Sarah Arthur's Blog, page 4

It has taken me a few years, but I think I’m ready to admit:

I’m not a blogger.

I’m an author.

Note how my last post was in April, and prior to that it was sometime last fall. Apparently I’m not one of those prolific people who can blog/tweet/instaeverything AND write books at the same time.

So, it should surprise no one that this current post is about my forthcoming book from Paraclete Press, Light Upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany (note the stellar endorsement from Lauren Winner). Light follows the same format as At the Still Point, providing selected readings from classic & contemporary poetry & fiction for each week and holy day of the season. The official launch date is October 1, but I’ll really start ramping up excitement about it in November with some giveaways, area book-signings, library visits, & other fun stuff–so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, you can preorder signed copies through my website here. I don’t suppose I need to mention that this would make a great Christmas gift for the geeky literary types in your life, right?

And if you’re interested in joining my first ever Book Launch Team, let me know by Sept. 15ish. Participants receive a free review copy of the book and a schedule for how to help spread the word (e.g., reviewing it on your blog, posting about it on FB & Twitter, spreading the word about give-aways & other events, attending book events if you’re local, etc.). In other words, since I’m clearly not a blogger, I need a team of people who are. Team members who come up with and execute other creative promotion ideas will receive other fun thank-yous from me, such as…wait, lemme think…MORE BOOKS!

Interested? Email me: sarah (at) saraharthur (dot) com. Go team!

Once again, I’m thrilled to be participating in Calvin College’s bi-annual Festival of Faith & Writing, April 10-12. For a writer, hanging out with other writers is like being with people who speak your mother tongue. I’m refueled for months. In addition to hearing amazing speakers (Anne Lamott, anyone?!?!!), I get to hang out with a number of friends and colleagues, meet with editors, share a meal with fellow members of the Redbud Writers Guild, and stalk my heroines. On top of all that, I get to lead a discussion group (also known as a festival circle) on the delightful topic of National Novel Writing Month, also known as “NaNoWriMo.”

Will you be there too? Post a comment below. And write on!

Many thanks to Jolee Hamlin, head librarian at Holt Public Library, and the small but mighty crew that joined me last night for my talk and book-signing! Despite some confusion in our promotions as to what the night was about (Mommy Time? the writing life? publishing? all of the above?), we forged ahead and had a great discussion. The following thoughts and resources are from the handout I presented, with a few extra things based on the Q&A.

As I said last night, writing is a worthy activity, even if it’s just a hobby for now. Here are some ways to honor your passion:

Set aside time daily, weekly, or monthly just for writing. I get together monthly with a friend for dinner and a “writing date.” When we’re done eating we open our laptops and work on our fiction projects, pausing occasionally to chat or get another chai. The accountability to another person means that I will show up and write fiction at least once a month.
If you share a family computer, consider getting a designated computer/laptop just for you.
Ask for writing resources (software, setting up a writing desk/office, magazine subscriptions, attending a conference,) for Christmas, birthdays, etc.; or save up money. Yes, words are cheap, and writing can be as simple as a paper and pencil. But other people spend piles of cash on their hobbies–golfing, anyone?–so don’t feel guilty about it. This is important to you.
BACK UP YOUR WORK!!! You never realize how vital your writing projects are to your soul until you lose one or more of them. I use a combination of Google Drive, Dropbox, and an external hard-drive.
Join a writing group, locally or online. Last night I sent around a signup sheet for those that are interested in joining a writing group in the Lansing area. It’s something my church (Sycamore Creek United Methodist Church) would sponsor but anyone could join. Plans are still in progress, so if you’re interested, please email me: sarah @ saraharthur.com. Or you can hunt around websites such as Writer’s Digest, which has discussion forums and online communities.

If/when you’re ready to take the next step to freelance or publish your work:

Get a professional-sounding email address. You want publishers to take you seriously.
Create a simple but tasteful and professional blog/website. You want the world to be able to find you easily by a simple internet search. Keep the information on your site current, and post periodically to show that the writing life is important to you.
Research the publishers/publications that interest you. When you read a book you like, notice who publishes it and then go to that publisher’s website and see what kinds of resources they produce. Check out the annual Writer’s Market Guide for your genre–your local library will likely have a copy.
Join LinkedIn or some other professional network. This is not the same as Facebook, in which you connect with just anyone. Limit yourself to writing and publishing networks, plus whatever area is your specialty (for me it’s youth ministry; for you it might be quilting or radiology). I’m a member of LinkedIn as well as the Redbud Writers Guild.
Make business cards. You can find some really good deals on VistaPrint, or check with a local graphic designer.
Learn how to craft excellent pitches and proposals. Again, the Writer’s Digest website offers various articles and webinars about these kinds of issues, or you can research other resources online. NOTE: Someone asked me if you have to have a completed manuscript in order to pitch to agents and/or editors, and the answer is “It depends.” If you’re pitching a novel, it should be finished: they need to see that you can deliver. But if it’s nonfiction, you can pitch a title, description, synopsis, and 1-2 sample chapters. Always include a bio with your credentials as a writer or as someone who knows the topic well.
Attend a writer’s conference where you can meet agents and publishers. I’ve suggested a few below. Be sure to have all of the above things in place before you walk through the doors of the conference center: this shows that you are serious.
Getting published doesn’t just happen—you won’t be “discovered.” You have to put yourself out there but without being totally obnoxious.

Writing & Publishing Resources:

My webpage about becoming published.
Scrivener – the writing software that I ADORE: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/
National Novel Writing Month – every November; draft a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. NaNoWriMo also has a Young Writer’s Program: http://nanowrimo.org/
“Between the Lines” – Books & Such Literary Agency’s daily blog: http://www.booksandsuch.biz/blog/
Writer’s Digest – online webinars, author/agent/publisher interviews, how-to articles, discussion groups, conferences, – http://www.writersdigest.com/
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is another great resource, with conferences and local chapters: http://www.scbwi.org/
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King
The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard
The Art of Fiction, by John Gardner
The Write-to-Publish Conference held annually in June in the Chicago area: http://www.writetopublish.com/
Calvin College Festival of Faith & Writing held biannually in Grand Rapids, MI http://festival.calvin.edu/
Various MFA in Creative Writing programs around the country, including the low-residency program at Seattle Pacific University (founded & run by Gregory Wolfe of IMAGE Journal of Art & Religion, which also hosts the Glen Writing Workshop): http://www.spu.edu/prospects/grad/Academics/MFA/

Questions? Comments? I’d love to keep last night’s conversation going here on this blog. Enjoy!

Dear friends & fellow readers,

If it isn’t clear from my silence for the past three months, I’ve been a wee bit busy lately. The Arthurs welcomed Samuel (Sam) Lewis on July 5–two and a half weeks early, just like his big brother. And for some reason I thought it would be a GREAT idea to schedule a manuscript deadline for shortly after maternity leave. Um…? So here’s the scoop on everything:

Baby: Sam is awesome. He’s short and stocky and full of smiles, a happy hobbit of a baby. Feel free to call him Samwise (we do). Micah is adjusting and now gives his brother spontaneous hugs–a harrowing but sweet experience for everyone.

Book: In a previous post I kept you in the dark (no pun intended) about the working title of my current manuscript, but now here it is: Light Upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany (Paraclete Press, fall 2014). Like its predecessor, At the Still Point, this will be a collection of readings from classic and contemporary poetry and fiction, organized by theme, for each of the weeks and key holy days of the season. I’m really excited about how it’s shaping up and awed by the humble generosity of so many poets who have granted me permission to use their work. More soon.

Other writings: The April release of my most recent book, Mommy Time: 90 Devotions for New Moms (Tyndale), led to some fun book-signings as well as guest appearances on such blogs as Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics and the Center for Youth Ministry Training. An excerpt from the book is featured in a recent print issue of Today’s Christian Woman. Good things!

At about this time 10 years ago I was writing Walking with Bilbo: A Devotional Adventure through The Hobbit–never dreaming it would be another decade before the movie(s) came out! As we anticipate the second movie Dec. 13, I appreciate your help in spreading the word to a new generation of Tolkien fans, their parents, church leaders, and teachers.

Fall Events: Maternity leave ended October 1, so of course I’ve booked myself this month. Here’s what’s happening:

Tuesday, October 8th (is that tomorrow? yikes!) – “On Becoming Published – With Sarah Arthur” at the Holt library in Holt, Michigan, 7 PM. I’ll be sharing thoughts and resources about writing and publishing, and my books will be available for sale and signing.
Oct 24-27 – Tom and I will be up north in Petoskey, MI for the annual C. S. Lewis Festival, this year featuring well-known author & speaker Philip Yancey. Tom also will be speaking, and I’ll be moderating a panel with Yancey, Tom, and others during the Saturday seminar. I think that means we’re almost famous. Hope to see some of you there!

Blessings, all.

 

For those looking for some good summer reading, I herewith propose The At the Still Point Challenge: See how many works you can read this summer from the novelists and poets included in my anthology At the Still Point: A Literary Guide to Prayer in Ordinary Time (Paraclete Press). And I don’t just mean excerpts: I mean entire novels and poetry collections. If your experience is anything like mine, the challenge will not merely enrich your summer but enrich your life.

Where to begin? Well, first you’ll want a copy of At the Still Point so you can discover these classic and contemporary writers for yourself. The book provides an outline of prayer and reflective reading for each of the 29 weeks in the liturgical season of Pentecost, or Ordinary Time (which began May 19). Each week includes 3-6 poems and fictional excerpts that you can read over the course of the week. And that’s where I would start. As soon as you come across an author or poet you really enjoy, look up the artist in the Acknowledgments and Permissions section in the back of the book or run an online search. Many of their works can be found at your local library or through inter-library loan, or you could hunt down online or e-book editions, especially of the classics.

Depending on the works you select, you should be able to get through a good handful of books and collections before September. Some of them you’ll blow through quickly, such as Katherine Paterson’s marvelous junior novel Jacob Have I Loved. Others–like George Eliot’s Middlemarch or Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov–could take you well into the fall. Whatever the case, I challenge you to finish them, even if it’s slow going at times.

And meanwhile, I’ll be involved in my own literary challenge: creating another guide to prayer for Paraclete, this time for the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany (to be released in 2014). I love the working title so much that I just might keep it a secret a bit longer, like an extra special Christmas gift! Suffice it to say–as with At the Still Point–I read a lot of T. S. Eliot to find just the right phrase.

The manuscript is due this fall, while my second child is due July 23, so prayers are appreciated. Also, if you have any suggestions of poems and fictional excerpts that could be included–particularly from women and minorities–please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. We belong to a rich community of readers across time and distance, and to share the treasures we have found will only deepen our encounters with God.

Happy reading!

This week I am a guest blogger on Her.meneutics, which is Christianity Today’s cultural commentary blog by and for women. A few weeks ago I rather blithely tossed a few ideas based on Mommy Time to the editor, thinking maybe we could go deeper with some of the issues and scriptures that I discuss in the book. One of my suggestions was to do some theological wrestling with that difficult passage in 1 Timothy 2:15, “Women will be saved through childbearing” (?!), which I discuss in devo #80. Not an easy passage, but I figured I could get my geek on, ask some tough questions (e.g., “So are women somehow a different species of human?”)–you know, plunge in.

The editor came back with the suggestion that I explore the issue of Christian infertility in light of both the scripture passage and Mother’s Day–which was the writerly equivalent of pointing to the high dive and saying, “Why don’t you jump off THAT?” Gulp. What business did I have tackling the topic of infertility, when it’s not a battle I’ve had to face myself? Mother of a toddler, expecting Baby #2 in July, I couldn’t be less qualified.

And yet, for the sake of my friends who face that battle every day–who will not receive a carnation on Mother’s Day–I decided to take the challenge. I knew I couldn’t do it alone. So I posted an invitation on Facebook for women to “message” me who have faced infertility and/or pregnancy loss and who have found the church less than sensitive to their situation.

The response was overwhelming. It shattered any sense that I was trespassing where I shouldn’t be. Grieving women want to share their stories, want to have the Christian community ask how they are doing. But they have not found a grace-filled space to be open and vulnerable. Rather, they have found themselves relegated to second-class status, facing the deepest chasm of grief utterly alone.

So they handed me their stories, one by one, like urns of ashes. All I could do was sit and hold them. And weep.

I now suspect that if the church were to rethink Mother’s Day, each carnation would represent a child–conceived, lost, or only hoped for–that the world will never know.

Since there was only so much room in a 900-word article, I want to share some of these stories here. As you read them, consider how your church interacts with women who struggle with infertility, especially around Mother’s Day. How can your congregation open up spaces–safe, gracious, honest spaces–for sharing brokenness? And if these stories reflect your life, take heart: you are not alone. This is a safe space to share your story. Your comments are most welcome.

Their stories:

“I think infertility has rocked my faith more than just about anything else I have gone through. I refer to it as a ‘desert.’ It is dry, dusty, lonely and feels never ending. God feels really mean. And unfair. I was mentoring a teen mom (of course! glutton for punishment that I am!) while facing the road of fertility treatments. I adore her and loved her babies (she had four pregnancies in 3 years)…but, oh how I questioned why God would allow this teenager with no money, no support network, no job or education to have so many babies when I could not seem to make even one! My husband and I did everything ‘right’ yet it felt like we were being punished.”

“When we were in the middle of our struggle to conceive I really struggled with depression. All I have ever wanted was to be a wife and mother. I couldn’t understand why God would put that desire in my heart if it wasn’t going to happen. I fasted and prayed and tried so hard to listen for his direction. It was especially hard at work because all day long I see people who have children and don’t want them or don’t care for them. I had a couple Christian co-workers and went to one of them on a really hard day to ask if she would pray for me. She flat out told me that I wasn’t getting pregnant because I didn’t have enough faith. I wanted to hit her.”

“Although I think Christians do not mean to be cruel, it is always shocking and painful for me to hear people say, ‘Well, it must be God’s plan.’ What!?! God did not plan for babies to die or for cancer or for mass violence! The truth is that after the fall evil invaded the earth, and that is why these things happen. Not because it is ‘in Gods plan.’ I am so thankful for the continuing truth that God is and will restore the earth: that is where my hope can rest through the darkness and sadness…that this was not and is not God’s plan. So, I just wanted to share that that it hurts when a Christian sister tries to give comfort to pain with that sort of verbiage.”

“For those who seek various forms of ART (assisted reproductive therapy) there is often the question of  ‘Isn’t this expensive?’  One time I remember telling someone that yes, it is expensive, (and I didn’t even seek out the most ‘radical’ treatments) but that I was unable to put a price tag on the desires of my heart.  If I based my treatment decisions on money, I’d always have a number in mind as my ‘final offer’ as if I was putting an bid in on a house.  Rather, I/we truly sought to be led by God as we went through each and every step, including the step of walking away from treatments. In terms of the money, I always pictured my future with two options.  I could either be childless with extra money and be able to jaunt off on that European vacation, or I could go on a picnic with my child and enjoy a PB&J while wearing clothes from Goodwill.  It was a no-brainer…While I don’t know what the future holds, I am currently in the place of neither of these options and trusting God for all of it, just as I hope I would, no matter what the outcomes could have been.”

“I do hate Mother’s Day. There is no good way to embrace this. If you celebrate mothers and have them stand up in the church service or get special flowers…someone is bound to be hurt. Someone in the congregation had a crappy mom that caused them great pain, so mother’s day is a reminder of that. For the infertile woman, it is a reminder of what they are not. For the mother of a wayward child or a deceased child or whatever, mother’s day is just a day of horrible pain. For me, a mother of three, I still hate it. I am SO grateful for each of my miraculous children, but every May I have a day of reminder of how I cannot choose motherhood–I still cannot get pregnant naturally and lots of other women can. It is still a raw place of injustice for me. In the midst of this, of course, I hold both my joy and pain simultaneously. But more often than not I look around the church at all of the women not holding babies and want to weep.”

Yes, it is good for churches to celebrate mothers. But it is also vital for the church to lament the losses that are not merely personal, but communal. These are our children that we as a community will never know: little ones we will never baptize or disciple or watch graduate. It’s okay to grieve together.

Don’t miss these great deals on my various titles this month:

Enter to win free copies of my latest devotional Mommy Time: 90 Devotions for New Moms by April 30. Two giveaways are happening right now: 5 copies are available through Goodreads, compliments of Tyndale House, and 3 are available by subscribing with your email address to my blog (at right)–just in time for shipment by Mother’s Day.
If you enjoy the company of novelists and poets, past and present, then you won’t want to miss out on this great discount from one of my publishers, Paraclete Press. In celebration of National Poetry Month, it’s offering 50% off its poetry titles through April 30, including my devotional collection At the Still Point: A Literary Guide to Prayer in Ordinary Time . Just go to Paraclete’s website and use the shop code AprilPoetry at checkout.

Enjoy!

Here are some fun quotes from various reviews of my newest book Mommy Time: 90 Devotions for New Moms. To read the full reviews, click on the accompanying links. And if you’re feeling so inclined, feel free to post your own honest review on Amazon and elsewhere. Enjoy!

“Mommy Time is a great read for all moms and will make you feel like you are not alone in this time of motherhood.”

http://www.theiemommy.com/2013/04/07/...

“Each devotional will ring true for you as a new mom. . . This book would make a great baby shower gift for any mom to be.”

http://bestlifemistake.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-mommy-time.html

This one from the father of three kids under the age of 2 1/2: “I admit that I sometimes hesitate to pick up devotional books. They can tend to be overly-sentimental, almost like reading the Bible through the lens of a Hallmark card. But that ain’t Mommy Time…What Mommy Time represents is the considered reflection of a gifted writer who has put her writing ability and theological insight into the service of daily life & faith. ”

http://www.andrewthompson.com/2013/04/08/what-time-is-it-mommy-time/

“There is so much in this book for every mom to relate to. This would be the perfect baby shower gift.”

http://milkdonormama.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-mommy-time.html

“The author seems to know just the right biblical verses and applies them to the miracle of life and motherhood. . . this book is very inviting and would make a good gift for any new mom or at a baby shower.”

http://pjtheemt.blogspot.com/2013/04/...

 

We’re celebrating the release of Mommy Time: 90 Devotions for New Moms by running giveaways for some lucky winners. Books will be mailed by Mother’s Day–hooray! Here’s how to enter:

If you’re a member of Goodreads, my publisher is running a giveaway between now and April 30. Enter to win 1 of 5 free copies here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/48902-mommy-time-90-devotions-for-new-moms. I’m also hosting a Mommy Time Q&A on Goodreads, where readers can ask me questions and share thoughts with each other. Join the conversation here.
Subscribe to my blog between now and April 30, and you’ll be entered into a drawing to receive 1 of 3 free copies. Simply enter your email address under the second “Subscribe” heading in the right-hand menu of my website, and you’re all set. Winners will be alerted by email on May 1.

If you have family and friends that like free stuff, feel free to spread the word by “liking” and “sharing” this blog post. Thanks!

 

 

Here’s a Q&A between me and my publisher, Tyndale House, regarding my forthcoming book Mommy Time: 90 Devotions for New Moms (April 2013). Enjoy!

What is your hope for this book, Mommy Time? One of the best ways I’ve found to stay balanced during the crazy transition of motherhood has been to talk with other moms. And that’s what I hope this book is: a conversation, a story, one new mom sharing with other new moms what God is doing in her life. In that sense it’s less a devotional book than a memoir, or maybe a devotional memoir, tracking my spiritual reflections during the first three months of my son’s life.
Tell me about your personal experience(s) which prompted you to write such a book.  As a new mom I felt totally overwhelmed bringing a human being into our lives, not to mention all my bodily changes and the relentlessness of care-giving. Yes, there are lots of joys! But motherhood is hard. I thought it was important to be honest about that—so often Christians are tempted to sugar-coat our experience and cover it up with sentimentality. I wanted to open up a space for other moms to acknowledge their experience and say, “God is okay with the fact that I’m having a hard time. And God is here.”
How do you carve out time to spend in God’s Word in your busy life? I’ll be honest: whatever pattern of “quiet time” many Christians idealize was not invented by new moms. There have been seasons in my life when I deeply, intensely studied scripture: through Bible classes in college, getting a master’s degree in theology, reading certain books, and attending certain small groups. But during this new season I’ve had to draw from the well of those experiences rather than carve out new ones. I have had to tell myself, “Holding this child is what God has for me right now.” If I can free up one arm so I can read a good devotional book, even better.
How did you write this book as a busy new mom? Why was it important to you to do so? A major shout-out to my husband and my son’s grandparents: I could not have written this book without them. When Micah was tiny I didn’t write a thing. But writing is in my blood, in my bones. It’s one of the ways I connect with God. So in those early days I couldn’t help thinking, “I’ve got to remember this moment, this thought. I need to write it down someday.” Once we finally settled into a routine and I had childcare lined up, the writing began—and so did the opportunity to breathe, to spend time in God’s presence. It was a gift.
God is in control. Why is this truth so important for new moms? We live in a culture of fear: fear for our kids’ safety, fear that we won’t measure up as parents, fear that our children will flunk life, etc. And retailers prey on that fear. So we are surrounded by magazines and books and websites that try to sell us things to give us a false feeling of control. But the truth is, every day I have to unclench my fist, release Micah into the care of the One who made him in the first place. And that’s hard. But if I can practice it now, I can do it when Micah walks out the door with the car keys. Hopefully.
What encouragement would you provide to the new mom who is overwhelmed and feeling lost? You are not alone. Lots of moms, including me, fall into the trap of presenting ourselves as totally together—which just perpetuates that feeling of isolation, like you’re the only one flunking motherhood. But we are all there, sister. I’m sitting here at my laptop unshowered, no idea what to make for dinner tonight, checking my phone fifty-seven times a minute to make sure Micah’s daycare isn’t texting me about some crisis. So we’re in this together. And meanwhile we have a God who holds us and our children in the palm of his hand, and who isn’t particularly concerned that the same load of laundry has been in the washer for three days. We rest in grace.
In your book, you say that “motherhood is itself a spiritual discipline.” What do you mean by this? Christians often talk about certain spiritual actions or practices that bring us into the presence of God, that deepen our relationship with Jesus. We talk about Bible study, prayer, worship, serving others, etc. But through motherhood I’ve realized that we can also seek God in the everyday ordinariness of care-giving. The working class, the poor, the enslaved and illiterate Christians, have been doing this for centuries, without ten minutes each morning to pray or read scripture. It is not beneath us to pray while folding laundry. In fact, there is a sense in which having such focus requires more discipline. If we let God in, motherhood can help us grow stronger spiritual muscles, become more like Jesus.
You endeavor to help moms cultivate “awareness of God’s presence in the small things, in the daily tasks of caring for infants.”Can you provide an example of this? It was my husband who began praying for my son’s body while giving him a bottle—since there isn’t much else to do besides sit there. He prays for Micah’s little feet, that he will stand strong in the Lord; for his legs, that he will walk with Jesus all his days; for his stomach, that he will “feed” on God’s Word; etc., all the way up. Rather than texting or talking on the phone or checking Facebook, we can take those moments and turn our thoughts toward God.
In your book, you say that the idea of being a new mother “both exhilarates and terrifies me.” Can you explain what you mean by this? Motherhood is exhilarating because it’s a new adventure, a new challenge (for those who like such things), a chance to do something deeply and eternally meaningful. But it’s also terrifying—for all those same reasons. Adventures are difficult. They hurt, they change us, and not always for the better. And what if we mess things up? A whole new generation of humans will have us to thank for their years of therapy. But even deeper, there’s the reality of loss. We don’t want to look down the years (or sooner) and see the inevitable goodbye. And yet we have a God who, as a Parent, knows all those joys and heartbreaks.
As a new mom, what is the best advice or encouragement that you have received? Go easy on yourself. Nobody cares that you haven’t showered. Really. And if they do, hand them the baby and say, “Thank you for helping.” Then soak in the tub for a long, long time. Because someday soon our kids will start to pick up on the fact that we really don’t mean it when we claim God is in control. But he is.


Read a free excerpt from Mommy Time.
Shop for signed editions here.