Showcase Shows Aussie Authors Shine! - by Ruth Bonetti

WHAT an action packed writers' weekend!

Billed as a showcase rather than a conference, the deliberate focus was to offer as many of our inspirational and prolific writers a platform to share their learning experiences and to encourage others.

CHRISTIAN AUTHORS SHOWCASE QUEENSLAND 

opened on 6 July with a keynote by Ben Gray. He challenged us to build presence and connect with communities of readers. To plant seeds by word of mouth, and seek simple and real ways to connect with future readers.

 

POP-UP OPPORTUNITY

17 brave souls touted their books, braving the shepherd’s crook that threatened to haul them off if they over-stayed their 90-second mark. Most were timely with (psst!) some seconds' lenience extended to those on a roll. As wielder of that shepherd crook, I was the only one hauled off in disgrace. My excuse was to make others feel better!

 30 seconds later...Oops!

 

BOOK LAUNCHES

As well as our anthology Palette of Grace, (which features 18 authors from all walks of life, nine first-time published), three books were launched in style, Adele Jones and Rebekah Robinson pitching high notes in song. They set a hard act to follow. (Watch this space for next event, though!)

TOPICS IN ABUNDANCE!

Panels were encouraged to give platform to more voices, across two rooms, choosing between:

• Writing about trauma...Life stories
• YA panel... Romance...Short Stories
• Dreams, goals and prayers
• Self-publishing...editing
• From paper to screen
• Edgy fiction
• Shaping characters
• Podcasts
• Publishers' POV
• Neurodivergence
• Overcome writers' block.

WRITING GROUPS NETWORK

Spotlight on various writing groups; Holy Scribblers, Grace Writers, Omega Writers and Rendered Realms. The latter shared ideas for marketing with pizzazz. 

                        'More, please!' 

Unanimous feedback from 55 attendees was heeded… drum roll…  ANNOUNCING! 

                    WRITERS' TRAINING DAY

12 October 8:30am - 4.30pm then socialise over dinner

                'It's so easy!'

​It's what you've heard presenters say, but you just feel overwhelmed and think,

"Maybe if you know what you're doing!'

You really want someone to hold your hand and take you through the process. 

If that's what you feel, this day is for you!

Three 2-hour sessions of hands-on how-to bring-your-laptop step-by-step guidance taking you through: 

• Making and editing audio files for podcasts, reels or YouTube uploads (with Beck Robinson)
• Uploading a document file of your book to an eBook publisher (with Jeanette O’Hagan)
• Using (free) Canva to make PR Illustrations (with Anne Hamilton).

Bring your laptop, plugs and extension cords, notebook and pen. 

Lunch, morning and afternoon tea are provided. 

Cost $62 Book now

Coopers Colonial Motel 

1260 Beaudesert Road

Acacia Ridge Q 4110

We look forward to your presence, to help you build your platform. 

Ruth Bonetti founded Omega Writers back in 1992,  and is awed by the rich harvest Christian authors have reaped since. She came away from the CASQ shining with bright ideas of a new series to empower presenters of Words and Music. Watch this space...

Her Trilogy Midnight Sun to Southern Cross has won awards including the CALEB Nonfiction prize. 

Available: Autographed copies from  ruthbonetti.com and http://www.ruthbonetti.com/burn-my-letters/ 

Facebook: Ruth Bonetti
Burn My Letters: Karl Johan Back
Blog (occasional) 

 

Priorities - Yours, Mine or God's? by Melinda Jensen

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Exsodus

 If you're like me you probably have several writing projects on the boil at any one time. You'll likely be writing regularly for your blog or website, crafting short stories for competitions or in the hope of publication, and having a bit of a dalliance with poetry. Perhaps you also love to write devotionals. Then there's your main project, 'the' book – the one you've been writing for months now, or perhaps even years. It might be fiction, non-fiction or faction, depending on your leanings and unique talent.

I'm always tempted to pick up whichever task takes my fancy at the time. You know, the one I feel like writing in the moment. That's all well and good sometimes, and it often provides a delicious taste of satisfaction and fulfilment, at least on a certain (human) level. But, as with everything else in our busy lives, we need to pause and consider whether or not our industry aligns with God's design – and that's not always easy.

Prayer, of course, is our first port of call. And then we wait...looking for subtle signs or nudgings in our spirit. At times, God gives us free reign, indulging us and allowing us to use our time to develop our creativity and skills. At other times, God has a very specific plan for us. It might be only for the day or it might be for a period of weeks or months. We can be sure though, that He has a particular purpose for our writing and a particular time frame in which to do His will.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

'To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:'

At times, we'll receive confirmation from a fellow Christian about where our focus should be, although we must always test what we hear by bringing it before God and seeking Him in earnest prayer. I received this kind of direction from a beautiful woman of God a few months ago. As an editor, publisher and fellow Christian, I felt her words resonate with me as she read some of my work and gave me direction. I now know which one of the many writing tasks God wants me to concentrate on over the coming year. (No more excuses for me!)

At other times, I only figure God's priorities in retrospect. If, at the end of the day, I feel God's arms around me, and hear the words, 'Well done, good and faithful daughter,' wash over me, I know I've been fulfilling His will. My habitual anxiety abates as I'm bathed in an incredible sense of spiritual and emotional well-being. It's like snuggling up to a newborn babe and drinking in that delicate smell of luscious soft skin and downy, sweet hair. The experience of peace and contentment is profound.

Jeremiah 29:11

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'

When we allow God's will to come to fruition in our lives, doors open and the path is laid before us bit by bit. If we ask Him, as I invariably do, to gently correct us when we go astray, He is faithful. He has pointed me back to the path many times in my life by simply stepping in and stopping me from proceeding, and then leading me back in the right direction. For the past four years, I've authored a blog about verbal, emotional and psychological abuse. From time to time, I consider it time to let it go; I feel the blog has run its course and served its purpose. But every, single time … without fail over the past year or so … each time I've considered shutting the blog down, I receive an email or comment from a new subscriber who thanks me sincerely for helping them to understand, and to embark on their healing journey. Many have been moved to tears. It's a beautiful dance between me and my best friend, my confidante, my King and my saviour.


God's will never harms us. He promises we will prosper but we need to bear in mind that His riches are not those of the world. We may earn an income, or we may not, but our spirits will be nourished and nurtured every step of the way. We'll continue to grow and learn, but most importantly, He'll be using our words to touch the hearts and minds of His people.

May this be our prayer: 

 Hebrews 13:21-21

'Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.'

Melinda Jensen is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, dedicated to protection of the environment, social justice and equality. She has had a smattering of short stories, poetry and articles published in books, magazines and newspapers. While having two fantasy novels currently underway for middle school readers, she is focused on a work of non-fiction, which she hopes to illustrate herself. For four years she has ministered to victims of domestic abuse through her blog www.killingmesoftly.co

Ride 'em in, Rawhide!

The other day, as I walked into my lounge room to relax with some Netflix and a nice hot cuppa, my eye caught something on the wall...my heart jumped, and an expectant cold shiver ran down my spine. 

A spider.

A big spider.

A HUGE spider!  

Okay, it was a medium sized huntsman. But it was there. And its presence affected my ability to unwind.

I stood there for a few minutes and debated my options; kill it, trap it and release it, or live with it.

Over the years, the choices I've made have definitely changed. As a child, the sight of a spider sent me into a screaming mess of tears; I would call for my parents to come and deal with said spider, and no amount of fly spray was enough to ensure it was dead. I wanted it squished and removed!

Once married, it was my husband's job to deal with my fearsome enemy.

Now, I have realised that I must face my fears alone; I can either allow them to control me, or I can control them.

So, what did I decide to do? I thought about trapping Freda, (yes, I name them, it makes them seem less icky!). but she was far too high for that. And I don't like spraying huntsmen; they aren't dangerous, just really creepy! So, I reasoned with her; you can stay inside, but no suprising me! 

I spent the next 5 days living with Freda inside my house. We got a bit close at times, but generally, we co-existed nicely. 

And then my 6 year old, Josh, saw her! 

"SPIIIIII-DEEEERRRR!"

By this stage, I was so comfortable with Freda, that I was able to tell my boy, she's okay, she won't eat much, (and actually believe it!); but she was sitting on the roof, right over Josh's head!

So I grabbed a long, blossomy ornamental branch thingy and waved it near Freda, to try and have her move along. It worked nicely. So I moved her along a little more. And a bit more. Soon, we were at the back door; Josh quickly opened it, and I calmly encouraged Freda to walk out through the back door, and into her own world again.

We just herded a spider out of our house!

Now, I'm no psychologist or behaviour analyst, but...that is a far cry from my previous reactions! 

So what changed? The fear was still there; why could I suddenly handle it? 

I think there are two key things; firstly, there's no "super hero" to fly in and save me from my enemy. I must be the hero!

Which lead me to my second discovery; my fear was actually unfounded. I was totally overreacting to the situation, because I had allowed myself to do so. The situation was not ideal, but was it really worth all the stress and angst?

No. 

Do I still pray when I see a spider?! You bet I do! But I also pray for wisdom on how to handle it, and to give me clarity of mind, and the ability to relax in the face of the fear. 

As a creative, and in my spheres of writing and photography, I have had to overcome overwhelming fears; doubts that I am any good, that what I have to offer will measure up, feeling overwhelmed with the hugeness of what God is calling me to do. Many - MANY - times I just want to curl up in a ball under my blanket and cuddle my cat and not face what he's called me to.

But...I know that there is a greater purpose to my calling. Fear says, "I am not good enough!" whilst faith says, "Yet I will trust God to take my talent and make it grow exponentially." So I'm learning to live with the fear - of failure, and even of success, and the unknown nature of it all. For if I allow the fear to be in control, I will do nothing, and will just hide my talent away for no one to see; and how sad it is to know that someone could achieve something truly remarkable, had they but the faith to step out. 

I sincerely pray for anyone reading this today who is bound by fear; that God's gentle yet powerful hands would slice through the bindings and release you into your God-given and ordained potential! That you would catch a glimpse of all the things God has in store for you, and that you would take that first step to being in control of the fear, through faith in Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than you could ever ask or imagine!

Blessings,

Helen

Investment Opportunity, May Require Some Effort

It's taken a while, but I believe that I am finally growing up. Really, I mean it! You see, I have come to realise the importance of investing. Not just financially, but in so many different areas; health, knowledge, and especially in regards to keeping my house tidy!

Why is this a sign that I am perhaps reaching some semblance of maturity? Because for many years I have thought that things other than a wholehearted investment of my own time and/or money and/or prayer would see me achieve what God has in store for me. Actually, to see that written down makes me cringe; it's such an obvious concept, and not really a hard one to 'get.'  I believe that this lack of wisdom in my own understanding has contributed to many of my "half-begun" projects, (note, they are not even half-finished! Most have barely an introduction before I have thrown my hands up in resignation).

I have so many good ideas, but none that have really come to fruition. Oh believe me, I've got a plethora of people or things to blame for that! Sadly, not once did I seriously consider that I might be my own worst enemy when it came to success.

Now, I am attempting to take a few small areas of my life and become accountable for them.

Healthwise, I have recently been given a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. Rather than getting cross with God, or my hubby, or lamenting my horrible existence without chocolate . . . oh wait, scratch that last one . . . I jest, but in all honesty this has been a massive wake up call for me. It has made me want to take control of my health, to look at what I'm eating, and why. And above all it has forced me to acknowledge that, firstly I was not honouring God with my lifestyle choices, and secondly, that if I didn't invest in this area of me, then I could be taking something so very valuable away from my kids far too early. Excellent investment, Helen! Well done me! (As an aside, since learning of this I have lost about 13 kg and feel amazing, but that's another story).

As for my writing, I have really struggled in the past 6 months. I have blamed so many different things; emotional dealings, the kids, lack of inspiration, among others. But I was missing the key truth; the only thing stopping me from writing was my choice to play Candy Crush and not write! I know we all need some down time, but I was avoiding the very thing I loved because I couldn't see the benefit of the investment of my time. It's hard work pulling something together; I'm sure many reading this blog can relate to that. But the rewards are so amazing, seeing people's lives changed by something we have written is the best feeling. And this feedback provides the momentus for me to reinvest, again and again and again.

Yes, investing part of ourselves into something else can be somewhat painful, because the cost can be so high. Right now, for example, it's 1.54am and I'm just finishing my blog post which I forgot about (oh dear). It was so tempting to simply write an apology and provide a quick link to an older story or devotion I'd written; but I knew that that was a cheap way out, and that you are all worthy of a much higher investment than that, (and I really hope this has made sense; things are getting a little blurry now!).

Ultimately, I want to live my life in a way that pleases my Lord Jesus Christ, whose investment on the cross was so much more than I can ever repay. And I know that the best bit is that with every investment I make for him, he will bless my socks off at the same time! It just doesn't get any better than that!

I wonder, what do you invest yourself into? I'd love to hear your spiritual/physical/practical examples!

Blessings,

Helen

The Party Pooper of the English Language

If you could do anything, what would it be? Hmm, interesting. Now, I want to you answer that question again, but this time your answer cannot be from your "Column A," the "safe" column; that's right, I want you to look at your "Column B," the "I really would love to do or be that, but . . . " column. 

"I'd like to be a chef . . . but, I don't have the time."

"I'd like to be a vet . . . but, I don't have the grades."

"I'd like to be a Pastor . . . but, I don't know enough about the Bible."

"I'd like to be a doctor . . . but, I'm too old to go back to study."

"I'd like to be a . . . B U T . . . "

"BUT." Such a small word, but oh so powerful. I reckon that if 'but' was a person she'd be the "party pooper," the wet blanket of everything good, fun, enjoyable or delightful. Oh she'd be a great friend to start with, listening as you nervously shared your dreams and passions, encouraging you with each nod of the head, each "that sounds great," and then BAM, with one fell swoop she'd bring you crashing down to earth; deflated, discouraged, disillusioned.

BUT. . . 

This year I have stepped way, way out of my comfort zone and dared to follow a passion from my Column B. I am currently doing 2 subjects from the Certificate II in Visual Arts - Graphic Design. In one of the subjects, whilst a "noob" ("newbie," according to my 8 year old son), I'm not completely clueless, so the stretching is not too drastic. In the class Design Foundations, however, it’s a whole other story - I mean, I actually have to draw. FOR REAL! Actual pens on paper and cutting and gluing and . . . let's just say I have lost count of how many times I have said to my lecturers and fellow students, "I can't even draw!"  Just this morning I bashfully sat at the Studio 1 desk, praying that the lecturers would just not notice me, would just walk on by and not see my incompetence.

They didn't. No, they came and they stood right next to me, looking for the work that I was so desperate to hide. As they looked, my 'buts' started up, "Did I mention that I can't actually draw; I mean, I thought this was computer design, not actual drawing design, and . . . " Big sigh. 

I waited for their verdict; and you know what? They didn't buy into my excuses or lack of self belief. They didn't laugh and mock me in front of the other, (oh so talented), students. On the contrary, they were encouraging, they smiled; they even said that my work was good - GOOD?!

I can barely find the words to describe the delight my heart felt at that moment. Through the strength and power of Jesus I had faced my 'buts,' and at the name of Jesus they bolted!

What dreams do you have hidden in the Column B of your life? Is there a gift or talent that bubbles away in your spirit that you would just love to try; a “God thing,” a super-natural desire for something that, in your own strength, you perhaps could not pull off, but in God’s strength . . . well who knows what you might be able to accomplish.

Go on; ask God to give you the strength and courage to stand up to your ‘buts’ this year. And when you do, please pop back over here and be sure to share your story with us; I know I’d love to hear all about it.

Blessings,

Helen

Storytelling - an interview with Naomi Reed.

Naomi Reed is one of Australia's favourite writers and storytellers. With several award winning books and even more speaking appearances, it's sometimes hard to pin Naomi down for a chat. But I had the opportunity recently to ask her a few questions and, generous as always, she was eager to talk about her love of story! 

Penny Reeve: You’ve been writing for 8 years now, and one of the things I’ve often heard people say about you is that you are a ‘natural storyteller’. Do you believe storytelling came naturally for you? 

Naomi Reed: Well, that’s a difficult question to answer. For me, storytelling came out of desperation. We were living in Nepal, working with INF, and I was homeschooling our three boys – through our seventh monsoon and a civil war… so I started to write stories in an attempt not to go mad. And then I really enjoyed the process and I kept going. At the same time, people began to read my writing and they gave me a variety of feedback, some of it was good, some of it wasn’t. The tricky thing was that we were living on a rainy Himalayan ridge, with little internet access, or workshops to go to, so instead of googling the answers to my problems, I went hunting for second-hand books on writing, in book stores in Kathmandu. And then I kept practicing and noticing what worked and what didn’t work.

PR: So you sort of fell into it, and then realised you love it. Beautiful! I wonder if storytelling is something we all have the potential for, that it's an innate part of who we are in God's image? What do you think, can we all grow in our ability to communicate using story?

NR: Maybe the question is, do we really love telling stories? Do we delight in presenting God’s love and faithfulness in fresh and surprising ways? If we do, then we keep writing and we keep telling stories and we keep practicing because we can’t not do it. And then one day we wake up and remember that this natural thing that we do, is a gift from God himself, to be used for his glory, to be used wisely and well, in the place he’s allowed us to be. And then we want to improve even more!

PR: I've notice on your webpage that you're running several workshops titled: The Art of Storytelling. Is it your belief about storytelling that inspired you to present these workshops?

NR: Yes, I think storytelling is a wonderful means to present the gospel – to show people what it means to be known and forgiven and made right by a holy God – to show those truths with skin on. We all know that stories have the power to transport us, and delight us, and challenge us, and motivate us but they also connect us as human beings to each other and get beneath our defenses. Here we all are, in post-modern 2013, where it’s all about being real and vulnerable and connected, so we need to share our stories! And we need to do that as well as we possibly can – both the stories of God’s saving love for us and the stories of our ongoing human responses. Thirty years after reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, I can still ‘see’ her meeting the SS guard, years after the war. I can imagine her standing there, unable to hold out her hand, bitter and angry, yet praying. I can feel her hand by her side, but I can also feel God’s answer, his forgiveness, the love that comes from him. And thirty years later, after hearing hundreds of sermons on forgiveness, it’s Corrie’s story that moves me the most. It makes me realize that the world’s healing doesn't depend on my ability to dredge up nice-ness, but on God’s forgiveness through Jesus. My dream is that we all continue to tell stories like that, in ways that stay with people, that move them, that lead them into a deeper walk with God.   

PR: What do you believe writers can get from attending workshops on storytelling?

NR: Practice! There’s always more to learn about storytelling, and to put into practice. I think that the more we put pen to paper, or words in our mouths, and hear the way they come out, the more we improve. We may naturally have a sense of timing and pace and conflict and resolution, but it always helps to polish it or notice how these factors are at play in our work. It also helps to get feedback and listen to each other’s stories. In these day sessions, we’ll have time to do this. In the mornings, we’ll be learning how to craft and tell Bible stories, both in third-person and first-person, and then in the afternoons we’ll work on our own stories of faith. The exciting thing is that we now have bookings for six Storytelling days this year – Rooty Hill, Sylvania, Launceston, Central Coast, Melbourne and Tamworth. Wonderful!

PR: I agree. Thank you for your time, Naomi, and the inspiration you give us to keep writing and telling the stories of faith God has given us! But now, the big question... can you give us a hint at what you’re writing now?

NR: Yes, I can give you a very small hint. It’s got something to do with olives.  

PR: Hmm... sounds, tasty!  I'm looking forward to it. Will you hang around our blog for a few days in case people would like to ask you a question about storytelling and your workshops?

NR: I'd love to!

Penny Reeve is a children's author currently living in western Sydney. She became friends with Naomi Reed during the years they shared in Nepal (read Naomi's No Ordinary View and you might meet Penny's husband Richard desperately escaping a swarm of bees!).  

More information about Naomi Reed, her books and The Art of Storytelling workshops is available from her website. 

Soothing Raw Nerves

Earlier today my youngest boy decided he would attempt to ride my husband's bike; needless to say, things didn't work the way he planned and he ended up squished under several kilo's of bike frame, tyres and greasy chains.

I performed my motherly duties - cleaned the cuts, wiped away tears, soothed with ice cream and sprinkles - and carried on with the day's tasks. Before long he was giggling and laughing; that's when I noticed it. The second tooth along the bottom of his sweet little jaw-line was no longer cute and square-shaped, but had been broken, making it sharp and fang-like! As I made closer inspection of the injury I realised - due to the tiny red dot I could see in the centre - that the break had indeed exposed the tooth's nerve.

Thankfully for my little shark-boy it doesn't seem to be causing him any pain and can be treated with a simple dab of fluoride toothpaste; often this is not the case. Leaving raw nerves exposed can cause sudden flares of intense pain. We then start to avoid using the injured body part out of fear, becoming less able to function in the process. To become free of this cycle we need to treat the cause - the raw nerve.

And isn't this just so much like life? We decide to give something a try and it doesn't come off; buying a house, a career change, just getting through each day is a challenge for many of us. Quite often we end up like my boy, squashed under a mountain of hurt, rejection, failure and many other things; sometimes the crash is minor and we get up and brush ourselves off, but at other times it damages us and exposes a nerve or two. We begin to avoid the things that make us hurt; taking risks, daring to try again, anything that would bring on the pain.

I am convinced that God has more for us than a life lived cowering behind the raw nerves of our souls. And I believe that he will use us - unashamed Christians who write from the perspective that God loves each individual in this world - to share the very best balm of soul-healing to all who read our words.

We read in Proverbs 16:24,

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (NIV)

What an absolute blessing it is to be appointed a writer for God! And in a world that is full of lies, deception and false hope, his Word of truth is needed all the more. 

Be encouraged today as you write; trust that God will use the talents he has chosen to give to you to bring his supernatural healing to someone . . . somewhere . . . somehow.

Blessings,

Helen