My Example of Dedication and Perseverance

In this writing journey, I’ve been blessed with some wonderful writing friends and partners. They’ve helped me grow and I’d like to think I’ve helped them.

And a few have been an inspiration for me. One in particular.

I’ve watched this young woman, Amelia Grimstad, over several years as she’s risen to the challenge of raising seven children with grace and strength that can only come from God. She’s worked hard to develop her talents and gifts as a writer, squeezing time to write, to learn, to participate in critique groups, to help others grow.

And I’ve seen her overcome discouragement that would defeat another writer. Rejection of her work, taking time from her dream to care for her family, managing a tight budget, dealing with all the challenges that come with raising a young family.

She’s met all these challenges and continued to write with a quiet and calm, yet tenacious, determination.

Amelia and I are part of a group of four writers who meet weekly and we’ve been doing so for over three years. In that length of time, we’ve grown from critique partners to close friends who support and pray for each other and our families.

Amelia has worked at her craft and her story, honing both over the years. Despite discouragement and rejection, she’d never given up on her dream to write and her vision of a story that must be told.

And she has, at last, earned well-deserved and long overdue recognition. Amelia is the winner of the speculative fiction category of the 2013 Novel Rocket contest.

We are all so proud of Amelia for winning this award. It is a tribute to her talent, to her story, and to her dedication to the calling God has placed on her heart.

Visit Novel Rocket at http://www.novelrocket.com/2013/10/announcing-our-speculative-fiction.html to read the announcement and the opening chapter of her novel, Wyrmholes.

You will be blessed.