Greetings. Here’s hoping you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Year’s!
They say when writing a novel you should go with what you know. All That Glitters weaves a tale about the Klondike era. Not something I knew, but a time period I found fascinating. Perhaps someday I will write the sequel knocking about in my head. In the meantime, I thought I should follow the advice and go with what I know. The new novel, which doesn’t have a title yet and I call it The Philippines, was inspired by a missions trip Matt and I took with our pastor and seven Bible School students in 2012. The characters do not resemble the students (I promise) who travelled with us but some of the activities and the settings definitely do. The cast of characters grew after I began writing but the main characters are as follows (at least at the moment):
– Anxiety ridden, professional student with a bad attitude toward men and the church. She’s been kicked out of the nest and finds herself leading a group of students on a mission’s trip to the Philippines.
– Brilliant underachiever who’s loved the above since he was ten and can’t give up on the dream of marrying her. He wangles his way onto the trip as the male leader and finds caring for orphans a stretching experience.
– Goofy, ADD type who talks a lot. He’s impulsive and creative and his name can’t be changed because he’s supposed to be a ridiculous example of names parents call their kids.
– Plumpish sweetheart of a girl with a serious need to please. She’s klutzy and avoids confrontation but can’t wait to spend time with the orphaned babies and children.
– A mini Billy Graham who is out to save the world. He loves to wear suits and embarrasses easily. He’s uncomfortable around kids and new situations but has a knack for matchmaking.
– Gorgeous, athletic type with a chip on her shoulder. She went on the trip to avoid the cold winter and constantly challenges the leaders. She hopes to find a love interest while on the mission’s trip.
– Muscle bound former military medic from Texas with a cute drawl. He works on the mission rescuing kids from difficult situations and giving them a new home.
Congratulations to Jodi, from Edmonton, AB who won the opportunity to name a character! Next blog we will find out who she named and why.
Have a great week!