Support Systems - Transparency in Writing and in Life

In my debut book with Love Inspired, Instant Family, my heroine, Frankie Munro, struggles with trust and self-esteem because of the behavior of her ex-husband; while my hero, Ben Cedar, longs to make up for mistakes he made in the past by trying to be the perfect son and caregiver to his father, who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease. Throughout the course of the book, they both learn that they can't change the past and will never be perfect.  But if they learn to put their trust in God - and in each other - they will discover that He is a God of second -- and third -- and fourth and .... chances, not because of anything we can do to deserve them, but because of who He is.

I think there are times that we all need to be reminded that it's okay to admit that we're not perfect. God certainly knows it and the people who truly care about us will accept us for who we are. In this time of social media, there can often be pressure to put our best foot forward at all times. It can be easy to forget that the messages, tweets, and posts that we see, or make, represent only a fleeting glimpse of our entire lives.

Because of this, I believe that it's very important to have support systems that allow us to be ourselves on our good days and on our bad ones: It could be family and friends; it could be a writing group or an online writing community, or a combination of all of these. I personally feel very blessed to find support in all said groups.

For example, the local writing group I belong to is comprised of writers ranging from best selling authors publishing with traditional publishers, through to smaller publishing houses and indie publishing. We all respect each others' work and celebrate any successes that we have. But, what's more important to me, is that we also support each other through the tough times. It's a group where I feel safe saying, "You know, I'm really having doubts about my writing right now." Sometimes, we don't even talk about writing, but share family news, health concerns, the books we're reading or the television shows we like to watch.

As a debut author, I know that my journey is only beginning and that there will be bumps along the way. So, it comforts me to know there are people I can share my questions and concerns with, who are willing to listen without judgment and share their expertise with me.

Most of all, it encourages me to know that God cares about each and every one of us and has a plan for our lives.

I hope that you enjoy reading about Ben and Frankie and what they learn about God, themselves and each other. And I would love to hear about your support systems!

Instant Family is available for order on Amazon and Chapters/Indigo.