Another summer of camp has gone by (how's that now?) and I find myself sitting once again where my heart is at peace and rest at my keyboard. Instead of a blank slate awaiting a new story, however, there sits in my files, waiting to be opened, a mess of a first draft. "There is no limit to how rough a rough draft can be." So they say. That's a relief, because wow, what a mess I've made.
I was grateful for the break after finishing the first draft. A summer full of smoothie-making in the coffee shop, pushing myself physically even when I didn't feel like I had it in me, deep and hard conversations that ended in light, and a constant dependence on the Holy Spirit to get me through each day. I was stretched and I grew and I helped others to grow. I can ask no more from God's plan for my life.
One day I was telling a friend about the process I went through in coming up with the idea for this book and writing it, and I realized I started writing it at the end of February and finished the first draft in the beginning of June! This thing is inspired and made possible only by the grace of God. I'm excited to get back at it. I've already received some good feedback from my beta readers and have some good ideas on how to move forward. This second draft WON'T kill me.
It must get renamed though. I'm working on a new title and would welcome suggestions.
It may take some time for me to make the mental shift from crazy summer camp, which is all consuming and pulls me away from what's going on in the world, to get caught up on what's happening out there. When I heard Trump met with Putin alone for two hours my first thought was, "I hope, for the sake of the world, that my story isn't prophetic." My second thought was, "How is that ever, ever okay for any politician, let alone arguably two of the most powerful politicians in the world?!" The word "politician" seems like a pale description for those two men.
So before I dive into editing, I must read, and read, and talk to my beta readers, and read some more. Thanks for reading.
