Indianapolis ICRS Trade Show
Mid January I attended ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) a bi-annual book trade show in Indianapolis where my publisher had a booth (the booths were huge and really very nice!). They invited me to join them, meet people I'd only heretofore known on email, and get a peek into the world of book selling. I finally met Tom, my acquisitions editor, you can't help but feel the person who first believed in your work is a hero. Yes, I gave him a big hug! I chatted with David about the big plans they have for fiction, and with Robin, their marketing guru. I'm so blessed to be a part of this team of people. I also got Francine River's autograph. One of her books, The Last Sin Eater, was made into a movie and she was there promoting it.
But back up the story. Before going to the show, I was asked to make a book video for Snow Angel. I was really nervous, had touched up my makeup about a hundred times in the car on the drive downtown, driving my husband crazy! It was all good though. The videotographer met me, a very peaceful, down-to-earth kind of guy at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. He showed me where to look while he filmed, asked me questions that I had ahead of time, that he fully expected me to have the answers to. But you know, as many times as you practice some speech, at least for me, it all goes out the window when the real event happens. As the video progressed I laughed a little, cried a little, and hopefully, told my heart in regards to this novel, Snow Angel.
God gave me this scripture a few years ago. Isaiah 54:2-3 "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen you stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in the desolate cities."
Who me?
Wow. As I begin to do these things that are required of me, I am in wonder at God's plan. It would seem, as far as I'm brave enough to spread my tent stakes, God will provide opportunities for me to "enlarge" my tent. I don't know all He has in store, can really only imagine it, but it's so exciting now that it's taking off. I have co-workers!!! I have a novel that I slaved over for enough years that I could have earned a PhD in something. The work is paying off and in all my imaginings . . . I couldn't have guessed all God has in store. I can't wait to see the next page in His story for me.
The moral to this story is "Never Give Up!" If you have something inside you, I don't care how small or large or crazy it seems, go for it. It's who you were created to be. If anything is so large in your heart that you can't let go of it . . . don't let circumstances, people, things, make you second guess it. Don't let go of it. We only have one life to live. God implanted something in each of us at birth . . . an eternal DNA, for eternal purposes, that won't fade away if we listen to its quiet call. Follow it like the "yellow brick road" of Oz, like Scarlett's "Tara" like anything that seems so in your blood you keep coming back to it no matter what happens to deter it. Never forget, we have an enemy who seeks to kill and steal and destroy us. Don't let him. You've only one life to live.
I want to thank anyone who takes the time to read these blogs. There's so much information out there that if you are happening upon this, I have to believe that there is a purpose for it. I hope my little stories of success, of persevering in my dream, are inspiring you in yours . . . because I want to encourage others that all your dreams are possible and real and God-breathed. Don't feel any guilt or condemnation for dreaming your big dreams. What were we created for if not to reflect God’s glory, pointing the way to Jesus? Read Moses' story . . . where we are weak, He is strong. His glory is unimaginable.
We are like the snowflake . . . like Elizabeth in Snow Angel . . . individual and greatly loved and crafted by the Creator. We are able to become all that we were created to be. It's in our destiny. Don't let the daily grind steal that from you.
Mid January I attended ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) a bi-annual book trade show in Indianapolis where my publisher had a booth (the booths were huge and really very nice!). They invited me to join them, meet people I'd only heretofore known on email, and get a peek into the world of book selling. I finally met Tom, my acquisitions editor, you can't help but feel the person who first believed in your work is a hero. Yes, I gave him a big hug! I chatted with David about the big plans they have for fiction, and with Robin, their marketing guru. I'm so blessed to be a part of this team of people. I also got Francine River's autograph. One of her books, The Last Sin Eater, was made into a movie and she was there promoting it.
But back up the story. Before going to the show, I was asked to make a book video for Snow Angel. I was really nervous, had touched up my makeup about a hundred times in the car on the drive downtown, driving my husband crazy! It was all good though. The videotographer met me, a very peaceful, down-to-earth kind of guy at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. He showed me where to look while he filmed, asked me questions that I had ahead of time, that he fully expected me to have the answers to. But you know, as many times as you practice some speech, at least for me, it all goes out the window when the real event happens. As the video progressed I laughed a little, cried a little, and hopefully, told my heart in regards to this novel, Snow Angel.
God gave me this scripture a few years ago. Isaiah 54:2-3 "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen you stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in the desolate cities."
Who me?
Wow. As I begin to do these things that are required of me, I am in wonder at God's plan. It would seem, as far as I'm brave enough to spread my tent stakes, God will provide opportunities for me to "enlarge" my tent. I don't know all He has in store, can really only imagine it, but it's so exciting now that it's taking off. I have co-workers!!! I have a novel that I slaved over for enough years that I could have earned a PhD in something. The work is paying off and in all my imaginings . . . I couldn't have guessed all God has in store. I can't wait to see the next page in His story for me.
The moral to this story is "Never Give Up!" If you have something inside you, I don't care how small or large or crazy it seems, go for it. It's who you were created to be. If anything is so large in your heart that you can't let go of it . . . don't let circumstances, people, things, make you second guess it. Don't let go of it. We only have one life to live. God implanted something in each of us at birth . . . an eternal DNA, for eternal purposes, that won't fade away if we listen to its quiet call. Follow it like the "yellow brick road" of Oz, like Scarlett's "Tara" like anything that seems so in your blood you keep coming back to it no matter what happens to deter it. Never forget, we have an enemy who seeks to kill and steal and destroy us. Don't let him. You've only one life to live.
I want to thank anyone who takes the time to read these blogs. There's so much information out there that if you are happening upon this, I have to believe that there is a purpose for it. I hope my little stories of success, of persevering in my dream, are inspiring you in yours . . . because I want to encourage others that all your dreams are possible and real and God-breathed. Don't feel any guilt or condemnation for dreaming your big dreams. What were we created for if not to reflect God’s glory, pointing the way to Jesus? Read Moses' story . . . where we are weak, He is strong. His glory is unimaginable.
We are like the snowflake . . . like Elizabeth in Snow Angel . . . individual and greatly loved and crafted by the Creator. We are able to become all that we were created to be. It's in our destiny. Don't let the daily grind steal that from you.
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