August 2023

Flower of the Month: Poppy

I have a particular soft spot for this flower since my daughter and I share the birth month of August. Poppies have a long history of symbolism, but they generally represent remembrance or sleep. In many cultures it’s common to find poppies near the graves of loved ones. And John McCrae’s famous poem “In Flanders Field” references the poppies that sprung up in the war-torn soil of WWI battlefields.

Poppies come in a variety of shades and grow worldwide. Their buds remain bent over until the bloom is ready to open, when their papery petals unfold. And although they only last a few days when cut, in the wild they will reseed themselves for another year of blooming.

Like the poppy, it is important for us to remember the past. Whether it’s loved ones who passed on or trials we endured, remembrance is a key part of learning and being human. When we remember where we came from, we have a clearer vision for the road ahead.

Reading

Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland

I reread this book every time I’m working on a new novel, so I think this is my fourth go-around. Yet somehow, I still manage to glean something new with every read! If you are a novelist, know someone who is, or are just interested in the craft of writing, this book is exceptionally helpful.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

This is one of those books I return to every now and then. Lewis is one of my favorite authors, and his perspective on spiritual warfare is particularly poignant in our world today. I highly recommend picking up a copy if you haven’t read it!

Space Boy by Stephen McCranie

I had this one in the last newsletter as well, but it’s a big series! And while I anxiously await the next five books to be released in print, I can say this is one collection I’ll be adding to my personal library.

Research

• Grammar
  • Although I’ve always been pretty good with grammar, there have been multiple times while going through my edits that I’ve had to stop and look up some obscure rule I’ve been using incorrectly. I did say I wanted to learn a lot from editing, so I can’t really complain!
• Animal symbolism
  • Every culture has its own lore surrounding animals, and it’s particularly exciting to track common themes across the globe. My research has taken me through the desert Southwest as I study how various cultures view rattlesnakes, mountain lions, wolves, and hawks, among other desert dwelling creatures.
• Cheese
  • I posted on my social media about the woes of writing immersive fantasy while trying to create an accessible world. Certain topics make it harder than others. Take cheese, for instance–monterey jack, roquefort, brie, swiss, and the list of place names goes on! It’s hard to provide readers with enough specific details to feel immersion without disrupting that immersion by making them ask, “When did the French invade Alderdale?” It’s a tricky balance to strike in worldbuilding, and there’s quite the variety of ideas on the topic!

Updates

• Funding update: Lily’s Passage is 14% funded! Although the growth has been slow, there’s progress all the same. A huge thank you to all of the people who have generously given to this project so far. If you’d like to support my writing, you can visit my Project Jumpstart here: https://redemption-press.com/product/pre-publication-gifts-lilys-passage/ 
• Line editing is complete! I’m about 15% of the way through the manuscript, and it’s been so much fun to see everything streamlined. My goal is to have all the edits done by the end of August.
• Planning for book two has begun in earnest! More details to follow, but my goal is to have Holly’s Portent drafted by the end of 2023.

Lore

Light and darkness. It’s the oldest theme in history. In the beginning, “God separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:4b). Before any other creation began, there was a distinction made between these two things. We talk of being in shadow and what happens under cover of darkness, and no good image comes to mind. Darkness can represent all that’s unknown, or what’s hiding in its shadow. As a physical and symbolic substance, darkness is ominous.

When I began writing Lily’s Passage, I was in a kind of darkness. My future was uncertain—I had walked away from teaching, which I’d spent years pursuing and preparing for. The pandemic was ongoing, and although I wasn’t afraid, the constant pressure from outside sources telling me I should live in fear frayed my resolve. Perhaps the biggest change was becoming a mom and learning how to navigate the loneliness of staying home with a baby. I was hungry for something outside of raising my family that would give my life purpose but still allow me to stay home.

Little did I know, the answer had been in front of me for years.

I had often thought about writing, but it didn’t fit into my plan for my future. How could I plot novels while I had papers to grade? And where would I find the money to publish on a teacher’s budget? But when all my own plans crumbled around me, I finally saw the tiny flame God had lit years ago. It’s time to start writing. With that flicker of hope before me, I unearthed a manuscript that had sat dormant for almost a decade.

So I began again. 

It’s no surprise that one of the major themes in Lily’s Passage is the battle between light and dark. Every character wrestles with their personal demons, and there’s plenty of darkness in the world they inhabit. Like in our own world, there are trials and tragedies. But in spite of all that, there are those who fight to light up the shadows and bring hope to a hopeless world. 

That is my own goal too. To be a light in the darkness. And I’m thrilled to bring you, my readers, along with me on the journey.

As the wind blows,

Sydney Frusti