Did you know that today is Scavenger Hunt Day? I love celebrating fun holidays and this seemed particularly relevant as I’ve been running around searching for various items for my daughter’s wedding, happening in twenty-five days!
In Protected Secrets (click here), my main character, Deputy Marshal Delaney Patton, probably wouldn’t appreciate the holiday since her handsome witness, Bruce Walker, and his adorable daughter, Winnie, are the ones being hunted by a dangerous criminal organization.
My heroine struggles to accept that God would want to bless and heal her situation after she’s made so many mistakes. As a writer who has her own control issues, I can see the error in her faulty thinking, but in my day-to-day life I think I continually need the big picture reminder that He’s already paid the ultimate price for all our mistakes to give us the best blessing of all. And, often, I think my eyes are blind to the many blessings he gives me daily.
Just this morning, I had just taken the kids to school and was about to start my workday. I started to pray, “Lord I could really use some encouragement today—” when a gentle knock sounded at the door.
A friend I hadn’t seen in ages stood on my patio. “I can’t stay.” She handed me a card and a bar of chocolate and took off.
After marveling at such a sweet gesture out of the blue, I texted her a thank you. But, she’d recently changed numbers, so I ended up texting it a stranger. Took me about ten minutes to realize it and send a second message. Hope I didn't cause a fight for someone!
After writing down similar situations as future fodder for a novel, I went back to finish my prayer when I realized he had literally just answered it. I'd almost been too focused on my own stress and tasks to realize it.
As a writer, when my characters teach or remind me of things I had no intention of learning, I get annoyed…and eventually grateful. What about you? As a reader (or writer), are you ever taken off guard when a character’s struggles apply to your own life?
Posts
What a nice lesson! I put my characters into difficult situations, and they often teach me something as they struggle with their circumstances.
ReplyDeleteHeather, what a wonderful reminder that God knows what we need before we do. I often put my characters in situations that I end up struggling with. Another blessing from God. He's so good.
ReplyDeleteYes. I don't often have that good attitude when I start struggling though. It takes me a little while. ;) Glad He's patient with me!
DeleteThanks for the inspiring story. The text message is so funny! I had a text from some unknown person asking if they could walk over to buy a cigarette. I thought that was weird. A friend of mine had a text with a picture of someone’s shoes, while they were being worn. That was even weirder.
ReplyDeleteHaha! I'm sure there a handful of my texts when taken out of context would be even weirder. I think there's a lot of potential for a great story there. :)
DeleteI love what spell check does to text messages lol
ReplyDeleteSo true! I've seen and received some doozies.
DeleteI love it when characters deal with real life situations that I have faced or situations that I can relate to. This books sounds like a really good read!
ReplyDeletejtabalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks, Tiffany!
Delete