‘The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.’ – Albert Camus
Congratulations are currently pinging around, which is rather wonderful. It’s all because I have a new book baby making it’s way into the world this week.
‘Haven’t you just had one of those?’ I hear you ask . Well yes, November saw the publication of Charlie Peach’s Pumpkins and other stories, but that is a very different genre from Polished Arrows which sees the public light of day this Friday, 17th May.
This is a book more akin to Spiritual Feasting, with its inspiration coming from a biblical text, Isaiah 49:2, exploring how God makes us into polished arrows and hides us in His quiver. Using the allegory of making an old fashioned arrow, it unpacks how that process is similar to a journey of faith. Character is shaped, rough bits are smoothed as we are straightened out, honed, and polished. Thus, an unpromising stick can become a lethal weapon once the arrowhead, fletching feathers and whipping cord are added.
In a culture that has, for the most part, given up on traditional spiritual values and teaching and could well be accused of destroying itself as Monsieur Camus, references, I truly believe it’s worth going back and revisiting what, or who, that’s all about. In order for things to change, something has to change. That something may just be me. And you.
‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man,’ goes the saying attributed to Winston Churchill. While we’re all waiting for a champion to come and save the global day, it’s worthwhile remembering that a) one has already come in the shape of Jesus of Nazareth approximately 2000 years ago and b) living as were were first intended to live – according to the Maker’s instructions, if you will – is the best way for all of us to resist being carried along on the wave of the latest fad in town and nation, in order to make a difference in our time and place
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the uniquely satisfying feeling of having seen a project through from the first glimmer of an idea to a three-dimensional, actual bound book of chapters.
Chronologically, this one began long before I’d settled down to plan out Spiritual Feasting. The risk involved in terms of vulnerability when offering your hard-laboured words to others is considerable. To discover that they can have significant impact on readers generates an internal glow not of smugness, but of relief that you were on the right track after all. Just last week, I did an interview for another writer who told me that her review copy arrived at just the right time for the theme to resonate with her during a discouraging season. The book stirred something within her to give her just the reassurance she needed to press on with peace in her heart. That’s priceless.
Now it’s time to prepare for a blog tour in which the slots are already taken by other writers, and then the launch which will come around next month once I’m back in the UK. Only then will I finally hold a copy of my book baby in my hands.
For now, I’m so grateful to my publisher – the team at Instant Apostle – who, once again, have fused form and function to bring this book to birth. Their patience with me in editing, refining and honing the text alongside me has been considerable. Their selection of an image for the cover is on point. Now it’s over to the readers who, I hope, will discover or be reminded of the thrill of becoming a polished arrow and anticipate being ‘fired’ effectively into their sphere of influence.
Images by: Pete Linforth, Zeljko Vranjevac, Susanne Jutzeler and Alireza-sahebi from Pixabay & Unsplash Cover image: Instant Apostle
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