MOSAIC, MELTING POT . . . or QUILT

by Christine Lindsay

Being an immigrant gives one an automatic feeling of belonging to something bigger—a feeling that laps at the shores of global citizenship perhaps.

This was especially true for me being born in Northern Ireland and immigrating to Canada. But Northern Ireland officially belongs to England. So as a citizen of that country I feel genuine love and a sense of loyalty to Great Britain.

Thing is, ask any resident of Northern Ireland if they’re Irish and they’ll say, “Of course I’m Irish.”

I too love Ireland, and feel linked that charming culture of harps, beating bodhráns and penny whistles. I am Irish. Period. I can live on tea and potatoes quite happily.

So coming from Northern Ireland, I feel Irish, British, and of course Scottish. To the horror of my youngest son I also love the sound of bag pipes. I say thank you to my Scottish ancestors.

Then we immigrated to Canada. As a kid I grew up in the Niagara Peninsula just across the border from New York State. My friends were first or second generation Canadian. Like me their roots were British, or Italian, or Polish, or from any one of several shifting sections of Europe at the time. I grew up listening to all kinds of dialects and smelling the aromas from the neighborhood of tomato and basil, of cabbage rolls and highly spiced sausage, of home-made wine, and stronger coffee than I was ever used to.

Add to that the music I listened to as I grew up. Across the border in the United States, Detroit’s rhythmic and blue sounds of African American Mo-Town Music got me through my teens. Groups like The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and my all-time-favorite, Marvin Gaye and his song 'What's Going On'.

When I married my husband and we moved to the west coast of Canada we began to rub shoulders with folks from China, Japan, Vietnam, Pakistan and India. Our neighbors are also those whose parents and grandparents fled from Russia and Europe, as well as the Native North American Indian people who were here in this land first.

In Canadian schools they taught us that our population, made up of so many immigrants, is called the Cultural Mosaic. In the United States they refer to that wonderful blending of immigrant cultures as The Melting Pot.

A mosaic is a beautiful art form to view—all sparking colors and depth of contrast. The melting pot gives the sense of warmth, a full stomach, and comfort. Either way, it’s a good thing.

As I think back on my youth, I’m grateful that I feel a kinship with people not just like myself. But when I think of my Christian brothers and sisters I feel as though this blend of cultures is more like a quilt. Under Jesus banner, we’re kept warm as He embraces people of such a global . . . and Heavenly citizenship.

As a Christian author I pray that I can instill in readers a love for people who look and sound different from them, and who live in another part of this globe.

If you'd like to know more about me and my newest adventure--going to India--join me at my blog www.Christinelindsay.com I'd love to tell you about the amazing work that God has called me to do as a missionary writer. I'd love your prayer support.

We have a winner! from Out of Africa

CWG S.Africa has selected two clear winners from the Out of Africa post.

The scenic calendar goes to Shann de Smidt for her excellent description of contrasts in Africa.

The scenic postcard goes to Yvonne Ortega for her enthusiastic post about all she'd love to do in Africa. Congratulations to you both. I will be in touch with each of you.

Thanks to all who took part.

Publishing Down Under

My publishing journey began in earnest in 2001 atop a lonely windswept hill on an island called Aotea (Great Barrier Island in English, but the Maori name is far more poetic, never mind its original name, and less confusable with the Great Barrier Reef which isn't even in this country). I carried a hardback notebook up the steep winding track from the settlement, past near-vertical cow pastures and acres of fragrant manuka trees clacking their skinny branches in the wind, and sat with my back to a bald rock that offered a little shelter from the punishing sun. And there I penned the first words of my first novel. Seven years later, having changed the setting to Ireland somewhere along the way, I finished it in Germany, and it was published in America.

Sounds international? My second novel's got it beat. I began it in Germany, finished it in Ireland, edited it in America, and it'll be published in New Zealand. And since it happens in space, it kind of transcends the definition of international, although I was careful to season the inhabited planets with plenty of culture.

Beyond the writing, I have discovered a passion for book design, which along with my penchant for science fiction and fantasy, paved the way one step at a time to open the doors at Splashdown Books - to publish authors in these oft-neglected genres, no matter where they come from.

So far it's certainly a fascinating experience to publish from down under. I have to make use of all the tools available in the online global village, since in-person marketing events are out of the question. The experiment's just begun with the recent release of The Muse by Fred Warren, who lives in Kansas but was happy to accept my offer of publication. After nearly a year of collaborative editing work, we're celebrating its first sales.

There's no question that the publishing world has changed enough that such a venture can be a success. I pray I can work hard enough to make it so.

Visit Splashdown Books here

View my first novel here: Faith Awakened
View The Muse by Fred Warren here

Introducing Kirk Outerbridge!

In this Thanksgiving season, I am thankful that I have found a fellow Christian author right here in Bermuda! After years of feeling like I'm the only one on the island, I met Kirk, and now have someone to meet up with who doesn't give me weird looks when I start talking writing. He gets it.
It's my pleasure to introduce you to Kirk and his new book, Eternity Falls.

Hello fellow International Christian fiction fans.

What an honor to be a guest blogger here on International Christian Fiction Writers, especially since I’m technically not an author of International fiction. (at least not yet!)

My sole claim to fame in the publishing arena is my futuristic suspense/thriller Eternity Falls published this October by Marcher Lord Press. But the story does take place in L.A. in the year 2081, so that counts as foreign territory, right?

No?

Okay, how about since I’m not American, that writing a story that takes place in Los Angeles actually counts as writing internationally for me? Better? ☺

I hail from the same blessed and beautiful island as my new pal and fellow Christian Author, Cathy West. Can you believe that on an island only 21 square miles in size, that we only just met each other, even though we’ve both been writing Christian fiction for 10 plus years?

It took the power of the internet to bring us together! Cathy found me through the American Christian Fiction Writers site. Imagine my amazement when I leaned that the ACFW Beyond the Borders director was none other than a fellow Bermudian. Has to be God working here somewhere.

As a Sci-fi writer, I suppose it’s a bit of an understatement to say that I simply can’t write anything that’s mundane. A story has to have some kind of exotic element for me to find it interesting and this most definitely is true of the setting. Which is probably why my second book takes place in the Philippines—albeit 75 odd years from now.

One of the things I love about an international setting is the ability to experience a different culture in the most intimate way possible without even going there. What better way to experience a place than to walk in the shoes of a character who has lived there their entire life?

When it comes to writing international fiction, as I’m experiencing with my second novel, it brings the chance to research a new place. I enjoy getting the details that will lend the authenticity to make even a local will say, “Hey, it’s just like that here!” To me that’s the real fun part.

One of my favorite ways to both learn about a culture and bring it home in my writing is with cuisine. Some of the best research for the my second novel came from watching “Bizarre Foods” with Andrew Zimmern and “No Reservations” with Anthony Bourdaine. If you haven’t already, give these shows a try to fill your mind with the sights, sounds, smells and flavors of an exotic getaway.

I’m hoping International fiction will take off as a mini genre of its own. While technically setting isn’t a genre element, it can certainly give a story a fresh and appealing zip.

Kirk Outerbridge
Author of Eternity Falls
www.kirkouterbridge.com

Interview and book giveaway with DiAnn Mills!

Today, I’d like to welcome award-winning author DiAnn Mills who was my first writing mentor and has been an encouragement and blessing to me over the years. DiAnn launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold more than 1.5 million copies.
DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure” as she combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels.

LISA: You have three books set in Africa, two fiction and one non-fiction. Can you tell us briefly about the fiction series as well as Lost Boy No More?

DIANN: Lost Boy No More is a nonfiction book about Abraham Nhial and his journey from his homeland in Sudan as a nine-year-old boy to the United States. Through the eyes of Abraham, the reader learns about Sudan’s history, religion, politics, natural resources, and slavery.


When the Lion Roars is a fiction novel about three different people and how their lives weave through the tragic civil war in Sudan and the slavery issue. The characters include a white American woman doctor, an Arab Christian, and a black warlord.

When the Nile Runs Red is the second book about these three people. The time period is right after the peace treaty is signed between north and south Sudan. The story weaves their unique personalities and how they view the best way to mend the people and the country, while a plot unfolds to kill the Arab Christian.

LISA: What first drew you to write about this continent?

DIANN: I think Africa chose me! When I was approached to write a book about the Lost Boys of Sudan, I wasn’t even sure where Sudan was located in Africa. The more I studied and learned about the people and the country, the more I fell in love.


LISA: What one moment still stands out about your trip to Sudan?

DIANN: The incredible faith of the Sudanese Christians. When a Sudanese says “Jesus is enough,” and we consider all the tragedies that have befallen these people, then Jesus is truly enough.

LISA: Amazing and so true! What did you find challenging/rewarding about your trip?

DIANN: Challenging: the primitive conditions. Rewarding: meeting the people and listening to their stories--and their faith.

LISA: Give us a glimpse into what was necessary to research your books.

DIANN: In the nonfiction, I interviewed hundreds of people: Lost Boys, Sudanese refugees (men and women), and those who worked with the Sudanese. Some of those who worked with the refugees represented Christian organizations, and others did not. The experiences and information were often emotional. The directors and teachers of the refugee camps were extremely helpful.

The organizations here in the US who are instrumental in helping the Lost Boys shared with me their victories and their defeats.

I also researched African politics, the history of Sudan, slavery, natural resources - specifically oil, and religion. I took a twelve week class on the Muslim religion to better understand the culture of the government and its people.

LISA: Many of our readers are also writers. What advise can you give to authors as they seek to up the suspense in their own novels?

DIANN:
1. Continue to raise the stakes by allowing the character(s) to walk through fire. Sometimes allowing the character to be burned and other times allowing the character to be singed.
2. Use words that build suspense, which means avoid the poetic and flowery words used in romance and fantasy novels.
3. Use the ticking-clock tool to keep the reader turning pages.
4. John Gardner wrote: “Create the best possible characters and allow the worst possible things to happen to them.”
5. Emotive conflict is the key to a page-turning novel

LISA: Your tagline is Expect and Adventure, and you have two books coming out soon that fulfill that very promise, Sworn to Protect and A Woman Called Sage. Can you tell us a bit about both books?

DIANN: A Woman Called Sage is a historical novel to be released March 1 by Zondervan. A woman bounty hunter searches for the killers of her husband, only to discover she has become the hunted.

Sworn to Protect is a contemporary suspense novel to be released April 1 by Tyndale. This is the second novel in the Call of Duty series. A Border Patrol agent in McAllen, Texas fights to uphold the law while struggling with her personal life torn apart by violent crime.


Thanks so much for sharing with us today! To find out more about DiAnn and her books, please visit her website. DiAnn has also offered to give away a copy of When the Nile Runs Red. Please leave a comment on this post with a way for me to contact you. I’ll draw a winner on December 5th. US addresses only please.

And for those in the US, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Blessings,

Lisa

Greetings from Australia

Hi, I’m Narelle Atkins and I’m delighted to be a part of this blog promoting International Christian Fiction. I live in Canberra, the national capital of Australia. Population of around 340,000, Canberra is a three hour drive south-west of Sydney, and only a few hours away from the NSW South Coast and the Snowy Mountains. Here is a photo of Parliament House, one of Canberra’s more prominent landmarks.

Today I’m giving away an Australian calendar. For a closer look at the View Australia 2010 Calendar, please go to http://www.aussiecalendars.com/calendars/view-australia.htm

I thought I’d talk about Australia by referring to a few of the stunning photos in the calendar. The January calendar photo is from Palm Beach, on the northern beaches in Sydney. A beautiful part of the world, I grew up on the northern beaches and I couldn’t resist using Manly and Sydney Harbour as the setting for two of my manuscripts. Here is a photo of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with Sydney ferries heading into Circular Quay and the North Sydney business district in the distance.


The July calendar photo is from Tulip Top Gardens near Canberra, ACT. Last month my children had a fabulous time attending a birthday party held at Tulip Top Gardens. The lovely people at Tulip Top Gardens very kindly allowed me to include a photo of their gardens in my post. Please visit their website http://www.tuliptopgardens.com.au/ and check out the gorgeous photos in their online photo gallery. Canberra is known for its Spring flower displays and Floriade is held every year in Commonwealth Park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.


The November calendar photo includes The Three Sisters, Katoomba, NSW. Katoomba is located in the scenic Blue Mountains, a short drive west of Sydney, and is another setting I’ve used in my stories.

Australia is a country of diverse landscapes and has many amazing places from which to draw upon for story settings. Do you have a favorite Australian novel? Is there a particular part of Australia you’d like to read about as the setting for a story?

I love outback settings and thoroughly enjoyed reading Mary Hawkins’ recent release, Outback from Baragula (Ark House Press). I’m looking forward to reading Outback Hero (Avalon Books), a sweet romance by Canberra author and friend Elisabeth Rose.

To enter the drawing for the View Australia 2010 Calendar, please leave a comment on today's post. I'll draw the winner from the comments on this post on Sunday, November 29. Please leave an email address [ ] at [ ] dot [ ] where you can be reached.

"Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws."


Narelle Atkins writes contemporary inspirational romance. She resides in Canberra, Australia with her husband and children. To learn more about Narelle, please visit her website.

Chuck Holton & Meltdown

Recently I had the great pleasure of chatting on the phone with former Army Ranger and CBN Adventure Reporter Chuck Holton about his newest release, Meltdown Predominantly set in Ukraine, the book is a perfect feature for this internationally-themed blog. The book is fast-paced and laden with heart-stopping action. For me, an action/adventure writer, Meltdown was un-put-down-able!

The inspiration for Chuck Holton’s latest release, Meltdown, is obvious—it’s the third book in the Task Force Valor series (following Allah’s Fire and Island Inferno). Specifically, however, the idea came from reading the blog of a girl who lived in Ukraine and blogged about riding a motorcycle through the Dead Zone. That sparked a story idea, but he said the location was also a really cool venue.

Chuck believes overseas venues are the best because they expose people to things they’d never see or know about otherwise, which he did with skill in Meltdown, introducing readers to a segment of history about Chernobyl, Pripyat, and the Dead Zone. He nicely mingles information and images from this historical event and site into Meltdown! Tension ratchets with the ticking clock element due to Chernobyl, which has the characters “sucking up radiation” with every minute spent in this radiation-laden site.

Considering his extensive travels (16 countries this year and 5 weeks embedded with troops and DEA agents in Afghanistan this past September) and his career (writing, video producing, and editing the American Heroes series by Oliver North), I asked him how he manages to squeeze it all in. He chuckled and said, I don’t know. Then his passion seized him, and he said unequivocally, “I don’t engage in passive activity.”

It was then that Chuck explained that he’d made a decision a few years back to eliminate all passive activity from his life. He said, “If it’s not profitable or therapeutic, I won’t do it.” For the former Ranger, therapy can be found in many things, including backpacking, exploring unexplored islands, adventure reporting—going places most journalists avoid—and even writing.

Chuck, who calls himself the “accidental novelist,” had no intention of writing fiction. For him, one of the most surprising revelations about writing was how hard it can be. But the writer in him peeks out, passion takes over, and he mentions one of the more beautiful aspects of writing. “Once you’re in the zone,” he said, “the story starts to write itself.” And he loves to plant what he calls Easter Eggs—inside jokes/stories—within his books for friends and family.

For the man who’s “been there, done that,” Chuck states that a good story must be believable, teach him something, be well written, and cleverly depict the passage of time. As an example of a book that succeeds, especially in the time depiction, he mentioned The Bell Messenger, by Robert Cornuke with Alton Gansky.

Aussie reviewer, Rel Mollet, interviewed Chuck on her blog, Relz Reviewz. In response to her question about why he writes Christian fiction, he replied, “If it's not potentially life changing for my reader, it's not worth my time. Writing is about more than entertainment for me. It's a way to leverage my reach—a way to allow me to help people whom I'd never meet otherwise.”

That audience—his target audience—are the unsaved. He isn’t looking to preach to the choir. So, when he does write, he states his Worldview and background bleed through. To Chuck, writing is intimate . . . when you read an author’s work, you are getting to know them as well.

Chuck’s advice to aspiring writers is to attend a writer’s conference. It is remarkable that within eight hours of attending his first conference a publisher offered him a contract on his debut non-fiction book. Amazing!

Bio: Chuck Holton is a backpack journalist - traveling to more than a dozen countries a year, usually reporting on conflict. His experience in the U.S. Army Rangers and extensive travel (he’s visited sixteen countries this year and was embedded for five weeks with troops and DEA in Afghanistan this past September) come out in his writing. He is regularly featured on CBNNews.com and is currently editing the American Heroes series of books with Oliver North.
Chuck and his beautiful wife Connie live on a farm in Appalachia with their five children.

Visit Chuck at his website: www.livefire.us

Buy MELTDOWN


LEAVE A COMMENT TO WIN A COPY OF MELTDOWN!**

**Only U.S.-based addresses eligible.

****************************************************************

Ronie Kendig has a BS in Psychology and is a wife, mother of four, and avid writer. Her espionage thriller, Dead Reckoning, will be released through Abingdon Press (March 2010), and the first in a military thriller series, Nightshade, will release July 2010 from Barbour Publishing. In addition to speaking engagements, Ronie volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers and contributes monthly to the highly acclaimed Novel Journey blog.

Ronie can be found online at www.roniekendig.com or at Facebook.

The Winner of Patti Lacy's An Irishwoman's Tale

Congratulations to Wanda! Your name was randomly selected to win a copy of Patti Lacy's debut novel, An Irishwoman's Tale from this post.

I've emailed you, please reply with your snail mail address so I can get this book out to you.


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Out of Africa

Hi to you all from a land shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

Let me start by saying that any apparent spelling or grammar "errors" are probably because I'm writing in British English. That's one of many challenges of writing for this International blog: deciding which English to use. And by the way, all the photos here are taken in South Africa.

I’m writing to you from the “Windy City” of Port Elizabeth, on the coast of usually-sunny South Africa. (Yes, that's us on the left.)

In March of next year, a friend and I will be flying to America to attend the Florida Christian Writers Conference.

Like many people, I love to travel. When I can’t go by plane or car, I like to do it from the comfort of my armchair.

I would like to invite you in this, my first post to this blog, to Come fly with me to the magnificent continent of Africa, and particularly South Africa—a world in one land.

"You can get out of Africa, but you can never get Africa out of you."

This has been proved over and over by people who have left this continent. Watching the popular TV programme, Amazing Race, I have often wondered at the excitement when contestants are sent to Darkest Africa. For some, there is the thrill of the unknown. But for the Afro-Americans, there is inevitably a sense of home-coming. Their roots are in Africa, even though their ancestors were dragged away by slave-traders generations ago.

For centuries, many of the scenic and cultural wonders of Africa have remained hidden from the rest of the world. This land could be backdrop to a vast variety of tales of mystery, intrigue and adventure, yet few writers have accepted the challenge. Or is it perhaps few editors who have the courage to accept books written about a land of which little is known or understood?

In the secular world, South Africa is the birthplace or home to many famous authors but on this blog we’re looking at Christian International writers.

Brave Christian authors who have set their novels in Africa include Catherine Palmer, Tom Davis, DiAnn Mills, Vanessa Del Fabro, Linda Lee Chaiken, and our own Lisa Harris. I’m sure there are more. But it’s not enough.

Would you like to read stories about characters hiking a snowcapped mountain near the equator? How about adventure stories of people travelling by jeep on safari (suh-fah-ree) to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) and other animals such as giraffes and zebras in their natural habitat? Would you enjoy reading about your hero's travels on the back of a bumpy camel across the desert? Or how about sailing down the Nile River to see ancient pyramids?

Africa is the background to millions of as-yet-untold stories. I encourage you to look through your bookshops and libraries for stories set in Africa and other intriguing countries on this amazing planet we call Earth.

Plane travel is exciting. It's also expensive. There are so many amazing countries we can fly to, so many adventures we can enjoy, even if only from our armchairs. Let's read what's available, and then ask for more.

Want a calendar or postcard of South African scenery? Answer today's question:

In ONE SENTENCE, What does Africa mean to you?

Submit your answer in the form of a comment.

In one week, I will have a vote on CWG S.Africa, an online group for Christian writers of South Africa, for the best answer. I will send a scenic calendar to the selected winner and a postcard to the runner-up to any address in the world.

Don't forget to include your name and email address (use (at) instead of @) and I'll e-mail winners for postal details. I'll also post the winners' names on the comment section of this post.

SHIRLEY M. CORDER has been an RN, a pastor’s wife and a mother, but she never expected to be a published writer. A close encounter with aggressive cancer in 1997 changed everything, and she has been writing ever since. Well over 120 of Shirley’s inspirational and life-enrichment articles have been published around the world. She is busy with her 6th novel set in South Africa as she heads for her 5th consecutive NaNoWriMo win. You can contact Shirley through her website or follow her on Twitter.

Writing? What was I thinking?!

Hi. I'm Ufuoma Daniella Ojo. As of the day of writing this post I live in a small town just outside London's North West called Bushey Heath.

My parents are Nigerian, although they're both also British citizens. My dad has eight children - some born in London and others in Nigeria. So we were exposed to both the British and Nigerian cultures. When I was six years old my parents relocated to Nigeria where story telling is such a big part of the custom and lifestyle. Story tellers are typically elderly people, sometimes sitting in the shade of a tree with full branches with little children seated around them in a circle, and often included a call-respond sing-along that involved the story teller and the listeners. Some of these stories were especially scary because one could never tell if they were true or not. The fact that the faces of the children sitting around the elderly story teller showed rapt attention seemed like a powerful drug to me, and I think that's where my desire to tell stories originated.

I started writing my first novel five years ago. It took me all of two years to write seven pages! Yes, two years. I had all the excuses in the world. At the time I was working in New York and hadn't quite caught the hang of using a laptop (hated the feel of the keys), plus I was planning on moving back home to London so I was very involved in the relocation process. So like any organized woman I told myself that I would write when I bought a PC and then I bought a PC, but of course I couldn't very well set it up because I was relocating! I had the PC shipped to my mum's address in London, and when I finally got to London I had to wait until I got my own place to unpack and setup the PC. It really wasn't my fault ;-)

Alas, you guessed it! When I moved into my own place I realized that I didn't have the right kind of outlet for my PC, so it took some more time to get that sorted. And on and on. What finally made the difference for me was the first sermon I heard in 2008. The preacher talked about taking an audit of one's life. So many us have plans, expectations and dreams that we hope to achieve at some point during the year, but the sad truth is that not many of us actually get there. It got me thinking about this so called passion of mine. I didn't want another year to go by with no words to show for it so I made a decision to write every day. And thank God for grace, because I typed my last word on Christmas eve last year. Of course, this was before learning about the editing wringer that is publishing. I learnt about the value and discipline of diligence and I pray that I continue to grow, even through (or especially through) rejections. I lost my Technical Writing job four months ago, but I believe that I'm where I'm supposed to be and living proof that God does open His hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

I'm looking forward to what God will do next.

Writing What You Know

As an author of international intrigue, I am often asked why I write what I do. Why such controversial subjects as the international counternarcotics war, Marxist guerrillas, Islamic fundamentalist threats in Latin America or the war on terror in Afghanistan?

It's actually simple. As writers, we are told to write what we know, and this is the world in which I have spent my life.

A brief introduction for this blog. I grew up daughter of American missionaries (Bob and Dawn Archer, TEAM) in rural areas of Colombia that are now guerrilla hot spots. My own childhood memories include canoeing up and down Amazon rivers, crossing high mountain passes to boarding school just across the border in Venezuela (now closed because of guerrilla activity), hiking up the Andes and slogging muddy jungle trails. I was six when I wielded my first machete, a necessary instrument for climbing the path to the outhouse.

I met my husband Marty, a missionary kid from Bolivia, while attending Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alberta. We spent 16 years as missionaries in Bolivia with Gospel Missionary Union (now AVANT), an interdenominational Christian mission organization. Three of our four children were born there. While my husband served as field director, I worked with women and children at risk. My husband and I moved to Miami in June, 2000, where my husband served as vice-president of Latin America Mission.

In January, 2006, we moved again to Lancaster, PA, when my husband became president of BCM International, once the Bible Club Movement, which includes 700+ missionaries and thousands of volunteers from more than 40 nationalities working on five continents. I head up the BCM communications department, edit a magazine and continue to teach writers conferences and mentor Christian writers in a number of countries around the world along with writing the occasional international intrigue title. To date, I have lived in six countries and traveled in thirty from Latin America and Europe to Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Kenya.

I have always written, whether thesis papers, journals, or communication to family and constituency, publishing my first short story in college. But my first book was written literally out of boredom. We were living at the time in Tarija, a southern Bolivia town. While my husband was touring rural Andes churches for two weeks at a time, I was stuck at home with three preschoolers, no car, TV, radio. Once my children were in bed, I had only the handful of English-language books I’d read dozens of times. I finally decided if I had nothing to read, I’d write a book instead. That became Kathy and the Redhead, a children’s novel based on my growing-up years at our missionary children's boarding school in Venezuela.

From there I began writing Spanish-language material for women and children at risk as well as articles for a variety of international and Christian ministry publications. That was followed by the Parker Twins Series, juvenile suspense set in a multi-cultural background, and a teen novel, Jana’s Journal. My first adult fiction release, CrossFire was set in the counter-narcotics war we were witnessing first hand in Bolivia. This was followed by The DMZ, (Colombian guerrilla zones), FireStorm, (Islamic terror ties in Latin America), all published by Kregel Publications, then my first Tyndale House Publishers title Betrayed, (Guatemala), released in 2008.

My ultimate goal in every book I write, however much a "thriller," is to share with the reader my own heartfelt conviction that, for all the turmoil and conflict and pain in our world, this universe does make sense and has both a purpose and a loving Creator. If I did not have the absolute assurance that the course of human history and current events as well as my own life lie in the hands of a loving heavenly Father, I would not have the nerve to research, much less write, the stories that I do.

My most recent title, Veiled Freedom, set in Afghanistan, was released by Tyndale House Publishers this past summer (I have recently finished the sequel and am waiting for publication date). Again, I have been asked: 'Why Afghanistan?"

That answer is not so simple. Like so many reading this blog, I rejoiced in the post-9/11 overthrow of Afghanistan's Taliban, believing it presaged new hope for freedom and peace in that region. Neither freedom nor peace ever materialized. Instead today's headlines reflect the rising violence, corruption, lawlessness and despair. The signing of Afghanistan's new constitution, establishing an Islamic republic under sharia law--and paid for with Western coalition dollars and the blood of our soldiers--tolled a death knell for any hope of real democracy.

And yet the many players I've met in this drama have involved themselves for the most part with the best of intentions. The more I came to know the region and love its people, I was left asking, "Can outsiders ever truly purchase freedom for another culture or people?"

That question birthed Veiled Freedom. A suicide bombing brings together a disillusioned Special Forces veteran, an idealistic relief worker, and an Afghan refugee on Kabul's dusty streets. The ensuing explosion will not only test the hypocrisy of Western leadership and Afghanistan’s new democracy, but start all three on their own personal quest. What is the true source of freedom--and its cost?"

The answer with which I came away from Afghanistan is again simple, if neither easy nor cheap. True freedom will come to Afghanistan, or anywhere else in our world, only through the love of Isa Masih [Jesus Christ] transforming individual hearts. When enough hearts change from hate to love, cruelty to kindness, greed to selflessness, their society will never be the same. Change a heart, change a nation.

For more, visit my website: http://www.jeanettewindle.com/ and primary blog, From the Eye of the Storm: http://www.jeanettewindle.blogspot.com/.

Coloring your world from the Rainbow Nation

How exciting to meet all you wonderful readers and writers from across the globe. I write from, but not necessarily about, the Rainbow Nation, located at the southern part of the African continent. Please indulge me a brief history lesson before I continue with my blog.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu first coined the term Rainbow Nation in 1993 to describe a post-apartheid South Africa. And what an amazing description of the beautiful people of South Africa with their diverse cultures and eleven official languages! No more ebony and ivory – the dividing of Black and White – but a nation filled with hope for a bright future, finally at peace with itself and the world. The rainbow, a symbol of the calm after the storm, epitomizes the past South Africans leave behind and the future we all strive for.

Although I’m English speaking and know only two of our eleven languages, there have been times in my writing when I desperately wished I could pen certain things in Afrikaans, for it is a language rich in unique cultural expressions. Translation unfortunately does these sayings no justice. It is only those who understand the language who can grasp and enjoy the meaning of those tiny quips. But sadly, Afrikaans is a dying language in this new South Africa of ours.

As a South African writer having never set foot on American soil, putting my first novel and sequel (set in the USA) to paper was totally foreign. It has been a fascinating three year journey writing American with a South African brain. I’ve had to think American to write it, taking care in my stories to ensure groceries are placed in the trunk, not the boot; that cars stop at a red traffic light, not a red robot. Let’s not even mention trying to keep local colloquialisms and British spelling out of the writing equation. Thank heavens for word processors that have almost every language option available under my African sun, including American English (which I’ve chosen for this blog).

My current writing project is based in this wonderful land I’ve called home for the past . . . well, let’s just say for quite a number of years. It’s a story that is dear to my heart and close to home. It has been enjoyable to write of familiar things and use local sayings that foreign readers will hopefully manage to find in their dictionaries.

Having lived in Ireland for a number of months, I’d still like to write a novel that takes place in that fascinating country. I’m also toying with a story idea set in India.

Fortunately, writers can visit any country they desire from the comfort of cyberspace, although there is definitely nothing to beat the travel bug – it can bite me any time.

The world is a writer’s oyster, for in the stories we tell, we have the power to choose whether our pot of gold lies somewhere in the emerald fields of Ireland guarded by tiny men wearing green suits and funny hats, or whether it’s to be found at the end of a rainbow nation where the streets are rumored to be paved with gold. After all, writers Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, with the help of Producer Peter Jackson, found theirs right in my backyard in a place called “District 9*.”


*http://www.district9movie.com
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_9



MARION UECKERMANN only discovered her writing talents later in life. Her passion for penning poetry was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then Marion has been honing her skills and has published inspirational poetry online and in a poetry journal. She has recently authored her first full-length Christian Women’s novel, Prodigal, and is looking for a publisher. Ms. Ueckermann now lives in Pretoria East, South Africa. A member and moderator of the South African Christian Writers Group, Marion can be contacted via email to marionu(at)telkomsa.net or through her website www.inkslinger.co.cc

Only in Africa

     Greetings from South Africa.

     Today I thought I'd give you a taste of Africa to whet your appetite for novels set in this beautiful continent.

     I'm writing a Christian cozy mystery, Polka Dot Feathers, which has a South African background, so I'm always on the lookout for interesting characters and situations that could be found only in Africa.

     Recently my husband was admitted to hospital for surgery on his feet. He went to the bed allocated to him, drew the curtains and changed into one of those stylish gowns with ties at the back that our hospitals issue. It was only for a couple of hours, so he donned it without protest, but he balked when it came to the voluminous pair of bloomers compulsory for surgical procedures- were they designed with Suma wrestlers in mind? He decided his own cotton briefs were much more suitable. He placed the bloomers in all their glory on the table that straddled the end of the bed and I opened the curtains.

      The ward sister waltzed in to see if all was in order. She snatched up the bloomers and said, "You're not wearing your G-string."

     Our mouths dropped as she plonked the “G-string” on her head. Then she stuck out her bottom denture and danced round accompanied by the laughter of all in the ward. As the finale she placed the bloomers back on the table and drew the curtains with a flourish.

     My husband and I looked at each other. Now what? Was he expected to wear the bloomers after they'd been part of the dance routine?
     "Are you ready?" enquired our dancer.
     I peeped out of the curtains. "There's no ways he's wearing this pair. Bring him a new pair and he'll put them on.”
     So she did and he did.
     What a way to prepare a patient for theatre. What a wonderful character. Only in Africa would this happen.
      If you would like to see our nurse in one of my future books, please suggest a name for her in the comment section at the end of this blog, and I’ll include her in my cast of characters in a future book.

     Thank you for visiting our new blog and please drop by again.

     Ruth Ann Dell writes from her home in a sunny South African suburb. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and desires to write gripping stories which draw readers into a closer relationship with God.

     Ruth Ann and her husband have also lived in England and Rhodesia. They are renovating a cottage in the heart of Ireland.

     Find out more about Ruth Ann at www.ruthanndell.blogspot.com

East African Perspective

Hi. I'm going to use this, my first appearance on the International Christian Fiction Writers Blog to introduce myself.

I grew up with the name Harry Lee (actually, I still have it). Never knew it was considered redneck until I read John Grisham's novel "A Time to Kill" in which he says something to the effect: "...like Billy Bob or Harry Lee or other redneck names." Wow. Imagine that. I grew up with the name all my life and I never knew.

I'm a writer, having begun my novel career with a manuscript I started when I was working as a chief resident in general surgery. I've penned over a dozen novels since then and all of my stuff has a signature stripe of medical realism running somewhere in the pages. My life as a surgeon has taken me to East Africa where I work in Kenya and in Somaliland bringing the love of Christ in the form of good medical care.

That's what brings me to this forum. My experiences in life usually lag in terms of their reflection in my writing by a few years, but Africa is slowly seeping into my writing, coloring the stories with the blood, dust, corruption, and hardship that is served up in generous portions on the African continent.

How does an American surgeon end up in Africa? After a dozen years in private practice in Virginia, I took an opportunity to fill in for a surgeon in Kenya who needed a break to attend a meeting. I took my then thirteen year old son with me and at the end of just a few weeks, we both felt like the experience should be shared with the whole family. In short, I took a year sabbatical and moved the family (three sons and my wife). In that year, my boys experienced camping out under the African sky, running their dirt bikes among giraffe and zebra, the Indian ocean's warmth, the thrill of rafting the Nile as well as community projects such as "mudding" a hut, and tree-planting. As our time to leave grew near, my sons made me promise to return. I resigned my practice and returned to Kenya.

In Kenya, my surgery world expanded. I went from a general surgery/ vascular surgery practice to general, urologic, gynecologic, neurologic, plastic, and thoracic surgeon. I do everything from aortic aneurysms to pancreas resections to prostate surgery to surgery for huge goiters and other long-neglected illness. We regularly see patients who have been mistreated by the witch doctors first.

Likewise, my writing world has been expanded. Themes from the dark continent have help expand fictional settings. In my upcoming novel with Simon and Schuster, "The Six-Liter Club,"(pictured above) protagonist Camille Weller is the daughter of a male American surgeon and a Congolese woman. She becomes the first black female trauma surgeon in Virginia. Back-story from the Simba rebellion in the Congo bring the international coloring.

Who would have predicted a novel about a surgeon set in Africa and Virginia?

Anyone who takes more than a cursory glance at who I am and where I've lived.

What is the future? I'm currently at work on a novel about a Virginia heart surgeon who runs to Africa to start an open heart program in Kenya (or is it to escape the trouble that swirled around a suspected affair with the Virginia governor's wife or to make peace with a troubled past?).

Surgery has been in my blood since I started writing fiction as a chief resident.

Now Africa is too.

Thanks for joining me in the journey.

Grace,

Harry Lee Kraus

New Things

Greetings from the Wet, West Coast.

Canada's international reputation is of a land of snow and ice, but here on Vancouver Island the grass is green; red, yellow and gold leaves still cling to the trees.

We are also home of the famous Butchart Gardens http://butchartgardens.com/ and that's the prize in today's draw If you comment on this blog and leave your e-mail address, I'll enter you in a contest for a calndar and packet of seeds from Butchart's I'll draw the prize on Wed. Nov 18 and contact the winner by e-mail.

November is associated with the dying year, but for me this has been a time of new things. This blog for one. I've never blogged before so I've lots to learn.

On things technical, I'm updating my websitehttp://alicevaldal.com/ -- another skill set to add to my repertoire.

We're renovating the bathroom, although that is getting old! The two week job has now stretched to four and counting. Anyone remember the old Murphy Brown show on TV? Her house painter, Eldon, became a permanent fixture in her home.

I've also started rehearsals for the Christmas musical play at our church. This is a writing gig not of my choosing but one that has resulted in great rewards. I conduct a junior choir at our church. for several years we did a spring musical. Then, when the choir numbers fell, we expanded to include some adults and performed Once Upon a Christmas by Marian Rettke and Owen Hatch. This photo is my husband and I as Martin and Marya. The performance was so well received that I've been pressed into mounting a production every Christmas. Since the plays that suit our needs are few to nil, I've ended up writing my own. Stretches my imagination and my writing skills -- no room for telling. Everything must be shown. The play also stretches my faith. When rehearsals go badly -- as they always do -- I remind myself that I'm not in this alone. If I'm following God's plan, He'll provide what I need.

Another new thing is a Bible study I've joined. We meet in people's homes. I love the intimate setting and the chance to learn from each other and to ask any question that comes to mind. We're discussing evangelism in a pluralistic and relativistic society.

Joining International Christian Fiction Writers is new for me as well. I've been published in historical romance and contemporary romance, but directing my work toward the Christian market is a new path -- although it feels like I've come home. At present I have two completed manuscripts sitting in the figurative stew pot. I've learned over the years that stories that sparkle and shine and leap off the page at first blush turn dull and tarnished and flat when viewed from a distance. Rather than have an editor point out that fact to me, I hold onto the early version for a while. Then read and revise, hold again, read and revise until I'm satisfied it is the best I can do.

So there is my month of new things. Tell me about the new things in your life and let's hope along with poet Robert Herrick that new things succeed, as former things grow old -- Ceremonies for Candlemas Eve.

http://alicevaldal.com/

Finding The Words

Hi! I'm delighted to be part of this new blog effort to help inform people about some great writers who live all over the world. I write from Central Alberta Canada but have lived in a number of places, including a few miles from the Arctic Circle, in Dawson City Yukon, and a couple of degrees off the equator, in Papua New Guinea.

I write a lot of devotional material as well as fiction, so for my first post I thought I'd do a piece I wrote for Remembrance Day. It has to do with writing as well, so I thought it would be fitting for this blog.

And since this is my introduction, I'm giving away a copy of my devotional book, Focused Reflections. Just leave your comments and I'll let you all know who won. It's a slim book so I'm willing to ship it anywhere in the world.

Here's my first post - Finding the Words

Several years ago I heard Eli Wiesel speak at a writers’ conference. He told the story about the catalyst that made him write his prize-winning book, Night. After WW2, he had gone to Paris to try and find surviving members of his family. He got a job as a journalist and on one occasion had to interview Francois Mauriac, the famous writer.

Mauriac spoke about Jesus and Wiesel finally could stand it no longer. He exploded and told him to stop “talking about your Jesus.” He said that not far from where they were sitting atrocious things had happened to his people. “And we have no words,” he said. “We have no words.”

Mauriac was deeply moved and responded – “You must find the words. You must write this story.” Wiesel began to write.

He was fortunate. Some did not find the words and the result was depression, mental illness, even suicide.

My father was one of those who had no words. He talked very little about the war. I learned more about his military service from my mother than from him. But once, late one night when we were having a rare father-daughter talk about faith and religion, he told me how God met him in an old church in Germany.

He spent the first years of the war in Canada, working as a clerk in the RCAF,because he “made the mistake of telling them I could type.” We have a picture of him in uniform, brandishing a rifle, smiling proudly, the Halifax harbour behind him. Then he was moved to England where he again worked at a desk. We have another picture of him on a golf course in Ireland. Then the war was over, and somehow – he always thought it was a mistake of paper-work - my father was sent to continental Europe with the occupation forces. He found himself moving with the liberation army through France and Germany. One day he found himself at the gates of Bergen-Belsen. It was at that point, after the allies had won and the Second World War was over, that my father's war began.

He would never say what it was specifically that caused it to happen. Perhaps he looked too long into the face of one man, a man his own age, whose eyes were glazed with hunger and shadowed with pain, a man who looked a hundred years old, 'though he was only twenty. Perhaps my father looked into another face, one without any sign of emotion, of anguish or compassion, a face which, though living, was dead. Perhaps he could not stop staring at the piles of dead bodies, the bones and skulls, or perhaps he was required to record the numbers, the unfathomable numbers. Perhaps he could not bear the smiles, the smiles of survivors who welcomed their deliverers in silence. He would never say what it was, but something that day, in that place, made my father's mind stop. It stopped and could not go beyond the horror, the fear, the guilt.

I don't know how long he was in the psychiatric hospital. I know he was afraid to leave it, afraid even to go for a walk beyond the doors of the building. Until one morning when one of his nurses brought him his clothes and told him to get dressed. She walked him down the hallway, outside and to the front gate. She unlocked it, pushed him gently beyond it and closed it behind him.
My father told me he didn’t know how long he stood there, afraid to move, afraid that someone would walk by, afraid most of all, that he would hear the German language spoken. Then he said he was filled with a desire to find a church. He started walking and soon stood in the centre of a huge cathedral. He sat in one of the pews and stared at the stained glass windows all around him. Then he fell to his knees and wept. When he looked up the light was streaming through the windows above the altar. He said it was like watching a movie – the life of Christ flowed by in brilliant colour. When it was over, the fear was gone. He never returned to the hospital.

When he returned home he was not the man my mother had known six years earlier. He could not sleep and loud sounds made him shake. He had not conquered his fears but buried them in a shallow grave. Many times they were resurrected and continued to plague him. I know in some ways he remained an unreachable stranger, even to those who had been closest to him. I know my father never found the words.

And I know Francois Mauriac was right. We must find the words to express those things that are ugly and even evil. We must find them and write them down and then allow them to go out into the world. We must find the words, words that help us remember, words that help us to heal. Lest we forget.


Marcia Laycock is an award winning writer of devotionals and fiction. See her website - http://www.vinemarc.com/

Wielding the Sword of the Spirit

By Nick Daniels

One pastor I know used to ask his congregation, "Did you bring your sword today?" referring to the Bible. This was of course an allusion to Ephesians 6:17, that says that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

From that Scripture, one could easily assume that the leather-bounded book with Jesus’ words in red, is actually a lethal weapon. Is that what Paul meant when he wrote to the Ephesians about the armor of God? Probably not.

If you think about it, first century Christians did not have a personal pocket-size Bible or otherwise. They usually listened to the rabbis in the synagogues read the word of God—the Torah, the prophets. Although the long rolls the rabbis read from resemble a sword even more than our modern Bibles, this was not Paul’s idea of the sword of the Spirit.

But isn’t the Bible the Word of God? Yes! Why then am I saying that the Bible is not the sword of the Spirit? Because just as a sword is harmless in its sheath, the written words in the Bible do not have any power until spoken.

Have you noticed that in Genesis 1, when the earth was still formless and void, nothing happened even though the "Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Gen. 1:2)? It wasn’t until God spoke that things began to change. He said, "Let there be light," and there was light. That’s how he created the heavens, the earth, and all that is in them.

When the apostle John said, "In the beginning was the Word," he used the Greek logos for "word." But in Ephesians 6:17, the word used is rhema, which means breath, or spoken word. The sword of the Spirit is the rhema of God.

Of the returning Christ (the logos himself), the apostle John also wrote, "Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations." (Rev. 19:15) Some people believe that an actual sword will come out of Christ’s mouth, but in the context of the Bible, it makes more sense to think that he will strike his enemies with the same power that created the universe—his spoken word.

In fact, Jesus gave us example as to how to use his Word like Sword. After fasting 40 days in the wilderness, the devil came to tempt Jesus. How did he defeat the devil? By speaking the word. "It is written," he said at each temptation. And the devil had to flee from him. Interestingly, one of Jesus’ answers attest to our understanding of the sword of the Spirit. "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word (rhema) that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Mat. 4:4)

Did you notice that it says "every word that comes from the mouth of God?" It is not just any word that comes out of our mind—no matter how clever, positive, or well intentioned. It is the Holy Spirit-inspired word coming out of your mouth that will have any power. If you speak words that God has not spoken first, you can’t expect to win your spiritual battles. You must speak the words God puts in your mouth:

"As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD. (Is. 59:21)

Once you understand that God has made your mouth like a sharpened sword (Is. 49:2), you will not just read your Bible—you will study, memorize, and declare the Word of God in faith.

Nick Daniels is a suspense novelist, a daydreamer, a soccer fan, a cool dad, and a youth leader. Check out his new podcast at BreakingUnblief.org.

G'day from W.A.

Hi. My name is Lee Franklin and to borrow the title of a famous song – I come from a land Down Under.

There isn’t a whole lot about me that you’d find interesting. I live on the outskirts of a small town in Western Australia. Here, we’re surrounded by Jarrah, Marri and Eucalypt trees. Between home schooling, writing and clinical hypnotherapy, life is pretty busy. And, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m still finding my niche in writing, at the moment I’m combining romance with suspense.

I had a completely different post ready to go, until I noticed the date; today is Remembrance Day.

At the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, World War 1 was formally ended with the signing of the Armistice.

In Australia, we don't celebrate by having a public holiday. Instead at exactly eleven a.m. we have a minute's silence to remember those who have served our country, both as civilians and in the armed forces.

So rather than a long-winded post extolling the virtues of this country, which as you all know are many, *grin*,I wanted to take a few moments and thank those who vow to protect us.

In Kings Park, here in Perth, hundreds gathered to pay tribute to Western Australia's war dead.Thank you to those who gave their lives during World War 1, World War 2 and other conflicts around the world. Because of you the world is a much safer place.

To honour those fallen, I'm giving away an Australian Calendar, posted to anywhere in the world.

Here's the question;

Australia's top three heroes are a bushranger, a racing horse and a cricketer. Simply leave your name and email and the answer to at least one. I'll draw the winner in a week, they'll be notified by email and also in the comments section of this post.



Lee Franklin lives on a small property in Western Australia with her family. Surrounded by bush and a myriad of animals life couldn't be better. To read her blog, Today, simply click here.

Greetings From Way Way Way Downunder

Of all the amazing writers gathered here, I have the honour of being the most "Southern" one of us all. So, as we say here, kia ora, from New Zealand.

Firstly, where on earth am I? Well if you pull out your trust globe or atlas (or Google map) and go down down down to the bottom of the world, you have Antarctica. Nope that's not me :) But if you head up a little you'll come across two islands that look like this.

I have the pleasure of living in our capital city (the one with the red star), Wellington. The best way to describe Wellington is like a mini version of San Francisco. Harbourside, hills, hills and more hills, big cafe, coffee and arts cultures and with winds that will have little people, like me, hanging onto traffic lights so they don't get blown across the road.

The other big thing that you need to know is that, with all due respect to my lovely Australian colleagues, we are not part of Australia, their colony or far flung outpost. And telling a Kiwi that New Zealand is part of Australia, is the equivalent of telling a Canadian that Canada is a state of the USA :)

And, while we unfortunately don't have hobbits, my country is every bit as beautiful as it looks on Lord of the Rings, or, for the more cultured among us, The Bachelor. In fact, having travelled a lot, and been privileged to see many amazing places, I am still constantly blown aware by the shear beauty of this amazing country that I get to live in.

None of which has anything to do with writing, but I'm afraid I just can't help but brag about New Zealand when someone foolishly gives me free reign and column inches to do so ;)

Anyway, I figure that you'll have plenty of time to hear about my writing (mis)adventures so my question for today is - if you were given an all expenses paid vacation to anywhere in the world that you have read about in a book, where would it be and why?

Mine are Vienna and Prague because I have a fascination with World War II and I've been wanting to go especially to these two places ever since I was 14 years old and read Brock and Bodie Thoene's Zion Covenant series.

Kara Isaac lives in New Zealand where she is a paper pushing bureacrat by day, and wedding planner extraordinnaire by night (but only for 58 more!). When she manages to blow the dust off her laptop, she tries to write stories that make people laugh. While her literary comic genius has yet to be recognized by a multi-gazillion dollar contract, she's confident that's just a glitch that the universe will soon rectify.

If you're a real sucker for punishment and want to hear far more about the dramas of her upcoming wedding than any sane person should, she can also be found at www.karaisaac.com.

Oh, and in case you can't tell by the picture, she really likes cake.