Into the Fire

There were all kinds of learning curves going on when I wrote my first novel. Not only those but many kinds of interference (I explained mine here) which for most writers is expected, depending on their life responsibilities. Over the course of time from beginning to the more seasoned times of the writing life, we experience some great instructions – and, yes, some not so great. 

Here is my best and most favorite instruction that the Lord Himself gave me during one of those worrisome times as I wrote my first novel and since then when the lulls become extended: 

     "If you pick up the pen, I'll give you the words." 

It still works for me. 

Father, you always amaze me. Your kindness, benevolence, grace, mercy, forgiveness, lover of my soul – all of it sustains me. Apart from you, I can do nothing. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

In Memory of My Friend Rick . . . 

My friend Rick . . . We met in my first year at the University of Washington. My two friends and I used to hang out between classes in the Hub pretending or attempting to study. The lighting was dimmed, it seemed "cool", and there were these cute guys who also congregated in there. Rick was one of those guys. Long story short, over time we all met each other and became friends during that turbulent time of '66 and the summer of '67.

Rick was and still is a genius on the piano. He composed two songs that I knew of during that tumultuous time. One a tribute to our friend Ron, a drummer and photographer, and another a tribute to me. The title of Ron's was "Ronaldo's Theme", and mine was called "Gallop". How I wish I had a recording of it. I'm sure it's long gone buried under layers and layers of old memories and forgotten melodies. I loved his work.

I remember riding in Rick's old green turtle-shaped Volvo named Spencer. I could always depend on Rick for wit, humor, kindness, talent, intelligence delivered in a practical format, and basic sensibility in totally un-sensible times. From what I gather, he hasn't changed much. I haven't spoken to him in over 20 years.

My first year on the racetrack he and some of our friends came down to the racetrack to visit me at the barn where I worked. I remember a grey filly I took care of named Spotted Lady stepped on his foot. He stood there in pain, helpless, not knowing what to do. Believe me, if you've never been stepped on by a horse with shoes on, you don't want that kind of pain. He was totally brave about it. 

Just a short time ago I found Rick on Facebook and felt overjoyed because of the emotions of those old memories. I didn't know much about him other than he'd married and had a son. Things changed from that last time we'd gathered at our mutual friend's. But he still "sounded" like Rick. And though I learned we had chosen different ideologies, he would always be the same Rick to me.

He said he'd be willing to update his lifestory, but he'd been experiencing some health issues and would get back to me when he felt better. Yesterday he told me he has cancer* and is undergoing different treatments for it. No one wants to hear that report.

*Rick passed away from that cancer, but I arranged to see him before he left this earth. He allowed me to pray for him and we hugged before I departed. 

Rick, I love you, my friend.

Father, thank you for the friendships that still remind us of the wonder of friends from times past. We never lose that love for them. Help us all to get through losing them, and may we never stop praying for them before they leave this earth. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

This is what I ask myself at my lowest point in the writing process: "Am I a fraud for calling myself an author?" 

Well, technically, I am not a fraud for calling myself an author. I've written 11 novels, 9 of which have been published in one format or another (soft covers or ebooks or both). I'm working on number 12 at present. 

Am I a fraud for thinking I write good love stories/romances? I suppose that's subjective depending on who you ask. Having chosen the most prolific genre in the world to write novels with the numbers of published fare ranking in the zillions, it doesn't really make me a fraud for writing them – it just doesn't add up to being a "recognized" author in the genre for me.

Bottom line: writing love stories/romances is what I'm supposed to write. I write what I love to read – and can find very few "real" authors in the Christian Fiction market who write them the way I like. I don't and won't label my stories "clean fiction", the now trendy term for classifying most romances and romantic suspense in the Christian market. Why won't I? Because it implies that without that label the romance is going to be dirty. Granted, if you read secular/general market romances, chances are you will have clips of written porn which muddies up the story and generally speaking is so unnecessary. But I cannot recall ever reading a Christian romance novel that wasn't "clean" without that inference and label. 

So. I eventually conclude I'm not a fraud. But successful by any accepted standard? Not really.

Father, thank you for every story, every character, and all the words and ideas. Apart from you, I can do nothing. Period. "End of story." In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

From Brian Culbertson's Colors of Love CD, this is "You're Magic". I've never heard an album which better "articulates" the song titles of each cut with the music. This album is unbelievably beautiful. Each song is so perfectly depicted in the music and the tone. This musical genius is a pianist extraordinaire, but that's not the only instrument he plays. I love this album. 

Father, thank you for the benevolence of your creativity distributed to us. The beauty of musicians and artists of all kinds is a gift to us. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

There are the rigid disciplinarians who can commit to writing every day. There are the structured schedulers who religiously stick to the times and days set apart for writing. There are the haphazard time setters who must allow a certain amount of time per day or set a time to write 5 days a week with an allotted 2 days off. 

As many combinations as you can imagine comprise the kind of authors known to write novels – and other things. But we do novels here and rarely stray from that path. 

You could say I'm a binge writer. No structured times, no rigid schedules, no set-in-stone commitments for when I write. I cannot force the creative intentions, and I refuse to write words without inspiration or intent. Yes, it can make for some worrisome silences at times, lapses of days without writing on my novel, wonderings about when I will be able to return to the story – but, so far, through all of my endeavors, I come back to it with a freshness after the separation and continue anew. 

While away from my novel, I'm still engaged. Sentences often run through my mind, scenes play out. Eventually, I write them down – if not in the form they will one day possess, I jot down the words or the general circumstances to refer to when I'm back at the keyboard. It's the plan that isn't. I write. I break. I write. 

Would love to hear the patterns of other authors . . . 

Father, thank you for always helping me through the process that has worked for me. Thank you for the encouragement when I've taken too long of a break. Thank you for every word, character, and story. As always, apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

". . . He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."  

Malachi 4:6 (NIV) 

Happy Father's Day to all those dads who love their children and do their best to raise them up in the way they should go. May the Lord bless all your endeavors in parenthood, work, and play. God Bless You in Jesus. 

     Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water. 

     A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulterers."

     A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

     Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

     "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

Revelation 14:6-13 (NIV)

Interviewer: Having a little fun today in our interview with Nicole Petrino-Salter. Let's talk about writing novels, shall we?

Nicole: Good idea. What would you like to discuss?

Interviewer: Most authors have a starting point in their writing endeavors, a place in time that they can pinpoint as to when it all began. Do you? 

Nicole: I could say I've written most of my life. As a youngster, I wrote stories, letters. Same in school all the way through my one year at the U of W. Then I went into a free verse mode of poetry for a while, had an old crinkled leather 3-ring zip-up binder filled with poems. However, I kind of went on a writing hiatus when I started working at the racetrack (in Thoroughbred racing). Seven days a week, devoting all my time to learning the horses and industry didn't facilitate a lot of writing endeavors other than a few poems. Skip ahead several years and many life changes – the most critical of which was becoming a Christian – and I wrote a few things.

Then when my pastor told me I didn't use my gift, I was shocked. "What gift?" I asked in all sincerity. "Your writing," he replied. I left, went home, and immediately told the Lord I'd use my gift, but He was going to have to tell me what to write because I had no idea what He wanted. Truthfully, it was like he stood in front of me and said very clearly, "I want you to write a Christian novel about horse racing." That's when it all "officially" began. 

Interviewer: That's a fairly decisive start. How long did it take you to write that first novel? 

Nicole: That first novel (Hope of Glory) became a saga that took 8 and 1/2 years to finish between 7 days a week at the track, homeschooling part of those years, and a bit of lay ministry at church. When I wondered if I'd ever complete what he'd asked me to do, he encouraged me with these words, also just as if he stood before me: "If you pick up the pen, I'll give you the words." He still encourages me with those words as a reminder when I'm feeling a little stuck. It was all written in longhand, no computer, and came out to be 700+ pages, 400,000k+ words. The production was a start-up vanity publisher and it was an amateur result, but the story was a comprehensive look at horse racing in the 80s. Of course it would be considerably shorter if done today! 

Interviewer: So how many novels have you written since that first one?

Nicole: Eleven, working on #12 currently. Nine are published in some form – either in print (soft covers) and for ebooks, some just available for ebooks, one just available in print only. My sole mystery (Race) is the only one also available in an Audio Book (the voice of Joseph Courtemanche). 

Interviewer: I assume they're all of, shall we say, a more normal length? 

Nicole: (smiling) Definitely, although they aren't of the 80K variety. I think the shortest one is 90K+. I prefer longer novels, so that's what I tend to write. 

Interviewer: Shall we continue this another time?

Nicole: That might be fun. I'm game if you are. 

Father, thank you for words, stories, novels. You have always supplied what I needed, and I can never thank you enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Since it's that time of the year, this is my senior picture. You have no idea how big the rollers had to be to get my naturally curly hair to do that. Hahahaha. This picture was sent to my cousin Janice many years ago. She posted it on Facebook. Sweet of her to still have it after that many years! 

Father, thank you for allowing me the wonderful family and friends in my life, for being patient when I became reckless, for never giving up on me. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

What comes first: the characters, the story, the title? When asked, it's usually a unique explanation from each author. And it's possible the answers will vary from book to book by the same author. 

For me, I know the genre because I don't write in multiple genres, so that's not ever the question. I did do the one mystery (Race), but that was one specific endeavor that most likely won't be repeated. The title for me arrives quickly and sometimes before the words begin. I've changed one title shortly into one of my stories. The characters tend to form in my mind whether it's the protagonist or the heroine and quickly fill out once they meet the page. 

When you're what is called a "seat-of-the-pants" author, it's possible not to have a clue what the story will be about even though you might have a picture in your mind of the protagonist. You write the words that come to the page when you sit down to start the manuscript. For me, the timing of writing is unpredictable, and the mental images and "motives" either arrive instantly or linger waiting for the grand moment to make their entrance. There are no outlines, no particular organization, no story boards, pictures, or any other "prompts" to get the book rolling. It's all in my head until it comes out on paper or screen. 

So. What authors would care to share their writing process(es)? We'd love to see what you do "behind the scenes" to create your book(s).

Father, thank you for your authors. Thank you for the gift of creating using words. You are the ultimate Creator. We can't thank you enough for your writing gifts. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.