Tag: God

A Daughter's Reflection

A DAUGHTER’S REFLECTION – RELEASE DELAY

J.I. Soucie

A couple of days ago I had just about finished writing A Daughter’s Reflection and was going to re-release it on Amazon. However, I started reading The Power of Memoir: How to Write Your Healing Story and it has some great advice on how to write your own memoir and what you should and should not include.

Since when I write, I like to make sure I produce a good quality piece of work, I thought I would finish reading this book and take any advice from it that I see might be helpful to my my book. I don’t like doing anything half way, or if I think I can improve on something then I will, but I am going to take my time to make sure I do it right. I may not do it right the first time (who in this non-perfect life can?) but I will work at it until I think I have done as well as I can. This goes for anything I write, whether it be a nonfiction novel, article, poetry, short story, or fiction book.

Please bear with me as I go through this process. A Daughter’s Reflection WILL BE released this year (2013), just not within a few days as I was expecting with my last post.

I will keep you all updated with any further developments.

~~~~
“To craft a memoir means wrestling with the nature of truth and the muscles of story structure. It means that you travel back in time come back with treasures of memory that must be strung together like beads on a string.” ~ Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D – The Power of Memoir: How to Write Your Healing Story.

A Daughter's Reflection

A Daughter’s Reflection – Updated Publication Time Frame

J.I. Soucie

This past week and especially this morning I have been hard at work with this re-write and last night I had hit a block. I was so confused where to go, so what did I do. I literally just dropped my papers and pen on my desk and prayed for guidance. God has answered my prayer and more quickly than I had expected. I not only know what to do next, I am almost finished with this re-write and this will be the last re-write because I finally, the first time since 2007, feel comfortable and happy with how my story turned out.

So I am going to finish working on the last chapter of this book and then it will just be making the corrections on the manuscript on my computer and then I will be releasing the book for publication. I am looking to have this posted to Amazon by tonight and it should be available in Kindle form by tomorrow. The paperback should be available by the weekend. I will keep you posted the closer I get to publishing the Kindle version and then the paperback.

Keep your eyes open for the updated release!!! Free Kindle promo will be coming soon.

Voice4Society

Article Finished

J.I. Soucie

Tonight I finished my article titled “Grief Is Not The End” for Voice4Society. The article ended up being nine pages and over 5,400 words. Longer than I had expected, but that’s okay. That is one thing I like about writing is not knowing how long a story, article idea, etc. will keep you enticed so you will keep writing until you just know that moment when all is done.

I used the program eSword to help with my Biblical research for this article. It is a very valuable tool and not only helps me find the verses I am looking for, but it also has some great commentaries as well. I highly recommend it for anyone doing Biblical research and Bible study.

I will post a link to my article when I get word that it has been published. Please, stay tuned!

Tomorrow I will be working on fleshing out some notes that were given to me by the V4S staff, so it will be back to eSword and studying God’s word! Love this opportunity to learn and to teach! :)

 

General Updates, november nano

Busy Days

J.I. Soucie

 

I tell ya, last night and this morning have been busy. My bedroom is also my office right now and you can imagine the papers and books everywhere and how I have to keep the floor clean and… ugh. It’s not just writing things that get piled up, it’s magazines and newspapers I like to read that may become places to submit material, and then craft projects I am trying to work on to make sure they are done by Christmas…and gifts to send to family members who have had babies recently…

So, I have been really cleaning up and going through my files to see if there are papers I still need or not. I guess it’s like spring cleaning at the end of summer.  lol Guess I’m late on getting the spring cleaning bug. Well, not really. All year I have been trying to clean and organize so I can get to my cooking school, my writing school, and my Bible study, but the clutter was just too much. Today, I think I will manage to get a system together and FINALLY have things straightened out and have a work flow at my desk and be able to accomplish all that I would like in a day.

I’m off to finish the rest of the cleaning and organizing and then to get some tasks such as snail mailing some friends, and working on my schools and Bible study. Also to track my foods and activity at Sparkpeople.com which has helped me to lose about 39 pounds so far. I am thinking of writing about my experiences with SparkPeople and how the websites tools and supportive community have helped me so far as well praying to God to help me keep going on this way to renewing my body for His service.

So many ideas swimming in my head for things to write. It’s old times where my imagination is just wild at the moment and itching to get to writing. I must go for now, and finish what little cleaning and organizing I need to do and then get to work.

Take care all, and don’t forget that the November NaNo is not far away!!! I’m excited! Are you excited?

Also, do any of you writers have desks that just never seem to be clean. You find something interesting and set it on your desk to look at it later and then it just seems to keep happening? How do you deal with clutter and keep it from happening?

Until next time,

Have a great day!

 

Uncategorized

Winghill Writing School & Other Thoughts

J.I. Soucie

Last week I signed up for a memoir writing course through Winghill Writing school. I have three books I’d like to write and all are memoirs, but writing memoirs and organizing them are new to me. I am more of a fiction writer so nonfiction sure is stretching my wings. Hopefully, I’ll learn enough in these few months before the November NaNo that I’ll be able to work on one of these books. If not though, I am sure I’ll be able to come up with a fiction novel for November. Have had some inspiration lately so we’ll see what comes of it and what happens in the next few months with schooling and developing a story for the November NaNo. 

My writing style and interests have changed quite a bit over the past seven or so years. I used to be more heavily into the fantasy stuff, but now I am finding myself drifting toward historical fiction. That is a newer area for me, but I am finding it interesting the time periods I like and the research that needs to be done. Good think I like writing AND researching. Certainly believe this writing and researching and the patience to do it all until a work of completion is a gift from God. I know I have had many people tell me they don’t know how I write things so easily or come up with so much to write. To tell the truth, I don’t know either, unless it is God guiding me to ideas and stories, and I believe He is. I always try to keep God in EVERYTHING I do. 

So, for tonight, since I have a busy and long day tomorrow, I will end the evening with some candles, light music, and some Bible study. I know keeping a close relationship with God will drive me in the right direction in life and to what I should be doing that will help others in their lives. I may not know how, but I know God does. I leave tonight, with best wishes for all and a good night’s rest or a very good morning, depending on what part of the world you are on.

May God bless you daily and surprise you signs that He is there, helping you along.

Good night,

Janis

Camp NaNoWriMo

Day 30 of August Camp NaNo – Early Morning

J.I. Soucie

 

Well, folks, here it is the second to last day of Camp NaNo for 2012. I must say my book is at 36,000 but I have hit a road block. I know what I want my book to be about, but putting facts and everything in the right order and weaving things together so they flow is getting hard to do on the computer.

I think I am going to have to do this long hand so, unfortunately, it doesn’t look like I’ll reach finish line for Camp NaNo this year, but hey, it was a fun experience and just showed me I needed to do more preparation for this month than I had thought. I shall remember for when November comes around.

I also started taking a writing course for memoir writing from Winghill Writing School so I hope that helps me learn more about putting things in the right order and making everything flow better. I mean, the next three books I am going to write are all about some experiences I have had in my life and how God has helped me through them. They are pretty big life changing events so I think a book for each one would be a good idea. Otherwise, I just feel it would be too much for one book.

Anyway, that is my update. I’m cheering the rest of you Campers on! You can do it!!!!

 

Book Reviews

Rev. Robert E. Stoudt’s Valley of Depression, Mountain of Victory

J.I. Soucie

Just a few minutes ago I finished reading, Valley of Depression, Mountain of Victory, by Rev. Robert E. Stoudt. In his book, Pastor Stoudt talks about this decent into depression, which we all know can happen in various ways, but for him, it was due to several deaths happening close together. When you read through this book you will discover how life became hard for him during his depression and panic attacks and what things he did that helped get through that valley of darkness and how God helped him back to the top of the mountain top.

This book is full of insight into the world of depression and how it can change one’s life, yes, even a Pastor’s life. No one is safe from depression and can people of all ages and of any race and in any career. Pastor Stoudt also offers several references into the Bible that support and add to his writing and show, clearly, how God is there to help you through affliction and that afflictions helps us to grow stronger and be more Christ-like, which is what we Christians strive for.

You will also find poetry and lyrics in this book that are a beautiful addition to this work.

I admit, I really felt for Pastor Stoudt in this book, knowing myself what it was like going through depression, and quite a while I was praying to God for help in my own writing because I could not figure out what to write about. When I started reading Valley of Depression, Mountain of Victory it was like BAMB! God had given me my answer. Like Pastor Bob, I too could write about what caused my depression and anxiety disorder and how my faith also helped me through to that mountain top. I could not believe through months of prayer and waiting on God for an answer of what He would like me to do, that my answer would come from reading a book. But that’s just the thing with God. He gives you answers when you least expect it and in ways you never think of. He is full of surprises and that is just one of the things I enjoy about my relationship with God. He never ceases to amaze me.

Above, I briefly wrote about Pastor Stoudt’s book, but I plan on writing a  more detailed review of his book soon. Then to follow that will be an author interview. So please check back in couple of weeks or so for those items.

The next book by an Indie author is The Spirit Keeper by Melissa Luznicky Garret. You can find out more about Melissa by visiting her blog.

I’ll be back soon! ;)

Camp NaNoWriMo

Day 25 of August Camp NaNo – Late Evening

J.I. Soucie

 

It has been a busy day around home today…planting eight pink lady apple trees all grown from seed, watering them, tending the vegetable garden, cooking dinner, having a bath, then Bible study with my husband and father in law and so on. It was a great day with beautiful warm weather with a refreshing breath of wind. What an awesome day God has given us here and now, after having a glass of Sangria for the first time, I am feeling relaxed, all be it a little sleepy, but I am finally able to sit down and work on my story again.

How far I will get depends on my ability to keep my eyelids open. lol. That should be job in itself. But I will belt out some words no matter what. Don’t think I’d be able to sleep well knowing I didn’t at least write SOMETHING today…er…this evening.

So I will go for now and continue working on chapter three. I made a great dent in the chapter last night so I hope to make a bigger dent in it tonight. Curious to see how far I will go.

**God, please help me with this endevour and to succeed at my goal, Amen.**

Here goes!

 

Camp NaNoWriMo

Day 25 of Camp NaNo – Early Morning

J.I. Soucie

 

It’s just after 1:40AM when I’m writing this. I have been working on my book for a couple of hours, trying not to be distracted by other things. It’s VERY hard to do some times. When I started writing I had, 26,892 words and at quitting time I had 29,376 for a total of 2,484 words written this time. Now I just need to update the Camp NaNo site with my new word count.

I am working on chapter three right now and I so wanted to finish it tonight…er….this morning, however, when the screen starts to get fuzzy even though you’re wearing your glasses and your stomach starts to get upset and you can’t stop yawning, I’m guessing those are VERY good indicators it’s time to stop pushing myself into the feeling sick territory and go to bed.

I need to get my mind of depression and find something happy to think about before bed. Hope I can do that, but I have a feeling after my head hits the pillow I’ll be out.

I feel great after my accomplishment and getting further in this book and I pray all you other NaNoers are making progress as well. If not, don’t give up. Writing isn’t always an easy thing to do. I had a hard time starting earlier on the 24th but by late that evening everything just began to flow. Strange how that happens. You just never know when the time is going to be right for your those words to fly from your brain to the keyboard.

One of my favorite quotes is: “Never give up hope…at least not so early in the fight.” ~ Rayden, Mortal Kombat Annihilation

Miss watching that movie! Sorry. I had better get to bed before I start rambling some more. Night all and many blessing for another day! :)

 

Camp NaNoWriMo

Day 24 for August Camp NaNo 2012

J.I. Soucie

 

It’s after 10PM on the east coast and I have the opportunity to work on my memoir about depression, what caused it, and how I came out of it with God‘s help.

The desire to write, to tell my story is there, but also lingering within me is fear. Fear of going back to those places that caused such pain and sadness. It is hard to write about one’s experiences in relation to hard times especially losing not only one loved one, but several. I sit here with a need to tell my story believing what I say may help someone out there, but also that writing it out may be therapy for me, and praise to God who helped me through that valley to the mountain top so to speak.

But how to get through those moments that make you want to cry…or just push the book off somewhere else and find something else to work on. Just because I don’t feel depressed, doesn’t mean that the pain of losing someone is gone. It’s still there and I believe that is what is causing me to struggle on with this book. I believe that God puts struggles in our path for a reason and that is to help us grow to become stronger for whatever purpose He may have for us. Since I believe this, and since I believe that with God I have nothing to fear, I must practice what I believe and press on.

So currently, my book stands at 26,892 words. I will now end this post and work more on my book and write another post before I hit the sack and let you all know how I have done. But first, a little prayer to God to help me with this journey.

Back later!