Flexing & Stretching - Tracy Krauss

As I reflect on the year that has almost passed, I realize that 2014 has been a year of growth in more ways than one. For starters, it has been my busiest year as far as publishing and new releases. This year I've had a full length novel, a novella, a stage play, thirteen short stories, a devotional book, and an illustrated children's book published. I actually had trouble keeping track of what was releasing when! (Probably not the best scenario as far as publicity goes...)

Several of these works I wrote under contract, which meant I had deadlines to meet every month of the year. I actually thrive under pressure, which is a good thing, because it felt a lot like I was doing 'nanowrimo' all year long!

Speaking of nanowrimo, I signed up again this year and still have a couple of days to finish my 50,000 word manuscript in the month of November. Perhaps I've been running on empty, because I've been finding the challenge even more 'challenging' than normal. I've pushed through and will finish, but it wasn't without its struggles.

Sometime in August, my husband and I took over as Interim pastors of our church. We volunteered for the position when our other pastor took a church elsewhere. The church needed to build up its finances, and since my husband is an ordained minister, we felt God leading us to take on this role. However, since we both work full time, we have been 'tag team' preaching. He preaches one Sunday and I preach the next. That, added to my position as worship leader and coordinator, and it has been busy indeed.

I am not complaining, by any means. This year has been a year of stretching and flexing, but just like in a sports analogy, I feel as if all the reps and hard work have made me a better writer. When asked recently on a radio interview what I had planned for next year, I didn't have a definitive answer. I have lots of options but no contracts. Maybe it's better that way. If I had known how busy I would be in 2014, I might have shrunk away from all my commitments.

As it is, I can look back and feel good about what I did accomplish. With God's help, I can do all things - even survive a wonderful frenzy of works in progress becoming realities.

Tracy Krauss is a multi-published author, artist and playwright, living in Tumbler Ridge, BC.  http://tracykrauss.com 

Including Everyone - Meyer

I’ve been thinking recently about how we are all so different and yet really very much the same in many ways.
I think it’s all too easy for us as human beings to want to be around people who are the same as us. I’m not really referring to cliques and racial prejudice. I think I’m talking more about just sticking with what is comfortable, versus stepping out and enlarging our circle of friends and acquaintances.
I’m a naturally shy person, as many writers are, and it’s always a bit difficult for me to meet new people. It is easier if I know ahead of time that I have things in common with them. For example, it’s not as hard to think about meeting new people at Write!Canada because I know that I will have a lot in common with the other “writers who are Christian” gathered there. When I attend a secular writer’s conference, then I might be a bit less comfortable because our commonality is narrowed down to just “writers.”
Again, there would be a certain variance in comfort levels if I were to visit a day program for developmentally challenged adults… or if I were to go to a hospice… or a half-way house for former inmates...
But all of us have found, at one time or another, that our lives have been enriched by our encounters with people who are different from us in some way, people who are going through things that we can’t imagine ever happening to us.
Recently, I was able to offer support to my brother, who is developmentally challenged, as he prepared for his wedding to another developmentally challenged adult. It was an awesome privilege and a real blessing to me to see their joy and their love for each other.
In the books that I write, I try to include a diversity of people. I have characters such as Bobby, who has Down’s syndrome and Missy, who was blind from birth. I have rich tourist camp owners, and homeless people who are chronic alcoholics. I believe that when we include a variety of people in our books, then we are enriching the lives of our readers in the same way that our lives are enriched when we get out and meet people who are different from us in a variety of ways.