The best part of writing for me has turned out to be the relationships I have because of this job. Maybe that's not apparent on emails, but I'm telling you, these Christian publishing people are incredible. Let me give you a sampling. Ten years' ago at Mt. Hermon, I met Lonnie Hull Dupont, an editor for Baker/Revell. She read something of mine, told me what was good and what wasn't. But I just connected with her and I knew I wanted to work with her some day.
In the meantime, we've met in San Francisco for lunch, met at various writing events, all the while knowing someday. Well, that someday is here. She's editing my first young adult novel, and she is FABULOUS! Just how I knew it would be. In fact, this morning, I had written something in the wrong context. Out of context, it was downright raunchy, but it context, which is the way I saw it, it worked fine. But my oh my, that would have brought letters upon letters from angry parents. And Lonnie? She laughed and wrote some wry comment. That is so ENCOURAGING.
Okay, then, there is Ami McConnell, who I also met at Mt. Hermon. I have the utmost respect for Ami (she's an editor at Thomas Nelson) and she can speak an idea, and my eyes just light up with possibilities. She has put my writing enthusiasm back to the keyboard. That is a gifting.
But wait, then there's Colleen Coble, who took me in when I was sick as a dog with MS and nursed me back to health while I got off the meds and went the natural route. There's Athol Dickson, who took my husband's resume, rewrote it and make my DH realize how incredibly talented he is. Angela Hunt, Karen Ball and Robin Lee Hatcher, who have guided me in paths they've already taken. There's no end to the encouragement I've received from Denise, Cheryl, Rene Gutteridge, Nancy Toback and Diann. Daily stuff that keeps the world spinning.
Writing is a hard business, filled with lots of rejection, both from publishers and reviewers and private emails chastising your very being. That's the hard part. The good part is God gives you these lights. Who are your visual lights along the path? Have you thanked them? Do it publicly. Here. We'll wait.
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8 Comments:
Oh I SO agree! My life is so blessed by my friendships with you and the girls, K! And what would I do without my Ami and the rest of the Nelson fiction team? When I get hard news (like today when I found out Erin Healy can't edit Lightkeeper's Bride) I can cry on your shoulder. Friendship is a wonderful thing!
Same here. You guys, Kris, Colleen, Denise, Diann, are the best. And the ladies on the GWO loop are so encouraging. I know if I run into trouble, or am feeling low, encouragement is just a keyboard away.
That said, however, I still wish we were closer, because face time is vital. Mel and I went out with some friends the other night, and I manipulated it so that Mel and the other husband present would be able to sit together and talk model airplanes, etc., while the three of us girls were able to talk and laugh and share.
Amen, sister. Love you so much, and know that you are guiding others along the way. :-)
Angie
We need more face time, there's no question. And it's been so hard with the publishing world being so up and down lately. I hope that CBA (ICRS) doesn't go away. I look forward to that so much. But ACFW was sure fun this year, too!
Kristin, I need to publicly thank you. Every email, every brief conversation at a conference with you, I leave feeling empowered to keep writing. I think John Maxwell is the one who says you are growing in leadership when you are being mentored, work with a peer and mentor someone else--I didn't put it in quotes but that was the take-away for me and I see that all over Christian fiction writing and especially with ACFW. Thank you!
I also want to thank Colleen for her encouragement this summer and Rene for that amazing brainstorming session during dinner in Denver. I take these nuggets of wisdom seriously and have learned so much.
Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Abundant blessings,
Jenny
The GWO team is such a blessing! Colleen has encouraged me more times than I can count and continues to do so! Kristin and Denise, both, make me laugh!
I'm thankful for you who visit us, too! Beverly--who understands "the journey," Pam (my international friend), Suzanne--and on and on--so many of you continue to encourage and uplift. Thank YOU for being our friends!
Oh, my word...where do I begin?? Well, there's the Girls Write Out gang, who are so generous with their novels and their time...sharing materials with me to blog about, and treating me like one of them.
Liz and Kelly with Waterbrook/Multnomah, who chose me for an article on blogging about books, giving me a HUGE leap forward in the blogging world...still don't know why they picked ME to interview, but they did.
And all of my author buddies...you are all SO MUCH FUN to work with, and it is an honor to promote your fine writing!
Then my bloggy buddies, who pray for me, laugh with me, send encouraging comments...what a community we live in!
And my READERS...hallelujah for them, or I wouldn't be blogging much!
God put this all together for me...I'm just along for the ride of a lifetime for a bookworm such as I:-)
Kristin a/k/a Snow White,
You've been a friend INDEED. Don't know how I'd get by without your love and encouragement. Okay, I gave you away. You're not a curmudgeon after all. LOL Truly, you're my twin on the West Coast, except half my size...a quarter of my size? You're precious beyond words.
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