Books - Lynn Austin

Mule-Headed Stubbornness

Stubborn as a mule. Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

I’ve had my stubborn moments. Times when I’ve refused to do what I’m asked. When I’ve folded my arms and refused to budge. An incident in seventh grade art class comes to mind. The teacher assigned a short research report on any famous artist we chose. I liked art class. I liked our teacher, an exotic woman who wore her hair in a chignon and dressed in Bohemian clothes and seemed wildly out-of-place in our boring, conventional village. Writing came easily to me. The report would have been an easy A and I was an A student. But for reasons I still don’t understand, I didn’t do the assignment.

When my children used to turn stubborn I would get angry. When my husband turns stubborn I get frustrated. But when a character in a novel I’m writing becomes uncooperative, I’m baffled. I know, I know, I created these “people.” They exist only in my mind. How can they turn rebellious? Aren’t I in charge? Well, in a word . . . no. Once I’ve created them along with a resume of their likes and dislikes, quirks and fears, family histories and dreams, they become “real.” If I try to make them do something “out of character,” it rings false. They have a right to turn stubborn.

Have you ever read a story where the main character does something that doesn’t feel right? Something that makes you want to throw the book across the room in frustration and vow never to read a book by THAT author again? I suspect that the character did refuse to do what the author wanted but was forced to comply against her will.

One character who turned against me and my well-plotted plans was Kitty from my Civil War novel, “A Light to My Path.” She was a plantation slave who was supposed to escape. I had done tons of research about the Underground Railroad that I was eager to use. Grady, a fellow slave who she loved, was escaping with her. Conditions were perfect for a night-time getaway. But when the “now or never” moment came, Kitty refused to go. Grady left without her. And I was left with a plotting dilemma.

I could have forced Kitty to go, and maybe it would have turned out okay. Or maybe readers would have thrown my book across the room. From the moment I created Kitty, she was beaten down by her life of slavery. Her real name was Anna but her spoiled mistress renamed her and forced her to pretend she was a cat. Kitty was too terrified of the consequences to ever disobey. Slaves were chased down and mercilessly whipped for escaping. I researched the mosquito-filled, alligator-infested swampland on her escape route, and believe me, even the bravest soul might have refused. Kitty was not brave. To run away would have been completely out-of-character for her.

I’m now facing another stubborn character in the novel I’m currently writing. She has a difficult choice to make, one that’s going to affect the rest of her life—and the rest of my novel. I know what I want her to do. Readers will probably want her to do the opposite. But I’m relinquishing all of my plots and plans and letting her decide. She has to remain true to herself. I’m granting her free will.

My seventh grade art teacher was very surprised when I failed to turn in my paper. It was so out-of-character for me as an A student that she believed she had lost my paper. She asked if I still had the rough draft. Of course I didn’t. I would like to say that I confessed—but I didn’t. She asked if she could give me a B for the assignment and I agreed. I feel the guilt and shame of my deception to this day.

I hope I’ve developed more honesty and integrity as I’ve matured in my Christian life. The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” I hope it would be out-of-character for me now to behave in an un-Christ-like way. I long to be true to His character in all of the decisions and choices I make. To do otherwise after the price He paid as the Author of my salvation, would be sheer, mule-headed stubbornness.

onNovember 2, 2015June 18, 2016inBooks, Writing

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On This Foundation

It’s always an exciting day when my newest novel arrives in the mail, hot off the press. It’s especially exciting this year because On This Foundation is the third and final book in my biblical fiction series, “Restoration Chronicles.”

When readers asked me to write more biblical fiction like my “Chronicles of the Kings” series, the stories of Ezra and Nehemiah immediately came to mind. These two leaders showed enormous courage when they left Babylon and returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the city walls. On This Foundation tells how Nehemiah, who was the cupbearer for the King of Persia, became the architect and builder of Jerusalem’s defenses. In spite of fierce opposition and death threats from his enemies, he never doubted that the hand of God was with him.

I did extensive research in Jerusalem before I began writing this series because my goal is to stay as close to the scriptural text as possible—not adding to it, but merely filling in some of the historical and cultural background. Here are some of the pictures I took on my research trip:

It was so amazing to view the archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem and actually see and touch Nehemiah’s wall, built more than 2,400 years ago!

And seeing the steepness of the slope made me appreciate how difficult his task must have been.

Chapter three of the biblical book of Nehemiah lists all the men who volunteered to rebuild a section of the wall. Then verse twelve offers this intriguing piece of information: “Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.” I wonder what inspired these young women to volunteer for such an undertaking? And I wonder how the men working alongside them responded! You’ll have to read the book to see how I imagined these unique women’s story.

It’s my hope that these novels will bring the Bible to life and not only help readers visualize the stories, but also to see biblical characters as real flesh-and-blood people. It’s my prayer that the novels will draw readers back to the Bible so they’ll read it for themselves—and maybe understand its relevance to their own lives just a little bit better. Enjoy!

To help me celebrate the release of “On This Foundation”, please email your name and e-mail address to LynnAustinBooks@gmail.com by Wednesday September 23rd for a chance to win one of two free copies.

And for my readers in the SW Michigan area, please join me at the Kregel Parable Christian bookstore in Grandville, Michigan on Thursday, October 1 from 7-9 pm where I’ll be speaking and signing my new book. I would love to meet you!

onSeptember 21, 2015June 18, 2016inBooks, Giveaways

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The Genesis of a Book

One of the questions authors are frequently asked is, where do our ideas come from. My answer? Everywhere! It seems different for me for each book. Since many of my readers have told me that Candle in the Darkness is their favorite book, here’s the story of how that novel came about.

It started when my musician husband, Ken, performed at a Civil War re-enactment with the “Yankee Brass Band.” I had never been to a re-enactment before, but as I wandered around the camp grounds and watched the mock battles, my creative juices began to flow. I interviewed dozens of participants and asked hundreds of questions. These re-enactors really know their history and are a treasure trove of information. The women gave me quite an education about the layers and layers of mysterious garments hiding beneath their voluminous skirts—and how they manage the privvy.

Filled with all this information and inspiration, I began researching the Civil War, planning a three-book series from three different viewpoints. The woman in the first book would be from the South, the second from the North, and the third would be a slave. Thanks to my local librarian, I found a diary entitled Richmond. During the War by Sallie Brock Putnam. This young woman lived in the Confederate capitol of Richmond,Virginia throughout the war, cheering enthusiastically for her beloved Confederate soldiers. She offers a day-by-day account of the fear she felt as the Union army advanced and how the sounds of cannon fire could be heard in the distance. Exciting stuff! She provided me with valuable information about which sites to explore on my research trip to Richmond.

Another great resource was All the Daring of a Soldier by Elizabeth D. Leonard. She describes some of the amazing things that women did for both the North and the South during the war, including becoming spies. The woman in this picture ended up in prison with her little daughter for spying.

But the inspiration for my two main characters, Caroline and her faithful slave Eli, came from this photograph that I found during my research. The little girl is impeccably clothed in a white dress trimmed with lace; the slave’s clothing is worn and threadbare. Yet the love and trust between the two is obvious in the way they are holding onto each other. I knew I had to tell their story.

I keep all of these photographs on a bulletin board near my desk—the pictures copied from books and the ones I take myself on my research trips. And from all of these ingredients, and the spark of an idea that began at a Civil War reenactment, Candle in the Darkness was born.

onJune 1, 2015June 18, 2016inBooks, Writing

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Sneak Peek…

I love previews of coming attractions and sneak peeks, don’t you? Even though the release of my next novel is months away (September of 2015), I just have to share a peek at the fabulous new cover with you.

On This Foundation will be the final book in my biblical fiction trilogy “The Restoration Chronicles,” in which I tried to bring to life the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The series tells about the Jewish survivors after the destruction of Jerusalem and how God made a way for them to return to the Promised Land from captivity in Babylon. The prophet Zechariah is the main character in the first book, Return to Me, which describes how the first returning exiles rebuilt God’s Temple in Jerusalem. The second book, Keepers of the Covenant, is the story of Ezra’s efforts to restore true worship and reignite his people’s passion for God. The final book, On This Foundation, will feature Nehemiah and his mission to rebuild the city wall around Jerusalem.

I thought the art department at Bethany House Publishers would have a very hard time coming up with a third cover as beautiful as the first two—but they did it! Not only is it striking, but they managed to hint at some of the drama and action in this novel.

The designers always ask for my ideas and input into the cover design, and I thought it was important for the model who would portray Nehemiah to look Jewish. My daughter did some behind-the-scenes work and coaxed a Jewish friend of hers, Ben Shlimovitz, to come to the art studio and pose for the cover. Here are some outtakes from that photo shoot. I’m told that Ben was also a great help in getting the costuming right. Thank you Ben! Great job! I LOVE this cover!

And now that I’ve generated some excitement about the book, I’m sorry to say that you won’t be able to read it until September. In the meantime, I’m taking an informal poll. Which of the three covers do you like best?

onMarch 2, 2015June 18, 2016inBooks

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KEEPERS OF THE COVENANT Kindle Giveaway and Live Author Chat with Lynn Austin!

Book two of The Restoration Chronicles series, Keepers of the Covenant, weaves together the struggles and stories of both Jews and Gentiles, creating a tapestry of faith and doubt, love and loss. Here, the Old Testament comes to life, demonstrating the everlasting hope displayed in God’s unwavering love for His people.

I am celebrating with a Kindle HDX giveaway and a live author chat webcast on October 21st.

One winner will receive:

-A Kindle HDX

-Keepers of the Covenant by Lynn Austin

Click here for more info:

Enter today by clicking here. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 21st. Winner will be announced at the Keepers of the Covenant LIVE webcast event on October 21st. Connect with me for a fascinating evening centered around God’s unwavering love for His people. I’ll be hosting a Biblical fiction book club discussion, giving away prizes, answering your questions, offering an exclusive peek at the next book in The Restoration Chronicles, and much more!

So grab your copy of Keepers of the Covenant and join me with friends on the evening of October 21st for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 21st!

{More about Keepers of the Covenant}

The Old Testament Comes to Thrilling Life in the Latest from Lynn Austin

In one life-changing moment, the lives of the Jewish exiles in Babylon are thrown into confusion and despair when a decree arrives from the king’s palace in Susa. It calls for the annihilation of every Jewish man, woman, and child throughout the empire on the thirteenth day of Adar, in less than one year. Ezra, a quiet Jewish scholar and teacher, is suddenly called upon to lead the community as they seek God for a reason for this catastrophe. When a second decree arrives, authorizing them to fight back, Ezra is thrust into the role of military leader as they defend themselves against their enemies.

When the battles come to an end, Ezra’s brother Jude is dead and Ezra is required by the Law he so diligently studies to marry Jude’s widow, Devorah, and provide an heir. Fatherhood changes Ezra, and he asks God to make a way for him and the other exiles to leave Babylon for good and return to Jerusalem. His prayers are answered and the exiles move to Judea to revitalize worship at the temple–but the fight to keep God’s Law is never easy. As more and more of his community are tempted, a new battle emerges…this one for the survival of God’s covenant and the souls of His chosen faithful.

onOctober 2, 2014June 18, 2016inBooks, Events, Giveaways

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Hot off the Press

There’s nothing quite like opening that first box of books, hot off the press. Keepers of the Covenant may be book #22 for me but I still feel a thrill of accomplishment each time I see my novel for the first time. Back in 1995 when my very first novel, The Lord is My Strength, arrived in the mail, I carried it everywhere with me for two or three days. I even laid it on my bedside table at night so I would see it the moment I woke up. I think I was afraid I’d wake up and discover that it had all been a dream! I’m not quite that obsessive anymore, but I’m still very proud of each book, the culmination of more than a year’s work. Here’s a peek at my timeline:

I began researching Keepers of the Covenant in January of 2013. After a year of writing it, I turned it in to my editor in January of 2014. A month or so later, I received a detailed letter with suggestions for changes to consider and rewrites to make. I completed those about a month later.

In the spring, it was time to talk about the cover design. The art department wanted to go with a design that was similar to Return to Me, the first book in the Restoration Chronicles series, yet different enough to make it obvious that this was a new book. After a few tweaks, the new cover was approved. In the months that followed, I received “galleys” with the edits that my editor and copy editor had made. The galleys come in manuscript form and I was given one last chance to make any changes I wanted to make.

Just as I was relaxing at the beach during the summer months, I received the page proofs to read through. This time each page was laid out and numbered the way it would be in the final book. Only minor changes can be made at this point but of course there’s still time to check for typos and other errors. By now, I was well into the researching and writing of the next book in the series—and trying not to get the two mixed! Keepers of the Covenant features Ezra as the main character, and the book I’m writing now, entitled On This Foundation, features Nehemiah. The two men were contemporaries but had entirely different missions from God.

Now that fall has arrived, it’s time for my finished book to arrive, too. Here are some “behind the scenes” pictures Bethany House sent showing part of their process:

These are overlays from the printer’s proofs showing where the cover enhancements will be positioned. Blue indicates areas of the cover that will be matte, and clear sections indicate areas that will be glossy. The areas in orange indicate which parts of the cover will be raised or embossed.

Printer’s Color Proof & Overlays

These are the printed pages of the book prior to binding.

These are the Printer’s Press Sheet of the Cover – Covers are printed 4-up, and trimmed down into single covers later in the process.

And here’s that marvelous box of books. TA DA!

I’ll savor the newness of my book for a while and then it’ll be time to get back to work on the next one. After all, it has to be finished by my January 2015 deadline so the process can start all over again.

onSeptember 15, 2014June 18, 2016inBooks

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Return to Me Bookclub Discussion Questions

HUGE Thank you to Joanne Wallace from the Sister Circle Book Club, S. Attleboro Assembly of God, S. Attleboro, Massachusett for submitting these fantastic questions

Characters: Zechariah (Zaki)

Iddo and Dinah (Saba and Safta)

Yael and Mattaniah

Joel and Shoshanna

Book One : Babylon

In the first section, we meet the main characters. What is the decree that finally comes to the people of Israel?

Why did only a remnant choose to make the journey? What were their excuses? How did this effect Iddo and Dinah, in the short term and in the long term?
Would you allow your child to make such a trip? Why was Zechariah allowed to go? What are some early signals that God has set Zechariah apart?

Book Two: The Promised Land

What did the people discover when they reached the Promised Land? What sort of problems did they initially face?

What happens with the local Samaritans? Think about things from their point of view – were some of their reactions normal under the circumstances? What were some of the things that the Samaritans did to show their dislike of the return of these exiles? How do things escalate? What is the end result? I.e. the offer of help from the Samaritans, the desecration of the Temple, what happens to Shoshanna, the delays in the messages sent back to Babylon, etc.
Yael and her father make many trips to the Samaritan village. Talk about what draws Yael to the village.
Dinah and Yael help in the birth of Hodaya. Talk about this situation.

Book Three: Jerusalem

This book begins ten years later. What changes have there been?

What happens to Leyla? Talk about the romance between Yael and Rafi. What happens?
How does Zechariah prove his love for Yael despite his knowledge of her sorcery practices?

Book Four: The Temple

It is now six years later. The work of the temple has still not begun and the area is under a drought. What changes have happened in Zechariah’s life in the past six years?

Haggai brings a prophecy to the people. What does this initiate? How does Haggai encourage and help Zechariah at this time? What is different about Zechariah’s prophecy compared to Haggai?
How does the author use the story of Hodaya to show the openness of God to the Gentiles?
Chapter 45 jumps another three years. The temple is finished – how will the story continue?

onApril 23, 2014June 18, 2016inBooks

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Enjoying the Fruit

The “glamorous” writing life is usually very mundane—spending long hours alone in my office staring at a computer screen. Even when I’m not in my office, I continue to fret over my plot and characters, trying to dream up fresh ideas and themes and ways to tell readers about God’s love. It’s hard work and I enjoy it, but I seldom receive feedback for my daily labor. And the long-term results are often invisible and intangible.

But for the past week, God has graciously allowed me to see and savor some of the fruit of my writing. I’ve just returned home from a tour in the Netherlands to promote my new non-fiction book “Pilgrimage; My Journey to a Deeper Faith in the Land Where Jesus Walked.” I traveled to ten bookstores in cities all across Holland to share my personal story about a time of spiritual dryness in my life and how I found renewal on a pilgrimage to Israel. I met so many women who could identify with my story, and who longed for renewed closeness with God. And I was blessed to discover that my book offered them hope.

My busy schedule included interviews with a newspaper, a women’s magazine, and a Christian TV program. But what blessed me the most was the warm reception I received from readers of all ages. They told of the many hours of enjoyment they’ve had reading my books; how the books have taken them to other times and places; and how they’ve learned about God and themselves from reading them. Several people had tears in their eyes as they told me how my stories changed their lives.

I’m sure I had a look of stunned surprise on my face as I signed books and talked with readers in each beautiful Dutch city. It never occurred to me when I began writing 30 years ago that my books would be translated into other languages and enjoyed by readers in such diverse places as Korea, Indonesia, South Africa, Germany, and the Netherlands. But God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

Now, after a long trans-Atlantic flight through seven time zones, I’m back at my desk, alone with my computer once again. No more lovely meals and gracious welcomes and thankful readers. I’ve returned to a snowy Chicago winter after enjoying springtime in the Netherlands with green grass and blooming daffodils and crocuses. But what an encouragement to know that my labor in the Lord has not been in vain! I’ve been reminded once again that God has given me this gift of words so I can share His love and grace with readers all around the world.

I know we’ll receive a reward in heaven someday for the work we’ve done here on earth, but this week I’ve already had a taste of that reward. So, to all my new friends in the Netherlands, thank you for blessing me beyond measure.

onMarch 17, 2014June 18, 2016inBooks, Events

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Hezekiah’s Tunnel

This week’s blog is excerpted from my new non-fiction book, Pilgrimage: My Journey to a Deeper Faith In the Land Where Jesus Walked. (Bethany House Copyright 2013)

Hezekiah’s Tunnel

The icy water takes my breath away. I wade into it, stepping down, and down again, until it reaches my thighs. But the shivery water isn’t the worst part of this trek through King Hezekiah’s tunnel. There is no light in here, electric or natural, and the claustrophobic tunnel meanders underground as if excavated by drunkards. Ahead of me, a tall man stoops to keep from smacking his head on the stone ceiling. A heavyset woman looks as though she regrets this adventure as she squeezes between the slimy walls. None of us can turn back. There’s only enough room to walk single file.

This water system, deep below the city of Jerusalem, is manmade. The Bible tells us that “It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David” (2 Chronicles 32:30). I know the story well. The first novel I ever wrote, Gods and Kings, was part a three-book series about the life of King Hezekiah, who reigned in Jerusalem seven hundred years before Christ. With no supply of fresh water in the city and the vicious Assyrian army marching toward him, Hezekiah needed to find a way to safeguard the freshwater spring, located outside the city walls. His solution was to dig an underground tunnel from the spring to a new reservoir within the walls. Pressured to complete the work before the Assyrians attacked, he ordered the workers to start digging from opposite ends and meet in the middle.

“Hey, is it safe to trust a tunnel that was dug 2,700 years ago?” someone asks as we slosh forward. I shake my head but no one sees me in the dark. No. I don’t trust an ancient tunnel, especially in a city that has occasional earthquakes. I can only trust God—and keep moving, shining my feeble flashlight. The chiseled floor is uneven and rough, and since we can’t see our feet below the inky water, we shuffle slowly, careful not to stumble and fall. I’m not a big fan of caves, and this manmade one with its straight walls and squared-off ceiling is dark and creepy. The weight of the mountain above my head feels crushing.

“How much farther?” someone asks in a shaky voice. I don’t dare tell her that this serpentine tunnel will wind for nearly a third of a mile and take about half an hour to walk through. The college students in our group try to lighten the atmosphere with laughter and jokes. Then one of them starts to sing: “Fill it up and let it overflow . . .” It’s an upbeat version of “Amazing Grace” with an added refrain, “Fill it up and let it overflow, let it overflow with love.” Soon, everyone joins in.

We reach the middle and stop to see the spot where the two tunnels met. Here, chiseled into the rock, was the oldest Hebrew inscription ever discovered, written by Hezekiah’s men to explain how they had broken through after digging from opposite ends. The inscription is in a museum in Turkey, not here. We shine our flashlights on the wall and see where it once was, and also how the chisel marks slant from opposite directions at the meeting point.

This tunnel is an engineering marvel, especially when you consider that it was dug in 700 BC. Experts still aren’t sure how anyone could dig two meandering tunnels that began a third of a mile apart and get them to meet up in the middle, deep underground. Impossible! Everyone who hears the story and sees the tunnel is impressed with King Hezekiah and his men.

But God wasn’t impressed. He sent the prophet Isaiah to rebuke the king for all of his plans, saying, “You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago’” (Isaiah 22:11). In other words, Hezekiah was relying on his own preparations instead of trusting God.

Fifteen minutes later, a pinprick of light in the distance tells us we are almost to the end. I have a new respect for that old cliché about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I hear a lot of grateful sighs, including my own, when we wade out into the blinding sunlight. As we sit in the sun to warm up and let our clothes dry out, I’m still thinking of Hezekiah.

The city of Jerusalem was saved from the Assyrians, but not by this tunnel. When the most powerful army on earth surrounded Hezekiah, demanding surrender, he knew he’d reached the end of his resources. Facing an impossible situation, he went up to the Temple and knelt before God, placing his hope and trust in Him: “O Lord Almighty, God of Israel,” he prayed. “You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth . . . Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from [the enemy’s] hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God” (Isaiah 37:16, 20). That night, the angel of the Lord walked among the sleeping Assyrian warriors and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand of them. At dawn, the horrified king of Assyria gathered up his few surviving soldiers and bolted for home.

It’s okay to make plans, but the lesson of Hezekiah’s tunnel is that when we put our trust in God, not only is He victorious but He is glorified. I think of the struggles I’ve experienced lately as life has veered out of my control, the times when I’ve panicked as the water has crept higher and higher until it seemed to reach my neck. In spite of all my feverish plans and schemes, the enemy has besieged and surrounded me, leaving me trapped with no way to escape. But as I sit in the sunlight outside Hezekiah’s tunnel, I think of God’s promise from Isaiah, the prophet in Hezekiah’s time: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (Isaiah 43:1-2).