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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Welcome Eddie Snipes and I Called Him Dancer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EDDIE SNIPES balances writing between a full-time job, five children, and participating in professional organizations. In 2011, he began serving as the President of the Christian Authors Guild. He has been actively writing since 1998. Eddie contributes to OnePlace.com / Sermon Search, is a speaker, and has served as a Pastor and interim pastor. He actively participates in three writing organizations - The Christian Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Atlanta Writers Club, and has won several writing awards. Eddie's favorite genres are not limited to Christian fiction - anything but sappy romance and trashy writing. He reads a little of every genre - as long as he can get it on his Kindle. Connect with Eddie on his website: www.eddiesnipes.com

EDDIE'S BOOKS

I CALLED HIM DANCER is about a boy growing up in a broken home. His fragile world is shattered when his mother leaves him with a relative and walks out of his life. After seeing a man dancing with grace and acrobatics, he decides to imitate the man and discovers a natural talent for dance. His life's passion becomes dance and eventually the young man achieves his dream of Broadway. A drug addiction and his inner demons destroy his life and he eventually becomes homeless. His previous dance partner refuses to let go and reaches out to him, but he rejects her. Bitter at God and the world, the dancer embraces a solitary life on the streets. Though he lashes out at God, the Lord has other plans for the fallen dancer.

I Called Him Dancer has a 5 star average after 26 reviews. It's available in print, but the ebook version is only .99 cents and is available here.

Simple Faith: How every person can experience intimacy with God is also available in print or as a free ebook. Download it here.

Each of us struggle with the tendency to put the weight of faith upon our own shoulders. Christianity can become a fear of failure, and then we miss the joyful journey. According to scripture, the goodness of God leads us to repentance. We follow God's ways because we see the goodness of fellowship, not from fear of punishment. Instead of feeling like God watches from behind and strikes when we drift off course, the journey becomes about intimacy. It's two friends walking the road of life, enjoying sweet fellowship, and being helped - not scolded - through difficult times. The sweetness of intimacy is how the Christian life should be lived. Misunderstanding this makes faith a difficult road. Instead of faith being our strength, it adds a burden. I hope this book helps others realize this truth.

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Enjoy The Writer’s Journey

If you write it, they will come. It’s the ideology of most new writers. Deep down we all have this unrealistic hope. We’ve put the time, effort, and our heart into a manuscript and believe it’s something of value. The truth is that Stephen King can throw out a poorly written novel and it will be a best seller, but the unknown author can produce a masterpiece and no one notices. You can substitute King with any other big named author and the same rule applies.

The life of writing is filled with frustration and reward. Unfortunately, the reward isn’t usually in your pocketbook. I want to talk a little bit about the journey of writing and get a better view on our expectations and where we should focus our attention.

We’ve all heard it said that life’s a journey. Some people enjoy the journey, others are miserable, while others live such crowded lives that they get to the end and realized they missed the journey. As writers, we have the same tendency. The goal becomes a rush to get published and so much focus is put on landing the contract or winning over an agent that we forget to stop and look around the world of writing we live in. The truth is, we are on a life-long journey and there is much to experience along the way.

I once sat at a dinner table with an agent during a writer’s conference. It became impossible to have a real conversation because everyone looked at him as if he were an end to their means. For some, the agent was their hope. Every time he tried to make small talk, someone would say, “Let me tell you about my book,” and then would begin with their prepared elevator-pitch. One person reached across the agent’s plate of food and offered their manuscript. Later he told me that writers put a lot of pressure on him during the one-on-one meetings. He explained how it bothered him that writers often showed desperation and made him feel that all their dreams of publication rested on his shoulders. “Being the outlet of a writer’s desperation makes me reluctant to get involved,” he said.

Herein is the problem. Desperation. Why do we write? For the money? Very few authors make enough money to live on, much less enough to by a mansion next to Stephen King. If it’s fame, chock up another one in the disappointment category. How many authors can you name? Once in a while a book will come out, like the Purpose Driven Life, which launches the author into the public eye. But for every mega success, there are hundreds of thousands that are well written but remain unknown beyond the niche audience that reads it.

Christian authors will be quick to say that their goal is to glorify God. The truth is, God glorifies Himself and brings us into His work. So why the desperation and frustration? If it’s the work of God, we shouldn’t be carrying the burden of making the way. Let me share a word from the scripture. Ephesians 2:10

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Writers have the calling to write. But what’s not always obvious is the call to call to a journey. If God has called you, then you are His workmanship. And the path of good works was prepared beforehand that we should walk on it. Where the path leads, I don’t know. And you don’t know. One thing we do know is that we are called to walk on the path God has already prepared. Walk. Not Run.

When we rush to the end of the path, we pass the treasures God has also prepared that we should find and enjoy. The life of good works is a journey, not a task. Whether the work is writing or another mission, we must stop and consider the journey. It’s a journey of first learning to walk in intimacy with the Lord. The Lord walks with us, but He doesn’t run after us. He’s prepared the way and calls us to walk where He’s going-not to answer our call for Him to come where we’re running.

Most of us pray something like, “Lord, I’m writing this book for you. I need it in the hands of readers, so I need interviews and a big publisher. Here’s my big plan. Bless it.” Then we’re off to make it happen. When one door shuts, we rush to the next. We become frustrated and wonder why God isn’t responding. That’s when we crawl over a table, shove a manuscript into someone’s face and say, “This is God’s work!” Is it God’s work? Maybe, but it’s been mixed with ours. The door God wants to open is somewhere behind us, or somewhere down a path we can’t see because we are following our plans.

God promises to open the door that can’t be shut. Also, if God shuts it, you can’t open it. The book contract isn’t your reward. It’s God who told Abraham, “I am your exceedingly great reward.” Is God your reward?

If God inspires your writing, trust Him to take you down the road He’s already prepared. The journey is long. Publication is only one event in the journey. Don’t allow a goal to distract you from the journey. The purpose of life isn’t getting a book into print, but walking in the works God prepared beforehand. The purpose is a journey centered on walking with Christ.

Enjoy the journey and the people God brings into your life along the way. Enjoy learning and experiencing the world of writing. Connect and enjoy fellowship with likeminded Christian writers. Enjoy the journey with Christ. Go where He’s going, be patient, and trust Him. Make it your goal to look back on your life and appreciate every step of the journey.

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Thank you, Eddie, for sharing with us today. No giveaway this week, so simply enjoy the post and be inspired.

Everyone in the U.S., have a blessed Thanksgiving this week. For everyone else, may God richly bless your week as well.

1 comment:

Eddie Snipes said...

Hey, Amber. Thanks for hosting me on your blog. Have a great Thanksgiving!