Obviously it stems from my debut novel, Journey to Riverbend. But there’s more to it than just a gimmick to remind people about the book. (Did I mention my first book is Journey to Riverbend? Did I mention I’m working on sequels?)

While I worked on the story of Michael and Rachel, themes emerged in the characters’ lives. The themes of reconciliation, restoration, and self-forgiveness manifested as Michael and the posse pursued the kidnappers and Rachel battled and defeated her own demons of unworthiness back in town.

And the other theme that came out is life as a journey. More than the natural journey of birth to death. Or the journey from youth to adulthood, to career and family and responsibility.

And I know this idea of life as a journey is not a sudden new revelation. It’s not the discovery of a workable warp drive or a transporter beam. Or even a food replicator.

Life is not just one journey. It is several. And they overlap and they impact each other and set us on a course. Or throw us off course if we let them. We decide which course as we walk out our journey.

Michael grew up in a violent family. And this violence continued in his life until he accepted Jesus. And his journey slowly turned. No longer violent or abusive, he was also constrained by the guilt and shame of the man he had been to the point where it was difficult for him to be the man he needed to be.

His Journey to Riverbend contained his first steps toward self-forgiveness and restoration. His journey is not finished at the end of the book just as ours are not finished when we reach certain stages in our lives. Like Michael, we continue the journey to spiritual understanding and maturity everyday, to a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior, to fulfilling His plan for our lives. To doing us so God’s creation can be complete.

Some days we take a step back or slip off the road. Then we get back up and continue the journey to a more complete person, to the person God has called us to be in this life.

How is your journey taking you closer to God?

Part of the challenge I set for myself—I really can’t blame my group for this—is to write it seat of the pants. Or, organically as Steven James calls it. So, yeah, he gets some of the blame/credit for this too.

For years, I practiced and preached using a detailed outline. I would spend weeks writing an outline before I ever typed “Chapter One.” Along with the outline would be days of detailed character development. Questionnaires, interviews with the character, histories. Physical descriptions. As much detail as I could develop. I wanted to know these characters inside and out.

When I started organic writing, all this character detail didn’t seem as important. I knew my hero’s role, kind of knew what he looked like, knew his story goal. I had an idea of his internal core values and how they would conflict over the story. I was comfortable with him and he seemed comfortable with me. I knew more of him would be revealed as the story went along, more depth, more complexity.

As the story moves along, seeds are sprouting about a romantic relationship between my hero and heroine. Seems to have a good pace, good tension. The attraction is mutual but there are issues which threaten to keep them apart. Like he’s twenty years older than her and she’s religious and he hates religion in every form.

And then—feels like there should be dramatic music here—he meets a woman he hasn’t seen in eleven years. I knew she was in the story and they would reconnect. As he talks with her and I see her through his eyes (I’m also writing a first person POV for the first time), he gets all mushy. And I realize—he’s still in love with her. Very much in love with her.

I’ve never had a character throw this big a curveball at me. When I asked him about this, he shrugged. I asked what about him and the female protagonist and their relationship. He patted me on the shoulder and said, “You’ll figure it out.”

I can’t wait to see where this takes us.

How about you? What is the most surprising thing a character has done to you? How did you handle it?

So you want to be a writer? For many with the dream of being writers, the thought seems to be I can just sit down and start stringing words together. How hard can it be?

After a while, reality sets in. The words don’t string together as easily as we expected. Even after we string several thousand, no one wants to buy what we’ve written.

Recently, I began taking horseback riding lessons. And I quickly learned how little I know about horses.

When it comes to writing, like riding horses, there is a lot to learn before we swing into the desk chair and start tapping the keys.

Some of it can be overwhelming.

The best way is bit-by-bit.

We need to learn, or re-learn, the basics of composition and grammar. The principles of story-telling. How to create characters readers will be interested in. And such esoteric concepts as show-don’t-tell, point of view, the three act structure, outlining versus pantsing, conflict and tension, dialogue.

Like in the cartoons, our brain goes TILT! Springs and nuts and bolts explode out of our heads.

Hang on, dear friend. All this material can be learned. If I can learn it, you can learn it. If you have the heart’s desire and the talent to be an author, you can learn the craft. But you must be willing to make the investment in time and money.

Study books on writing. Attend workshops and conferences. Seek out writers who are better than you for mentoring and coaching. Participate in critique groups. Risk.

And practice, practice, practice. Write every day. Get up early or stay up late. Write on your lunch hour or when the kids are taking a nap. Explain your dream to your family, enlist their support.

Set realistic goals: so many hours or so many words per week. Give yourself a deadline for completing the first draft. When you achieve any goal, reward yourself for it: a movie, chocolate, dinner at a favorite restaurant.

See yourself as, and call yourself, a writer.

And never stop learning.

J.A. Marx loves illustrating spiritual warfare through speculative suspense. In April, Write Integrity Press released her debut novel, Destiny Defied, the first book in The Destiny Series. She has published several articles and also edits for a healthcare e-zine. Her hobbies are fitness, nutrition, and dancing the Argentine tango. She and her husband live in Texas. http://online.jamarx.net/  

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When did you know you were a writer?

Since I was a little girl, I’ve had stories running through my mind like movies on the big screen. But I never thought to pen any of them until the mid-80s after I read Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness. My poorly written first novel is hidden somewhere for good reasons. I caught the passion to write in 2001 when I began the The Destiny Series books.

What inspired you to write Destiny Defied? Where did the idea come from?

The spark for Destiny Defied started with a girl washing up on a deserted beach. I had to do something with her. So I threw her into a situation that would’ve unsettled me (if I were her). I surrounded her with all “strange” men plus something unseen harassing her.

What was you toughest challenge in writing this novel?

Great question. Point of view (POV). When I started writing, I revealed everything that was in every character’s head and felt it had to be that way to get the story across. Thanks to my insistent and patient mentor, author Carol Umberger, I now value a tight POV. The tighter the better

What did you learn about yourself in writing this novel?

Over the past decade of re-writing and editing and re-writing, my true character oozed out—the good and the bad. I toured a slew of emotional phases: envy, pride, disappointment, joy, hope, and many tears. Yet the passion only increased. Best of all, I discovered the deepest motivation of why I write.

Tell us about your writing schedule. How do you make the time to write?

Now that the nest is emptying out, I’m hitting the pages full time. My weekdays start at 5am. I spend about 1.5 hours in the word and praying. After a workout and breakfast, I’m at the computer by 10:30. Since I prepare meals the night before, I’ll often work through until dinner. On good days (no extra chores, errands) I’ll get in 6 hours. Every day varies, as far as writing hours are concerned. Amazingly, it all gets done.

Are you an outliner or seat-of-the-pants writer? What makes your method work for you?

Both. I have to start out seat-of-the-pants until the characters and setting begin to gel (maybe 5-10 chapters). Then I stop and analyze each character’s personality and do any necessary research to get the setting solid. I confirm the theme and dig at the moral premise as I proceed.

How do you edit?

I have to force myself to finish scenes and chapters before taking up the “red pen.” I prefer to revisit a chapter(s) the following day. At the end, I have to let a manuscript sit for a month or two before doing a final edit.

Who’s been the biggest influence in your writing life?

A lot of people have helped me vicariously through books on writing. Above that would be my life-saving critique group. But at the top of the list, I must say Lynne Gentry took everything I learned in the awesome Christian Writer’s Guild classes and brought those lessons to life in my writing. (I don’t think Lynne knows this.)

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long from first submission to contract/publication?

Ha ha ha. Oh my. I sent of submissions before I knew how to write (2003?), and I rightly got rejected. The summer of 2012 I marketed the book from a different angle, and the first editor to read it bought the series.

Looking back, what one thing would you change about your writing journey? OR, What do you know now you wish you knew then?

First, I’d study the craft BEFORE going too far on this journey. And second, I wish I’d read The Moral Premise, by Stanley D. Williams when I did start learning how to write.

Name the top three craft books you would recommend to a beginning writer.

Sol Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein

The Moral Premise, by Stanley D. Williams

Writing the Breakout Novel, including the workbook, by Donald Maas

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t settle for an Ishmael when an Isaac is awaiting you. Meaning, don’t let peer pressure or passion rush the process by putting you in the desperate mindset of “I’ve gotta get published right now and by any means!” Let God have control.

-Teamwork is best (find an editor and agent who LOVE your story as much as you do)

-Balance writing and home life

What is your favorite writing conference? Why?

I prefer Christian conferences because of the outward (as opposed to self-) focus. I’ve attended the Christian Writer’s Guild conferences for about 8 years. Next year, I’m going to check out the Blue Ridge Writer’s Conference to meet my editor in person and hang out with the other authors Write Integrity promotes.

What would you say to an aspiring writer?

Well, I write supernatural stuff because I believe that realm is more real than our physical realm. So I express this with depth: Surrender it all to God. Daily. Violently seek first His Kingdom, and all the other stuff will fall into place.

One of the hardest things a writer learns is to receive criticism and correction. Unfortunately, some never do.

James Scott Bell refers to it as growing a rhino skin. Jerry B. Jenkins advises authors to develop a thick skin.

This doesn’t mean we make ourselves immune to criticism.

It means we make the time to develop the attitude of receiving criticism without personalizing it. We look at criticism and correction as ways to improve our work.

The first step is to realize our work can be improved. If we fail to acknowledge this, we are heading to poverty and disgrace. And we are dishonoring our God who called us to write in the first place.

God doesn’t give us the words. He gives us the inspiration. We give him our obedience and our talent. Part of our obedience is to learn the craft and to work to make our writing the best it can be.

This means being open to changing it. Not just our own tweaking, either. We need to show our work to others for constructive and useful feedback.

We need to learn to accept correction. When I began this crazy journey of writing, I had to learn to swallow my pride and my ego. And I needed to learn to overcome my fear: fear of rejection, of being a failure, of being ridiculed for even thinking I could write.

God led me to the right early critiquers, people who knew how to give correction with just the right amount of firmness and with an eye to helping improve my work.

My two cents: Seek the perspective of different eyes reading our words, of offering suggestions to make it better. We don’t have to apply every suggestion. Learn to discern what’s valid and what isn’t.

Pray and trust God to lead us to the right critiquers for us: those who have our best interests at heart, those who want to help us grow as writers.

How has having others look at your work helped improve your writing?

In a perfectionist’s world, every driver would operate their car exactly the way I want them to. (Ooops, ended a sentence with a preposition. Oh my!)
I missed a comma or put one where it doesn’t belong? Whatever made me think I could write?I cringe when a critique partner finds a sentence splice. Or spots a sentence dangling its participle for the entire world to see.

My hero has blue eyes on page 3 and green eyes on page 150. It’s a historical novel so I can’t use the contact lens excuse.

When I first started writing, I froze at the thought of submitting my work to a critique group. The Apprentice course at Christian Writers Guild had me more jittery than a gallon of coffee. And I was paying for them to criticize me!

And we all know the deadly side effect of perfectionism—procrastination. At times, this means I won’t start because conditions are not ideal.

Or I won’t start chapter two because chapter one isn’t perfect. But I don’t touch chapter one because I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong with it.

Or I won’t submit my manuscript until it’s perfect. Well, it’s never perfect enough. So it dies the slow death of constant tinkering.

I know of writers—writers with talent—who left critique groups because of criticism. They took the criticism to mean their writing wasn’t perfect. Therefore, they weren’t perfect.
Although, I still think other drivers should operate the way I want them to.Now, through taking risks, I know perfection is unattainable in this world. Especially in my writing. And that is okay. Perfection comes when I get to heaven.

Do you struggle with perfectionism? How do you overcome it?

I’ve been asked this question on several occasions. For many authors, their stories, especially their first ones, are autobiographical.

So I pondered this question and compared myself to the hero of my first novel, Michael Archer. Michael used to drink, so we have that in common.

But Michael lied, cheated, stole, assaulted and may have killed in his past. Some of that applied to me but not all of it.

I could see parts of me in Michael and in the other characters in the book. And my life experiences influenced the story. So did my research.

 But in no way is Journey to Riverbend as the story of my life.

On the other hand, one of my other stories (unpublished so far), about a man who helps his son deal with the sudden disappearance of the son’s wife, is very personal. For the longest time I could not identify why.

The writing of the story flowed smoothly. Characters came to life and shared their stories. Settings had a realism

that enhanced the characters and the plot. The twists and turns came at the right times and with the right tension and emotion. Several re-writes improved it immensely.

The problem came when I had to read it aloud at critique groups or when I read chunks of it to my self in the edit

ing process. I couldn’t read without choking up and fighting tears. In groups, others would take over the reading.

I struggled and prayed, asking God why this story, of all my stories, affected me this intensely.

Finally, a couple of months ago, the answer came. The reason this story slams me the way it does, and the reason I had towrite it, is I had never finished the grieving process over the loss of our son nearly twenty years ago. I thought I
This story completed God’s healing process for me.had. But this story digs deeper into my heart than any other and shows the wounds and hurts I’d never dealt with.

In this sense, it is the most autobiographical of my stories because it reveals more of me than any other.

How about you? How autobiographical are your stories? 

image courtesy of Ambor/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Most of the discussion seems to stem from the increase in self-publishing or the belief that authors can work with publishers directly.

Over the years of my writing career and my experience with various types of agents, I’ve reached the following conclusions.

My agent needs to be my business partner and advisor. When we discuss proposals and story ideas, I appreciate open and honest feedback on the merits of each idea, on which publishers might be open, how to frame the proposal, and even whether the concept might work better self-published. When my agent is more concerned with my career than just my sales, we’ve reached a level of relationship that is awesome.

I need my agent to handle the details, especially in the area of contracts. Agents bring a level of expertise it would take me too
long to acquire. When I was considering taking on a ghostwriting project, the president of my agency stepped in to handle the contract. He was able to include clauses that gave me better protection—things I would never have thought of—and more money than I thought possible.

With an agent, I can focus on the writing process with the publisher and have someone with clout backing me up. The clout comes from the experience, skills and knowledge of the industry agents have acquired over the years.

No matter which direction my writing career takes, I would not want to be on the path without a good agent.

How about you? Do you think agents are still valuable in the changing world of publishing?

If I ride the wings of morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will

 guide me, and your strength will support me.
My first reading of this focused on no matter where His plan takes me, He will be with me, guiding and supporting.

Then my spirit reminded me of something our pastor said when we were thinking of moving to Texas: “If you’re going to miss God’s timing, it’s better to be behind Him instead of ahead of Him.”

And I realized that even if I were so far ahead of God, I was as lost as a goose in a blizzard, I was not alone. It might feel like it, like I’m lost and alone, without hope or anchor.

But it’s not. Because He’s still there. He’s waiting patiently for me to come to my spiritual senses, to wake up to the fact I’m living in disobedience. He’s waiting for me to recognize it, to admit I stepped out too far or I stepped out on my own strength or will, not His.

He’s waiting with loving eyes and forgiving arms.

He’s waiting with His eternal patience.

He’s waiting to guide me with His hand and support me with His strength.

All I have to do is turn to Him.

How about you? Have you ever felt so out of God’s plan, it seemed like there was no way back?

In the community of Christian writers, we form writers groups, select critique partners, participate in workshops and conferences, and brainstorm with each other. In these activities, we encourage each other, challenge each other and teach each other. Why? To grow into better writers.

And then we turn around and compete with each other for one of those coveted, yet increasingly rare, slots with traditional publishers.

And we rejoice and celebrate when someone else gets one of those slots. I must admit that, at times, I pray for God to make my rejoicing and celebrating in the success of someone else sincere and genuine.

The spirits of envy and jealousy try to impose their ugly resentfulness on my heart at times. The questioning starts: What am I doing with my life? Am I really cut out for this? Why them? Why not me?

Eventually, I take this to God. Sometimes right away. Sometimes feeling sorry for myself lingers.

I love how He patiently waits for me to come to my spiritual senses and approach His throne of grace.

He asks me, “Did I call you to be that writer who just got the four book contract?” “Did I call you to be that writer who just won the Carol Award?” Of course, He didn’t.

Then He asks: “What are you doing to be the Henry I called you to be?”

He reminds me of the passage in John 21:19-22 where Peter asks how John is going to die (no rivalry there!), and Jesus replies: “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

In other words, follow the plan He has called me to, put my trust in Him, and be the Henry He has called me to be.

What are you doing with the you he called to be?