Waiting with four eyes!

In my opinion, the English language contains a wonderful array of interesting vocabulary, fascinating phrases and quaint sayings – a veritable Aladdin’s cave for authors! But having worked as a German and Japanese teacher many years ago and having tried to learn a couple of different languages since then, I have discovered some unique and colourful ways of putting things in other languages too.

Recently I was reminded via an email from a friend who lives in Turkey about a wonderful Turkish phrase often used in everyday language there. My friend told me she was seeing a colleague in another town soon who loves reading my novels. She told me that when she promised this friend she would lend her my latest novel ‘Heléna’s Legacy’, the friend immediately responded: ‘Dört gözle bekliyorum’ – which literally means ‘I’m waiting with four eyes’!

Now what did this girl mean? I guess the closest English equivalent I can think of is the old saying ‘I’m all agog’! Each of these little Turkish and English sentences conjures up for me the image of someone with eyes bulging with excitement and mouth wide open, looking forward with eager anticipation to see what will happen next or what something will be like. And I’m sure you’ll agree it would do any author’s heart good to have the news of the release of his or her latest novel received with such enthusiasm – whatever the language!

One reason I was so impacted by the thought of someone ‘waiting with four eyes’ to read my latest novel was that, this time around, I have found it a little difficult to get too excited about its release myself. Not that I don’t believe in what I wrote or think my novel did not deserve to be published – far from it! I love the characters in it and am hoping and praying the book really ministers to people going through similar issues to those of my characters. And I love the cover too, I’m happy to say. I think it is just that after five new novels being released in the space of five years, with all the necessary speaking and promoting that involves, a little tiredness has crept in – and also the temptation to take things too much for granted.

But when I step back and realise what a privilege it is to have had five novels published in that time, that gives me a much better perspective and puts me on solid ground again with God too. I truly am grateful for God’s grace and inspiration and guidance to me that have enabled these novels to see the light of day. I never want to take for granted the wonderful blessing and fulfilment I have received in the process – and I am humbled to know people’s lives have also been blessed and touched by God through my writing and speaking. I truly do want to remain so thankful and God-honouring in it all.

So I’m very grateful for the fact that right now, somewhere in Turkey, one eager reader is waiting ‘with four eyes’ to read ‘ Heléna’s Legacy’! And may any other author out there feeling a little jaded by the journey be encouraged by the thought that right now, somewhere out there, someone could well be waiting to read your next novel too ‘with four eyes’!

Jo-Anne Berthelsen grew up in Brisbane and holds an Arts degree from Queensland University. She has also studied Education and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher and editor, as well as in local church ministry in Sydney. Jo-Anne loves communicating through both the written and spoken word and currently has five published novels – ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’, ‘Jenna’ and ‘Heléna’s Legacy’. To find out more about Jo-Anne, please visit her website, http://www.jo-anneberthelsen.comanneberthelsen.com.