A(nother) New beginning!

Call it a whim or a wild hair — the idea came to me at light speed (prompted by an email from the organizer) — something grabbed my attention and set my being into motion. I quickly signed up for the Writer’s Workshop in St. Paul, MN, and opened the door to a new adventure.

What attracted me the most was the possibility of pitching my book idea to a publisher that specializes in the books that I’m most interested in writing. Given my somewhat eclectic tastes, that’s saying something!

If I were a crock pot, you might say this idea has been simmering for years. Although writing about my life and my reflections is relatively new, I’ve been contemplating my life almost as long as I’ve been living it.

From my early years traveling as an Army brat to my later years traversing the world, I have been steadily and silently observing myself, others, the world, and God. When I walked through “the valley of the shadow of death,” I did so with my eyes wide open. When I passed through trials by fire, my senses were fully engaged. My entire life has been about gathering insights into what keeps my world and my mind in constant motion.

The conference gave me some insight into the craft of writing and publishing. More importantly, the acquisitions editor gave me hope that someone might be interested in reading what I have to say. Since that day, my free time has been spent reading “comparable” titles, crafting an outline, drafting a proposal, and beginning to write chapters. The process is both exciting and daunting!

This blog is about more than one book.

This blog is a place for me to share my questions (they’re much more valuable than answers anyway) as well as some of my initial thoughts on how to answer my questions.

With a background in the sciences (biology and chemistry), experience in the trades (carpentry and general home remodeling), a love/hate relationship with theology (is it accurate to say I have a Masters of Divinity?), and a thorough drubbing in life, consider this blog an “All Things Considered” of life.

You can find my blog posts first at calvinfriend.substack.com. I’d love to have you provide your email address so I can build my audience and convince a publisher that I am a worthwhile investment of their time and energy! Sign up and bring your friends — this may be the best new beginning yet!