Introducing: The Torch Keepers

Back in October, God gave me a story.  But the story's beginning goes even further back.

I remember seeing a picture online several years ago.  It was a portrait of a beautiful, European girl who looked like someone you'd see in prom photos.  Long, golden hair, beaming smile.

But the article underneath shocked me.  The girl left her home and traveled to a middle eastern country.  She became a terrorist.

I stared at the picture and wondered how someone could do that.  How they could have so much pain inside that would make them join a group of people who murdered for fun.  Who thought death was just a way of life.

It's horrible.  But I look back now and realize that the picture of the girl was the beginning of a story God was only beginning to write inside me.

Last October, I had a college assignment to write a short story.  Without realizing it, I wrote the story of that girl's life—someone who made the decision to join an Islamic terrorist group.  It sounds horribly graphic, but, somehow, I found God through writing about that evil.  Because despite the tragic pain in the story and in the world, He is strong.  And He is King.

I received feedback from the other students.  Two girls scribbled on the back of the story, "I think this should be part of a longer work."

I rolled my eyes when I read it; I was already so busy working on my other novel, Emblem of Hope.  I wonder if God laughed at my silly thoughts.

Because this summer, He lead me through writing a novel based off of that little story.  It was written and edited in two months—something I literally can't do in my own strength at. all.  And He gave me the opportunity to enter it into this novel contest.

Almost a year after writing that first short story, I'm here shaking my head.  The Torch Keepers is a fantasy novel (a genre I never wanted to write).  And, by His grace, it won the novel contest (see the list of winners here!).

Although revision will certainly come in the future, I'm so thrilled to discover where He takes The Torch Keepers!  My hope is to have it published by the beginning of next summer, but I'm taking it a day at a time.  Next up: writing the sequel.

But before I begin that, here are some sneak peeks into The Torch Keepers... a synopsis, some pictures that inspired the book, and Biblical verses that transformed it into the story it is today.

I can't wait for you to read the story!  But, until then, here's something to pique your interest.  And as I begin writing book #2, I'd savor your prayers for God's wisdom and grace in the writing process.

........

The Torch Keepers

synopsis

A fiery revolution sweeps across the kingdom of Érkeos, and each person must choose a side. Kadira—a girl set apart to serve the King—loses those most dear to her. When she meets Rekém, the Liberation warrior sent to kill her, she questions the King's ways. As hearts and lives hang in the balance, Kadira and Rekém's decisions could bring destruction or liberation to the entire kingdom.

........

   

The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,

And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.

- Isaiah 35:1

Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They shall be as wool. 

- Isaiah 1:18

For You will light my lamp;
The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 

- Psalm 18:28

So—there it is!  There is so much I could tell you about this novel, so many God moments of inspiration and passages that He used to tell this story.  But I can't give away the whole adventure, so you'll just have to wait.

In the meantime, let's chat!  What part of the writing process is most daunting to you?  Have you ever given a story completely to God, letting Him write it through your fingers?  What questions do you have about The Torch Keepers, and what upcoming writing posts would you like to see about it?

As I'm preparing to outline book #2, I'm looking back and remembering how He is always faithful.  There are many unknowns in life, but that's okay.  He writes my story.

And Jesus wrote the story of that girl who became a terrorist.  I wonder if He cried at the pain she brought herself like I cry when I have to do it to my characters.  I don't know where the girl is, what she's done, if she's even alive anymore, but The Torch Keepers is the story I wish she could read.  I wish I could stand next to her and tell her that there's still grace.  That she can be forgiven.

But I can't.  So today I'm telling you, dear friend, there's grace.  And remember, Jesus is writing your story too.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

- John 14:27

~♥~

Set Life || a Short Story

I straighten, my elbows resting on the edge of a table covered by a blue cloth. The pattern on the sheet is like woven textile and complements the scattered puzzle pieces of every color. I see two matching zebra pieces and press them together. The edges fit perfectly.

"Don't get too far ahead, Hosanna," one of the grips says as I find another zebra piece, "we haven't started the shot yet, and the puzzle's only supposed to be half-done."

I laugh and shrug.  "I can't help it.  All these pieces just waiting to be put together."  But I stop and watch the film crew gathering around me and the other actress, my hands still fiddling with a small puzzle piece between my forefinger and thumb.

One actor—my brother—isn’t going to be filmed in this scene, and he takes a turn helping the grips set up lights.  Other behind-the-scene helpers put up the lights, hold diffusers, and arrange the scene perfectly as the camera op and director give them guidance.  The lights and stands are arranged, making the tan wall behind me free of shadows.  The puzzle pieces look even more vibrant on the blue tablecloth.  I pick one up.

When the director is satisfied with the lighting, a make-up artist comes close and squints at my face and the other actress.  She dabs transparent powder on my nose and forehead.  It already feels like there’s a thick layer of makeup covering my face, but I shut my eyes and let her brush more above my cheekbones.

"Are the lights making me shiny?" I ask, smiling.

Her voice rises with her flashing grin, "No, you just can't help glowing.”  She gives me one last pat of powder.  “You're a star, girl."

The other actress and I laugh.

"Practice run."  The camera op holds his gimbal and sweeps the camera slowly across the scene as I go back to the puzzle.  After he does it several times, he nods to the director.

I tense.  My fellow actress prepares to enter the scene, but my heart is pounding against the lav mic that's tapped to my sternum.  A tiny cord trails down to the transmitter in my back pocket that's hidden.  Every word I say can be heard by the boom operator.  Yeah, it can be embarrassing.  No secrets.

He hoists his boom pole onto his shoulders.  It's extended past four feet, and he raises it above our heads, checking to make sure it's not in the camera shot.  His long arms stiffen as the mic hesitates above our heads.

The camera op nods.

"Camera rolling."

"Sound speed."

I take a deep breath.  As I lower my eyes to the puzzle again, my fingers clasp around one of the pieces.  It's not a zebra but instead some odd, grey texture. An elephant?

"Scene 13 alpha take 1."  The clapperboard snaps, making my ears ring.  The 2nd AC steps away, holding the board, and pauses.

No one says a word.

Memorized lines rush through my brain.  I try to sort them, to remember which goes first, where I look, how I say every word.  They’re like the puzzle, mixed and strewn all over the tablecloth.

I release my breath in a quick prayer.  This scene belongs to God. It's all His.  "Help me, please."

"Three, two, one... action!"

The actress—my pretend sister—pulls up to the table in front of me, but I ignore her for a moment.  My fingers fiddle with the puzzle pieces.  I find two that connect, and they slip together like old friends meeting once again.

But I raise my eyes, my throat tightening.  "Why were you yelling?"

She doesn't meet my gaze.  "I don't want to talk about it."

It's the climax scene for my character, and somehow, I forget who I am.  I forget that I'm an actress, and instead I become Noelle.  At that puzzle table, I stare into my sister's face.  She pretends to work on the puzzle with me, but there's no effort.  She goes through the motions, and I know her secrets. I know how it's hurting her, hurting our family, hurting me.

My fists clench around the suffocating puzzle piece.  I try to control my breath, but it chokes when I say my next lines.  I'm not supposed to cry—it's not in the script—but I feel the emotion clutching in my throat.  Because somehow, right now, I'm Noelle.

The lines rush out of my mouth.  We argue, and my words hurt her as I try to "realistically" show her the truth.  As she finally turns to leave the table, I watch until I reach down for another piece.  It doesn’t have a partner, matching piece.  But it's still part of the overarching picture.  It has a place in the story.

"And cut."

I look up, almost surprised.  There's the camera, still turned towards me.  The boom pole lowers, but I forgot that it was there.  Lost in that moment, it all disappeared.  It was just me and my sister, our words flying and stumbling at times.  Our hearts broken and hurting.

I take a deep breath.  I'm not Noelle anymore, but she lingers inside me.  As the camera sets up for another take, I go back to being Hosanna.  Until the next shot.

The camera moves to another angle, and we retake the scene. Then again.  Alpha, bravo, charlie, delta, echo...  The clapperboard keeps snapping, and I say my lines again, lost in the moment.

At the last "cut", the director nods.

"That's a wrap for today."

I slip off my chair, leave the puzzle.  After the entire day of filming for 10 hours, we hurry to pack our bags and exit the house towards our row of vehicles.

I start our truck and pull onto the road.  My actor brother sits beside me as we pass the dotted, yellow lines and turn corners.

But I can’t stop thinking about the puzzle scene, about how I had become caught up in the moment.  Somehow, that feeling of being completely lost in something bigger than myself still hesitates within me.  I never thought acting was my passion.  But maybe—somehow—it is part of who I am.

We will come back the next day and act.  And the day after that.  But I don’t think it will be the same as the moment I forgot the mic, camera, and lights and got caught up in the story.

I guess it's called set life.

Last week, I spent at least 50 hours working on a short film with a crew of incredibly talented people.  We laughed, made mistakes, worked together.  And somehow, I felt like we became a family in those five days.

And even though it was time consuming and left me little breaks to be in His quiet presence, I still knew that He was God.  With every shot, I committed myself to Him.  When my stomach churned with stress, I let Him be my strength.  And He was (and is) always enough.

I miss set life.  But instead of being sad that it's over, I'm rejoicing that it happened.

And now you, dear friend.  What are your rejoicing in?  Do you consider yourself an actress?  If you've never made a movie, what aspects of filming stood out to you in my short story?

Friend, you are being loved.

 

The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,

And in the night His song shall be with me—

A prayer to the God of my life.

- Psalm 42:8

~♥~

When Beauty Blooms || Blog Tour & Guest Post

Dear friends,

Meet Victoria Lynn - a writer, blogger, and incredible friend.  I was able to meet Victoria in May, and she is a seriously awesome person.  Talk about a heart of mercy and encouragement!

And today, I have the pleasure of joining Victoria in a blog tour for her newest release - When Beauty Blooms.  The novelette is beautiful, but I'm almost just as excited because the authoress wrote a guest post for us!  She is going to share her thoughts on a difficult topic addressed in When Beauty Blooms - social anxiety.  Scroll down and meet the heart of a dear friend...

(and don't forget to enter the giveaway and check out Victoria's novelette!)

Hosanna left it up to me to post about whatever I wanted to. LOL! Not sure if that was a good idea or a dangerous one, but here we are. :D I am so blessed to know Hosanna and I feel privileged that she asked me to post on her blog.

So, without further ado, here are my thoughts on a subject that has been a struggle for me, but also a feature in my new book, When Beauty Blooms.

Social anxiety is a label for something that I didn’t realize that I had an issue with until this past year. As a homeschooler and someone who wasn’t very involved in the community, the close circle of friends that I interacted with in my growing up years never threw me for a loop. I loved them, they loved me, we had a blast, I knew how to socialize, 'nough said. But the thing is, I am more of an introvert than I originally thought. My day-job (of a receptionist) requires a lot of interaction with clients, but it also involves a lot of interaction with coworkers, and a lot of their day (scheduling etc.) relies on me and my ability to do my job, know timings etc. No pressure right? *starts to sweat*

I have come to realize that I rely on what other people think of me a lot. And that’s not super healthy. I want to do a good job, I want my coworkers to be pleased with the job that I do and with me as a person. But there are times when perfection is not possible. I make mistakes, and I also have felt utterly crushed by criticism or correction. Which is not healthy.

But aside from those things, I have also experienced a bit of ostracization. I am different. I am a Christian girl who seeks to remain pure and wholesome in everything I do, from language, actions and outward appearance to even deeper matters of the heart. I go against the norm when it comes to many of the things that are found normal in this world. I’ve learned that it is hard not being accepted for who I am. Again, being sensitive, I sense the subtleties of actions and I have felt the rejection at times.

As I have been through the process of editing this book and getting it ready for publication, I have found myself relating to Marjorie, the main character, on a much deeper level than I did originally. She is often rejected, even if subtly for the way she lives her life and her personality and viewpoints that go against the norm.

Through my journey, and I haven’t by any means arrived yet, not that we ever do, but I am learning that my identity is not found in what others think of me, but what Christ does. Even if God is the only one who knows that I did a good job at work and that my heart is in the right place, I should be okay. Because His opinion is the only one that matters. Granted, I should seek to please my boss and serve them in the best way possible, but at the end of the day, can I look to God, knowing that I did my best, and find that enough?

It’s a work in progress. I’m a work in progress, and you know what?  That’s okay. God doesn’t require perfection from us, He requires a heart fully devoted to Him.

I have found myself on the way home at the end of a long day crying but saying out loud so the devil can hear me that “Christ is my all. His opinion is the only one that matters and His love is worth it all.”

He loves me and will always love me.

But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children.

- Psalm 103:17 (emphasis added)

And that is truly all that matters. Who I am is found in who Christ is and my value is found in what He did for me.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will...

- Ephesians 1:4-5

What about you? Do you ever struggle with social anxiety or people pleasing?

By God’s Grace,

Victoria

Website // Facebook // Goodreads // Instagram // Amazon

Hosanna here - I hope Victoria blessed you as much as she has me!  I encourage you to check out her novelette as well as visit some of the other bloggers participating in this book release.  (the ones posting before and after me are Lilly Shyree and Laura Grace)

And Victoria is offering a fun giveaway!  Clink the image below:

~♥~

Sharing a Piece of Life and His Grace

Dearest Friends,

If you're a thorough schedule-keeper (or stalker), you probably noticed that I skipped posting this week.  Or perhaps you're like me, and you accidentally let every blog post in your inbox be a pleasant surprise.  But, either way, I'm sorry for the late posting, and I hope this little message finds you rejoicing in Jesus.

Instead of a very long post (because it will probably end up being long anyway), let's share a bit of life.  How are you?  How has God been working in your life, and what stories of His grace are on your heart?

I have so many updates I could share... things I'm excited about.  Oh, but first, my story of His grace.

This summer has kept me busy writing.  In May, someone shared information about The Two Month Novel Challenge - writing and editing a novel in two months.  Crazy, huh?  I thought about it, prayed about it, and God opened the doors for me to participate!

Two months later, it's done:  The Torch Keepers.

Oh, but there's so much more to share.  I didn't write and edit a book.  I can say without a doubt that God created The Torch Keepers.  I was only the glove on His hands, the fingers He chose to use.

He gave me inspiration.  I woke up one day with an idea for a high-fantasy novel (not my typical genre).  God guided me through every detail.  Every twist was His idea.  The mistakes are mine (and they are there!), but He guided me through the entire process.  I'm just incredibly humbled.

This was a time I knew completely that it wasn't me doing the writing - it was Him.  I let go and let Him write.

One morning, I desperately needed to create backstory for my second main character, but I had absolutely nowhere to go.  As I ate breakfast, I remember begging God, "I need inspiration!  I need You to give me something!"

And He did.  He pushed me to read the first chapters of Genesis where I discovered my character's story.

And there were so many other moments.  When I was finally submitting The Torch Keepers to the contest, all completed, and realized that I had written the wrong synopsis.  They had different guidelines than the synopsis I had written... and so, at 9:00 at night, God allowed an awesome friend to pop online and help me through the "write a synopsis as fast as you can" process.  We stayed up, stressed, and laughed as God worked it out perfectly.

What I'm trying to say is this:  God is good, all the time.  He wants to be a part of your entire life.  Every aspect.  And when you give it to Him, He turns it into a masterpiece you could never imagine.  It's not up to me or you at all, and we don't even deserve it.  I guess it's called surrender.

So, I submitted my novel.  What's next?

A college capstone paper.  Creating a short film next week with some friends.  Oh, and lots more melon eating because our garden is overflowing.

It's busy.  It's stressful at times (not the melon part).  But He is so good, and I'm rejoicing.  If you haven't noticed "rejoice" is one of my new favorite words.

So let's share - what's going on in your life?  How has God been strong in your weaknesses?  How are you rejoicing?  I'd be delighted to share hearts together in the comments!

Let's be joyful together, because that's what Christians do.

(and don't worry - I'm going to have an official announcement for The Torch Keepers soon!  I'm so excited to share all the special details, but that's for another day, a later time.  BUT I can't wait!!!)

Today - right now - let's rejoice in Jesus.

My heart is overflowing with a good theme;

I recite my composition concerning the King;

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

- Psalm 45:1

~♥~