Reality's Slap

There are a lot of rewarding things about working in the field of physical therapy (my job that pays the bills) and a lot more rewarding things about doing it in someone's home. But at times it can be a real slap in the face by Reality. People suffer, they hurt, they cry, their lives are turned upside down and sometimes with no hope of ever being turned right side up again.

I'm currently seeing a young woman, just 34, with multiple sclerosis. She lives with her sister as she is unable to care for herself. Her movements are jerky, uncoordinated, and awkward. She walks using a walker and much effort so spends most of her time in a wheelchair. She has a seven-year-old son.

Most of the time she smiles and talks the best she can. She is such a sweet woman, such a kind soul.

Seeing how this awful disease has overtaken her and slowly debilitated her is saddening and maddening. It's downright cruel and viscious and merciless. I hate MS.

But the thing that's the hardest is watching her interact with her seven-year-old son. Her sister is raising the boy, stepping in as his surrogate mother, but I can tell my patient wants to be his mommy. Every boy needs a mommy. I can see the pain in her eyes when she can't be there for him or when her sister has to step in and do what she cannot. It's enough to put a knot in my throat and tears in my eyes.

So what do I do? Try to brighten her day as much as I can. Encourage her. Point out the areas where she's improving and celebrate what she can do. And pray for her.

Folks, none of us know what tomorrow holds. No one can tell what next year will bring. All of us are just one day away, one hour away, one minute, one second away from having our lives turned upside down. But for the grace of God I could be that thirty-something unable to care for my own children.

Celebrate, praise, laugh, love, run and play and explore and enjoy . . .

More Misconceptions About Writing and Publishing

Here are more misconceptions about writing and being an author.

Misconception #5: Anyone can write a book if they only had the time.

The record: Okay, so this one is actually correct. Anyone can write a book. But no, not anyone can write a book worthy of being published no matter how much time they have. That reasoning would lead one to assume that anyone can play professional baseball if they were only given the chance. Or anyone can play the piano at concert level if they only had a piano. Writing is both a talent and a skill, both nature and nurture, innate and learned. Yes, it takes time, and determination, and hard work, and practice, and more practice, and humility, and perseverance, and creativity, and a lot of hard work.

Misconception #6: If you publish a book it will be in every bookstore.

The record: Don't we all wish. The reality is that your book getting in a bookstore depends on the publishers sales reps and the bookstore's or chain's buyers. The two have to click to make the deal happen. If your last name is Sparks or King or Patterson or Grisham, yes, you will be in EVERY bookstore, but for most of us, we can only hope for that.

Misconception #7: Once your published, continuing to be published is a cinch.

The record: Being published once is not a guarantee of being published twice. Every author lives with the fear that the book he or she is working on now will be the last one he or she gets published. It's a healthy fear, though, because it keeps us on our toes always striving to grow and improve our writing and come up with new and fresh and captivating story lines.

Misconception #8: Once you have a contract, anything you write will be accepted by the publisher.

The record: Um, no. Wrong. Every book idea has to be scrutinized by the editorial team, the marketing team, the accounting team, the sales team, and every idea has to be approved. I've had ideas both rejected and tweaked. That's the business. The center of the publishing universe is not the author, it's the consumer. And publishers will only accept ideas they think they can sell. Some get accepted, the rest rejected. That's life.

Any other authors out there, feel free to leave a comment with other misconceptions you've run in to. Or if you have any questions about writing or the publishing process, fire away.

Some interesting things happened last week on the blogs of other notables in the CBA.

First, Ted Dekker posted his comments about the writing guidelines of the Love Inspired book line, an imprint of Harlequin that publishes Christian romance novels. His opinion sparked a flurry of comments both supportive and not so supportive.

One of those comments came from a rebuttal post by agent Chip MacGregor. If you haven't been following this, it's pretty interesting stuff. And if you read the posts, make sure to peruse the comments too. Ted does wind up backtracking a bit and apologizing to Love Inspired authors, whom he never meant to insult. And Chip then gives Ted kudos for "a very nice gesture on his part."

Check out the posts and see what you think.

Now, in other exciting news, Friday I got the cover art for Darlington Woods. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Endorsements for Darlington Woods

Here's several endorsements that have come in for Darlington Woods so far. Remember, it releases May 4, 2010 but more information will be coming on how to win a pre-release copy. Stay tuned!

Oh yeah, before I post the endorsements, for anyone living in the Philly area, I'll be doing a multi-author booksigning this Saturday from 1:00-3:00 at The Vine Christian Shoppe in Springfield, PA, right outside Philly. Stop by and see me (us) and get some signed copies of books. They make great Christmas gifts.

Now, for the endorsements:

Dellosso establishes himself as a frontrunner in Christian horror. His books delve into the darkness of evil, yet come out blazing with the light of God's power and forgiveness. Darlington Woods is fast-paced, creepy, and sure to spur readers toward a deeper walk with Christ. I'm a certified Mike Dellosso fan!
--Eric Wilson, NY Times bestselling author of Fireproof and Haunt of Jackals

Dellosso skillfully blends suspense, symbolism, and the supernatural into a compelling thriller in the vein of Dekker and Peretti. Gray isn’t a color in Dellosso’s moral palette, and Darlington Woods makes that clear. This is a powerful story you’ll be thinking about long after closing the book
—C. J. Darlington, Cofounder of TitleTrakk.com and Author of Thicker Than Blood

Taut, tense, and frightening. A high-speed ride that will keep you guessing until the end.
—Tosca Lee, Author of Demon: A Memoir

Mike Dellosso’s brilliant light shines into the dark places of the human heart and illuminates our most terrible fears. Don’t look away, because the only way out of Darlington Woods is through it, and it’s a journey you’ll want to take.
—Erin Healy, Best-selling Author of Never Let You Go, Kiss, and Burn

Once again Mike Dellosso manages to shine the light of God’s grace into the darkest crevices of the human condition with amazing clarity. Just when I thought Mike had bested himself in Scream, he brings us face-to-face with monsters so vivid they can only be real. Darlington Woods is his best yet, though I am sure he has even darker corners yet to explore.
—Tim George, FictionAddict.com

Dellosso never disappoints, and Darlington Woods is no exception. With spine-tingling suspense and Dellosso’s trademark spiritual message that lingers long after the last page, Darlington Woods joins The Hunted and Scream as must-read chillers.
—Susan Sleeman, TheSuspenseZone.com

5-4-10!!

Misconceptions About the Writing Life

The author part of me always gets asked some wild questions and runs into some wacky assumptions about authors. I thought I'd highlight a few and "set the record straight," at least from my perspective and experience.

Misconception #1: If you're an author you must be famous or some kind of celebrity.

The record: I'm an author and I'm not famous nor am I a celebrity. While in line at the grocery store, I've never seen my face on STAR magazine next to Angelina's or Brad's (and believe me, I check). I've never been stalked, never had to fight off obnoxious reporters or photographers, and quite frankly live my life in relative anonymity. And I like it that way. But it would be nice to just once have someone say to me, "Hey, aren't you . . .?" I have been mistook for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and, in my younger days, Michael J. Fox. Hey, that's good enough.

Misconception #2: If you're an author you must write full time.

The record: Very few (VERY few) authors can afford to write full time. And the majority of them are folks whose spouse has a "real" job. Writing books is a tough business to be in and just is not lucrative at all. It's good for pocket change and grocery money. People act shocked when they realize I have a real job AND write, as if the real job isn't necessary. Folks, if my family of five lived off what I've made so far off my books, we'd be squatting in some shanty in the Ozarks . . . or living quite comfortably off government hand-outs (ahem). Hmmm.

Misconception #3: If you're an author you must be rich.

The record: I think I just answered this. I'm always amazed at how skewed people's understanding of writing is. They hear names like Rowling and King and Patterson and Evanovich and how they're selling millions and living the good life and just assume all authors enjoy the same luxury. It's a shame, but America just isn't that literate.

Misconception #4: There's no way I have time to hold down a full time job AND write AND be involved in church AND spend time with my family.

The record: It's amazing how much time there is in a day if you use it wisely. Time management is one of the things that comes naturally to me. I don't squander a lot to time. I have time to write and do writerly things (in the early morning when every one else is sleeping), time to do my job, time to spend with the family, time to do church stuff, and time to just chill. There's 24 hours in a day. I sleep about seven of those, work nine (counting travel to and from) . . . that leaves me eight. Eight hours! That's a lot of time in a day. I can get A LOT done in eight hours.

Stay tuned for more misconceptions coming soon . . .

Screams, the song

A friend of mine passed along a song he wrote that was inspired by my novel, SCREAM. Way to go, Brian!

Screams by Brian Desautels

V. 1
Your life seems,
Like it has, no pur-pose;
You don’t,
Know what,
You’re sup-posed to do;
So man-y, id-eas,
Goin’ thru your mind;
Then one call; it chan-ges,
Changes it all for you….

Chorus 1

Make your hair stand on end;
[Screams]
“Did you hear it?’
“Am I dreamin’?”
You ask the caller who’s
Your friend.
They tell you,
They heard it, and
They’re afraid to go to bed;
(and) you say, “It’s nothing,
just interference,”
But you don’t know what lies ahead;
[Screams]
You hang up and learn la-ter,
That your friend is now dead.
[Screams]

V. 2
You don’t know,
What’s happened to your friend;
He was not,
A Christian;
Thoughts racing, why him?
He was too young to die;
Your phone rings,
Pick it up,
It’s hap-pen-ing again!

Chorus 2
[Screams]
Make your heart stop and feel cold as stone;
[Screams]
“Did you hear it?’
“Am I dreamin’?”
You ask your neighbor who’s on the phone.
[Screams]
They tell you,
They heard it, and
They’re afraid to go be alone;
(and) you say, “It’s nothing,
just interference,”
But you don’t know what lies ahead;
[Screams]
You hang up and learn la-ter,
That your neigh-bor is now dead.
[Screams]

V. 3
You now know
Your life has, great purpose;
You don’t want, any-more,
Unbelievers to die;
Without having a personal
Relationship with Christ;
Your phone rings, a-gain;
So share now,
The Good News of Jesus Christ my friend…

Chorus 3
[Screams]
Keep the Armor (of God),
on all the time;
[Screams]
“I heard it?’
“I’m not dreamin’?”
You keep the caller on the line.
[Screams]
They tell you,
They heard it, and
They’re afraid to die;
(and) you say, “Call u-pon, the Lord and receive eternal life.”
[Screams]
You hang up and learn la-ter,
That the cal-ler did indeed die;
But that’s ok, they had a,
Personal relationship with Christ!
[Screams]
copyright, Brian Desautels, 2009
All rights reserved

Job Never Had a Chance

Here's something I was thinking about in regards to spiritual warfare and how much God allows. The story of Job is a perfect example of God allowing Satan to engage in warfare with a believer . . . and Satan needing God's permission before lifting a finger.

As we read the book of Job we find ourselves pulling for this poor man, hoping with all hope that he doesn't give in to the depression and angst and total upheaval of his life and curse God. We want so badly for him to emerge victorious and prove Satan wrong. Then we put ourselves in Job's shoes when trials hit us. We tell ourselves that if Job can do it, so can we. We assure ourselves that God is in control and if we stand firm enough and keep our eyes fixed enough on God, the trial will pass and we will arise from the ashes of our life victorious.

Now consider this. Do you think for one minute that Job ever had a chance at failure? No way. This is a no-brainer but remember God is sovereign. He knows the ending even before the beginning begins. He knew before Satan even entered his domain that Job was going to remain faithful. Think about it, there was no way God was going to allow Job to fail and give Satan an opportunity to stick his crooked little finger in God's holy face and say, "See, I told you so!" No. Way. The battle never was Job's. It was God's from the beginning.

I know this plays all kinds of games with the whole sovereignty of God/free will of man thing (another topic for another time) but all I know is that God was the one who pointed Job out to Satan, not the other way around. And something strong tells me there was no way God would have done that if there was any chance Job would fail and curse Him.

God knows what's best. He knows how it ends. Never, ever, doubt that.

Writing and Spiritual Warfare . . . My Conclusion

First of all, I want to thank everyone who commented on my last post, whether here on Blogger or on Facebook or via email. I appreciated all your insightful words more than you know.

The past couple days I've been thinking A LOT and praying A LOT about this topic of writing and spiritual warfare and here is my conclusion to the matter (as it applies in my situation).

One, a little self-examination was in order first. Am I writing the stories God wants me to write? Am I spreading the message God wants me to share? I honestly feel like the answer to both is "yes." I can't tell you how many emails I've received from readers thanking me for the books I've written and the themes of the stories, how their life has been touched or eyes have been opened, how they've been encouraged or uplifted. I can't ignore that kind of response.

Two, if I truly feel I'm folloing God's leading with my writing then if (IF) my family is being attacked spiritually because of it, it can only be for righteousness' sake and it can only be because God is allowing it. So, if (IF) that is the case, we have a decision to make, stay on course doing what God wants me to do and stand firm against the attacks of the evil one, or stop doing what I'm doing out of fear. Um, for me, that's a no-brainer.

Three, notice the capital "if" in the previous point? That was done to make a point. Often, we'll never know what's behind our suffering. One woman reminded me of Deut. 29:29 where it says the secret things belong the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our families forever. We can speculate and hypothesize and whatever else, but we'll never know the source of most of our suffering (although we do know the source of all suffering is sin . . . we live in a fallen world!) I think we has humans want, maybe need, something to point the finger at when trials hit. Something to which we can say, "There, that's the cause of our problem." And Satan and his minions are an easy target, a convenient scapegoat. "It must be the devil." Look, I'm not one to find a demon lurking around every corner or give Satan credit too quickly. Sometimes, suffering happens just because it happens, because way back when we invited sin into the world and now we have to live with the consequences.

Four, okay, so where do we go from here? Well, as I see it, we believers have two main responsibilities, obey God and be faithful to Him. We are to be obedient to God's calling and will for our lives and we are to remain faithful to Him no matter what happens and what life throws at us. Everything else is just details and more times than not, details we have no business worrying about.

I've always been one to focus on what we know, those things revealed. I'm not into getting involved in deep theological debates about things we'll never really know this side of heaven. What is our responsibility in the here and now? So for me, I'm choosing to focus on obeying God and his calling on my life and remaining faithful to him. Whatever the source of suffering is (unless it's due to some unconfessed sin in my life, in which case I need to deal with it) I choose to leave that in God's hands as one of those secret things that belong to him.

Again, thank you for all your comments (and please keep them coming). You have no idea how much they helped.

Spiritual Battles and Writing

This morning I'm thinking about something that's got my mind in a knot. I'd like your opinion.

If you read this blog regularly or follow me on Facebook or have read one or both of my books you know I write supernatural suspense. That means suspense that deals with the spiritual realm. And if you've read my books you know I always portray good over evil and that my stories have a significant and positive spiritual message to them. My question is: In dealing with the subject matter I do, am I tinkering with something I ought not be tinkering with?

The reason I ask: I emailed a friend (a missionary) an update on our family. He knows about my cancer and Caroline's arthritis. He wrote back that in mentioning our trials to a friend she suggested maybe we were "willingly placing [ourselves] into a sphere for increased spiritual warfare challenges" because of the subject matter of my books. Now, my friend bookended that with "but greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."

Obviously, that got me thinking. I'm not one to give a lot of credit to Satan or his minions, and I always thought our trials were simply part of living in a fallen world, but . . .

I know my books are impacting people for good. I've got a ton of emails from readers thanking me for the message in my books and telling me how that message has positively impacted them. But, well, it got me thinking.

I know this is heavy stuff, but any thoughts?

Crooked Guns . . . a Caroline Update

I feel like this blog has an identity problem. On the one hand, I know some of you read it for the writing side of things, the interesting conversations, the updates, the writing tips, etc. On the other hand, I know some of you read it as a way of keeping tabs on my health and, now, Caroline's health. So I waver back and forth between posts on writing and posts on health and the associated blessings and struggles. For now, until I come up with something better, I'll stick with both and continue this split personality thing.

Many of you have been thinking about and praying for my youngest daughter, Caroline. She's seven and was recently diagnosed with juvenile arthritis (the pediatric rheumatologist thinks it's psoriatic arthritis). She's been on the milder medication now for four weeks and, honestly, we haven't seen any change for the better. If anything, her symptoms have worsened. Granted, the medication dosage was ramped up and this week is her first week at full dosage so we'll give it more time.

For a little background, her symptoms started in her left hand, ring finger. From there it progressed to both hands and then to her wrists. Now, she experiences pain and stiffness in her hands, wrists, ankles, knees, sternum, and sometimes low back.

Like with any arthritis, the symptoms are erratic, good days and bad days, more stiff and sore in the morning or after vigorous activity. She is seeing an occupational therapist for her hands and the report there is that things are improving, goals are being met. Good stuff. But overall we're seeing symptoms showing up in more joints. Not good.

Can I ask you to please pray for Caroline? It tears at a daddy's heart (and her mommy's too!) to see our baby girl hurting like she does. To her credit, Caroline's faith is unwavering. She is just as happy-go-lucky as she ever was, smiles and laughs just as much and is just as goofy.

For trick or treat (here in Hanover, PA they do t 0r t the Tuesday before Halloween (weird)) she dressed up as a cowgirl. She tried making a gun with her fingers but because of the arthritis her fingers don't straighten all the way. Caroline said to Jen, "Mommy, I wish I didn't have this arthritis. My guns are crooked!"