Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Missionary (10/19/06)
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TITLE: Missionary Incognito | Previous Challenge Entry
By WENDY DECKER
10/26/06 -
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After being secluded for a few years in the corner of an office, or family room in my case, it might not be that easy. Then again, after being in seclusion for so long, maybe you’re ready to hop off your rolling chair and bolt out the door.
Although, comfortable in my fictional world, I was ready to connect with booksellers and potential readers. However, when I re-entered realty, I was a bit tongue-tied.
After all, I hadn’t used my tongue in quite awhile. So, I meandered back into society. I told a few people, “I am a writer—an author actually.”
Unaccustomed to using the word “author” in the same sentence as “I am,” I felt like a fraud. I retreated to my family room and grabbed onto my trusty keyboard and sent out a few more e-mails sharing my announcement. Much easier to let the word out via my fingers.
After I regained my composure, and a bit of courage, I made another attempt. My first stop, a town fair. Tents filled with vendors lined open fields on a sunny day. One tent happened to be filled with tables of church representatives from the area.
I took a deep breath, sauntered toward one, and said, “Hi.”
“Hi,” a man dressed in the charcoal suit said back.
I smiled, pulled out a media kit from my leather bag, and began my spiel. When I finished, the man said, “We’d love to have your book in our church library.”
I contained my desire to jump up and down screaming. “Really! You really want my book in your library? Thank you—thank you.”
Instead, we exchanged business cards, and I shook his hand like a professional.
Whew! One table down, nine more to go. By the time I reached number ten, I was sharing stories about my friends and relatives—even my dogs, with everyone and anyone.
A week later, a radio host asked me to speak on her show. Although excited, my stomach churned. Maybe no one can see me, I thought, but what if I sound . . . stupid? Not just sound stupid, what if I say something stupid? Or my voice sounds terrible on the radio? Will they let me go back and revise? I didn’t think so.
I drank lots of water so I wouldn’t continuously clear my throat. But not too much, I didn’t want to go running for the bathroom in the middle of our interview. The phone rang. I panicked. Maybe I shouldn’t answer. Maybe I’ll stick to written interviews.
But this is the radio. I’ll finally be able to reach many people at one time to tell them about my book, to share God's word.
I picked up the phone.
Kind and easy to talk to, the host made my first radio interview a wonderful experience. After all, writing is communicating, and believe I’ve been entrusted with this gift by God.
I admit I’d prefer communicating through a character I’ve created in a fictional setting. Nevertheless, I have something to say, and if God wants me to say it, I will, either as "myself” or incognito.
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