The Best Scoop of All

by Anusha Atukorala

2020! I heralded the year as THE YEAR above all years. I believed that God’s blessings would abound; that prayers would be answered. I knew they would. I prayed they would. I decreed and declared they would. One day, early in the year, a smile danced on my lips as I zoomed off for a special encounter, one dear to my writer's heart.

Once on the road, I discovered to my concern that I’d taken a wrong turn. I was now heading in the opposite direction to where I was going. Oh no! What should I do? I turned left into the next street—performed a quick U turn and spun back to the road I’d been on, retracing my route. Soon I was back on track. Relief fanned me, like cool breezes on a warm summer's day. But I’d wasted ten whole minutes on that unnecessary detour!

I reached my local library with a few minutes to spare. To my dismay, I found the car park inexplicably full. Grrr! I drove around several times, searching urgently for a park. I would be late. ‘Lord, help me please!” And then … there it loomed ahead of me—an empty spot. Hooray. I slid in with a whoop of joy. Thank you God.

I had chosen the busiest day at the library apparently—a holiday program for kids was on. I reached the building for my 11 a.m. appointment—just in time. The library’s personable Event Officer greeted me and we sat down to talk. Despite the hustle and bustle around me and my frazzled nerves within, the meeting went exceptionally well. Detour or not, sweet melodies now began to hum in my heart. Our local library was willing to organise the launch of my next book ‘Sharing the Journey’. I was delighted to hear how well they’d support me. They promised to even serve wine for my guests at no cost. Oh? Yes! Yes, please!

Afterwards I realised that perhaps my detour was a reminder that the year might not flow as smoothly as I hoped! Plan for detours, I told myself when I got home. Go with the flow, Anusha. Dream on but expect the unexpected. Don’t be fooled into thinking my plans won’t get messed up. I spent the next few weeks making goals and plans for 2020. Soon, I was ready for the year; I was ready to fly, to fly high like an eagle!

That was three months ago. I laugh today as to how naive I was! I did expect a challenge or two ... just not this level of difficulty! Did you? The vicissitudes the planet has had to face in 2020 have been unprecedented.

And by the way … on a personal note, I had:

One Exciting Book Launch  - POSTPONED!

One Exciting New Dream Job - CANCELLED!

A tiny virus which cannot even be seen by the naked eye has romped across our world creating havoc, instigating whole countries to be shut down, including our own! What does that say about us and how much control we have over our lives and calendars? The illusion of humankind being Masters of our fate is being fast stripped away; our dreams laid bare as we scrabble around, trying desperately to re-organise our lives and to return to a state of normalcy.

 “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counsellor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? … Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales.” Isaiah 40:12-15

Part of me has been shocked at the way things have turned out, as if I’m an actress in a pandemic horror movie. But another part of me sees things a little differently. It has caused me to lift my eyes in awe of the One who holds all things in His Powerful Hands.

“To whom will you compare me?  Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?” Isaiah 40:25-26

You and I will not last one day, one hour or even one single moment without the mercy and grace of our Mighty Saviour. He cares for us every single moment in ways we don’t realise. We often take it all for granted, so 2020 was a good wakeup call of how much we need Him.

What does this mean for us Christian writers? During the last few months, I have beheld  God’s glory afresh as I’ve been made aware how small I am and how little control I have over my life. I’ve also been made aware of the grandeur and majesty of God. It’s as if I am a tiny ant. As long as I look at the mirror of misconception and worldliness, I am magnified a hundredfold, so I strut around as if I was the size of a giant human being and in control of the homo sapien world. Until … I see myself through the looking glass of reality! And that … changes everything.  I realise once more who I really am—small, insignificant, and in need of a Saviour.

Thankfully, we have good news. Great news. Fabulous news! 

The same God who created the world is a Good Good Father who loves us beyond measure. So let’s focus not on our smallness but on the immensity, majesty and splendour of our awe-inspiring Triune God. We Christian writers have been called by the Creator of the Universe to reach His world.

If He has called us, our calling must be significant!

He is the One Sure Rock who will not move in the shifting sands of life’s insecurities. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, poetry or prose, fact or fantasty, you have been given The Best Scoop of all—the good news of Jesus and your Christian worldview! So … hold your head high today. In spite of uncertainty and fear, sorrow and heartache, loss and pain, we still have one thousand reasons to write. We can write for Him with joy and hope in our hearts, inspired by the One who has called us.

Let’s fill the earth with stories 
that bring glory to the magnificent Author of life.

Anusha’s been on many interesting detours in life, as a lab technician, a computer programmer, a full time Mum, a full time volunteer, a charity director, a full time job chaser, until one golden day (or was it a dark moonless night?) God tapped her on her shoulder and called her to write for Him. She has never recovered from the joy it brought her. She loves to see others enjoying life with Jesus and does her mite to hurry the process in her world through her writing and through her life. The goodness of God is her theme song through each season, as she dances in the rain with Jesus.

Her first book Enjoying the Journey'' contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. Her 2^nd book ‘Dancing in the Rain’ brings you hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons. Her 3rd book, ‘Sharing the Journey’ is a sequel to 'Enjoying the Journey' and was released in March 2020.

Do stop by at her website Dancing in the Rain to say G’day!

  

Dancing in the Rain: Book Depository

Sharing the Journey: Elephant House Press
                                         Book Depository
                                     

Meet Our Members: Jeanette O'Hagan

Each Thursday in 2018 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today's interview – Jeanette O’Hagan

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.

I was born in Mt Isa and spent my childhood in Mt Isa, Sydney, Kitwe (Africa), Melbourne and Hamilton (Victoria) – but mainly in Mt Isa and Kitwe, before coming to Brisbane to start Uni.

With my dad (1928-2018) and two brothers

My forbears were adventurers and immigrants; my grandparents came from three continents (Europe, Africa, Australia) and four countries (Ireland, South Africa, England, Australia). Nevertheless, after moving round so often, I am now firmly planted in Brisbane with my husband and two children.

My brother used to joke that I’m getting better by degrees (medicine, arts, theology, TESOL and now MA writing). I love to learn facts, knowledge, all sorts of titbits across the arts and sciences, but I’m abysmal at trivia about music and sports.

Question 2: Tell us about your writing.  What do you write and why?

I mostly write fantasy (with a dash of sci-fi), poetry and blog posts. I fell in love with books early on and was a voracious reader as a child. About fourth or fifth grade I began telling myself stories, and these extended daydreams grew into a world (Nardva), with characters I loved having thrilling adventures. I write to bring that world and the characters and adventures to life.  It’s exhilarating, fun, a wild ride. I also hope God’s love and grace shines through my world and words.



With the poetry, it’s more an expression of life as I experience it — moments, strong emotions, reflections, cameos, events. While blogging is a way of musing about stuff and passing on the things I’ve learned along the way.

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

Who has read my work — my family, other writers and reviewers, and some keen readers – in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, maybe even France and Germany — still a fairly small and select circle at this stage, but I’m hopeful it will continue to expand.  I was thrilled at Gold Coast Supernova earlier this year when a couple of times, strangers stopped by to enthuse about reading my books and wanting more stories.  But even more special was when my mum asked me to read to Dad a couple of poems I’d written from experiences growing up – Thunderstorm & Floating (in Inner Child, Poetica Christi).

As to who would I like to read my books – I write for the general market, in the hope my books might seed the imagination with divine possibilities, to inspire faith, hope and love in my readers.  

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

Each story is different. My first novel started from a lucid dream and was completely pantsed (Finding Elene – yet to be published). Some I’ve daydreamed for months and years, allowing the characters a lot of freedom, before I’ve set out to write their stories (Akrad’s Children).  Other stories have I written from a theme, with the characters and plot emerging out of the setting or concept (eg Heart of the Mountain). I usually have some idea where I’m going – with major incidents or turning points or the ending in mind, but not always.

Challenges are getting time to write (not getting distracted) and sorting out the structure, especially with books that are part of a series.

What helps me most is writing consistently. I’m much more creative and in the flow if I write every day (or every other day). And second, getting feedback from critique partners, beta-readers and editors.

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why?

It’s hard to keep it to one. I think two of the most helpful and freeing has been Stephen James’ Story Trumps Structure and Stephen King’s On Writing.  I do appreciate the more prescriptive books and the insights they give, but I find it hard to be creative with strict formulas, I am suspicious of ‘one size fits all’ approaches (especially when touted as revolutionary) and I like to understand the why behind the rules so I know when I can bend them 😊 .

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

Without a doubt Nola Passmore (our illustrious former CWD coordinator) who has been a huge encouragement and who has wrangled me along to courses like Year of the Novel and Margie Lawson immersion, as well as been a great beta reader and editor. Plus, she is an amazing writer and I love her work. Though of course there are so many others, Paula Vince, Anusha Atukorala, Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones, Adam Collings, and many, many others. 

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2018? How will you achieve them?

My goals for 2018 is to finish writing the last two novellas in the Under the Mountain series, edit the first draft of Rasel’s Song (sequel of Akrad’s Children), and start on a dragon novel (Dragonspite) and/or my cyborg trilogy (The Chameleon Protocols). I’ll achieve this by making time to write, keeping focus, and a big dose of God’s grace.

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

My faith is the bedrock and source of my writing. I believe God has given me the desire, the passion, the abilities, and this time, this moment, to write. I trust that He will continue to provide those opportunities, though He is sovereign, and I commit my plans and the outcomes to Him. Because I write for the general market and because I write fantasy, my stories aren’t usually ‘in your face’ Christian. But I believe they are consciously written from a Christian worldview, informed by Christian values, and threaded through with Christian themes and references, though perhaps subtly at times as in many of the parables. I’m grateful to my Maker in whose steps I attempt to follow.

Jeanette O’Hagan first spun tales in the world of Nardva at the age of eight or nine. She enjoys writing secondary world fantasy, science fiction, poetry, blogging and editing. Her Nardvan stories include a mixture of courtly intrigue, adventure, romance, and/or shapeshifters.

Recent publications include Akrad's Children—a Young Adult kingdom fantasy; Heart of the Mountain and Blood Crystal— the first two novellas from the Under the Mountain series; plus Ruhanna’s Flight and Other Stories. She has stories and poems in seventeen other anthologies, including The Quantum Soul, Tales From the Underground, Like a Woman and Futurevision.

Jeanette has practised medicine, studied communication, history, theology and a Master of Arts (Writing). She loves reading, painting, travel, catching up for coffee with friends, pondering the meaning of life. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

Links:

Facebook Page | Goodreads | Twitter | Website

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