Happy New Year!!!

First things first – I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. And now as we look forward to hopefully, a better 2021, I’d like to wish you a vey happy New Year. Truth be told, 2021 will be what you make it. Last week I began a compilation of Bible verses depicting the Christmas story. I want to continue the rest of the story this week, and next week, we’ll get back to some writing thoughts.

You see, that little baby born in Bethlehem had a higher calling than just to live as an example for us. He was more than a prophet. He possessed powers beyond that of a great teacher and rabbi. His sole purpose for entering the world was to die – to pay the sin debt that each of us has accumulated, He was God in the flesh. Follow the events that lead from the cradle to the cross to 2021.

Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 
And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:   Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. 
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.  And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.  There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. 

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.  And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

I’ll see you next year (2021) with some writing tips. Until then, do your best to stay safe and healthy!

WFK

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Merry Christmas!!!

As a child, I remember Charlie Brown reciting the appearance of the angels to the shepherds and their subsequent trip to Bethlehem to worship the Christ Child. There is so much more to the story. I’ve poste it below. All quotations are taken from the King James Bible..

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God . . . And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.   And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.  (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)  And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)  To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,   Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.   And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 
 

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.   When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.  And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. . . .

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 

There is so much more to the story. We’ll look at that next week as we prepare for the New Year. Then we’ll get back to some writing tips. In the meantime, Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas!!!

WFK

Feels Like 13

Pennsylvania’s predictable unpredictable weather strikes again as we await the arrival of winter storm Gail – well named as the winds are expected to reach gusts up to 60 mph. Piles of the white stuff (that would be snow) will reach up to 18 inches before it’s all over, and the temperature rests at 23 degrees but feels like 13. I’m just relaxing in the calm before the storm which will hit in about three hours. Oh well. It happens. Let’s move on.

I continue to work on my newest project, Black. June 30th is the completion date. You can read the rough draft at https://letterpile.com/serializations/Black-Part-1. Actually, I need you to do that. I want this book to be the best yet, so I need your constructive criticism. That’s negative feedback in a kind way. You can leave your thoughts in the comments below or contact me through the Contact page.

This is another one of those busy weeks. Holidays seem to do that. So, I’ll leave you with that. Gotta get bread and milk before the storm hits. Have a great and safe week!

WFK

Nearing Completion

Alien invasion at Area 51 – The Marisol Deception

Another week has come and gone. Soon we’ll be able to say that about another year. Time travels on -sometimes without me. As each moment passes, I become acutely aware of the fact the moment will never return, that it’s gone forever. Each breath we take is truly a gift from God. Make each breath count today. You may not be here tomorrow.

That being said, my goal is to have The Marisol Deception published by the end of the year. The final draft is almost complete, and I have some work to do on the cover. Other than that, she’s ready to give birth. You can pre-order it today on the Books and Resources page.

The Marisol Deception is an apocalyptic thriller based on the book of Revelation. Marisol, the physical presence of satan, has invaded and taken up residence in the underground city beneath Area 51. Appearing as a representative of peace, her purpose is to rule the world. There is more than one obstacle in her way as Kinsley Oliver discovers the plan and tries to intervene. But the powers of darkness are too strong – or are they?

My latest project, Black, has slowed down while I finish up The Marisol Deception. I hate working on two projects at the same time, but more often than not, that’s how things end up. I guess I just need to suck it up and get on with it – and get on with the rest of the day. After all, time travels on – sometimes without me. See you next week!

WFK

A Shadow of William D. Holland

Welcome to my Wednesday! The holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving 2020 is gone. Christmas 2020 will be gone soon. As you approach December 25, don’t forget the reason for the season – Jesus Christ.

I have something special for you this week. Author William D. Holland has just published his new book, Shadows Across the Pond, and I had the opportunity to pick his brain about his writing process. Thank you, Mr. Holland, for sharing your thoughts with us. For the rest of you, be sure to get the book!

Author William D. Holland

I’m looking forward to this interview with author William D. Holland. I first came across his writings years ago in the writing community of hubpages.com. He has written many informative articles along with his ever-popular Mailbag series of questions and answers. He has published several novels as well, and he has just released his latest book, Shadows Across the Pond. It is indeed my pleasure and privilege to spend some time with him and learn about his writings, goals, and purposes. Won’t you join us?

WFK: Bill, let’s start at the beginning. When did you catch the writing bug, and when did you know it would never leave?

WDH:  My earliest memories of a writing passion are as a teen. I had an English teacher in high school who said I had some talent. That encouragement meant a great deal to this introvert. I guess it started then. I began writing short stories for my own pleasure, and entertained thoughts of following that passion into college.  That, however, did not materialize.  Life got in the way my junior year at Seattle University when my dad suddenly died and my mother needed me to support her, so I followed a business path.

WFK: When you first began your writing career, did you ever imagine you would be doing what you’re doing now – several novels and the Shadows series? What about the Mailbag? The way that grew – was that a surprise to you? Can you tell us a little about that?

WDH:  I didn’t really get started, in earnest, until I retired at 62. I was looking for a way to make a supplemental income but at the same time do something which I enjoyed. My wife suggested I write for a site called HubPages.

Like anything else I do, I dove into the deep end of that pool with gusto. I wrote an article each day. I became a constant face on HubPages. I realized I loved being a member of a community like that, and within six months I was fairly well-known on that site.  Am I surprised by the growth of the Mailbag, or by any success I’ve had since starting? I’m still surprised anyone reads anything I write, so yes, I’m surprised . . . and very grateful.

WFK: How about the Shadows series? You just published book six. I have trouble completing one book with one set of characters. How do you manage to come up with six? What was the inspiration behind the series?

WDH: The inspiration was from my childhood. The infamous Ted Bundy, serial killer, was our paperboy in Tacoma, Washington.  Once his deeds become public, I was fascinated by the fact that Evil could appear so normal. There was no way to look at Bundy, back then, and suspect there was anything evil about him.

So he was the inspiration for the series. The entire series is a battle of Good vs Evil, and I love writing that series and developing the characters.  I found, after the first in the series, the rest were easy to write, and most of the credit for that goes to the characters. I find them fascinating, and I enjoy developing them.

WFK: How can we get it?

WDH:  All of my books are available on Amazon under the pen name William D. Holland, but the latest in the series can be found by following this link.

WFK: What’s your secret to staying disciplined? It seems that most writers struggle with a regular schedule. With life happening all around us, how do you manage to stay focused on your goals?

WDH: Well, I think it’s considerably easier for me since I’m semi-retired. I have more “spare time” than a lot of writers I know.  Having said that, though, it also should be noted that I am a disciplined person. I’ve been this way my entire life. I’m a planner, a schedule-follower, and probably about 75% anal in the way I approach any day. I’m most comfortable when I have a schedule to follow, and almost every week day is scheduled by the hour.  I’m sure your readers are laughing right now, but it’s the way I rock and roll, and it works for me, so there you go.

WFK: Most authors I know, including myself, hate to market. What are your thoughts on beating the marketing blues?

WDH:  I wish I had some.  Laughingly, one of my college degrees is in marketing, but I hate it when it’s marketing for myself. Consequently, I really don’t do any. I write my books, I publish them, I tell my followers about the new book, and then I move on to the next.  I just can’t find it in me to toot my own horn.  People can read my books, or not read my books, it makes no difference to me. The joy, for me, is in the writing.

WFK: I could be wrong, but it seems to me writers write because they have something to say. It’s not just for entertainment. What’s really behind your writing? What really is the driving force behind what you do?

WDH:  What a great question!  I guess, if I strip away all of the protective layers, my writing is a way for a shy little kid to be noticed by the big, scary world. It’s my way of shouting to the world that I exist.  It’s my way of establishing some sort of legacy, some way for the future world to know that I had value as a human being.  I will never be famous, but it would be nice if I was remembered.

WFK: You’re also a successful writing coach. Can you tell us a little about that side of your work, and for anyone who is interested, how can they hire you?

WDH:  Anyone interested in a little coaching help can email me at holland1145@yahoo.com.  I work cheap. It’s the teacher in me. I love helping people. I give suggestions, toss a little aid to someone struggling with the writing process, and I try to give them the tools which will help them to succeed.  It’s pretty painless. I am encouraging every step of the way.

WFK: Well sir, that’s about all we have time for. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us before you get back to the keyboard? And how can we contact you?

WDH:  The best way to contact me is via email, which I’ve given you. I have this weird quirk, I hate talking on the phone, always have, but I’m very good about returning emails.

Any final message?  If you are a writer, write first and foremost for yourself.  The passion has to be there, enough passion to sustain you even when no one else is supporting you. Writing should be about passion. It shouldn’t be about making a living or pleasing other people. Creatives create! That’s what we do, and the reward is in the creating.

WFK: Thanks Bill, for giving us your time today. Thank you also for touching your readers in a very special way. I wish you success, health, and happiness as we continue the journey. 

WDH:  Thank you, my friend!