Every now and then I read a book and I wonder what in the world I am even thinking about writing. I read one of those books this week. AND it’s a debut novel. Yes, there was one minor place where I had to suspend my disbelief and another where I thought the author should have wrapped up an incident a little better. BUT, all in all, this debut author may have just set the bar for those of us who pray will come behind her.
Who is this debut author? Karen Kirst. Her book, The Reluctant Outlaw, takes place in the refreshing setting of the Smoky Mountains. Her heroine, Juliana O’Malley, is a spunky, spit-fire who never wavers from her convictions or her love of her Lord, even when she’s at the mercy of a kidnapper and a gang of outlaws. Evan Harrison is a man bent on justice, need I say more?
All right, I’m not going say anything else. You’re just going to have to read it. To read the back cover blurb and an excerpt click here.
Anyway, I’m not writing this post to solely talk about Karen’s book. Nope. I thought I’d share a bit of my growth.
When I first began writing and I’d come across a really good book, I’d find myself in a pit for days. “I can’t write like that” “I’ll never be good enough” “I quit”. Of course, I always picked up my head. Sometimes it was with the help of friends others it was just because I can’t not write. It’s so much a part of me. And with each word, each sentence, each paragraph, each chapter I know I improve.
But there is more. I don’t want to write just like Karen Kirst, Renee Ryan, Vickie McDonough or Karen Witemyer. I want to write like me however that is God would have me write. I was reminded the other night that none of this is about me. None of it is about the authors listed above. It’s about God and what He does through each of us.