Midnight at the Fountain of Joy, an inspirational fantasy novel, is the title of my work in progress. Last November I made the commitment to commence writing it despite knowing that crafting a novel is an arduous task. The last two years have been difficult for our family to say the least and I knew there wasn’t a perfect time to set off to achieve my writing goals. If I put it off any longer I might never start. I didn’t want to live my life in regret, for squandering the gift God has graciously given me.

To say you’re going to write a novel is one thing. To write it is entirely different. I had no idea where to begin but had it in my mind I’d like to write a novel somewhere in the vein of Pilgrim’s Progress meets The Chronicles of Narnia. Crafting my story world began oddly enough with listening to a sermon on Sermon Audio by Joe Morecraft (The Crisis of Church and State 1). It took about two months to conceive of and plan where I was going with the story. I have a lot of gaps to fill in but I’ve completed the first chapter and am about a third of the way into the second.

My story world is inspired by Ireland but takes place in another land called Ainemore (Awn-ya-more). The main character is a young woman of twenty who lives in a small village by the sea called Bal-keela. She was raised by an older widow after being found as a newborn in the rocks off the coast. At the start of the story she is being called out of her quiet village by a mysterious king into an unknown land fraught with great evil. The dreams, visions, and voices compel her to leave behind everything to seek this king. Her calling is only the beginning. The journey but a stepping stone to the rest of her story.

The first act is her Pilgrim’s Progress. We see her juxtaposed against a country in darkness. A country with evils much like our own. It is this portion of the story that Joe Morecraft’s sermon had so great an influence. My task now is to use biblical allegory and allusion and weave it seamlessly into the story to speak to the issues of culture. I hope to make it so much part of the story that it doesn’t come across as preachy or over the top.

Once my character clears the dangers of the cities and enters through the darkness of the Kilgansolas, the story takes on the flavor of The Chronicles of Narnia. There is an evil to be vanquished and she was called for so great a purpose. She learns a great deal about who she is and where she comes from. This knowledge drives the story as it is centered around this mysterious king and fountain who are known only in folklore.

This novel is my pet project and I’ve immersed myself into it in the last month. How do I prepare for writing it? Through reading books on writing craft and devouring works by R.J. Rushdoony, Greg Bahnsen, David Chilton, and the Bible. Yes, my dear friends, this novel is Christian Reconstructionist flavored. I pray I may do it justice. Please pray for me in this endeavor. I’m writing this in the midst of homeschooling my four children, dealing with chronic illness, and taking care of my medically complex son. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As affliction is the ink God has given me, I desire to take it up to write this novel to the glory of God. It is a labor of love and gratitude to our Sovereign LORD who has led me through the tempest and has taught me so graciously in many things. Thank you for bearing with me as I’ve neglected this blog. LORD willing, I will take up the mantle and write more. God bless.

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