The National Championships

It is over.

The night before the National Championships, Daylen and I remembered back to last August when the first idea struck my mind. At that time, the impossibles seemed so vast. Now they're behind us...and they weren't impossible.

The day of the race, my nerves hit an odd wall of calm. I could almost call it excitement. The course belonged to me. I didn't feel like an outcast among the racers anymore, I was a racer. God brought me here and I wouldn't be afraid.

Photo courtesy: My wonderful sister, Melanie Shea

My family and husband hiked from the lift to the course. I trained. Time trials approached. My goal for Nationals? To make it into the brackets. Twenty-two girls were racing and only the top sixteen moved into brackets. I'd never made it to brackets before and I'd be racing the best in the nation. God knew the desires of my heart. In fact, He gave me these desires, way back in August. He knew best what would glorify Him. I trusted.

My dad and Daylen--my two coaches--waxed my board right before my run, pouring every bit of elbow grease into their work. When I strapped it on, sitting in line for the starting gate, I stood on waxed gold. My board never felt this good.

I slid into the start gate. Deep breath. Slow blink. My ten-second window beeped, echoing through my ears and into my fluttering stomach. 

Jesus... I thought.

I pulled from the start gate with a grunt and attacked the mountain.

Photo Courtesy: Melanie Shea

Photo Courtesy: Melanie Shea

My nerves evaporated the moment I landed a perfect start. The snow had softened and I concentrated on my line down the hill. Half way through the course, I smiled and said aloud, "I feel so free."

Indeed, I did. Excitement and joy replaced any hesitation or doubts. I'd never felt so calm on a course, even though I had a little fumble at the end. I finished panting and went straight to the time board. 

51.02 seconds. 

I only needed to beat six girls. 

I beat nine.

My dad and Daylen met up with me. I couldn't stop smiling. Dad bought me a Snickers bar and we went back up to the top for my next race...in the quarterfinals. They re-waxed my board and I entered the gate with three other girls.

"Have a good run, ladies," I said. They replied with concentrated grunts...and they all had great runs. Except me.

I fumbled the start and lost my speed. I never caught up with them, but I still enjoyed the rest of the course. My family and husband still cheered with me. I still placed 13th. And God threw huge party.

This may be the end. Daylen and I think it is. The only way I'd continue is if I received an invitation to the World Championships, but it's unlikely and out of our hands. So how do we feel?

Wonderful.

No, we didn't make it to the Olympic podium, but we dreamed like professionals. We went for it anyway. And this story is ours forever. No one can every take it. Living it inspired us. Sharing it will hopefully inspire our children. God took Daylen and me to completely new levels of trust and relationship. He showed us the beauty of living a crazy story for Him. I discovered His joy in adventure. 

This one may be over, but it's certainly not the last one. Already, Daylen and I wondered aloud on our 10 hour drive home,

"What's next?"

To read the rest of our snowboarding story, visit the separate snowboarding blog!

Launch Week!

Launch Week hit my editorial website last Sunday and God's blowing the trumpets of celebration. A tiny budded flower emerges from my inner shadows, blooming for the first time into the light of purpose. I've never felt this way before. I've dived into a world filled with my greatest passions: writing and editing. Who thought I'd actually have the opportunity to do this full-time? I never did.

So, in celebration and to spread the word, I'm posting my Launch Week announcement and special on this blog and my book review blog. You may not be a writer, but you may know one. You may not even enjoy writing, but you're witnessing a hopeful writer entering into a dream. I can't believe God picked me.

The Announcement:

It's Launch Week at last!

This means you can get a substantive edit for a $150 flat fee if your manuscript is 80,000 words or less and for $200 if it's between 80,000 and 120,000 words.

This is a HUGE bargain, both in the freelance editing world and on my personal site. After this week, my prices will settle to 0.0035/wd (ex. 80,000 wd manuscript = $280). Please see my Editorial Services page for more details on what your edit will entail.

Important to Know:

• The Launch Week Special begins Sunday, March 17th and goes through Saturday, March 23rd.
• Your manuscript must be fiction (thumbs-up if it's speculative...my favorite!). I do not edit non-fiction or poetry.
• Priority is given on a first-pay, first-serve basis
• I accept Paypal to this email address - nadine.r.shea@gmail.com (this is not a contact e-mail!).
• If you don't have your manuscript quite ready, go ahead and schedule it with me to get your discount. I'm happy to help you and happy to wait! If you need a critique ASAP, please mark your payment as such.

Please understand that, though I will be as speedy (and thorough) as possible, depending on your place in line, it may take several weeks for you to receive your edited manuscript. You may schedule your edit anytime between now and August 31st.

Contact:

If you are interested in the Launch Week Special, please e-mail me with your name and "Launch Week" in the subject line. In the body of the e-mail, please include:

• Your name
• The genre and current length of your manuscript
• The intended age group of your manuscript
• A small description of your manuscript
• Whether or not you consider your manuscript "Christian"
• Any questions about my services
• How you heard about this special

Please share this special with fellow writers so they may all have an opportunity to take advantage of this special. Thank you!

Freelance Dreaming

Have you ever experienced the innate whisper telling you you can't pursue dreams? It sounds a little like this:
.

That dream doesn't make enough money for you to support a family.

This dream isn't what people expect from you.

That's not really a dream, it's a sporadic urge.

That can't possibly work out!

God wants you to do unpleasant things for Him. 
 

Why is it we think we can't pursue dreams?

Perhaps there is no "we" in this; I may be alone with this brick wall. I don't know when it started to build, but with each brick came the repeated thought, "If I want to do it, God probably won't let me." Every time this thought repeated, my cement grew harder.

From where does this message arise that God desires to douse us in a begrudging life of self-sacrifice and grim determination through things we hate?

In the past few months, I've neglected my blog and wondered what my returning post would look like. I was going to paint a picture of my ideal future--a vision of dreams, per se. Sometimes it's just fun to examine your dreams with raw honesty. I was going to paint Nadine Brandes as the successful writer on one hand and freelance editor on the other, but because I hold a Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology, I've always felt freelance editing would never really be in my future.

Why?

An exceptionally difficult day two weeks ago led me to re-think my income prospects. This is when freelance editing swam into my mind again. And this time, God asked, "Why not?"

So I asked, "Why not?"

 

My knees hit the carpet and stayed there for two weeks (figuratively). Like swirls of smoky magic, I prayed my way through creating a freelance editing website (yes, another site....).  I "launch" it Sunday (March 17th). 

So what is it exactly?

I'll be offering substantive edits of complete or partial fiction manuscripts (preferably Christian). I want to help Christian author-dreamers hone their writing so they can continue to impact the world. I've recently been strongly affected by Christian speculative fiction. I see the power it holds compared to secular novels. Both hold adventure, but the Christian ones bring something so much more fulfilling. I find myself pursuing God more, seeing Him in new lights. I want to help with this. 

I truly believe God's blessed me with editing eyes. I dedicate my very pupils to Him. So, March 17th (Sun) through March 23rd (Sat) is Launch Week. I'll be offering full fiction manuscript edits (80,000 words or less) for $150 and 80,000+ for $200. I can't wait. 

This post may sound a little like a business pitch, but it's more like a life update. I'm following passions. It's terrifying and yet beautiful. Fully committing to something completely out of my control is the best type of adventure.

Sent

Can you lay hands on an e-mail?

I did.

My fingers left prints. Colored pixels flickered on and off as I put mild pressure on the screen. I couldn't even form words to describe what roiled inside me. 

"This is Yours," was all I could really manage.

My e-mail contained a single document and a small message, both of great importance. The document: my completed manuscript. The message: to the publisher of Marcher Lord Press.

I've awaited this day for almost two years--the day he first requested my manuscript. My novel, A Time to Die, was only at 30,000 words at that time. Today it's complete at 140,000. I fought the pressure to rush my writing. I held onto faith that God held my book near His heart more firmly than I did. I had to believe the publisher would still be interested in my novel even if I didn't finish it for a couple years.

God is faithful. God is patient. God is encouraging. 

 

Now that it's sent, I don't have expectations. Yes, there's hope, but any steps that follow this are gifts. There's always hope when God monograms your life with miracles.

The process of writing a book is unexplainably unique. I've learned more about someone's thinking than the rules of writing. I've seen God tie ends I didn't know I opened. I've grown to respect a publishing company like a close friend. I've seen how a publisher with passion can meet a need others are ignoring. I've learned my husband can have as much zeal for my writing as I do. 

I'm thrilled to grow. I'm ecstatic to learn. I'm even excited to wait. The more red-pen scribbling across my life (and manuscript) the better. My goal is not publication. My goal is glorification of my Lord.

So, with a deep breath, I wait. It is sent. I am sent. Can't wait to find out where.

Hole Shot Tour

Fifty racers stripped down to their customized, padded, skin-tight racing clothes, chatted with their coaches, met with their racing friends, and analyzed the course like it was a particularly tasty burger.

I sat alone in floppy torn snowpants purchased nine years ago, strapping in to a board even older than that. No coach. No racer buddies. Just staring at the intro jump a good three feet taller than me.

When I slid into the start gate, I wasn't hit with the arm-shaking nerves I got during my first race at Raging Buffalo, but my heart belly-flopped into my stomach when I pulled myself out of it and launched over the jump. 

(this is not me, just a few guy boarders to give you a taste for the start gate)

Today was training day: an extra optional day for racers to board (or ski) the course early. Snowboarders had from 12:15 to 2:00. To the professional eye, I looked like a beginner my first time slipping the course. I lost my balance, I lost my edge on the particularly icy portions, and I muttered like a maniac the whole way down about how intense the course was.

On my way back up, determined to climb back on the horse (or should I say dragon?), feeling coachless and inept, I remembered who my coach is. He's not a human coach, but a coach who can command the mountain to adjust beneath my board if He wants.

The course went better. I started anticipating the launch of the jumps and the lengths of the gaps. I understood the iciness of the snow and roughness of the landings.

I'm in the hotel now, counting the bruises and wondering if I'm allowed to stuff a pillow over my tailbone for tomorrow's training. I've yet to completely board the course without slowing down. Most of today's training tried to tackle my lack-of-confidence. Every time I close my eyes, I imagine the course and how I'll dominate it tomorrow...with my Coach. He's the one who decides what "dominating" will look like. Even if it's last place, I'm following His commands...and it's the best instruction I'll ever receive.



(to read further updates on my snowboarding ventures, follow my snowboarding blog!)
(to understand what in the world this snowboarding venture is, read my post, Bucket List Olympian)