The Story of Life

Editor’s note: Each month, the CCW blog features one of our members. This month, John Cowgill reflects on the stories that unfold around him.

By John Cowgill

Life is a series of stories, but only a few are ever written down. Each story is different from the other. Each one’s story begins at birth, and the story does not end until the day life ends. The stories are fast-paced and slow-paced, but every story has meaning to someone—from large crowds to just one person. It can be a novel, a short story, a journal or a poem. No story is a waste.

As I go about my day, I observe stories happening all around me. As I see these stories unfold, I see more stories unfold within them. They are stories with happy endings and sad endings. They are about heroes and sacrificial people who inspire us and losers who depress us.

In elementary school, I discovered the joy of writing stories. Unfortunately, my stories were met with much discouragement from many teachers and acquaintances. But there were bright spots of encouragement from those who looked forward to what I had written. During high school, I withdrew from writing stories, from everyone, really. At that time, I felt God leading me to write particularly films, but there were no opportunities. Both my school and church had closed the doors to movies.

My interest in motion pictures led to my being banned from that church. However, at another church, I saw opportunities unfolding before my eyes. I started writing stories to promote activities, and people liked them. Some asked me to write one an Easter Pageants for the church. Although the choir members supported my pageant, the music leaders tossed it without reading it. It bothered me at first, but at that time, I did not see what God was seeing. Now I do.

I changed churches again, to one more receptive to my writing. I later joined the Fellowship of Christian Filmmakers. I am now part of NoVa Christian Film, and many different writing groups. I’m a graduate of the Long Ridge Writing School Short Story program. I regularly write railroad articles for the D.C. Examiner.

I might have received discouragement in my younger years as a writer, but today I have encouragement from a variety of sources and people. As I continue to live my life, my story continues. I might not know what part of this story I am currently in, but as God continues to unfold it, I will continue to write about it and other stories He has given m

Take It All In

Editor’s note: Each month, the CCW blog features one of our members. This month, Cindy Wilson reflects on how everyday life can be an inspiration. Visit her online at www.cindyjeanwilson.com or www.facebook.com/CindyJeanWilsonAuthor.

By Cindy Wilson

I’m a writer.

Fascinating words fill my mind and linger on my tongue, long after conversations are over. I believe that “relationships should be nurtured, moments need to be savored, and the Creator’s colorful masterpieces—in the sky and dotted throughout the landscape—radiate beauty for our enjoyment.”

How can breathtaking scenes that fill me with delight, people who energize with delightful memories, and poignant moments be ignored as they float away in the wind without my writing the details down? Inspiration means nothing when it is disregarded.

As a child, intriguing scenarios captured my attention and begged for answers. Curiosity usually got the best of me! I often bent to watch a caterpillar climb a tree with its tiny body gripping the bark; noticed a mother pulling her child’s arm as the toddler arched back, face reddened, with his volume of cries increasing; or imagined the horrific end as a window washer slipped from his perch twenty floors up before grabbing a dangling cable. You’ve seen these things, too. Life is interesting.

My father made sure we appreciated the rewards from hard work. “Nothing feels better than accomplishing a task,” he said. If we didn’t have something to do, he found a chore needing attention. Many hobbies consumed my free time when he was busy: oil painting, playing the piano, ice skating, scuba diving, and reading wonderful books. You can’t have too many! My favorites were the dictionary and my Bible. I still read those regularly.

Talking to people also has been important—essential for extroverts—and every person I met was someone I wanted to be friends with, if possible. In rare moments of connection, I longed to go deeper and get closer. Dad’s job involved moving every year or two so new people and schools were commonplace. He shared his ministry in churches on weekends where my sisters and I quoted scripture and sang as part of the presentation. Interacting with strangers followed. Rarely did we spend the weekend at home. Summers involved living outdoors at camps where Dad directed the activities. I watched longing to be old enough to participate, occasionally helping staff members, always eager for evening campfires where singing, and talking about Jesus, followed by roasting marshmallows.

I never dreamed about becoming an author, although I’ve been known for storytelling skills most of my life. Telling exciting stories was something special I shared with my mother beginning on my first day of kindergarten. She couldn’t wait to hear the next one. My mom was an aspiring writer herself and penned 37 pages of her memoir during my adolescence, gleaning tidbits from my growing wealth of information about our ancestry. She finally asked me to help finish that priceless work-in-progress. After self-publishing my first two novels, Here’s An Apple, Sweet Adam and A Time To Celebrate, I’m completing the inspirational story of Fina’s Dötter based on my mama’s memoir, and eager to share the legacy of a sad orphan who was adopted by the heavenly Father and given a life of hope.

July Speaker: Author Lori Smith on Self-publishing versus Traditional Publishing

Join us on Monday, July 9, to hear author Lori Smith talk about "The Pros and Cons of Self- publishing and Traditional Publishing.”

Self-publishing is becoming easier and easier, but what should you look for in a self-publishing partner? What are the benefits of self-publishing versus traditional publishing? Lori Smith, author of The Jane Austen Guide to Life and A Walk with Jane Austen, will discuss the pros and cons of various publishing options. Lori blogs at http://www.writerlorismith.com/ and http://www.austenquotes.com/, and hopes to soon self-publish a collection of Jane Austen quotes. (Did you know Jane Austen was self-published? Lori will cover that, too.)

For A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith (WaterBrook Press), Lori spent a month in England tracing Austen’s life and works. Readers voted to give that book the Jane Austen Regency World Award for best nonfiction, and it received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Because of Joe

NEXT MEETING: July 9, author Lori Smith: “The Pros & Cons of Self-Publishing and Traditional Publishing”

Editor's note: Each month, the CCW blog features one of our members. This month, Susan Lyttek talks about how her correspondence with a prisoner inspires her to write.

For a long while, I had an on-again, off-again correspondence with a prisoner, “Joe,” in California. Between gang involvement and years of drug abuse, Joe found himself in jail. While inside, his life changed forever. The hallucinations that accompanied his drug withdrawal led to his unknowingly murdering a fellow prisoner. Now, he knew he’d never see the outside again. But between our years of writing and prison Bible studies, he came to Christ. In lucid moments, this gave Joe hope of an eternal life and true freedom.

In spite of his limitations, Joe tried to give. Knowing I had two young sons, he would draw pictures and cartoons as presents for them. One time, when I thanked him for a cartoon my older son particularly enjoyed, his return response was something I never will forget.

“I’m glad to do something to return what you have given me and your prayers. I fully realize that if you met me in life, I’d probably scare you. Between the damage I’ve done to my body, plus the tattoos and piercings, I’m not a pretty sight. But I’m glad that when I do meet you in heaven someday, you’ll be proud to call me a brother in Christ.”

Wow. The thought of who Joe appeared as in the flesh and the reality of our heavenly relationship floored me. Even more, I felt blessed by what God had allowed my words to do—to reach a supposedly unlovely person and see the value and beauty of that human soul.

For the next couple of years, my letters from Joe grew more erratic. He told me the hallucinations had become increasingly frequent—often threatening to cause himself or others harm. Many letters arrived written in crayon because he had stabbed himself with both pens and pencils. Then the messages stopped. A few months later, one of my letters was returned, unopened. I assumed Joe had died.

I grieved for the loss of our correspondence and his presence. My boys also missed his pictures. The hole Joe left in our lives was real.

But in the midst of my grief, Joe’s words echoed through my memories: “…but in heaven, someday, you’ll be proud to call me a brother in Christ.”

I write, as I think most Christian writers do, to touch my unlovely companions on this sphere with God’s beautiful grace. I knew Joe because, as my pen pal, he told me things about himself. How many others do our words of eternity reach? Those people we never see face to face, and people who would never cross our path could well benefit from our words?

So think of Joe and write that devotion. Publish that blog. Finish that book. Write what God calls you to write in obedience so the words bear the fruit of lovely souls.

And always keep in mind that someday, we’ll be proud to call them brothers and sisters in Christ.

T. Elizabeth Renich Book Signing on June 20

CCW member T. Elizabeth Renich will be signing books on Wednesday, June 20, at Oatlands Plantation during its Annual Oatlands Greenhouse Birthday Party from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The free event includes cake, balloons and a celebration of summer! Oatlands is located at 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane in Leesburg, Va. 703-777-3174. Come out and support a fellow author if you’ll be in the area!

Listening In

Editor's note: Each month, the CCW blog features one of our members. This month, Melanie Rigney reflects on how writing means being nosy.

Did anyone ever tell you to mind your own business? Forget that noise if you’re a writer! You’re almost professionally obligated to watch and listen to complete strangers.

Being a writer gives you permission to eavesdrop. By listening to strangers in public places, you develop an ear for regional dialect and for the differences in the way men and women, seniors and Gen Xers talk. It makes for stronger, more believable dialogue. It’s also a marvelous way to pick up physical tics—the guy who shoves his glasses up with the palm of his hand rather than his fingertips or the woman who uses hand sanitizer five times between two Metro stops.

I offer two example I pledge are true:

At O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, the twentysomething woman seated across from me at the gate pulled out her phone: “Yo. I’m calling out sick tomorrow. I’m on my way to Philly on account of my cousin going on trial for killing her baby.” (Silence, followed by groan and rolled eyes.) “Of course she did it, fool. You think I’d be going if she was innocent?”

By coincidence, a few months later at Philadelphia’s

30th Street

Amtrak Station, an unassuming woman in her thirties dressed for the office sat down at the table next to me one late afternoon. Sipping from a bottle of water in front of Taco Bell, she picked up her phone and made a call: “Hello, honey? Just wanted to let you know I’m at the Olive Garden with the girls. Not sure when I’ll be home.” After another minute or two, she ended the call… and walked away.

In my mind, she became the protagonist in a short story, a shy woman so desperate to convince her husband she had girlfriends that she pretended to go out to dinner while whiling away a few hours with a good book at the station. I don’t know if that’s the truth, or if it was her final call to “honey.” But I do know I’m sure glad I had a notebook with me that night!

T. Elizabeth Renich Book Signing on May 19 and June 2

CCW member T. Elizabeth Renich will be signing books on Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to noon at Christian Shoppe in Purcellville, Va., at an event that features local authors. The cafe's phone number is 540-338-5380. Come out and support a fellow author if you’ll be in the area!

On Saturday, June 2, Tammy will also be at Belle Grove Historic Plantation in Middletown, Va., from 8 a.m. to noon as part of their Annual GardenFest, and at The House of Light Bookstore & Café on from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Berryville, Va. The café’s phone number is 540-955-9777. Come out and support a fellow author if you’ll be in the area!