The Story Behind Art (A Seriously Write Blog Post)

Do you read books or poems, hear songs, look at pictures or paintings, and wonder, how did the author come up with this? What does it mean? Is there some simple elegance to this piece? Or is there a deeper meaning hidden by my lack of knowledge about the origins?

Art is richer when you (the reader, the listener, the viewer) know the “backstory.” That’s why doing interviews as an author is so important, especially when you can peel back some layers and allow your audience to see you as a real person or how you come up with your stories.

I’ve been doing blog interviews for some time now, both as a guest and as the interviewer, but the importance of this concept was truly “brought home” to me recently.

We were listening to Sirius/XM radio on the way to the beach over Memorial Day weekend. They were doing a countdown of the Top 100 most influential rock-n-roll songs of all time. I’m not sure who put the list together, but like so many of these kinds of countdowns, I took issue with many of the selections as well as where some were ranked.

However, one particularly interesting part of this countdown was an interview they did with Robert Lamm, one of the members of the group Chicago. Leading into the next song in the Top 100 (I forget which number it was), they replayed an interview from some time back wherein Lamm explained how he came up with the name to the song, 25 or 6 to 4. Have you ever wondered how that song got its name? Me, too.

Lamm told the story of how—at the time he wrote the song—he was staying in an upstairs apartment with some immigrants from Europe in the Los Angeles/Hollywood area. It was early in the morning, and he’d been up all night, feeling the pressure of having to come up with songs that rivaled the ones found on the band’s debut album, which released in January 1969 with Columbia Records, and sold over one million copies. The band had just returned from a successful European tour and needed to complete the song list for the LP which would become Chicago II.

Lamm tells the story of how the music for the song came easy to him. Being the keyboardist for the group, this song actually started with a guitar riff. The rest of the notes flowed and were on paper quickly, but the lyrics? Not so much. He scribbled lines down. Some rhymed. Some still needed a match. He saw a bar across the street with “dancing lights against the sky.” There were airplanes, too, flying in and out of LAX. More dancing lights.

At one point, he looked at his watch. Squinting, he couldn’t tell exactly what time it was. At first, he thought it was twenty-five ’til four. Then, he said no, it’s twenty-six minutes until 4:00 a.m. “Is it twenty-five or six to four?” Noticing the line “25 or 6 to 4” rhymed with a line he’d penned earlier ending with the word “floor,” he jotted it down as well, thinking it would serve for now as a working title.

Soon, what Robert Lamm had was, in his words, “a song about writing a song.” So, when you click on the lyrics below and listen to the song itself, it just may take on a whole new persona. I know it did for me. Now, when I hear the song and think about it being “a song about writing a song,” the lyrics not only make perfect sense, but they almost seem comical.

Sometimes, simple is better than complex when it comes to art. Knowing the story behind the art is always useful, too. But what it does more than anything is allow the reader/listener/viewer to realize the Robert Lamm’s of the world are just like us. They struggle. They lie awake at night, trying to “think of something to say.” They feel the pressure of their last success pushing them to be better, to improve in their craft, not knowing “how much more they can take.” Yet, these are all things we, as writers, wrestle with every day. So, be encouraged. Who knows, maybe someday, you’ll write a book on writing a book.

I’ll bet it will look and sound very similar to the song below, as you sit at your computer, staring at the clock, wondering, “Is it 3:35 or 3:34 a.m.?”

Song Video (Live Version) of 25 or 6 to 4

Lyrics to 25 or 6 to 4

To see this article on the Seriously Write website, click on the following link: Click HERE!

Coming Soon!

The Serpent's Grasp!

The Author Behind the Story Series - Liz Tolsma

It's hard to believe summer is almost officially here (although for those of us in Florida, it's been here for a while). We started out as a tinderbox. Now we are about to start looking for Noah's Ark on the horizon. Dry one minute. Flooding rains the next. That's what we get for invading a swamp, I guess.

And should I note that we are nearly at the "six months until Christmas" stage of the year? Consider it a public service announcement. :-) 

It's also hard to believe that this is installment #6 of my Author Behind the Story series! How times flies!

This month, we want to welcome veteran author Liz Tolsma!

So, Liz, tell our audience, in 30-seconds or less, who Liz Tolsma is. Go!

I’m Liz Tolsma, a historical-writing, researching-loving, book-devouring, dog-crazy, gardening nut of an author who loves God, my high school sweetheart hubby, and our three children. I’m happiest in the woods or in or on the water – that is, when I’m not chained to my computer.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life?

The notion first struck me when I was in the fifth grade (I’m not saying how long ago that was), when my teacher told me she hoped I would be a published authress someday. Though my life took detours into school teaching and raising a family, it was an idea I couldn’t get out of my head.

Interesting. I too am in education. Makes me wonder how many authors have been accomplished educators, dabbled in it for a short time, or were in the middle somewhere before chasing this dream. Speaking of education, what is your educational background?

I started my college career at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania in the speech pathology department. After a semester, it was clear to me that wasn’t what I really wanted out of life, so I changed my major to elementary education and transferred to Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. I chose those schools because they were colleges true to the Reformed faith. It was important to me to have a solid Christian education before I went out into the world, to have a biblical foundation for the rest of my life. I’ve never regretted that decision, and I’m thrilled that my daughter is going to be following in my footsteps.

Are you married? Single? Have kids?

My husband and I were high school sweethearts who endured four years of long-distance dating while we were in college. We’ve been married for twenty-eight years, and God blessed us with three beautiful children through international adoption. Our oldest and only son is 22 and serves as a U.S. Marine. We brought him home from Vietnam when he was 5 months old. Our daughter will be a high school senior in the fall and came home from Korea when she was 3 months old. And our youngest daughter came home from the Philippines when she was 5 years old. She has multiple physical and cognitive delays. We call her our “lifer” because she’ll always live with us, but she brings us so much joy.

I’m going to give you a shotgun list of favorites. List your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite.

Favorite Food: chocolate

Favorite Drink: decaf Chai spice tea

Favorite Song: that changes from day to day. Right now, it’s probably Slow Down by Nichole Nordeman.

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Inside Out by Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck.

Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:37-39

Favorite Movie: Pride and Prejudice. The one with Keira Knightly

Favorite Actor or Actress: Tom Hanks

Favorite Novel (other than your own): That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child because I love so many!

Favorite Novelist (other than you): See previous answer ;)

Favorite Sport: baseball

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): My daughter’s high school volleyball team because they endured a tough, tough season with grace and dignity.

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: English and history

Favorite Subject Now: English and history

Favorite Teacher in School: Mrs. Rice, the teacher who inspired me to write

Favorite Time of the Year: fall

Favorite Place to Vacation: on a beach.

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus?

Mary. I’d love to find out what her life was like, raising a child like our Lord. It would be a fascinating discussion.

Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author?

I battled breast cancer at the time my first book was released and I was editing the second and writing the third. It taught me that I’m stronger than I thought I was and that I can handle the pressures of being a published author better than I thought I could. Even with the fatigue that came with my treatments, I was able to meet all my deadline. I also discovered that I have an amazing, supportive family who wants this for me as much as I want it for myself.

What’s the craziest thing you have ever done?

Lots of people thought we were crazy for going to Vietnam in 1995, just 20 years after the war. We were warned we would get a very chilly reception since we were going to be in Hanoi, in the north. Nothing could have been further from the truth. We were welcomed with opened arms and fell in love with the country. I'd like to do something even crazier some day and live there for six months or so.

Why do you live where you live?

I live in Wisconsin because this is where I’ve been since I was 8. My husband and I love the quiet countryside, the beauty of this state, and the changing of the seasons (though our enthusiasm for winter is waning the older we get). It’s hard for me to imagine myself living anywhere else.

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?

It’s hard for me to pick out one book. I don’t really read non-fiction, so I don’t have any “self-help” books that I’ve grown from, but I do read quite a bit of Christian fiction. The books always have such strong themes and messages, and I glean a little bit of knowledge about myself from each one. In the characters, I see myself reflected, and I grow and learn from that.

When you look for a new home, what are the things that are important to you?

It has to be in the country, on some acreage where I can’t see my neighbors. It must be warm and inviting, and something I could make my own. My husband and I aren’t against fixing up homes because when we’re done, then they reflect our own personal style. I have to have central air, solid surface counters, hardwood floors, and lots of storage.

Funny you should mention those things. My wife and I are in the midst of looking for a new home in a new location. We keep going back to the mountains of North Carolina in our searches, looking for many of the same things you listed. Of course, that's if a condo on the beach doesn't work out! And judging by your answers, you probably get that sentiment, too.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?

Romans 8:28, which reads, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” When I was struggling with infertility, the Bible study I was attending studied this verse one week. It was the same week that another woman just my age announced her second pregnancy and someone else asked for prayer for their 16-year-old niece who was pregnant. I had reached my breaking point, and clearly told God I thought this was all very unfair. The Holy Spirit brought this verse to mind, especially the words “all things”. I questioned him several times to make sure I understood that this meant absolutely everything in life, even infertility. He continued to emphasize all things. That’s when I was able to come to terms with the fact I would never have a biological child and was able to embrace adoption as the way to build our family.

Liz, it's been a pleasure having you as part of our Author Behind the Story series!

Readers, you can get or stay in touch with Liz in the following ways:

Her Official Website: www.liztolsma.com

Her Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/liz.tolsma.9

Her Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/LizTolsma

Her LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-tolsma-64992ab7?trk=hp-identity-name

Her Pinterest Page: https://www.pinterest.com/liztolsma/

Her Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/authorliztolsma/

(With all those pages, makes you wonder how she finds time to write, right?)

Hope everyone has enjoyed the time together with Liz!

Until next time, May God bless you and America, and may you and America bless God!

Kevin 

You can visit Kevin @ www.ckevinthompson.com

A Blake Meyer Thriller - Book 1

A Blake Meyer Thriller - Book 2

Kevin's Selah Award-winning Debut Novel
coming out in second edition June 22!

Confessions of a Middle School Administrator (An ACFW Blog Post)

Like many of my writing colleagues, I have two jobs. The one I had when I entered this crazy business we call “writing,” and the job of being an author, marketer, bookseller, and all the other hats we authors wear. For me, one is by day, and one is by night. The first one “pays the bills,” and I often hope the second one will usurp the role of the first one someday.

At least, that is what I’ve been saying since my first book was published. Because, you see, that wasn’t what I was saying when I was an unpublished author. When I was unpublished, my mantra was, “All I want to do is get published. It would be so cool to be a published author!” However, something happened to me once I got published and tasted the “published” fruit. It was good. So, I wanted a little more. Then, I won an award with that book and was given other accolades in other venues with the same work. And you guessed it. It was good. And I wanted a little more.

It’s not that I don’t like being an administrator (specifically an assistant principal in a public school setting). I like working with the kids. I’m not a big fan of all the politics. Nevertheless, I fully understand, albeit in a bit of a different context, what Jesus said in Matthew 6:24: No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. Of course, Jesus then went on to say, You cannot serve both God and money, speaking to the issue of who or what really has our undying and complete allegiance.

The concept of a split loyalty/faithfulness has application beyond the curse of money, though. It speaks to the issue of being divided. That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 12:25, Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. Notice its starts big (kingdom), then it gets smaller (city), then even smaller (household). Back in Matthew 6:24, it gets even smaller (the human heart). The point is, having a divided allegiance is counter-productive, and it doesn’t matter what those things or people are, fighting for your time, money, and efforts. It can be something like not being able to devote the time needed to keep a deadline, for example. It could be the bugaboo of having too many irons in the fire, burning the midnight oil, and simply forgetting about something until you’re reminded of it (like the writing of a blog article for ACFW, for example). 🙂

In our world as writers, many of us fight the “divided loyalty” battle. Probably the biggest fight is having the “two jobs,” but there can be others. How about writing vs. the every day, “we’ve got a birthday party coming up this weekend,” family life? How about writing vs. being a spouse? Writing vs. being active in your local church? There are so many things clamoring for our time and efforts. When you sit down and analyze it under the microscope of Jesus’ words, it seems almost impossible “to be all things to all people so that we might save some” (cf. I Corinthians 9:19-23).

However, in Matthew 6, the context around verse 24 gives this verse a different flavor. That’s why context is always king. Same thing goes for Matthew 12 and I Corinthians 9. Read the context, and it is clear. Amongst the battles of life, two jobs, money, family, even mere physical existence, Jesus tells us not to worry about the things you must have to survive and the things you need to get along in this life. If you seek His kingdom first, He’ll supply all those other things (Matthew 6:33). We must be the kind of followers of Jesus who produce good fruit. Not just with our writing. That’s only a part of who we are. If it’s all you are, then may I suggest you stop writing and seek God’s face? He has bigger plans for you than that.

Which is better? To sell a million books? Or to win five souls for the kingdom? I would hope we all would choose the latter. But I wonder how many of us would try and justify the former by attempting to marry the two into a gospelized justification for our writing careers: “I write my books in order to save people.” I’m not saying it can’t be done or isn’t done. I know books can be tools God uses to reach into the human heart. He does it all the time. The Bible being the best of the bunch! What I am saying is this: Make sure your allegiance is aligned properly. What Jesus was talking about was ownership. When He said “you can’t serve two masters,” he was speaking of a slave and his/her owner.

So, who owns you? God or your writing? If God took your writing away from you, could you survive? And what would you do with yourself?

Who owns you? God or your publisher? God or your editor? We would hope that if they are all Christians, everyone would be on the same page, right? But the Pharisees and Sadducees thought they were on the right track, too. We are so quick to throw stones at those groups of religious leaders when we read about them in scripture. Yet, I often wonder if we 21st century Christians don’t resemble them more than Jesus when it comes to the issue of allegiance and ownership. (Just another confession here, that’s all. Not pointing any fingers, except at myself.)

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:20 that we were purchased by God with the blood of Jesus. If God owns us, then we shouldn’t allow other things or people (writing included) to become our master, telling us what to do, when to do it, and causing our lives to be counter-productive to His kingdom cause. Our writing should be an expression of Who we serve, not a monument to what we serve.

To see this blog on the ACFW website, click on the following link: Read on...