Faerie Breath

My week began in frustration. Everyday Stuff kept getting in the way of what I really wanted to do, which was FINISH MY NOVEL.

On Tuesday I was reminded to be thankful for my everyday stuff. Amidst the heart-rending coverage of the earthquake in Haiti, I experienced flashes of amazement as organizations and individuals sprang into action. It takes my breath away to think that for a moment, we can step outside ourselves and experience the prompting of the Divine.

Some of you know that I am attempting to write supernatural romance for a Christian audience. I know I’m going to face the question, “What do you think you’re doing mixing faith and faeries?”

I’m not the first to have to answer the question, but I’ll take a stab at it.

The truth is, I’m addicted to those moments that take me out of myself. Please don’t misunderstand. Of course, I’m not talking about using the suffering of others to remind myself that I’m alive. Rather, I’m referring to the displays of compassion, bravery, and selflessness that result from those tragedies.

Like most folks, I spend way too much time in Humdrumville, focused on my messy house, what to fix for dinner, and how to wrangle Thing One and Thing Two into doing their homework.

And then my little life is hijacked by the sublime. I see people pour themselves out in response to dire need. Or I read a story that opens my eyes to some new aspect of God. Or one of my sons says something profound. And I get goose bumps--like faerie breath on my skin.

Do just a tiny bit of research and you’ll find that faerie tales and mythology have been around for a long, long time. As human beings, we’ve been combining our Faerie Breath Moments with our need to process truth through story since we started scratching marks on cave walls.

I chose to write a supernatural romance novel because the concept crammed my imagination with opportunities to explore the extraordinary. And this is my contribution to the cave paintings, my record of faerie breath on my skin, my attempt at widening my gaze to include the reality of the unseen.

If you’d like an opportunity to step out of yourself, please consider donating to one of the many organizations rushing aid to Haiti.

Compassion International and World Vision are two worthy channels.