How Did COL come to be? – exciting insider info

February 2022 Newsletter

The original idea for COL Newsletter-blog; Idolatry; Children of Light series
Children of Light Series

The original idea for The Children of Light series of books came about as an idea for a single, stand-alone book. The idea arose out of a piece of music I heard on the radio while driving. By the time we got home, I had imagined the opening scene of what is now the Pairing Ceremony.

Light Warriors

I saw a group of fierce warriors performing intricate movements, which required practice, skill, and dedication.

These are not beautiful movements that please the eye and make one marvel at the artistry. No, some are harsh and aggressive, but these men are warriors, so that is to be expected. The overall impression, however, is one of awe and restrained power.

Where to from here? Children of Light

So, where does one imagined ceremony take me? Well, my overactive imagination took flight and a story began forming. As soon as I got home, I grabbed a notebook and started sketching out some of my ideas. Then, I started writing. I must admit at that point in time, I had a weak idea of what the story would be about, but not the ultimate ending, I just needed to write what was bubbling out. So, I kept writing.

I wrote page after page, chapter after chapter. I marveled at how the characters just jumped out and formed themselves. Some I loved, others, well not so much. A few months later, I finally had worked out the storyline, and I had an ending.

BUT, I had way too many characters, diverging plot lines, and too many stories to tell. So, I had to trim things down. As of now, only about half of what I wrote made it into the three books.

The Original Idea for Light Globes

It took me a long time to work out the concept of Light Globes, how they are a gift, or what they represent. The Light Globes, as a representation of the Word of God. God’s word sheds light on our lives. It overcomes Satan’s lies, conquers darkness, and frees those who are held captive to sin (darkness), as a start. Some of us are very gifted to share God’s word, others not so much. I stumble over my words and kick myself later, fearing a lost opportunity.

Therefore, the Light Globes can be a weapon against anything of darkness, but also for everyday life, such as a gift of healing. Obviously, I am exercising poetic and artistic license, allowing my imagination to run free, but that’s what stories are all about.

The original idea for the WHEN of Children of Light

My final battle, a very personal one, was dealing with the ‘WHEN’ of the book. I kept just putting it in a future time but knew I had to have a better understanding of the believer’s future. Hence I began to study scripture on what God told us about our future. It led me to study End Time – the time of Jacob, end of days, last days, etc., as presented in the Bible. I wrap it all into the term End Times.

Next, I spent months reading about End Times in the Bible. Up until then, I had little to no interest in that part of Scripture. I figured as long as I was ready, I didn’t need to know more. God showed me otherwise. (If you subscribe to my email list, you can get a free summary of the signs related to End Times, and a brief discussion of why we need to study this part of the Bible as well.)

Learning to Write

Next came a full year of learning about how to write books. I had written scientific papers, but writing books is another thing altogether. Although the ideas and the words came, they were not in proper form. I had to learn about plot development, character development, writing style, how to write the first sentence, the first paragraph, and eventually the first chapter. Needless to say, I had a lot of re-writing to do. Next came learning to self-edit. That took a few more months, but I suspect will be the rest of my writing-life process.

Two Years Later

Two years after I began, I had pages upon pages of written notes, a full binder of them. So I started typing things up. When I got about a third of the way, I realized I had more than 180,000 words! That was enough for more than two books. I consulted a few writers and they were unanimous. I had to split my book.

So, I had to come to terms with the idea that my book was going to be a series. Once I wrapped my brain around a series, I had to learn how to structure a series. When I planned the original split, I thought it would be three books… then four …but I’ve settled on five. (Sorry folks, just too many stories out there!) Plus, I am playing with a prequel, Gabby’s story, most likely a novella.

As of now, three are done, I’m writing the fourth and the fifth is mostly planned out. (As of January 2023, all five books are done!) I know the ending, as I’ve known it for years now. I just have to get my characters there.

Thank you so much for staying with me.
Blessings,
Jana

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