Escape Reality
By SherritheWriter
  • Home
  • Escape Reality (Blog)
  • Science Fiction
  • Mystery/Suspense
  • Short Books
  • Non-Fiction

Fixing or Faulting?

8/31/2017

 
I have a question: why is it that Joel Olsteen and President Trump are the only people who can help the victims in Texas? From the kvetching I see on social media, you’d think these two individuals are the only ones who can do anything about it. There’s plenty of blame, finger pointing, and “they outta be doing more!” and “their excuses are lame and their leadership is a lie!” all over the place. But what are the people making these accusations doing to help? Are they doing anything? Or are they fault finding and spreading more anger all over the Internet to get attention?

I believe this is a relevant question, because I’ve seen a lot of this in my personal life lately. I hear a lot of talk about what should happen, but they want other people to make it happen. I’ve been in prayer and had several conversations with people about this, and it came to me that it boils down to laziness: they want others to act on their fear or expectations, but they don’t want to do anything to promote their vision. In fact, the people I talked to complained of experiencing the same thing. I even overhead somebody talking on the phone, and they hit at the heart of the matter when they said “If you know how to fix it, why don’t you fix it instead of complaining about it?”
That conversation ended quickly, and it’s time for many others to end too. Especially online!
You have no idea what the Lord has put on other peoples’ hearts. You may be talking about helping the victims in Texas, when the Lord is telling the person you’re talking to that they really need to help their co-worker in the next cubicle who’s struggling. And that’s the point: we’re too quick to assume that what I feel should be done isn’t what everybody needs to be doing. Remember that popular adage that we’ve found the center of the universe, and it isn’t you (or me, or anybody).  It’s a big world out there full of need, and it’s impossible for one person to be responsible to do everything. My job is to be obedient to the prompting on my heart, and to trust others to do the same – and this is the same for everybody under the sun. When we get into telling others what to do, we’re stepping outside of our domain and trying to play God in somebody elses’ life.

I think this is the reason why there’s so much anger and frustration all over the place. People don’t feel respected, and sadly, not everybody has the same capacity to brush it off and realize that it’s not really about them, and that other peoples’ missions aren’t their problem. If somebody is in your face to do something in contradiction to what you feel is your purpose, then it’s their problem to demonstrate how it’s in alignment with your purpose and you don’t need to take it personally or worry about it. If they can’t do that, perhaps they’re talking when they should be acting instead of depending on you to do what they should be doing.

Here’s a truth: when you get bossy, then you’re shirking your responsibility, and handing the power to them. That person now holds the keys to the kingdom. If they decide it isn’t their purpose, they can simply ignore it, and if other people are too lazy to more than nag, then it goes away. Simple as that.  It’s not a smart thing to do. How can you take control of your life when you relinquish it to others?

We all have things on our heart, and should be obedient to act on them. Perhaps we are prompted to give a word in season to others, but it’s critical to use the gift of discernment to make sure you’re planting seeds instead of handing them to others and telling them to tend to the planting and harvest. We do this by exploring our motives, to make sure they’re pure and right. This will keep us from getting out of our business and pushing our fear and desires on others when we shouldn’t. Remember, actions speak louder than words, and people are always watching so be unique and act your conviction. Words are everywhere folks, but action is much more rare.

And before you say “Sherri, you’re a hypocrite for giving advice on not giving advice!” well – you read this blog, didn’t you? You have a choice whether to take this as the word in season I mean it to be, or to take offence and get mad. And that’s the great thing about advice that this all boils down to: you can take it, or leave it.

That’s all today. Take care. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a wonderful weekend.

​Bye!
Picture

Expecting the Best (or, I've Upped My Standards So --)

8/24/2017

 
​One thing that’s pretty clear to me with mine and Rick’s birthdays this week is that a lot of people are fearful of aging. Or at least, I assume that they are, because it seems that from comments made that they want us to either feel bad, or to be scared of getting older. Well, speak for yourself, because I’m proud to have made it this long, and I feel better than I ever have.
 
I’d say speak for yourself, but what people say is a 100% reflection on them, so truly they are speaking for themselves, because I don’t accept this fear of aging. I choose to celebrate fullness of life, and to be happy about what I’ve accomplished and excited about what lies ahead.
 
Here’s a question I’d like to pose: why do people have a problem with expecting the best? Why is everything about being afraid of what might happen, or of loss? Why don’t we hold on to our youthful enthusiasm of hope for the future, instead of growing to fear it? I know we’ve all heard that at least 90% of what we worry about never comes to pass, which means all of that fear and fretting are wasted mental energy over a lie. I don’t have time for that, and neither do you.
 
I’ve heard the “be realistic” speeches. Here’s reality: I’m in better health now than I was in my teens through 30’s, because I finally learned the importance of taking care of myself. I don’t get sick nearly as much (knock on wood), and I feel better than I ever have physically and mentally  – so phooey on falling apart in your 40’s. It doesn’t have to be that way. We are prepared for future possibilities, but as Dad says, anything can happen, and worrying won’t change that. And that anything has as much capacity for good as it does for bad. You can wear yourself out with worry, or plan and then move forward hoping for the best. I choose expecting the best. It feels better, and it seems that life is easier and flows better that way.  
 
Believe me, I know reality. Life kicked my butt up one way and down the other in my mid to late 30’s, and I truly learned the meaning of “all I fear has come to pass.” But you know what else I learned during those years? That a bad attitude made it worse. My anger and worry did nothing but make the problems bigger, which meant they lasted longer. In short, I sabotaged myself, and that was a complete waste.  I could have handled things better and come out of that season faster if I realized sooner that fixing the world around me was directly connected to fixing myself. People kept telling me to get my crap together, and eventually I got disgusted enough that I did it – much to their surprise (and offense to some). I upped my standards so, as the saying goes, up yours.
 
I had to get that out. It’s been building up over years of working hard to get myself in order while clearly seeing that those who criticized me demonstrated that they don’t have the ability to follow their own advice. Sometimes, you have to get those frustrations out so you can move on. Ok, that one’s out, so here we go back on the sunny side --
 
My life isn’t perfect. There are still nasty surprises, unforeseen circumstances, and jerks around. But I have chosen to focus more on blessing and harvest than on anxiety and despair. My great aunt’s favorite Bible verse was Romans 8:28 that we know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord. Well, I do love the Lord, and I choose to believe that even the unpleasant things can work out for good in the end. And here’s the catch: the end isn’t here yet. While I breathe, I hope, and I still have more good years ahead with many exciting people and adventures. So no, I won’t live in fear of getting older. I'm filled with hope and excitement for the future. Heck, I’ve always been a late bloomer. I’m just getting good and started! Lasting things take time for preparation before manifestation, and I believe a breakthrough is here!
 
You can’t prove happiness; you can only reflect it through words and actions. And what I see around me is a lot of fear. I’m sorry, folks, but I do understand because I’ve been on a 10 year journey to overcome the worry demon myself. I just couldn’t live like that anymore. Joy on the Journey, the sequel to Battleground Earth that I’m working on, addresses many of these issues that drag people down, and how I’ve learned to handle them through prayer, Biblical study, wisdom through life experience, and therapy.  I see now that the world desperately needs this book, and I’m going to bring it to completion after I publish the last book of The Earthside Trilogy, in 2018 or 2019, if the Lord wills. In the meantime, if you need a guide on how to improve your mind, I highly recommend The Secret, The Power, and Own Best Friend. These books changed my perspective, and are in line with many other titles I’ve read (Christian and secular) on the power of positive thinking.
 
That’s all today. Take care. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a wonderful weekend.
 
Bye!

What You Don't Know

8/21/2017

 
​Timing is a funny thing. It’s ironic that my devotional today, the day after probably the two biggest Game of Thrones shockers ever, was on how preparation are done in secret, but manifestation is often a big surprise to the people around you.
 
This is true. How many times have you had the oh sh** moment when you learned that the person or thing you took for granted – or let go of – was the one thing you needed the most? It happens. And while Littlefinger’s advice to Sansa Stark a few episodes back that “everybody is your friend; everybody is your enemy” seemed like paranoia in excess, there was some wisdom at least in acknowledging that you may not know as much as you think you know, and to expect anything.
 
We thought nothing could kill a dragon, until a well thrown magical ice-sphere by the Knight King took Viscerion down (it looked like the green dragon, which would be him). And while I at least suspected that the Knight King had or would have an ice dragon, I never imagined he would take one from Daenerys. We knew the Knight King was bad, but not THAT BAD. Oops. Then again, plenty of foreshadowing was there, but just as in real life, sometimes we’re so set in our mindsets that we don’t see the signs that perhaps we’re wrong, and are shocked to find out we are. It just goes to show that nothing is impossible, and this can work for good or ill. We’d be wise to remember that we don’t know it all, and to not be too sure of things.
 
The other shocker wasn’t as obvious to us, because we saw it developing through the series. We knew Arya was training to become an assassin – but Sansa didn’t. To her (and everybody else in Winterfell), Arya was the insignificant baby sister who wouldn’t fall in line. When she returned, they figured nothing had changed and she was still a minor nuisance to be managed, but we knew that was no longer the case (if it ever really was). We know Arya worked long and hard to become what she was, and had used her skills to avenge her family by wiping out House Frey. We know Arya’s powerful, and now that realization is horrifying those who assumed that she was doing nothing more than taking up space. What’s more, is what Sansa and Littlefinger discovered is just the tip of the iceberg. Oops. And how many times have we been surprised to find out that somebody wasn’t who we thought they were? Or that we needed them, but they didn’t need us because we’ve dismissed them until they learned they’re better off without us? That can be scarier than the unexpected. To find out that somebody who you dismissed as nothing is significant in ways you didn’t realize can be more terrifying than a dragon incinerating your army. Relationship shockers are more devastating than circumstances. And this is a more likely threat in our “I’m so busy!” world that’s quick to dismiss anything that isn’t immediately relevant, and where everything comes down to WIIFM (“What’s in it for me?”).
 
My devotional hit the nail on the head this morning. Most things do develop in the little things of the humdrum of everyday, and we’re surprised in the BOOM of manifestation, when in reality it’s been building up for a long time and we’ve been too busy to notice the signs. We’d be wise to be more like Brandon Stark who, as the Three Eyed Raven, knows all of this, but only reveals what’s relevant to dealing with the “big picture” so people will act toward the greater good instead of getting bogged down in petty things that they don’t know how to decipher.
 
You never know if what you know is true. This means anything is possible, which can be good, or bad. It’s up to us to keep our minds and eyes open for potential, especially in places where it might not be expected.
 
Use it for good, folks.
 
That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.
 
Bye!

2.5 Minutes

8/20/2017

 
For 2.5 minutes tomorrow, I pray that we can forget our rage, fear, and hate. I pray that worldly chaos will fall behind it's own shadow while we observe a miracle of the universe that we live in. I pray that the light that emerges after this 2.5 minutes of darkness will bring the perspective of the unfathomable reaches of creation, and the light of what a blessing it is to be a part of this magnificent creation. Sure, we'll go back to our sufferings, complaints, and protests. That's human nature, and it's impossible to overcome without Divine intervention while we live in this world. But for at least 2.5 minutes, I pray that we can overcome it to realize that we are a part of something much bigger than we can imagine, and that love and kindness will reach across that picture a lot more than the selfish fear that we so often see on the ground around us. For 2.5 minutes, we'll look up, not down or around - and perhaps we should take that as a lesson on how to live from here through eternity.

Happy viewing, folks, and have a great week. 

Picture

What the Eclipse Is - And Isn't

8/19/2017

 
Eclipse mania is running wild in Columbia, SC! Tomorrow, millions of people will know why we're referred to as "famously hot" as they flock here to view a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event. Today, I'd like to talk a bit about what the eclipse is, and isn't: 

The eclipse is an exciting astronomical event. Truth is, they happen all the time, but it's rare for a full eclipse to pass over so many populated areas. The swath it's cutting across the United States really is amazing. So I see why all the excitement. 

The eclipse is not the wrath of God or the end of the world. It's a shadow, folks. They happen all the time - this one is just bigger and more rare than most. If anything, the eclipse is an example of the wonderful universe that God created, and the amazing things that happen in it all the time that we don't see. If this is happening here, can you imagine the wonders out there? Too bad NASA isn't better funded --

The eclipse is a once in a lifetime event - and it happens to fall on Rick's (my husband's) birthday! Happy birthday, Rick! All of this excitement on your big day! Yay!

The eclipse is not the harbinger of the strange or paranormal. I do have one favor to ask of my South Carolina readers on Monday. IF YOU SEE THE LIZARD MAN, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. Please, no. People go there every time they have a chance, and it makes us look like stupid rednecks. Let's not do that. I know Monday is some kind of anniversary of his first sighting but please, let that crap go. This is something amazing and different. Be classy, folks.

One more note to those of you coming to South Carolina to view this amazing event: fall is coming to some places already. This isn't one of them. We do have four seasons: November, December, January, and summer. We're in the "bowl" between the Atlantic Ocean and the Smoky Mountains, meaning humidity gets all too real and summer lasts a LONG time (which is alright by me; I don't like the cold). It's been in the high 90's with heat index in the 100's. If it really cools down 20 degrees when the eclipse happens, then we may quit sweating for two and a half minutes! Otherwise, it'll be more like the video below.

I just wish people were always this excited over space. If they were, then perhaps we'd have made it to Mars by now. Then again, Mars is on the opposite side of the sun right now in case you're wondering, which you probably weren't because nobody's paying attention to that right now - or the Cassini space craft going into degrading orbit at Saturn. I wish there were more interest in space outside of scifi but alas, it is what it is, and we're focused on our problems right here on this rock. If it doesn't come to us, we don't see it. Aliens could land and we wouldn't know it until they were here - oh wait, I wrote that story and Book 3 is coming out next winter! 

That's all today. Take care, have a great weekend, stay cool, be careful out there, and enjoy this historical event - and Rick's birthday! 

Bye!

Why I Don't Discuss Currents Events

8/14/2017

 
Because, as a friend at church so eloquently put it recently, opinions are like buttholes: they stink.
 
That’s what it really boils down to. It’s not that I don’t care; it’s that I took to heart the advice that my high school psychology teacher gave me before graduation. That advice is that are two issues you can’t discuss without eventually getting into an argument, so it’s best to stay away from them until you really know people: religion and politics. I’ve found that this is true, and you’ve seen the evidence all over social media after last year’s Presidential campaign. People are firm in their beliefs when it comes to their faith and political leanings, and will staunchly defend their opinions. The problem is that opinions are subjective, which means that to somebody, somewhere, yours will fall into the butthole category. Sorry, but you aren’t the center of the universe, and who can say whose right? It’s a big world out there and remember the lessons we learn from fiction: everybody has justification for their beliefs and actions. The villains don’t believe they’re the villains because in their mind, their intentions are as noble as anybody else’s’. And, as I pose in so much of my writing, who’s to say who’s the bad guy?
 
That’s just it: both sides believe they’re right and you aren’t going to talk anybody out of what they want or how they think. We’re all entitled to our opinions, no matter how good or bad they smell to others. The key is using discernment in when, if, and how to share them. And frankly, there are enough people talking on Twitter and Facebook that there’s no point wasting my voice in the conundrum of noise there anyway. As an evangelical Lutheran, a political moderate, and a writer, my opinion is sure to piss off people on both sides of the issue. In fact, the only place my opinion seems to be valued is in my fiction writing, on Goodreads, and in my Reader’s Favorite book reviews, once again proving my theory that drama is better placed in fiction, which makes it more entertaining than reality. Because nobody wants drama in real life. It makes for good entertainment in books, TV, and movies, but it sucks in reality. Better to see the reflection than the real thing. When crap gets real, that’s when it truly starts to stink up your whole life. No thanks. Keep the stink on the TV or Kindle screen, and freshen up reality with the sweetness of health, prosperity, joy, blessing, and favor.
 
So there you have it. Do I have an opinion on the threats of nuclear and race war? Absolutely, and I’ve discussed it with those closest to me who can handle it with appropriate discernment. But I’m not interested in adding to the stink out there. There isn’t enough Lysol in the world for the funk of opinions littering the airways, anyway.
 
That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.
 
Bye!

Dear Universe - Declaring My Desires

8/9/2017

 
They say you should boldly declare your desires to the universe to move toward manifestation. I'm more a "Will of God" type myself, but I don't think it hurts to make what's on your heart known, especially if you do it in a unique and creative way. Today has been filled with so much hectic, chaotic energy, that writing a journal story about just that seems like a good idea. So I'll do this in my own style. Here, I share with you my journal story for the day. It's titled $1.40, and I hope you enjoy it. 

$1.40 
“You can’t be serious,” I glared at the soft drink machine in the office kitchen blinking VEND. “I use you once every three or four months, and you fail me now?”

I pressed the coin return plunger. No response.

“Great, I barely had enough change for that!” I said, kicking the machine. It had been a hell of a day, and of course the vending machines decided to act more like slot machines today – and obviously, I lost!

Smoke swirled around the machine. A small man in a robe and turban appeared.

“Hi Sherri, I’m the genie of the overworked and underappreciated. I’m here to grant you three wishes.”

"What?" I asked.

“Three wishes, before someone shows up. It’s your lucky day.” He glanced at the clock ticking loudly against the wall.
“And – go!”

“Ok! Bless and grant favor on my family, birds, and friends. Bless our homes and hearts.”

“An outstanding wish. Done. Second wish?”

“I want a breakthrough with my writing. Help it to succeed and for me to make a full time living off of it as a respected author with a trusted readership whose blessed and inspired by my books and stories.”

“You’ve worked hard on your writing for many years and are very talented. The world needs to see it and your breakthrough is granted. Third wish?”

I smiled. “A robot maid to clean the house, tend the yard, and cook our meals!”

“That’s an interesting wish. Done.”

“Wait, how do I know all of this is done?”

“Wait for it –“ he said.

My phone chimed with messages. I tapped my watch.

Credit Union Alert  – Deposit alert! High balance deposited in your account.

Text  – Sherri, this is Rick. Have you seen our bank account? I forgot all about this virus I’m getting over when I saw it. I feel great!  I’m ordering pizza for supper. With this balance, I think we can afford breadsticks! By the way, there’s a robot cleaning the house. Zack and Chloe are screaming at it, and Bubbles is chasing it.

Email – Sherri, this is Netflix. We got your email from Amazon, where we saw your high book sales. We’re interested in making an original Netflix series out of The Earthside Trilogy. Reply if you agree and we’ll draw up a contract.

“Wow!” I hugged the genie. “Thanks, office genie!”

“No problem,” he mumbled against my squeeze. “You’ve worked hard for a long time and deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Congratulations, Sherri. You haven’t been forgotten. You do have hope and a future. Everybody does.”
Smoke swirled as the genie drifted back into the machine.

“What about my drink?” I asked.

“You can’t have it all,” his voices wafted through the kitchen. “Enjoy your blessings.”

​I shrugged as the kitchen descended into the hum of the lights and the ticking of the wall clock. Oh well, I couldn’t complain about the drink. I got a lot for $1.40 today!

What to Do With Failed Novels - Writer Advice

8/4/2017

 
​I saw an interesting Goodreads post recently asking what to do with the fragment of story ideas that can’t be developed into a full blown novel. It’s an interesting question that writer’s have, because we often get a burst of a great idea, only to have it fall flat in the developmental stage. In pondering this question, I came up with a few ideas for what to do with those scraps of ideas that won’t leave you alone, and won’t develop either. Writer’s take note: novels aren’t your only publication option. Here are a few ideas to dust off those unfinished stories and put them to good use:
 
Keep a writing journal. This was the suggestion I posted on Goodreads, because I got the impression that it was a new writer posting the question and wanted to share this brilliant idea that I picked up from Pinterest earlier this year. The idea was to keep a journal, but instead of a traditional one, fictionalize an indecent that’s in your mind, and create a flash fiction or short story around it. I created a file on my computer for my writing journal with folders for each genre, because the idea really took off with me. I absolutely love it, because writers have so many flashes of inspiration, but not all of them are good enough for a story on their own, and this gives them an outlet. I save my short pieces by genre with a title and date, so I can go back to them if I get more ideas to develop them in the future which, incidentally has already happened, as I used a journal story from February for the prologue for The Tenth Dimension. Just because it doesn’t stand on it’s own doesn’t mean that you won’t find a purpose for it later, either to develop it more or to insert it as a scene in a bigger work.
 
Rewrite it as a novella, novelette, or a long story. This was another popular suggestion on that thread, with good reason. Quarantine and Resonance are fiction projects that are close to my heart, but I just couldn’t squeeze 50,000 words out of them. In time, I came to realize that not all stories are meant to go no. Some are compact and fit well in a shorter space all their own, and there’s a pretty good market especially on Kindle for these shorter works. Case in point: Hugh Howey’s Wool was a huge hit, and it logs in at around 10,000 words, so don’t discount the shorter stuff. See if you can simplify it into something more concise (eliminate rarely seen characters and flat secondary plots) and self publish it as a $0.99 tale to entice readers to check out your longer works (or to get a start in publishing and building an audience, if you’re just starting out). And FYI when new readers check me out, they often go for one of these shorter tales before investing in my full length novels.
 
Break it up into shorter pieces. If you’ve made significant progress and got stuck in the muddled middle, consider breaking the story into several different tales and posting them separately. A fiction tale can be divided into a series of related short stories, and a non-fiction tale can be broken down into shorter pieces as articles. I did this with my first failed attempt at writing a sequel to Battleground Earth – Living by Faith in a Pagan World back in 2005-2006. I had a draft of a full novel, but further reading and reflection made it clear that this was not a viable project and would need too much work to be publishable. Instead of scrapping it, I pulled the better parts from it into shorter devotionals that I submitted to magazines and websites, and many of those pieces were published. If it isn’t viable on it’s own, it may have a life as something different across several shorter works.
 
Not all ideas are great ones, but that doesn’t mean that something may not have a life of it’s own in a different incarnation. Don’t be too quick to give up when you get stuck. It may be that the idea that you started with has a life different from what you expected.
 
That’s all today. Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend.
 
Bye!

The Article That EzineArticles Rejected

8/2/2017

 
It's ironic - I submitted an article to Ezine Articles titled "Nice Girls Don't Write Scifi." It's about my experiences in publishing, and how Christian and fiction differ in surprising ways. I thought my unique perspective to be bold and courageous would be welcome. 

They rejected it. The official reason was that it was "too much promotion," but I've dealt with these traditionalists enough to read between the lines to see what they really were telling me: tone it down. 

Excuse me, but I think you missed the fundamental point of the article. It's supposed to be bold. It's supposed to expose uncomfortable truths. It's supposed to make you think, and perhaps even make you squirm a little. 

This is why I'm a fiction writer, folks. 

I guess they missed the final paragraph when I said that ebooks mean that writers don't have to beg for acceptance anymore. I certainly told them when I deleted it today that I was doing so because I intended to publish it, as is, in my blog. Yea, I have one of those, and nobody has a right to tell me to tone it down here. I'm nearly 42 years old, folks. If you haven't figured out by now that I'm laughing at your admonishments to settle down, then I'm not drawing you a picture. 

And so, without further ado, here's the article that Ezine Articles wasn't comfortable with. I hope you enjoy it. 

Nice Girls Don’t Write Sci-Fi
 
I started out as a Christian/inspirational writer, but switched to fiction in 2007. At first, it was an experiment to see if I’d like writing mystery and science fiction. I love reading these genres, and wanted to try my hand at writing them. Imagine my surprise when I found that people in the fiction were more gracious and supportive with one another than they were in the Christian field. In ten years of writing fiction, my fiction titles sold better, and I haven’t been criticized as harshly as I was during the three years that I wrote inspirational work. Editors, publishers, and readers were less judgmental and rude than they were in the field of Christian writing. It was ironic that I crossed paths with more of what people preached against inside the genre than outside of it!
 
I also have a tendency to express opinions that aren’t popular, which probably didn’t help. “Nice” is a word that has never been used to describe me. People tend to drift more toward words like “interesting” and “different.” That’s alright with me. I’m in my 40’s and have come to accept that I am who I am by the grace of God, and I don’t have to justify it or prove anything to anybody. People don’t realize that there are lions in the Kingdom along with the lambs. They don’t seem to know that dealing with the ugly people, situations, and emotions in life require action in addition to the prayer and supplication that they endorse. It seems the wider world has more patience with the shades of grey that permeate life than nonfiction does. What’s more, people take these messages indirectly a lot better than they do in a straight-forward matter. I’ve had more reactions, better sales, and better reviews from paranormal mystery and scifi than I ever enjoyed with Battleground Earth or the devotionals I published. It seems that people would rather read truth from a murder-mystery of the tragic consequences of a young woman fearing change (as in Move and Obsidian), or an alien invasion (as in The Earthside Trilogy) than in straight-forward advice on how to deal with fear, frustration, depression, anger, and grief in a way that leads to inspired action and getting your proverbial crap together.
 
There I go with those unpopular observations again. Then again, nice girls don’t write scifi. We live in a tough world, and sometimes the best way forward is to do something about the things that are causing problems in life. Sure, there are times for prayer and reflection. Timing is important, as is obedience to the Holy Spirit. But this isn’t a once-size-fits-all world, and different things call for different action. Sometimes, you have to set boundaries and stand by them. Sometimes, you have to be bold. Sometimes, you have to kick over convention and do something amazing and new to shock people out of the complacency of what they think they know to inspire new thinking and action. Sometimes, you have to be bold and courageous in ways that aren’t smiled on by tradition.
 
What’s right isn’t always what looks or feels right, and it takes a tremendous amount of discernment to know the difference. Our emotions can get us in trouble if we grant them more power than a measure of our thinking and reasoning. There are times when the Lord calls us to do a new thing, and it can be confusing. It can seem completely contradictory to what you know, because it isn’t comfortable. But sometimes, that’s exactly what we need: to get out of our comfort zone and shake up the world.
 
When life hurts, you can only take so much patting on the back and “the Lord has a purpose.” You have to move on to reflection and wisdom, and this takes action on your part. It’s alright to feel what you feel, but it isn’t alright to be held in bondage to it. You can’t be a lamb about all things. What you allow continues, and sometimes you need to breathe a little fire to burn off the chaff trying to take over your harvest of blessing. It’s alright. You can be bold and still be right. It’s a matter of motive and purity of heart.
 
I think this is where the lions have an advantage. Our higher energy and more direct approach to life are scary to some, but our contentment is undeniable. Still, we need advice on how to channel this energy correctly to make sure we don’t fall into dark territory. Mischief and silliness can be fun for a while, but it’s also close to a line that we don’t want to cross. Perhaps it would help if we were allowed a more gracious voice amongst the lambs so we can all find a balance.
 
Recently, I was inspired to write a sequel to Battleground Earth. I resisted it for a while because I was hesitant to return to a field that chastised me so harshly, and then I came to a realization: it doesn’t matter. I’m not a nice girl anyway; and if I can bring the supernatural forces, the apocalypse, and aliens to Earth, then the harsher scrutiny of the Christian/inspirational genre won’t be a problem. Fiction has helped me grow, and one thing I’ve learned is that this lion isn’t afraid to use her voice. That’s the good thing about the writing industry: it’s getting bigger everyday. I have to submit it to the publisher for Battleground Earth due to contractual issues, but if they reject it then I’ll be happy to self publish it, like I do everything else these days. Ebooks have removed the need to grovel for approval, which is a good thing because it increases options for readers. There’s room for everybody, and options for readers who want to hear what we have to share.
 
 

    Escape Reality

    By day, I'm a program assistant. By night, I'm an independent author. My fiction offers an escape from the reality of day-to-day life. See how my experiences lead to creating new worlds! 

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011

    Categories

    All
    10
    109
    125
    2
    2011
    2012
    2012 Election
    2013
    5
    9-11
    Ability
    Abundance
    Abuse
    Accent
    Accept
    Accident
    Accountability
    Accountable
    Act
    Actions
    Adapt
    Adjust
    Adjustment
    Administrative
    Admissions
    Adult
    Advertise
    Advice
    Affairs
    Age
    Aggrivate
    Airplane
    Airport
    Alarm
    Album
    Aliens
    Alive
    Allergies
    Allergy
    Alone
    Am
    Amazon
    Amazon.com
    Ambition
    America
    Anger
    Angry
    Ankle
    Anniversary
    Anonymity
    Answer
    Answers
    Antibiotic
    Anxiety
    Anywhere But Here
    Appreciate
    Apps
    Area
    Argue
    Arizona
    Arrogance
    Arrow
    Art
    Artist
    Arts
    Ascend
    Ask
    Associates
    Assume
    Attack
    Attention
    Attitude
    Attitudes
    Authentic
    Authenticity
    Author
    Authority
    Authors
    Automobile
    Automobiles
    Autumn
    Awesome
    Awkward
    Bacteria
    Bad
    Balance
    Band
    Baseball
    Batman
    Battle
    Battlefield
    Battleground Earth
    Beach
    Behave
    Behavior
    Behind
    Believe
    Benefit
    Best
    Better
    Bible
    Bills
    Binge
    Bin Ladin
    Bird
    Birdhouses
    Birds
    Birth Control
    Birthday
    Birthdays
    Blame
    Bleed
    Bless
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Block
    Blog
    Blog Hop
    Blurry
    Body
    Bold
    Book
    Books
    Book Sense
    Bored
    Borrow
    Boss
    Boston
    Boston Bombings
    Boston Marathon
    Box
    Boy
    Boyfriend
    Brain
    Brainwash
    Break
    Breaking Bad
    Breaks
    Brother
    Budget
    Budgies
    Build
    Burn
    Burnout
    Bury
    Business
    Busy
    Calendar
    Call
    Camera
    Camp
    Cancel
    Cancer
    Captain America
    Car
    Care
    Career
    Cars
    Cat
    Catalyst
    Catching
    Cd
    Celebrate
    Celebration
    Cell Phone
    Cemetery
    Challenge
    Challenges
    Chance
    Change
    Changes
    Chaos
    Chapter
    Character
    Characters
    Charisma
    Cheer
    Cheerleading
    Cheeseburger
    Chess
    Children
    Chloe
    Choices
    Chore
    Christ
    Christian
    Christmas
    Church
    Circumstance
    Circumstances
    Civilized
    Classic
    Clean
    Cleaning
    Cliques
    Clock
    Clown
    Cold
    Colleague
    Colleagues
    College
    Color
    Colorado
    Colorado Massacare
    Colorado River
    Combination
    Comedy
    Comfort
    Commandments
    Commercials
    Commitment
    Committee
    Common
    Common Sense
    Competition
    Complain
    Complaining
    Complete
    Computer
    Computers
    Con
    Conditioning
    Confederate Memorial Day
    Conference
    Confession
    Confidence
    Conflict
    Conform
    Conformity
    Confused
    Congregation
    Consequence
    Consequences
    Console
    Conspiracy Theories
    Constituant
    Contect
    Contentment
    Continues
    Contract
    Control
    Conure
    Conure Corner
    Conures
    Conventional
    Cook
    Cool
    Cope
    Copy
    Coral Gables
    Cough
    Council
    Courage
    Cover
    Cover Art
    Craft
    Crafts
    Craft Show
    Crash
    Crazy
    Crazy. Odd
    Create
    Creation
    Creative
    Creativity
    Creeper
    Crisis
    Cross Stitch
    Cross Stitch
    Cross Stitching
    Cross Stitching
    Crowd
    Cry
    C.s. Lewis
    Curses
    Customer
    Cut
    Cw
    Cwp
    Cycle
    Dad
    Damage
    Dance
    Dark Side
    Date
    Day
    Day Off
    Days
    Dead
    Deadlines
    Death
    Debate
    Debunk
    Deceive
    Decision
    Decisions
    Defeat
    Defend
    Delimma
    Deliverance
    Dell
    Demanding
    Democracy
    Demon
    Department
    Depression
    Derision
    Desert
    Design
    Despair
    Destruction
    Details
    Detox
    Devices
    Devil
    Devotion
    Devotional
    Devotionals
    Diamond
    Die
    Diet
    Difference
    Different
    Digital
    Directions
    Disappear
    Disbelief
    Discernment
    Discipline
    Discount
    Discourage
    Discouragement
    Discover
    Discretion
    Disruption
    Dissociation
    Distracted
    Divas
    Divide
    Divine
    Division
    Djinn
    Doctor
    Doing
    Done
    Donkey
    Door
    Doubt
    Downswing
    Dragon
    Dragons
    Drama
    Dreams
    Dreary
    Drive
    Dud
    Dvd
    Early Bird
    Earth
    Earthquake
    Easter
    Eat
    Ebb
    Ebook
    Ebooks
    Economy
    Edit
    Editing
    Editor
    Edits
    Effect
    Effective
    Efficient
    Effort
    Elect
    Election
    Electric
    Electricity
    Electronics
    Email
    Emotion
    Emotional
    Emotions
    Empathy
    End
    Endings
    Enemy
    Energy
    Engagement
    Engineer
    English
    Enjoy
    Entertainment
    Envy
    Epiphany
    Epublish
    Ereader
    E Reader
    E-reader
    Errands
    Escape
    Escaping
    Etiquette
    Evil
    Evolution
    Evolve
    Example
    Ex Boyfriend
    Ex-boyfriend
    Excerpt
    Excitement
    Exciting
    Exclusive
    Exercise
    Exhaustion
    Expect
    Expectation
    Expectations
    Experience
    Experimenting
    Facebook
    Facets
    Fact
    Facts
    Fail
    Failure
    Fair
    Faith
    Faking
    Fall
    Family
    Fanily
    Fantasy
    Fast And Furious
    Fate
    Fault
    Favorite
    Favorites
    Favoritism
    Fear
    Feathered Frenzy
    Feature
    Feed
    Feedback
    Feel
    Feelings
    Female
    Feminine
    Fiction
    Fight
    Finale
    Financial
    Finding
    Fire
    Firearms
    Firestarter
    Fish
    Flash Fiction
    Flickr
    Flinch
    Flow
    Flu
    Flu Shots
    Flu Shots
    Fly
    Focus
    Follow
    Followers
    Food
    Fools
    Foot
    Football
    Forecast
    Forgive
    Forgiveness
    Forum
    Found
    Foundation
    Fracture
    Frankenstorm
    Freak
    Freakout
    Free
    Freedom
    Free Will
    Fret
    Friday
    Friend
    Friends
    Frustrated
    Frustration
    Fun
    Fundamentals
    Funeral
    Future
    Galaxy
    Galley
    Gamecocks
    Games
    Generation
    Generation X
    Genre
    Genuine
    Geology
    Georgia
    Gift
    Gift Card
    Gifts
    Girl
    Girly
    Goal
    God
    Good
    Goodreads
    Google+
    Gossip
    Government
    Governor
    Grace
    Graduate
    Graduated
    Grammar
    Granddaddy
    Grandmother
    Grandparents
    Gratitude
    Graveyard
    Grief
    Grinch
    Grind
    Gripe
    Ground
    Group
    Grow
    Grunge
    Guide
    Guilty
    Gun Control
    Guns
    Habits
    Hair
    Halloween
    Happiness
    Happy
    Hard
    Hard Work
    Harry Potter
    Haukannah
    Haven
    Head
    Headache
    Heal
    Healing
    Health
    Hear
    Heart
    Heat
    Heaven
    Help
    Hero
    Hiatus
    Higher
    High School
    Hiking
    Hobbies
    Hobby
    Holiday
    Holidays
    Holy
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Week
    Home
    Homeland Security
    Honest
    Honesty
    Hope
    Horizon
    Horror
    Hospital
    Hot
    House
    Housecleaning
    Housework
    Human
    Humble
    Humility
    Hurt
    Hvac
    Hypocricy
    Hypocrite
    Hypocrites
    Ice
    Idea
    Ideas
    Identity
    Idjit
    Ignore
    Ill
    Illness
    Imitation
    Important
    Improve
    Incursion
    Independent
    Independent Author
    Indepent
    Individual
    Infection
    Information
    Injury
    Inner Circle
    Innovation
    Insane
    Insanity
    Inside
    Inspiration
    Inspirational
    Instructions
    Insurance
    Integrity
    Interest
    Internal
    Internet
    Intervention
    Interview
    Introduction
    Intuition
    Invitations
    Invite
    Ipad
    Ironic
    Iron Man 3
    Irritate
    Islam
    Issues
    Jack In The Box
    Jana Lanning
    January
    Jealous
    Jealousy
    Jerk
    Jesus
    Jesus Sacrificef62d61ad05
    Jewelry
    Jihad
    Job
    Joueney
    Journey
    Jovan
    Joy
    Joyful
    Jrrtolkeinee9d04cba9
    Judge
    Judgement
    Jupiter
    Keeper
    Kids
    Kill
    Kindle
    Kindness
    Know
    Knowledge
    Kvetch
    Labor Day
    Landmine
    Laptop
    Laundry
    Law
    Law Of Undulation
    Lazy
    Lead
    Leader
    Leadership
    Learn
    Learned
    Leave
    Legacy
    Legal
    Legislation
    Legislature
    Lent
    Lesson
    Lessons
    Letter
    Level
    Licensure
    Lie
    Life
    Lifestyle
    Light
    Limits
    List
    Listening
    Little
    Live
    Local
    Logic
    Lonely
    Look
    Lord
    Lose
    Loss
    Lost
    Love
    Luck
    Lull
    Lunch
    Lurkers
    Maccacare
    Mainstream
    Management
    Manhunt
    Manure
    Marriage
    Martin
    Maturity
    Me
    Mean
    Meaning
    Media
    Medication
    Medicine
    Mediocrity
    Meditation
    Meeting
    Memorial Day
    Memories
    Men
    Mental Health
    Mental Illness
    Mercies
    Mercy
    Merit
    Mess
    Miami
    Mid
    Middle
    Middle Age
    Middle Class
    Miliatary
    Mind
    Misc
    Miscellaneous
    Mischief
    Misconceptions
    Miserable
    Miss
    Mission
    Mistake
    Mistakes
    Mobile
    Mobile Devices
    Moderate
    Mom
    Money
    Mood
    Moral
    Morning
    Mother
    Motion
    Motivation
    Motivator
    Motive
    Move
    Movie
    Movies
    Mt Tabor04c6ab0850
    Mundane
    Muse
    Music
    Musings
    Must
    Myrtle Beach
    Mystery
    Nano
    Nanowrimo
    Nasty
    National Novel Writing Month
    Nature
    Necromancers
    Needs
    Needy
    Negative
    New
    News
    Newsletter
    Newspaper
    New Year
    Niche
    Nighmare
    Night
    Night Owl
    Noaa
    Noah
    Non Fiction
    Nonfiction6aa2962efc
    Nonstop To Nowhere
    Normal
    Notes
    Notice
    Novel
    Novella
    Novels
    Novelty
    Nurture
    Obama
    Obedience
    Observe
    Obsidian
    October
    Odd
    Office
    Oliver
    Ollie
    Online
    Opinion
    Opportunity
    Opposition
    Organize
    Original
    Overwhelmed
    Own
    Pagan
    Pain
    Pajamas
    Palmetto Beach
    Panic
    Paper
    Parable
    Paradigm
    Paradise
    Paradox
    Paragraph Planet
    Parallel
    Paralysis
    Park
    Parrots
    Party
    Passionate
    Past
    Pastor
    Paterno
    Patience
    Patient
    Patterns
    Pay
    Peace
    Peanuts
    Pedestals
    Penance
    Penn State
    People
    Perception
    Perfect
    Periphery
    Perseverence
    Persistence
    Person
    Personal
    Personality
    Perspective
    Pessimist
    Petty
    Phoenix
    Phone
    Picket
    Pink
    Pintrest
    Pita
    Pizza
    Places
    Plague
    Plane
    Plans
    Plant
    Plot
    Pm
    Poinsettia
    Point
    Polar-vortex
    Political
    Politicians
    Politics
    Popular
    Positive
    Post
    Potential
    Power
    Powerful
    Pray
    Prayer
    Prayers
    Preference
    Preferences
    Pregnancy
    Preparation
    Present
    Pressure
    Priorities
    Privacy
    Pro
    Problem
    Problems
    Process
    Productive
    Programs
    Progress
    Project
    Projection
    Projects
    Prologue
    Promotion
    Protect
    Proverbs
    Pruning
    Psychologist
    Psychology
    Publication
    Publicity
    Publish
    Published
    Publishing
    Pure
    Purpose
    Quality
    Quarantine
    Questions
    Quiet
    Quit
    Quotes
    Rachel
    Radar
    Radio
    Rain
    Random
    Rant
    Rave
    Reaction
    Read
    Readers
    Reading
    Real
    Reality
    Realization
    Realize
    Reap
    Reaper
    Reaping
    Rearview-mirror
    Reason
    Reboot
    Recipes
    Recover
    Red
    Reform
    Reformation Sunday
    Refresh
    Refreshing
    Regift
    Rehab
    Relationship
    Relationships
    Relax
    Release
    Relief
    Religious
    Remains
    Repair
    Reputation
    Rerun
    Research
    Resignation
    Resist
    Resistance
    Resolution
    Resolutions
    Resolve
    Resonance
    Respect
    Responsibilities
    Responsibility
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Retire
    Revelation
    Review
    Reward
    Rewrite
    Rewrites
    Rhythem
    Ride
    Right
    Rise
    Risk
    River
    Rock
    Romance
    Roses
    Routine
    Routines
    Royal
    Rude
    Rules
    Rut
    Sacred
    Sacrifice
    Sad
    Safe
    Sale
    Sales
    Salvation
    Sample
    Sample Chapter
    Sandusky
    Sandy Hook Elementary School
    San Francisco
    Sanity
    Santa
    Satan
    Satellite
    Save
    Saving
    Say
    Sc
    Scandal
    Scapegoat
    Scared
    Schedule
    School
    School Shooting
    Science
    Science Fiction
    Sci Fi
    Scifid764c6b008
    Scottsdale
    Scrooge
    Season
    Season Finale
    Seasons
    Secret
    Security
    Self
    Selfish
    Self Publish
    Selfpublishee5d5de0ab
    Senior
    Sense
    Sequel
    Series
    Service
    Setbacks
    Sex
    Shadow
    Shapeshifter
    Share
    Shatterpoint
    Shenanagins
    Shift
    Shifting
    Ship
    Shoe
    Shoes
    Shopping
    Short Stories
    Short Story
    Shovel
    Show
    Shull
    Sick
    Sidekick
    Sidekicks
    Signs
    Simplicity
    Sin
    Sincere
    Sinners
    Sins
    Sinus
    Sinus Infection
    Situations
    Sleep
    Slow
    Smallville
    Smart
    Smartphones
    Smashwords
    Sneeze
    Snow
    Social
    Social Media
    Society
    Socks
    Solitude
    Solution
    Solutions
    Sorry
    Soul
    South
    Sow
    Sowing
    Space
    Speak
    Spirit
    Spiritual
    Splinter
    Spouse
    Spring
    Square-pegs
    Stand
    Standards
    Start
    Star Trek
    Star Trek Into Darkness
    Star Wars
    State
    State Fair
    Stayathomeaa1b1506e7
    Stereotypes
    Stories
    Storm
    Story
    Strange
    Strategy
    Streaming
    Strength
    Stress
    Strong
    Struggle
    Stubborn
    Stuff
    Stupid
    Subcommittee
    Succeed
    Success
    Suffering
    Suggestion
    Suggestions
    Summer
    Sunglasses
    Sunny
    Sunrise
    Sunshine
    Superhero
    Superheros
    Supernatural
    Superstitions
    Support
    Surgery
    Surprise
    Surprises
    Survival
    Survive
    Surviving
    Suspension
    Symbols
    Tablet
    Tactics
    Talking
    Tanger Falls
    Tarnish
    Tax
    Technology
    Teenage
    Telephone
    Telephones
    Television
    Temptation
    Ten
    Tendinitis
    Tennessee
    Terms
    Terror
    Terrorism
    Terrorists
    Text
    Tgif
    Thank
    Thankfulness
    Thanks
    Thanksgiving
    The Americans
    The Clone Wars
    The Cw
    The Divine Comedy
    The-earthside-trilogy
    The Edible Bookshelf
    The Grand Canyon
    The Great Divorce
    The Great Divorse
    The Hobbit
    The Justice League
    The Other Bible
    Therapist
    Thermostat
    The Screwtape Letters
    The-secret
    The Secret Circle
    Things
    Think
    Thinking
    Thirties
    Thor
    Thorns
    Thought
    Thoughts
    Throwback
    Thunderstorm
    Thursday
    Time
    Time Job
    Time Management
    Timing
    Tips
    Tired
    Toshiba
    Toxic
    Tradition
    Traditional
    Traditions
    Tragedy
    Train
    Transfer
    Transition
    Travel
    Travelling
    Treadmill
    Trees
    Trends
    Trials
    Trickortreatd836e64753
    Trip
    Trolls
    Trouble
    Trust
    Truth
    Tunnel
    Turbulence
    Tv
    Tweet
    Twitter
    Type
    Typewriter
    Uga
    Understand
    Understanding
    Undone
    Undulation
    Unique
    Universe
    University
    University Of South Carolina
    Update
    Urban Fantasy
    Usc
    Vacation
    Vampires
    Variety
    Vet
    Veterans Daybee36ce99e
    Viagra
    Vice
    Vicious
    Victory
    Video
    Viligance
    Villian
    Viral
    Virtue
    Virus
    Visitation
    Vitamin
    Voice
    Voices
    Volunteer
    Vote
    Walk
    War
    Washington D.C.
    Wasp
    Watch
    Watches
    Way
    Weakness
    Weather
    Website
    Wedding
    Wednesday
    Weeds
    Week
    Weekend
    Weekends
    Weird
    Werewolves
    Westboro Church
    Whatever
    Whats Up Letterea131f7a0b
    Wheat
    Whine
    Whiskey Creek Press
    Wicked
    Will
    Win
    Wings
    Wings Epressf69f38ebd3
    Winter
    Winterize
    Wisdom
    Wistv3f6c806d83
    Wizard
    Woman
    Women
    Wonder
    Wonderful
    Woodland
    Woods
    Words
    Work
    Workaholic
    World
    Worry
    Worse
    Wrist
    Write
    Writers
    Writers Block
    Writers Block93d394f99e
    Writing
    Wrong
    Yard
    Year
    Years
    Yellow
    You
    Youth
    Youtube
    Zacchaeus
    Zack
    Zimmerman
    Zombie

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.