scenes to show the beauty of a man and woman’s love relationship, not for the purpose of writing sex (I’m a closed-door writer, btw…but I close the door after some good kissing).
 
Plus, we can make our stories relevant without making them raunchy.
 

Remember, as authors, we’re telling a STORY. As authors who want to write authentic and relevant stories that impact our culture, we need to make them realistic.
Two people who are in love will do more than hold hands (unless they’re a distinct minority). How can I show this growing expression of love in a way that displays the beauty of love God’s way? That’s the goal: Keeping Heaven’s love and expectations in mind while writing earthly romance.
 
Jesus used stories to help teach greater concepts and God uses romance as a beautiful example of his love for his Bride. The closest relationships most of us experience are those of spouses and families and, for me, this is an amazing and poignant canvas on which to paint a picture of love and hope.
 
It’s just another reason why we love fairytales. They call to our imaginations and our child-like wonder and hit at some of the deepest longings of our hearts. Rescue, good winning over evil, miracles, and a happily-ever-after…TRUE love. How much more beautiful to take our God-given imaginations and our understanding of His sacrificing love for us and show it through the guise and intimacy of a romance?

2.)  Does the reader have issues within their own lives that might cause them to be particularly sensitive to certain aspects of the story – so much so that it’s not the book that’s the really issue, but the heart of the reader. (ex. He/she struggles with dissatisfaction, temptations of their own, etc)
 
For example, I don’t read thrillers, as a rule. I get highly agitated and nervous when I read them, so I don’t. It’s not the author’s job to write something different than a thriller, it’s MY job to choose NOT to read a thriller. That’s on me! Not them.

I think this is a very serious question to consider as we read novels. Many times, as Christians, we focus so much on the external ‘sin options’ around us that we forget how sin influences us from within – without external motives at all sometimes. What might we be struggling with in our own hearts/spirits that manifests itself when we read a romantic scene in fiction?

So in summary????  (Yep, I finally got here. Can you tell I’m influenced a little bit by a certain Kissing Queen? ;-)
 
God created romance and he said “It is good”.
 
He uses story to not only celebrate the beauty of a man and woman’s most intimate relationship, but uses that very intimacy as an example of His love for His Church.
 
The Bible is quite explicit on showing how romance, designed by God, is to be enjoyed with a passion blessed by God. Novels, written by Christians, have reflected their culture for years and influenced them without losing the parameters God’s set in place.
 
And…an author is responsible for their intentions behind what they write to glorify God, but a reader is also responsible for their heart attitudes in what they read.
It’s basically a team approach to bring great fiction to a world who is desperately searching for TRUE love.
 
So…what are your thoughts about romance in Christian fiction? 

GIVEAWAY!

Leave your comment to place your name in the hat for a copy of my newest release, Just the Way You Are – a Britallachian romance that has LOTS of good kisses in it! Romantic Times hailed it a Top Pick and gave it 4 ½ stars!! 



 


 

ABOUT PEPPER:

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes novels inspired by her love for history and the Blue Ridge Mountains. She writes both historical and contemporary romance. Her two most recent releases, The Thorn Healer and Just the Way You Are, both received a Top Pick from RT with 4 ½ stars.  You can get to know Pepper on Facebook, or over at her group blog, The Writer’s Alley, or Instagram.

Just Keep Writing

with guest Pepper Basham.


I’m so tickled to be back at Seekerville!! Oh my, what a wonderful group of ladies, and a definite ‘full circle’ moment for me. Mary Connealy introduced me to the lovely Seekers in 2008 – and it was a meeting that changed my world. 

If you’ve ever been in a van full of kids for a long trip you know the inevitable chain of questions that happen about an hour, two hours, two hours and fifteen minutes, 3 hours, etc into your trip. “When will we get there?”, “How much longer?”, “Are we there yet?”
No matter how many activities I plan, interesting stops I make along the way, or well-placed snacks to distract, inevitably the question is always asked …. More than once. As a parent, I know the trek, which roads to take, which to avoid, when to make a detour, when the breaks need to happen and when I can push forward an extra hour – but my kids don’t know that. They wait, somewhat impatiently and with lots of questions, eager to arrive at the destination.

Pepper's junior storytellers.

Boy, oh boy, does that sound familiar. I started on this writing road trip by attending my first writer’s conference in 2004. After the first day I realized how very little I knew about writing, even though I’d been writing since I was a little girl. So over the next few years I studied craft, took a few classes, and had a critique. I didn’t have visions of grandeur or anything. My life was much too full with other paths like a job, children, and a husband in full-time ministry. All those things are good and right, but it made my journey much slower.
But … I just kept writing.

And prayed God would give me the wisdom and strength to create beautiful stories to touch ‘waiting’ hearts with His truth.

Discouragement almost ran me off the road many times. Detours left me disillusioned and impatient. The ever-present questions “How much longer?” kept going off like a siren in my head, but I just kept writing, praying, and hoping. (Sometimes complaining and often doubting).

I was beginning to understand how the Israelites felt when they were wandering in the wilderness for forty years.

During the long wait, there were times I had to stop writing for a time because of the natural demands of having a large family, while working full-time to help put my husband through seminary. At that point, I had to pull completely off the road. But writing was a gift, burning in me to come out in stories. During my break, I wrote story ideas on napkins, took fifteen minutes to compose songs or develop poems, and held the dream in my heart by reading great writing.

And waited. (Sometimes not very patiently). I’ve wanted to give up so many times, but couldn’t. Truly. God would always bring something into my path to get me back on the road. I would read my work and look to heaven asking, “Am I there yet?”, but He knew the best timing.

So the real test for me was not only waiting, but trusting in His timing.

In June 2014 my family made a BIG move to Asheville, NC. It has been a tough transition for everyone, especially my older kids. I didn’t write a word for three months because of the massive demands of a new job and transitioning my kids into a new school. The journey seemed too long and hard. Maybe it was time to make a big U-turn and give up altogether – but then something happened.

Thirteen years after my first conference, I received a contract for my first book in the middle of September. By the end of November, I had two more contracts. I’m headed into 2015 on a new road of publication and the way is new, uncharted, exciting, and a little scary – so I’m … writing and praying God will give me the same patience, strength, and wisdom to create beautiful stories to touch ‘waiting’ hearts with God’s truth.

What can I tell you to encourage those of you wandering on the road-trip?

1. Find ways to enjoy the journey. 
The scenery is lovely if you take the time to look. God is teaching you things in the waiting period. New ways to trust him, to build faith in you, to look to Him for strength and creativity instead of ourselves. There is natural joy in the creative process of writing, so delve deep and relearn the joy of story.

2. Enjoy the people within your journey. 
God’s placed specific people in this proverbial car with you. For some, it might be kids, a spouse, or parents – for others it might be writing friends or a church family. Don’t forget to celebrate those around, beside you, encouraging you along the way. When we get so distracted by our own ‘waiting’ or detours, we lose sight of what (and who) is really important.

3. Make detours  and ‘pull-overs’ work for you

When life happens and you have to take a break or slowdown in your writing journey, remember that this detour is not a surprise to God. Find small, little ways to remind yourself of His call on your life to write. Take some time to read good books or listen to presentations about writing. Take a nature walk or watch a favorite movie. Stories are EVERYWHERE. Just because you don’t have time (or can’t) write at the moment doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the God-given fascination of story in almost every facet of our lives. Reading, watching, or listening to other people’s stories many times help encourage our own when the time is right to write again.

4. Remember “Not everyone who wanders is lost” (Tolkien)
When the writing well feels dry, try another creative route. Creativity can come out in so many ways, such as writing in a different genre, or developing another skill in yourself, or finding creative ways to serve in your church or teach your kids. Just because you’ve hit a dry-spell, doesn’t mean you’ve lost your way.


5. Keep writing
I may sound too simple but it’s incredibly important. KEEP WRITING. Just because you have to slow your pace to napkins or scratch paper, if God has called you to share the art of story, then WRITE. When He sends you on a detour? Write. When you feel bereft of creativity? Write. When you are angry at waiting? Write (I get some GREAT scenes of conflict out of this one). When you’re sad about a rejection or critique? Write.
Just keep writing.

Remember who’s driving the car of your life? God – and he knows the perfect road to get you to where he wants you to be. It may not be the route you’d choose, in fact it usually isn’t, but it is the path that’s best for you – for your good and His glory.

You may not be ‘there yet” and you may have no clue how much longer, but have faith in the One who gave you the gift of Story and – Just keep writing.

The One who called you to be a Storyteller has the right destination in mind for you. 

What's your destination? Tell us about your route to that destination. 

Comment today to win an ecopy of the The Thorn Bearer. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

Pepper D Basham has been telling tales ever since she was a little girl. A native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, mom of five, speech-language pathologist, and lover of chocolate, Pepper enjoys sprinkling her native Appalachian culture into her fiction wherever she can, usually writing Blue Ridge Romance peppered with grace and humor. Usually you'll find her hanging out with her family, working with kids who have special needs, searching for unique hats, or plotting new ways to annoy her wonderful friends at her group writing blog, The Writer’s Alley. She is represented by Julie Gwinn of Seymour Literary Agency. 

Her debut novel, The Thorn Bearer, came out in May 2015 and is the first book in the Penned in Time series. Books 2 and 3 of Penned in Time, come out in 2016.  

Her first contemporary romance, A Twist of Faith, is slated to release later this year. You can find her at www.pepperdbasham.com or follow her writing antics on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-D-Basham or Twitter at https://twitter.com/pepperbasham

The Thorn Bearer by Pepper D. Basham

From the decks of the ill-fated Lusitania to the smoke-filled trenches of France, Ashleigh must choose between the forgiveness of her past, life in the present, and a Savior who can rescue her from them all. 

When her fiancé leaves her eight months before their wedding, the unexpected blow ignites a battalion of insecurities stemming from her father’s intimate betrayal. Her worst fears are confirmed – who could ever love a soiled woman? 

In an attempt to escape the shame and disappointment of her past, Ashleigh boards the ill-fated Lusitania to cross the war-torn waters of Europe. Much to her dismay, she isn’t traveling alone. 

Sam Miller is always making up for his best friend’s mistakes. Determined to help Ashleigh, he offers his compassion and protection as she ventures across a perilous sea. With the faint hope of renewing his lost love for Ashleigh’s sister, Sam never expects to find the woman of his dreams in his best friend’s former fiancé and his own childhood companion. 

As they travel across the Atlantic, neither is prepared for the life-altering and heart-breaking journey of their friendship. 

When the truth of Ashleigh’s past explodes in the middle of war and Sam rejects her, Ashleigh must decide if God is enough – or if the double weight of her betrayal and past will crush her life forever.

Pipe Cleaners and Spaghetti Noodles with Guest Pepper Basham

I live in a Category 3 world. Hurricane levels. As a wife, mom, professional, and wannabe writer, life is overflowing most days. Only the slightly imbalanced need apply. 

To my mind, it’s all about pipe cleaners and spaghetti noodle thinking.

Yeah, yeah – what on earth am I talking about?

Well, I’m going to take you into a very scary place. MY BRAIN! 

So, what is the main difference between a pipe cleaner and an uncooked spaghetti noodle?
Pipe cleaners are FLEXIBLE

Uncooked Spaghetti noodles are…NOT.

Some brains are born more flexible than others. Some are forced to become more flexible by adding heat and water ;-) (aka Trials and Experience)

Flexibility is KEY. People with an uncooked spaghetti noodle brains have a difficult time thinking outside the box or their routine. Their world needs to function in a specific way, follow a specific plan, and look a specific way by the end of the day.

Unfortunately, for the writer who has much more going on than just writing (which is most of us), there are plenty of things in life that do NOT go as planned. Things which jump into our worlds and shake up that well-thought agenda. 

Writing CAN happen – even in chaos, but you have to be a flexible thinker.

http://www.makeandtakes.com/wp-content/uploads/Pipe-Cleaner-Letters.jpg

Repeat after me:

Think like a pipe cleaner! Think like a pipe cleaner!

Or add some trials and experience and think like a wet noodle 

Here are 5 tips to increase your flexible thinking/writing skills.

1.    Big Deal vs. Little Deal


 How good are you at determining the ‘size’ of the deal? If you haven’t honed something’s priority level, now is a GREAT time to start. There are some things that are worth you dropping your pen for, and other things that aren’t.

Can it wait until you’ve finished your word count? Is it an emergency? What are the consequences if you wait until your time frees up? Make your response fit the size of the deal to save on writing time. Everything does NOT have to happen ‘right now’.

2.    Time Stealers vs. Just Desserts
 
Just like I started keeping a food journal to help me count calories, I also started keeping a time stealer journal to see where I could weed out unnecessary distractors. Time is VITAL for me. I don’t have much of my own personal time. Most of it belongs to other people – my hubby, kids, employer, parents of the kids I serve, conference planners, etc. But how do I use what little I DO have?

Some typical Time Stealers are – T.V., Social media, reading, T.V., web-surfing, T.V. ;-) 

You get the point. 

None of these are bad things, but they can become time stealers REALLY quickly. I think many of us have become experts of procrastination, and kicking procrastination where it hurts can really free up some time for your JUST DESSERTS (aka WORDS on a page!!)

But again – we can’t FIX the problem, if we don’t IDENTIFY the problem. The doors of Time Stealers Anonymous are open now

We all love dessert – and getting that story done is like a triple fudge cake a la mode! How can you take back your time and enjoy SWEET success?


3.    Positive Self-Talk vs. Nasty Naysayers

 
Optimism is a powerful tool. Realistic optimism, that is. Telling yourself, or sharing with a friend, your writing goals can be a powerful tool to keep you motivated. However, as strong as positive planning can be, negativity can hit twice as hard.  A trusted set of encouraging people around you will help fight the naysayers and refocus you when you get off track, can really help motivate you to keep your plan. 



Life happens, though. We all know it does – and plans have to take detours (or the scenic route). Don’t beat yourself up and then lose even more momentum! Get out the GPS (God’s Planning System) and figure out how to revise your plan, reroute your ideas, or restart the project. Positivity leads to forward momentum. God has given you skills to use for His glory, that’s about as positive as it gets!!

4.    Time Snatching Techniques 
 
We all have the same amount of time – it’s just how we use it that makes the difference. Not only do each of us have time stealers, we also have unique ways of ‘snatching’ time. For me, I write in snippets – thirty minutes during a lunch break, ten minutes between finishing with kid homework and starting supper, fifteen minutes before walking into my office a few mornings a week. 


Whether it’s brainstorming, daydreaming about the next scene of a novel, or actually writing a few sentences or paragraphs, each of those snippets add to my story.

But thanks to technology, I’ve discovered cooler ways! I use a free app called Novel Idea to audio record dialogue, scene notes, or brainstorming notes when I don’t have access to pen and paper (or my laptop). I have a forty-five minute drive to my first clinic on Monday mornings, which is a prime opportunity to record scene notes. The notes are turned into print which I can email to myself. It’s an awesome time-snatching tool. I use it while in carpool or drive-thru lines too.

I also use a vBookzPDF, which reads PDF books out-loud. I use this feature when driving to hear the content and listen for flow of the story (It cost $4.99 for the voice). I use Shelfster for quick notes, photos, etc – to be categorized for research.

5.    Sprinkling mistakes with grace
 
Finally something we should ALL remember because we ALL need it so badly. GRACE.
No plan is full-proof and no person is perfect. We’re going to spend too much time on FB some days, or get distracted by blog hopping, or procrastinate with a movie, or stare out the window with a brain-bleached look on our faces. Uncooked-noodle-thinkers have a tendency to beat themselves up, and maybe even get off track altogether, but the best thing we can do is remember – WE ALL NEED GRACE!!!!

My granny used to say “Life is hard. We all break things or get broken. There are two important things to remember: Pray…and then do the next thing.”


Praying gets your perspective in the right direction, motivation puts feet onto those prayers.


So…think like a pipe cleaner! When you fail, pray…and do the next thing 

In my way of thinking, the heart of managing time well is adapting to your way of thinking + your life + your motivations + recognition of your weaknesses. Throw in a little modern day technology and a whole lot of encouragement from people like the Seekers, and it’s surprising how much more you can accomplish.

What are some time stealers and time snatchers in your life? What are ways you ‘think like a pipe cleaner? Do you have any cool App ideas to share?


Seekerville is giving away a $10.00 iTunes gift card so you can get your own app. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

Pepper Basham writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She’s a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mom of five, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate. In the wee small hours of the morning, she spends time talking to her imaginary friends and writing stories about them. She writes a variety of genres, but enjoys sprinkling her native culture of Appalachia in them all.  She won the Award of Excellence at Blue Ridge and the Inspy Category of the TARA in 2010, and double-finaled in ACFW’s Genesis in 2011. She currently resides in Johnson City, TN where she works as a university instructor, searches for unique hats to impress her friends, and plots new ways to annoy the wonderful ladies at Seekerville. You can find her on her personal blog, Words Seasoned With Salt¸ or at her group writing blog, The Writers Alley. She is extremely blessed to be represented by 2012 ACFW Agent of the Year, Nicole Resciniti.

When Life Happens…WRITE on Sticky Notes by Guest Blogger Pepper Basham

I’ve been a friend of Seekerville for over two years now, and among the MANY things I’ve learned, there is this one BIG truth:

EVERYONE has a different approach to writing.

Some people have a set schedule.

Some have a set word count

Some wake up at the wink of dawn.

Some write into the night.

Then there are people like me.

I’m not exactly wired like most.

(Oh dear, I can hear Ruthy laughing from here. Takes one to know one, Ruthy)

What I mean by that statement, besides the obvious, is that my brain is in constant forward motion…at high speeds. Blame it on being a mom of five. Or being raised in the middle of a herd of big-time talkers. Or maybe it’s my proclivity toward ADHD but….

I thrive on activity (this does not mean I’m either fit or thin, btw).

I work better in a borderline state of hysteria ;-)

It’s a good thing too, because there aren’t too many episodes of slow motion in my house or at work. (God knew, of course) Long spans of free writing time are as elusive as…the other match to a child’s white sock on a school morning with five minutes left before rushing out the door. (Anyone ELSE know that feeling?)

Or as elusive as a pair of pantyhose that DO NOT have a run the size of the Mississippi river in them? (I do NOT expect Vince or Walt to understand this dilemma – and I really don’t want to know if they do ;-)

That’s the writing life for me.

So – how do I write a novel in the midst of this pandemonium?

Let’s look at a Pepper-equation (be afraid, you’re entering MY mind. Fasten your seatbelts, grab some chocolate, and think in ‘pages’.)

That’s right! Being a writer, I measure time in terms of pages.

Some people have 5 subject-notebook times (about 200 pages). This is a person who writes full-time. Long spans of hours and days, where writing is a central focus and ½ a novel or an entire novel emerges after a few weeks of writing.

Weeks of writing….sigh

I dream about those moments. But dreaming is as far as it getsJ

Others have 3 subject notebook times (about 150 pages). This is someone who may have regular 3-5 hours of writing time on a consistent basis (Ruthy, is this you?), or a jag of focused weeks/months of only writing (I think Cheryl works kind of like this, and maybe Tina)

Then there are little 1 subject notebook times (about 80 pages) which make up an hour or two here and there each day. Lunch break for some of us. The wee small hours of the morning for others.

Finally, there are those little snippets of time which really can’t fit on a page – a few minutes crammed in between a chore or in carline, or several seconds at a stoplight. A nook-moment while the chicken simmers on the stove or you watch the kids play on the playground at the park.

Those are called sticky-note moments.

My life is made up of sticky-notes. Most days, that’s all I get.

To help you visualize this mental chaos, here’s an idea of what one of my Saturday mornings looks like (I work Monday-Friday as a university instructor, so those days are a bit different. If an actual lunch break happens, I might try to write- otherwise, it’s back to the sticky notes).

Let me give you an example:

Load of laundry, wash off breakfast dishes, type a few paragraphs… back to the dishes, check on kiddos, switched clothes from washer to dryer, type another paragraph or two. Help kids straighten up rooms. Fold laundry. Type another paragraph.

I wrote 500 words over a period of 4 hours this past Saturday with this method, which may not sound like much – but it matters.

Why? How on earth do sticky notes make up a novel?

Simple addition, my dear Watson.

Scattered moments strung together make a story.

For those of you who feel discouraged about ‘life’ crowding out your writing time, this is especially for you!

I KNOW what it feels like – usually on a daily basis.

But here’s a hint:

There are little opportunities all around us – God-given sticky note moments every day.

Where, you might ask?

Here’s a glimpse where I find them:

- On my lunch break (when I don’t have a lunch meeting or I’m not counseling a client (or family member)

- Five minutes before leaving my car to go into work

- In car pool line (that might even total 10 minutes or more)

- Notepad in the kitchen for those inspired moments while cooking (you can usually guess what I was cooking from the stains on the paper ;-)

- Voice recorder for inspired moments while driving

- A 13, 11, or 9 year old who will take dictation when their mother is driving them to or from school in the mornings J

- A treadmill desk to type a few ‘breathless’ notes

- Five minutes between chores or appointments

- A fabulous group of encouragers – who keep me going when I’ve fizzled to a stop

Even if you do not have writing induced ADHD like me, the lesson is this:

‘seize the moment’

‘snatch the opportunity’

Unless I’m engaged in active evaluation, teaching, counseling, or family-life, I stay in a constant state of daydreaming. It gears my brain for writing whenever there is a moment to catch J

Do I get bummed when sticky note moments happen instead of a 3-subject notebook moment? Oh dear, yes! But…

As He is ever-faithful to do, God is teaching me to trust him with ALL of my moments – big or small.

Life happens and even those moments come in short supply. Some of the Seekers and Writers’ Alley Gals have been privy to my insecurities, whining, and “I’m giving up’ tirades. But if I truly believe God has called me into this amazing writing world, while still having me live in the one I do, then there is a method to his ‘apparent’ madness in my life. J

Here’s the main things God’s taught me through this process:

1. Perseverance

Yeah, a fancy word for stick-to-itness (perfect for the sticky note mentality, don’t you think?)

2. Patience

Which really just means keeping life in the right perspective.

(Mind you, I’ve not mastered either one of these beautiful qualities, but I’m a work-in-progress)

Sticky Note Moments Tips For Your Sanity:

1. Make the most of them

2. Keep an attitude of forward motion – even if that means sssslllllloooooowwww motion.

3. Trust that God knows what He’s doing in your life (His timing, His calling, our perseverance)

4. To everything there is a season (Ruthy likes to remind us of that verse from Ecclesiastes). Right now the season of my life is sticky notes. Life is happening all around me, from kids to church to work to a mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s, to parents grieving the loss of their mothers within six months of each other. Lots of stuff. What do all these moments do?

5. Refine – we are being refined for a greater purpose. Not just so we’ll improve as writers, but most importantly so our souls will glorify the Lord. There is a phrase from one of my songs of which I love to remind myself:

“May Your glory fill my common days, with uncommon mercy and grace

So that all the souls who meet with me get a glimpse of Your beautiful face.”

The hallmark of who we are comes down to the attitude of our hearts and ‘attitude’ is not measured so much in time, as it is in action. We all are given the same amount of ‘time’. 24 hours a day. It’s the action we take (combined with the attitudes of our hearts) that make that ‘time’ matter.

Whether we have notebook moments or sticky note moments, it all comes back to our hearts – as everything in life always does.

God made this moment.

Just as it is.

Just where you are.

Just where I am.

I can take it and squeeze 20 words out of it, or allow it to slip away.

I can look at my writing nooks and crannies as meager food for the writer’s craving – or as an opportunity for creativity.

We’re all on a journey – in life, in love, in writing - and God is the author. That’s our greatest hope!

Because we’re not the authors, we’re not struggling in our own strength to write an autobiography. God’s got a story planned, one that ends with an amazing finish, and he’ll use all of our moments big or small. to get us there.

About Pepper: Pepper D. Basham is a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, mom of five, pastor’s wife, and university instructor. When she’s not sleeping, she’s creating fictional worlds where good defeats evil, laughter reigns, and adventure thrives. She won the Award of Excellence at BRMCWC in 2009, the inspirational category of the TARA in 2010, and is a double-finalist in the Genesis for 2011.

Here is her current motto: “Three things are necessary, four are required: God’s grace, a sense of humor, children’s hugs, and good chocolate. Everything else is secondary.”

She writes stories (in various genres) that are peppered with grace and a dash of humor.

You can learn more about Pepper from her personal blog, Words Seasoned With Salt or at her group writing blog, The Writers Alley.

Today in Seekerville we're giving away a pack of Sticky Notes, a surprise Seeker book, and a Five Page Critique to one commenter to celebrate Pepper's post and her double Genesis final!! Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

THE SOUL'S INTERNAL EDITOR

Okay, Julie here, and I don't know about you, but I get just a wee bit nervous when I see the word "editor" in the title of a blog. I mean, let's face it -- most of the time it's not a lot of fun having our "babies" critiqued or edited, often leaving us bloodier than the very pages scribbled with red ink. So when I read Pepper Basham's blog, "The Soul's Internal Editor" a while back, I knew it was something I wanted to share with Seekerville. Because editors are important -- both in our writing and in our lives!

That said, please welcome Pepper D. Basham, one of our spunkiest and most supportive Seeker friends and commenters. Pepper is a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, mom of five, pastor's wife, university instructor in Communicative Disorders and writes a fabulous blog that you really need to check out -- Faith and Fiction on Fire. When she's not sleeping, she's creating fictional worlds where good defeats evil, laughter reigns, and adventures grow faith. She won the Award of Excellence in Christian Literature at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and was a finalist in the Golden Rose in 2009. Her current writing motto is "Write in the moment, you're not promised the next ten minutes without someone 'needing' you." Her long-term goal, besides getting published someday, is to fulfill her mother's greatest dream: Get her PhD so she can be called Dr. Pepper.

Whew! When it comes to Pepper Basham, she fits the Dr. Pepper slogan to a T -- "There's Just More To It!" Without further ado, I give you, "Dr. Pepper" ...

The Soul's Internal Editor

A little over a month ago I hired someone to do a line-edit on my work-in-progress, The Thornbearer. It’s always a bit unnerving to become vulnerable to someone else’s critique, offering my infant-manuscript to be sliced, diced, and redressed (just kidding, actually she was very kind).

But the truth still remains. I paid her to edit my work. I paid her to provide constructive criticism. I paid her to point out my weaknesses. (I can think of a few people who do all those things on a regular basis and don’t get paid one cent. You know who you are). :)

Did her corrections sting?

Sure, especially since I thought my writing was pretty near perfection.

Did I want to throw my work in the trashcan?

Momentarily, because of the overwhelming task of fixing it and feeling like I’d NEVER get things right – but then I swallowed down my orange-sized pride and dug the manuscript out of the rubbish pile.

Did I want to ignore it?

Yes, and actually I did for a little while, but chocolate made everything better.

Did I mention I paid for this?

The editor was encouraging too. Shared my strengths as well as my weaknesses. Told me that it’s a good story with great potential.

She’s a good editor, to the point, but in a kind way. I appreciate that. She didn’t cut any corners, sugarcoat my weaknesses, or try and smooth over the rough edges. How would I improve as a writer if she did that? She was only doing her job, and the things she suggested – I NEEDED to hear.

If I choose not to listen to valuable instruction, I’ll refuse to grow as a writer….
and as a person.

It’s a lot like the Holy Spirit.

Until Christ comes to live in our hearts, there is no editor of our souls. We choose what’s right in our own eyes. We write our own life-scenes and hope for the best.

But then the Holy Spirit shows up. The soul’s Internal Editor. He’s consistent, faithful, honest, and waiting with His metaphorical pen to right the wrongs of our heart’s story.

The warmth of His comfort wraps around us in our trials, the strength of His assurance spurs us forward into the next day, the faithfulness of His love encourages us to be honest and to run to the Father with our soiled pages of life.

Does His correction sting?

Sometimes it does, especially when we don’t want to change our ways or we are particularly guilty. After all, we do think we’re pretty perfect. :)

Do we ever want to throw in the towel and say, “I can’t do this?”

Yep, but it’s all about His faithfulness – not ours. He holds us, He helps us, and He’s the one who provides the pen for us to rewrite the attitudes of our hearts. We WILL fail, but we never fall so far He cannot pull us out of the rubbish bin and into His embrace. In all truth, it’s not about us, it’s about Him.

Do we ever want to ignore Him?

Um…duh! Who wants to hear criticism? But He’s persistent and keeps reminding us of the stories He wants to write with our lives, stories far beyond what we could ever imagine.
In fact, our stories have already been edited in full. And the cost?

Paid for by Jesus.

He took our mutilated, ripped, and filthy rough draft and gave us His finished copy instead. He put OUR names in His book. As the Holy Spirit continues to edit our lives, the pages of our stories have already been cleaned up and placed within the Book of Life.

It is finished.

And it’s a BEST SELLER, all because of Jesus.

So today, as you share in this wonderful place called Seekerville, answer two questions:

1. What part of your writing requires the most editing?
2. What part of your heart requires the most editing?

In writing? I struggle with too many adjectives…well, probably too many words in particular. I can’t seem to write a book that’s less than 100,000 words I’ve also realized, through this edit, that I wasn’t getting into deep POV.

For me, God has to remind me of His control, when all seems out of control. When I don’t get MY time, or I feel misunderstood or not appreciated, He has to bring his Holy Spirit pen into my heart and scribble away at my anger and selfishness. He reminds me that He always sees what no one else sees, and He’s making note of it in the Book of Ages. So, the BIG story of my life is being written by scenes and chapters that HE sees, steps of growth in the tiny details of everyday.

So…for editing of the soul, it takes Jesus.

For editing of our writing, it takes other people. More knowledgeable people.

--> Let me give you a list of some befores and afters from some the edited manuscript to make my writing point.
Concise – definition – expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form, but comprehensive in scope.

Her breath tripped on a gasp and the sounds around her faded to silence. A chill trembled through her like frigid wind on wet flesh, grappling air into an icy knot lodged in the center of her chest. Here? Of all places?

As someone said recently, my love of words is obvious, “which is a nice way of saying AX some of them.” (You know who you are ;-) To increase the punch of these sentences, what if I just took out a few extraneous words.

Her breath tripped on a gasp and sounds around her faded to silence. A chill trembled through her like frigid wind on wet flesh. Michael? Here?

Here’s another – a bit longer.

She cleared her throat and bent to retrieve one of her small bags from the pier. “Did Grandmama pay for your ticket?”

His smile faded and he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, a slight hint of pink sliding onto his cheeks. “I offered to pay for it, but— ”

Ashleigh’s laugh burst out of her so unexpectedly she shocked herself. “Oh dear, she was desperate.”

“I haven’t heard your laugh in a while.” Sam’s voice slid to a softer tone, coaxing her closer. “I’ve missed it.”

Something cautious and hard inside her chest melted under the compassion in his gaze. She wanted to trust him completely, anchor her faith in the kindness of another man, drown in the friendship he offered within his sun-soaked blue eyes, but her spirit wavered. Memories suffocated hope, reminding her of whom she was…and who betrays. Men. Men like Michael? Or her father?

Okay, I like the last paragraph and just put it in there for fun, but there are some good ‘trimming’ opportunities in the first few sentences. For example, his smile faded and he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, a slight hint of pink sliding onto his cheeks.

An easy way to tighten this would be to take out the phrase ‘with his free hand’ (duh) and the word ‘slight’, since ‘slight hint’ is redundant. So, is this better?

His smile faded and he rubbed the back of his neck, a hint of pink sliding onto his cheeks.

Next is another one of my problems ;-) Over the top emotions. (Julie, I hope you’ll cheer me on here). For example in the phrase above Ashleigh’s laugh burst out of her so unexpectedly she shocked herself. “She laughed in surprise” or even something as simple as “She laughed” might suffice. The emotion is still there, but more concise – to get on to the better stuff ;-)

One more?

Does it move the story forward?

It’s easy for me to want to put cute stuff into a story, an extra scene perhaps, just because I’m so doggone in love with my characters or plot. I CONSTANTLY have to ask myself if a scene, or even sentence, ‘moves the story along’. I’m sure I’ll still have plenty of sentences that just take up space, but I’ll have fewer of them than if I never asked myself the question.

For example, I tend to throw ten actions into one sentence, something my characters might never physically master, but even if they could it detracts from the story.

“His mouth slackened and he dropped his hold on her arm, brows drawn into a tight ‘v’.”

Goodness gracious! Leave something to the imagination, will ya, Pepper.

To tighten and keep the action moving forward, I need to be more concise. To the point. We’re not talking, bland.

Here’s a quote I’ve started keeping near my computer: One GREAT word is better than two good ones.

Sometimes we have to use those good ones, but keeping your imagination open for the great ones will tighten your writing – I know it will tighten mine.

There you go! My story still needs editing, which I like doing, so I’ll keep learning, growing, and writing.
My SOUL still needs editing, which I may not like as much, but the end result is…well ‘out of this world’ ;-)