Allison

 A year wished away is forever gone

A day wasted on worry can never be undone

An hour spent fussing over nonsense cannot be regained

A moment spent in silence is of more use than another spent spewing useless talk

A second of hesitation could save you a lifetime of regret

Have I thought my intentions through?

Will I regret them in some later year?

My heart pangs violently with anticipation. 

My future is before me, 

My past is behind.

The person I will become depends on me alone. 

Are the choices I have made wise?

Dear LORD, I pray that they are so!

Christian Teen Writers

I started going to Mt. Hermon two years ago. I was a Junior in High School and rather obsessive about my writing (actually, I was a terrible writer at the time, but that's not the point). The POINT I'm trying to make is that I learned so much while I was there. But after the conference, I felt like I needed to do something with the wealth of information I acquired. That's when "Christian Teen Writers" took shape.

I don't really know if I still fit into the category of a teen writer because for technicality's sake, I'm no longer a minor, but still, I continue to post to this facebook page I created. It's really easy to find actually, https://www.facebook.com/ChristianTeenWriters 

I've been posting to the page for a while, sharing what I call,  "writer funnies" and other pits of information on how to "write well." Most teen writers just don't get that very much - information of writing. It's just something to do after school gets out. There's no rhyme or reason to the writing. Sadly, this doesn't promote a very good environment for "good writing."

Part of me is extremely hopeful that teen writers will take advantage of this page and learn. I had to go to a conference to learn all the things I post about. The fact that I can share all of my information freely is quite amazing.

So there you have it Teen Writers! I encourage you and implore you to learn. Getting published is such an incredible dream to have, but not impossible. Learn all you can about how to write well so that agents and editors can't help but want to pick up your writing!

Hugs!

Emily

God Works In Mysterious Ways

This is gonna be short and sweet because it's almost 1am and I need to get up for an 8am class. Anyways... I have good news: GOD IS FAITHFUL. Maybe you knew that, maybe you didn't. I'm a worrier, so I'm in a whole 'nother category. I FORGET that He's faithful. But he certainly likes to remind me.

I'm officially registered for Mt. Hermon now and I'm going with one of my best friends this year (she's a real sweetheart). But I keep wondering where the money is going to come from so I can pay off what I owe. Jeez, you'd think I'd learn, but of course, money just keep showing up when I feel most discouraged. God is SO good and SO faithful.

I hope you see you at the conference.

Emily

Saving

Little moments are slipping by and Mt. Hermon is steadily drawing closer and closer. Money is still an issue that I keep giving back over to God. I trust Him completely with this. I feel as if He wants me at the conference this year. Don't ask me how I know, I just feel it! Maybe that's wishful thinking on my part, but I really am praying that it's in His will.

Money just seems to have a way of never being an issue though when you trust it to God. I've been turning over recyclables to raise up money. More recyclables just keep getting laid in my lap! I'm very surprised at the ways they just turn up. God is doing SOMETHING. I swear it. He answers prayer when His children ask things in His name. We'll see what happens.

For now... I'm saving and praying. We'll just have to wait and see...

Sick Days

I suppose some might say that sick days are their most productive days for writing. This is not so for me, at least, not when I'm truly and honestly sick. When I am only slightly touched with something, I can pound out pages, but when I've REALLY got something, I can't type a word.

I suppose that's a bit of a contradiction considering I'm still in the thick of whatever I've got (I think it's a variation of the flu) and I have managed to write this. Anyways...

Mt. Hermon is still on my list of things I am praying that I will be able to do this spring. I don't have a class the first day of the conference, so I feel like God is orchestrating things perfectly for me to be able to go. I still have a bit more fundraising to do.

I'm a scatterbrain. That wasn't the point of this post. I could delete it, but my style to to simply write whatever flops out of my head. The POINT is, I'm working on getting my pre-conference manuscript together. Bah. That's a laugh. I am not a big fan of editing my own work. It take a lot of effort. I only have about two weeks to get myself together and well, I'm lazy. I could be utilizing my sick day to get work done, and instead, I am choosing to sleep. The more favorable of the two options right now.

Well, like I said, while some say sick days are highly productive, I must counteract that by proclaiming that if you are TRULY sick, you will find them to be your least productive.

Mt. Hermon

I suppose it's that time of year again...

Last year at the Mt. Hermon Christian Writer's Conference, I was so incredibly blessed to have been nominated and selected the Most Promising Teen Writer of 2012. God is working in amazing ways in my life. And since last year was so incredible, I can't help but pursue going back for a third year.

It's really no wonder though, Mt. Hermon is one of those few places where it's easy for a writer to get lost in the euphoria of being surrounded by other writers - believe me when I say that that is one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Writers are odd people. When we get together, we have an all out ball just talking about stories. We can even get into a full on discussion about editing. That's not normal I've come to find with non-writers. Most people don't talk about the techniques of writing. Oh well... we enjoy ourselves.

I took "Aura Lea" with me last year and I believe that I'm going to take this story with me again. Mostly because I put far too much effort into rewriting the opening scene for the 4th time. Put simply... the story I blogged about so many months ago is nothing like the story I "finished" over last summer. It's still changing and transforming. Names... Plot.... Family relations... all this and more is almost entirely transformed into something I might consider, "flipped on its head."

Everything has to be mailed by mid march, so aside from being a full-time college student, my life is now absorbed in turning the first 20 pages of "Aura Lea" into something worthy to behold.

Lauraine Snelling critiqued it for me at last year's conference and oh dear... I only just realized what she meant by "shallow" and "unsympathetic." Hence why I rewrote the opening scene altogether. My Heroine was far too angry to be a character anyone could like and all you could really hear was her bluster... very few genuine thoughts... therefore, "shallow" and "unsympathetic"

Anyways, that's all from me,

Hugs!

If All Those Endearing Young Charms

I've really been in love with old civil war ballads as of late. This one is my new favorite and I've been singing it all the time. I hope you like it nearly as much!

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms ~ Thomas Moore 1808

Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,

Which I gaze on so fondly today,

Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms,

Like fairy gifts fading away

Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art,

Let thy loveliness fade as it will;

And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart

Would entwine itself verdantly still.

It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,

And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,

That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known,

To which time will but make thee more dear.

No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,

But as truly loves on to the close:

As the sunflower turns on her god when he sets

The same look which she turned when he rose.