Working on Dreams in the Midst of Reality

You are working on a personal project and enjoying every minute of it.  Then, family needs and responsibilities increase and intensify, just when you need to focus on your project the most. 

For instance, summer vacation is over, and school is about to start.  A summer project is not quite complete.  (The one you've been telling your child to complete for weeks, offering help and advice.) Preferably, it should be fabulous, but it looks just acceptable.   And, even an older kid needs attention and guidance that just cannot wait.  To top that, your spouse, suddenly, wants attention.

Next, there's that last summer social event, like the wedding of a family member in another state.  The bride calls you to put the pressure on, just in case you were thinking of an excuse to not show up.  The list of responsibilities goes on and on and on...

There can seem to be so much between us and our dreams.   Yet, it’s worth it to keep our dreams alive and well because these dreams are God’s gifts to us.   These gifts are meant to be shared so that our fellow human beings can benefit from them as well.

As many of you may know, I'm working on Lamentation of a Warrior, the sequel to my first novel, Sojourner's Dream.   I'm enjoying the writing process, and its challenges, and  I’m working on my dream in the midst of reality.   I hope you are, too.

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Angeline's website

Writing and Research

I'm working on Lamentations of a Warrior, the sequel to my first novel, Sojourner's Dream.  I started writing Lamentations of a Warrior in 2006.  Since my duties as a mother and a wife are first priority, not to mention that I was working a full-time job, the writing process was slow.  My family had been supportive of my writing the first novel, yet they wanted their attention, too.  So, the sequel was often put on the back burner, so to speak.  Nonetheless, I'm continuing on with writing the sequel, Lamentations of a Warrior, and moving toward the finish line.

One of the most interesting and time consuming aspects of the writing process, specially for historical fiction, is research.  I read a great blog article entitled "Know Thy Stuff – Why Research is Important" by Jodi Milner (My Literary Dream) yesterday about the importance of researching for a novel.  This article reminded me of the years of research that I did for my first novel, Sojourner's Dream.  The research that I did was absolutely necessary in order to write about the Rwandan genocide of 1994.  Luckily, I love to read about history, so researching was not tedious to me.  It was intriguing, and even exciting.   It was also extremely sad, at times, as I read about the depths of the horrors which innocent people had experienced, yet I digress.

To provide accurate and believable settings and situations in their stories, fiction writers may need to do extensive research.  I started writing my first novel, Sojourner's Dream, in 2002 and completed it in 2006.  Part of the reason that it took me four years to complete it was the extensive research that I had to do on Rwandan history.  In reference to Rwandan history and culture, I read dozens of books and newspaper and magazine articles.  I spent time in local libraries and in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.  I watched many documentaries, and I interviewed a Rwandan person whose family was brutally murdered during the 100 days of this genocide in 1994.  I had travelled to three African countries prior to writing Sojourner’s Dream, yet not Rwanda, so, my research was critical.

What is one of your specific writing challenges?

 

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Summer Musings and Blessings

I'm missing summer already, and it isn't even over yet.   Our summer included a vacation, family reunion, volunteer camp for my youngest child, post high school graduation relief for my oldest daughter, and a summer internship for my son, to name just a few of the great things about it.

Now the familiar routine of back to school shopping, in the crowded school supplies section, and the congested traffic on the first day of school, is on the horizon.  I know I'm very proficient at this by now, but I still need to brace myself for the inevitable winds of the seasonal change.  It's time to put on my drill sergeant hat (I'm a nice one though) and make sure the summer reading assignments and projects are done, and get ready for the tidal wave of my kids’ homework, exams, and the end of staying up past midnight.

Nonetheless, there’s still enough summer left for a couple more visits to the local pool with family, and a summer date night with my husband.   I’m taking a deep breath, and feeling blessed about it all.


By Angeline Bandon-Bibum