20 Weeks to a Book - Week 9 (or there abouts)

I am far behind in my weeks for writing. I have been lax and have not written anything for my book. I have been writing, though. I finished a devotional and sent it on to Penned from the Heart. I believe it will be published in the 2011 edition. I have also been organizing myself to work on 2 articles for Moms and their children's health care. I hope to have those done this month to be sent out by the end.

Here's what Maeve has to say in week 9: Visualize Success...Sounds simple, but it's not always. The mind is powerful. It has the power to think some into thinking they are ill, doctor's encourage patients to visualize being well again (which does help), if your mind believes something has happened, your body can have all the sensations that it has happened. It can be scary thinking of all the power your mind has over you! Maeve encourages us to think about what it will be like to be successful...How will you celebrate when you publish that book? Who will you tell? What will you wear? How will you announce it? Detailed dreams of what it will be like to finish your book can spur you complete it during those times when writing is the toughest.

Get out there and visualize your success. I know I am!

"The Witness"

"The Witness" by Josh McDowell

http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-3412-7.pdf


Marwan Accad, co-owner of Accad and Associates, an executive security company, finds himself embroiled in a French conspiracy. His current job is to find the wife of a wealthy Egyptian. During a meeting with the man, the unthinkable happens, his client is assassinated and Marwan becomes the only witness, and the only suspect.

Marwan flees for his life, suffering a gun shot wound in the process. Wanting to escape France, he flies to Morocco and to the safety of a friend's house. There he begins his journey towards a new life.

A redemption story, I had mixed feelings about it. Some places McDowell gives great detail, but in others I felt something was lacking. Not much is said about the conspiracy, or the resolution of it. While McDowell does an excellent job of portraying arguments for redemption, Marwan's conversion seemed too easy. His inner struggle was shown, but it seemed very superficial. The ending left me with too many questions to feel satisfied by it's abruptness.


It had so much potential to be a spectacular story, but it was just a good story.

A good read for the beach.


This copy provided by Tyndale house, but the opinions are my own.

20 Weeks to a Book - Week 8

It seems every time I post a new week, it's actually been more than 1 week. I've had a busy couple of weeks. Went to OH and KY with just my husband. It's been awhile since we spent that much time together, just the two of us, so it was a trial at times, but worth it! Then I spent the last week at the Montrose Christian Writer's Conference! What a great time. Saw old friends, made new friends, grew, renewed, and learned a ton! Thanks especially to Bryan Davis and Ginger Kolbaba! Both gave great critiques, gentle yet honest. I have a lot of work to do, but I've made some short term goals that will help me along the way. I also was able to write a ton, not having any kids or responsibilities can help with that. On to week 8!

"The Writer's Journey" - A short chapter, but filled with little tidbits of advice. Maeve speaks of writing as a journey, as made obvious by the title. During this journey you discover things about yourself you never knew, solidify ideas and concepts you've had, and actually become different people by the end. She gives a warning: "If you don't [finish] then it's no journey at all, just a series of stops and starts and eventual disappointments." Maeve encourages us to keep going, to finish what we've started. Otherwise, it's just been a waste of time. And just think, someday you'll be able to say to all those people, "Of course I finished it."

Keep on writing, I plan to!