Tag Archives: hope

Character Confabulation

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I was recently reflecting on an email I received some years back from “Blaine Colton”. Ha, ha, bots. Good one. Like I’m falling for that. Designate message to <spam>. Awkward moment when a month or two later I was checking the junk box and accidentally clicked on this email, only to realise it actually WAS from Blaine Colton! Whoops.

This Blaine Colton had discovered their namesake as the hero of my trilogy and written to share this fun fact. Red-faced and sheepish, I replied with profuse apologies for the misdirected assumption and consequential delay in reciprocating their email contact. Thankfully, they took it in goodwill and we were able to laugh it off. But this got me thinking …

How would an email from my fictional characters read?

Take Blaine. Do you think he rocks his curly hair or is he like most of us and thinks any other hair would be better than his own? His lithe form? Would he rather the sculpted muscle bulk of his best mate, Jett? (I am NOT having the Jett conversation here!) There’s mitochondrial disease and the cure that nearly killed him—before a bunch of nasty folk from the nether regions of an international crime syndicate wanted to kill him too, and had a pretty good go at it … What about his love life? Didn’t make that easy on him or Sophie, did I? And the whole adoption and family complications …

Hmmm, maybe a message from Blaine could be … erm … emotionally intense … Another character perhaps?

I mean, there’s Blaine’s half-brother, Rennie. He kind of clams up in new situations, but he’s a pretty cool guy. And it makes sense, after those run-ins with the law and his family not doing great—like, totally dysfunctional. Then there were those cyborg creeps that kidnapped him and stripped his mind, mining memories like files from a digital database. Sure he’s got some rejection and trauma baggage, but he’s … he’s … yeah, he’s got a heap to sort through … Maybe an email from him wouldn’t be so straightforward either … At least, not until Anna gets involved.

Anna! Of course. Her voice is out of this world! Gives me goosebumps every time. Mind, she’s not one-hundred-percent happy with her body image, but which of us are? All she’s got to figure out is that Chase, the risk-taking American hunk in her senior class, isn’t the only guy on the planet. That goes for her bestie, Cassidy, too. (That girl can dance.) I think a letter from Anna would be pretty upbeat. And hey, she gets to wear a gorgeous bridesmaid dress for most of the book. Nothing to complain about there. So long as she doesn’t get uptight about being retraumatised and ruining her perfect night out, and then literally smudging her out of existence … Yeeeah … Moving on.

Thinking I’ll leave Vivia and Kyal, with their dystopian realities, out of this. (You’ll get to meet Kyal soon. 😉) So maybe the safest communication would be a good old-fashioned letter from Patrick and Kitty—our favourite steampunk adventurers … Yes, that would do.

I have many other characters I could defer to, but you’ve not met all of them yet. I suppose the advice given to writers on character development really does ring true. Create engaging, well-loved characters, then do mean things to them! The truth is, whatever my characters have faced, I always want their stories to be hopeful. Were they to ever write me a message, it would me my hope they are walking towards the light of an ever-brightening future, irrespective of whatever challenges they’ve faced.

What about you? Have you written a character that might have a few things to say about your handling of their life, if they could send you a message? Maybe you’re a reader, not a writer. What might your favourite character say if they were to write you a letter about the author who created them? Which character would you like to hear from most? I would love for you to let me know in the comments below. 😊

Peace

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Photo Credit Pixabay: JennyandtheSummerDay; Christmas beach sea holiday sky

Yesterday was Christmas Day—unless you live on the other side of the world to Australia. In which case, it may still be the 25th of December. Given it was a quieter celebration this year, our family watched a Christmas movie to wring out the last vestiges of the festivities before saying goodbye to Christmas 2022. As the movie, which was based on real events (love those) closed to credits, the background song played on, but in a moment the words gripped my heart—you know, those songs that really speak to you? I had to look up the artist.

Casting Crowns, 2008, ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’

℗ 2008 Provident Label Group LLC, a unit of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT; Arranger: Mark Hall & Dale Oliver

I won’t include all the lyrics, but these are the ones that grabbed my attention:

And in despair I bowed my head / There is no peace on earth I said / For hate is strong and mocks the song / Of peace on earth, good will to men

But the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth) / Like a choir singing (Peace on Earth) / Does anybody hear them? / Peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep / God is not dead, nor doth He sleep (Peace on Earth, peace on Earth) / The wrong shall fail, the right prevail / With peace on earth, good will to men

After our movie watching last night, I took time to reflect on this extraordinary moment in history that literally changed our world forever. The turning point in time. As the bright lights, excitement, dining (and sometimes whining) of Christmas gave way to the post-Christmas shift towards newness and hope of a fresh year, those words kept cycling: ‘Then rang the bells more loud and deep / God is not dead, nor doth He sleep / The wrong shall fail, the right prevail / With peace on earth, good will to men’.

We’ve seen evil increase its visibility over the past few years. In some cases we’ve seen the ugliest side of humanity, which crafty, controlling, entities have done their best (or worst) to take advantage of. People are wearying in their stand for hope and the promise of a bright future. Some despair over whether it’s possible.

But peace speaks to the heart of this season in which we find ourselves. A peace that resists evil. A peace that eradicates fear. A peace that passes all understanding. A peace that breaks chains of hopelessness and torment. A peace that crumbles wicked plans. A peace that is greater than darkness and illuminates our future with brightness and hope, proclaiming goodwill and unveiling the truth: The wrong shall fail, the right prevail / With peace on earth, good will to men.

Photo Credit Pixabay: wenzlerdesign; crib Christmas nativity scene

From obscure beginnings that turning point in time—the birth of the Christ child—brought this promise to the whole world. Right WILL prevail over evil—no matter how much ‘reality’ decries this claim. Like night and day, evil must give way as we stand and speak peace to our circumstances. Impossible though it may seem at times, I am certain that this peace changes everything. Starting with us.

Merry Christmas to you all. Peace and great hope for a bright new year.

Hoped Up

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Those of you who’ve read my books may remember Blaine’s “ticks for hope”—a habit learned from his parents. Blaine doesn’t exactly think it’s cool, but often when he finds himself in a jam that’s where his mind goes.

This specific term was actually coined by my editor. She introduced it into a scene in Integrate when Blaine was in a pretty sucky situation, and it stuck. Given the state of things presently, I think we could all do with some ticks for hope. And specifically relating to recent COVID-19 events, we in Australia have had much to be grateful for lately.

So, what are ticks for hope? For the uninitiated, here is an example from the Blaine Colton trilogy, Book 3: Activate p. 178

    What have I got to hopeful for now?

    It seemed an impossible concept. He was doubly disabled. If he overcame one challenge, the other may be equally debilitating.

    ‘Whatever you can think of.’ Eddie’s voice interrupted Blaine’s inner monologue. ‘Maybe a person—or something—to give you hope. Grab it. Don’t let the dark thoughts in. Okay?’

Stop dark thoughts. Blaine started picking at the scabs from recent months, seeking a glimpse of … something … below each ugly wound. I can still hear and comprehend some things.

    One tick for hope.

    He acknowledged this tick reluctantly. Hope was not something he’d attached to his loss of responsiveness. Even more so now. There had to be something else.

Ticks for hope is the conscious act of picking out that one (or two, or three—or as many as you can) positive factor in a situation that’s swiftly going belly up, or has already flipped upside-down! It doesn’t have to be big. In fact, it might be something quite small, but by shifting focus from all the things going wrong and setting our sights on the thing (or things) that haven’t capsized, we can change what’s going on inside.

Copyright: Depositphotos.com https://depositphotos.com/96823288/stock-illustration-retro-cartoon-tick-symbol.html

Looking at the positives won’t necessarily change the challenges swirling around us, but it can bolster our courage and stem the storm of anxiety threatening to overwhelm us inside. It reminds us that even when all else has collapsed, we’re still alive and we’re still inherently valuable—even if it’s really hard to believe that.

So over to you. How do you get through difficult situations? Why not jump onto comments and let me know if you have a “ticks for hope” equivalent.

Daring Clare

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I’ve got something really special for you today – insights into a new release from fellow Aussie author, Jenny Glazebrook. Each time Jenny releases a book, I’m so impressed by the growth I see in her writing. Her stories just keep getting better – and they started great! Jenny’s also got such a beautiful heart for people, which imbibes every aspect of her novels. So, it’s my pleasure to present this glimpse into “Daring Clare“, her latest release. Make sure you check this out and find Jenny on all the social media haunts so you can follow her and get your hands on ‘Daring Clare’ and her other stories! Thanks, Jenny.

Why did you write Daring Clare?

I began writing this novel back in senior High School. It’s not easy being a teenager and I wanted to write a story that was real and would bring hope. I also wanted to write the type of book I would want to read.

What was the hardest part about writing this novel?

Knowing what to leave in and what to take out. A lot of this novel is based on events that really happened and are close to my heart. I have changed names, circumstances and other details, but the heart of the story is true. It’s hard to let go of parts of the story that really happened but just don’t fit or add to the story enough to keep them in.

How did you choose the title?

It was very difficult! This novel was originally released as a completely different version/edition under the title, ‘Nobody Hugs Rod Green’. Some people loved this title, others hated it. We tried out several other titles before deciding on Daring Clare. It has a double meaning. Not only is Clare mischievous and daring in personality (she gets into major trouble for taking up her brother’s crazy dares), she also needs to decide whether she dares to follow God and commit her life to Him.

Finally, who is your target audience and what are the main themes in the book?

I think this question is best answered by an email I received from Margaret, a lady in her eighties:

“I have finished your book Jenny and just loved every chapter. What a gift you have been given. Loved the way you have so many characters, all with different issues and then the struggle discussing those issues and the learning curves and being able to bring in a loving way Jesus’ love, His saving grace for all even for the Rod Greens.
The story is so natural and so relevant for our worldly lifestyle today. It also points out even though you become a Christian life is not smooth running but the important part we have Jesus as our hope. I loved the beautiful romance which also points out God has to be first in our life and to set one another free. So opposite from the world’s way.
For any teenager, (also any adult who is struggling and seeking) your book is excellent.”

Bio: Jenny Glazebrook writes inspirational YA Christian fiction. She lives in the country town of Gundagai with her husband Rob, four children and many pets. Jenny is the author of the Aussie Sky series and Elephant House Press is now publishing her Bateman Family series. More details about Jenny’s books can be found on her website: www.jennyglazebrook.com

Blogger? Let’s Hope

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“So, you’re a blogger?”
“Er … yes …”

Ever experienced that lengthy pause, before launching into a disclaimer about how you haven’t blogged in X months and why? Well lately that’s been me. You see, this year has been a bit on the supercharged side of busy. So I’ve been rather quiet blog wise.

The last few weeks I’ve been trying to wrestle out enough time to change that. Not only because it’s rather awkward when “blogger” is prominently featured on your business card (whose idea was that???), but I’ve had some wonderful experiences I’ve wanted to share with my faithful followers. (Let’s face it, by now you deserve some kind of medal!)

Symposiums seem to be the theme of the season. Recently I found myself in Sydney as an attendee, and last week I had the privilege of being involved in the “Unleash the Beast” event in Toowoomba, as part of International Mental Health Day. Annexed to that symposium, was “Write Around Toowoomba” hosted by the City Library, for which I presented “Finding Hope Through Fiction”.

Now, you never quite know who’ll turn up to your presentations, but I can tell you I had a small but amazing group of attendees. As I shared from some of the themes in the Blaine Colton Trilogy and other YA novels I’ve read lately, I was so appreciative for the insightful and well considered responses of the group. And our focus? Hope.

With Mental Wellness being such a broad and multilayered issue, this was the idea that just kept coming up as I was preparing. I figured I’d best pay attention! Given YA literature has been associated with dark/grim kind of plots, it was great to hear other’s thoughts on this, along with exploring ways to find hope for ourselves, and others in our circle of influence.

Particularly encouraging is that we don’t need to have all the answers to care for and support someone going through a difficult time, and our own perseverance through hardship isn’t wasted—for ourselves and others. That’s how we can learn to be hopeful.

It’s good to be reminded that even in the darker days in life, hope can work its way into our circumstances. And how beautiful to know we can be a part of that journey toward hope for others, too.