Hi friends! I’m so excited to give you an update on my current writing project, The Invisible Guide. God has been so good and even though our life is very full of lots of good things, I’ve found some time to work on it. I started writing it about a year ago, but the story has been in my mind for almost five years. The story’s gone through quite a bit of changes, though, so I wanted to share an updated synopsis. Here it is:
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Hi everyone! I'm so excited to announce my next book, a work in progress, The Invisible Guide. The idea for this story has been in my mind for a few years and now I have begun to write it down. It's a fantasy taking place in an imaginary world of dwarves and castles and dragons. But it's a story of good triumphing over evil, truth over lies, hope over despair, and that even in the darkest of circumstances, the Creator has a purpose and is working it for the good of His children. It'll likely be a year or so before it is published, but I wanted to share the synopsis of the story here: The kingdom of Elarda suffers under a tyrant’s rule. The few who hold to the words of the Forbidden Book and belief in the Creator often pay for it with their lives. The true heir to the throne is lost… or so it is believed. But a group of Rangers still search, believing that, somewhere, the true heir lives. Brielle Fletcher has always wondered about the scar on her face and the color of her eyes but it’s not until she is fourteen that she learns the truth. Then, when tragedy strikes, she must embark on a perilous journey across a desert with her younger siblings. What they do not know is that their trek across the desert will awaken an evil that has long been asleep. Arden Durham is a young man caring for his widowed mother and blind sister. Annie Mercer is a simple farm girl, the daughter of a Ranger and the oldest of six children. Baird Ainsley is a Ranger seeking to stay true to the Creator. But all three will have a much bigger part to play than they ever could have imagined in a purpose much greater than themselves. Above is a drawing of my main character, Brielle, by my friend, Grace. Grace and my family will be contributing illustrations to the book along with some by yours truly.
Well, remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." 1 Th. 5:24 All for Him, Savannah “I want to write, but I don’t have the time.” I’ve heard many people say this. And I’ve felt that way myself. My answer to this dilemma is a simple piece of advice from my mama: Prioritize.
I’ve enjoyed writing for as long as I can remember, but it was when I was thirteen that I began to get more serious about it and actually consider writing books. I had plenty of time for writing when I was thirteen and fourteen. It was when I was fourteen that God laid it on my heart to write Do Justly. When I started writing that book, though, I had no idea the twists and turns life would take—like two big out of state moves. I knew God wanted me to write this book, but when life was so crazy, I had difficulty finding time to write. So, I learned to prioritize. I learned what was most important in my life and could not be let go of—that would be Bible reading, prayer, and family. I learned that I must make time for those most important things—starting each day in the presence of Jesus and taking time in my day to drink a cup of tea with my mama and sisters, play with my little brothers, listen to the book Mama or Daddy was reading aloud… Then, of course, there were also responsibilities that couldn’t be let go of such as helping take care of our home and my school work (writing counts for school, of course, but I still had to do math). Then, I cut out time-wasters. The biggest time-waster in my life was Pinterest. Not that Pinterest is all bad, but it’s scary how much time we can waste on it. Then, if I was serious about getting this book done, I decided that would also mean cutting back some other things that were good, but just weren’t a fit right now, such as some of my additional hobbies—knitting, sewing, and such. After getting all these things in order, I had more time to write. But, there were still times when, after cutting out all unnecessary things and time-wasters, I still didn’t have time to write. So, I finally accepted the fact that sometimes there are seasons of life when writing’s just not an option. Sometimes, God will have us take a break from writing because there are other things He wants us to focus on. However, I knew God wanted me to write Do Justly and, after we were getting settled in our new house after our second move, I decided, “It’s been three years since I began this book and it’s time to write the final draft and publish it.” It took me about three months to write the final draft and most of it was in the morning before breakfast. I found that was the best time for me to write. I would get up earlier, and, after spending time in prayer and the Word, I would write. So, here’s my advice to you: get your priorities in order and if God wants you to write right now, He’ll provide the time for it. Maybe getting up earlier and writing in the morning would be helpful or carrying a notebook with you to jot thoughts down when you have a moment. Don’t worry or fret about it. I’ll say it again: get your priorities in order and if God wants you to write right now, He’ll provide the time for it. I’d originally planned on doing one post about what I learned while writing a book, but I learned so much, I decided I’d have to split it up into several posts. So, here is Part One: Beginnings.
Why Write? First, of all, why write? People have many different reasons, but for a Christian writer, their writing is for a much greater purpose than just to entertain, or to educate, or inform, and it’s certainly not to make a name for themselves. Our ultimate purpose in writing is to bring glory to God and to share the gospel. Writing is also a way to be an advocate for the oppressed, show Christlike character in our stories, and encourage others. Writing is a very powerful tool. In writing, you have the potential to reach many more people than you ever could only speaking. People could still be reading your writings long after you are dead. It’s an incredible way to share God’s truth with the world. You’re Not Too Young 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” You’re never too young for God to use you. I started writing Do Justly when I was 14 and completed and published it when I was 17. But God was preparing me to write that book long before that in just living my life, in the books my mama read to me and the things she taught me in homeschool, and as I got older, in the many books I read, short stories and essays I wrote... You may not be ready to write a book yet, or you might be, but either way, God can certainly use you. Remember two things, though:
My book Do Justly: The Call to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus is published! This has been my prayer, the moment I have been waiting for! I first began this book three years ago when I was 14. I could never have imagined the twists and turns life would take since then! But now, at last, it is published. And as a gift for you, here is the introduction for Do Justly...
"If you want to change the world, pick up your pen." -Martin Luther I couldn't sleep. I lay awake in bed, unable to sleep. I knew God was telling me something. And I knew what. There was a verse in the Bible, in the book of Micah. A verse I needed to read. A verse about justice and mercy. I’ll look it up in the morning, I thought. Time passed and still I couldn’t sleep. Have you ever had that? There’s something God’s telling you to do. “I’ll do it later, tomorrow,” you say. But He’s persistent. You can choose to ignore what He’s telling you, or choose to do as He says. “Alright, God,” I said and climbed out of bed, got my Bible and flashlight, and began to read. I found the book of Micah, started at the beginning and read until I got to chapter 6, verse 8. There it was. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Let me back up. Shortly before this, God had really opened my eyes to the injustices of abortion and modern day slavery and given me a desire to do something about it. I’d been thinking and praying about what to do and after that night I became more and more certain of what I should do—write this book. At first, it was only going to be about abortion and modern day slavery, but then I began to expand it to include information about orphans, poverty, the persecuted church, and because of my little sister Sadie, epilepsy and children with special needs, among other issues. In short, it’s about gaining God’s heart for the hurting and oppressed, and beginning to see through His eyes. It’s about Jesus, and following Him wherever He leads. Parts of this book may be hard for you to read. Parts of it were hard for me to write. But I believe this is what I needed to write. I am young, and this book is written for my fellow teenagers and young people, but my hope is that whoever you are, you’ll be encouraged and inspired. Truth is, though, I feel completely unqualified to write a book like this. I’m still a teenager. I haven’t even graduated from high school yet. But God is showing me He uses the unqualified to accomplish His purposes. His strength is made perfect in weakness. Like the little hobbits who set out to save Middle-earth, or the Pevensie children who rescued Narnia, we are unqualified. Yet, I believe God can use us to do amazing things. He just asks us to be willing. Willing to see through His eyes, willing to gain His heart, willing to follow wherever He leads. He used David, a young shepherd boy, who simply said, “I will do it,” to slay a giant. Even though I am weak, even though I am unqualified, He can use me. And He can use you. **************************************** I hope you enjoyed the sample! Want to read more? Buy the book here: THE BOOK Thank you ever so much! -Savannah |
Hi! I'm Savannah Jane...I'm the author of several books for children and young adults with a passion to encourage young people to live for Jesus. The third born in an amazing family of seven children, I was homeschooled all the way through. This is where I share encouragement for Christian girls, updates about my books, writing tips, book and movie reviews, and assorted other tidbits. Archives
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Quote"When I try, I fail. When I trust, He succeeds."
-Corrie ten Boom I'm on GoodReadsFollow my family's writing, illustrating, and publishing business/ministry.Follow my blog on Bloglovin' |