My Writing Corner ...: “Journey’s Beginning” Gets Published!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

“Journey’s Beginning” Gets Published!

Love the cover!

Ah, how sweet the reward the longer one waits for it! After 13 years, "Journey's Beginning", a piece I wrote about my experience at the beginning of membership classes at Trinity United Methodist Church, has been chosen for publication in Chicken Soup for the Soul: finding my faith.

Written at the very beginning of my faith journey, this is a very personal piece for me. And often, like faith that takes you by surprise, the publication of this piece did as well. I submitted this in both poem and short story format to a number of places over the years with no success. Then, earlier this year on April 9^th, I received an email that “Journey’s Beginning” had made it to the final selection round for ChickenSoup for the Soul: finding my faith. Was it still available and was I interested in having it move forward in the selection process? I sent off my very affirmative reply immediately and so began THE WAIT.

I didn’t tell a soul other than Steven and Abram that my piece was being reviewed for the final cut. Then, July 17^th, (98 days later, but who’s counting?) another email. I’d made it and would be a part of the book. OH JOY! My first publication in book form!

Scared that it might fall through, I still didn’t tell anyone. Then, I got an email from Chicken Soup for the Soul in early August, again congratulating me, welcoming me to “the family and team” and sharing encouragement and tips on how to promote the book and my part in it. THAT made it really sink in and feel real. I wasn’t dreaming this – it wasn’t going to fall through – it was really happening!

And so, next month on October 16^th, the publication release date, my piece of the collected stories will be out there, potentially in 40 languages and 100 countries. OH JOY!

Here’s a small excerpt:

…There are twenty-one of us in the

membership class. At my turn I

answer the questions on the board.

"My name is Amy Morgan.

I have lived here all my life.

I was married in this church and our

son was baptized here."

My throat closes up now. My eyes fill

with tears. I don't understand why.

I sit staring at the next question.

I don't know how much time passes as

I silently read it over and over.

How have you come to be a Christian?

This room, full of people who have given their

religious histories brimming with family memories

and traditions, positive and negative experiences, all wait.

I have nothing to offer them….

The release announcement on Chicken Soup for the Soul’s website reads: “Everyone's faith story is different. People of all faiths share their personal experiences in this inspiring collection of amazing stories about the number of ways people discover, or rediscover, their faith — whether it's Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or any other religion. These inspirational and powerful stories will touch the hearts and souls of readers.”

I’m proud, excited and humbled to be a part of this book. I can’t wait to read the other contributing pieces and to see how my piece weaves into the larger whole. I didn’t know at my journey’s beginning that it would lead to this destination, but I’m grateful it has.

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