Monday, 10 August 2015

Writing – Why Bother?

This is a question I have often asked myself over the last twelve months. At times I have felt as though I was pushing pens uphill rather than setting the world on fire with my words.

It’s been a hard slog, but I suspect it’s a slog that most budding authors have had at some stage or another. For those of us with hearts of lions and pocketbooks of change, becoming a recognized author can be a long process of perseverance and faith.

Thankfully, for Christian authors, faith has more to do with why we write than anything else. Writing is my ministry, my calling, my joy. When I find myself dispirited, or kneeling before the Lord with discouragement in my heart, I remind myself that my writing is the outworking of my faith. 

Having commanded the discouragement to get behind me, I forge ahead, placing my talent and resources in the hands of the One who gave them to me in the first place. With this application of service and faith in mind, I present to you the cover of my next release, Ehvah After. Watch out for it in your favorite online bookstore over the next month.

And in the words of Churchill (and my Dad, who frequently quoted this);

“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large of petty - never give in…Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Winston S Churchill

And more to the point of my life:

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:17


Thank you, Lord Jesus, Father for the gifts you have given me, the heart to serve, and the resources to show your love. 

Rose, who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, was born in North Queensland, Australia. Her childhood experiences growing up in a small beach community would later provide inspiration for her first novel, Back to Resolution.
Her novels are inspired by the love of her coastal home and desire to produce exciting and contemporary stories of faith for women.
Beyond Resolution and A New Resolution are the second and third books in the Resolution series.
Rose’s debut novel Back to Resolution won the Bookseller’s Choice award at the 2012 CALEB Awards, while A New Resolution won the 2013 CALEB Prize for Fiction.
She has also released The Greenfield Legacy, a collaborative novel, written in conjunction with three other outstanding Australian authors.
Rose resides in Mackay, North Queensland with her husband, young son, and mischievous pup, Noodle.
Visit Rose at: http://rosedee.com/

24 comments:

  1. Thanks for the encouragement Rose - and very excited to see the cover reveal of your next book. Woohoo! Love the cover - look forward to reading the book. :)

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    1. I hope I encourage others, Jeanette. There has certainly been a lot of encouragement come my way. You are one I can thank profusely for lifting me up - just at the right time.
      xo

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    2. Wow, happy to hear that :) God's timing :)

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  2. Congratulations, Rose! Just this past week, I reminded a writer friend I am helping that writing isn't for the fainthearted and that it's so important to persevere and be faithful in using our gifts. And that's what you are doing, which is wonderful.

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    1. Faithful is a good word, Jo-Anne. I am always in a good place when I focus on the purpose - rather than the results. God's timing is perfect, and what we do for Him will never go to waste. :-)

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  3. What great encouragement, and a great cover too! I'm so pleased to hear the new novel will be available within the next month. Good on you, Rose. It's the part people see and celebrate, without knowing about all the toil and hard work which came before.

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    1. Thank you for YOUR toil on this book, Paula. You are so generous with your skill and such a beautiful friend. Your advise helped to put me on the right track and gave me the shove in the right direction I needed.
      Love you. Thank you. xo

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  4. Teasing, Rose! I got out my magnifying glass to make out the back blurb. Couldn't read all the words but got enough to recognise a hint of intrigue. An Aussie bodyguard with an army background? Hmm. I like that.

    Indy publishing? Good for you, gal!

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    1. Yes - going Indy. Or is it Indie? I don't know. But I'm there. Giving it a go, Rita. Lots of work, faith and prayer. Isn't it great. :-)

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  5. Thanks for that wonderful reminder, Rose. God's been reminding me too of late that I can only write in His strength. Love the cover of your new book. I hope it does really well for you,.

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    1. Thank you, Nola.
      My husband always says, if you don't have a go, you'll never know. Very Aussie, but also very true. And nothing grows you more than a big step out in faith.

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  6. It's always important to be reminded to keep the purpose of our writing uppermost in our minds: the call to write, to share the gift in ministry. Well done on writing another book. The cover looks stunning.

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    1. Thank you, Susanne.
      It's easy to drift off into worldly ways, because it's in our face all the time. Self-promotion, sales figures, ratings - it can all be very disheartening. Yes, we have to WORK and these things are a part of the work, but they are not the reason I work. I often have to call myself to remember this.

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  7. This life can be a struggle, can't it? I'll have to make sure I check out your new book. I liked your others! :-)

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    1. There is no doubt that the down days are part of the journey. And I've discovered that the down can be just as valuable as the up - especially if the down brings us back to God.
      Thanks, Lynne. I hope you like the story. xo

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  8. Warm congratulations Rose. I love the cover of your new book and I am looking forward to reading it. Loved the 2 books of yours which I've read so far.

    Thanks for the encouragement. Came at a good time for me. 3 years of writing weekly blogs for Jesus seemed to have been swiped away by an unseen enemy. With my website and blogsite suddenly suspended today I feel my writing's been taken away from me.

    However, I know it's not true. In a sense it is exciting because I think that Satan is not happy with my writing and so doing his utmost to block me. Praise God for it. Praise God He is mightier than the enemy.

    And praise God for your lovely encouraging blog. Yes, I shall keep writing no matter what! Blessings on your new book - may it reach many and bless many too. xo

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    1. Hi Anusha - sorry to hear you are having trouble with your website - do hope & pray that gets fixed.

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    2. I was thinking about this today, Anusha. Persecution is horrible, and most of us would prefer not to come under it (especially in a country founded in Christianity) . But Jesus did say that in this world we would have trouble, so we will. Thank goodness, He also told us to take heart - He has overcome the world. And through Him and because of Him We are overcomes too. You will overcome. And so will your work. You are right - you have impacted with your words. Keep speaking boldly, my friend. :-) xo

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    3. Dear sweet friend, what happened? This broke my heart. You are right about Satan's attack on all who love and praise the One True God and His beautiful Son, Messiah Yeshua. He IS mightier than the enemy. xoxoxo

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  9. Love the cover!! Congratulations!!! Everyone will love this book :D xx

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    1. Thank you, Michelle. Made all the better for your generosity, wisdom, talent, and honesty. I appreciate you work on this book very much.

      xo

      Rose.

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  10. What a beautiful cover. Super congratulations. Life is not for the faint of heart. But soon! There will be a new heaven and a new earth. I'm just a visitor here. Loads of luck to you.

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    1. Thank you, Robyn.

      Yes, we are visitors - making the most of our given time.

      xxo Rose.

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  11. Thanks for that encouragement Rose. As if you were reading my mind. Very tempting to give up at times.
    I've read this book - on eBook, and loved it. All the best with the print version.

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