Young writers to be part of book signing Dec. 14

The Daily Inter Lake

Out of the overflow of the heart, to borrow from the Gospel of Luke, the printed word spoke for three Stillwater Christian School girls this year.

Laura Campbell, a Stillwater graduate in spring 2006, and Danae Toman and Kerstin Jones, seniors in the Class of 2007, had their writing published in a new teen devotional, "This Is Now; A Girl-to-Girl Devotional for Teens."

"Nobody said these years would be easy," author Patti M. Hummel wrote on the book's back cover. "Or maybe someone did - but it was probably an adult who doesn't get it."

So Hummel solicited 365 days' worth of contributions from girls around the world who do, indeed, get it.

The result is a meaty, Scripturally based collection of thoughts on how to cope with daily life in a teen girl's world.

Eight of those contributions came from Jones, Campbell and Toman.

"I thought about things that I was dealing with that are universal," Campbell said. In her three submissions, she zeroed in on struggles with friendships and dating, carving out an identity in the midst of teen years, even national leadership.

But, she said, she did not want to wallow in the poor-pitiful-me mindset. Instead, she took a "look at what God has done. I think [the writing process] helped me a lot."

As Jones glanced back over the four devotions she had written more than a year ago, she was a bit surprised at her own insight. The girls had only a couple of days to come up with submissions last fall, after their English teacher Cinda Wilson had recommended them in response to Hummel's search for good writers.

Toman confessed that she "didn't think it was that big a deal" before seeing the finished product.

Campbell figured they missed the author's deadline and would not have their writing included in the published volume.

So it was a pleasant surprise as events unfolded over the following months.

Their inaugural book signing came on May 20 in Boise, Idaho. They met Hummel, who put them up in a hotel, brought them on stage with five other contributors to the devotional, and surprised them by having each one open to a page of her own writing and read to the audience at St. Ambrose High School.

Afterward, the eight writers settled in at a long table to sign books.

That scene was repeated in several locations around the nation as other contributors signed their own names in the devotionals.

Hummel compiled and edited the Multnomah Press book, which drew five-star ratings from all seven of the readers who reviewed it on Amazon.com since its May 1 publication.

One of those reviews came from an already-proven fan, Stillwater Christian's director of development, Craig Hunnicutt.

"The great thing about this devotional is that young readers encounter teen girls like themselves struggling to grow up and will receive Godly encouragement and direction," Hunnicutt wrote.

There's a reason the daily devotions ring true.

"I found verses that spoke to me a lot, then I brainstormed for a couple days and started writing," Jones said.

Despite having to rush to meet deadline and be concise to meet length constraints, Jones examined her own growth in talking with parents, telling the truth, Jesus' birth and even, at Hummel's request, Irish dancing.

Toman, like her two friends, examined her life with brutal honesty and then started writing. The result was "When Grace is Enough."

"I just think it was something girls needed to hear," Toman said of her exhortation to offer grace as often as seeking it. "There's a lot of backbiting … so there needs to be a lot of forgiveness."

She picked a familiar passage on God's grace, taken from St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

At the end of each girl's daily devotion, Hummel summarized their thoughts in a succinct prayer. The Stillwater Christian girls agreed that she nailed it every time.

The devotional experience laid another steppingstone on the path for both Toman and Campbell - Toman plans a career in publishing and Campbell is working toward her college degree in English. Jones aims to be a court reporter.

"It taught me a lot of discipline," Jones said, "to get a lot done fast, to get high quality stuff done fast - and to look at this material seriously."

It was exciting, she added, "awesome to be published."

Campbell, with an eye on her own publishing career, sees the process as a real confidence booster.

"To see this in print, not in your own handwriting," Campbell said, "it has a lot more meaning."

Toman remembers the thrill of being on stage, how some of the writers shed a few tears with the accomplishment.

"It was an interesting experience to be part of this," Toman said. "Patti is such a great lady."

All three girls will be on hand for a public book signing following Stillwater Christian School's Christmas concert Dec. 14. The concert begins at 7 p.m. in the high school gym and features the middle school and high school bands and choirs.

They also will read their devotions on KALS radio during the Christmas season, and expect to hold another book signing in a local store.

The books are available locally at Target, Wal-Mart, Borders and Christian Book Supply.

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com