Story Central with Erin Healy

How Can Co-Authoring Work?

2011-12-06T07:00:00.019-07:00

Because I've co-authored two novels with Ted Dekker (Kiss, Burn), people often ask me how the collaborative process works. Isn't writing a deeply personal endeavor? Is it really possible for writers to share ownership of their "babies"?

Co-authorship isn't for just anyone, but it can and does work. These are the most common types of writing partnerships that I've encountered during my editorial career:

The Identical Twins: Both authors are equally involved in the entire process of writing, from concept to research to execution to revision to editing. They might write alternating chapters or different characters' points of view. I see this type of collaboration most often among friends who are seeking publication for the first time. This is the most rare type of partnership, though it's how many non-writers (and solo writers) think the typical co-author pair works. It's rare because such partners need to have unusual problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills--not in storytelling, but in working together. It's also rare because it's the most difficult way to get a manuscript that has "one voice."

The Visionary and the Workhorse: One author develops the big-picture concept; the other helps to flesh out the story and then puts it on paper. This type of collaboration works best for storytellers who see their stories as products for consumers rather than as works of literature. James Patterson has built an empire on his story brand, which is so well defined that he can delegate the actual storytelling to other writers. He's prolific, and perhaps he's overpublished, but he is also the leading model of profitable collaborative storytelling today. This type of partnership is also common in Christian publishing, an industry whose messengers aren't necessarily writers. It's more prevalent in non-fiction than in fiction, and yet . . . Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, anyone?

The Yin and the Yang: Sometimes authors pair up because they each have a strong, complementary contribution to make to the storytelling. William Cutrer and Sandra Glahn's medical thrillers come to mind: Both have dramatic flair. Sandy has great writing skills and Bill has the M.D.

The Master and the Apprentice: I'm not the only novelist who got her start by writing stories with an established author. Even Ted Dekker wrote stories with Bill Bright. T. Davis Bunn wrote stories with Jeanette Oke. There are many examples. In this kind of partnership one writer submits to the other's veteran skills, even if both authors are contributing to the story as a whole.

Co-authorship isn't always a great idea. Remember House, which Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker did together? How could it not have worked? These men are smart, they're gifted, they're best-sellers. They share important values and write compatible genres. We tried the Identical Twins approach with them. It quickly fell apart, and by the time we were done with that book, everyone involved needed therapy. Why? In my opinion Frank and Ted have incompatible creative processes. They are humble, respectful, cooperative. But the way they each create, develop, and write a story is so divergent that trying to blend the two caused almost insurmountable challenges.

If you're thinking about co-authoring a book with someone, consider these aspects before you jump in:

Why co-author? What is the goal of your partnership? What can you do together that you can't do solo? Make this your joint mission statement.
What does your creative self need to produce your best work? What does your partner need? Are your needs complementary or at odds?
What will your process look like?
How will you divide the labor? Who will "own" specific responsibilities?
How will you solve creative disputes when they arise? (They will arise.)
How will you achieve continuity of voice and style in the writing?

Co-authors out there: What partnership models have worked for you? What advice would you give to authors who are thinking about pairing up?

How to Be an Ox-Writer

2011-11-29T10:44:00.001-07:00

Coming July 2012

In my twenty-year editorial career, I've had the pleasure of working with some pretty amazing professional authors. I like to say that "my" authors (as if I get to claim them) have taught me everything I know about what it means to be a good storyteller. They are my models, my collective inspiration, my wise teachers. Each one has made a special contribution to my personal aspirations as a novelist.

Colleen Coble stands out with an exceptionally rare trait, and her peers will know what it is before I even name it: I don't believe there is any novelist writing today who gets as excited as Colleen does about the revision process. When I say excited I mean hovering-over-the-e-mail-in-box-while-waiting-to-hear-from-the-editors excited. Tweeting and posting and raving, "I just got my editorial letter!" excited. Devouring-the-notes-and-responding-POSITIVELY excited, sometimes with comments like, "I can't WAIT to tear this thing down and start all over again! It's going to be amazing!"

Really?

Yes, really. Most of her peers think she's crazy. Just ask them.

This week I'm editing Colleen's latest book, Tidewater Inn, the first book in her new Hope Beach series, and once again I'm deeply impressed by how her positive attitude and enthusiasm toward the revision process has transformed her tale from good to great. Having written six novels of my own, I'm aware of how hard it is not to get defensive about a manuscript that consumed months or years of creative sweat and blood. Colleen has written dozens of popular novels and could make the case that she doesn't need editorial input anymore. She could decide to ignore her editors. She could get defensive about her creative choices.

But she doesn't. So today I wanted to publicly highlight some specific qualities of Colleen's attitude that make her, and her work, such winners. It's a list I'll refer to when my next editorial letter shows up (which will be any day now):

My editor shares my yoke and will strengthen my efforts if I let him/her.
My editor wants the book to succeed as much as I do.
Every suggestion is worth pondering, and most are worth trying.
Every book is an opportunity to write a better story than the last one.
Good books don't write themselves, and the best creative choices are usually the ones that seem, this side of the effort, most difficult to pull off.

I'll never forget the time Colleen explained that she sees her editors as fellow oxen sharing the plow yoke with her. Two are stronger than one. Imagine my laughter when I found this passage in the King James: "Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together" (Deuteronomy 22:10). I used to say to fellow editors, "Be your author's partner ox. Make sure you're not an ass." Now I say it to myself as an author: "Be an ox, not an ass." I can do this because I learned how from the strongest ox-writer of all: Colleen. Thanks, my friend.

You can learn more about Colleen and her terrific romantic-suspense novels at her website, and at the blog she co-hosts with fellow novelists Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter, and Cheryl Hodde.

Do You Hide Behind What You Write?

2011-11-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

Kay Garston “Hide Behind Truth”

Or do the words you choose to put on the page reflect the real you? I asked myself this question recently while I was reflecting on how many of us blog, tweet, write, and otherwise seek ways to be heard by the world. It’s a pretty noisy place out there where finding a voice can be difficult. The temptation, then, is to write wildly, into the extreme margins of life, where we can get attention because we’re so far “out there.” Or, on the flip side, we might write conservatively to the “largest common denominator” of an audience, because we’re afraid that real and deep honesty might alienate people. In either case, words become a shield that separate our true selves from the people we are trying to reach. That’s ironic and tragic.

It’s easy enough to put up a false front when we’re face to face with another person. How much easier it is in this techno-savvy era when we can be more verbose than ever while being more physically isolated than ever.

I’m not trying to draw any conclusions or make any accusations with these thoughts. I’m merely sharing a question that I’ve found difficult to answer personally as a novelist. I want to be “real” without being offensive, but it’s not always possible to be both. Sometimes speaking the truth takes the courage to kick people in the pants; whether listeners will be offended is irrelevant. So these values I hold as a writer live in imperfect tension. But if I ever stop being aware of that tension, I think my words will lose their integrity.

How do you hold onto integrity when you write?

Lis Wiehl, Best-Selling Author of Waking Hours

2011-11-10T22:11:00.002-07:00

Maybe you've seen the analyst Lis Wiehl on FOX News. Did you know she's a best-selling author? Earlier this year my publisher asked me to read Lis's latest novel, Waking Hours, and consider endorsing it. I was happy to do this for a great publishing team and a talented author with a shared fascination for supernatural things.

In just a few short chapters I completely forgot that I was supposed to read as a professional. I forgot I was ever trained as an editor. The writer part of my self read on with admiration, and Erin the reader got lost in a riveting, frightening tale. What a great book! Easiest endorsement I've ever had the pleasure of offering. So I thought you'd enjoy hearing a little bit about Waking Hours in from the source herself:

What inspired you to write Waking Hours?
I’ve so loved the experience of writing fiction—always the kind of stories I like to read, so very true to me! My Triple Threat books have been great fun, and I’m so excited about this new East Salem series. Inspiration for Waking Hours came from wanting to create strong yet fallible characters in Dani and Tommy, who have a romantic side to their serious selves, and to layer that with exploration of the major theme: good vs evil. Set that in a town named East Salem, and there you go.

How does your unique background inform your fiction writing?
As someone who prosecuted crimes and who now works in the news, I see some heinous things. This new series explores the good and evil behind the surface of what we see. I've been so blessed that I can weave in the reality of crime-solving because of both my prosecutorial and media background. Colleagues and other professionals write to tell me that the stories feel authentic, and that’s a huge compliment. But perhaps the best praise comes from readers who say that my stories helped them understand the interworkings of a newsroom, courtroom, or law enforcement office in ways they’d never considered—entertaining them, but also granting new perspective.

What’s next for East Salem and Dani and Tommy?
Erin, I’ve been sworn to secrecy. Suffice it to say, Dani, Tommy and I are working on the plot and I’m buying the pizza as we develop it. But a little hint: their story is just beginning. Darkness Rising is set to release October 2012.

Be sure to get a copy of Waking Hours. You can learn more about Lis's other books at LisWiehlBooks.com.

Words to Motivate Your Writing

2011-11-08T13:07:00.002-07:00

So the first week of NaNoWriMo is complete. If you don’t know what this is, it’s “National Novel Writing Month,” a wonderful community effort to encourage writers to put down a complete fifty-thousand-word novel in a single month—November. If you’re participating, one of the perks of writing with community is the encouragement you’ll get from other writers.

When the romantic notions of being a writer wear off and all that’s left behind is self-doubt, a lonely room, a totally empty bag of potato chips, and a blank page (or a trashcan full of crumpled paper balls), it becomes clear that most of us writers need plenty of encouragement to keep us going. NaNoWriMo is one great place to get it. I’m fortunate to have a family, a group of close friends, and professional colleagues who support my work and seem to have a bottomless supply of rah-rahs to keep me fueled.

Once during a down spell I complained to my friend and co-author Ted Dekker that I felt like an illegitimate writer. He said, “Don’t be selfish. Don’t withhold your stories because you don’t think they’re good enough for the world. Everyone suffers the same. It’s the author’s job to process the suffering and make sense of it on behalf of others.”

Don’t be selfish. A kick in the pants and a great motivational word rolled into one. I value this kind of inspiration more than any other.

What motivational words keep you going when your creative efforts stall?

Are You Comfortable with the Mysteries of God?

2011-11-01T06:20:00.004-06:00

When I set out to write my antagonist for The Baker’s Wife, Jack Mansfield, I was nervous about how people would respond to him. Though I’ve always thought the most frightening villains are the ones in whom we can see ourselves, Jack is my first bad guy who is also a Christian, a deacon, an upstanding citizen in his church and community. I feared he would offend my fine, church-going, upstanding readers.

Instead they’re saying that he’s my best villain yet. They don’t know I put some of my own worst qualities into Jack: the overwhelming need to be right about God, for example. I spent a lot of years believing (as Jack does) that if I just lived a “right” Christian life, God would bless me. Always. If I had trouble, God would point the way out of it. My faith would help me shine through the character-building trials. I would always come out on top.

photo credit: Maciek Pelc

Here’s the problem with this way of thinking:

(1) It locks God away in a box.

(2) It emphasizes me instead of Him.

(3) It lacks humble awareness of my own humanity

Again and again, I am confronted with my capacity to be very, very wrong. Sometimes trouble gets the best of me. Though I cling to faith and ask God for wisdom, the best choices are not always clear. The longer I persist in my faith journey, the fewer answers I seem to have about the way God works in the world, and the more mistakes I seem to make.

And the more I have to trust Him.

At such moments a person who doesn’t want to abandon faith can make a choice: She can turn away from her own understanding and learn to get comfortable with the mysteries of God (as we are advised to do in Proverbs 3), or she can go off the deep end, as Jack did, insisting that human understanding is the pinnacle of godly living.

It sounds silly to state it that way, doesn’t it? I don’t want to be Jack. But in order not to be Jack, I have to be comfortable walking with God and admitting I don’t understand everything about Him. It’s a limitation of this life:

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror,” Paul said. “Then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12).

Does it make you uncomfortable to admit what you don’t know about God? Why or why not?

Why I Write

2011-10-25T07:20:00.001-06:00

Last week the National Writing Project celebrated the National Day on Writing, inviting writers around the country to blog, tweet, and pontificate on the reasons why they write. True to form I’m running about a week behind. Here are the top reasons why I write:

Christa Richert, Writing Mosaic

It’s what I can do. I have a skill and I can’t imagine not using it, improving it. I like to think of God’s gifts to us as superpowers. Some people cook, some build, some lead, some teach. I write. What’s your superpower?
It’s hard work that brings me joy. I always say that it’s not the writing I like so much as the finished product, the accomplishment of a job well done. I hope it also brings readers joy. What work do you do that brings joy to you?
It’s how I put my beliefs on display. Writing is one way I work out my ideas, questions, doubts, and confidence about God’s work in this world he created. It’s my witness, and I hope it’s a witness that invites public discussion. How do you “talk” about your faith?
Good stories inspire people to thoughtful living. I hope to write stories that fall into that category. It’s a worthy goal. What life goals do you have?

Maybe you don’t write, but you do something else that is just right for the person God made you to be. I hope you find it, love it, and do it with your whole heart.

Erin's Guest Blog at The Book Club Cookbook

2011-10-20T12:41:00.000-06:00

Visit The Book Club Cookbook to read my answer to the question, "Why would a displaced pastor become a baker?" You can also download The Baker's Wife Readers' Guide and Peter Reinhart's mouthwatering rosemary-potato bread recipe. While you're there, fill out the form and be entered to win a free copy of The Baker's Wife. The Book Club Cookbook is giving away fifty copies! Contest ends November 17.

Hard Choices

2011-10-18T08:27:00.000-06:00

On the wall above my desk is a tack strip bearing note cards with writing tips I've collected. There are only a few, considering how many I actually employ when I sit down to write. But these represent the ones that I've had to learn, to intentionally think about on a regular basis.

One of them is from Philip Gerard's Writing a Book that Makes a Difference. I wrote down this passage without noting the context, which I've since forgotten: "... choices are rarely completely clear, and even doing the right thing can bring about unfortunate and unforeseen consequences." In writing I have applied this observation to thinking about my characters' life conflicts and layering them with realistic complexity.

Recently it has struck me that the reason this principle works in fiction is because it is a true observation of real life. We Christians are taught to believe that right and wrong choices are usually black and white. And some of them are. But it seems to me that as I've grown older, the number of life choices that fall into gray areas has only increased. Some choices are less clear, and sometimes doing the right thing doesn't always lead to ideal results.

When I'm writing fiction, this truth makes for interesting drama. In life, it leads to a lot of heartache that can be soothed only faith in a loving and merciful God. How many times have you done "the right thing" only to face an undesirable fallout? How do you work through it?

Metaphors for Life: A Living Bridge

2011-10-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

In my novel The Promises She Keeps, hero Chase, who has autism, associates people with trees. He sees the troubled Zack as a strangler fig, a powerful tree known for choking the life out of other trees. But he tells Zack, "You could be a stunning tree. If I were to draw for you, I would draw a Moreton Bay fig that is larger than the one in Santa Barbara, California. It would be loaded with birds and surrounded by a beautiful park that people from all over the world would come to see."

When I saw this video about how the people of Meghalaya, India, have worked with strangler figs to create a life-saving solution to a serious regional problem, I thought about Chase and Zack, and I thought about how much potential we have in our own lives to overcome evil with good. It's not possible for me to see something like this without think of it as a metaphor for the way we choose to face the troubles of life. These people have taken the long view. They work with what they are given. They are teaching it to their children. And the result is lovely.

Is My Heroine Psychic?

2011-09-26T10:51:00.001-06:00

Today a reader wrote to me about my new novel, The Baker's Wife: "I wanted to ask about the 'gift' that Audrey has. I'm having a hard time understanding it, to be honest. Is it a psychic gift or a gift of discernment? I know that God does not give a gift of being psychic so I'm a little surprised this is in a Christian book. In many ways I know she feels she's being led by God to those who need help, but does He really work this way?"

This is such a great question. I'm grateful this reader stopped to ask it. I'm sorry that my answer must include some plot spoilers, but for some, the answer is more important than the suspense.

In all of my stories I use supernatural elements to explore the ways God works in us and through us. I intend for my stories to be read metaphorically rather than literally, though they are not true allegories. I realize not all readers are comfortable approaching a book this way.

Audrey's gift is not psychic. It is, rather, a look at empathy and compassion taken to extremes. We Christians often speak of "sharing one another's burdens," and sometimes we say this glibly without examining what we really mean. This has been true in my own life. We might help another person to the extent that we feel relieved of our Christian duty. It is more rare for us to share another person's pain to the point that we have the capacity to feel it ourselves. Audrey's tangible experience of Julie's pain is merely a metaphor for what real, deep, honest Christian empathy MIGHT look like. I think God sometimes asks us to go farther than we are comfortable going, to share a burden of pain by taking it upon ourselves, the way Christ took up the pain of the cross on our behalf, because he loved us so much, while we were yet sinners.

In the opening of The Baker's Wife, Audrey reaches out to a woman in pain, but then finds herself unable to press through a particular level of discomfort when the woman rejects her kindness. In Audrey's journey, this "mistake" (which is hardly a black-and-white moral mistake, but a spiritual challenge she lacked the courage to see through), puts her entire family at risk. As my editor put it, perhaps some of us ignore empathy for others at our own peril. Julie ultimately rejects Audrey's compassion. Not everyone will accept what we have to offer. But Audrey matures in her own ability to reach out to others, so that in the end she doesn't turn away from Julie's daughter, who needs the love of Christ as much as Julie ever did. I see this as a personal spiritual victory, and an illustration of how listening to the promptings of God, whether visceral or not, can move us to greater work on his behalf.

The Rare Book School at the University of Virginia

2011-07-18T09:21:00.000-06:00

Imagine: a school for people who love rare books. Well, it exists, and if I'd known about it during my school days I might have attended! Yesterday, NPR gave listeners just one example of why books will endure the digital age.

The Enduring Bill Cosby

2011-07-08T06:30:00.000-06:00

Why is it that Bill Cosby’s routines never get old? I watch “Brain Damage” today and laugh harder than I did twenty years ago. (Maybe because I’m a parent now.) Here, blogger Garr Reynolds has compiled a few of Cosby’s classics, along with his recent commencement address to CMU grads, with the purpose of pointing out how enduring the power of personal narrative can be. Reynolds’ bottom line: funny or not everyone has personal stories worth telling.

New Tales for Old History

2011-07-07T06:30:00.001-06:00

When my family and I took a vacation to southwestern Colorado last month, some of the practiced tour guides were as captivating as the sites. They taught us how to mine for gold with dynamite, showed us the house in which Larry Byrd built (make that blasted) a wine cellar out of granite, and took us on the train responsible for reintroducing big horn sheep to the region. They prevented an hour-and-a-half trek up the mountainside from feeling like the week-long haul that it was before the highway was built. Even my 13-year-old was engaged, educated, and amused.

With this experience fresh in my mind, this story about Scotland’s efforts “to train young tour guides in the art of storytelling” caught my attention. What I loved most were these words:

“David Hicks, from the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, said that teenage tour leaders could offer a new perspective on the city’s 900 years of history. He said: ‘In a historic city like Edinburgh guides are telling stories about it on a daily basis, since as far back as the 1840s, so you end up getting a set story. I think the really important thing is it’s got 900 years of history and you don’t have to stick to the standard tales I’m hoping these young people can unearth something or ask a question about something that’s right under our noses. It’s good to look these things with fresh eyes.’”

One of our guides in Colorado was a college student. Rather than talking at us over a microphone, he mingled one-on-one with passengers in our train car. Toward the end of the three-plus-hour journey, he and I talked for a half hour about his life in the area and his local activities as an outdoorsman, student, and photographer. He’s about to embark on a year-long trek to Argentina, where he’s made arrangements to work on a small farm. It was a change of pace from the more traditional memorized stories and canned jokes, better in some ways if lacking in others, but I was glad to have met him and caught a glimpse of his home—from his perspective.

These Video Storytellers WANT to Be Stranded

2011-07-06T06:30:00.001-06:00

Who doesn't like to tell stories of being stuck at an airport? Less than two weeks ago it took me almost twenty-four hours to complete a short flight, and I can’t stop talking about it. So, imagine being confined to an airport for EIGHTY DAYS. Not even Tom Hanks could do it with a smile. And yet, in perhaps one of the most unusual video-storytelling contests I’ve ever seen, residents of British Columbia are being invited to do just that. To celebrate their eightieth anniversary, the YVR airport (Vancouver) will invite the winner to stay at their “island” for two and a half months, documenting airport life through video story. The catch: this storyteller will not be allowed to leave until the eighty days expire. Will it be riveting? Or will it be hell?

Do Online Book Clubs Work?

2011-07-05T06:50:00.000-06:00

Do you participate in a social-network reading group? Here are ten of the myriad virtual reading tribes populating the web today. I’ve looked into some of these and even have a profile on Goodreads, but for me, nothing beats my live, once-a-month outing with good friends to talk about the stories we’re reading. It happens that we are all professional editors and writers, so a passion for reading runs deep, as does our friendship. It’s difficult for me to imagine replicating that online, but perhaps it’s possible. Tell me what makes book-based social-network groups work (or not) for you.

Not Perfect, Just Persistent

2011-07-04T06:30:00.001-06:00

The price of writing for a living is “the price of never really being able to tell where you stand.” That brief statement in this article about novelist Craig Nova (The Good Son, The Informer) caught my eye. In my experience as an editor and novelist, most authors share this insecurity about the worthiness of their efforts. Not all of us are as devoted to exceeding our previous day’s efforts, day in and day out, especially after discovering that our creative choices are “wrong so much of the time.” So, when any author by patience and persistence and commitment to excellence produces “a body of work that will endure,” as a writer I am inspired to keep trying. What inspires you in your craft?

Story Hunting

2011-07-01T06:30:00.001-06:00

I first learned about geocaching when Colleen Coble used it as a device in her thriller Abomination. And though I’ve never done it myself (I like my cozy indoor environments, thank you very much), the concept of finding treasures and then leaving behind new treasures for others to find intrigues me. Especially if it’s going to involve sharing story treasures, as this recent geocaching event in the Waterloo region of Canada did, at the Latitudes Storytelling Festival. Would you go treasure hunting for a good story somewhere other than your library?

Ira Glass on the Building Blocks of Story

2011-06-30T06:30:00.002-06:00

Any fans of This American Life out there? (Yes!) Producer Ira Glass made this four-part video series on the basics of broadcast storytelling in 2009, but the principles are timeless.

Creative Writing for Physicians

2011-06-29T06:30:00.003-06:00

Recently in Canada, some physicians completing their professional development requirements engaged in a creative writing exercise, described here by participant Dr. Erica Weir. The goal of the activity was to refresh the doctors’ empathy for their patients. “Storytelling in this context,” Dr. Weir wrote, “exercises one’s moral imagination to suspend one’s own beliefs in order to empathize with another’s perspective.” Using a non-fictional case study, participants wrote imagined dialog, fictional medical transcripts, a patient-perspective journal entry, and poetry—with fascinating results. “Translating statistics into stories through continuing professional development exercises such as this creates touchstones for doctors to rest and reflect upon at the busy intersections where art and science meet,” Dr. Weir says. "By pausing and putting pen to paper to imagine a story from another’s perspective, we hold up a mirror that casts a refreshing reflection of not only what is, but also what should be.” Indeed, stories that transcend their artistic qualities and improve the human condition, physically and otherwise, are singularly admirable.

The YA Fiction Kerfuffle

2011-06-28T06:30:00.000-06:00

If you’ve been paying attention to the Wall Street Journal and National Public Radio (among others) this month, you’re aware that critics, reviewers, authors, and parents are in a heated debate over the state of young adult fiction. It’s too dark of late, wrote columnist and mother Meghan Cox Gurdon in the article that sparked the conversation. Difficult, controversial, and even morbid topics are delivered in shocking detail, capable of shaping young persons’ worldviews in negative ways. Others, such as author Sherman Alexie (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian) make well-articulated arguments that gritty, well-written stories save lives, and that most young adults read with the noblest of intentions. Gurdon had the opportunity to respond in a panel discussion on the topic hosted by NPR. What do you think, parents and readers? Are such “dark” books dangerous or necessary, or perhaps a little of both?

Kids Books—Now We Call Them “Apps”

2011-06-27T06:30:00.001-06:00

digital version & app

I don’t have an iPad. Yet. But my two-year-old is a whiz with his Sony V-Reader, so I imagine an iPad is in our future. Media Bistro has started a list of classic children’s books now available for the iPad and has asked readers to contribute their favorites. Also, they noted that Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Thinks You Can Think is now available digitally. I’ll keep reading that one the old-fashioned way for now. There’s nothing quite like a preschooler walking around the house sing-songing, “Oh, the thinks you can think!” Do your kids read electronically?

A Question of Resolution

2011-06-24T06:30:00.001-06:00

The TV series The Killing didn’t solve the central murder by the end of its first series. This article asks how upset viewers were by that lack of resolution. Critics pooh-poohed the storytelling decision. I love the lure and tease of unresolved storylines in my TV shows, but if they go unresolved for too long, I get impatient. I think my limit is about three seasons. What’s yours?

This Guitar Is a Storybook

2011-06-23T12:42:00.000-06:00

Each bit of Doug Larson’s remarkable 3,562-piece hand-crafted guitar has a story behind it. Read them in Storyteller Guitar.

Jack London’s Picture Stories

2011-06-21T06:30:00.001-06:00

photo credit website

Jack London, “prolific photographer”? Who knew? This lovely book shows how “his photography and writing bolster each other.”

The Book Trailer According to Moby

2011-06-20T06:30:00.001-06:00

Love book trailers? Even if you don’t, you’ll enjoy these tongue-in-cheek awards for the best book trailers of the year.

BLA BLA

2011-06-17T06:30:00.002-06:00

Is this a story? Only if you participate in it. What kind of a story is it? That depends on you. Watch this interactive “film for computer” by Vincent Morisset. Try not to get lost in it, then come back here and tell me what you think.

A still featuring the main character in "Bla Bla,"
a new interactive film by Vincent Morriset.

World-Record Read-Aloud

2011-06-16T06:30:00.001-06:00

WORLD RECORD STORYTELLING ATTEMPT
Taking part in the World Record Storytelling Attempt at Peace in the Park.

A new record has been set for the number of adults simultaneously reading aloud to children: 281 adults reading to 346 kids. Did anyone know what stories they were reading? I doubt it. Was it enjoyable? My idea of a good time reading to kids involves one parent and two children, max. How long do you predict it will be until this particular record is smashed (seeing that it’s been less than a year since the last one was set)?

A perfect portion?

2011-06-15T06:19:00.000-06:00

Any short-story lovers out there? For many readers, summertime is the best time to dip into that epic novel you’ve been saving for vacation time. Cutting for Stone, anyone? For others of us (yours truly), the summer is an even busier time of year, and it becomes more difficult to steal away with a novel: the kids are home, and work still knocks at the doors of the brain. In seasons like these, a short story is like a perfectly portioned dessert: it satisfies, and there’s nothing wasted.

photo credit

Patrick West, a professor of creative writing at Australia’s Deakin University, suggested in this article that a great short story can be seen from two perspectives that, at first glance, seem contradictory: On the one hand, “The writing should feel like part of a world brimming over with other stories,” or, in other cases, “The writing should feel like a world unto itself, as if … nothing, neither words nor anything else, could be imagined beyond its seamless, unique borders.” Which style leaves you feeling most satisfied? What short story collections do you find yourself thinking of or returning to whenever you need this just-right portion?

Yes, I’m looking for a summer reading list. A short one.

Tags: short stories

Rock Thoughts

2011-06-14T06:30:00.003-06:00

As a novelist, I often think of storytelling as a solo effort. I hole up in MY office in front of MY computer and try to pull a good story out of MY brain. On the side, I try to keep up with the interaction of social media. Maybe I love this idea launched by former corporate lawyer Karla Valenti purely because it is the very opposite of what I do each day: public art, collaborative storytelling, for children. Here’s an excerpt from Latina Lista:

Photo taken from Rock Thoughts Blog

“The concept is simple enough: Find a palm-size rock; paint it to look like a monster; take a picture of the finished rock and send it to Rock Thoughts, who will send you a special code to write on your rock; create a story around your new ‘monster rock’ and submit it to Rock Thoughts; and finally, release the rock into the wild—or your nearest public space where someone will find it and start the process all over.”

"I wanted to create a virtual space that allowed participants to connect with people from all over the world, from different cultures and different lifestyles, exposing each other to unique perspectives as well as providing opportunities for people to collaborate in generating something new," Valenti said. "The collaboration comes in many ways: by creating a story for a rock that was painted by another and then hiding the rock for someone else to continue the narrative; by adopting rocks that have been previously painted and submitting a story for those rocks; by crowdsourcing a story for a featured rock; and by providing feedback to each other's stories.”

Fascinating. Will it catch on? I’ll be watching, and if I find a monster rock lurking around my comings and goings, I’ll see what stories it has to tell me. Would you participate in public art like this? Have you ever participated in any kind of effort to create collaborative art?

Babar at the Museum

2011-06-13T07:00:00.002-06:00

Remember the dear orphaned elephant, Babar, from the days of children’s stories that weren’t politically correct? In Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum will exhibit an interactive look at Babar's World Tour through September 4. The exhibit will include original artwork by Laurent de Burnhoof, culturally relevant vignettes designed by the Coastal Carolina University’s theater department, and spotlights on some of the countries Babar visited in World Tour. (If they’d only add a few videos, some exotic hors d’oeuvres, and a Babar iPhone app, we’d have ourselves a veritable transmedia safari!) Which of your favorite childhood stories would you like to see brought to life in a similar way? I’d vote for Laura Ingalls Wilder’s tales. Or perhaps E. L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

DC Comics, All Over Again

2011-06-10T06:30:00.001-06:00

Following "Flashpoint," DC Comics will
renumber its entire DC Universe line of titles

I confess, I’ve never been one to follow comic books, but I accept them as legitimate story forms. And I love many of the superhero movies. Even if I didn’t, the comic strips, the anime, the graphic novels, and all their spinoffs are here to stay. And stay again. So, DC Comics will renumber and re-release it’s superhero line before the summer’s out. It’s even going to (gasp) reinvent some of its key heroes. (Not including Wonder Woman, who already got her makeover.) Comics fans, what do you think? Are you a purist, or are you all about embracing the evolution?

Storytelling that Heals

2011-06-09T06:30:00.002-06:00

Hatsuo Yatsuo, right, presents a
picture-based story to children at a
gymnasium in Azuma Sports Park
in Fukushima on May 29. (Mainichi)

Back in May I mentioned a story about a Japanese man who was bringing a traditional form of storytelling to refugees of the March tsunami. His aim was to help them find healing in the humor of rakugo. Last week I saw this story about another refugee who lost his wife that terrible day. She used to perform for children a different form of Japanese storytelling called kamishibai, or storytelling with picture cards—something that reminds me of our Western flannel-board tales. He has taken up her mantle, gathering children around him to tell the stories she used to tell. What continues to impress me are the ways in which storytelling as a cultural form or as a deeply personal ritual has profound healing power. Perhaps the phenomenon is universal, and not only Japanese.

As We Venture Into the Digital Forest

2011-06-08T06:30:00.001-06:00

photo credit

We in the industry have been saying it for a while: the face of book publishing is changing. It’s looking more like a web page than a book cover. Consider the rise of electronic publishing houses like Booktrope, which is not a vanity press, and experimental sites that make community-building between readers and writers a new phase in the publishing process, such as Richard Nash’s still-in-beta-stages Red Lemonade. On the bright side, this market that started fragmenting two decades ago may have finally found a way to put books and the readers that want them together again, and they’re doing it more efficiently and cost-effectively. On the downside, are we drowning in an ocean of storytelling noise? How can one even decide what to read any more, with more choices than we can reasonably process? Some days even I, a book lover and reader, want to shut all my books, lock them in a room, and run away to silence; they are making as much noise as other media. I’m divided. What say you? As a reader are you happy with the shifting sands, or would you like to travel back in time?

Olympic Storytellers

2011-06-07T06:30:00.000-06:00

Planning to attend the 2012 Olympics in London? UK communications company BT is looking for Storytellers ages 16 and up to join their national campaign to chronicle the excitement of the games from a variety of perspectives. The deadline to apply is June 12.

Life Is Story

2011-06-06T07:29:00.000-06:00

Hats off to Joshua Olds of The Christian Critic, who has launched a new blog called “Life Is Story” that celebrates the power of narrative to speak into our souls, even into the very meaning of life. Here’s a blog worth following. I promise.

A Father's Gift of Reading

2011-06-06T05:05:00.000-06:00

I saw this video on CBS Sunday Morning about a single father who read aloud to his daughter every night for nine years, until she went to college. Inspiring.

There's an App for that?!

2011-06-03T06:30:00.002-06:00

Here’s a storytelling order we don’t see too much of: First, an animated award-winning short film about books come to life; then an app based on the film for iPad; then plans to publish “the paper edition of the short film.” I have to admit, even I could get hooked on this kind of thing!

China helps King Gesar storytellers to continue "Eastern Homer"

2011-06-02T06:30:00.001-06:00

This is a wonderful story about China’s invested effort in keeping a treasured element of their culture and history alive by finding and funding oral storytellers to tell “The Epic of King Gesar.” Somehow I don’t think this would happen in the U. S. (one-man recitations of “The Odyssey” might not draw large crowds).

Are Artists Liars?

2011-06-01T06:30:00.000-06:00

Is it helpful or harmful to think of art as “a lie”? Ian Leslie, author of Born Liars, Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit, writes, “[Artistic lies] have a meaning and resonance beyond their creator. The liar lies on behalf of himself; the artist tells lies on behalf of everyone.” I see his point, but I also think of art as a perspective that has the capacity to be “true,” even if it is imagined.

Awarding excellence in storytelling

2011-05-31T06:30:00.002-06:00

I appreciate the Peabody Awards for achievements in electronic media because they have only one criterion: excellence. This means that the artistic expression of storytelling can be recognized and honored in a wonderful variety. Among the winners for 2011, I was thrilled to see Radiolab—one of my favorite podcasts—right up there with PBS docs and network TV dramas and even an ESPN series. Winners List

No browsing in this library

2011-05-30T06:30:00.001-06:00

A library in which you can’t browse the stacks? At the new University of Chicago library, that’s considered state-of-the-art. At first I thought a library without row upon row of books to wander would be most terrible. But then I realized that I do the majority of my own browsing online these days. I’m not sure when my habits shifted. Do you still like to browse without a computer? Link to print article

“We’re Maybe in the 1940’s Now”

2011-05-27T14:29:00.000-06:00

Last week I posted a link to a story about a proposed Australian law that would require gamers to program significant storytelling elements into their games. Here, Dan Ackerman theorizes on why, even though the technology is available, sophisticated and effective storytelling isn’t a run-of-the-mill component of gaming—yet.

Credit: Rockstar Games

10 Tips for Storyteller-Photographers

2011-05-26T15:34:00.000-06:00

Photographer: Alfred Eisenstaedt
Source: wikipedia.org

I love the idea that a painting (such as these by Dutch painter Gabrielle Metsu) or a photograph can tell a story. Thousands of words (unless your name is Reuben) within the boundaries of a single frame. Here are a few tips from Scott Bourne on how to create story-laden images.

Every Story Needs an Action-Idea

2011-05-25T15:30:00.002-06:00

photo credit

Not just action, but an action-idea, a driving force that propels the characters and events through a story arc. Ted Dekker calls this “a through line.” I call it “a true arrow” that flies through the target zone of every creative choice. Hanson Hosein, author of Storyteller Uprising: Trust and Persuasion in the Digital Age, explains the principle here in such a helpful way that it helped me to get my current work-in-progress back on track: Storyteller Uprising

Good News, Bad News, Good News

2011-05-24T11:41:00.000-06:00

In a week of numbers that don’t always seem logical: Amazon is now selling more e-books than print books (105 units of e-copies for every 100 units of physical copies). And the sale of fiction is down (by 3%). But the total volume of physical book titles published is up (and fiction is still a leading category). Thank you, print-on-demand technology! And finally, it appears—perhaps in a foreshadowing of publishing models to come—that e-book sales might be driving print sales. I’ll take Good News for $100, please.

Monday Fun

2011-05-23T07:19:00.000-06:00

Periodic Table of Storytelling

Finally, a periodic table that I can understand! I did pass my Physics for Poets class in college, but let’s just say that science isn’t my strong suit. My favorite category is the “Story Modifiers.” (See Aws and Ang.) Sensitive souls, please be forewarned that a few of the elements fall into what my editorial colleagues call “the sphere of questionable language,” or LaQ, perhaps.

What I’m Reading: The Art of Immersion

2011-05-20T08:11:00.003-06:00

“A field guide to the visionaries—and the fans—who are reinventing the art of storytelling.” I just bought this book, so I haven’t formed an opinion of it yet. But this reviewer says, “Rose’s book tells the story of storytelling amazingly well … He reminds us that stories are culturally significant and that the way we tell them says a great deal about our societies and ourselves.”

Author’s website

Gaming Down Under

2011-05-19T07:28:00.003-06:00

In Australia, video game developers will have to create games with “significant storytelling elements” in order to get government funding. Not everyone is happy about that. Article from SMH.com.au

This Is Your Brain on Stories

2011-05-18T06:22:00.000-06:00

This Scientific American article from a couple years back still holds plenty of interest for me. It probes the questions of why storytelling transcends culture, what it reveals about the biology of the mind, and how it affects our behavior. Fascinating stuff.

To Resolve, or Not to Resolve?

2011-05-17T07:00:00.002-06:00

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Resolved stories are satisfying stories. That is, the probing questions “What does that mean?” and “Why does it matter?” have answers. But in Brant Hansen’s April 28 blog entry “Unresolved Chicken Soup for the Soul,” (follow the link and scroll down) he explores a painful real-life problem: “We don’t live in resolution time.” In light of this truth, does resolution in storytelling frustrate or inspire you? Read the blog here

If I Were Canadian, I'd Eat Here

2011-05-16T22:14:00.000-06:00

Storytelling Dinner Theater. It was a special event last week at The Sultan's Tent, a Moroccan restaurant where one could go dine and hear dramatic retellings of tales from 1001 Arabian Nights.

A n article published in the Calgary Herald explained:

The idea arose out of an initiative launched last year to share epic stories across Canada, says Hays.

"We are also linked up with Storytellers of Canada," she says, "and there's a movement across Canada to tell epic stories and various groups have used 1001 Arabian Nights.

What a great idea. I'm hungry. For a classic story, served up fresh.

Rakugo for the Displaced

2011-05-16T08:00:00.009-06:00

Storyteller Kyoraku is a storytelling celebrity in Japan. Rakugo is a traditional form of humorous storytelling. As the people of Japan reel from the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactor failures, he uses the form to bring a bright spot to the refugees’ tedious days. “If you want to make people around you smile,” he says. “You have to start by smiling yourself.”

photo credit

Storytellers Are the New Black

2011-05-12T00:15:00.001-06:00

"Storyteller" is the latest buzzword not just in creative industries but in corporate environments. Last week blogger Dawn Marinacci wrote:

"The value of good storytelling can’t really be measured in hard numbers (maybe that’s why some marketers don’t always consider it an essential component of their “arsenal”), but the impact of a good storyteller is immeasurable in my opinion. Companies/marketers who don’t position a storyteller as its brand champion are passing on the secret sauce because it’s not just about the story, but also how the story is told that matters. It’s the emotional connection the storyteller creates with the audience by using their natural ability to deliver a compelling message that not only resonates but inspires."

In her blog, Marinacci outlines the quintessential qualities of top storytellers in any field. The same week, novelist and consultant Justina Chen (via Russell Working) offered "Seven Secrets of Successful Storytelling" in a corporate context.

Both women note that the key to effective storytelling comes from the heart, which might explain why Hallmark commercials make me teary. My hat's off to good storytellers of all kinds, wherever your stories are told.

One Tweet Does Not a Story Make

2011-05-11T00:15:00.000-06:00

But now there's a program that will make a readable, chronological drama out of all those nonlinear tweets. I confess I'm not a Tweeter. (Twitterer?) Nor a Tweedle Dum nor Tweedle Dee. But I'm all for storytelling, in any format.

A Fictional Story about One of Our Favorite Storytellers

2011-05-10T00:15:00.001-06:00

Coming to a bookshelf near you—a novelization/criticism of J. R. R. Tolkien titled MIRKWOOD, sort-of approved by the estate. In other words, all parties have agreed to drop their lawsuits over the use of Tolkien's name as a violation of the estate's publicity rights. The lives of historical figures are fictionalized all the time, I suppose, but I'll say it right now: I hope my life never is.

StoryCorps, Animated

2011-05-09T00:15:00.001-06:00

I love listening to some of the stories people have recorded for the mobile StoryCorp Project, which has been dedicated to preserving the captured audio tales at the Library of Congress since 2003. More recently, StoryCorp has begun animating some of the narratives, adding another wonderful layer to the story-sharing experience. Here is their most recent endeavor, which had me laughing and crying in the space of four minutes. Isn't it amazing that stories of total strangers can grip us?

How Family Stories Change Us

2011-05-06T00:15:00.003-06:00

Great-Grandpa Gus and
Great Nana Matti Gleichmann

For a season when I was a child, my parents worked at a hotel. It wasn't just any hotel, but one that my great-grandparents had purchased as a young married couple in 1921. And for a time, while I was a teenager, I resented the place: the demands of the business, the conflicts it generated among family members, the intrusion of that life into MY life.
During my senior year of high school, my mother asked me to help her with a project. She was assembling a wall of historic photographs chronicling some seventy-five years of the property, and she asked me to do some research with her, and to write the story that would go with the images.
That project of writing my family's story--at least a portion of it--forever changed my attitude. It opened up a view onto my great-grandparents' desires to invest in their family and community. It showed me a side of my aging Great Nana that I'd not fully understood--the history of a strong woman widowed young (Grandpa Gus was killed by a drunk driver), who raised her children through World War II, who never remarried, and who ran the hotel with her children and grandchildren until her death, just a month shy of her 101st birthday. Her story explained much about the strength of the women who precede me, and what strength of character they might have passed along to me. Strengths I might not have fully tapped. Yet.
Today, The Pierpont Inn is a historic landmark (and it's still owned by other members of my sprawling family tree). In 1995, my husband and I were married there. (Right there in front of those lovely cottages that are pictured on the homepage.) For me, the location represents a way of regarding my own history that I would have missed if I hadn't paid attention to the story.
I was reminded of this experience after reading about someone else's “Grandpa Gus,” who died young, and how retelling his story changed her life,

In what ways have the stories of your family changed the way you see your own story?

How Important Is "Transmedia Storytelling" to You?

2011-05-05T00:15:00.005-06:00

“Transmedia storytelling” refers to stories that extend their fiction across a variety of media. It’s a film adaptation of a novel, or a fictional character who blogs or Tweets, or readers who create unauthorized sequels. How important is the transmedia experience to you in expanding your enjoyment of a story?

Check out some of these example from of transmedia from Social-Creature. I've been experiencing it without even knowing it.

Your Life Is A Transmedia Experience

Stories of Social Justice, for a Better World

2011-05-04T00:15:00.001-06:00

Today on Oprah, storyteller Steve Sanfield will tell the tale of his participation in the Civil Rights Freedom Rides. Have you ever participated in a social-justice cause? Share your stories here.

Why Cameras Are Like the Printing Press

2011-05-03T00:15:00.002-06:00

“Photography is a language,” says photojournalist Pablo Corral Vega. If each picture is worth a thousand words, what kinds of stories to YOUR photographs tell? I’m captivated by Vega's prediction that we’ll eventually have cameras that we wear like contact lenses.

The Spoken Poetry of Sarah Kay

2011-05-02T00:15:00.003-06:00

I’m used to reading poetry alone, and silently. But every once in a while poetry takes on new power and meaning just because someone knew exactly how to speak it aloud, and speak it well, and speak it like the story it was meant to be. Like Sarah Kay.

Why I Believe in the Supernatural #21

2010-09-13T10:50:00.002-06:00

By Jane McKinney

My Story begins in 2004. My name is Jane McKinney and my husband Rick and I had been traveling in full-time evangelism for about 3 years. He came to me one day in early fall and said, “I believe God wants us to walk across America”. This didn’t shock me as it would most wives. He’s always been a dreamer but never anything this unconventional before. I had to be sure this was from God. We were in our 50’s, not athletic and, well, there were lots of reasons why this wouldn’t work.

After much prayer, soul searching, and researching, we decided that in 2006 we would walk across America. Rick had been preaching in revivals about how Christians need to reclaim America. He had read one day in Joshua 1 how God said to Joshua that every place he put the sole of his foot he could claim for God, so that’s what we were going to do.

We spent most of 2005 in preparation for the walk. We trained physically, gathered information about clothing, shoes, climate, routes, etc. We laid out the route: LA to Washington DC. We would leave Santa Monica Pier on January 1st and travel old Route 66 to Oklahoma City, then the I-40 corridor across the rest of OK, Arkansas and Tennessee. Then at Bristol, TN head north on St Rte 11, take 211 East at New Market, Virginia and into DC. We planned to arrive on July 4, 2006.

I don’t have space to tell you 6 months of stories, struggles, and triumphs. But I need to tell you that my faith in God was solidified more than ever before in that 6 months! In the 1500 miles we walked in 2005 in training I never got one blister. By the second week of the walk my feet were covered! I had blisters between my toes, the sides and bottoms of my feet and my heels. I was determined to finish, but just putting socks on was excruciating. But I would pray and take that first tentative step, then another and complete 20 miles. That was God, not Jane McKinney! When we walked across that bridge from Arlington, VA into Washington DC on July 4, 2006 I knew who my God was and what I could do with His strength.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I Believe in the Supernatural #20

2010-09-10T07:51:00.000-06:00

by Michael Register

One Sunday morning in church, during worship, the presence of God was very strong and I had the urge to kneel before him. It wasn't uncommon for me to do this, and it wasn't out of place at all. I was about to kneel when very clearly I heard, "wait".

Puzzled, I began to speak to God in my mind, "Is this You? Why would I wait?" Silence.

I began to think, "I can't kneel right now so I'll raise my arms. As I began to lift my arms into the air again I heard, "wait".

Nothing like this had happened before so I decided to wait, albeit a little frustrated.

Just then my eleven year old son dropped to his knees beside me. He raised his arms into the air and I could see his eyes were closed. I couldn't help but cry. My little boy was following the leading of God on his own.

He later told me that in those fateful minutes he had felt like God wanted him to kneel but was scared. Normally he would join me in whatever I was doing, kneeling or raising my arms, but I wasn't doing anything. Several minutes passed before he was able to get up the nerve to do it, since I wasn't doing it. Once he heard my side of the story he knew it really was God speaking to him, while asking me to wait.

God gave an eleven year old a sign post that day. Something he could look back to and say "I followed my God, I can hear His voice and I was obedient. I can do it again."

http://www.facebook.com/michael.register3?v=info

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #19

2010-09-06T09:37:00.002-06:00

By Pamela

In 1984 Amy Grant's "Angels (Watching Over Me)" was a popular song on the Christian airwaves - possibly because it struck a note with so many people who had experienced unexplained near misses in their lives.

Later, after the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, I heard numerous tales of people who normally would have been there but because of heavy traffic, oversleeping, or other delays, they escaped death on September 11. In my own life, I couldn't begin to enumerate the near misses my family or I have had over the years. Were angels watching over us? I would like to think so.

Several years ago on an evening in the late fall, my two children and I were driving down the highway at the fifty-five mph speed limit on our way to choir practice and children's activities at our church. Suddenly I heard a distinct voice in my head that told me to move to the left lane. There was no other traffic nearby so I mentally argued with the voice at the same time I obeyed it. About that time I noticed an eighteen wheeler parked parallel to the edge of the highway. As I drew close to the truck, the driver stepped out the door, missed the step and fell backwards into the highway - right where I would have driven if I had not changed lanes. As I passed, I saw him get up and walk away so I didn't stop. I have always regretted that because it might have been an opportunity to witness to the man.

I don't know what might have happened if I hadn't changed lanes. I probably would have run over the truck driver or lost control of my small car. Were angels watching over the truck driver, my children and me that night? Was the voice I heard the Holy Spirit? I will always believe it was. I know I will never forget the experience.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I Believe in the Supernatural #18

2010-08-30T10:11:00.000-06:00

By Suzanne Simpson
Jason, do you remember the missing straight pin? You were 5 , your sister and brother were 3 and 2 years old.

I had used it to hang something on the wall. Why did I do that? Not very bright, I know. You needed whatever “it” was and pulled it from the wall. The pin was gone. I was ticked and didn't want to find it via the bottom of my foot. I scolded you lightly and told you to find it. We all looked. It did not show up. After all it was pretty small and there was a lot of area to look around. I decided to put the responsibility on you and God. I told you that you needed to pray and ask God to show you where it was. We all prayed and you asked God to show you where it was. Amen!

"God said it was in the toy box. I need to empty everything out. He's pointing into the corner." You said.

I helped you to carefully pull most of the toys out of the box. I even pushed stuff around for a clear view. It was not there, I looked.

"Mom, God said to take everything out." You said.

"Well, Jason, this is your problem. If God said ... then you do what he said." I walked away to let him handle this. I didn't want to get frustrated, I wanted God to show himself to this boy. Someday he would need to remember this story.

"Mom! Mom! I found it! I took everything out of the box like God said and there it was lying in the corner, right where He was pointing!" You shouted while running to find me and show off your treasure .

Love, your mom, Suzanne

I kept this trophy of yours. Priceless!

Another proof that God speaks to you and you know how to hear his voice.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #17

2010-08-27T14:37:00.000-06:00

by Craig Elliot

My personal spiritual journey began at age seven.

I can still remember vividly spending the afternoon at my grandparent’s place. Walking across the front yard, I passed by the dogwood tree that my grandfather had planted; the one he defied anyone to touch. A feeling of euphoria struck me, an overwhelming sense of pure happiness and goodness. I was walking on clouds, that everyone was wonderful in their own way, much more so than is normally seen through even a child’s eyes. I kept it to myself, which is my nature, and went about my business.

A month or so later I was at school, third grade homeroom. Out of nowhere a feeling swept across me that was much different than the previous encounter. I decided to be the stereotypical rebellious, obnoxious kid. I don’t recall all that I did, other than getting out of line in the hall, which was quite an offense in those days. The spirit in me was different, and it happened instantaneous, just like the visitation a month before. I ended up staying after school that day, and I never could explain to my parents what had happened. Something changed forever that day; the innocence was gone, and for the first time I had to consciously make decisions that would affect my life and others.

Fast forward to the age of twenty. As I walked down the sidewalk of an old strip mall in my hometown, an old, hunchback, scraggly looking old woman approached me, oblivious to the many shoppers close by. She fixed her eyes on me, and asked, “Are you a Christian?” in a bold tone that left no doubt she was unashamed. Although my beliefs at the time weren’t more than a casual acceptance, I said “Yes, I am.”

She silently nodded her head yes, smiled, and walked away. I turned into the door to the tag office, and as I walked in, I looked back. She was gone. Nothing to step behind, and no where she could have gone quickly, but she was gone.

A test of faith, even when my faith was anything but unfailing.

The good vs. bad war has raged within me ever since, although the good has generally come out ahead. The bad seems to be in my mind, not in action. I suppose I’ve taken the higher road.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #16

2010-08-23T14:50:00.000-06:00

by Tina McLain

I have felt the hand of God. It was about 15 years ago, I had just gone through a very controlling and abusive relationship. I lost everyone of my friends and wasn't in contact with my family because of this guy so I was feeling very alone and distraught. My girls were 2 years old and 4 years old, and they were the only part of my life that meant anything to me. So one day they were taking naps and I was sitting outside at a table smoking a cigerette and just lost it. I crying so hard I couldn't breathe. I started praying to God that I was done and couldn't do it any more I needed him so badly or I was going to end things. I really needed to know He was there. I stopped crying and started just staring out at nothing, All of a sudden I felt this peace come over me and I felt a hand on my left shoulder and I looked down and there was this kinda glowing hand there and I felt so comforted right then and there and I knew it was Gods, He had answered me and shown me a part of himself. I will never in my lifetime forget that. God is always with us. I had never been baptised and so the very next day I went to a church and asked to be baptised and was. I thank God every day.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I Believe in the Supernatural #15

2010-08-19T21:36:00.000-06:00

My Mom
By Karen Lockinger Greenberg

      My belief in the spiritual world, and its power over those of us on Earth, was cemented during an event in my teenage years. My mom and I had been fighting, and there never seemed to be a time in which we were at peace. I wanted the fighting to stop, and I’m sure she did, too.

     One night I went to bed, having had a long day of teenage moodiness and arguments with my parents. Sometime in the middle of the night, my mom appeared in my bedroom. She was standing at the end of my bed, not saying a word. The air around us was different, in a way that I can’t quite describe. It seemed almost smoky in my bedroom, and it was hard to see clearly.

     For several minutes my mom stood at the foot of my bed. She looked at me, and I could feel the love she held for me. She never said a word. Curiously, neither did I. Mom eventually left my bedroom and walked into her own. I put my head on my pillow, closed my eyes, and slept more deeply than I had in weeks. The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face rather than the usual scowl everyone had become accustomed to.

     Mom and I never talked about her visit to my room, and for a short time our relationship was better. Her visit didn‘t change everything, but a simple smile can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. A loving gaze can mean the world to a girl just looking to fit in.

     Several weeks later I was reading a book about spirits, and it dawned on me that the visit from my mom wasn’t one that occurred in the natural world. This was a special visit. Her soul communicated with mine in a way I would never forget. The book explained that sometimes when something needs to be said it can’t always be vocalized. The soul, however, can’t let it go unsaid if it is that important. I will never forget the night that my mom told me, heart to heart, that I WAS worth all the trouble we were going through and that I will always be loved.

     For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I Believe in the Supernatural #14

2010-08-16T21:25:00.000-06:00

By Matthew Eldridge

THE CHRISTMAS ANGEL (This really happened to me!) (396 Words!)

My wife and I were waiting at the light on the very busy three lane road. We both looked to the right of us and had a good laugh. There was a tiny gold car with a huge Christmas tree atop of it. The driver was an overweight woman who was too large for the small car. It was just odd and stuck out to us.

As the light turned green, I punched the gas and left the tiny, gold, Christmas tree toting car in the dust. We were alone as we swerved through the “S” shape of the road around 60 mph.

I looked down for a second, and when I looked up, I saw brake lights tapping right in front of me in a rapid motion, forcing me to slam on the brakes, while swerving around a blind corner. Strangely, it was the tiny gold car again. Finally, the driver forced us to a stop, and what I saw blew my mind.

Just around the last curve was a car that had flipped several times, upside down, and taking up the two right lanes. In the third lane was a body of a young man badly injured - who had been thrown from his car. Had not the woman in the gold car mystically appeared and forced us to slow down, I would have either hit the man’s car, or more than likely, swerved to miss the car and run over him.

The woman got out of her car and walked over to the young man and began ministering to him. Within seconds, emergency vehicles swarmed the scene, all three cars blocked in from the front, back, and sides by medical vehicles. While a helicopter came and took the young man away, police officers came to my wife and I to get a report. I was going to refer him to the woman in the gold car, and as I looked up, THERE WAS NO GOLD CAR. I asked the police officer about it and he kept responding that there was no other car, and they never saw the woman I described. She had vanished into thin air.

It occurred to us that this woman not only saved us from a nasty accident, but she saved the life of that man. Only, she didn’t really exist.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #13

2010-08-12T22:25:00.002-06:00

By Josie Siler

I have been overseas several times and I have experienced the spiritual realm in different ways. However, one of the most memorable experiences did not take place overseas, but in the state of Iowa. I had just graduated from college and moved into an apartment with a friend. Our place was on the upper level of a house with tenants below us and next to us.

At first it was great. We loved having our own place without all the rules of a dorm room. However, we soon began to have trouble sleeping and had bad dreams. I remember one night in particular my roommate was in the living room watching yet another movie because she couldn’t sleep. I was awake and restless. All of a sudden it felt as if I was being strangled – yet no one was in the room. I knew immediately that it was a spiritual attack and if I said the name of Jesus I would be okay. I tried to speak, but no words would come. It felt as though my jaw had been wired shut. I was filled with the fear that I wouldn’t be able to speak Jesus’ name and that the attack would continue. I prayed silently and was able to just breathe the name of Jesus. Immediately it was gone and I could breathe.

The next day I told my roommate what had happened and we went to my friend’s dad who was a pastor. We knew we needed to pray more than what we did when we first moved in. We prayed a prayer of protection over each and every room in our tiny little apartment. We never again felt the presence of evil and we could again sleep sweetly.

Several years after I had moved out of that apartment my dad told me a story. He said that when he went back up to make sure we didn’t forget anything as he was helping me move, he saw three demons laughing and going back into the apartment. They said, “Ha ha, we got it back!” It seems like a story that would take place in a third world country, but it happened right here in the USA. It is a story of God’s power over the evil one. Light does indeed overcome and overpower the darkness!

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #12

2010-08-10T06:54:00.000-06:00

By: Judy Anne Casey

JUST GIVE ME A CALL

As a child from a big family I always loved answering the phone. This helped Mom and Dad and was fun for me. However, I never dreamed that the phone ringing would bring things into my mind even before I picked it up. Things that were usually very scary and always concerned my oldest brother, Chuck.

The first time this happened I was eight years old. The phone rang on a Saturday evening that was Prom night at our High School. I jumped up to answer it. Immediately I saw Chuck in his white jacket with red blood all over the front of it and lots more blood covering his face. I stagered, started sweating and pick up the phone. Yes, it was my brother calling Mom and Dad from the city Hospital. There had been a bad crash and he and his girl friend were hurt, the car was totally ruined but both of the kids survived. It scared me so much that I never told Mom and Dad. I thought there was something wrong with me but I didn't know how to deal with it at eight years old.

Ignoring this issue seemed ok until two years later when Chuck was in the Military on an out of State trip. He was due to arrive back to the Chicago airport very soon. Dad had already left to pick him up when the phone rang. I got up to answer the phone. Immediately in my mind I saw the plane flying around in a big circle above the airport. This time it was not Chuck calling but someone at the airport wanted the family to know that the plane could not land in Chicago due to a bad snow & ice storm. The plane had been flying in circles waiting to land and was running out of gas so it was sent to Indiana to land and the passengers were coming back to Illinois by bus. This scared me again and made me start thinking that whenever Chuck died I would know immediately. He and I could communicate by thought.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #11

2010-08-05T14:15:00.000-06:00

by Cory Schmidt

It would be wonderful to sit down and say that my greatest experience with the spiritual realm was during a moment of worship. Unfortunately, that would be a lie. The situation that solidified my belief in a world unseen came to me in a moment of cursing God.

I was at a point in my life where my life seemed to be falling apart around me. It is funny how often that seems to happen to high school teens for such petty reasons, isn’t it? Anyway, I was depressed. The depression had started in a mild sadness after a break up (like I said, petty reasons) but it soon worsened with my realization that I lacked close friends around me who were deeply rooted in Christ. Don’t misunderstand, I had some great Christian friends, but I only got to see them once or twice a week at my church youth group or at a Sunday church service. This brought me into a feeling of perpetual sadness, achiness, and a constant exhaustion. In other words, I was now displaying many signs of clinical depression. If you are reading this and have been clinically depressed, you know it doesn’t necessarily take something absolutely traumatic to cause.

This feeling of loneliness moved me to continually pray to God that I could have at least one close friend that loved him at my school. I got impatient with God (not a good idea) and soon began writing angry letters to him in a journal that I owned. This continued for about a month in varying degrees of hostility until the day that all my anger just imploded at one time.

My church was having their annual drama called Sacred Storm which involves different situations of spiritual warfare where both demons and angels are seen by the audience influencing the cast of the drama. During this drama Jesus was present telling a character how much he loved them. I was sitting in the audience with tears streaming down my face while shouting “Liar!” in my head. It was after multiple rounds of screaming at him that I heard the faintest whisper in my head that said, “I love you.” This resulted in intensified crying and apologies to God, asking for forgiveness. I truly believe that other forces were present, screaming those lies in my head, but the truthful words were more powerful in the end.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #10

2010-08-04T10:37:00.000-06:00

by Paul I. Allen

My true story of why I can never doubt the reality of the spirit world:

When I was nine years old, I lived with my mom, dad, and three younger siblings in an old house in Marysville, Indiana. One Sunday night on the way home from church, we talked about God and angels. When we arrived at the house, Dad parked the station-wagon in the driveway, and we all stood on one side looking up at the stars. There was more talk of angels, and I just happened to look behind me at the car.

Inside the car was lit. There was an old man sitting in the driver’s seat, hands on the wheel, eyes looking ahead. He had a full head of untamed white hair and wore glasses. I stared for a moment before turning to my dad, having difficulty breathing and unable to speak. When I could finally talk, I stuttered something about seeing an old man and pointed back to the now-dark car. My parents shushed me, and Dad and I went into a small bathroom in the house to talk privately while Mom rushed the other kids upstairs to bed.

I explained to Dad what I had seen, expecting him to be surprised, but he wasn’t even fazed. He explained that Mom had seen the old man in our house, going through their dresser drawers. Apparently, an old man had died in the house before we moved in. Dad and I talked about it, and he offered the comfort that God was always in charge and would protect us. I believe that with all my heart, but it was still difficult to continue living in that house.

Looking back, I don’t really know what I saw. I mean, the event is still clear in my mind. I saw an old man, but I don’t know who he was. Was it the old man’s spirit? Was it a demon posing as the old fellow to inspire fear? I won’t know for sure until heaven. One thing I do know: I have never doubted the reality of the spiritual realm. There is a world we cannot see. I take a great deal of comfort in the fact that the God who loves us knows about – created – and rules over all of our unknowns.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #9

2010-07-29T13:02:00.002-06:00

Story by Sarah Scales

My story that I want to share occurred during my teen years. I was having a hard time with everything...friends, boys, school, being different from the other teens as a Christian, etc. I was laying in bed praying one evening - just sharing my heartaches with my heavenly Daddy. I felt two big warm arms go around me in a wonderful, calming, comforting hug! It sounds so simple as I'm writing this, but was so awesome! It meant so much to me at that time and now. God cared for me in my teenage turmoil, which as I look back wasn't anything that unusual for a teenager. And so it helps me remember that He cares for me now as a married woman of 10 years with four kids ages 6 to 1. My challenges & heartaches now ...as a wife, a mom, as I home school my older two kids, as a friend who is lonely after a recent move... aren't that unusual but God is still always here for me and reaches out to comfort me. I wouldn't mind another one of His hugs right now!

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #8

2010-07-26T11:11:00.000-06:00

By Suzanne Schaffer

My spiritual story could also be my entire life story. God wooed my family to Himself when I was a little girl. He has kept me in His hands ever since.

We moved into a house when I was five years old, shortly thereafter I began to see things in my bedroom. Barney Rubble ran up and down my bed, a little red snake wiggled along my bedposts, figures in my doorway watched me while I tried to sleep. My mother didn't know what to do and asked a Christian friend. That friend taught her how to rebuke Satan and plead the blood of Jesus. Those little demons left and quit bothering me.

Twenty years later my parents moved out of that house and sold it to a young single woman. Months later they saw her at a wedding and she asked them if they'd ever had a problem with ghosts. She explained that she'd see a cowboy-type man walking up and down the stairs. When my mother explained to her what it was the woman asked if my mom would come over and get rid of it. My mother explained that it doesn't work that way, that she'd have to be the one to do it and that only would come with a belief in Christ.

We came to learn that demons are territorial. They came back after the covering of Christ was gone. I've always found that interesting. I thank God for His covering and for wooing us to Him. Satan must have known that God had plans for my life. My husband and I have been in full time ministry for 18 years.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #7

2010-07-22T07:24:00.000-06:00

Amber McCallister

My story:

When I was a young girl, I used to get sick a lot with head colds that would go to a sore throat and eventually into an earache. This cycle happened a lot to the point where I lost hearing in my right ear. My parents thought I was being silly and making it up, but they soon found out that it was true. They took me to a hearing specialist, who told them that what I was telling them was true. One night when one of my earaches had gotten especially bad, my parents were watching the 700 Club on TV that evening. I had already went to bed when Pat Robertson had a work of knowledge that a little girl, who was having a lot of earaches was being touched by God, and my parents claimed that for me. The next my parents knew, I was coming into the living room crying because my ear had "leaked" down my neck and onto my bed sheets. I also said that the pain in my ear was gone, and I felt better. After my parents cleaned me up, I went back to bed.

The next morning, they took me to the ear specialist, and he confirmed what my dad guessed had happened. My eardrum had ruptured that night. Everything that had been building up and was making my ear hurt was now gone. This didn't amaze him in itself. What he said next amazed everyone in the room. He asked my dad if he had given me any of the medication that he had prescribed if my cold and earache had gotten any better. My dad said no because I hadn't gotten any better since he gave us the prescription. The next words out of his mouth were "God is good". He said after my eardrum ruptured, I should have been deaf in that ear, but instead a thin film had grown over my ear drum. The doctor was astounded, and so were my parents.

From this miracle, I am able to hear in my right ear today. My dad has no doubts that this was from God, and he gave Him the glory for this miracle. I praise Him everyday for it. I know what He is capable of doing, and I thank Him for the everyday miracles that I see throughout my life as well.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #6

2010-07-19T17:03:00.002-06:00

Keeping an Ear to the Ceiling
By Mike Duran

I’m an ordained Protestant minister and, for eleven years, served full-time in the pastorate. During that time, I encountered many strange and wonderful things – things that no amount of training, explaining, or theological juggling could prepare me for. Like the time a young couple approached me after church and confessed they had a ghost on their ceiling.

My first reaction – as I think most church-goers’ would be – was one of skepticism. However, there was one thing that kept me from blowing them off: they seemed totally normal and utterly sincere! Which presented a problem. How exactly does one deal with a ghost. . . or, at least, people who supposedly saw one? Especially when they claim to be believers?

After spending enough time with the couple to know they weren’t pranksters, devil worshipers or bloomin’ mad, I went to the house. It sat on a large piece of property in the middle of a grove of gnarled olive trees. A normal house, by all appearance: no black cats or levitating beds. But old. They led me the room in question. It was partly below ground, like a cellar, which probably had to do with the slight temperature drop, and had a single window that, according to them, was one day entirely covered by horseflies. In this room, on several occasions, they had seen an apparition — a woman in a gown hovering on the ceiling, staring down at their bed. I glanced at that ceiling and gripped my Bible as if it were a life preserver, but the mystery girl did not materialize.

What happened? Nothing.

Like a good pastor, I grilled the couple as to whether or not they were doing something that might invite evil: holding séances, consulting Ouija boards, or distilling moonshine. I quizzed them about the history of the house. Had anyone died there or been murdered? When all the answers came back negative, I walked through each room with the couple, quietly praying and asking God to banish whatever entities might be lingering.

For whatever reasons, the couple reported that after that event, the visitations ceased. I’m not sure I can claim any special powers, nor am I any closer to explaining exactly what was occurring. Nevertheless, reports like that have forced me to embrace a more supernatural worldview and keep an ear to the ceiling.

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #5

2010-07-15T09:28:00.002-06:00

Story by Connie V. Akpan

I’ve always enjoyed rainy Sundays. After church, my family and I would quickly sit down to one of my moms delicious meals because mom, being old school would prepare most of the meal the day before, or put a roast in the oven right before leaving for church.

On this particular cold Sunday, two of my four sisters and I decided we’d go for a walk in the light rain. Although it had started to clear up, we still enjoyed the thought of splashing puddles on the city sidewalks while Rhea mimicked the lady who sang like a chicken at church. Once the three of us reached the corner of our house, our attention was immediately drawn to the other side of the busy street.

My little sister Terrye, spoke first as she pointed to the poorly dressed man hunched over a wet table at the closed donut shop.

“What’s that man doing over there?” she asked. We found ourselves grabbing her hand and crossing the busy street.

There was a slight hesitation before approaching him. Not out of fear but respect. Once there, Terry screamed,

“He don’t have on any shoes!”

My big sister Rhea suggested we run home, and bring him a blanket and a plate of moms food. “Momma won’t know, cuz she’s at grandma’s.” We did just that. Roast beef and gravy, rice, greens, yams, cornbread and a big piece of chocolate cake. His eyes danced as he ate in silence. Rhea and I said nothing—only smiled as we watched him eat. Terry giggled as if his eyes told her a private joke.

Later, Terry blabbed the whole event to my folks over dessert. My dad stood up shocked. “I saw him too—gave him $10.00.”

My mom, said, “I saw him too—gave him all I had, about five bucks!”

My brother, who had just walked in said, “I just gave him my spare work boots!” We all jumped up and ran to the corner to see what else we could do for the man. He was gone—nowhere to be seen—which was impossible unless he had just been picked up by car. As we walked back, talking about the event, my little sister kept looking up in the sky, laughing.

“What you lookin at, girl?” I asked her. She squinted her eyes and pointed to the bright blue sky.

“The man.”
For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #4

2010-07-08T18:27:00.001-06:00

Story by Colleen Kendzierski

Shortly after my dad passed away, I was laying on my couch when one of my cats jumped up and ran to the corner of the room, where there was a pile of magazines and newspapers I intended to read and dispose of. I was still mourning and hadn’t returned to the everyday routine stuff. Tigger stood facing that corner, ears back, tail stiffened, hissing like no one’s business, then settled down and rolled onto his back.

After my initial alarm, I realized what was happening and laughed, announcing, “Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll get rid of that pile!” That was one of his pet peeves. Whenever he’d come visit, I hid the magazines I hadn’t read so he wouldn’t see them. He’d been sick for months and died at Hospice, so he hadn’t been to visit for a while, and I got lazy.

Tigger loved Dad, too, and would often roll over, allowing him to rub his belly. Apparently, he still allowed that from beyond! Once I knew Dad was still with me, I looked forward to his visits.

Every once in a while, I would smell his favorite tobacco. If I was home, I knew there was no explanation but that he was visiting. One night, I felt my mattress shift like someone sat down and smelled that wonderful scent, which I’d hated when he was alive but had come to enjoy since he’d left us. I had a nice one-sided conversation with him about things going on in my life. The next morning, Mom called to report that the night before, my beloved Aunt Dorothy had died. When I told her about my experience, we felt he had come to take his only living sibling back home with him.

I’ve had visits from Dad in public places, most memorably at a lakefront ice cream shoppe we’d frequented. While deciding what to order, I smelled that tobacco, looked around, and saw no one smoking, even asking the gentleman in front of me if he could smell it. He looked at me like I was insane, giving me an adamant, “NO!” I believe I had my dad’s favorite ice cream that day!

I recently began attending a new church, much different than the Catholic one I was raised in. During last week’s sermon, sure enough, I smelled that tobacco! I believe Dad has accepted my new church and no longer feel guilty about not attending his church!

2010-07-05T12:38:00.001-06:00

Why I believe in the Supernatural #3

Story by Walter WAYN Cannefax

My wife Victoria died 12/12/2006 unexpectedly about 7 hours after our daughter Isabella Sophia was born 12/11/2006. Our 7 year wedding anniversary was to be celebrated 1/29/2007. We had spent the last 5 years of our marriage hoping but not knowing if we would ever become pregnant. The conception and subsequent development of our daughter in the womb was such a wonder and blessing from God. I do not know if anything blurs the lines between spiritual and physical realitiies more than the power of love expressed through sexual union in marriage and the creation of life through the Spirit of God! I had no inkling of the possibility that I would be confronted with the opposite extreme in the dichotomy of life and death that shatters the veil between spirit and flesh. After much loss of blood and other complicating circumstances that only God knows the full mystery and reason - I found myself going from the pure ecstasy and joy of gazing at the face of my newborn daughter to the incomprehensible horror of seeing my wife's eyes void of the beauty and power of her indomitable spirit! In the midst of these incredible events, and many others past and continuing to unfold presently through the wrinkles in time in which I live - I AM NOT ABANDONED!!! I have felt the prescense of Jesus weeping and my wife's love through the Holy Spirit!! I do not know what the future holds and can only live in the moment without answers crying out to God for the strength to trust! My 3 1/2 year old daughter looks at a picture of my wife and asks "Where does mommy live?" I knew the question would come and I pause in a moment of shock before I say the only thing I can honestly say from my heart "She lives with God in heaven." And our daughter smiles and says "That's good."

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

Why I believe in the Supernatural #2

2010-07-01T15:08:00.002-06:00

Story by Caitlyn Lutz
The past few years God has been taking me on a journey to discover what he can do when his children seek his face and dare to believe that they will do "greater things." (John 14:12) I've seen dozens of healings and hundreds of prophecies, all pointing toward the indisputable fact that God is alive and loves to touch people. I haven't seen a resurrection yet, but I've heard plenty of stories and I pray to see one soon.

One of the most amazing things I saw happened at a multichurch youth gathering a couple of years ago. The speaker, Chad, called for someone with chronic back pain to go forward, so Robin, one of my church's youth leaders, went towards the stage. A few kids, ages nine to twelve, laid hands on her and began praying for healing while Chad continued preaching. He told the story of a woman who had one leg shorter than the other, and immediately after prayer the leg grew out.

When Chad asked Robin a few minutes later how her back was doing, she responded, "It's all healed now...but you know, one of my legs is shorter than the other!" Chad laughed and said to the crowd, "Gather round if you want to see a leg grow out!" I bounded out of my seat and was at the front of the crowd that pressed around Robin. Chad asked her to sit on the edge of the stage and extend both legs. We could clearly see that the right leg was several inches shorter than the left.

Chad's prayer was short and powerful: "In the name of Jesus we command this leg to grow out!" Right in front of my eyes Robin's right leg grew out-several inches longer than the other! We all laughed in delight. Jesus was playing with us! Chad said, "I guess we prayed a little too hard...in the name of Jesus we command this leg to go back!" and it immediately retracted until it was lined up perfectly with the other.

Robin stood up and tested it, than began to cry. For the first time in years she could stand perfectly balanced on both feet.

All glory to God, who loves his children enough to heal them-and play with them!

For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

2010-06-28T08:19:00.002-06:00

Why I believe in the Supernatural, Entry #1
Story by Reuben Horst
<---My-Experiences-With-God--->
I've been raised as a christian and have had parents that were christians who had parents who were christians. The long list of christians on both sides of my family goes on a long way. To tell the truth, I do not know when it started. I do know that one of my great-grandfathers, or great-great-grandfathers, a man with I believe the same first name and last name as me (unless I'm thinking of the wrong side of my family), had to flee Germany during one of the World Wars because he was a christian.

At the age of two and a half, my family moved to Menno Haven Camp and Retreat Center near Tiskilwa, IL. During the nine years that my dad worked there, I had plenty of experience with God at this summer camp that I still go to every year.

It was when I was eight, I believe, when I was out in the field next to a wooden cross while my home-schooling group was doing the low-ropes course in the woods nearby (I was too young then), that I realized just how powerful God was. He created the entire universe from scratch. He created time itself. I was amazed at the revelation that I always knew but never really thought about.

Another time that effected my spiritual world was sometime later. Probably when I was about ten. Me and my dad were doing a special for our church, me on keyboards, my dad on guitar. It was a song called "You Are My Son", and it was the only good song on the whole album that my dad had from a band called Scarecrow and Tinmen. When we were just practicing around for it one day, my dad was sometimes singing, on and off. We were just practicing the instrumental parts, you know. Then we got to the chorus:

Pre-Chorus:
I love you my son
I love you my son
And I want to tell you that you’re on my mind
The funny things you say and do I love
I love that you’re mine

Chorus:
I know your name and I weep when you hurt
And I cheer when you win
Because you are my son
I will come when you callI will hear your prayers
And I will fight for my name
Because you are my Son
You are my son

My dad was singing. I looked back at him, expecting to see him singing, but he wasn't. I only looked back for a moment, so I thought my eyes or ears might've played a trick on my, but I thought hardly of it.

It was when I looked back at what happened later that say, that I realized that it must have been God singing. He sounded like my dad, and was singing when my dad should have been singing, but wasn't. What made me sure was that it was during the chorus of the song, which is first person from the point of view of God, whereas the versus are from the point of view of me, or anyone else listening to the song.

I still find it hard to believe that God sang to me that day. It seemed so weird that sometimes, actually quite frequently, I wonder if it really happened. I only looked back at my dad for a moment, it could just be a trick in my mind. But then again, maybe God was the one who put the trick there in the first place!

But anyway, over time I started reading books by christian authors and my amazement of God continued. It still does.

Over time things have gotten in between God and me, such as depression, pornography, and all of the rest of the usual temptations and barriers for teenagers. I'm actually currently not on talking terms with God, but I hope someday I return and have a feast with him.

God is good. God is actually great. God is actually totally wonderful and awesome. There's enough evidence to fill the universe. In fact, the universe itself is evidence. I love God, and there is nothing that will ever completely take away that love.

Praise God!
~Reuben/Arkatox
For her birthday this year, Erin asked readers to send her their personal tales of why they believe in a supernatural world. A couple times a week, some of those submissions will appear here as a series. All stories appear with the author’s permission. We encourage you to comment on the stories and to continue sharing your own! Stories can be posted on Erin’s Facebook Fan Page or as comments on her Blog. Join the discussion!

And the Winners Are...

2010-04-14T20:36:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to all who won a copy of Never Let You Go:

Ezeokeke Pearl Ijeoma
Curtis Watson
Lori Quick
Novoyuky R. Ramirez
Kathy Brasby
Evan Morgan
Amber McCallister
Steena Holmes
Ashley Ziemer
Christopher Craven
Reuben Horst
Renn Shearin
Tim Gilley
David Iseminger II
Laurie Piel
Kalie Grimplin
Brian Coultrup
Justin pear
Andrew Asdell
Devin Berglund
Rikki Lee
Bianca Flatman
Andrew Asdell
Joel Davis
David Peck
Jeanne Haring
Erica Smith
Josie Siler
Danyalle Youngers
Penny Abel

Thank you to everyone who participated. We had a lot of entries, unfortunately some were disqualified due to missing shipping addresses in the emails. Don't fret, there will be other contests in the near future. Books will ship from the publisher in two to three weeks. Happy reading!

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF NEVER LET YOU GO

2010-03-31T04:41:00.000-06:00

Erin Healy is giving away 100 signed copies of her new novel, NEVER LET YOU GO. See below for all the ways you can win!

(1) Comment on Erin's Novels

If you have read KISS, BURN, or an advance copy of NEVER LET YOU GO, leave an appropriate public comment regarding any of these books on Erin's website (http://www.erinhealy.com/category/books/). Then send an email to erin@erinhealy.com with “comment posted on website” in the subject line and your shipping address in the body. Be entered to win once for each book on which you comment.

(2) Chat up Erin's New Book on Your Social Media Pages

Twitter or post a status update to your personal social media encouraging people to read the first three chapters of NLYG at Erin's website (http://www.erinhealy.com/category/books/). After you Twitter or post, do a print screen of your update and copy it into an email, then send it to erin@erinhealy.com with "status update" in the subject line and your shipping address in the body. Be entered to win once for each day that you post a new update.

(3) Tell Your Facebook Friends to Become Erin's Fans

Suggest Erin's Facebook fan page to your Facebook friends. When you see that they have become a fan of Erin's page (it will post on your wall), do a screen print of each friend you suggested, then send it to erin@erinhealy.com with “new facebook fan!” in the subject line and your shipping address in the body. Be entered to win once for each of your friends who becomes a fan.

Rules: Contest begins at midnight April 1, 2010 and ends at 11:59 pm April 7, 2010. Proof of participation must be sent to erin@erinhealy.com and must include a shipping address in order to be entered into the drawing. These shipping addresses will be kept private and will not be used or distributed for any purpose except to mail books to winners. Enter as many times as you like within the guidlines posted above. Have fun!

Believing Impossible Things

2010-03-15T11:20:00.002-06:00

As for believing "six impossible things before breakfast," it does make a difference who's doing the believing, don't you think? It was not Alice's father (per Tim Burton's film), nor Alice, nor (by some accounts) the Red Queen, but the White Queen who first "practiced" such believing.

Some impossible things I believe:

1. Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
2. God loves me. And you.
3. People can change for the better.
4. Forgiveness is the best option.
5. This world isn't ALL of reality.
6. Hope will not disappoint us (Romans 5:1-5).
What impossible things do you believe?

My Education

2010-02-03T20:10:00.001-07:00

What I’ve Learned About Writing From Being an Editor
1. The best kind of storytelling is one part craft and two parts mystery.
2. First drafts always stink.
3. Insecurity is inevitable.
4. The editorial process was not modeled after Dante’s Inferno.
5. Rome really wasn’t built in a day. Or by one brilliant person.
6. The longer an error lives, the harder it is to kill.
7. Everyone has an opinion.

What I’ve Learned About Editing From Being a Writer
1. There is no such thing as too much affirmation.
2. There is such a thing as too much information.
3. When it comes to perceptions, the editor usually has better eyesight.
4. Truth needs telling most when it’s likely to hurt most.
5. Really good editors sweat as much as their best authors do.
6. Wrestling is good for everyone.
7. It’s all about the reader.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

2009-11-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas!

Sorry, but I'm not a "happy holidays" kind of person, and not because I'm insensitve or offensive. This time of year is so fantastic, celebrating all we have to be thankful for, then capping it off with celebrating the birth of Christ (for which I'm most thankful), that I'm unwilling to dilute my excitement with any more bland greeting.

I wish each of us felt we had cultural permission to be excited about what we LOVE. But really, do we need permission to shout love from the rooftops? I'm talking about the holidays for sake of example, but of course, my meaning is larger. If I say to you, "Merry Christmas!" and you don't celebrate Christmas, please don't hear, "Bah humbug on your person!" Instead I hope you'll hear, "I'm so happy that I want to share my happiness with you!"

When my Jewish neighbor says, "Happy Hanukkah!" while she's shoveling snow off her driveway, that fills me with delight, even though I'm not Jewish and don't celebrate Hanukkah. Joy is contagious, isn't it? How can I be offended by someone who wants to share joy?

Of course, there is an even greater gift in knowing a person well enough honor their ways and traditions. When my Jewish neighbor says to me, "Merry Christmas," I'm completely humbled by her kindness. If we could do this with every person we encounter, none of us would have to give any other presents!

There is no cause for offense against the person who wishes me a Joyous Kwanzaa or shows me a photo of her kids on Santa's lap or announces they're leaving the country for the month of December to find peace away from all the commercialism. Because here's what I'm getting at: when we give away our joy, and when it is accepted without offense, an electric connection happens between people. When we celebrate someone else's joy even if it isn't our own, we create new opportunities to share not only happiness but also pain and sorrow, which don't disappear in this season. We give other people the chance to be more fully human.

That's what I want for Christmas this year: the chance to be more fully human in the world, the chance to connect with others, free of offense on both sides, whether it be through holidays or stories or chance encounters.

HAPPY Thanksgiving. MERRY Christmas.

Writing with Ted

2009-11-01T20:27:00.001-07:00

I get this question a lot: What's it like to write with Ted Dekker, no less than a New York Times best-selling author?

A little bit like following Tyra Banks down a runway in a bikini. Very intimidating! (Make what connections you will between Tyra and Ted.) But Ted, as you know, is as gracious as he is talented, and he’s been patient with my sometimes-bumbling early attempts at novel writing.

Each of our stories has come about in its own way. For KISS, I sent him several story concepts, and he pulled from one of those a device he liked: the idea that a woman could steal memories from other people. Then he built a story out of it that was quite different from the one I envisioned, but of course it was spectacular. BURN (releasing January 2010) emerged from two ideas we had independently of each other that had similar themes of regret and second chances. We married those concepts and got a pretty baby out of the union. So the process has reinvented itself each time.

Ted and I spend a lot of time on the phone hashing out ideas. We talk and talk and talk. I’ve lost at least three phone batteries to Ted alone. Then I write and he reads and we talk some more. Then I write and rewrite, and he writes and rewrites, and we go back and forth like this until the story is born. It’s a real synergistic endeavor, and each time I learn something new—like what not to eat if you want to look good on the runway in a bikini.

Life As a Thriller

2009-09-24T21:51:00.000-06:00

As a thriller novelist, and as an editor, I often participate in discussions about definitions: what's a thriller? A mystery? A suspense novel? The distinctions simultaenously seem important ("How shall we categorize this book?") and inconsequential ("You either love thrillers or hate 'em"). The thriller genre has become something like the United States: a melting pot of characteristics, with a few distinguishing elements.

Generally speaking: I see thrillers as a supercategory that includes subcategory genres like mystery and suspense. Patrick Anderson's The Triumph of the Thriller does a fantastic job of documenting the rise of thriller novels (specifically crime novels) in popular culture all the way from Edgar Allen Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle to Tom Clancy, Thomas Harris, Karin Slaughter and others. But novelist Janet L. Smith has defined mystery and suspense most succinctly and memorably for me. Drawing upon dramatic explanations offered by Alfred Hitchcock, she suggests that a mystery seeks to answer the question what happened? while a suspense seeks to answer what's going to happen? You'll see if you read her article that I've oversimplified things. But there it is.

The reason Janet's definition caught my attention is because it has helped me consider why I've always been pulled to both mysteries and suspense novels. As an adolescent I loved the intellectual and ethical ponderings of Agatha Christie; later I loved the psychological and sometimes metaphysical adventures of Dean Koontz, which also engage on a moral level. But there is something deeper at work. Thrillers aren't only about the thrill. They're about life: trying to figure out what happened, and dreaming about (or stewing or pondering or predicting or anticipating) what's going to happen. The emotional and spiritual rides are meaningful to me.

So perhaps it shouldn't be too big of a surprise that I find myself writing thrillers now, thrillers with a supernatural and spiritual bent. Because I suspect that the answers to life's questions--what happened? what's going to happen?--don't always have answers rooted in the physical world.

Cynics or Creators?

2009-03-04T08:53:00.002-07:00

Last night, the book club I'm a part of started talking about cynicism in books, blogs, and general attitudes. Cynicism is cool. People who are cynical often are witty, good communicators who have a way of putting things that can make us laugh or give our aggravations a sharp, clear voice. Cynics get radio shows and win popularity contests. Cynics get a lot of followers in times like these, when cultural, political, social, and emotional frustrations run higher than fevers.

Cynics demand change while simultaneously seeming to argue that change isn't really possible. I can be a cynic--but I confess, not a very cool one. Most of the time, cynicism just makes me a grouch.

It occurred to me as we talked that cynicism is what marks the difference between someone who gets laughs at a party and someone who is a true profound thinker. Cynics are anti. Contrary. Opposed to prevailing ideas. They have material to work with in the form of existing ideas that need to be torn down. The world is getting to be a really noisy place, and a lot of the cacophony is cynical demolition.

There was a time when I admired a really well written, cynical piece of writing. I've got clippings. But I'm tired now. A steady diet of cynicism is like a steady diet of glazed old-fashioned donuts. It just sets you up for a sugar crash.

What's the opposite of cynicism? Optimism? Hope? I think the antidote to cynicism is faith and invention. What are you in favor of? What do you believe in? What is within your power to create? (Human kind has the DNA of its Creator, you know.) How can you build up instead of tear down? How would our world be different if we were more interested in becoming inventors than wrecking ball crews?

Here's a teeny glimpse:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/

I hope to run this race of life with grace that leaves cynicism in the dust. (I've got my work cut out for me.) I hope I write stories that change lives for the better What do you hope to do? Who inspires you? Honestly, I find the things I have to say far, far less interesting than your stories. Do share.

Why do you read suspense/thrillers?

2009-02-17T16:53:00.004-07:00

I appreciate what everyone's been saying about the paranormal discussion. So far, you've articulated what I've been sensing, especially about definitions ("paranormal" vs. "miraculous"--thanks, Caitlyn). Some words are declared guilty by association, aren't they? No matter what we mean, the words we choose matter.

Taking the concept to a different level, I'm curious to hear from those of you who like to read paranormal, supernatural, fantastic, suspenseful, thrilling, (insert your adjective of choice here) stories. Porcelainsnow talked about why she likes vampire stories. I love a good metaphor! Why do you like books in this particular category? Who are your favorite suspense/thriller authors?What makes a story memorable to you? What makes you rave about a book to your friends? I've got a few books to write and know what I love to read, but if it also lines up with what you love to read, they'll be that much better. Thanks!

What's the problem with paranormal?

2009-02-03T08:52:00.003-07:00

Since the release of Kiss, I've encountered a handful of people--reviewers, interviewers, readers--who have said they don't like the paranormal element of the story. Some seem simply surprised by it, some more deeply offended. This information has come to me indirectly rather than face-to-face, so I can't always find out the reason for the objection. One reader did tell me personally that she thought stealing memories from another person by kissing them was demonic.

Demonic is a strong word for a device I intended to be merely symbolic. But it raises a question I'm hoping some of you might help me with: What's wrong with stories that employ paranormal devices? Some readers don't like the genre on the grounds of personal preference. I get this. There are fiction categories and authors I don't read for the same reason. But I'm more perplexed by moral objections to the exploration of paranormal possibilities. What's that all about? (I'm genuinely asking.)

Kiss is considered a "Christian book." Define that as you will. But it leads me to ask: Do people object to the paranormal because it is perceived as unChristian? The definition of paranormal is "not scientifically explainable," in which case one could argue that the Christian faith is founded on something "paranormal." Do people object because the paranormal is perceived as unbiblical? Then what can we make of the angels and demons that appear in Scripture, all of the miracles and prophecies, and Jesus' transfiguration and resurrection? Also, there's a story Jesus told that I consider paranormal, not to mention dark: It's about a rich man who goes to hell and a beggar who goes to heaven, and a long-dead Abraham telling the man in hell why he won't send any spirits of the dead to warn his family of hell's reality. That's in Luke 16.

Is it because many books, films, and TV shows that feature the paranormal tend to focus on the dark side of the unknown? Does that mean a Christian writer can't touch it? Does misuse of a device preclude it from ever being employed constructively again?

So these questions are rattling around in my head, because the stories I write are going to have paranormal elements in them. The intersection between the physical and spiritual worlds is what captures my heart and my imagination, both symbolically and literally. I can't avoid it.

But maybe understanding the objections will open some new ideas for me. So shout out or sound off. I'm ready to hear.

Pick the KISS Movie Cast

2009-01-27T08:32:00.002-07:00

When Ted and I were writing KISS, we had certain images of our characters in mind. And even though the book touches on descriptions of each of them--for example: Shauna is part Guatemalan, Wayne is an athlete, Landon is a Texas-weathered Irishman--we had some surprise while on tour last weekend, when we discovered that our visions of these people were unique. "My" Wayne Spade (who looked a lot like someone we had breakfast with, who in turn looked a little bit like Lance Armstrong), was not the man Ted had in mind. (You'll have to ask him for details.)

As it turns out, there's a terrific Web site out there where everyone can express their own visions of the characters, at least in a Hollywood context. Storycasting dot com gives readers a chance to cast movie versions of their favorite books. So if you're just certain of who should play Shauna, Miguel, Wayne, Trent, Landon, or anyone else, have fun going here to assemble your own star cast, or to cast a vote on someone else's:

http://storycasting.com/work.aspx?id=05b7224d-aa10-495e-867f-3063cfcc513d

Who knows? Maybe KISS will be on the big screen one of these days after all--and maybe some director will think a bit like you.

Suffering on Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T08:35:00.003-07:00

Lately I've been doing a lot of interviews about Kiss, the novel Ted Dekker and I co-authored. Yesterday someone asked why Kiss keeps coming back to the theme of pain and the importance of remembering pain. If you've read any of my numerous online interviews, you'll have "heard" me say repeatedly that we remember pain not to wallow in it, but to commemorate our deliverance from it, whether that be physical, emotional, spiritual, or otherwise.

This morning in my car, I was listening to radio coverage of President Obama's inauguration. The announcer mentioned almost in passing that members of the King family--the children of Martin Luther King, Jr.--were being escorted to their seats. That simple observation, almost inconsequential in the context of everything else being discussed today, brought me to tears.

Maybe it doesn't take much to bring me to tears these days. But here's what I was thinking: The particular suffering that family has experienced is beyond my comprehension. (I'm a privileged white girl whose father is still wonderfully alive.) I wondered what this particular day would mean to them if they did not carry with them all the pain of their history. Would the election of Barack Obama be as sweet? Would they feel as much optimism for our country, or as much hope?

What would this day be like, if we all abandoned the pain of our pasts? I'd be interested to hear you speculate.

How to contact me

2009-01-10T12:04:00.003-07:00

Okay, so I'm new enough to the whole blogosphere/social-networking/virtual-connections world that I'm a little bowled over by this brave new world. In a matter of days I'll probably be wondering why it took me so long to join it; in the meantime, I've got some learning to do, and more e-mail address than I've ever managed before. So here's the best way to reach me:

For interview requests, please contact Christina Garvin at The Media Collective: christina at themcollective dot com

For matters that aren't interview or blog related, you can reach me through the contact page of my Web site: www.erinhealy.com, or e-mail me at erin at erinhealy dot com.

Thanks! It's a treat to be hearing from so many people.

KISS Release

2009-01-06T19:55:00.003-07:00

It's official: KISS is on store shelves ... or on Kindle airwaves ... or on Amazon's dock, ready to ship. A certain amount of this is a little surreal. After all, Ted and I finished the book more than a year ago. Our second book, BURN, is already in the hands of our publisher's most talented production team. And I'm working on my first solo venture, ILL WILL, which is due ... well, much sooner than I would like to admit. All that to say, I hope KISS is the first enjoyable read of many with my name on it.

Thanks to those of you who are Ted Dekker fans, for reading the book and posting your reviews on the blogosphere. And though you didn't exactly get a say in the matter, thanks for the warm welcome to the Dekker team. I'll try hard to live up to expectations, knowing just how high the bar is set.

Can't wait to hear what you think of KISS. Tell the truth. I can handle it. (Or maybe I'll find a way to steal away your bad memories of it, even if I can't kiss ya.)

Coming Soon

2008-05-05T21:45:00.003-06:00

Thanks for popping in! This blog and my Web site (www.erinhealy.com) are under construction, getting ready for their big reveal. Come back this summer to get the scoop on the release of my debut novel, Kiss, a co-authored venture with New York Times best-selling author Ted Dekker.