I want to continue with the background history of Kye Valley. For the next few weeks or so I want to go over the history of Morning Star Fellowship. This is the church that is mainly seen in the "Dawn Comes Softly" stories.
3 Friends
In the 1940s three young men shared the same dorm room at a Christian college in the eastern half of the United States. They were studying to be pastors. Ed Hart, the peacemaker, was from Oklahoma. Jack Kealy, the quiet reserved one, was from New York. Marty Stephens, the easy-going one, was from Kye Valley, Oregon.
Ed always noticed whenever someone seemed to be upset with someone else or whenever someone suddenly wasn't talking to anyone. He would say, "Gentlemen, we need to have a talk."
Jack had a tendency to not talk whenever he was deep in thought or troubled about something. Marty would ask, "Hey, Jack, stewing in your thoughts?"
The three roommates tried to find time to do one or two things together each week. They worked around each others' schedules of classes, studying, and homework. It was Ed's idea that they do this.
The one thing that they tried to do about once a week was to have a Bible study together. One of them would read a Bible passage. Then the three of them would discuss their thoughts on the meaning of that passage.
One of those times Marty read Romans 8:38-39. In this passage the Apostle Paul wrote that nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love.
Jack questioned, "What can separate us from God?"
Ed immediately replied, "Sin can. But all we have to do is tell God we're sorry, ask Him to forgive us, and He will."
Marty nodded. "I John 1:9 says that He is faithful to forgive us."
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Writing Update 1-22-12
I did get some writing done this past week. But, I was also distracted by the flooding here in the Willamette Valley. I'm fine where I'm at. But I sure feel for all of those people whose homes were flooded. I pray for all of their needs to be met and for their homes to be completely restored. I also feel for the members of the family that lost two loved ones in the flooding. I pray for God's peace, comfort, and strength for them. Everyone reading this let's keep all of these folks in our prayers. They are really going to need God's help through all of this.
I'm still working on "Sweet Nathaniel's Eyes". This is going to be a very long story, and it's going to take me a while to write it. So I want to be sure and stay focused on it, and spend some quality time on it while I am working on other stories.
Like I've mentioned before, in a previous post, I have three finished stories in the "Dawn Comes Softly" story collection. I edited "The Peace Within". This story is now in its second draft. I made some minor tweaks on the first page of "The Night The Heavens Cried". Basically I just added a date and changed the last name of a family. Last night I glanced through "Little Sister", and discovered something. I wrote this story several years ago. Since then I've made major changes in notes. So this story is basically a little out of date so to speak. It needs some serious updating. I think I'll work on it this coming week.
I am still working on the index cards for the three new stories that I'm wanting to write for "Dawn Comes Softly". I gave a tentative title of "The Secret" to one of the stories. But, I think I'm going to change that to "The Whole Truth". I like that title better because of what the story deals with. Of the three new stories this is the one that I will probably start first.
I'm still working on "Sweet Nathaniel's Eyes". This is going to be a very long story, and it's going to take me a while to write it. So I want to be sure and stay focused on it, and spend some quality time on it while I am working on other stories.
Like I've mentioned before, in a previous post, I have three finished stories in the "Dawn Comes Softly" story collection. I edited "The Peace Within". This story is now in its second draft. I made some minor tweaks on the first page of "The Night The Heavens Cried". Basically I just added a date and changed the last name of a family. Last night I glanced through "Little Sister", and discovered something. I wrote this story several years ago. Since then I've made major changes in notes. So this story is basically a little out of date so to speak. It needs some serious updating. I think I'll work on it this coming week.
I am still working on the index cards for the three new stories that I'm wanting to write for "Dawn Comes Softly". I gave a tentative title of "The Secret" to one of the stories. But, I think I'm going to change that to "The Whole Truth". I like that title better because of what the story deals with. Of the three new stories this is the one that I will probably start first.
Monday, January 16, 2012
"A Fictional Place" part 3
Okay, here's some more background history for Kye Valley. :)
Kye Valley Christian College - KVCC
Kye Valley Christian College had its beginning as Kye Valley Bible School. It was a small school started in the 1950s by a Bible study group in the town of Kye Valley. Later someone donated land for the school a few miles east of town. Two small dorms and a campus building were built there. Vokarian Hall was for men, and Claxton Hall was for women.
In the 1960s the school became a full-fledged college. The name was changed to Kye Valley Christian College. Families around the Pacific Northwest started sending their sons and daughters to KVCC.
In the 1970s two more dorms were added. Rondelle Hall was for men while Myers Hall was for women. The chapel was also built about this time. More campus buildings have been built over the years. The school library was also built during the 1970s.
In the 1990s the last two dorms were built. McConnel Hall is for men while Stinson Hall is for women. These two newest dorms happen to have air conditioning.
The two oldest dorms, Vokarian and Claxton Halls, are both near the chapel and the chapel garden. There is an oak grove behind the chapel.
The campus mainly sits on a small hill. There is a big paved parking lot. The campus buildings are all west of the parking lot. The chapel and two oldest dorms are west of the campus buildings. The library is partway down the hill from the campus buildings. At the bottom of the hill are the apartments for the grad students. On the east side of the big parking lot are the four newer dorms. Rondelle, Myers, McConnell and Stinson Halls all sit in a row on top of a rise of land. These four dorms are affectionately known as the quad dorms.
Kye Valley Christian College - KVCC
Kye Valley Christian College had its beginning as Kye Valley Bible School. It was a small school started in the 1950s by a Bible study group in the town of Kye Valley. Later someone donated land for the school a few miles east of town. Two small dorms and a campus building were built there. Vokarian Hall was for men, and Claxton Hall was for women.
In the 1960s the school became a full-fledged college. The name was changed to Kye Valley Christian College. Families around the Pacific Northwest started sending their sons and daughters to KVCC.
In the 1970s two more dorms were added. Rondelle Hall was for men while Myers Hall was for women. The chapel was also built about this time. More campus buildings have been built over the years. The school library was also built during the 1970s.
In the 1990s the last two dorms were built. McConnel Hall is for men while Stinson Hall is for women. These two newest dorms happen to have air conditioning.
The two oldest dorms, Vokarian and Claxton Halls, are both near the chapel and the chapel garden. There is an oak grove behind the chapel.
The campus mainly sits on a small hill. There is a big paved parking lot. The campus buildings are all west of the parking lot. The chapel and two oldest dorms are west of the campus buildings. The library is partway down the hill from the campus buildings. At the bottom of the hill are the apartments for the grad students. On the east side of the big parking lot are the four newer dorms. Rondelle, Myers, McConnell and Stinson Halls all sit in a row on top of a rise of land. These four dorms are affectionately known as the quad dorms.
Writing Update 1-16-12
Yay! I have finally finished editing "Boundaries". It is now in its second draft. It is a novelette with 15,515 words. Whew! "Boundaries" is from a story collection that is about a family that lives in the town of Shaw Falls. The three siblings in the family all attend Kye Valley Christian College just east of the town of Kye Valley.
I do want to start sharing my stories on here. But, I want to copyright them first. The story collection that I want to start with is one that I'm calling "Dawn Comes Softly". Right now it has three finished stories in it. I would like to add at least a couple more stories to it before I have the whole thing copyrighted. So it will probably be a while before I start sharing story excerpts on here.
The three finished stories in "Dawn Comes Softly" are "The Peace Within", "The Night The Heavens Cried", and "Little Sister". The two new stories that I'm thinking about starting have the tentative titles of "The Secret" and "The Promise". "The Peace Within" is the story that starts this story collection. "The Secret" is the next story. The other stories come later. There might be another story between "The Secret" and "The Night The Heavens Cried".
"The Peace Within" is still in the first draft. So I want to get started editing it soon here. I like to bring a story to about the third or fourth draft before I let anyone read it. As a general rule I don't let people read the first draft because it's usually pretty rough. When I have let people read the first draft I have always regretted it. So, editing first.
What is the main theme of "Dawn Comes Softly"? If I could only choose one word for the theme I think I would choose redemption. God's redemption is definitely the focus of the entire collection. I'll share things that will give you an idea of what this story collection deals with.
-- A son has grown to be a man. But his real father has no idea that he even has a son. Will the young man's mother finally tell both men the truth?
-- A son goes missing for more than 10 years. If he is found, can he ever really come home?
-- A blossoming romance suddenly died more than 25 years ago. Is there any hope of it ever being rekindled?
That's a little bit of what this collection deals with. "Dawn Comes Softly" is a collection of stories about two families. The patriarchs of these families were two of the three founding members of a church in the town of Kye Valley.
I am still working on the first draft of "Sweet Nathaniel's Eyes". This story is from another story collection. I am expecting it to be quite lengthy - about novella length. So I will be working on it for a while.
Later this evening I would like to add another installment to "A Fictional Place". In a few minutes here I am going to go work on dinner. :)
I do want to start sharing my stories on here. But, I want to copyright them first. The story collection that I want to start with is one that I'm calling "Dawn Comes Softly". Right now it has three finished stories in it. I would like to add at least a couple more stories to it before I have the whole thing copyrighted. So it will probably be a while before I start sharing story excerpts on here.
The three finished stories in "Dawn Comes Softly" are "The Peace Within", "The Night The Heavens Cried", and "Little Sister". The two new stories that I'm thinking about starting have the tentative titles of "The Secret" and "The Promise". "The Peace Within" is the story that starts this story collection. "The Secret" is the next story. The other stories come later. There might be another story between "The Secret" and "The Night The Heavens Cried".
"The Peace Within" is still in the first draft. So I want to get started editing it soon here. I like to bring a story to about the third or fourth draft before I let anyone read it. As a general rule I don't let people read the first draft because it's usually pretty rough. When I have let people read the first draft I have always regretted it. So, editing first.
What is the main theme of "Dawn Comes Softly"? If I could only choose one word for the theme I think I would choose redemption. God's redemption is definitely the focus of the entire collection. I'll share things that will give you an idea of what this story collection deals with.
-- A son has grown to be a man. But his real father has no idea that he even has a son. Will the young man's mother finally tell both men the truth?
-- A son goes missing for more than 10 years. If he is found, can he ever really come home?
-- A blossoming romance suddenly died more than 25 years ago. Is there any hope of it ever being rekindled?
That's a little bit of what this collection deals with. "Dawn Comes Softly" is a collection of stories about two families. The patriarchs of these families were two of the three founding members of a church in the town of Kye Valley.
I am still working on the first draft of "Sweet Nathaniel's Eyes". This story is from another story collection. I am expecting it to be quite lengthy - about novella length. So I will be working on it for a while.
Later this evening I would like to add another installment to "A Fictional Place". In a few minutes here I am going to go work on dinner. :)
Saturday, January 14, 2012
3 Day Weekend
Today is the start of a 3 day weekend. Monday is a holiday - Martin Luther King Jr day. I would like to get a lot of writing and notes done this weekend. :)
Last night I came home with music CDs from 4 of my favorite contemporary Christian artists. These 4 singers have recorded songs that I absolutely love. These same songs have inspired and blessed so many people over the years. I would like to write stories that inspire and bless people too. :)
Last night I came home with music CDs from 4 of my favorite contemporary Christian artists. These 4 singers have recorded songs that I absolutely love. These same songs have inspired and blessed so many people over the years. I would like to write stories that inspire and bless people too. :)
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Let's Get Some Writing Done!
I didn't get much writing done this past week. I haven't gotten any writing done yet this weekend. Oh dear.
I'm still working on the first draft of "Sweet Nathaniel's Eyes". I'm still editing "Boundaries". I've been doing a little bit here and there on both stories. But I want to do more than just a little bit on them.
For about a week I've had three story ideas, swirling around in my head, that are really wanting to be written. I have all of these full blown scenes going on in my head. The one story idea has been so strong that I'm having a hard time writing. I don't know if that makes any sense to anyone.
I've had thoughts of writing about 5 stories at the same time. But, I'm not sure I really want to do that to myself. I'm thinking maybe I should at least write up some index cards for each of the stories. I have the habit, by the way, of writing index cards for the various scenes in a story. It really helps me to organize the story.
I pray for God's wisdom in all of this. I would like to get right back into the flow of writing. :)
I'm still working on the first draft of "Sweet Nathaniel's Eyes". I'm still editing "Boundaries". I've been doing a little bit here and there on both stories. But I want to do more than just a little bit on them.
For about a week I've had three story ideas, swirling around in my head, that are really wanting to be written. I have all of these full blown scenes going on in my head. The one story idea has been so strong that I'm having a hard time writing. I don't know if that makes any sense to anyone.
I've had thoughts of writing about 5 stories at the same time. But, I'm not sure I really want to do that to myself. I'm thinking maybe I should at least write up some index cards for each of the stories. I have the habit, by the way, of writing index cards for the various scenes in a story. It really helps me to organize the story.
I pray for God's wisdom in all of this. I would like to get right back into the flow of writing. :)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Note on "A Fictional Place"
"A Fictional Place" is just the background history of Kye Valley. I thought it would fun to work out the history of the valley before I finally start posting my stories on here. I plan to work on the history for several weeks. I'm thinking about June I would like to start sharing excerpts from my stories. Right now I'm having some fun working out the background history. I hope everyone is enjoying what I have written so far. :)
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