I have been moved, inspired and encouraged by the words of Billy Coffey since I first started reading his blog years ago. He is a writer's writer and a down to earth, God fearing, sit awhile on the front porch Virginia man. With his latest novel When Mockingbirds Sing releasing next week, Billy was gracious enough to take time to answer a few questions for us.
Billy, with three books published and another on the way, I believe you’re qualified to speak a bit about the art and craft of fiction writing.
Do you feel like you design your characters or do they develop a life of their own as you begin to put words to paper?
I usually begin with a name, a problem, and how that problem gets solved. Novels aren’t about events as much as they’re about people and how they change between the first chapter and the last. Those three things are all I allow myself to think of at the beginning. After that, they sort of come alive on their own. By and large, though, I think every character in every story is in some ways a reflection of the writer. At least, that’s true for me.
Do the paths your stories wind down ever take you by surprise?
Occasionally, yes. I've always been better at characters than plot, so I have to approach plotting carefully. It’s a balancing act. If you sit down and try to outline every single moment of your story, there’s a good chance it will grow stale. I have in mind where I want to start, where things need to be at the middle, and a rough idea of how it all ends. I let the rest take me by surprise.
How much have your characters taught you, or changed the way you look at this life?
I think they've taught me much more about myself. All the characters in When Mockingbirds Sing are segments of my own personality—Leah’s shyness, Allie’s belief in life’s magic, Reverend Goggins’s sense of entitlement. They’re all me. Seeing me laid out on the page wasn’t very comfortable, but it made me see my own strengths and weaknesses.
I know we have talked about how much courage it takes to pour your self into words. Where do you turn when that courage begins to fade? How do you keep yourself going?
To me, writing is a huge blessing. It’s also a huge responsibility. Readers don’t owe writers anything, and to pretend otherwise is only to court disaster. But writers owe readers plenty, and chief among that is honesty. You have to give the very best of yourself to the page, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts. That responsibility is what I most often turn to when the courage begins to fade.
Any other words of wisdom or encouragement for those of us still working on our first novels?
Write every day. For every hour you spend on social media, spend three on your work.
Read every day. Not just the genre you’re writing for, either. Read anything. Everything. The broader your knowledge, the better you’re writing will be.
Kill your darlings.
Polish, submit, wait. And when those rejections come (they will, and often), always try one more time. I cannot stress that rule enough. Always, always. Just once more.
I hope this peaks your interest in Billy's work. If you haven't already, you really should read Snow Day, Paper Angels and next week his latest becomes available When Mockingbirds Sing. Here's a little peek into this new novel:
Thomas Nelson Publishers has been kind enough to make a copy of When Mockingbirds Sing available for me to give away to one lucky reader. All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what gives you courage and you'll be entered into a random drawing. To earn extra entries, share this via Facebook, or Twitter or Google+ and come back and leave me another comment for each shout-out.
Keep watching here. Winner will be announced next week when I post my review of this wonderful story!
This week's chapter of The Furious Longing of God is titled Healing.
My heart was moved as I read not or physical miracles but heart and spirit recoveries, healings that go much deeper than flesh. Brennan Manning tells the tale of a young man who had his self esteem, his heart, his very core lifted back to life by a public kiss from his father.
"Lodged in your heart is the power to walk into somebody’s life and give him or her what the bright Paul Tillich called “the courage to be.” Can you fathom that? You have the power to give someone the courage to be, simply by the touch of your affirmation."
I was surprised today to find many bloggers writing about courage. Each new post confirmed the words Jesus shared with me this morning in my journalling time:
Yes, I Am leading you
moment by moment
word by word
I choose your conversations
and you, little one, have responded in obedience
even when you did not understand what I was asking
This afternoon I received a call from the ear, nose and throat doctor that sent me for the MRI of my brain that I wrote about here. The imaging showed what he was looking for and what I had already suspected from my searches online. I have an acoustic neuroma. He said the usual treatment is to simply monitor these things, but he feels this is large enough that he is referring me to yet another doctor who has more knowledge and can better decide on treatment options - surgery seems the most likely.
This specialist is in Saskatoon, a good six hours drive away, so Rick and I will have to make it at least an overnight trip. I don't know how long it will be before I know when my appointment is scheduled.
I feel a bit foggy, knowing I will need to be courageous and patient in waiting and also knowing that patience is a gift I have difficulty holding on to.
I'm reminded that the words the Lord gave to me for 2012 werecourage - focus - trust. With the year almost half over I re-read His message, humbled and awestruck and again in His hands.
The courage of the poet is to keep ajar the door that leads into madness.
Christopher Morley
Courage
what God not only asks but commands of me
yet how often the pen remains frozen in my hand
fearing what may enter in
as a trickle
only to leave as a flood
But I know He holds my hand
my lifeline
my way back
So I step out
and step in
to hear, see, feel
then allow words
to share those places
many fear to go
Poetry lives in the broken pieces
Joining Peter Pollock and the gang as we look at madness
It has become a habit as a new year begins to seek the Lord for a word or scripture to centre my spirit upon. Not sure if what I was sensing was indeed from Him, I sat down and spent some quiet moments in His presence, journal open, pen in hand.
Lord, this calendar year is drawing quickly to an end - is there something You want to share? I sense the word You are giving me for 2012 is three in one -courage, focus, trust. Have I heard You or my own thoughts?
We have grown so close this year, little one, that often your thoughts are My thoughts. Yes - believe that, even if it makes you pause. The desire for oneness comes as you abide. It will take more courage than you have before exercised to stand strong in what you believe in the days ahead. The enemy of your soul will try to convince you there is too much on the line, but if you are with Me, I Am with you, so none can truly be against you, no matter what it looks like. I will hone your focus. What seems like scattered flames will be drawn together into a raging fire of purpose and passion. Continue to look through My eyes. pay heed to what you see and worry not about what you don't see. You will not need to search for things to spend your time and efforts on; I shall set in clear sight those things I require of you. Like Moses' bush, they shall blaze too brightly to ignore. And trust, little one, always that I Am here, around you, within you. You are not stepping out alone. You are correct to place no trust in your flesh, but -- you can trust the Me in you. You have some far. There is yet far to go.
I watched and was greatly moved by the film Courageous, and when I was offered the opportunity to review books related to the film I gladly accepted.
The first book I read was Courageous Living Dare to Take a Stand by Michael Catt. I think I was expecting this book to be the story that the film dramatized, but by reading the following on the back cover I knew I was in for something more:
Catch a fresh wind of bravery through the bold biblical accounts of Abraham, Joshua, Ruth and many others in Courageous Living by Michael Catt, pastor and executive producer of the unforgettable film Courageous.
Because we are called to take a faithful, fearless stand in all that matters, Catt sheds new light on the stories of people in the Bible who displayed great courage when it would have been easier to play it safe. They challenge and inspire us to keep moving forward, to examine our priorities, and to deal with anything that brings fear to our heart.
The stories on these pages were compelling in their application to our own lives. I was challenged indeed to examine the way both myself and the corporate church have been living. Are we walking in faith or fear?
Fear is believing a lie, listening to negative voices, and not taking God at His Word. Faith is fear that has said its prayers.
Am I, are we, willing to allow God to work through us, strengthen us, make our lives count for the Kingdom, or have we become content with just getting by, living lives that would be called "average"?
We don't have time for average. Average is climbing halfway up the mountain and stopping.
I don't want to go only halfway and I don't believe God wants His body to stop before reaching the goals He has set for us.
Do you need to have your passion reignited or are you content with the status quo? I suggest you decide before you pick up this stirring book.
Book has been provided courtesy of David C Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from B&H Publishing Group.
Three words stacked, shuffled, played again and again in my spirit.
November was a frenzy of word output in the midst of the chaos of life and when I had met the goal to reach 50,000 words I set my novel aside and granted myself sabbath, the month of December to be still through advent and rejoice in Christmas. Now December draws to a swift end.
As the new year begins I must begin again, with courage, focus, trust and with perseverance.
Here's another little bite of what I've been cooking:
Jessie opened her Bible again to read:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
“I like sparrows” she thought “they’re small like me, at least I feel small. But this keeps telling me not to worry, just like the calm voice tells me.” She closed the book, resting her chin on her hand, thinking about small birds and wings and wondering if God counts feathers too. Johnny interrupted her thoughts, placing a steaming dinner plate in front of her, saying “Wings for my Angel with wings.”
“What??” she chirped, astonished.
“You said surprise you, what’s the matter. You don’t like wings?”
“How do you do that?” she asked him, starting to laugh, shaking her head.
“Do what? What did I do now?” Johnny looked confused.
“Well, God must like to talk through you or something. When I dreamed about fruit you offered me fresh fruit. Now this.”
“What? What? I still don’t get it.”
“I was just reading where God takes care of me and loves me more than sparrows, and I was sitting here thinking of feathers and wings…”
Johnny slapped his hand down hard on the table and released a loud roar of laughter. “And here I come with a big plate of wings. That is strange. Kind of scary if you ask me.”
“I think God just wants us to know He’s paying attention” Jessie answered. “And by the way, I do like wings, and these smell wonderful.”
"Weird, that’s what I say” Johnny pointed his thumb toward Bobbie. “We’ve gotta tell Roberta and see what she says about all this. Weird.”
Jessie didn’t answer for a moment. Her mouth was too full, savouring the taste of lemon, garlic and oregano on the wings. “Why should I be surprised that you’d make Greek wings?” she laughed.
“Hey Johnny” Bobbie called from the table where she had seated the couple with the wet umbrellas. “These nice folks said whatever it is you just brought out that smells so good, that’s what they want too.”
“Wings” Johnny said. “Greek wings. Anyone else want some?” Hands went up around the room.
“Alright then, you got ‘em. Wings all around” he said, disappearing back into his kitchen.
As Jessie ate she let her mind wander, seeing wings and feathers and heads covered with hairstyles of all shapes and colours. The anxiety of the afternoon drained away.
“I’m not sure why I feel so peaceful all of a sudden” she spoke silently “but thank You.”
That’s My peace, and thank you for realizing it was Me.” The voice was strong, kind and clear. It almost felt like she could wrap it around her shoulders.
The Lord's word for me this last little while has been focus and the desire of my heart is to keep my eyes fixed upon Him.
Can I look at Him and not the obstacles in my path, hearing His call, His command?
Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go Joshua 1:9 Amplified
Strong and vigorous? There may be times I could be called strong in spirit or vigorous in faith but surely not often enough. As for the skin this spirit inhabits, vigor and strength have been absent for far too long.
Focus. Fix your eyes.
To the driving melodies of gypsy guitar I pedaled on our new recumbent stationary bike. Stiff and sore I relied on His promise to be with me. As my temperature and heart rate began to rise I found a new rhythm of breathing, almost like prayer
What I can't do, You can do
Fix my eyes on Him not my pain
Courage will triumph over fear
I repented of being hindered by both sides of the same cloth, fear of failure and fear of success
What if I can't keep cycling for twenty minutes? What if I can?
What if my written words never reach into another's heart? What if they do?
What if God's promises aren't true? What if they are?
Twenty-five minutes I cranked the pedals and fixed my eyes. Stepping away coated in a shine of sweat, I found myself both weaker and stronger, two sides of the same cloth, but wrapped in His love.
The new kittens we are raising as barn cats have started exploring the vastness of the world around them. I can't help but think of God's Words to Joshua...
Have not I commanded you?
Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous.
Be not afraid, neither be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
For those of you who are regular readers here, you should already have a sense that the desire of my heart is to live an authentic, transparent life as I journey the path our Lord has called me to.
When I heard that I had been blessed by Dan King (bible dude) with a free copy of Veneer Living Deeply in a Surface Society by Timothy Willard and Jason Locy I knew this was a book I needed to read. The back cover hints at the riches inside:
Our lives are full of scars, quirks and insecurities we have learned to hide in favor of a more glamorous veneer we hope the world finds more acceptable. This is the modern tragedy. We have forgotten that like the stress-lines and fractures of antique wood, these imperfections in our lives make us beautiful.
Abundant living is more than a wall-post existence. Rich relationships are more than trends, status updates and group invitations. But neither are possible until we allow ourselves to be fully known, imperfections and all. Only then will we come to experience the life we are meant to live.
Willard and Locy deliver truth as they not only describe the problem, but offer advice on how to take off our masks and live stripped of our veneers.
A relationship of intimacy requires courage, the ability to look past uncertainty and see what could be. Courage looks beyond our fears and permits us to express feelings that lead us towards intimacy. It requires courage, for example, to confess to your wife that the distance in your relationship is driving you to depression or even an affair. It requires courage to tell your friend that she's headed for a fall with her family if she doesn't make serious changes in her work life. It requires courage to admit and to confont. But the wounds from a lover are worth it."
I want to live with that kind of courage and the cry of my heart is that others would make that same choice.
With books like Veneer to help us along the way, perhaps my dream will see full flower.
