Found Families in Stories and Life

Hello and welcome to my end-of-month newsletter blog post!

You can read last month’s newsletter here.

Following the very loose pattern I decided to set, these posts are a chance for me to update you on my writing projects and write a few words about something to do with stories.

This month, I want to reflect briefly on a story element I love the most: the idea of having the protagonists become a “found family,” where friendships run deeper, and it is proven that family means more than blood.

Why do I love that story element so much? Well, when it’s done well, I think it reflects the deep bonds of friendship we forge in our own lives as well. In the same way that we as readers can see ourselves in the characters, we can see our friendships there too, and we appreciate them for the blessing that they are. We gravitate toward such stories because we are relational people. None of us were made to be alone, even if we tend to enjoy solitude more than most.

I think another reason I love that story element so much is because the idea of total strangers coming together at the beginning of a story and eventually becoming closer than family, despite being very different people, is very evocative. Especially when characters come from backgrounds where their relationships with their flesh-and-blood families are either damaged in some way or altogether nonexistent. That creates such a powerful contrast for the family such characters find in the friends they meet along the way. They see what families should be—loving and supportive relationships.

I love that. It’s such a beautiful thing.

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Man, May was wild! Here’s a breakdown of everything that happened, and some exciting things to look forward to in June:

The second round of edits for the third book in the Rose and Ed series is done! What does that mean? It means that there’s only one more round of edits that this story needs before it’s ready to share! Nic and I are really happy with where it’s at, and we’re excited to close the books on this project, this trilogy that we’ve been working on together for almost five years now.

Believe it or not, the rough drafts of the two projects I started last month are now done! One was for a theological book on thanking God more that I’m writing for Northwestern Publishing House. The other was a fun little children’s fantasy book.

Let me be clear. This is not typical for me. I usually take about three months to write a rough draft from start to finish unless it’s a smaller book (sub 30k words).

Why did I breeze through these so quick? Well, both in their own way were already started before I began working on the rough drafts. I’ve been journaling and outlining for the theological book since last June, so it’s been in my head for a good while now. And a few years ago, I wrote a draft of the children’s fantasy book that I’ve now rewritten and updated. So, not typical, but two more projects moving along!

What else? A Librarian’s Tale is almost done! I’m working through the proof and should have it ready for a mid-June release. I thought I could get it done by the end of May, but that didn’t happen. That’s okay, though, I’d rather it be all good to go than rushing the publication.

I’ll do a cover reveal in the next couple of weeks, stay tuned and get ready for a wild, whimsical adventure through the world of Minz! In the meantime, check out my latest short story set in Minz, and catch up on past ones here!

Until next time,

Al