So thankful!

Let me begin by saying, I have certainly been out of my comfort zone as a published author.  My readers asking me to sign their books is a very humbling experience.  I want to just throw my arms around them and give them a big hug for taking their precious time to read something I wrote.  (Let me change that to say, what I believe the Holy Spirit led me to write and directed me through the entire book.)  That is a blog in itself and would be pretty lengthy on how the story unfolded.  I am so thankful for all of you that have joined me in this journey.

What has amazed me most is the power of social media.  When "End Times Headlines" began to promote my book on their FB page that has over a quarter million followers, The Omega Watchers was literally "shared" to every continent on earth.  I know that doesn't mean everyone that shared actually read it, but it does mean that it was seen by a vast number of people.  And I have received feedback from those that have  read it in other countries that would have never known about it otherwise. Social media can be good...or bad.  It all depends on how we choose to use it!  In this case it has been a tremendous blessing!

I thank those of you that have sent me personal messages or called to tell me how the book ministered to you.  It has been amazing to hear the different parts of the book that spoke to individuals.  We all are in different places in our spiritual journey and spiritually ingest at a different level.  One dear friend told me that the one thing that stayed with her for days was one of the comments at the end by my character, Chris, when he realized he was one day too late and had missed the rapture.  I wonder how many of those that have heard the truth, denied our Lord, and will be crying those same words...in the near future.

A New Adventure

The whole experience of writing a novel has been an adventure.  I have learned so much and know there is still much to learn about creating pictures and images with words.  The greatest challenge is touching the heart with emotions portrayed in the story lines.  When someone tells me a particular part of my book made them laugh or cry, it is a wonderful compliment.  The greatest of all is knowing when a spiritual heart has been touched.

It has only been a couple of weeks since my book was released in electronic form and I have almost held my breath waiting to hear what the response would be.  I feel blessed that (so far) it was been really good.  I realize you have to be a lover of novels and prophecy to enjoy The Omega Watchers and you have to have an open mind to think out of the normal prophetic box.

I am so thankful for those that have already read and given their feedback.  It has been an encouragement to go forward with the sequel and has made the two years of research, study and writing well worth every minute invested.

Finally!

After my last blog post, it took approximately three additional weeks to go through and check for any needed edits one more time.  Since I was going through (again) and making edits, I made some changes that had been in my spirit after I 'thought' the book was finished.  Now it really is done!

Almost two years from the first drafts of The Omega Watchers my novel is finally published and being printed.  It has been a long journey filled with more twists and turns than I ever could have imagined.  It's very much like giving birth to your first child.  You love it but not sure exactly what to do with it.  I have learned so much and realize there is still so much to learn about creative writing.

The book's release is both exciting and scary at the same time.  I have no idea what to expect or what feedback to anticipate.  I try to rest in the fact this was a work born from the desire to open up the evil deceptions that are already upon the earth and will only grown stronger as we approach the day of our Lord's return!

Diagnostic Review

When I saw the diagnostic review was completed by my publisher, I took a deep breath before opening the attachment.  I had no idea what to expect!  I was ready for anything, including being told to just forget the whole idea of being a novelist.

I was very pleasantly surprised when I begin to read the editor's comments, part of which is shown below:

The Omega Watchers is a work of true fiction that is one hundred percent original and fictional  and is truly refreshing. The author has done an excellent job of taking her ideas and
forming them into a story with all of the elements that make up a great piece of
fiction.  She has a tremendous amount of dialogue, which is huge in a story like
this one, because it allows the reader to be “shown” instead of “told” by the
author. This book is well written and free of any major errors or problems.

There were some areas that did need editing and that is my current focus.  Plus, I decided to make a major change in the story which will add to the biblical timing of the events.  I had been considering this for some time and by one last editing, I can  make those changes that will add an additional prophetic teaching to the manuscript.  One I plan to build on in the sequel.

I hope to have all edits completed by the first of October.  The publisher is currently working on the book cover and when I submit the final changes The Omega Watchers will be typeset for print and there will be no changes...no turning back.

We are looking towards a December release and I am planning to begin the sequel in January.  I've already started notes and the outline.  I have in my mind the plot and ending for the sequel.  When I started my current novel I had no idea (at all!) what I would write about or what would happen in the next chapter.   I didn't know until the very end how it would end.

Hopefully, the sequel won't take two years.  Judging from what's prophetically going on in the world, we may not even be here in two years!

The First Step in Publishing

I am waiting now as a professional editor is doing a diagnostic analysis of my novel.  This will determine weak and strong areas, suggestions on rewrites, etc. After the review I will do work on any suggested changes and deletions.  Then move to the book layout and actual printing!

It's hard to explain the mixed emotions that are spinning in my mind.  I wake up in the middle of the night thinking "should I have written this different" or "should I have added that"...I guess you never reach a point you feel like it is exactly the way it should be.

The only thing I know for sure is that much prayer and research went into the overall effort and I know that I could not have written at all without divine guidance.  There were times I would write something that I thought would be fictional and then in research find out that it wasn't.  An example is "Summerland".  I was trying to describe a "fictional" place that the New Age Religion believes exists after death while waiting to be reincarnated and discovered there is such a place they "believe" exists.  Instances like this happened numerous times to the point it got eerie.

Then I realized a few chapters in!  The book was only to be fiction as far as the characters and plot. Everything else was to be based on fact...the facts of what is "believed" by paranormal teachings and the opposing biblical facts.   And my efforts became to expose the counterfeit paranormal beliefs from the Living Truth through fictional characters living out the deceptions that have come upon the earth.

When I started the novel I had no idea where it would lead, where the plot would go or what would happen...until the end.  At the beginning of each chapter I had no inkling as to what I would write until the words begin to flow onto the pages.  It was like I was both writing and reading a book at the same time, not knowing what would happen next.

I honestly did not have any idea how it would end until I wrote the last chapter struggling with Gabriella's destiny.  Will she accept the spiritual truth of God's Word or be caught in the great deception???  The ending surprised even me!

I Signed with a Publisher!

I can't believe it's been almost six months since I posted on this blog.  It took much longer than I expected to do the final edits and cuts from the book before submitting it to a publisher.  I discovered the book was too long and unless part of it was cut it would have sold for more than most people will pay for a novel.  So my personal editors read through it 'again' and we looked for places that "words" could be deleted without compromising the story or prophetic content.  Finally, we came to a final manuscript that will be about 350 pages.

Then there was the time of much prayer and research as to how to publish and with whom.  On September 2 I signed with Xulon Press, a Christian Publishing Company.  Currently the manuscript is being read by a professional editor for content evaluation and to determine if there are weak areas and changes that need to be made before designing it for printing.  It's so hard to turn my first "book baby" over to someone to tell me all the things that could be improved,  but on the other hand I want to know how to make it the best it can be.  And to know how to proceed with the sequel which I plan to start this winter.

After the cover is designed I will start a FB page showing the progress of the book until it is released before Christmas in both printed and electronic form.  And I will continue the journey of updates on how "The Omega Watchers" is being marketed.

I have gone out on a prophetic limb with the writing of this book bringing in paranormal subjects that are not comfortable for some people (i.e. extraterrestrial life, spirit guides, ghosts, time travel, etc).  But I truly believe these are deceptions being used by demonic spirits led by Satan himself in these final days and are seducing, especially our young people, into believing a lie:

I Timothy 4:1  The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

Thank you to all of my friends and family that have supported and encouraged me through this new journey.  Please pray with me that lives will be changed and readers see clearly the trap that is being laid by the enemy of our soul in the final days of "time".  There will soon be a day when "time will be no more".  (Rev. 10:6)

Story is finished!!!

After a year,  two months and two days, I finished "The Omega Watchers" on the first day of spring.  (An appropriate time since it means new life and new beginnings.)  I pray that many will come to a new or deeper relationship with Yahweh God as they take this journey in novel form with my lead character Gabriella as she searches for spiritual truth.

I still have some small revisions to do and some editing but basically I am done...complete...through...and finished!

I battled with which direction to go with my ending.  Finish it with a happy ending?  Or be more true to life with the fact that "all will not come to knowledge of the Lord."  (And set up for a sequel.)

I will probably always think of things that I should have added or left out or changed, but I pray that the finished product is a tool of ministry.  I have attempted to give information in novel form to:

• People caught in the world of the paranormal
• Belief in extraterrestrial existence
• Those that are fascinated with ghosts and spirit beings
• Those that do not understand that the "end of days" REALLY IS close
• Open the mind of Christians to search the scriptures and the extra-biblical historical writings for a new depth of understanding of the end times
• And to make those that are not ready realize they will be left behind when the rapture takes place.

The next great challenge is publishing.  I pray for wisdom as I go forward and know God will meet every need.  I appreciate the prayers of all who read this blog.