Women Writing the West: Conference Tidbits

October 31, 2017, 6:14 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

I spotted this stunning Saguaro on the path at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort that led to the waterfall.

Women Writing the West aims to create a literary explosion comparable to the Southern literary renaissance of the 1930s. Any setting west of the Mississippi River qualifies. Their annual October conference travels year to year to historic Western towns: Tucson, Arizona this year, Walla Walla, Washington next year. I’ve been looking for a writing community that championed the spirit of the West. I think I’ve found my tribe.

Like all conferences, we were bleary-eyed and brain-dead at the conclusion. Back-to-back seminars, awards ceremonies, entertaining and knowledgeable keynote speakers–every moment was gold. I especially enjoyed anthropologist Maribel Alvarez who spoke about intangible heritage. How do we preserve subtle expressions that give life meaning, the way a woman’s body moves when she throws a tortilla or handpieces a quilt?

Like a diligent apprentice, I usually come home and write up my notes. But my outsized task list bids for my attention so instead I am organizing my notes and noticing what bubbles up.

I find that some conference tidbits have broader application than writing. In Writing What You Know: How to Turn Personal Experiences into Publishable Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry author, Meg Files, says that “human creatures own the special ability to make sense in their minds.” I believe we all seek order and understanding in whatever work we do. So I offer you some conference gems in hopes that some might apply to whatever you are working out in your mind.

Conference Tidbits for the Right Brain

The writing team of Sue Boggio and Mare Pearl offered up tools to improve creative flow. Although creativity is a whole-brained function, the right brain plays the bohemian while the left brain crunches on problems. I concluded that hopping back and forth between right and left-brained activities is crazy making. Better to chunk the time:

1. Power through the task list that requires attention to detail (marketing, technical issues, record keeping).

2. At the point of frustration, send the problems over to the right brain to incubate and go for a walk.

3. Choose a time and perhaps a different place to set your mind to the creative work. Let it flow. Solve the problems later.

Meg Dobson and Patricia Bailey presented seminars on Young Adult Fiction. I have a work-in-progress, Pastor Jerry and Jesus at the Beanpunk Cafe, that seems to want to be YA. The most valuable thing I learned is the difference between Middle Grade (8 to 12) and Young Adult (12 to 18 and up, depending on who you talk to). Middle-Grade kids think in concrete terms. Their world is small. YA people are capable of abstract thought. They are aware of value systems, morality, and senses of empathy, shame, and guilt. They think inside their heads. Is this not good to know, not only as a writer but as a parent and a grandparent?

Conference Tidbits for the Left Brain

Two CPAs gave us a tutorial on taxes for authors. Gulp! For tax purposes, your work is either a hobby or business. If you decide to run it like a business (even though you don’t expect to make gobs of money), keep good records to show your intent. That would include a business plan and an accounting ledger. If you are filing a schedule C as an individual proprietor, open a separate business checking account and credit card. That helps you distinguish business expenses from personal expenses and demonstrates your business-like intent should you be questioned by the IRS. The CPAs recommended reading IRS publication #463. It answers questions about deductible expenses.

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

At Birt’s Bistro and Books in Surprise, AZ people gather to eat, browse for books, listen to music, and tell their stories.

The backstory is a literary device that details the happenings that lead up to a novel’s main story. Public functions also have backstories. Table and wall displays at book fests, art exhibits, or craft shows comprise the main event. But behind the scenes, busy organizers work tirelessly, and community members make time in their schedules to attend. Therein lies a story. Once the event kicks off, I often hear inspirational stories in the conversations around the book table.

I didn’t know what to expect when I joined two other authors at the Benevilla Book Grab in Surprise, AZ. Early morning sun poured through the windows at Birt’s Bistro and Books and played on tables where regulars ate breakfast and chatted. At Birt’s, bookshelves surround diners like loving arms. The books are all donated and once or twice a year, volunteers clear the inventory to make room for new books.

We local authors weren’t allowed to sell our books. We were part of the display. For our part, manning book tables is just part of the marketing mix authors are expected to do. But antipathy for self-promotion is part of my backstory. That’s true for many authors. It’s painful to watch shoppers make a wide swath to avoid entrapment in a sales pitch. However, these were not shoppers; they were readers. That changes the whole relationship.

Without the pressure to sell, I was free to engage in conversation. I listened to people’s stories. When they asked about my books, I practiced my pitch and watched for the moment when a polite inquiry turned into avid interest. Magic happens when a reader’s backstory and mine connect.

A Reader’s Backstory

When I tell Suzanne Yankowski that in writing The Trials of Nellie Belle I put my great-grandmother on the literary stage and made her explain herself, Suzanne’s eyes light up. She has a story of her own to tell. In her words:

One day my dad asked me to watch my mom while he went to the doctor. Mom had MS. Dad never went to the doctor for himself. When he got home, I asked him how it went. He said, “The doctor told me to get my affairs in order. I have two weeks to live.”

I said, “Ha, ha, Dad, very funny!” but it turned out to be true.

It made me sad to know my kids would never hear his stories. I gave him a tape recorder and asked him to tape his stories for as long as he had the strength to do so. He lived a year and a half. He died the week after he recorded his last story.

A Volunteer’s Back Story

The bookstore manager has a different kind of “back” story. Linda Mellon arrives before everyone else. She sets up and then bustles around handing totes to people who pay $10 to fill their bags. She hauls the sale books up and down stairs and arranges them on tables. Throughout the day, Linda refreshes the book tables. At day’s end, she returns some of the unsold books to the shelves and boxes up others to donate elsewhere. At lunch, however, Linda is nowhere to be seen. She has gone home to lay on her bed and do stretches because she is recovering from recent back surgery. Regardless of pain and weakness, the book sale is her main event. Her surgery is backstory.

These two women have something in common–a belief in the power of story to preserve the health of the family or community. I would never have heard these inspirational stories if I hadn’t had the opportunity to engage in conversations around the book table.

Books are products to be sold; that’s true, but I think of my novels as backstory. Writing them leads me to greater understanding and compassion. The main event is the privilege of participating in the literary life.

What’s your backstory?

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Writers & Authors on Fire podcast interview with Sydney Avey

Word Play: Random Examples of Well-Considered Words

January 8, 2018, 9:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Writers who take time to playfully consider their words twinkle like stars in a black night. Through their choice of words, they offer unique perspectives on troubling issues, clear explanations of difficult concepts, and deep appreciation for life’s connective tissue. I recently stumbled upon several examples of fine writing that made me smile

1.

Noted

Town fathers in the California Gold Country are taking up the difficult issues around the legalization of marijuana. A Union Democrat reporter put it this way:

“The future of cannabis in Calaveras County hung on threads of indecision and strands of obstinance…” (Sadly, my unwillingness to subscribe to our local paper prevented me from reading the rest of what promised to be an entertaining and informative read.) But still, could the situation be any clearer? The stakeholders are at a standoff and the governing body can’t make a decision.

2.

Discovered while browsing

In the December issue of Southwest Airlines magazine, editor Jay Heinrichs riffed on the multiple meaning of the word “spirit.” He wondered how a word derived from the Latin spiritus, meaning “breath,” could be used to describe at once alcoholic beverages, moods, team character, the third person of the Trinity, and more. In a delightful few paragraphs, he distilled the meaning down to its essence and raised the suggestion that we affirm life in small moments outside the cocktail hour or off the football field. Read the article here.

3.

A bookstore find

I picked up a small book on the intriguing subject of silence. (Silence In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge) Silence is much-lauded state of mind, difficult to define, even more difficult to achieve. The book is laced with phrases that glisten like fresh chocolates nestled in crinkled paper whispering “pick me.” Among other things, silence is:

“a waterfall in your brain.”

Disengagement.

The luxury of being alone with a task.

“A key to unlock new ways of thinking.”

I think these experiences add up to deep satisfaction in small moments, nourishment that restores what our noisy environment strips away.

4.

On exhibit

The Native American influence pervades the Pacific Northwest. I was particularly moved by the oration attributed to Chief Seattle exhibited the Bainbridge Island History Museum. Here’s an excerpt:

And when the last Red Man shall have perished, and the memory of my tribe shall have become a myth among the White Men, these shores will swarm with the invisible dead of my tribe, and when your children’s children think themselves alone in the field, the store, the shop, upon the highway, or in the silence of the pathless woods, they will not be alone. In all the earth there is no place dedicated to solitude. At night when the streets of your cities and villages are silent and you think them deserted, they will throng with the returning hosts that once filled them and still love this beautiful land. The White Man will never be alone.

Let him be just and deal kindly with my people, for the dead are not powerless. Dead, did I say? There is no death, only a change of worlds.

This is presented as Chief’s Seattle’s words in response to an offer to buy Indian lands and move the tribes to reservations. The entire piece has an eloquent tone of resignation. But, my research turned up serious doubts about who actually wrote the document. If, as some scholars believe, the words were written on the Chief’s behalf, then that’s a different story.

5.

At the movies

Forty years ago, Star Wars debuted. This season’s offering, The Last Jedi, reminded us that the Force is “an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.” It occurs to me that these beautiful words speak at once to the truth of science and the truth of faith.

We live in a galaxy of words that have the power to entertain and inform, nourish and restore, and inspire us to be our better selves. What is on your radar or your reading list for 2018?

← Two Book Reviews: The Canyon House and Silence Improving Our Social Interaction →

Writers & Authors on Fire podcast interview with Sydney Avey

Nellie Belle Makes Her Literary Debut

January 25, 2018, 1:31 pm

≫ Next: Fact or Fiction: Writing the family story

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Nellie Belle is about to make her debut on the literary stage! The Trials of Nellie Belle is now available for preorder. Shipping date is February 6. I’ve listed links to the major book retailers on my website.

Other options

Order a copy through your favorite bookstore
Ask your local library to order a copy
If you would like me to send you a signed copy directly, send me a request through Contact on my website (the U.S. only).
Are you a book reviewer? Free review copies on Netgalley.

About The Trials of Nellie Belle

When her parents marry off Kansas-born Nellie Belle to the ranch foreman, she never questions that motherhood will follow. But at the dawn of the progressive era, Nellie seizes an opportunity to move west and start a new life. Yearning to achieve a sense of self-worth, Nellie leaves behind her husband and son and takes her two daughters to the Northwest. She charges forward to become the first woman court reporter to travel the circuit in the region. On her journey, she loses her daughters, one to death, and one to vaudeville.
In small-town makeshift courtrooms and growing cities boasting new halls of justice, strong-minded Nellie touches many lives; self-determined lawmen, enterprising women, hard-working immigrants, a senator, some cads, and a cross-dresser.

Nellie finds fulfillment in the hard-won respect of a tight legal community that metes out early twentieth-century justice. But when her prodigal youngest returns home with a babe in arms, she must do what she can to pull together what remains of her scattered family.

Can Nellie rescue her broken-hearted daughter, and give badly needed direction to her headstrong granddaughter who is on a path to disaster?

Endorsements

A Compelling Ride Through Four Generations

. . . captures the empowered voices of three distinct women . . . In a time when women were just coming into their own, Nellie Belle’s zest for adventure and commitment to family leave the reader with a sense of the power we each hold, to influence descendants for years to come.

—Wendy Wilson Spooner, Licentiate Genealogist, LCoT.

Portrait of an Independent Woman

. . . [who] lived on her terms in a man’s world at the turn of the century . . . rich with details of the times, including court cases where Nellie encounters colorful characters . . . We witness the thinking of the times and the decisions that shape Nellie’s life . . . creates wonder about generations who passed before.

—Caitlin Hicks, author of A Theory of Expanded Love

A Spiritual Journey

. . . Every journey is spiritual, whether we know it or not. And every decision is spiritual as well. Avey has captured four journeys filled with the consequences of choice. Consequences born of spiritual hunger mistaken for freedom. I found the unintended character of the consequences haunting. Nellie and her family offer us a mirror if we are willing to look.

—The Reverend Doctor Stephen Roosa

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Fact or Fiction: Writing the family story

February 13, 2018, 6:00 am

≫ Next: Fish Fossil Swirl: Living in the disruptive moments

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

I never met my great grandmother but I inherited her short stories, Leaves from a Reporter’s Notebook. Her stories are dramatic and funny. I have no way of knowing if they are factual, but they are faithful to the times and worth the telling.

All I know about Nellie Belle I heard from others who knew who her. I could trace some of her movements through genealogy records, but it was family legends, photographs, and scrapbooks that hinted at the drama of her life. The real story lay in what was left unsaid. I had to fill in the gaps with my imagination.

The line between fact and fiction

Historical Fiction fans may wonder about the line between fact and fiction in this genre. Accounts of past events fall on a spectrum that ranges from verifiable reports to speculation about events that may or may not have happened.

Non-fiction story forms are the most objective. They include:

Biographies that are factual
Memoirs that are first-person accounts of an individual’s life
Narrative nonfiction that presents someone else’s life in story form

Historical fiction is subjective. Rooted in the facts of the past and grounded in the manners, mores, and details of a specific period, this literary genre allowed me to tell my story as I wished.

Leora and Nellie Belle, are they the same person?

My readers ask about similarities between Leora Moraga in The Sheep Walker’s Daughter and Nellie Belle Carter Scott in The Trials of Nellie Belle. Are they the same person? Leora is an entirely fictional character. I modeled her loosely after Nellie Belle and appropriated some of the details of my great-grandmother’s life. The two share some personality traits. They both worked in the court system. They both ditched husbands but under far different circumstances. Still, it’s fair to assume they might be the same person. They are not.

The Trials of Nellie Belle tells the story of my great-grandmother written in the context of four generations of women. Characters from earlier generations bear real names as they appear on genealogy charts. As the story moved closer to present times, I changed the names. Famous people whose stories are on the public record I identified by their real names. Less famous people whose stories are mostly conjecture I renamed.

What is the truth?

In these present times, the truth is a fluid concept. God, cultural norms, or individuals set the standards. Even facts are disputable. This presents a challenge to both the historian and the novelist. Historians want to animate history with a lively presentation of the facts. Novelists bury facts in the rich details that provide context for their narrative. The difference in focus produces healthy debates over accuracy.

Family stories often present facts and dates that are misremembered and not always verifiable. Our relatives tell stories for effect by embellishing the anecdotes. Regardless, I believe there is more truth in a family’s mythology than we give credence.

I took to heart what my mother said when she described her fractious relationship with her grandmother Nellie Belle and then told me I was “just like her.” It was eye-opening to discover that the women in my family all display Nellie’s attributes to some degree. Respect for education; a facility with language; a killer work ethic; a fighting spirit; a love for beauty and nature; belief in the value of family ties; and a sense that we are not alone in the universe–we are part of a larger plan. These characteristics work both for and against us, as I have tried to show in The Trials of Nellie Belle.

The family story is a puzzle

Charley Harper puzzle with a black border

Writing a family story is like working a puzzle. Recently, I linked most of the pieces in a puzzle, but a handful remained. I could not make them fit. A black border framed the image, and it fought me. In an exercise of trial and error, I reworked sections. A few critical pieces fit more that one place! To create the whole, I had to work in the dark areas without a clear image to guide me.

The family story is like that puzzle. Some facts seem to make sense, but when you put them together, there are holes in the story. A writer uses the imagination’s creative power to explore alternative ways of arranging the pieces. In the process, she unearths possibilities that produce a story that rings true.

Do you have an ancestor whose life would make a good book? Please reply to this blog and tell me a bit about that person in the comment section below.

← Book Review: Living Life Backward

Writers & Authors on Fire podcast interview with Sydney Avey

Fish Fossil Swirl: Living in the disruptive moments

April 3, 2018, 7:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Fish Fossil Swirl by Jo Thomas

Last month, while enjoying a breakfast crepe at a Jewish deli in Silver City, New Mexico, a mixed media piece of art by Jo Thomas titled Fish Fossil Swirl caught my eye. A blank wall in my Arizona house received this gem with joy.

What speaks to my soul about this artwork is the murky depth of the water, the frenetic whirl of sparkly seaside treasures, and the ancient fish, half-hidden, pearlescent, and still. I see my life in the swirl, but my eyes always return to the fish that seems to be anchored in time and eternity.

Transitions

We are ending our fall/winter stay in Arizona and heading for our spring/summer residence in California. In my rearview mirror–treasured friends in the Southwest, the choir at Christ Presbyterian Church in Goodyear that sustains my soul, and the West Valley Writers Critique Group in Avondale that I have come to depend on to help my writing mature.

Up ahead, my Evangelical Free Church family, Pine Mountain Lake community, and the Sonora Writers Group that connects me to writers throughout the Gold Country. Also, a visit our daughter and grandchildren on Bainbridge Island and some time on the coast with our son.

I try to think of myself as a gypsy who travels light, carries only the essentials, and maintains the same disciplined routine wherever. Ha! I lose weeks of writing time on both ends. But sometimes you have to live in the disruptive moments that life hands you.

Disruptive moments

As we left Silver City to return to Surprise, AZ, we had a close call with death. We were turning off a stretch of middle-of-nowhere road when a car traveling eighty miles per hour swerved to miss us, lost control, and crashed into a road bank. I watched the SUV roll in slow motion. I swear that angels controlled the trajectory of that car because while I dialed 911, my husband pulled a pregnant woman and her eight-year-old daughter from the vehicle. They were unhurt.

About the time that we recovered from that experience, a friend and neighbor we had been watching out for passed away in his home. We had an ear tuned to his comings and going. One day, we didn’t see his garage door go up. We didn’t hear his dogs. My husband, who had access to the house, found his body. Blessedly, our desperately ill neighbor is no longer in pain. Also, the dogs he loved got adopted within two days.

These experiences remain with us as we pack to leave. Dark realities often disrupt our plans, but providence restores our hope. We are lost in a dangerous world, but found in the love of a friend, a neighbor, a passer-by, and most of all, a God who supplies our needs.

This collage reminds me of the teeming life that swirls around us. A young mother lives to deliver her child. A suffering man comes to the end of his earthly life. People step up to help and to care.

We move through murky waters, terrified by darkness, uplifted by beauty. And half-hidden in the midst of chaos, an undisturbed Presence invites us to pay attention to what really matters.

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Use Your Imagination, Part 1

May 29, 2018, 8:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

When you use your imagination, you entertain thoughts free from the confines of reality.

Use your imagination, our parents would tell us kids when we struggled to understand something or solve a problem. Funny, we never had to ask them how to use our imaginations. We instinctively knew how to go there.

Imagination is a mental process of entertaining thoughts free from the confines of reality and forming images we see in our mind’s eye. We use our imagination to visualize the unreal. We develop creativity to make our imaginings real in our work.

As we age, pressure mounts to suppress imagination. Giving our minds permission to play without purposeful intent is sometimes viewed with suspicion, and often judged a waste of time. On the other hand, the world is desperate need of mutual understanding and creative problem-solving. Perhaps we need to follow parental advice and use our imaginations.

The Power of Words

Last week, two presentations that spoke of the transformative power of words renewed my hope for more imaginative approaches to life’s great puzzles. One was the launch of The Great American Read on PBS. The other was an inspirational talk to my Bay Area ACFW group delivered by bookseller Byron Borger. Byron and his wife Beth own Hearts and Minds Bookstore in Pennsylvania.

Byron spoke passionately about why words, stories, and writing matter. He talked about how books give voice to the things people feel, how emotional development requires a robust set of words, and how good literature heals the world. He shares his thoughts and a recommended reading list on his website.

It’s no surprise that these are faith-based books. Faith, after all, requires imagination. Faith opens our hearts to a reality different from the physical or material. I’ve reproduced Borger’s list in three parts with shorter descriptions so you can scan quickly. Please visit his website and support this 35-year-old indie bookstore by purchasing one of these wonderful books.

Book List Part 1

The Call: Finding and Fulfilling Your Life’s Greatest Purpose (Word; $17.99), Os Guinness— reminds folks that their work or avocations are as important to the Kingdom of God as is the work of ministers or missionaries.

Your Mind’s Mission (IVP) $7.00, Greg Jao and Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling Andy Crouch (IVP) $22.00—about the Christian mind and meaningful engagement in the human task of culture-making, and of stewarding the gifts God has given us for the common good.

Rainbows for the Fallen World Calvin Seerveld (Toronto Tuppence Press) $30.00—about the aesthetic dimension to all of life.

A Redemptive Theology of Art: Restoring Godly Aesthetics to Doctrine and Culture David A. Covington (Zondervan) $24.99—a look at how aesthetics can influence our understanding of doctrine as well as our engagement with the culture and the creative process.

It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God edited by Ned Bustard (Square Halo Books) $24.99

It Was Good: Making Music to the Glory of God edited by Ned Bustard (Square Halo Books) $24.99

It Was Good: Performing Arts to the Glory of God edited by Ned Bustard (Square Halo Books) $19.99

Each includes essays by dozens of thoughtful theorists and artists, practitioners and patrons, writers and thinkers, makers and performers.

Scribbling in the Sand: Christ and Creativity Michael Card (IVP), $17.00—mature reflections and a balanced call to embrace some degree of creativity in our daily lives.

Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts Steve Turner (IVP) $16.00—a go-to book that is basic, interesting, engaging for anyone who enjoys the popular arts.

Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts Jerram Barrs (Crossway) $18.99—“clears away the clutter of much-touted arguments and sets forth a clear framework for any Christian thinking Biblically about the arts.”

Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art Madeline L’Engle (Convergence) $15.00— a must-read for any serious writer.

Breath for the Bones: Art, Imagination, and Spirit: Reflections on Creativity and Faith Luci Shaw (Thomas Nelson) $15.99— reflections on the meaning of symbolism and metaphor and how good art can help humans flourish and even experience God.

Have you read other books on the subject of imagination or creativity? Please share the titles in the comments section.

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Use Your Imagination, Part 2

June 5, 2018, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Use Your Imagination, Part 3

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Use your imagination

In Use your imagination Part 1 I introduced bookseller Byron Borger, who shared his thoughts about the power of words with my Bay Area writing group. Part 1 included my takeaways on his talk and a partial list of his recommended reading. In Parts 2 and 3 I will post additional comments and suggested reading. Visit Byron’s website to see the full text of his remark and to purchase books.

Tell it like it is

Good fiction prompts readers to use their imaginations to create voices for characters. Avid readers are independent folk who have their own ideas about a character’s motivations. They weigh what they read against what they know to be true. Borger reminds Christian fiction writers that they should not be simplistic or preachy. Regardless of what the inspirational market wants, he says, we should invite readers to grow and confront the truth of how things really are.

Authors must tell the truth about this glorious, broken world of wonder—the good, the bad, the ugly. Perhaps the most entertaining books satisfy our desire for a happy ending, but the best books touch our hearts because they ring true.

The books on Borger’s list are largely meditations, essays, and personal growth books that encourage people of faith to pursue artistic callings. Many of these authors are new to me.

Book List, Part 2

Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art and Culture Makoto Fujimura (NavPress) $24.99, beautiful essays, cries from the heart of a lively, thoughtful, Christian artist. Other titles: Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for our Common Life to Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering the specific, award-winning study of the classic Japanese novel, Silence, which raises huge questions about how art can be helpful as we live in a hurting world.

Intruding Upon the Timeless: Meditations on Art, Faith, and Mystery, Gregory Wolfe (Square Halo Books) $22.99, a collection of short, luminous, essays by Wolfe from Image.

Imagination Redeemed: Glorifying God with a Neglected Part of Your Mind Gene Veith & Matthew Ristuccia (Crossway) $16.99, explores the role of imagination in faith.

The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing Leland Ryken (Shaw Books) $24.99, an anthology that brings together some of the very best stuff written on the integration of faith and literature.

Title Pending: What I Think About When I Make Stuff Justin McRoberts (CreateSpace) $10.99, advice and ideas about being creative.

Holy Curiosity: Cultivating the Creative Spirit in Everyday Life, Amy Hollingsworth (Cascade) $18.00, essentials about the creative process.

Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity, Scott McElroy (Destiny Image) $15.99, probes what active role the Holy Spirit has in our creative efforts.

Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity, Thomas Ryan, CSP (Skylight Paths) $16.99, deeply spiritual in an ecumenical, even interfaith way.

Different Drummer: Bold Thinking for the Rebellious Creative, Erik Lokkesmoe (Elevant) $13.99, encouragement to let go of fear and move forward into your essential role in God’s missional plan.

Create vs Copy: Embrace Change, Ignite Creativity, Break Through with Imagination, Ken Wytsma (Moody Press) $14.99, about how to cultivate a creative mindset in life and leadership, using greater imagination.

The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World, Lewis Hyde (Vintage) $16.95, a call for a culture not to be so governed by money and commodity but to be reformed by the audacious generosity of artists who share their work as a gift.

Everyone’s a Genius: Unleashing Creativity for the Sake of the World, Alan Briggs, (Thomas Nelson) $16.99, about team-building, brain studies, leadership, art and culture, and making stuff.

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Use Your Imagination, Part 3

June 12, 2018, 8:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Fairy tales invite you to use your imagination.

This third in the series listing books that invite us to use our imagination begins with a quote bookseller Byron Borger shared from C. S. Lewis.

Fairyland arouses a longing for [a child] knows not what. It stirs and troubles him (to his life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something beyond his reach and, far from dulling or emptying the actual world, gives it a new dimension of depth. He does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods: The reading makes all real woods a little enchanted.

Be enchanted

What enchants you? What seems beyond your reach? Read books that take you places you are curious to go, intriguing physical landscapes and rocky emotional terrain. What would it be like to set out on a journey of self-awareness completely unprepared? That’s the premise of Wild by Cheryl Strayed, who hit the Pacific Coast Trail with an overstuffed backpack and the wrong shoes. Not my favorite book, but nature trails enchant me. I find the idea of a solitary walk on a nature trail until you come to the end of yourself beguiling.

I admit the Bible enchants me. It is one big storybook. God tells the best stories: Palace intrigue: what will it take for Pharaoh to let Moses’s people go? Horror: a man cuts a woman into 12 pieces and sends them to his relatives. Romance: A wealthy landowner provides food and safe employment to a poor widow, quietly clears obstacles to their union and marries her. And so much more.

Stories play a big part in helping us understand ourselves and the world. These books explain the art, craft, and science behind that achievement. (Order here for 20 percent off.)

Book List Part 3

Do Story: How to Tell Your Story So the World Listens, Bobette Buster (Chronicle Books) $16.95, about engaging an audience with live storytelling. A very hip little volume.

The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story, Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen (Baker Academic) $24.99.

Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale, Frederick Buechner

(HarperOne) $17.99.

The Rock That Is Higher: Story as Truth, Madeline L’Engle (Waterbrook) $16.99.

The Stories We Tell: How TV and Movies Long for and Echo the Truth, Mike Cosper (Crossway) $15.99, new ways to appreciate the stories we watch (or read!).

You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit, James K.A. Smith(Brazos) $19.99, about how reading well can shape our desires and, consequentially, our virtue.

On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books, Karen Swallow Prior (Brazos Press) $19.99, about how our imaginations can be “conscripted into a story” of a certain vision of the good life. Good stories grab our hearts, shape our imagination, and thereby form our desires— for better or for worse they sneak right past those “watchful dragons” you know. They help us want what we want and love what we love. For those who take Christian beliefs seriously, and want to be part of God’s redemptive story, the problem is, as Smith warns, we might not love what we think we do.

Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures & Transforming Power of a Reading Life, Sarah Clarkson (Tyndale) $15.99, pre-order now.

The Word: Black Writers Talk about the Transformative Power of Reading and Writing, edited by Marita Golden (Broadway) $14.99

Reading for the Common Good: How Books Help Our Churches and Neighborhoods Flourish, C. Christopher Smith (IVP) $16.00, explains how slow reading and careful conversations are key practices to reform our social imaginaries.

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction , Alan Jacobs (Oxford University Press) $19.95.

Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies, Marilyn McEntyre (Eerdmans) $19.00, brilliant “stewardship strategies” for anyone who uses words in these awful times.

Shouts and Whispers: Twenty-One Writers Speak About Their Writing and Their Faith, edited by Jennifer L. Holberg (Eerdmans) $18.99.

Fabric of Faithfulness: Moving From Belief to Behavior, Steve Garber, (IVP) $19.00. Also, Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good (IVP) $17.00.

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Why a Writers Conference Might Work for You

June 19, 2018, 8:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

In 2013 I went to the Mecca of writers conferences

If you have a story to tell, you might want to consider attending a writers’ conference. Not everyone wants to write or publish their stories, but if you dream of seeing your byline on a story in a magazine or holding your hot-off-the-presses book with your name printed across a knockout cover, what should you do? Seek an agent? Self-publish or query a publisher?

What must I do to inherit eternal life get published?

As I pondered this question, which I get asked a lot, the Biblical story of the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18 – 29) came to mind. An earnest man asks Jesus a big question:

“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He’s looking for an easy answer.

Admittedly your question, What must I do to be published?, is not a life and death matter, but I love the way the Teacher structures his answer to make clear the inadequacy of a checklist. Let’s play with this.

To the question, the Teacher might begin with a list of musts and must nots:

You must not murder the language; study wordcraft.
You must not plagiarize the work of others; be original.
Honor those who came before you; know the rules before you break them.

“Teacher,” you reply, “I’ve done all that.”

At this point, the Teacher feels a bittersweet mix of affection and sadness. Why? Because now he has to tell you the hard truth.

“Give up all your distractions and do the scary stuff. Go to writers’ conferences and learn the ropes. Join a critique circle, get honest feedback on your work, and be prepared to rewrite your entire manuscript. Invest in the services of a good editor. Then, follow your calling.”

Good advice.

Six Writers’ Conferences I Recommend

I write this because I promised a friend I would send her a list of the writers’ conferences I have attended.

Benefits:

Improve your writing by learning from the pros.
Stay abreast of seismic changes in the publishing industry.
Face to face engagement with people who will become your encouragers, your beta readers and book reviewers, your introduction to an agent or a publisher, and your source of inspiration and ideas. Like any friendship, these are give-and-take relationships you need to cultivate and allow to deepen over time.

How to choose the right conference for you:

I choose conferences based on their locality, affiliation, and program. I try to attend at least one or two a year, but no more than that. It’s good to keep a balance between learning and doing. Here is a sampling of conferences I recommend.

Write on the Sound, Edmonds, WA, held annually the first full weekend in October. WOTS draws from exceptional Northwest writing talent. Excellent craft classes in a stunning location.

Desert Nights, Rising Stars Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, held each February. An affordable gem of a conference packed with workshops given by faculty, graduates, and guests speakers. A good place to become exposed to veteran and emerging writing talents.

Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference, Mount Hermon, CA, held each Spring, a pricey but top-notch conference that regularly features the stars of the Christian Book Association. Seasoned seminar leaders who cycle through all the major Christian writers’ conferences share information tailored to the needs of beginning writers through multi-published authors.

Gold Rush Writers Mokelumne Hill, CA. Don’t ignore what is in your own backyard. This is where you are likely to find your critique group and people in the know about local events you can participate in to gain exposure for your writing.

Festival of Faith and Writing held bi-annually on the Calvin College Campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan. What a thrill to be among thought leaders, young and old, and encounter writers the caliber of Tobias Wolf, George Saunders, and Paul Harding. This is an exciting ecumenical experience that exposes writers to people of many faith traditions and encourages dialogue.

Iowa Summer Writing Festival held each summer on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, Iowa. A stellar list of literary greats is a product of the University of Iowa writing programs. They fill the teaching slots in MFA programs across the country and win literary awards and accolades. In 2013 I realized my dream of studying at the festival.

Do you have a conference you’ve attended that you would like to give a shout out? Please share in the comments section.

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Author Readings: Need courage? Don a costume!

July 10, 2018, 8:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

I get nervous before author readings. From the invitation, through the preparation and practice, right up to the minute I stand in front of a microphone, I fret. When super-talented, highly enthusiastic Jill Klajic-Ryan (facilitator of the Sonora Writers’ Group) signed me up for “Hoopla, A Wine & Read Event.” featuring fine wines, great books, and music, she added, “They want us to wear costumes.”

“Why?” I asked.

“It adds to the fun,” she answered.

No pressure there. Find an early 1900’s professional female’s costume and then find a passage to read that can compete with background music and people clinking wine glasses over an animated conversation. But everything is a learning experience, right?

The costume

Googling costumes for women almost always turns up clothing suitable for the “oldest profession.” A period ensemble is going to involve a costume or Etsy shop. And $$$. Ideally, I wanted a long flared black sateen skirt, a white mutton-sleeved blouse, and a cloche hat. I went shopping in my closet and found “close enough” to hint at the Victorian style of the day.

Choosing author readings

I chose a story about Nellie as a young girl and practiced until I felt comfortable and then it hit me. I would be reading to a group of people who came to enjoy the wine. A young girl riding her horse across the Kansas plain in search of a missing book wasn’t going to cut it. Best to save this selection for a library reading. Instead, I read from the chapter “Last Chance Romance” where a judge wines and dines Nellie and surprises her with a proposal.

Negotiating space

The proprietor, the musician, and the readers worked together to optimize the small space. We set up our microphone and podium on the patio adjacent to the tasting room, and the guitar player shared his speaker with us. Breaking up our readings with musical interludes had a magical effect. The music provided just the right level of background for the tasting room and a relaxed atmosphere for those on the patio. Some folks drifted outside with their wine glasses, sat down, and gave us their full attention.

My takeaway

Stepping into Nellie’s persona freed me to be more expressive, which was entirely appropriate to the venue. I felt like a kid in a Halloween costume emboldened to ask for candy from complete strangers! It was so much easier for me as Nellie to ask for an audience’s attention for her story than for me as an author to ask for attention for my book.

Pros know these tricks, I’m sure. But if, like me, you aren’t a professional speaker here are some ways to make author talks more fun for you and more engaging for your audience.

Consider delivering your reading as if you are the main character, not the author writing about the main character. Wearing a costume that suggests something about your MC (the time period, your MC’s occupation) adds entertainment value.
Tailor your reading selection to your audience. What is the common interest that brought people to your event? Find a way to play into that.
Be part of the event. A function with multiple activities often doesn’t afford much opportunity to sell books. That doesn’t mean it’s a failure. I met a retired editor of a major publication who encouraged me greatly. And a jazz singer walked out of the tasting room holding my novel, cash, and a fistful of my postcards that she said sold her on the book. She asked for more to pass out to her friends.

If you are ever in Twain Harte, CA, visit Sierra Cellars. They have a variety of excellent wines, a cozy tasting room, and patio ringed with trailing roses.

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Disaster: The day I drowned my MacBook Air

August 7, 2018, 8:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Disaster upends daily routine and resets expectations to a default, anything-could-happen mode.

Disaster is the worst kind of distraction. Disasters upend daily routine and reset expectations to a default, anything-could-happen mode.

I dumped a drink on my MacBook Air. In animated conversation with my husband my knuckles caught the rim of a tall-stemmed glass. The glass slid across the granite countertop, teetered at the edge of my computer, and crashed onto the keyboard spilling its contents into tiny crevices around the keys.

I tried every resuscitation method I could think of; I killed the power; turned the computer over and tried to shake the liquid out; left it upside down to drain; recharged and tried to reboot. My machine did not respond.

The young man at the Genius Bar took my lifeless Mac behind closed doors and performed an autopsy. He pronounced the area beneath the keys dry but the liquid pooled around the battery will require reconstructive surgery. Now my little Mac is headed to Houston for the procedure.

When my Mac wakes up, it’s not clear how much of his data he will remember. The multiple strategies I have in place to recover files are a mystery to me. If they work, it will be a miracle. My carelessness has caused me to think about the tenuous hold we have on the tools and resources on which we depend.

Our digital identity

These days, writing isn’t all about putting pen to paper, channeling the muse, and letting perfect sentences flow. It’s a composition process of creating and moving blocks of text around to fit the digital formats that various projects require. Writing is my calling—my creative expression—but it is also my work. I can happily exercise my calling in a paper notebook, but a body of work wants immortality. Let’s face it; we want something of ourselves to last forever. We want a digital footprint that doesn’t blow away like sand.

The works of our hands pass from generation to generation through great efforts to preserve what has been written, spoken, performed, painted, and more. In the past, creative works were curated by libraries and museums. Today, technology provides the means to digitize and preserve a massive number of books, musical scores, artwork, etc.

In effect, our digital world has leveled the playing field. We now have access to a huge store of creative output that varies in quality. Also, the digital revolution has empowered virtual reality. A trip to a library, art gallery, museum, or concert hall, is no longer necessary. Identify yourself by a user name and password and virtually anything and everything is available for viewing.

Our dystopian angst

Recent news about cyber system threats invite us to consider what would happen should our communication channels go dark, permanently or just long enough to accomplish some nefarious purpose. That possibility is at once frightening and thrilling. Frightening because of all the external supports we would lose, leaving us highly vulnerable; thrilling because we would be left to our own devices, those internal resources that rely on the power of spirit and imagination.

Perhaps this is why the younger generation is reading fantasy, science fiction, and magical realism. These are genres that exercise the imagination. What you see may not be all that exists.

I’ve always thought of my computer as a brain I use to store and retrieve my thoughts (documents), record my experiences (photos), and manage my communications and relationships (apps). This temporary loss is not a disaster. I can limp along with my other devices, but they aren’t as powerful. No matter; I am grateful for the time to take a breather and reflect on my electronic dependency.

In a week or so I will likely be back in business. If my full set of data isn’t restored, then I’m in for an adventure. Even so, it will be a pale imitation of the inevitable adventure that waits at the end of my life, when memory fades and brain cells fail. Who will I be then?

Note: My MacBook Air is home now. All its major organs received transplants except the hard drive, where my data was stored. I am back in business!

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Reader’s Taste: Why consider literary fiction?

August 21, 2018, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Spreading the Wealth, a DIY Project

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

I’m always up for a discussion about reader’s taste. On August 4, 2018 literary critic Adam Kirsch wrote a thoughtful piece titled “The Way We Read Now” in the Wall Street Journal. Three points caught my attention.

American readers don’t value good prose. This is not a moral judgement, it’s a fact. “…when Americans read, we mostly read for story, not style,” Kirsch wrote. His examples support his point. Award-winning writers like John Updike and Raymond Carver received accolades for realism and creative expression. But their celebrated works were not wildly popular like best-sellers Fifty Shades of Grey and The Da Vinci Code, both of which have been criticized for poor prose.
Americans want high concept stories. We chew through larger than life narratives, adventures with thrills and chills, tales of good versus evil, stories that dramatize human longings and spiritual truths.
A taste for the art of writing stimulates an interest in literature. In literary fiction the “how” of story matters as much or more than the “what” and “why,” Kirsch says. The good news is that we can educate our literary taste.

Literary fiction, an acquired taste

Why might reader’s want to develop a taste for beautiful words, unusual word combinations, artfully crafted sentences, thoughtful metaphors, and all the other devices that literary style employs? Consider these reasons:

Entertaining novels deliver the responses readers expect to have. Readers wish to take delight in the happy ending, feel satisfied that justice has been served, enjoy the comfort of the familiar. Literature plumbs the depths of memory and subconscious and evokes a larger range of emotions. Creative writing raises questions, challenges thinking, and leads to compassion and understanding. A rich reading life embraces both experiences.
Literary fiction enlarges a reader’s vocabulary. A strong command of language enables deeper thought and better self-expression.
At the core of all art forms lies a life-affirming goodness, a commodity that is badly needed in these times.

The LitFic Writer

The market for literary fiction may have been healthier in the past, but it’s never been large. I have long been aware that the audience for the kind of novels I write is limited. Rather than bemoan that situation, I have chosen these responses:

Face facts. It’s not likely that I will sell more than a respectable number of books. This will affect the likelihood of my getting an agent. However, there are a number of small publishers who publish for reasons other than big profits. Universities publish to support and preserve literary works that exemplify their areas of interest. (The Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno published my novel, The Sheep Walker’s Daughter, as a Basque Original because it exemplifies Basque culture in the United States.) Small publishers publish works that speak to themes they are passionate about. (Torchflame Books picked up The Trials of Nellie Belle because well-written stories about resilient women that dramatize spiritual truths interest them.)
Be true to yourself. What’s important to you? If you want to earn a living by writing, literary fiction is not a good choice. You can still write an excellent book in a genre, but you need to focus on what readers want, and that is superb storytelling with a minimum of stylistic prose. If you want to stick with #LitFic, do it for love, not money. Be realistic about what it takes to get published.

Character-driven fiction

Classic or contemporary, all literary fiction is character driven. We process our own grief when we slow down and walk on the beach with young Marcus in Gail Godwin’s Grief Cottage. We are encouraged by the hopeful spirit of neglected and lonely Lila in the novel of the same name by Marylynne Robinson. These are emotional journeys worth taking.

If you are wondering what you can do to improve the tenor of the times, invest in the arts that celebrate truth and beauty. That may be the strongest political statement of all.

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Spreading the Wealth, a DIY Project

September 11, 2018, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Social Media, Choosing How to Engage

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Wealth redistribution is a political hot button but, framed differently, making an effort to spread the wealth is not a bad idea. For example, Amazon.com wants to do it all for you–fill every need on your wish list, tie it up with a ribbon, and set it gently on your doorstep. Whether you consider the big shopping jungle a boon to convenience or the bane of small business “shop local” campaigns, bypassing expedience on occasion for a deeper experience is a DIY project that can pay off. More satisfying experiences enrich our lives.

On a drive to town to exercise in our co-op fitness center, I looked up at a cloudless blue sky, a backdrop for oaks and pines that sparkled in the sun. Air quality monitors might pick up traces of smoke from distant fires, but on that day—at that moment— the forest smiled.

I’m trying to look up more. There is enough to drag us down. Bad news spreads out like a band of fiendish muggers grabbing for any peace of mind we’ve managed to hold onto. One way to keep our spirits up is to change routines.

Shop around

I’ve recently chosen to order the print version of some of the books I want to read from an independent bookstore. Hearts and Minds Bookstore specializes in topics I like to read. I get a newsletter from the proprietor who reads the books he recommends. And the low tech ordering method facilitates personal correspondence. It’s heartening to build personal relationships with small business proprietors who will answer your questions and offer insight.

As an author, I’m glad for Amazon. They make my books easily accessible. But I also find it worthwhile to seek other venues. My books in print sit on shelves and tables in local stores like Mountain Books in Sonora, Here’s the Scoop in Jamestown, and the Groveland Art Gallery. This effort opens the door to do book talks and other events that encourage face-to-face engagement. Authors bring energy with them that generates foot traffic–good for business.

Put some poetry in your life

Poetry stirs emotions. If you love poetry, share. Stuck for what to write on a greeting card? Express just the right sentiment by quoting a poet. Can’t decide on a gift? Give a carefully chosen book of poetry.

Now that many of us are trying to wean ourselves off the downer of too much Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, let’s bring poetry out of the closet. Instead of checking Facebook for the umpteenth time, raise your dopamine levels by reading a poem! Here are some other ideas:

Spend some time at your favorite bookstore perusing their poetry shelves.
Build a poetry collection by investing in the work of local poets, favorite classic poets, and new-to-you contemporary poets.
Write poetry. My church recently invited the congregation to write a personal version of the Lord’s Prayer. (A case can be made that this prayer is poetic in form.) Who knew that we had so many poets in our congregation? The effort blessed the people who tried their hand at the exercise and the people who heard them read their work.
Ask your book club to devote one meeting to poetry. Suggest each member bring a favorite poem and read it aloud.
For you extroverts, find (or host) a poetry slam and read your work or someone else’s. Poetry is meant to be heard.
For you introverts, read a poem (silently first, then out loud to yourself) in the quiet of your favorite retreat and journal your response.

Be a tastemaker

Giving big business its due, let’s not concede our reading life to merely what’s most marketable. If we do, all we’ll get is more of the same. And sometimes, more is less. Within our spheres of influence, we can be tastemakers.

Has something you’ve read recently touched your heart or changed your mind? Please share.

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Social Media, Choosing How to Engage

October 9, 2018, 7:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

At its best, social media is a platform for people to engage with each other. The engagement may be commercial or personal. The experience can be sublime or annoying and downright abusive. Because I’m a writer who publishes books, social media is a necessary part of what I do. If I want readers, I have to let them know I have something available they might want to read.

I love the relationships I’ve been able to sustain and deepen because social media allows me to keep in touch. Good use of social media encourages meaningful connections and dialogue. Bad use abuses privacy and manipulates people for nefarious purposes.

Seminars I’ve taken teach people how to choose the networking platforms best for them. Experts tell authors to post on the platforms their readers prefer. For example, young people prefer Instagram. Choosing the ones you are comfortable using is another consideration.

My #1 Way to Engage

My e-newsletter is my number one favorite way to engage with readers and fellow writers. Upon request, I send out Syd’s News For Readers, For Writers. My newsletter offers people who are interested in my books and my writing career–and reading and writing in general–a behind-the-scenes look at a writer’s life. I am not a rich-and-famous writer, but there is a mystique about what any writer does.

In my newsletter, I update subscribers on my publications and participation in book events. I pass on to readers ideas and resources to encourage them to deepen their reading experience. And, I share what I’m learning with other writers. I distribute my newsletter seasonally. After all, I’m not delivering “need to know” news!

See a sample e-newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sydneyavey/7vws1b4wh3. To subscribe, use the subscription form on my website or contact me and ask to be added to the subscription list. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Other Ways to Engage

Sydney Matheson Avey is my personal Facebook account where I keep in touch with family, friends, communities and writing groups. I love seeing photos of my kids’ activities and friends’ travels. And, I can let folks know what we’re doing.

Sydney Avey, Author is my professional account where I post book and writing-related information exclusively.

www.sydneyavey.com is my most valuable social media asset. It’s the resume that showcases my accomplishments as a writer. Editors and publishers can verify that I’m an active author by checking my list of events and publications. My website also hosts my blog.

My bandwidth doesn’t permit me to do more than this. I’ve discovered that some authors have virtual assistants to help with social media. Wow! I wish. I have a Twitter account, but I use it like my fine china–special occasions only. To do it well requires a #savvy that @sydneyavey lacks! Pinterest? Fun and cool, but lures me into way too much screen time.

To Blog or Not to Blog

I’ve been keeping a blog since 2014. Lately, I’ve been asking myself why. I’m acutely aware that the world doesn’t need more opinions floating in cyberspace. I try to keep my posts personal and helpful to people who struggle with the same issues I do, or who need some inspiration or a laugh to lift their spirits.

How do you choose to engage, or not, on social media? In light of growing concerns over content, have you changed the way you use social networking services?

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Creative Joys: Anatomy of a Hymn

March 12, 2019, 7:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

One of the creative joys of being a writer is repurposing a work. In a Hymnology class at Christ Church in Goodyear, AZ, Dr. David Wilson challenged us to write a hymn. I took the challenge.

Because many hymns begin life as a poem, I chose to expand a short verse into a poem and then into lyrics. Here’s what the project looked like at the start:

Dust I was and dust I’ll be
til I rise again and see
Angels serve the Holy Leaven,
He, who made our earth His heaven

Pleased He’ll be to make me whole
Christ the Lover of my soul
Holy, holy, angels sing
as He brings me to the King.

It is finished.
It is done.
Praise! I did not lose this one.

From poetry to lyrics to hymns

In the new poem, I developed the Lenten themes of confession, repentance, hope, and restoration. Next, I reworked the new piece into four stanzas, the standard grouping that fits on a hymnal page. Finally, I added the music. The easiest way to set a lyric to music is to find a familiar tune that suits the song’s meter. I wrote Dust and Ashes in Long Meter (LM), and chose Tallis Canon.

The hymn’s purpose is to lead the congregation through a range of emotions that begin with sorrow and repentance and end in victory and joy. David introduced the song at Ash Wednesday service 2018.

“Dust and Ashes”

From dust I was and dust I’ll be
Until the day I rise and see
The Angels serve the Holy Leav’n
To He who made our earth His heav’n.
Chorus:
“Most Holy, Holy,” angels sing
As they bring me to Christ the King.

Mark well with ash my sin-stained brow
Remind me where I stand right now
Prepare my heart to feel the loss
The life He gave upon the cross.
Chorus:
“Most Holy, Holy,” angels sing
As they bring me to Christ my King.

Then lift my eyes towards heav’n above
To praise the Son for His great love
Sustain my hope, His face I’ll see
The day that He returns for me.
Chorus:
“Most Holy, Holy,” angels sing
As they unite me with my King.

For on that day I will be whole
And see Christ, Lover of My Soul
His work now finished. It is done.
Sing praises! He lost not a one.
Chorus:
“Most Holy, Holy,” angels sing
As they bring us to Christ our King.

Finding an original tune

I want to see artists create new works we can incorporate into our worship. My dream was to see Dust and Ashes set to original music. However, finding musicians who can compose music for lyrics is difficult.

This year, our choir accompanist and ASU doctoral candidate Vitaly Serebriakov wrote a beautiful tune in four parts (SATB) for Dust and Ashes. The music is through-composed in a continuous non-repetitive melody. He set each stanza to different music. The congregation will sing this version five Sundays in March.

Notes about scriptural references

On Ash Wednesday, we consider who we are when we acknowledge our sin and our fallen state by receiving the ashes. This hymn comprises composite scriptures.

Genesis 3:19: God lists the consequences of sin and tells Adam, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground since from it you are taken; For dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Genesis 18:27: Abraham addresses God with great respect saying, “I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes.”

Job 30:19: Job describes his situation, saying, “He throws me into the mud, and I am reduced to dust and ashes.”

Ecclesiastes 3:20: Solomon says, “All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.”

Additional references

“His work now finished. It is done.” recalls to Christ’s words on the cross.

“He lost not a one” refer to John 6:39, where Jesus says that His father wills “that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” Other verses that support this phrase are John 17:12 and 18:9

“Christ, Lover of my Soul” references Charles Wesley’s hymn, Jesus, Lover of my Soul.

The familiar phrase, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, is not in the Bible. It appears as metrical text in the Book of Common Prayer (Burial Rite).

What I’ve learned

Why do we sing? Because it stirs our emotions and connects us to the heart of God. Poetry and music are at the heart of worship.

Writing a hymn has been an amazingly creative and spiritual experience. Never did I dream I would have the opportunity to collaborate with talented people like David and Vitaly or hear my words performed as a choral piece.

Dust and Ashes is a gift—from God to me, and from my collaborative team to our choir and congregation. Poets and musicians, do try this at home! You’ll be blessed, and you’ll bless others.

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Making Changes

October 1, 2019, 7:00 am

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Sydney Avey

Dynamic Women — Changing Times

Making changes requires adjustments. Ten years ago, I radically altered my life to write a novel. By abandoning the domestic arts (gardening, cooking, sewing), curtailing volunteer activities, and reducing social life, I was able to create space in my head and time in my day for this demanding work. After publishing three novels, it’s time to prune activities that have grown like tree suckers to encourage growth in other areas.

Battling social media

It’s a constant battle to keep social media from invading more territory than I wish to cede. These days, Facebook appears to be suffering an identity crisis. I don’t want to spend time helping them figure out who they are. It seems the Trojans would have us segment ourselves into multiple interest groups to exchange information. For myself, long strings of dialogue sap my energy. I learn more and feel better when I show up at choir practice or engage with other writers face-to-face in my weekly critique group. On Facebook, I mostly want to keep track of what my family and friends are up to and follow the life adventures of people I’ve met in my travels.

So, less time on Facebook, more time with people.

I’ve taken a breather from blogging. When I started my blog, it was writing practice, first an online journal, then a way to share more intimately with readers. Looking back, the posts with the most readership were about life events that hit people hard–putting my mother-in-law in assisted living, surviving my daughter-in-law’s suicide, and a year-long chronicle of my downsizing efforts.

Update: Now 96, mom is well cared for in a nursing home but in danger of running out of funds. Joyfully, son remarried after three years of hard grieving. Along with the challenges of balancing education careers and parenting responsibilities, he and his new wife and stepdaughter are enjoying a state of domestic bliss. And, while the downsizing prepared us to put our California house on the market, we weren’t prepared for changes in the market that have stalled the sale of our beautiful mountain home. For the time being, we’ll continue to juggle our California and Arizona lives.

So, less blogging, more breathing.

Our Jubilee Year

Joel and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on a Viking River Cruise in Europe. We delighted in re-experiencing the adventure that characterized the first years of our marriage when we lived in Germany. Son’s wedding week followed, then a trip to Bainbridge Island to see our granddaughter play Elle in Legally Blonde.

Now we’re in Arizona. We’re in a new season. Joel is recovering from rotator cuff surgery we put off until after all the festivities.I’m in creative mode, working on my fourth novel, writing hymn lyrics that some very talented people are setting to original music, and feeling the call to engage more deeply with my community.

In my morning meditative reading, I sometimes switch to The Message–the Bible written in everyday language. The contemporary idiom helps me place the gospel in the context of today’s culture. In this translation, Paul refers to Jesus’ message: “I didn’t want to just talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!” (1 Cor. 9:23) That’s how I feel! I don’t want to lament change; I want to help make life better. And because I believe that there’s a spiritual component to the world’s suffering, I want to be in on helping our churches be healthier and stronger.