When Hurricanes Blow Away Your Writing Schedule (A Seriously Write Blog Post)

There is little out there more trying on the patience of a person than preparing for a hurricane. In the week to ten days prior to the event, you are watching forecasts, being told how big the storm is, how destructive it is. There’s the dizzying array of “spaghetti models” showing the storm going one way, then another, and another.

At first, Hurricane Irma was going to hit New York. Be another Sandy. Then, it shifted. The people of the Carolinas took notice. Yet again, it shifted. East coast of Florida. West coast of Florida. Then, right up the middle of the state.

During this time, people started to panic as Irma became the most publicized, advertised, and glamorized storm of all time. An estimated five million people headed north. For those who stayed, generators disappeared. Gasoline disappeared. Store shelves looked like Looter Central. I laughed when I went to our local store two days before the storm hit. Even when supplies are scarce, there were kinds of bread and certain types of paper goods nobody apparently wanted. A First-World problem, for sure.

But once you are as prepared as you can be, you still have to live through the storm. Bands of rains influenced by Irma swept across our area Saturday evening, Sept. 10. The outer bands got here on Sunday. By Sunday night, the winds picked up with gusts of 50-60 mph. The power went out at 1:23 a.m., ninety minutes before the eye plowed directly over our area.

By late Monday morning, the winds were still gusty, but the threats were gone, or so we thought. A fifty-foot oak tree that was already leaning toward our house had shifted at least two feet more, and the roots had uprooted partially. This was in addition to a shattered kitchen window suffered during the peak of the storm and what I estimate is 15-20 pick-up truck loads of debris scattered across our yard.

Our power remained off until Wednesday afternoon while heat indexes of 102 plagued our area.

Now (Saturday, Sept. 16), we’re getting back to normal. The Leaning Tree of Lake Thompson is gone. Tree service took it down Wednesday. About 60 percent of the debris is picked up and stacked out by the road, but I’m running out of lot frontage. The piles range from five to eight feet high and are anywhere from four to ten feet wide. FEMA trucks will pick it all up in about a month or two.

Oh, the window is fixed, too.

But one thing that still needs repair is my writing schedule. I’m a good 10,000 words behind, and finding time to be creative is at a premium right now. Especially when you are physically and emotionally drained. (And yet, we didn’t suffer anything like the folks in south Florida—Naples area—or those in Houston. Please pray for those affected.)

But like everything that is important, I’ll find the time. Somehow. Some way. I’ll figure out how to up my word count some days until I’m back on track. Why? Because that’s what writers do. They write. Even if it is only ten words.

And it will probably be awhile before I complain about all the usual, minor things I complain about that get in my way.

It’s amazing how life-changing events help to refocus our lives.

Maybe that’s why God allows them to happen.

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

Author Behind the Series - Dawn Kinzer

Greetings from Hurricane Irma-torn Florida! As I write this, Irma is bearing down on our state with winds of 130 mph. As the eye wall goes directly over Key West (there won't be much left when it's over), the outer bands are already striking central Florida. Other storms, influenced by Irma, are covering the rest of the peninsula, stirring up tornadic activity. I can only imagine what things will look like on Wednesday when this post actually goes live. It's been a chaotic week with gasoline shortages, food shortages, roads clogged due to five million people evacuating north.

Well, enough of the doom and gloom. We'll survive. We'll rebuild. We'll move on. Such is life in FLA. Like I always say, "What did you think you were going to get by invading a swamp and building house after house?" :-) 

I'm excited, though, to have as my guest one of my writing friends and fellow authors, Dawn Kinzer. We have never met face-to-face, but because of the wonderful world of the internet, we have gotten to know each other as I write blog posts for a serious writing blog called Seriously Write. Dawn is one of the five people who started it and have watched it grow over the years. Please welcome, Dawn!

Dawn, give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Dawn Kinzer?

I’m a freelance editor and author who believes the written word can change lives, and I’m doing everything in my power to prove it. I’m also a wife, mother, and grandmother. Favorite things include dark chocolate, cinnamon, popcorn, strong coffee, good wine, the mountains, family time, and Masterpiece Theatre.

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?

Prior to focusing on writing, I raised two girls and worked at a variety of jobs. Four years were spent with the sexual assault services in my county (advocate, support counselor, support group leader, community ed speaker, and assistant to the director). Following several years as a church secretary, I worked in administration for a large car dealership.

I didn’t get serious about writing until I was forty-seven (I’m now sixty) because I didn’t believe enough in myself. I later figured out that talent is part of being a successful writer, but most achievements in publishing come from having tenacity and the willingness to work hard.

For years, I’d sought God on what he wanted me to do with my life. I had a hunger to make a difference, and although various ministries and charities offered opportunities, I just couldn’t find the “thing” that felt right long-term.

But while co-directing a teen drama group at my church, I was challenged to write an original play with a friend. We ended up writing three full-length plays, and I knew then that writing fulfilled a creative need that nothing else matched.

A very varied life you have had. And with some similarities to mine (starting writing late in life, for example). Makes you wonder what would have happened if we started writing sooner, huh? What educational background do you have? 

I grew up in a small, farming town in Wisconsin called Prairie Farm. It was established in 1848, and the population has never gone over five hundred. The high school is the center of much of the town’s activities. My elementary school days were spent in the same building where my parents attended high school. Their high school band director was my high school English teacher—and she was amazing!

I graduated with a BS from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. I majored in biology and minored in chemistry. I loved science and thought I’d go into some field of medicine or research, but that never happened—long story.

Well, then, may I interest you in a book that could be right up your alley of biology? It's called The Serpent's Grasp, and it has received awards and many great reviews, and it has a bibliography! (Sorry for the shameless plug.) Okay, enough with the commercial, back to our regularly scheduled programming. 

You already mentioned you are married, have children, and have grandchildren (aren't they wonderful?). Do you mind sharing a little about this?

I experienced divorce after many years of marriage. But God carried me through that season, and I’ve been married to a wonderful man for fifteen years. I have two grown daughters and one grown stepdaughter. My oldest daughter has a little girl (18 months). My youngest daughter has a boy (3 ½) and a little girl (8 months). I LOVE being a nana, and I spend a lot of time with the two grandchildren who live in our area. My other granddaughter lives out-of-state, and time away from her is difficult. I’m so grateful for Facebook and Facetime because I receive photos and videos throughout the week.

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

Favorite Food: Popcorn – I could eat it every day. I never get tired of it.

Favorite Drink: Don’t judge me – red wine. I like the taste—seriously. (I always say, if it was good enough for Jesus at the Wedding in Cana, why not for us? My wife would agree, too. Moderation, moderation, moderation...)

Favorite Song: Currently it’s “Do It Again” by Elevation Worship because I know so many people who feel like they’re trying to move mountains in their lives.

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman because it helped me better understand my husband and children.

Favorite Bible Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). This has become my life verse because I have clung to it many times during difficult seasons of my life.

Favorite Movie: It changes all the time because I watch a lot of movies, but one of my recent favorites is Hacksaw Ridge because it’s a powerful and inspiring story of one man’s faith and determination to help others while standing on his principles.

Favorite Actor or Actress: Sandra Bullock takes on both serious and comedic roles, and I’ve never been disappointed in her movies.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers changed my life. It made me realize that Christian fiction could be rich without being sweet and sappy.

Favorite Novelist (other than you): Really? You’re making me answer this? LOL! It’s like picking a number one best friend out of a group of best friends. Okay, because of my previous answer, I’ll say Francine Rivers.

Favorite Sport: Martial arts. Years ago, I trained in Tae Kwon Do and got my red belt (the one below black belt).

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): Hey, I live in the Seattle area, so of course my favorite team is the Seahawks! (What about the Ducks? Is it hard to root for Oregon coming from the Badger state? Oregon is a fun team to watch.)

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: My favorite subject was English because I was an avid reader and enjoyed discussing literature.

Favorite Subject Now: Creative writing is my favorite subject because it’s a part of my daily life, and it’s still important to learn and grow in my craft.

Favorite Teacher in School: My English teacher, Mrs. Peters, challenged me and opened my world to the some of the classics I wouldn’t have read without her requiring it.

Favorite Time of the Year: Fall is the best time of year! I enjoy cooler weather (that we can still enjoy while spending time outside), the changing color of leaves, and having a fire roaring in the fireplace. (Amen.)

Favorite Place to Vacation: Even though I live in Washington State, I still like to vacation here. We have it all—the ocean, the mountains, and the desert.

  

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

I would choose Mother Teresa so I could learn more about having a true servant’s heart.

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? 

I would spend time with Mary, mother of Jesus. Years ago, I read the book Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. It helped me see and understand that Mary was very human—just like me. I think it’s easy for us to forget what a difficult position she was put in when she became pregnant. As a mother, I’d love to know what she felt and experienced as she brought Jesus into the world, helped him grow, and then had to watch him hang on the cross. I’d want to hear how her faith carried her through all those years.

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

After my first novel released, I was contacted by a woman who wanted to read it and write a review. It’s something she does on a regular basis for authors. But when I responded to her message, I didn’t hear from her. After a week had gone by, I tried to reach her again. She apologized for her lack of communication. She’d been going through a rough time, still grieving over the death of a young grandchild she was close to.

That unexpected admission opened the door to us having more conversation, and it gave me the opportunity to offer empathy, genuine care, and encouragement. The original connection was about a book review, but it turned into a greater purpose.

Connecting with readers isn’t just about books—it’s about building relationships with people themselves. Books can serve as a bridge to help make that happen. Unplanned opportunities to minister to people’s needs may come along, and I want to be open to them.

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?

To be honest, I read very little nonfiction that isn’t related to writing or publishing. But one book that has impacted my life is If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg. The book challenged me to face my fears, step out in faith, and face challenges, but to also accept that failure isn’t necessarily the end—it can be an opportunity to grow.

When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you?

I read a variety of genres, so I don’t zero in on a specific one. But, I’m a visual person, so covers are extremely important to me. If I don’t like the cover, I usually won’t look further unless I see a large number of positive reviews listed or someone I know has recommended the book. Then if the back cover copy piques my interest, I’ll read some of the reviews before purchasing.

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

The Bible verse is the same one that I listed as my favorite: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

This verse helped me keep going when I didn’t know what the future would hold.

Like many people, I’ve experienced some pretty rough seasons in life. I went through a divorce after twenty years of marriage. Because of it, I lost some friends, and some relatives were so angry with my decision (because they couldn’t understand at the time) that they didn’t speak to me for over a year. Friendships and family relationships were later healed, but it was very painful at the time. I was also trying to take care of two daughters who were hurting.

Several years later, I married my now husband who also had two daughters about the same age. We thought life was going to be good. But two months later, we lost his nineteen-year-old daughter in a freak car accident.

Eight months later, he was laid off from work for two years, along with thousands of other Boeing employees. He couldn’t get a job flipping burgers.

After he was called back to work, I thought all would be well, but three months later, he checked into a thirty-day rehab facility, and my world turned upside down again. He’s been sober for twelve years.

The first three years of marriage were difficult, and we’re very open about those experiences, but the following years have been filled with many blessings.

Other people have gone through far worse than what I have, but I know what is feels like to cling to hope.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

I write fiction because I truly believe in the power of story to comfort, challenge, and inspire. And because I’ve seen so many people struggle with finding purpose in different seasons of their lives—or have been afraid to pursue their dreams—those themes find their way into my writing. I understand, because I’ve struggled with them too, and I want to offer encouragement and hope through entertainment.

Dawn, I want to thank you for spending some time with us. And to all my readers, thank you for stopping by. If you'd like to get to know Dawn more, you can find her at these locations:

Dawn's Author Website

As well as Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and her Amazon Author Page.

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

Kevin

You can find Kevin @ www.ckevinthompson.com.

If the Bible was Submitted for Publication… (1 Samuel 31) - (A Seriously Write Blog Post)

I attended a Christian writers conference a few years ago. It was the first one for me. They had a contest wherein writers who wished to do so could submit the first three chapters of a manuscript prior to the conference. The submissions were subsequently handed off to faculty members when they arrived. The manuscripts samples were read, scored, and were given back to the attendees when they registered. The winners in each category were honored on the last evening of the conference.

I thought to myself, “My writing is pretty tight. I have a good chance.” So, I paid my contest fee, sent in my first three chapters, and waited. 

When I arrived at the conference, I received my manuscript packet. Inside, my three chapters were stapled together with a cover sheet from the editor of a publishing house who was charged with the reading of my work. This editor—being honest, I’m sure—wrote on the form, in the comment section these words: “Not suited for Christian market. Submit to general market.”

As you can imagine, I walked away a little discouraged. Borderline depressed, actually. What I thought was good writing for the CBA market had just been annihilated in nine words. As I walked away, I wondered why I was there. If my work is not suited for the CBA, then why stay at a Christian writers conference?

I wanted a reason. A note. A critique of how this conclusion was reached. But there were no comments about the level of the writing itself. No words of encouragement. No critique whatsoever. Just the editor’s name, the publishing house represented, and the comment.

Because there was no reason given, I had to speculate, and that’s the worst thing to do when you’re depressed and discouraged. I concluded that people having affairs and subsequently getting eaten by giant sea serpents didn’t fit the scope of the bonnet and buggy crowd. And, I thought, because this editor only got to read the first three chapters and not the entire manuscript, the redeeming value of the story was missed.

Now, here I sit, reading the last chapter in 1 Samuel. A book in the Bible, no less. And the gore depicted in this story rivals, probably exceeds, anything I’ve written.

This chapter describes the demise of King Saul. The Philistines had already killed his sons, and now, Saul asks his armor-bearer to “run him through” with his sword so that his enemies cannot torture him. Saul’s armor-bearer refuses, so Saul takes his own sword and commits suicide. Terrified, the armor-bearer does the same thing.

The carnage didn’t stop there. The Philistines went through the region, occupying towns and taking any and all possessions. They even raided the dead bodies fallen on the battlefield. When they come across King Saul and his three sons, they stripped them of their armor, then beheaded Saul’s dead body. They sent news via messengers throughout the land, no doubt, using Saul’s head as the proverbial king’s seal of authenticity.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Saul’s armor was taken, along with his body, to the Philistine temple of Ashtoreth. There, his armor was put in the temple (v. 10). And to top it all off, Saul’s body was fastened to the wall as a sign to the worshippers that Ashtoreth was supposedly greater than the God of Israel.

This was reprehensible to the people of Jabesh Gilead, so they entered the temple, removed Saul’s body, burned it, and then buried the bones (vv. 11-12).

I guess God should have written this for the general market.

Oh, wait. He did.

Hmmm…

And therein lies the rub.

As a writer, it’s easy to write Christian novels that ooze with Christianese and always end “happily ever after.” Everybody gets saved, finds God, gets filled with the Holy Spirit, wins the girl of his dreams, finds the man of her dreams, or whatever. When I say “easy,” I mean Christian publishers always look for these kinds of stories because they sell. But interestingly enough, that’s not how the Bible was written. Yes, there are the romantic suspense stories of the Ruths of the Bible. There are the dramatic stories of the Marys. However, the Bible doesn’t contain those kind of stories only. God chose to write stories depicting people, godly people at times, with all their spiritual warts, psychological scars, and psychopathic tendencies. Sometimes, committing horrendous atrocities.

And the most important thing to remember is that God wrote the Bible so that others could be saved.

Imagine that. People can get saved reading about violence and sin…so long as the violence has a redeeming purpose and sin is sin.

So, for those of you who write stories that don’t involve Amish women or historical figures of the wild west who hate each other in the beginning (but you know they’ll end up together), take heart. There is a place for your story in the plan of God…so long as there is a redeeming purpose in the pages. So, be patient and keep writing. God will take care of the rest.

Oh, and by the way, about those first three chapters I mentioned earlier…they were the first three chapters of my debut novel, The Serpent’s Grasp. This novel won the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference’s 2013 Selah Award for Fiction-First Novel and was a finalist in Foreword Review’s 2012 Book of the Year Awards in the Science Fiction category.

A publisher picked it up at that same conference referenced above.

It was a good thing I stayed, huh?

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

The Author Behind the Story Series - Darlene Franklin

Well, school's about the start down here in the south. From August 10th on, you will hear collective cheers as parents drop off their children and head for the closest Starbucks. It's amazing how school has become a surrogate babysitter, helping the sanity of many a parent stay intact.
"You're Welcome."

So, for you southern parents, I've got something you may want to read while you're sipping on your caramel macchiato with no whip. (For you northern parents, you have about a month left. So, go lock yourself in the bathroom with your iPad, and you too can read this.)

Everyone, please welcome to my Florida front porch, author Darlene Franklin!

Hi, Darlene! Can you give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Darlene Franklin?

My bio proudly brags that I write full-time from a nursing home! I have found my situation to be the best catalyst for growth that I’ve experienced for a long time. I’m also a reader, a mother and grandmother, a church musician, who loves to color pictures and do word search puzzles. I guess that’s more than 50 words.

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?

Do you mean before I included “writer” as a potential occupation when I was only 10 years old? That doesn’t quite count, because I sincerely believed I would be a missionary to Mexico as an adult.

I began writing daily when I was in my thirties, in the wake of a nasty divorce.

What educational background do you have?

I graduated from Cony High School in Augusta, Maine. After that I went to Northeastern Bible College and Southwestern Baptist Seminary.  I had been told that the most important qualification for a missionary was to know God’s Word. I had a double major in college—Bible/theology and music. I loved both subjects, but it left my other coursework very limited. At seminary I started out in music and switched to religious education.

The training definitely prepared for the ministries God has called me to. (I have been involved with missions to a limited extent, just not the way I hoped or envisioned.)  Nor have I been a preschool teacher or a Minister to Children. But I have always been involved with church music (became church pianist when I was twelve.) I started teaching children’s Sunday school when I was only fifteen.

So when I began writing, I wrote curriculum for children’s church and Sunday school. I’ve also written more than three hundred devotionals. Bible study is one of my passions!

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: rare steaks and hot caramel sundaes—but not together. Probably because I can’t get them by myself in a nursing home!

Favorite Drink: Most often drink: diet coke. Favorite drink: apple cider. I have rarely had good cider since Maine after high school.

Favorite Song: Any number of hymns! Of contemporary praise songs, songs like Blessed Be the Name and He Reins. I studied church music in college and played piano in church since I was twelve.

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Almost anything by Philip Yancey. I really relate to his approach.

Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:37-39 hands down. God loves me. Period. No matter what.

Favorite Movie: Beyond Lord of the Rings? Different movies for different times. Top favs: Fiddler on the Roof, Field of Dreams, Princess Bride, Casablanca.

Favorite Actor or Actress: I have never disappointed by Leonardo DiCaprio or Meryl Streep. About the time I watched (???), I realized DiCaprio kept surprising me.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Whip Hand by Dick Francis. The most suspense-filled novel (without being horror) and character driven story I have ever read. 

Favorite Novelist (other than you): Dick Francis, Charles Dickens. I waited with baited breath for Francis’s annual books. Unfortunately, they’re both dead.

Favorite Sport: baseball. I fell in love with baseball during the Colorado Rockies first season.

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): Denver Broncos and the OKC Thunder. Regional affiliations—and the satisfaction of finally winning the Super Bowl!

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: Music, Spanish, English. I did well in everything, but science and math was head learning and not heart learning.

Favorite Subject Now: Bible study and history. The passions drive my writing, not the other way around.

Favorite Teacher in School: Perhaps my Spanish teacher, who wanted me to become a translator. I grew up in Maine, where Spanish isn’t the second language. (French is.)

Favorite Time of the Year: Spring. New beginnings and the end of winter before summer’s heat

Favorite Place to Vacation:  The mountains. Oh, my beloved Colorado!

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

Maybe Mother Theresa—who was she before she became “Mother Theresa,” world-renowned spiritual leader? What led her to India? How did she keep going during the early years, when it must have so difficult?

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?

I might say Deborah—her take on the role of women in the history of faith! Or Abraham and Sarah, for the belief-defying faith. But actually I’d like to chat with Leah. She astounds  me. Jacob didn’t care about her at all, but she gave her sons names that resonate with hope. By the time it came to boy # four, she called him Judah, or praise. “This time I will praise God.” Unspoken: Even if Jacob still doesn’t love me. How did she do it?

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

My daughter’s suicide in 2008 was the first in a series of collapses that radically changed the direction of my career. I lost my daughter, my beloved Colorado, a job I loved, my mother, my health—my independence. I ended up in a nursing home.

As if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, the publisher I had written for stopped publishing. I wondered if God intended for me to stop writing. He didn’t. Instead, my career has exploded beyond anything I could have imagined!

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter. But God is good, and He always proves faithful, doesn't He? What’s the craziest thing you have ever done?

       

One of my craziest things was traveling by bus from Mexico City, where I had been a summer missionary, to my parent’s home in Maine by bus. I traveled everywhere by bus in those days.

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?

This is and isn’t my work. I was hired to write prayers to accompany the text to the upcoming 12 Month Guide to Better Prayer for Women. The texts, by prayer giants such as Andrew Murray and EM Bounds, challenged me and taught me so much. As I studied, I found my prayer life profoundly changed.

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

Romans 8:37-39.  God loves me. Period. I am free to live and not be afraid of my failures.

Darlene, it's been a pleasure to have you on Florida front porch! Where can folks find you out there in cyberland?

Here's my Website and blog. Here's my Facebook page as well as my Amazon author page. 

Also, my Twitter handle is @darlenefranklin.

Again, thanks so much for allowing our readers a chance to get to know you better.

Reader, Until next month, May God Bless You, and may you Bless God!

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com

Check out Kevin's latest book!

By-Laws, In-Laws, and Out-Laws (Exodus 18) (A Seriously Write Blog Post)

  

Sometimes you should listen to your in-laws.

I know. It sounds like crazy talk from a madman, but it’s true. Once in a blue moon, they may come up with some good advice. Like in the case with Moses and his father-in-law Jethro, for example.

Jethro came to visit and deliver to Moses his wife and children who had been living in Midian during the period of time Moses spent being God’s mouthpiece in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Upon his arrival, he became enthralled at how God was using his son-in-law. So, he decided to stay a while and enjoy “God’s presence and bounty.”

You know how relatives are.

One day, Moses took his place in the “judgment seat” and settled disputes amongst the people from morning ‘til night. Jethro witnessed this and made a simple, but astute, observation. “Keep doing this every day, Moses, and you’ll be dead before too long. You’ll wear yourself out.”

Good advice. At that time, the Israelites numbered over 600,000. That is a lot of disputes to settle for one man.

Jethro suggested to Moses an idea to take before the Lord. “Be God’s representative before the people. Teach them His decrees and laws. Settle the big disputes, but appoint God-fearing men as judges to settle the minor cases.” In other words, Jethro suggested a court system similar to what we have today. The judges would be the lower court system, and Moses and God would be the “Supreme Court.”

Moses liked the idea and made it happen. Two chapters later, the Ten Commandments were relayed to Moses. Coincidence? I doubt it.

Relatives can help give us ideas. Sometimes, they can even be good ones.

As a writer, those relatives you see as _____________ (You fill in the adjective here) can be the idea starter for a winning character.

What about the second cousin on your mother’s side who changes jobs every six months? You know who I’m talking about. Or that uncle with the bald head, beer gut, and annoying chuckle? Uh-huh. Gets on your nerves doesn’t it? Or what about your rich cousin? How did he make his fortune?

Remember “Jailbird Joey” from Back to the Future? I bet one of the writers was thinking of a relative when that character was inserted into the McFly family. Or what about the uncle in Home Alone who never wants to pay for anything but mooches off the McAlister family every Christmas? Got one of those in your family? Or Raymond’s cousin Gerard in Everybody Loves Raymond? Do you know a Gerard? Have a Gerard? Want to unload a Gerard?

Everyone has relatives that embarrass them, make them angry, frustrate them, make them proud, or cause them to step into the bathroom when that relative is spotted coming down the hallway. You know the one. You can remember what day, which store, and what aisle it was you ducked down when that relative circled the end cap.

There’s a storyline for a character there somewhere. There are emotions, personality traits, idiosyncrasies that can be used to deepen your characters. You just have to be careful. You don’t want to make it too obvious who it is you’re writing about. Family feuds are easy enough to start. Why make it effortless?

And who knows? Maybe that creepy cousin from your step-dad’s fourth marriage—the one who dresses in black and listens to Evanesence—is writing you into his sci-fi, horror, paranormal romance novel right now.

Yeah. You know the one.

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