Are You Following?

For years I shied away from other writers. I know writing isn't a competition, but it felt like one and I never knew that writers could come together in such fellowship and support until this year.
I have talked to and met a handful of writers, both published and not, that are so talented and so encouraging. What a joy to use our gifts to glorify the Lord! How good He is to let us find others with the same talent that we can share in life with.
For me it is so thrilling to meet with someone that talks to imaginary friends and lives in another world.
One such author is Ray Ellis. He happens to be one of the publishers at NCC Publishing. He is encouraging, supportive, and makes fun of me when necessary. As a twenty-two year veteran of law enforcement, he understands the harsh realities of the world we live in and writes compelling crime novels that remain clean (a real art). His characters are real and their problems are relatable. His short story "I" begins with a man that wakes up in Judgement and has flashbacks of his life on earth. Did he live a life submitted to God? So real and awakening, it gave me chills. If you have an e-reader and 99 cents, check it out! I read Notorious, the first book in his Nate Richards Mystery series and am anxious to read the next book (which is out, but I have a rule while I'm writing: no reading!). It is the promised reward for when I finish my first draft of book two. My mom has read all of the books in the Nate Richards' series and loved them! I keep telling her not to talk to me about them so she won't spoil it!
Ray was kind enough to review my book on his blog here. If you visit, stay a while. He is so good to share real struggle as a believer when dealing with the filth of the world and you will be encouraged!
Another writer is a friend I've made through Destiny Rescue. Holli King is a woman working in Thailand with Destiny Rescue. She read The Earth is Full for me to be sure I honored D. R. in my fictional story based on their organization. She and I have been sharing emails for months and she is a kick. She also has a blog that's so fun to visit. She reviews books, movies, and tv shows. She also gave a review of the book and I am so touched.
I am so blessed to know these and other writers that I will continue to showcase here.
I often think about those scattered by the language confusion at the Tower of Babel. Because our God is loving and gracious, we can believe that those confused by language found someone they could still communicate with. Can you imagine what that would have been like? The relief? The joy? The instant connection with someone who understood you and you understood them back?
By God's grace we can find others that know how our heart beats while the rest of the world is staring at us blankly. Smile.
Now go check those two out!