Behind the Story, by Paula Rose Michelson

One of the topics I love to speak about is "The Creative Process." Now with my third Naomi novel, Book One, Beginning Anew of The Naomi Chronicles due to release this November, I've decided to share my journey from deciding what to write to yielding complete control. If you know me, you know that it its always easy for me to do as told. Yet, I know when you read this true account, you'll see that when the blessing was there, I joyfully said, "Yes!" But I'm getting ahead of myself.

So beginning at the beginning, which is always the best place to begin, I must share that I had always been told I could weave a great yarn. In fact, there were many times when while telling about something that really happened, listeners, even family members, and those I worked with and for asked me if I was making the story up. Thin-skinned, I didn't take that as a complement at all.

While in school, I was often told that my writing was good, but my spelling and punctuation horrid! The semester that each student had to write their autobiography was torture for me because at fourteen, I could not think of anything to say that wasn't a big snooze! Every day when I returned home from school, my mom prodded me to sit at the new Remington I'd been given for Hanukkah and type my story. Talk about excruciating torture... this was it! Every page I typed was edited, retyped, and re-edited. With each page of corrections new errors occurred. Not only was any potential of creativity stifled, but I quickly learned that I wasn't going to.....

About now...knowing that the next day, Friday, my autobiography was due, I jammed my desk chair under my bedroom door knob, pushed my desk over to my bed, sat down and began to type. I'd been listening to Frankie Laine sing "I Believe." This is the song that began my writers journey. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--j7wvtOi1s

Writings by Paula Rose: Captivated by author, Julia Gousseva's Moscow Drea...

Writings by Paula Rose: Captivated by author, Julia Gousseva's Moscow Drea...: Captivated by author, Julia Gousseva's ability to paint pictures that materialized in my mind, images of Moscow Dreams will forever be p...

Captivated by author, Julia Gousseva's Moscow Dreams by Paula Rose Michelson

Captivated by author, Julia Gousseva's ability to paint pictures that materialized in my mind, images of Moscow Dreams will forever be part of my internal landscape. Nowhere before had, I read, "Sunshine squeezed in between the buildings." As an author it had ever occurred to me that a summer rain could come on so suddenly that one could see the drops, "...racing each other to the ground." Were this wordsmiths only ability to write about the ordinary as a transcended experience it would have been enough to make this a thoroughly unique read!

However, Dr. Gousseva continued to demonstrate her mastery of historical fiction with layers of both generational personal and national history woven through the longing of 14 year old, Marina who lives through the fall of the Soviet Union and all that ensues. Juxtaposing what is known with what came before, and the unknown the author shows us the height of possibilities, the breath of fear, a crucible of becoming that each character and every person faces.

It is said that for any fiction to succeed the tension must build. Moscow Dreams does this and much, much more! Those looking for an amazing read will be enthralled!

On a personal note, as I read this thought provoking novel, I found myself thinking about the changes occurring here that many are not in favor of. I remembered the Passover we celebrated in the spring of 1991 with a family of Russian Jews who, due to the fall the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) had finally been allowed to come to America. Speaking with them, I realized that what we took for granted, they had never done for fear of being discovered.

Therefore, it is with a happy heart that I say, "Thank you Dr. Julia Gousseva for showing us what can happen when we do nothing as a people. Thank you for showing us how dreams can survive. And lastly, bless you for illuminating the human condition.


Paula Rose Michelson is the author of Casa de Naomi: The House of Blessing and The Naomi Chronicles, Book One, Beginning Anew scheduled to release in November of 2013.

http://www.amazon.com/Moscow-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00ALGW286/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378775526&sr=8-1&keywords=moscow+dreams+by+julia+gousseva

Walking by Faith or Walking in the World, by Paula Rose Michelson

When Obama was running for President in 2008, one of his talking points was The Dream Act. In his 2012 campaign, he spoke of it again. During both campaign cycles debate questions flew hot and heavy about illegal immigration. While taking a break at a 2012 book signing a college prof from The University of California, Irvine spoke with me about Book One, and asked me to contact her because she wanted to put me in touch with facility teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) courses. As she encouraged me, I envisioned The Dream Act students using my fiction, and I smiled.


I spoke with my husband, we prayed, looked at the number of campuses local to us, and bought 25 copies of Casa de Naomi: The House of Blessing, Book One so I could gift a copy to each interested teacher. When the books arrived, I set up meetings. Although polite, no one was interested. During numerous discussions with ESL teachers, I discovered that the educational portion of The Dream Act our President was touting had been in effect for several years.


How often, I wondered, do I vacillate between God Word and other voices? Yet rather than worry, God quickened Jeremiah 29:11, "I know that plans I have for you...plans to not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future," to my heart. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29:10-12&version=NIV


I mention this today because once again, God has taught me that setting aside what I thought would happen and asking Him to silence  my "I want it to happen now' thoughts has brought me into a season of rejoicing I would have never experienced if I continued in my "Invictus" attitude. In case you're wondering how this wife of a missionary and pastor could allow the idea, "I am the master of my fate" into her heart, I will share that though this thought was originally published in a small book of poetry 1875 called the "Book of Verse" as one of the four alternating poems called "The Book of Death and Life,"  Simon and Garfunkel popularized the claims made in "Invictus" in 1963 when they sang, "I am a rock. I am an island, which was their final track in the much acclaimed, "Sounds of Silence" album. Since I used to love grooving to this song the thoughts were already in-bedded in my mind.

The words one reads in the poem "Invictus" or listens to in that Simon and Garfunkel fortress song are no more true today than when they were penned...They are a philosophy not a fact! And amazing as it might seem what Ron and I did then in faith is now bearing fruit in a way I could have never envisioned! God does work in strange and wonderful ways when we wait upon Him. Today I know that what happened at that long-a-ago book signing prepared me to say yes to a college prof and I quote, "As I was reading this book, I felt that it should become required reading for students in college-level writing classes, the kinds I have been teaching for many years. I gathered up my courage and emailed the author to see if she would be willing to let me use the first chapter of Casa de Naomi, Book One with my students. To my delight, she agreed. Thank you, Paula! My students and I really appreciate it!"

Books Need Critical Acclaim, so God....by Paula Rose Michelson

A 5* Review! “If a book is engaging from the first page, it's a sign of a very good writer. Paula Rose Michelson is not just a very good writer. She is an excellent writer, so she gets the readers interested in the fate of her main character from the very first line. As soon as I read, "Naomi knew she was in trouble the moment the immigration official had told her, he was taking her to Ellis Island," I was hooked. I knew I was in for a treat. And then the story got even better.

For fifteen-year-old Naomi, Ellis Island truly becomes "the last hope," but that hope comes at a price. The seemingly nice woman who agrees to sponsor Naomi's application to stay in the US quickly becomes more of a hostage taker than a helper. At least that's what Naomi thinks at first. Later, she realizes that she has just entered into a business arrangement that will shape her life in ways she has never expected.

Naomi's story is heartfelt and heart-breaking. In her native Spain, she had to "live in the shadows" and pretend to be Catholic to avoid persecution for her Jewish faith. She comes to America in hopes of gaining more freedom, but at first it seems that she gets loneliness and an overwhelming sensation of guilt instead of that freedom. Naomi's life journey involves loss, adaptation to the new world, a quick coming of age, marriage, and a sudden flood of opportunities that promise a brighter future, including the hope to get reacquainted with her faith and the Jewish way of life.

There's so much to love and admire about this book. It is engaging from the first to the last page, it is beautifully written, and meticulously researched. The research section that details the plight of Jewish people in Spain has more research than one could ever expect in a novel, and that information is highly appreciated and needed. With authentic detail and a sincere narrator's voice, Naomi's story comes to life on the pages of Paula Rose Michelson's wonderful book…I highly recommend.”  http://www.amazon.com/Casa-Naomi-House-Blessing-Blessings/dp/1613461380/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363757376&sr=8-2&keywords=casa+de+naomi+the+house+of+blessing

This evening, Julia Gousseva honored my work when she wrote, “I teach writing at a community college in Arizona, and I have a lot of freedom in what readings I pick, especially for my 101 and creative writing students. Right now, I'm updating my 101 classes and I was wondering if you would be interested in sending me the first chapter of Casa de Naomi to use with the students. I try to choose first chapters of a variety of books for them so they can look at different writing styles and (hopefully!) inspire them to read the rest on their own. Our students don't read much, but I try to get them interested. For my courses, I use software provided by the college -- I post my assignments and do grading from that software. That software is password-protected and only accessible to enrolled students. However, all my readings are on my own website that is open to everyone. I'll post the link at the end of the message for you to take a look at it. If I were to use your first chapter, it would be for my weekly online discussions, and the assignment would be something like this: Read the first chapter, answer some questions about the writing style and content (I would have to come up with them), and (if you would be interested in this part) think of some questions to ask the author. Of course, I wouldn't expect you to answer all their questions. I would pick a couple of questions, send them to you, and then post your responses on the website. So, here's the link. Please think about it and we can discuss it more. No rush at all! I just thought it would be great for the students to be able to read just a little sample of your book. I'm really trying hard to give them a variety of readings so that each of them finds something to his/her liking at least once in a while.”

Of course I said, "Yes!"

Transformative Life Choices ~ Author Paula Rose Michelson

Looking back on all I've done and what matters to me, I've realized that my life, my belief in Messiah, my effectiveness as a Christian lay counselor, what I taught my daughters and my grandchildren that matters and written about in Casa de Naomi: The House of Blessing and The Naomi Chronicles, Beginning Anew Books is about choices.

I think Robert Frost said what I'm trying to articulate best, so here's a snippet of his eloquent, life affirming sentence, "...I took the road less traveled." I've found that taking 'the road less' is the one I rejoice being on. Yet that road requires courage and tenacity! 

Script Writing

All of the above comments were a sort of prelude for the appetizer, which in this case is 'Script Writing!" I will begin by say that writing a script, any script is something I never imagined doing! Though a dear friend and author of mine is also a script and play write, and we have spend hours talking about her work, and because of my theatrical background, I have been blessed to edit some of it, the thought of writing for production has never entered my mind. Yet, as often is the case, God took me to a precipice and showed me that His message heard through the use of modern technology.

Aware that He is right, and that I knew someone who does video's for fun, I contacted her. We talked, meet, scouted a locale, and all the while it never occurred to me to ask God what He wanted me to say.

A week later an idea came to me...only after I admitted that I didn't know what I was doing. God is so good that He waited until I was talking to my husband, Ron about how God orchestrated my life journey to bring me to this place...this 'road less traveled' and I realized that it was in the choosing that I became what I am. That's when I first spoke the title of the video, hurried to my office and wrote the script I've posted below.  

Transformative Life Choices ~ Author Paula Rose Michelson

Welcome! Thanks for meeting me here in this lovely butterfly garden! Do you hear that song wafting on the breeze that says, “Life is what you make it? I do! That’s why I choose this place because butterflies are a significant symbol of change. Imagine if the caterpillar choose to stay as it is. Would there be any butterflies to flutter by? Of course not! That’s true for you and me too! We all change. While some change because they choose to, others change because they must!

I know! As a Christian lay councilor, who founded LAMB Ministries, speaker, and author, the wife of pastor and field missionary Ron Michelson, the mother of two daughters, who has seven grandchildren, I can attest that change is an inevitable part of life.

That’s a good thing. No let me correct myself…that’s a God thing!

Since you might be scratching your head and wondering if I’m daft, let me explain…God wove you together in your mother’s womb. He gave you life.

Your life will be whatever YOU make of it!

Even if You don’t change, change occurs.

I see you shaking your head, so I’ll use my heroine Naomi as an example:

Naomi is fearful so she runs away,

She gets where she wanted to

And makes another choice that makes her more fearful than before…

She hard pressed to make sense of the mess she’s made of her life…

We all feel like that…I have…and I bet you have too. Some look back with regret…some look forward with fear…no matter your journey, if you need solace, someone that understands, take Naomi along…allow her story to guide you…believe me, you can’t go wrong…I did, and I’m blessed to say that teenager who spoke to when I began to write enriches my life every day! That might be hard for you to understand, but it’s true because when a character you’re writing about begins to tell you on a better journey than the one you envisioned you’ll know what I mean!

Thanks for dropping by to chat with me for a minute! If you buy any of the Casa de Naomi: The House of Blessing or The Naomi Chronicles Books on Amazon please let me know that you did so I can tell Naomi that you are reading about her life. Wonder why I say that? Because though many think she’s a character in a series of books, she’s really to me because I chose her to be transformed into a person as real as you and me!

Transformative Life Changes Occur When We Make Transformative Life Choices

If you have issues that you’re dealing with please visit my Paula Rose Michelson website. Before you leave look at the butterflies on the obelisk, select the one that’s you and remember, life is what you make it and what you make it is up to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4UKhB8qacc

Within the first few chapters, I... by Paula Rose Michelson

My 5 Star Review of author Christoph Fisher's  "The Luck of the Weissensteiners." As a Jew who not only read The Diary of Anne Frank, but had the unique opportunity of hearing Mr. Frank speak about those days, and buy this timeless classic from him while he was in Los Angeles during the filming of the movie, I thought I had read and understood the pre-war effects upon the Jews and the hidden, and sometimes, not so hidden Anti-Semitism. Yet within the first few chapters, I realized that author Christoph Fisher' historical fiction "The Luck of the Weissensteiners, Volume One" was more deeply researched than any other fiction, and there have been hundreds of them, that I have read on this period.


Until I read this book, I could not fathom, with Anti-Semitism a prevailing reality, how Jews and non-Jews could ever choose to wed, and the horror when a spouse chose to disavow that union and anything tainted by it to survive. Within this touching story I found the answer and experienced a reality I hadn't since I read Anne Frank's book.


Today we are hearing about atrocities throughout the world and statesmen seem to want to perpetuate the myth that doing nothing is really doing something. While reading this heartbreaking story of love, fear and prejudice without the usual stereotypes and predictable situations, I was reminded that this is what happens when good people turn their back.


For me this fiction was a wake-up call for when a President and a Congress look at the dollars and cents of intervention instead of the inhumanity of what is occurring, and I discover that a historical fiction shows us that today's issues are tomorrow's history, I realize that a new standard for writers to aspire to has been achieved! Well done!
http://www.amazon.com/Weissensteiners-Three-Nations-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00AFQC4QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378074999&sr=8-1&keywords=Christoph+Fischer