Lessons From Downton Abbey

Is anyone here as hooked as I am on Downton Abbey? I know. Stupid question. Everyone’s talking about it. From the gowns, to the despicable Thomas, to the will-he-or-won’t-she’s…this is one show that’s got something for everyone.

Why? Because Downton Abbey nails stunning settings, memorable characters, and pivotal plotlines. So besides drooling with envy, I did what every self-respectable writer would do. I dissected it and came up with a few tips that can benefit every wannabe blockbuster author.

STUNNING SETTINGS

There are two words that describe the setting of Downton Abbey: eye candy. The main thing this series excels at is detail. When you watch an episode of the show, it's like a time warp. Do that with your writing. How?

Make it a point to highlight an object, but make sure to tie the object in directly to the action or emotion of the characters.

For example, Matthew’s pocket watch. When he pulls it out and stares at it intently, you just know something’s going to happen soon. The object is used as foreshadowing. This detail ups the tension in the scene.

Choose with intent what your reader sees, but don’t overdo it.

Of course there were piles of dirty dishes whenever Mrs. Patmore and Daisy finished preparing a meal, but did we ever see the disaster? Mostly we saw a bit of flour on the table or a smudge on cook’s face, which was enough to get the point across that these women worked hard.

Use lighting to your advantage.

You’re not a cinematographer. I hear you. But think about it. It wouldn’t have been nearly as creepy or desperate had Mr. Pamuk’s body been toted off to his own bedroom in broad daylight. Consciously use time of day as part of your story.

Downton Abbey is simply a stage, just like your setting is the stage for your story. Treat it with as much care and respect as you would one of your characters, and speaking of which…

MEMORABLE CHARACTERS

Everyone’s got his or her favorite characters in Downton Abbey…but why? What makes us so attracted to these fictional people?

Depth

Great characters have lots of layers. Lady Mary is a prime example. Every now and then we get a peek at the great insecurity she feels, which is often made up for in careless arrogance. Interesting combo.

Foreshadowing

A character’s outside appearance hints at their insides. O’Brien looks like a shrew on the outside and guess what…she is.

Complexity

Characters that aren’t overly serious all the time, such as Mr. Carson, make them three-dimensional—and wholly relatable.

Imperfection

I know. Seems like you’d want your hero to be all that and a bag of chips, but guess what? Those are the kind of characters we usually want to slap. Matthew Crawley is a great guy, but he’s a little too slow to take charge in some situations.

Astonishing

Memorable characters are surprising. I never know what’s going to come out of Violet Crawley’s mouth. Oh, I like to think I know, but often it’s not what I expect.

Secretive

A hidden past is a great idea. But don’t tell it all at once. Toss out tidbits every now and then. Hint at it, even. Who honestly didn’t wonder about Mr. Bates’ past?

Zealous

A compelling character often has a cause they are passionate about, usually one that involves justice. Lady Sybil Crawley cares about politics, women’s rights specifically, which pretty much endears her to every female on the planet.

The bottom line is that a great character has to be relatable. That’s what Downton Abbey has going for it. At times everyone is as despicable as Thomas or sweet as Anna. Consider that when crafting your next set of characters.

PIVOTAL PLOTLINES

From Pamuk’s death to…well, I suppose I shouldn’t give any spoilers in case you’ve not seen all of the second season yet. Let’s just say from start to finish, Downton Abbey keeps the action moving right along. Here’s how…

Start out with a bang.

Downton Abbey begins with the sinking of the Titanic and takes off from there. Where does your story start? More often than not, think of your first few chapters as a warm-up and be willing to toss them aside. Your opening scenes have to grab the reader by the throat and/or the heart.

Do the unexpected.

Who’d have known Bates was married? Not me. Predictability is a deal breaker for most readers. As you’re writing, try throwing in a completely random line of dialogue from a secondary character. Or have your hero find a brow-raising object in a drawer. Mix it up. If you don’t surprise yourself as the author, how do you think your reader will feel?

End each chapter with a cliffhanger.

Who didn’t wonder which family members would die from the flu epidemic? That was a for-sure-gotta-see-the-next-episode kind of ending. Do that with each of your chapters and your reader will have no choice but to finish your book. And remember, cliffhangers don’t always have to be physical danger. Emotional works just as well.

Subplots rock.

I admit it…I care every bit as much about Bates & Anna as I do for Matthew & Mary. Why? Because the writers of Downton Abbey wove their story throughout the main Crawley saga. And they did it by leap-frogging…tossing out an enticing scene that focused on Lady Mary, then cut to one about Bates & Anna, and switched back to Mary & Matthew. Great technique.

Create extra tension with consequences.

So yeah, having a Turk die in Mary’s bed was pretty intense, but when her sister found out and wrote to the Turkish embassy, that certainly upped the consequences…like potential ruination for Mary. Don’t just keep cranking out tense situation after tense situation. Use the scenes you’ve already created to increase the drama by playing out their logical consequences to the Nth degree.

There you have it. Incorporate stunning settings, pivotal plotlines, and memorable characters into your own story, and you just might have the next Downton Abbey on your hands.

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas…professionally, however, for the past 10 years.

UNDERCURRENT is her latest release, a timeless tale of honor and sacrifice, and is available by Risen Books or Amazon.

You can find Michelle at her website, Writer Off the Leash, or on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.

Author Update ~ David Gregory

The author of the best-selling Dinner with a Perfect Stranger (2005) and A Day with a Perfect Stranger (2006), David Gregory has just released his third novella in the series, Night with a Perfect Stranger (Worthy Publishing). Between Perfect Stranger books, David authored a parable novella, The Next Level, and a full-length novel, The Last Christian, a 2011 Christy Award finalist in the Visionary category.


You published two Perfect Stranger novels in 2005 and 2006, but are just now coming out with the third. Why the wait?


Ask my former publisher! I actually wanted Night with a Perfect Stranger to be the second Perfect Stranger book, because its message was so much on my heart. But after the success of Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, my publisher wanted me to write another seeker-oriented novella. That worked out fine, actually. I was pleased with how the story turned out and very pleased with how God seemed to use it in readers’ lives. As for the long wait for the third installment, I never stopped wanting to write the third one, but I couldn’t sell my publisher on it. In 2010 I finally went ahead and wrote it. It sat in my computer for a year before my agent sold it to Worthy Publishing, who was very excited about it.




What is it about the Perfect Stranger stories that readers seem to relate to?

I think they work because it’s a situation all of us want to be in—sitting with Jesus face to face, getting answers from him. The books enable us to at least imagine being in that circumstance. What would we want to ask? How would Jesus respond? I try to make Nick representative of what most readers would have on their hearts and minds, and I try to make Jesus’s responses fit his revelation of himself in the New Testament as closely as possible.




You’ve had an unusual writing career path. You first novella was a huge overnight success, but your subsequent books, despite good reviews, haven’t matched that sales success. In retrospect, would you have done anything differently?


I would have stuck more closely to what was on my heart to write instead of what seemed marketable. We always do our best writing when we stick with what’s on our heart to write. I have found that writing a book because a publisher thinks it will do well is, for me, a disaster. It may turn out to be a good book, and it may even sell well. But I won’t enjoy the process of writing it. I can’t imagine agreeing to do that again. Writing well is hard enough as it is; I don’t want to add misery to the process! And, the truth is, in the long run it’s evident to readers what our heart is into and what it’s not into. I think God lays a story on an author’s heart. If we follow that leading, God will bless it. Maybe not in sales—maybe not even in publication. Maybe God is simply doing something inside us. But he will bless it.




Why was this a book you wanted so badly to write?


My previous (nonfiction) writing life focused on Christian growth. I co-authored two books that taught about the believer’s identity in Christ, our spirit union with Christ, the reality of Christ living through us, and the fullness of God’s grace. Once I started writing fiction, I wanted to put those themes into story form, because God has opened the door for me to write for people who might never open a 250 page theology book, but who love a good story. So in Night with a Perfect Stranger, I revisit my original character in Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, Nick Cominsky. Nick met Jesus, became a believer, and everything was great for a couple of years. But now it’s six years down the road, and after having been caught in the typical evangelical treadmill of church programs and endless spiritual to-do’s, Nick is in bad shape. He’s done all the “right things,” but he’s lost his sense of closeness with God, he’s disillusioned with the Christian life, and he’s despairing at ever finding the abundance Jesus promised. This book has always been so much on my heart because that’s a place I think almost all of us have been, or still are. I wanted to address the questions that I think are on so many of our hearts.




So Nick encounters Jesus again, this time with the theme of . . .?


This time with the theme of Christ in us. Nick has had the life all along. He just doesn’t know it. So as he’s driving a U-Haul on a late night trip from Chicago to Cincinnati, runs out of gas on the interstate, and coasts to a stop on the shoulder, his headlights shine on Jesus, holding a gas can for him. Jesus has things to tell him, and show him, that he’s never dreamed of.




Do you have another project on the horizon?


Actually, not on the horizon, but rather in the here and now. I’ve just released a political novella called Patriot Rules as an e-book. I’ve wanted for some time to write a Perfect Stranger type book involving the Founding Fathers and time travel. What if a college student from the present had the opportunity to go back to the Constitutional Convention and remake the Constitution? What if, in the process, he could interact with the Founders in their own circumstances from the Revolutionary period? It was fun writing a fantastical story that presents the philosophical foundation for why the Founders set up our government the way they did. I’m hoping it falls into the hands of lots of graduates this summer!

The Best Way to Learn to Write

The best way to learn great writing, or one of the best ways I should qualify that with, is to READ great writing. Here are a few books that helped me in certain areas:

Characterization: A Prayer for Owen Meany


Description/Setting: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Kite Runner


Story: Havah--The Story of Eve

Romance: Jane Eyre

Symbolism: Lord of the Flies, A Wrinkle in Time


Voice: Memoirs of a Geisha


Now, that's just a few off the top of my bleary-eyed head. What novels have you read that helped you hone a skill you were needing help with? Please share!

Gina Holmes is the founder of Inspire a Fire and Novel Rocket. Her debut, Crossing Oceans, was a Christy and Gold Medallion finalist and winner of the Carol Award, INSPY, and RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice, as well as being a CBA, ECPA, Amazon and PW Religion bestseller. Her sophomore novel,  Dry as Rain, released in 2011. She holds degrees in science and nursing and resides with her family in southern Virginia. She works too hard, laughs too loud, and longs to see others heal from their past and discover their God-given purpose. To learn more about her, visit: www.ginaholmes.com.

The Ever Elusive Voice

Lindi Peterson is an author of contemporary Christian romance novels focusing on the amazing love of Jesus Christ and how His love influences our ability to love one another. She lives north of Atlanta, Georgia, with her hubby. They are empty nesters as far as children go, but they do support, feed, and care for a dog, 2 cats and 2 birds (who are at often times way louder than the kids used to be). She'd wanted to be a writer ever since she can remember. So, about 12 years ago, she started writing novels. Writing for publication is an amazing, crazy journey, but she wouldn't trade it in at all!

The Ever Elusive Voice

Are you a new writer? If not, do you remember being a new writer? Do you remember hearing words that you knew what they meant, but the way people talked about these words indicated there was more to the picture than you knew about.

I remember the words that eventually left me befuddled.

Fresh.

Sparkle.

Voice.

Looking at those words we all know what they mean. But what they mean in the writing world can wreck a novelist and result in a lot of rewriting and some sleepless nights.

And maybe even some rejection letters.

“We’re looking for a story that’s fresh!”

“Your characters don’t sparkle.”

“The voice isn’t distinctive.”

Yeah---have you heard this before? If not in the form of a rejection, how about from a critique partner? Or what about in a workshop? Well, I have good news and bad news. Bad news-two of these words we aren’t talking about today. Really, there’s not enough blog space!

Seriously though, each of these words has an extremely important role in your novel, but, (good news) today we are going to focus on one.

Voice.

Because I think having a distinctive voice is one of the most important aspects of this business. When your voice shines, you can tell your story. You can impart to readers the way you ‘feel’ about the story—because to me, voice is about feeling.

Think of it this way. How do you converse? Pay attention to conversations around you. Do you hear people’s beats? Do you notice pauses? Awkward ones? They are all a part of real conversation.  Take notice of the way you talk. The emphasis you put on certain words.

I have a little exercise on voice finding. I do this a lot and I find it really helps me pull from all sorts of places inside where all those feelings are just fighting to come out and grab your reader. I do this especially if I have a scene that’s not quite coming together. I write it in first person. Then I write it in third person. It’s amazing the way each scene pulls out different aspects of what is going on. Then I mesh the two together. It’s kind of like bringing in the best of both worlds. And this is true for all the scenes in your novel. Dialogue and description.

Voice isn’t just about dialogue. No, it’s the way the novel flows. It’s the way the beats fall. It’s the composition of the way the novel is put together. It all really comes back to voice.

I find that rough drafts are the best expression of voice. Of course, there’s usually rewrites, but hopefully rewriting doesn’t pull the ‘you’ out of your novel. Because it’s that gut writing that comes from deep within that’s going to make your novel different from everyone else’s.

Drat—voice can be hard to explain. I hope I’ve shed a little light into the topic of the ever elusive voice. I’d be happy to answer/ask questions and discuss this topic.

A side note: An author whose voice I love is Alice J. Wisler. I love picking up an Alice J. Wisler novel. I know what I’m getting when I read Wisler. Amazing voice. Check her out if you haven’t and you’ll see what I tried to explain in this blog post. 

Left, is a photo of what I stare at as a write. I have 2 bulletin boards. This is a picture of one of them. I love starting at things that remind me of my current WIP. 

Oh, and there’s a picture of one of my cats, too. My hubby and I have 2 cats, 1 dog and 2 birds. Even though we are empty nesters, we have a loud house!

Thanks for having me here today!  Novel Rocket rocks!

Her Best Catch

Allison Doll's mother is rebelliously turning fifty, her two best friends have started dating and a gorgeous injured relief pitcher named Ashton Boyd has joined her Sunday school class, rocking her world into confusion, heartache and temptation, places she hasn't visited in a long time, much less all at once.

But with the help of family, old friends she really hasn't lost, a new friend she really can count on, and God, she begins to find out whether she'll always be a girl waiting for life to happen or a woman who's ready to commit to her best catch.

And that's not all! Be watching for Summer Song.  Here's a tease ... 

Pop-Princess Summer Sinclair doesn't know what to do now that she's cleaned-up and sober. She knows God's been nudging her, but since God is unfamiliar territory she feels scared and alone. Everything changes when she meets Levi Preston, a Christian musician who tries everything he can to show Summer what true love really is. But when Summer's life starts replaying Levi's past, his faith is tested. Will visions of their past prevent Summer and Levi from living the life God has for them? Or will true love triumph giving Summer and Levi their own Summer Song.

The Bomb in the Body

Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of thirty-five novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a crafting and coaching community for writers.

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com

The Bomb in the Body: A lesson on Subplots

Okay, raise your hand out there if you watch Grey’s Anatomy. It’s okay, no one can see you. And, not like I’m raising MY hand or anything, but hypothetically, let’s just say that if you are familiar with this particular medical (and I’m using that term a bit freely) drama, then you know that it is really a big long soap opera. Grey’s Anatomy is, essentially, the on again, off again, now on (they’re sort of married, so I think it will stick) romance of Dr. Derrick McDreamy and Dr. Meredith Grey. Inside all this romance are the daily (read: episodic) events of a hospital in Seattle.

What makes Grey’s fun are the running monologues of the lead heroine, the thematic nuances she puts into the story, usually centered around the events of the episode, but also alluding to her current state of relationship with Derrick. One could say that the episode theme relates to the overall story arc of the series.

Episodes in a show like this act at subplots to the main story. They are by subplot definition: Short, but concise stories that reveal theme, and taken alone, would stand on their own merit.

Let’s take one of my favorites (er, I mean, one that I’ve heard about…oh, forget it, I’m a Grey’s addict. I admit it). ..the Bomb in the Body episode. (Also had Kyle Friday Night Lights guy (formerly Early Edition) guest starring, and I just love him). The subplot starts with the inciting incident: a fella comes in with a hole in his gut. A paramedic is holding onto the bleeding inside his body. 

Conflict: If she takes her hand out, then he’ll bleed to death, so they have to take them up to surgery. Further conflict: Wife comes in and reveals that the man was playing with a bazooka and there is an unexploded bomb in his body. More conflict: Paramedic freaks out, pulls her hand from his body, wherein Dr. Grey takes her place.

Of course, Meredith is doomed, and the rest of the show is her wishing that she could turn back time and rethink where she is right now.

Meanwhile, in the BIG plot, Derrick, the Dr. and she have had an affair, and she’s in love with him UNTIL just a few weeks prior his WIFE (and poor Meredith didn’t even know she existed until then) shows up. (again this is rather old, if you follow the plot, but such a good example I had to use it.) Derrick wants a divorce…he thinks. But, maybe not, so he decides to give his marriage another chance.

Meredith’s heart is broken. She wishes she could turn back time and rethink her life.  See the parallel?

Of course, they get the bomb out of the body, and sadly, as cute Kyle walks away with it, it blows up. He’s vaporized. And Meredith is left with blood all over her, a casualty of another person’s errors in judgment. Of course, the patient who wreaked all this havoc, lives.

Again, see the parallel to the main story arc?

A great subplot is about mirroring the theme of the main plot. It can either enhance it – i.e., show what could happen if one choice is made, or put it in relief – show what will happen if that choice isn’t made. It can be a testing ground for “what if.”

I employ subplots frequently in a large (90K+) novel because of the depth they bring to the main storyline. In the Shadow of Your Smile (Tyndale) out last month, the subplot between the son and daughter of two of the main characters allows me to reach a wider audience and actually add a “romance” into the story (as opposed to a “love story” thread that embodies the bulk of the book).

Subplots can also launch your next story. In Baroness (Summerside, hitting bookstores any day), the subplot actually serves as the backstory for the story I’m writing right now – Duchess. The heroine in Baroness, Rosie Worth, has a smaller storyline, but it’s profound enough that I could carry her over into her own book.

The biggest subplot I’ve ever written is the subplot within a subplot I put into Taming Rafe (Tyndale, a few years ago). In the novel, a love story written by one of the characters reveals the feelings that character has for a woman he’s never declared his love to, written via the romance of the characters in HIS book, a book that the POV characters in Rafe all read. (Okay, did that make sense? Basically, it’s a story within a story that tells declares his love for her via the characters.) It is a fun subplot because the reader essentially gets three romances in one story.

A lot of bang for their buck.

As you’re developing your subplot, ask yourself – what lesson will the characters in my main plot learn? Is there a smaller lesson, or a piece of that lesson I can illuminate through the subplot?

Remember, a subplot has to have all the elements of a story: Inciting incident, conflict, black moment, epiphany and a climatic ending.

Here’s a hint – a good subplot should start after you’ve establish the main character, perhaps in chapter two or three. And, you should tie up the threads of your subplot before you get into the finale of your main plot. To keep the subplot flowing, I usually put in one subplot pov per every 4-5 main POVS. That way I don’t overwhelm the main plot.

If you want a deeper, wider story, try inserting a subplot. You’ll be giving your reader more for their money, and create characters you might even use for book 2!

Thank you Novel Rocket for allowing me to stop by! Can I put in a shameless plug for our membership site? If you are an aspiring author, check out MBT (www.mybooktherapy.com/join-the-team). Or reader our blogs (AFTER you read Novel Rocket, of course) at www.mybooktherapy.com to get your daily dose of writing craft.

Have a great writing day!

Susie May Warren

www.susanmaywarren.com

www.mybooktherapy.com

Baroness

Coming of age in the turbulent Roaring Twenties, two daughters of fortune can have anything they possibly want—except freedom. 


Expected to marry well and take the reins of the family empire, Lilly and Rosie have their entire lives planned out for them. But Lilly longs to flee the confines of New York City for the untamed wilds of Montana. Her cousin Rosie dreams of the bright lights of the newly emerging silver screen. Following their dreams—to avant-garde France, to dazzling Broadway, to the skies of the fearless wing walkers—will demand all their courage. 


When forced to decide, will Lilly and Rosie truly be able to abandon lives of ease and luxury for the love and adventure that beckons? At what cost will each daughter of fortune find her true love and a happy ending? 

Novel Rocket's Launch Pad Contest : Is it Worth It?

If you’ve been keeping up with Novel Rocket events, you know about our Launch Pad Contest: Boosting You Out of the Slush Pile.

So what does it have to do with you?

Let’s say you’ve been working on a novel for the past couple of years—or more. You’ve been studying the craft, honing your skills, polishing and revising, and sweating bullets over this child of yours. Family, friends, and critique partners love it; they tell you it’s better than a lot of published books they’ve read; but you can’t seem to interest an agent or an editor.

You see this contest advertised and twist your face into a frown of consternation. “They charge an entry fee,” you tell yourself. “It’s probably a rip-off. I work too hard for that thirty-five dollars. I'm not about to hand it over to a bunch of clowns for nothing.”

First off, let me assure you, we’re not clowns; we’re writers. Some would argue there’s not much difference. But since you’re a writer too, you'd better look in the mirror when you call us names.

Secondly, no one's getting ripped off, and no one's getting rich. The judges are busy people, and it takes time to do a thoughtful critique. It's only fair they should have some small compensation for their efforts.

Most importantly, though, it’s not all for nothing. Let's hear what some past participants have told us:

Janet Sketchley, an entrant in our first Contemporary Fiction category in 2010, says:
Contests are good practice in meeting deadlines and following specific submission guidelines. I appreciate being able to read samples of the winning entries and see the content and quality that my own manuscript has to match to catch a publisher’s interest.
In 2011, Janet put this experience to good use. She went on to place third in a contest for unpublished novelists sponsored by the small press, Risen Books.

Heidi Chiavaroli, who participated both of the past two years, concurs:
The contest very much helped me move forward. I think it’s good to have that submission experience, and it helped me acquire some more of that “tough skin” that we writers need!

Johnnie Alexander Donley, one of our entrants the first year, told us her strongest memory from the experience was the encouragement she received, even though she didn’t win the category:
Since then I’ve written a second novel and had the honor (and joy!) of winning the 2011 Genesis contest in Historical Fiction with it.

Our very first category winner was Cynthia Rogers Parks, with her unique

and delightful entry, The Nesting Dolls. (Though she had previously self-published a novel, Houses, we consider self-published to be unpublished for the purposes of this event.)

About being our inaugural category winner, she says:

I recall enjoying the feedback, getting to link to my own web page, and the brief “I can’t wait to read it” flurry.

Unfortunately, however, the real world invaded, and the need to pay bills sent her writing energy in other directions. She hasn’t quit, though. She’s working on a book right now, in fact, which she hopes to finish this summer. We’re cheering you on, Cynthia!

Heidi Chiavaroli has the distinction of having been a Historical Category winner in both 2010 and 2011, with her entries Room for Freedom and Tears of the Outcast. She told us:
I loved the Novel Rocket contest (both times). Last year, the added bonus of the critique was particularly helpful. I took the advice and I’m confident it bettered my manuscript. I am in the process of subbing (to agents) Tears of the Outcast. I think it was a big help to have been able to list Novel Rocket’s contest win in my query/cover letters.

Cheryl Linn Martin shares Heidi’s enthusiasm. She won a Middle Grade/Young Adult category in 2010 with her entry Pineapples in Peril, which later placed third (mainstream category) in RWA’s Kiss of Death, Daphne duMaurier Contest for Excellence in Mystery. She says:

Both of these contests spurred me on in my writing. Within a few months after my Novel Journey win, I was signed by Terry Burns of Hartline Literary, and a year later I had a three-book contract in hand for the series, The Hawaiian Island Detective Club. Pineapples in Peril, Book One, does not have a firm release date yet, but should be sometime this fall, 2012.

Winning Novel Journey’s “Out of the Slush Pile” gave me the confidence to move forward. I was so excited to receive the recognition and the wonderful comments. Sometimes, confidence and determination to continue the battle is what a writer really needs. It was what I needed, and I thank you for that boost!

Of course, the RWA 3rd place award was huge, but Novel Journey was the first affirmation I received—and it meant everything to me!

We had such an amazing response to our request for feedback, we’re out of room today. Come back April 9 for more testimonials from past participants -- category winners and otherwise.

Meanwhile, give some serious thought to entering your own unpublished novel. The official rules can be found on our Contest tab. If you have questions that aren’t answered there, send them to NovelRocketContest@gmail.com, and you'll be personally answered by a real, live, Earth-born human being.

We look forward to sharing your success story with our readers in the future!

Yvonne Anderson writes fiction that takes you out of this world.

The Story in the Stars, first in her space fantasy series, Gateway to Gannah, debuted last year. The second, Words in the Wind, will be released in 2012. Watch her blog at www.YsWords.com for updates on that, as well as the occasional other good stuff she sometimes posts there.

Love, Hope, and Faith

Today's guest devotion is by Trish Perry, from: Delight Yourself in the Lord…Even on Bad Hair Days © 2011 Summerside Press

Love, Hope, and Faith

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:3

Do you remember the first time your heart was broken? I had to dig through the old memory to remember getting dumped the first time, but I found the little gem hiding in a far-off corner. I can’t drudge up the pain I felt back then, but I remember feeling it. Devastating. The truly odd thing is that the pain of that first heartbreak seemed more searing than the pain of having a marriage pulled out from under me after nearly two decades. Was I really that cold about my marriage?

Quite the opposite. I didn’t rejoice the end of my marriage. But after a life’s worth of romance and breakup, my devastation has been replaced by hope. Not necessarily hope for more romance, mind you. Simply hope. Because after suffering through multiple heartbreaks, I discovered I could survive them, I could persevere. And learning to persevere built my character. Part of my character today is the result of experiencing heartbreak and surviving it. And surviving loss. And surviving failure. And surviving…[fill in the blank]. God designed us to develop multi-faceted characters. Knowing He cares enough to improve my character gives me hope.

So it is with all suffering. Regardless of how Paul phrased it, he surely wasn’t saying “real” Christians dance for joy when they learn they have serious illnesses or they lose loved ones or they get laid off or any number of awful turns our lives could take. But the longer we live, the greater the opportunity to develop hindsight and wisdom. And hope.

So often we hear people say things like, “I would never have asked for this to happen to me, but I wouldn’t change a thing, because it made me who I am today.” That might sound trite, but the insinuation is that the person appreciates who she is today. For a Christian, that means she sees God’s hand in her life. She has hope for a God-ordained future.

That kind of hope won’t disappoint us. It eventually rises to the surface, despite any suffering we experience, if we persevere and allow our suffering to build our strength and character.

What does it take for us to believe that hope won’t disappoint us? To believe that hope will arrive, and to believe it so strongly that we’ll eventually rejoice in our sufferings? Well, it takes faith. When you think of it, that’s really the only gift we can give the Lord. It’s all He’s ever asked of us.

Today’s Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You know what I struggle with today. Please give me strength to persevere, to be strong in character, and to always hope in You. Amen.

Award-winning novelist Trish Perry has written inspirational romantic comedies for Harvest House Publishers and Summerside Press, including Love Finds You on Christmas Morning. She has served as a columnist and as a newsletter editor over the years, as well as a 1980s stockbroker and a board member of the Capital Christian Writers organization in Washington, D.C. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America and holds a degree in Psychology. Visit her Website at www.TrishPerry.com