I’ve written a new eighty-thousand-word novel—except for the ending, that is. That’s where, I confess, I’m struggling right now. “What? Why?” you may ask. When faced with seemingly too many good plot choices, my default is to become indecisive. I’ve been there, done that—written an ending I thought was the best one only to later discover it stank to high heaven. Wasted words. Wasted time. Wasted life. If only I could get it right the first time. <See me banging my head against the wall?> Indecisive Me Maybe you’re not like me. Maybe with every life choice you know instantly what you want and which path is best. But that’s not me. Picture me at an ice cream stand. Okay, which flavor do I want? Mackinac Island Fudge? Chocolate? Black Cherry? Rocky Road? Mint Chocolate Chip? Um, well, I like them all. So the question isn’t, which ice cream do I like…
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*Don’t forget your free bonus at the end of this letter! Dear Family and Friends, Christmas is a precious reminder. Just as Jesus came as a baby, He’ll surely come again. We just don’t know when. So may the Lord find us busy living for Him while on earth. We had another busy year. Our girls, Laura (11) and Julia (8), have grown several inches and increased in their knowledge of God and life through church, family life, and homeschool. This year we’ve gone with math DVDs for Laura, since that’s not a favorite area for either parent. Both girls excel in piano. This fall they began horseback-riding lessons to feed their horse fixation. They also enjoy trying to keep up with our blue-ticked beagle, Patches. Kim stayed busy as general secretary for Shalom Ministries, based in Brooklyn, New York. She was key in organizing several Holy Land trips—and all…
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A Discussion about My Next Novel, The Tenth Plague Putting my finger on where exactly the original idea for my upcoming novel, The Tenth Plague, came from is difficult because the novel began forming in my mind probably five or six years ago. The idea for the main plot, of course, emerged from Revelation 22:18-19. In those verses God proclaims a curse on anyone who adds to or takes away from His Word. Given the state of our times and the church today, that seems like a relevant theme. In some quarters of Christianity at large, some can’t even agree on what truth is anymore. One day when I read those verses again, they grabbed me like never before. My imagination began playing the what-if game, and the story began taking shape in my mind. I envisioned someone turning on a bathroom faucet and blood gushing out. I consulted several theologian friends for their thoughts,…
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