Book Review: "The Mystery of the Cross" by Judith Couchman

Title: The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life
Author: Judith Couchman (http://www.judithcouchman.blogspot.com/)
Publisher: InterVarsity Press (http://www.ivpress.com/)
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8308-3539-3
Retail Price: $17.00 (many online sellers offer it at a discount)

As the author or compiler of more than 40 books and a teacher of art history, Judith Couchman knows her stuff. She was prompted to write her newest book, The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life (http://ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=3539) while studying early Christian art at mid-life. The more she studied, the more she realized how little she knew—not because she didn’t care, but because she didn’t know that the art, signs, legends, rituals, and festivals existed. Her church’s traditions hadn’t taught them, and the more she spoke with others about the superstitions, extra-biblical stories, and anecdotes she discovered, the more she realized how far the unawareness reached.

In the book’s Introduction, Ms. Couchman shares, “…The Mystery of the Cross invites you to read intriguing stories about the cross, ponder their meaning, and consider how these anecdotes speak to you. The forty short chapters can be read for art appreciation, historical information, personal meditation, spiritual formation, small-group discussion, Lenten observation or worship insights. Whatever the use, The Mystery of the Cross can help you understand and appreciate the cross’s spiritual work in the world and its power for everyday life. Most of all, I hope this book witnesses mystery.”

On her blog, http://www.judithcouchman.blogspot.com/, Ms. Couchman contemplates the biblical meaning of Forty Days: “Symbolically, forty days mark transition. From destruction to restoration; from ignorance to instruction; from weakness to power; from waywardness to renewal; from indifference to commitment; from death to life.” Reading The Mystery of the Cross one chapter a day can set the reader on a path of enlightenment, especially since one of the main purposes of the book is to unravel the mysteries of the cross, the Christian symbol of salvation.

The book is divided into seven Parts: Ancient Echoes of Christ: The Cross in Pre-Christian Times (Chapters 1-4); The Pain and the Glory: The Cross and the Suffering Savior (Chapters 5-9); Early Signs of Faith: The Cross and the First Believers (Chapters 10-16); The Great Conversion: The Cross an Early Religious Freedom (Chapters 17-21); Daily Signs of Salvation: The Cross in Ancient Everyday Life (Chapters 22-26); Ways to Worship: The Cross in Early Church Life (Chapters 27-33); and Enduring Mysteries: The Cross and Its Eternal Power (Chapters 34-40). At the beginning of each Part is a quote from a book used in researching the section; at the beginning of each Chapter are a scripture to enforce the chapter’s topic, and an illustration by Anne Elhajoui of different crosses and artifacts Ms. Couchman came across during her research.

The book’s history spans five thousand years, from the Standing Stones of Callanish in the Scottish Islands, to today. It includes such cross versions as the Healing Cross, the Latin Cross, the Shepherd’s Cross, the Proclamation Cross, Saint Peter’s Cross, the Chi-Rho Cross—to name a few—and gives the history of how they came about, the symbolism in each, and how they have affected Christian beliefs. It’s interesting to realize that 3,000 years before Jesus walked this earth, the pre-Christian cross foretold His arrival. Ms. Couchman states, “What a wonder. Before time began, God planned to rescue us.” I got goose bumps reading that statement, as I never thought of it like that before. Like Ms. Couchman, it’s not because I didn’t care, I simply didn’t think about it, nor was I taught it in my church or Bible studies. This book can change all that.

At the end of each chapter, Ms. Couchman ties in that specific cross’s history to her personal life—as a child and an adult—and how her own views and opinions have changed as a result of her newfound knowledge. In later chapters, she includes the history of folk art, inscriptions, reliefs found on sarcophagi and in catacombs, graffiti, mythical figures, signs of the cross, the shape of a church, oil lamps, superstitions, legends, balance scale and weights, coins, and even bread, with how all these symbols (or lack of) and their meanings have molded and shaped the cross’s history and what all of it means to believers. She challenges the reader with meditative questions about their own views and beliefs, making the book useful as a devotional or study book.

The amount of time and effort that went into this book boggles the mind. It is well-researched, well-documented, well-organized, and very informative. I was familiar with some of the topics discussed, but not their history and meaning. The way Ms. Couchman relates the artifacts or events to the history of the cross is a new approach, and I have a much broader knowledge of the cross and what it symbolizes. I also have a deeper appreciation for God’s love for me.

The sections I found most interesting:
• the story of Moses’ rod (page 46);
• Justin Martyr’s views of the cross in everyday life and in the human form (page 71);
• the parallels between Jonah and Jesus (page 80);
• the Absent Cross (page 92) versus the Gero Cross (page 94);
• the miscounting of the Holy Nails (page 104);
• Ms. Couchman’s metaphorical comparison of her personal spiritual journey to the cross in the desert (page 109);
• how oil lamps symbolize lighting our spiritual paths (page 124);
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s insight regarding following Christ (page 150);
• the clashes between “iconodules” and “iconoclasts” (page 172);
• the history/metaphor of seeking sanctuary (pp. 184-185, 187); and
• Jesus’ idea of living in an “inverted kingdom” (page 198).

My suggestions for improvement:
• Ms. Couchman’s research spans 5000 years. For visual persons, a condensed timeline would be helpful as a reference.
• Although the illustrations throughout the book are well done, larger pictures would allow readers to see more details, especially when the author refers to different symbols within the images.
• In Chapter 8, Ms. Couchman discusses Rupintojelis, a woodcarving of “The Man of Sorrows.” There is an illustration of what Jesus looks like as The Man of Sorrows, but actual photos (similar to the oil lamps on page 123) of the examples she came across in Lithuania would assist the reader in imagining these pieces of art.
• On page 98, an excerpt from Eusebius, Constantine the Great’s historian, confessor, and scribe, says the following about the Chi-Rho symbol, “…within this, the Savior’s name, two letters indicating the name of Christ by means of its initial characters, the letter P being intersected by X in the centre….” Nowhere is it mentioned what the “P” and “X” stand for; as an "uneducated Christian," I don't already know this information.
• On page 113, Ms. Couchman states, “Other excellent Celtic examples are the South Cross of Ahenny in Tipperary County and the high crosses at Moone County, Kildare. These sturdy crosses, and many others, prevail as memorials to missionary quests in Ireland.” I would’ve liked to see illustrations/photos of these crosses, as well as a description as to why she believes they are excellent examples (i.e. scenes from Scripture, lives of saints, etc.).
• In Chapter 23, Ms. Couchman discusses the Rotas-Sator Square, an acrostic discovered in two homes in Pompeii by archaeologists. She makes a reference to the "sower" and his "plough," (page 126) but doesn’t mention which of the words she’s referring to, doesn’t give a translation of all the words (not even in her Notes), nor what scholars believe the inscription means. I found the information on the Internet, but this should’ve been included in the book.
• For Chapter 25, when discussing the balance scale and its weights, in addition to the Petrie Weight illustration, an illustration of a scale would’ve assisted in hammering home Ms. Couchman’s point of how the scale relates to the cross as a trustworthy standard (page 135).
• In Chapter 33 "The Iconoclastic Cross," Ms. Couchman includes an illustration in the Khludov Psalter of iconoclasts whitewashing an icon of Jesus. I would’ve liked to see her delve into why the images couldn’t be viewed as “preserving history” as opposed to “idolatry.”
• Last but not least, and this is a personal preference, I prefer footnotes with superscripts over endnotes.

Overall, whether the reader is looking to deepen their understanding of the cross’s history and symbolism, use the book in their daily devotions, add it to their church’s library, or better appreciate what Jesus did for mankind, this book will inspire and educate.

The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life is now available in local bookstores, online booksellers, or on the InterVarsity Press Web site.

Writer Snobs

How many times in your life have you voiced a desire to do something, such as enroll in college, try out a new career, or take an art class, when the person to whom you are speaking shoots down the idea and throws in a bit of criticism on top to make sure you got it?

Years ago when I shared with someone that I was toying with the idea of becoming a hair stylist, she said, "There's NO way you could handle standing on your feet for 8 hours a day!" When I talked about going to school to become a social worker, she said, "You can't even handle your own kids, let alone someone else's." Hmm, nice vote of confidence, there. During a phone company strike in the late 80's, I shared with someone else that I was working temporarily as a waitress so I could still pay my bills. Instead of congratulating me for my resourcefulness and ambition, she said I was "too slow" to be a waitress. Unfortunately, I believed what these people told me, and instead of proving them wrong, I never did anything to pursue my goals.

Over the years, I have been forced to build a filter in my mind. It has taken a long time, but now when I hear criticism, I am able to pick and choose, accepting the good while leaving the rest behind. If I listen with an open mind and see the good in what the person is saying, I accept it and make changes. But if I can tell they have no idea what they're talking about, I dismiss it and continue what I'm doing without letting pride or stubbornness be my downfall.

Recently, when I encountered some biased opinions at a new writers group, I was able to take what I knew as truth, and not let that person's comments bring me down or deflate me like so many times in the past.

One of our exercises was to define the following words: success, artist, writer, and speaker. Because I am the latter three shooting for the first one, I wrote down what my personal take was: Success is setting goals and reaching them, finishing projects that I've started, having a best-seller and going on book tours, that sort of thing. The facilitator announced I had one minute left to define the remaining three words, so I had to hurry: An artist is someone who creates works of art, a writer is someone who writes whether published or not, and a speaker is someone who speaks to audiences to educate and entertain using their own life experiences or research.

Obviously, we differ in opinion.

The facilitator said a writer, in her opinion, is someone who is published; otherwise, that person is "only" an ASPIRING writer. I beg to differ. Would she still be saying that if she hadn't gotten her one published book published? Just because a writer doesn't have anything published does NOT mean she is not a writer! If I sit down at my computer every day and work on my book, or even if I write once a week or once a month, I AM A WRITER!

Do my published magazine articles from the mid-90's count or are they too long ago that they're insignificant? How about the over 100 newspaper articles that have been published in YourHub and Fresh*Ink over the past two years? Or wait, maybe they don't count because I didn't get paid for them. What about winning two Journalist of the Year Awards in 2008--do those make me a writer? Or do they not count because it was "only" citizen journalism? Do the gift certificates I won substantiate me as a writer because they were enough to buy a new camera? Or do they not count because they weren't "real money"?

Bottom line is, she's a writer snob.

The second disagreement I had with the facilitator is about critique groups. She only wanted to be in one if all the writers were already published and knew what they were doing because she doesn't have time to "babysit" other inexperienced (read: unpublished) writers (getting a book published sure changes a person, doesn't it?). Unless, for example, there were 6 in the group, 5 of whom were published/established writers, and the sixth one was their "mascot." (Yup, that's the term she used--makes it sound like a football team or charity case.) The sixth person would be their "project," someone the others could take under their collective wings to show them the ropes. Thanks, but don't do me any favors--sure, I could benefit from a mentor, but don't pity or make an example out of me.

Don't get me wrong ... there are a lot of writers out there who don't know the basics of grammar, punctuation, verb agreement, plot, tension, character development, etc. Most of these can be learned, and the best way to do that is through college classes, writers groups, or writing workshops and conferences, perhaps purchasing Strunk & White's Elements of Style, but even that "bible for writers" won't teach you everything you need to know. SPOGG is a great place to visit when stumped with "lay-lie" conundrums. And I agree: if a writer is so off-base with his or her basic writing skills that every manuscript page is nothing but red marks, then that individual needs to educate himself and not expect a critique group to spend all of its time teaching him what he should've learned in high school English class.

With the exception of two or three people in the critique groups of which I've been a part, they all had a good grasp of basic writing mechanics. What we do struggle with, and even if it's a PUBLISHED writer, is clarity, or better sentence structure, or perhaps rhythm, hence the need for a critique group. If everyone had to be a published writer in order to be in a critique group, then that somewhat defeats the purpose. And just because the writer is published doesn't mean they know what they're doing, which is another writer snob misconception.

The last thing that irked me about this facilitator was that she kept interrupting me. Several times I attempted to share my opinion or talk about a project, only to have her cut me off. Mild-mannered that I am, I shut my trap instead of causing a scene. On one occasion, she said, "Can you talk about that after the meeting? I really want to stay on task." Well, excuuuuuuuse me! It was a WRITING project I was talking about, after all! It was as if I didn't matter, like I was wasting my time being there because she only seemed to want to converse with the other PUBLISHED writer, who has a dozen or so published books but at least she's not a snob about it. Even if the other published writer rambled about something, SHE didn't get interrupted or put off like I did.

I hate writer snobs.

In the past, I would simply dump the group, probably not even take the time to explain to the facilitator why this group was not a good fit for me, or provide feedback about what worked and what didn't, and what could she do to be more accommodating or understanding at future meetings? She at least deserves an explanation, right? But this time, I'm going to use my passive-agressive behavior to blog about it and hope she "happens" to recognize herself in this post so that she'll change her ways by the time we meet again.

Seriously, though, I'll probably send her an e-mail with my concerns, and ask how we can work together to improve her shortfalls and change her snobbish attitude. Or is it me who's being the snob? Maybe I just have writer envy. Either way, clique-ish attitudes like hers can be the bubble burster for any aspiring writer. All they need is for one person to tell them they'll never be a writer, or tell them their writing is lame, or chastise them in front of a large group. That's enough to make anyone put away their novel, possibly missing out on the next bestseller. Who are we to judge, anyway?

Maybe I'll just save some time and send her a direct link to this post and tell her I didn't use her name in order to protect her privacy. Yeah, that'll go over really well.

Eighteen years ago when I first started this writing journey, I came across a quote, wrote it down on an index card, and still have it to this day hanging on the wall next to my desk: "Stop thinking of yourself as a wanna-be. Begin today telling yourself and others who you are: 'I am a writer.'" In fact, it was that quote that gave me the title of my blog. Regardless if I'm published or not, I Am a Writer. The quote has been instrumental in the "filtering" process I mentioned earlier: telling myself I'm a writer (or that I'm a good mother, an artist, a public speaker, a photographer, etc.) makes it true, and I'm not going to listen to anyone else's criticism or them telling me I'm not.

And neither should you.

PPW Conference Reaction - Day 1

Inadequate. Loser. Incompetent. Failure. Pitiful. Jealous.

What am I doing here anyway?

I have just completed the first night of the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. It's my third writers' conference but my first PPWC. I am overwhelmed with information and it's only the first night.

I have a hearing problem which makes it especially difficult to hear people in crowds or if there are other distracting noises around me. This problem doesn't help my feelings of insignificance as I listen to my writer friends schmooze the agents and editors gathered around the bar and in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel. I feel stupid and self-conscious because I'm missing half the conversation, and I can't cup my hands to my ears all night long--people will wonder what the heck my problem is. Not to mention I'll look like weird.

My writer friend Deb has been appointed as next year's conference director. I'm so jealous that I can't see straight. Don't get me wrong: I love her dearly and I'm very happy for her, but I wish it was me. Well, no, not really, but boy, would that designation look awesome on my query letters!

Another writer friend Anita won the VIP package door prize at the Write Brain Session on Tuesday and gets to go to the Staff Mixer with Deb. That leaves me and my self-described "overly-talkative malcontent" friend in the lobby by ourselves, eating tasteless potato chips and listening to the next wannabe best seller brag about his high IQ and his fantastic writing skills that somehow get shot down by everyone in his critique groups and all the agents and editors he talks to. In other words, it can't be that fantastic, especially since he's been working on it for three years and still can't get someone to say, "Send it to me."

I was so excited to be able to attend this conference, especially since a very generous friend paid my way. But now I'm feeling so inadequate that I'm bashing myself, my writing skills, my stupid idea for a book, and convincing myself that I'll never get published so I should just give up right now and go home.

I'm angry that I couldn't hear 80% of the conversations that went on at my dinner table where the agent I'm going to pitch to tomorrow is seated.

I'm angry at all those people who can roll off their log line effortlessly, yet I've revised mine thirty-two times and I'm still not happy with it.

I'm angry at the drunk lady sitting beside me at the dinner table. Not because she's so drunk and the smell of her martini breath is making my stomach churn, but because her slurred speech makes it even more difficult for me to understand her over the din of the other dinner guests.

I'm angry at the romance writer next to the bar who is dominating the conversation with the agent I'm pitching to tomorrow, not that I can hear what they're saying in the first place. And not that I'm brave enough to barge in and take over anyway.

I'm angry at the people who brag about "nailing" their R&C, who did "fabulous" reading their manuscript, or are able to say, "She asked me to send her my first three chapters!" after their pitch appointments.

I quietly excuse myself to the restroom. My ears ring as if I've just gotten home after a heavy metal rock concert. Afterwards, I meander through the lobby, trying to find some people who talk loud enough for me to actually hear what they're saying. I desperately want to fit in and laugh at the appropriate times, add a quip or two, and crack everyone up. Instead, I feel like a middle-schooler and sit at a small table, by myself, and read the schedule for tomorrow.

Tears sting my eyes. I wish I wasn't so introverted, so shy that I can't seem to broach the subject of my memoir, even with other writers who are as panic-stricken as I am. None of my friends seem to have this fear--they're rubbing elbows with the best of them.

I know that being a writer is hard work. I know that words have power. I know I have a message to get out . . . a story to tell.

But it also looks like "bleeding from the forehead" (as James N. Frey described in his keynote speech at dinner tonight) is as far as I'm ever going to get.

I wipe my tears, put my conference literature away, and sneak out of the hotel without saying goodbye to anyone, hoping that tomorrow goes better.

Ten Great Things a Writer Can Get Out of the PPW Conference

Here is the article I wrote for PPW's NewMag newsletter this month. Deb Courtney said, "It was perfect! I didn't have to change a word!" and Mandy Houk said she LOVED it and asked if it was okay to feature as the cover story. Was it okay? Of course! I was blown away and completely flattered! I'll try not to let my head (ego) get big, but they sure are generous with their compliments!

Please leave comments and let me know what you think!

Ten Great Things a Writer Can Get Out of the PPW Conference
by
Stephanie R. Johnson


It’s that time again! The Pikes Peak Writers Conference is being held April 23-26, 2009—have you registered yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Here are ten great things you can get out of attending this fantastic conference:

1. Abbondanza! From mystery to mainstream, suspense to short stories, historical fiction to science fiction, there’s something for everyone. Not only will you discover what your genre is (if you don’t already know), but you’ll be able to talk shop with many others who share your passion. There will be plenty of literary agents, acquiring editors, authors, and specialists to speak on dozens of topics.

2. Brain Pickees. What better brain to pick than someone who “wrote the book” (pun intended) on the questions you have? Whether it’s screenwriting, magazine articles, proposal writing, or plotting, you won’t find better sources anywhere all in one place.

3. Creativity. Staring at a blank screen? You can’t go wrong with workshops that teach writing in a conversational tone to engage your reader, shaping and structuring your story, using a lowlife informant in your mystery novel to get information to your reader, expressing a theme without getting preachy, and much, much more. You can kiss writer’s block goodbye!

4. Do or Die. “I would rather die a slow death than pitch my book to an agent.” The Read & Critique and Speed Pitching sessions are a great way to overcome your fears, tighten your manuscript, and fine-tune your pitch. Don’t worry, you’ll survive just fine, even if you do break out in a cold sweat. You won’t find a safer environment anywhere else.

5. Elbows and Expo. This year features a new Trade Exposition for vendors, companies, and organizations that support the writing community (check the PPW Web site for participants and details). Elbow rubbing can occur at the Booksigning on Saturday, where speakers and PPW authors attending the conference will be more than happy to autograph your purchases.

6. Friendships. Being around like-minded people who live, eat, and breathe writing is what an author needs to be successful. The people I’ve befriended at writers’ conferences have told me about workshops, social events, writers’ groups, and critique sessions, where I made even more networking connections. There’s something to be said about the phrase, “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” and it especially applies to every person you meet at a conference—you just might meet your future agent this way!

7. Guidance. The keynote speakers, agents, and editors aren’t the only ones who want to see you succeed. There are other authors, published and aspiring, who want to see you make the bestseller list too! So if you can benefit from learning the essential elements to writing a novel that editors want to buy, are looking for an accountability partner, have questions about marketing, or haven’t a clue about where to start, someone at this conference can definitely point you in the right direction!

8. “High Attitude Writing: Cut to the Craft” is this year’s theme, and you will enjoy the keynote presentations: “The Most Important Elements of Success…,” “The Trick is to Keep Breathing,” “…A Humorous Look at Becoming a Novelist,” and “Keeping the Magic in Your Writing.” Special add-on workshops on Thursday include “Thinking it Through,” “Fleshing it Out,” and “Giving it Wings.”

9. Invitation. These agents and editors are looking for their next bestseller, so imagine the euphoria you’ll feel when one of them (or more!) extends a personal invitation for you to send them your manuscript. Take my word for it, this is a rare opportunity! Even if your work isn’t quite submissible, they can provide the feedback you need to get it there. Many agents and editors heavily rely on these conferences to find new authors, but you can’t be invited if you don’t attend.

10. Just Do It. Is money holding you back from attending this conference? In this recession, it will be hard for many of us to scrape together the registration fee (PPW members get a discount), but don't forget there's a limited scholarship fund available (deadline is Feb. 28th). Is it time? If you can’t call in sick, then call in dead. Or is it fear? Get over it! My point is, do whatever it takes to go to this conference.

Not only will you get all of this from attending the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, but you’ll also have a great time, get to stay up late to fraternize, and eat fabulous meals with others in the writing industry! It doesn’t get any better than this! Register today at http://www.pikespeakwriters.com/.

Did anyone notice I did the items in "alphabetical order"?

Please note: the scholarship deadline has passed, so don't get too excited. Besides, they had to pull the link early (as noted in my previous post) due to an overwhelming number of applications.

Schedule Conflict Leads to Generous Gift

I’ve been a member of Pikes Peak Writers (PPW) for almost two years now, although I’ve considered myself a writer since the early 80’s when I was Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper and even more so in the 90’s when I wrote my first novel. I had been taking writing classes and attending conferences for over a decade when the PPW Conference arrived last April, but didn't go … mainly because I was a ‘fraidy cat and totally unprepared.

Not wanting to look bad in front of my peers, I blamed my lack of attendance on something more convincing: no money. After all, how could I admit that I was too scared to go, especially since I wasn’t a conference rookie? Was it because I resigned the previous year to work on my newest book and didn’t want to give an agent or editor the opportunity to reject it? To reject me? In addition, I was too chicken to apply for a scholarship, because what would I do if my application was approved? That would require attending the conference and--*gasp*--facing my fears!

By the time the April 2008 Write Brain meeting ended and we had practiced pitching, everyone else’s excitement rubbed off on me; I regretted making excuses, so I determined that next year, come hell or high water I would go.

Interestingly enough, hell didn’t come this year, but high water sure did: My husband Greg got laid off in January, and this time, I really didn’t have the $300 for the registration fees. Our tax refund went toward catching up our mortgage, and because I was still “just a writer” (and a non-published, a/k/a unpaid one at that), I was heartbroken that the 2009 Conference would pass me over once again. At least this year I had a legitimate reason.

Pikes Peak Writers shares space with Cottonwood Artists' School (n/k/a Cottonwood Center for the Arts) in downtown Colorado Springs, and the owners recently purchased a new building a few blocks away from their present location. They solicited PPW for volunteers to help paint and move, so I put my book on hold and showed up to help in any way I could. Two days later, I dragged Greg in with me to help.

The new building is HUGE, which means lots of walls to prime and paint! Because there have been so few volunteers, Greg and I have been there almost every day, putting in 6- to 9-hour days, helping them get ready for their Grand Opening on April 24-25. After all, if we're not working, there's no reason why we can't be volunteering.

Peggy Vicaro is the director at Cottonwood. She's not an artist, but does call herself a "wannabe writer." Getting to know Peggy and owner Kay Jeansonne over the past several weeks has been a privilege, to say the least. I was excited for Peggy when I learned she was going to the PPW Conference, as she's pretty new to the writing scene. I also got better acquainted with Chris Mandeville, Community Ambassador and past President of PPW, as she and her boys painted the new office. When she discovered I wasn't able to go to the conference due to our financial situation, she was disappointed. I optimistically said, “There’s always next year.” Besides, it was my own fault for not applying for a scholarship sooner, regardless that PPW had to pull the link early. It would be a lesson for next year to get online as soon as registration opens so that I won’t miss out.

The next day when Chris arrived to finish painting, she said, "I need to talk to you." Her tone of voice caused my stomach to flip, as I thought I was in trouble for something. I had just written the cover story for this month's NewsMag, so I thought I might've messed up on some details. When she met up with me in the Gallery, she smiled and said, "I have some news for you. You might want to sit down for this." Now her tone had me curious!

I expectantly faced her as she excitedly announced, "You're going to the conference!"

"What! How?" I asked, shocked.

"After I left last night, I was sad that you couldn’t go and there were no more scholarships available, especially since you’ve put in so many hours volunteering here. So I called Ron [Heimbecher, current PPW President], and told him we have to do something! Turns out Peggy can’t go because Cottonwood’s Open House is the same weekend, so she is giving her registration to you!”

Tears of joy immediately stung my eyes as I thanked Chris profusely for pulling some strings. “That is so generous of all of you! Thank you SO much!”

I was flabbergasted (and I don’t use that word often!). Just days before, I had prayed that God would make a way for me to be able to attend, and did He deliver or what? I was totally amazed at the huge sacrifice Peggy was making for me to go, at Chris’s determination to find a way to get me there, and Ron’s willingness to make an exception.

Volunteering is a simple way for me to give back to the community, to put my skills and talents to good use, and to bless others. I don’t volunteer with the expectation to get something in return; I do it out of a heart of serving. However, I have to admit that when it “pays off” like this, I won’t decline the gifts that others want to share with me.

When I went to the old location that Saturday afternoon to have lunch, I saw Peggy sitting on the floor with several other volunteers. I walked over to her, tears welling up again, and said, “I owe you a big thank you and a big hug!” I held out my hand to pull her up, and gave her a big squeeze!

“Oh, it was my pleasure,” she graciously responded.

“No, the pleasure was all mine! You have no idea!” I said.

Now I just gotta’ get my revised proposal done!

The Results Are In!

My meeting to review my book proposal with Karen Linamen a few weeks ago went well.

Sort of.

First of all, I'm glad Karen is not the kind of person to sugarcoat the truth, and even though I realized before leaving that I would have to start my proposal over from scratch, I'm glad she was honest with me in getting me on the right track. After all, she's published over a dozen books now (I own 6) so I think she knows what she's talking about.

Secondly, Karen is a busy person, and before we left, she promised to e-mail me the template she uses for her own and her clients' proposals. It finally arrived today. I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds by having to e-mail her twice to request it, and normally I wouldn't be so pushy, but I am attending the Pikes Peak Writers Conference the weekend of April 24-25 (thanks to a very generous gift which I'll tell you about later), so I really needed the template in order to get started. After all, I didn't want to sign up for a pitch session without having my ducks in a row.

Allow me to share what Karen said about my proposal:

1. It's "unwieldy."

2. It has "too much info."

3. It's "too academic."

4. It "does not reflect my writing style."

After reading (skimming) 18 pages of proposal (12-page Overview and 6-page Synopsis) and 10 pages of sample writing, Karen shared that she didn't really get a sense of what my book was about until she got to my Sample Chapters. She said she kind of got an idea of my style from the Synopsis, but didn't realize how "great of a writer" I was until she read my manuscript. In fact, she was "surprised" at how good my writing was--I was thrilled. (At least some good came out of our meeting!)

Following the sample template in W. Terry Whalin's "Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success" wasn't good enough. I thought I scored a jackpot when the agent who requested my proposal in September sent me her guidelines and it was the SAME template Terry used (with two minor changes--the information was already there, I just had to move them to different places). Alas, in making my proposal as complete and thorough as I could possibly get it, I also made it boring. *yawn*

So, in using Karen's sure-fire example to write a proposal, I'm sure that not only will it be cut down by more than half, but it will also grab the agent's/editor's attention much better and faster than my first version did.

Some major/minor changes to start:

OVERVIEW

Part I: CONTENT

1. Change "Log Line" to "Snapshot" and revise in such a way as to grab the reader and slam them to the floor. Well, that "slam" part was me, but I discovered I'm really not as restricted as I thought to 25 words or less, or to what some people call the "Elevator Pitch" (pretend you board an elevator with an agent/editor--you have 30 seconds or less to pitch your story so you better get their attention before the doors to their floor open). There's a bit of leeway, but I shouldn't abuse it. I spelled out my Premise in a three-sentence (albeit long sentences) paragraph, but by combining the two and making it a Snapshot, I can tighten it up and get to the point much quicker.

2. Do not include the Back Cover example. That was my idea, and even though I agonized with revising it several times over many days, it's a space waster.

3. Narrow my USP (Unique Selling Proposition) from 12 to 6 bulleted items.

4. For the Overview, in summarizing Parts I-V, don't include so many bulleted items per section, which include 5-10 items each.

5. The Manuscript section needs to be briefer.

6. List my best three Special Features, not all nine.

Part II: MARKET

1. Age Group is fine as is, but Characteristics and Motivation sections need to be briefer.

2. Sidebars are fine (even earned a compliment).

3. Benefits section can be condensed to one paragraph from four.

4. Affinity Groups is good, maybe remove one or two.

5. For my "Competition" section, I listed nine separate books and their authors, compared each to my own book, spelled out how mine is different, and why mine is better. Karen suggested I change it to, "I researched 17 books on this subject, and my book is different/better because..." and limit it to one paragraph. This change alone will reduce the proposal by three pages. I actually researched more than two dozen books (it was hard to choose nine for the initial proposal), and though this major cut hurts because of all the time I spent on it, I know it's for the better.

6. Endorsements are good.

Part III: Author

1. Condense Background, Previous Writing, Kudos and What Others Are Saying sections (not that there are that many accolades, but be more selective).

2. Play up Personal Marketing (this section can make or break me). I have another "public speaking" engagement to add to my list, but when I look at all my other sections (Public Outreach, Support Groups, Internet, Magazines, Radio/Television), even I get overwhelmed, so I may cut it back to something more manageable.

SYNOPSIS

1. Not many changes. Karen mentioned that she got a much better feel for my writing style after reading the Synopsis, and that somehow, I need to let more of my personality shine through in the Overview.

So, that's the good and bad. I'll take it! It wasn't as bad as I expected, and now with the templates Karen has generously shared with me, I feel I have a much better chance of having a more polished product. Lots of trimming down and condensing needed, but overall it was a productive, helpful meeting. I'm grateful for the time Karen sacrificed to meet with me, and I'm hopeful that the revised version will impress at least one agent/editor enough to the point he/she invites me to send it in.

Now about that writers conference story...I'll save that for another entry.

Do you think there's hope for me? Feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, advice, and critiques.

There's Hope Yet

After our Old Colorado City Writers Group meeting on Thursday evening at Agia Sophia (one of the best coffee shops in town!), I met with group founder and leader, Karen Linamen. I had met Karen several years ago at the American Christian Writers Conference and was instantly taken by her humor, so I signed up for all of her workshops and purchased several of her books (no, I'm not a stalker!). A few years later, I saw her again at the same conference, and this time her agent was a speaker as well.

After getting "rejected" by the first agent who asked for my proposal in September, the agent gave me several agents' names and suggested I query them. She also said I could tell them she recommended me, which is a good sign (see my previous entry). Knowing one of the agents is Karen's agent, I asked Karen if she could meet with me for an hour or so to review my proposal to see if there was anything I needed to change before I sent a query to her agent. She agreed to pencil me in, so we're getting together on Tuesday to review it and see what changes I need to make to improve my chances.

I have to say that writers are as interested in seeing other writers succeed as much as they are to see themselves succeed. The network of writers, the writers groups to which I belong, and the friends I've made are critical to me succeeding in the difficult world of publication (it's not what you know, it's who you know). Not only do writers "get" other writers, but they also help each other, willingly and without charge. Now don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for consultations and conferences, but when a published author takes time out of her busy schedule to help another aspiring author, that says a lot about her character, not to mention writers in general. For that, I am very grateful.

So, wish me luck on Tuesday, and send up a prayer or two that I'll be able to successfully query Karen's agent. And I'm hoping that because I've met him in person, sat with him at lunch at the conference, and am "Friends" with him on Facebook, that that will improve my chances of having him sign me on!

And who knows, maybe I will be the one taking time out of my schedule to help another aspiring writer achieve her dreams of becoming published!