More Than Just A Story In A Book

When I wrote Life Goes On I wanted to write an interesting story but I wanted to do more.  I wanted to be able to reach out to others.  This is a difficult time in our country.  These can be difficult times in our lives and if we are having problems we can feel so alone.  When you think about the issues of unemployment, low wages, security in lives, parenting, peer pressure, teenagers, relocation and adjustments, teen pregnancy and if she would have to have an abortion, drugs, drinking, emotional problems even such as the uncle had, and family…how to write a story that might be interesting and not sound like me preaching my own personal views that might make others think, assess some issues, relate or understand the problems others might be suffering and allow them to see that with choices in life also come consequences is something I tried to do.  If a person could read it and realize they are not alone in their problems or find a way to search within themselves to find their own way would be something special.

I looked through hundreds of photos I had taken through the years and this one struck me and Albert as the one…I want it too to be something special so a person could hold the book in their hands and feel hope and peace gazing at the beauty only God could create.  I want it to blaze across the cover from front to back wrapping the story in the beauty of his protective care just as he does in our lives.  If I say things like that some people turn off their minds and do not want others to tell them what to think, or believe.  I wanted to create a book that could reach out to others without my saying what it is or is not to them allowing them to discover what they feel, think and believe.  I really think God works within us and is always there for us.

  I know that it sounds crazy to even consider I could actually do what I had in my heart, but I tried.  I tried to write it so that the characters would seem real.  If a person could not relate to them personally they might remind them of someone or seem real enough when they finished the book they would feel as if they knew them.  I tried, but does anyone even know the book exists?  I am working on making it into an ebook now.  If a person can not afford or does not want a real book they could still get it but I wanted it to be something that if it was laying on the table or on a shelf they might look at it and it be something that was still there for them.  The intense power and beauty of that sunset touched me so much we stopped the car as we were traveling to take it and it still reminds me of the Good Lord above looking after us, 

So many of the people that have read it have asked me who they really were?  What happened to them after the end of the book?  What about the girl with the baby?  What about the boy or the youngest?  Did the uncle ever really work out his problems?  Some have asked that I write a sequel of their lives.  I would like that, but how will I ever get the word out about them?  I guess I will just keep trying even one person at a time and trust that God will find a way.  I think so many times we want his help and worry and try and get frustrated and forget to live the words of faith and trust.  If things work out we say…I knew I could do it….and forget to give credit where it deserves to be.

With Journey Home I wanted to make it so that the reader could feel, see, hear, and fear what the characters were going through with an unexpected ending.  It was actually the first novel I ever wrote.  The idea started from a short story that I wrote years ago.  I am going to post that when I get time on the fan page too and on this blogspot.  Blogspot thas many other things from long ago.  I was not on the internet and had to wait until I visited the library to work on it so it got left behind as I concentrated on the writing, found out I had cancer, went through the surgery and am still hanging in there.  Some were even published in the local paper.  If you ever see a thing called ‘Wishes On The Wind’ or ‘Silent Night under the discussion section of the fan page or notes on my page or in the blog…those were special to me that I wrote.

This new children’s book is something I am passionate about,  It is only thirty some pages but I wrote it to be something different from other children’s books.  Our boys hated poetry so I wanted to show them a poem could tell a story, but I wanted more.  I wanted to write something that could be used by the parent or person reading it to teach and reach the child allowing them to give and share with the kids.  An adult may see so much more in the simple pages than a child.

Every time I have read it the kids love it and never seem to tire of it…but no matter how many times we read it there is always more for them to talk about and share that it instigates.  It starts out with ‘It was the dark of night but the moon shone bright casting shadows on things below…..That sounds ominous but allows us to share later with the child,

 I can remember going outside at night with a clear sky and full moon many times.  When I ask them if it is dark at night their eyes get big and the answer is immediately,,,,YES.  What is dark.  We gaze up at the beautiful night sky lit by the soft moon light and sparkling stats across the heavens.  We could talk for hours right there and then.  I show them how the moon shines enough light to make shadows and they realize no matter how dark we think it is there are different lights.  It can be related in so many ways depending on the age of the person involved in the discussion or their own needs.  You would not believe how many adults have talked for hours about these things.  A child filled with fear of the dark often find a new understanding and release from such fear.

I tried to write an entire poem story that would entertain but be alive in the way it could be used to open the doors of communication for all ages on so many subject especially fears, feelings, thoughts, hopes and dreams and even prejudices.  People often hate or fear things that are different or that they do not understand.  The make judgments and decisions from their preconceived attitudes that may not be accurate or honest.  Kids learn more by life and how we live than what we say they should or should not do and adults often do not listen because they have their own opinions.  The witches are old, ugly and dressed differently but are the mean, bad or evil?  Some nursery rhymes have the witches trying to eat the children or casting evil spells.  The boy was afraid because she looked ???scary?  different?  Like a witch???  He saw her sister flying on a broom across the sky….Maybe so but then again if we are afraid we may think something so much inspired by our fears things may not be what they seem.  In his frightened state of mind, could it have been  a black bird in fleight lighted by the moon that made him think it was a witch.  Is different such as old and ugly, or crippled, or a different race or religion bad?  Her eyes are not that scary.  Could you have a really mean person in a beautiful body….is he or she ugly or beautiful?  I wanted a little story to be able to teach and reach people of all ages in many ways.    

You will not believe how hard I worked to make the pictures special.  I used pastels and charcoal from our BBQ.  I wanted the characters to become real.  Many people have commented that they love the pumpkins.  The publisher called and we talked about them.  I tried to explain and finally said that they were the emotion of the children in the faces.  ‘A mile’  the children should be filled with smiles and laughter and joy in life….‘A look of surprise”  children are amazed at the wonderful surprises as they discover so many wonderful things in life….’A look of  fright and a gleam came from his eyes’  Children may have fears but then again they often love to try to scare one another and when they have some special little prank or idea you can see the mischievous look appear.  I want to tell and share all of these things and more allowing this little book to have a long reach.

The first page is not the author page…it is for the one who gives and receives the book to write what they want making it their own book.  It has ‘from…and…to’  and you can write just as you would with a greeting card.  It may be a Halloween book but it is a book of life.  I could talk for hours as we often have with this little thing but the truth is I can hardly wait to see it become a book and hold it in my hands.  I just hope I will find a way to let others know it even exists.

I won’t give up and will find a way to share these thoughts and even more as well as the things that I write.  I have even worked and made coloring pages.  When the kids get the books if they like them it is so wonderful to see their imaginations get going and them want to make their own pictures and books.  If a family has several children they may not be able to buy a book for each one and coloring books as many as they want to color.  I am going to post pages little by little so that they can copy them for free and the kids can make pictures to decorate and books and write their own stories to go with them.  They can copy as many as they want when ever they want   “Dreams can come true”  I say it…I just have to remember it…over and over in so many ways….and never give up.