Speaking about Serendipities

Last year I did research for a radio article about Israel’s struggle for Independence, and stumbled upon “Machal” – overseas volunteers who fought in Israel’s War of Independence.

Reading about those wonderful people whose WWII experience was such an important asset in all areas of Israel’s survival, something ‘clicked’ inside of me. I longed to know more about those people. I wanted to write a novel about them.

But in order to give the characters enough back story, I had to go back to 1938, and that’s where the series starts. The Machal part will probably only introduced in part three ~ a long way to go yet.

You can read the text of the radio article about Machal on the “For the Love of History” blog. Even though the Machal novel is still a long way ahead of me, I'm constantly on the look-out for interesting information, that is added to the ever growing Machal file.
Lately, the Jerusalem Post published several articles from Zipporah Porath, excerpts from her book. Since last year, I kept a printout of the flyer on file, thinking that I would order the book when the time came to dig deeper into research.
But this week I felt I should order Zipporah Porath’s book “Letters from Jerusalem” now.
Thus, I send her an e-mail, and a wonderful correspondence began. She linked me up with a friend who happened to live very close to us, from whom I obtained the book.

Many ideas to help Zipporah find an audience to share her first-hand experiences have sprung up, and I’m excited to with the prospect of so many possibilities. More info about her book will be posted on my website, on the book review page.

It’s so amazing how God leads!

An Encouraging Rejection

After I sent out the Dutch manuscript to several Dutch publishers, a few of them responded rather quickly. One wrote they didn’t have fiction in their fund, another they couldn’t use the story, and the last one was another rejection, albeit an encouraging one.
This is what they wrote:
"Several of our editors have reviewed your MS and all agree that your MS is of good quality. We enjoyed reading it and are sure there is a market for it. However, we had to reject your MS because we don't carry this genre in our fund."

They further wrote they hoped another publisher would accept the MS, and even gave me another Publisher's name they knew carried my genre in their funding. (That one already wrote me they couldn't use it.) Now I'm waiting for the last two (big Dutch publishers) to respond. On the English front: This month I expect the result for the Rose and Crown (Sunpenny) Novel competition. I sent them 2 manuscripts.

I shared the news with Mary Rosenblum, Web editor of LongRidge’s e-newsletter, and she commented as follows:

"Ah, aren’t those near misses frustrating, Petra? But it means you’re close. And she is also working on other projects. Petra, you are a busy writer! Way to go, girl!"

The boy who lived up to his name

Since Na’il’s death, three months ago, my life has changed in so many ways.

Mourning takes time, that’s what I’ve experienced. I’m easily overwhelmed by seemingly small things, and thought that writing about the 12 years that Na’il lived with us, would be a matter of a few weeks. But there were days I just couldn’t handle the overwhelming emotions and had to leave the manuscript for what it was. There was no deadline, and nobody told me to hurry up and finish it. I was the tyrant who wanted to have this project finished, before continuing with the novel that had been on hold since February.

Reading through old newsletters in order to remember the highlights, was tiresome and exhilarating at the same time. Because I now saw the overall picture, I realized God’s grace and strength during the often difficult and challenging years, in which one crisis seemed to follow on the heels of another. But we didn’t have a choice, thus we grit our teeth, and went on.

The raw version of the book about Na’il’s life is posted chapter by chapter on the website, and I’m now proofreading and editing the printout.

When I’m satisfied with the end product, we’re going to print it ourselves and those interested can order it via mail. At the moment I don’t know how many pages the book will be. In order to keep the cost as low as possible, the book will be printed in black and white, but include two pages with coloured photos.

Slowly, hesitantly, I’m inching my way back to continue with my stalled novel.

Taking the Plunge

I sure did last week! Having two book manuscripts ready, (in English) I figured I wouldn't loose anything by entering a writing competition. Not only could the winners earn a monetary prize, but their novel would be published as well. The Biblical/historical novels fit their category, and so I sent them off. At least now they will be read by professional people and what's more, I won't have to wait for months on end to get the results: these will be posted already in May!

The Dutch translation of FIRST FRUITS IN JERUSALEM was also ready to be sent out, so there I took another step in faith, and sent them to several Dutch publishers as well. The 'waiting game' is always the hardest part, but like the professionals taught me - I just have to continue writing as always.

Depending on what's happening in my life (I'm still mourning our precious son) I've noticed that gradually things are returning a bit to 'normal', and I find myself able to concentrate better.

I'm networking with more people worldwide, (good for exposure) and see what doors the Lord will open up next. For now my greatest priority is the basic version of a book about Na'il's life on paper, which then will be translated into Dutch. Each finished chapter I post as an PDF file on the website, under Na'il's page. It pains me having to put my new novel on hold, but I can't work on too many projects at the same time, that drives me crazy. Even though people asked about a sequel to FIRST FRUITS, I feel the novel about WWII that's on my heart is important, especially with so much Holocaust denial sprouting up everywhere!
Step by step, day by day, we'll see how it goes.

Change of Course

I loved it - writing history pieces for radio, which I've been able to do now for over a year. As a history freak I like to learn about new places, background information about people and how things were in the 'good old times'. Very often I have to admit that I'm glad not having to live in those times, because they weren't good at all.

Each generation has its own challenges, and nowadays we're having to deal with too many major things at once. That part of the past - the slow pace, the 'simple life', having time for each and everyone, that is something I can long for.

But not too long, for back in the old days computers were unheard of, and I like my 'help-mate'. Especially when you have to research a subject - what is easier nowadays to Google your way around the world, instead of heading out for the nearest library.

Changes in the radio program were imminent, and they asked me to start writing general informational pieces about Israel instead. Speaking of change! But I decided to see it as another learning opportunity to hone my writing skills. It also broadens my horizons, this time into the present. Now I'm scanning the newspaper each day in search for interesting subjects about Israel to share with the world!

Found a great website with POSITIVE news about Israel too: http://www.israel21c.org/

So, that's my latest writing avenue, together with working on the book about Na'il's life and my novel, which I hope to revive from hibernation soon!

Delivering the Goods

In a bold mood I sent a history column proposal to an editor, together with 4 sample pieces and was stunned when he immediately responded. Yes, he was interested in a piece about the medieval carnival practices in Italy.

But… then he turned the tables on me by requesting a broader scope on the subject. And if I please could present him with a woodcut or pictures for the 1400 word article, possibly a 2 page feature, in the international magazine. There was no payment, only a by-line, but hey, this was a great opportunity! I was thrilled, but faced a terrible dead-line: I had only 1 day!

Frenzied research gave me the additional information and I managed to send the article in time. Got a “Thank you, I got it,” and that was all.

The article I sweat on was never published, and my ‘pay’ consisted of a nasty migraine the day after. This experience taught me that I should be ready to deliver the goods and ask myself beforehand if I would be ready (and willing to spend my precious time) to go the ‘extra mile’ if the editors should ask me.

So much for ‘boldness’ towards editors!
Writing the article was good exercise and I also learned a lot of things I dind’t know about that time period. But I could have done the same in a different way, without the anxiety/stress related migraine, by which I lost another writing day.

Looking back, I knew that this ‘urgent’ opportunity (at least, that’s how I saw it) had pushed away the ‘important’ ones that needed to be tackled too.
My priorities had been all wrong, and what might have worked for someone else, for me had been a disaster – I can’t handle too many jobs at once, that’s too stressful.

Kristi Holl writes in her book “First Aid for Writers” that different personalities need different working styles. She advises us to slow down and get more done, get ourselves out of the time pressure trap and invent our own rules, based on what we feel works for us, not what works for others. We should find and create our own natural writing rhythm that works for us!
Great advice to follow!

Got what I wished for

The year 2009 began with many surprises, and seemingly God wanted me to write more about our ‘children’s ministry’, as several doors opened ~ an anthology was interested in our story, a new e-zine approached me, and I was a bit frustrated that all those good things, forced me to put my new novel on hold. I was stuck at chapter 5.

Grumbling about my lack of time, and longing for more writing time, I finally had made peace with my ‘lot’, and accept the fact that God had called me to be a foster mum of special needs children first, and then a writer.

And then February 4 arrived and our world came to a complete standstill when our precious 14 year old foster son Na’il died very suddenly.
I’ve created a special page on my website in his memory and also a blog called “Celebrating Life”.

I had my wish – more time to write, but at a great loss.
My novel is still on hold, and I’ve decided to use this time of mourning to channel my grief through the stories, articles and devotions I’m planning to write.
My prayer is that it may be a comfort, encouragement and blessing for others to read. In writing about our special boy, I continue to share the blessing that he was to us and those who met him.