Writing Cop Talk

I am so excited about this news that I've decided to share it in a blog. You may be sick to death of my new novel, but the writing of it was such a spiritual experience that I can't get over it. For those who don't know, I wrote more than 50,000 words of a thriller Christian novel in 19 days.

This book is full of terrorists, policemen, FBI agents, gun shots, high speed chases, and (of course) Jesus. I, however, have never been a policeman or an FBI agent, nor have I even once ridden in a police car. I've actually never been inside a police car, although I did vote for my town to buy a police car for $100 once. That's as close as I've gotten to the world of criminals and justice. 

It was an impossible task, so I would sit down at the computer, say, "What do you want me to write, God?" and ideas would flow like a river. Sometimes, I had to take notes because I couldn't type that fast! I was very surprised by the appearance of the first gun, but as a former ER doctor, I've seen my share of gunshot wounds and I've shot a few guns myself in my time. A few. Really, it seemed out of character for God to be telling me about all these guns and this terrorist business, but (in case you've wondered) He is very informed. 

Things quickly went out of my area of expertise into the vast unknown. I could not have imagined this stuff. I don't have the background for it. Terrorists appeared. FBI agents were summoned. More gun shots. High speed chases. Plots and tactics unfolded. I didn't really make it up. I would just get very still at my computer, pray that God would tell me what to write, and I would write it. On my own, there was not a chance I could do this. There's the problem of  the lingo, the "cop speak", the procedures. I didn't know it, and yet I wrote. 

Tonight, I sat down with Officer Anthony Anderson after the Blue Springs board meeting. He demonstrated the patience of a saint as he listened to every single cop, FBI, terrorist, jail, high speed chase, and gun scene. Practically the whole book! I wanted him to correct what was wrong and help me fine tune it. I was constantly saying, "Tell me if this is not right," and he would say, "You're doing fine, keep going. I want to know what happens next." At the end of the book, he gave the writing team (Almighty God and Leanna) some high praise. "I can't wait to read this book. It sounds like you are an ex-cop writing!" How about that? 

God dictated and I typed. That's how it was done, and a novelist was born. It was my dream and, at nearly sixty years old, God gave it to me. Not only did He give it to me, He did it for me. This is not because I am so special. It is because we serve a God who is so nice. I know people don't usually describe God as nice, but that's what I say, because it's true. He cares about us and all our projects. He cares about my book and all the Jesus parts that are in there. He already has a plan for how He's going to use it, and I can't wait to see it unfold. 

You may wonder how I "heard" God. The voice of God is described as a "still, small voice". It's a little like an inaudible whisper in your heart. The words form and you know they are not your own. There's a key word here. STILL. Don't expect to hear God's voice if you aren't still. You can't hear a whisper in the midst of clamor. 

There may be someone who thinks that God would not do such a thing for you. Ah, but He would. He delights in those who love Him. He delights in those who obey Him. He may not help you write a novel, but whatever the task for which you are responsible, he will help you. All you have to do is ask. That's what I did, and look at the results!