As 2013 Closes.

2013 is about to end, and I don't know what to think of it. Frankly, I am still wrestling with what the last year has contained. I self-published my first novel, Stronghold, but it's critical and financial's results were questionable at best and poor at worst. Many will say that self-publishing in and of itself is an accomplishment, and I believe this to be true, but is it enough of an accomplishment to warrant the time and effort it requires? It's a fair question I've had to ask myself.

3LC Beyond the Blog

Dear Readers, 

If you enjoy the content I produce here on 3LC, you may take interest in some of my writings at other venues. Hopefully this list will expand in 2014, but for now, here's the whole thing. Please click the links below to check out some of the off-blog content in which I've participated or I've had published (yes, by real editors) on other sites:

Addicts: Give yourself the gift of Time

Why do We collect [Toys]?

What Happaned to the Summer Toy Aisle?

Loving Lego at All Ages

Interview with Covenant Eyes Regarding Stronghold

Audio Interview with Second Chances Radio regarding Stronghold

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

See Subject.

Enjoy a day of rest, friends and family. Enjoy life and enjoy others.

Thanks for stopping by, today and others as well!
C

Scripture Memory and A Song of the Heart: Isaiah 40: 9-18

Sometimes this is how The Lord works: 

Thursday morning, I stumbled upon a tweet from a young man who was a child the last time I saw him 10 years ago. His tweet contained a reference to Isaiah 40:1-2, and I have provided the passage below, via the ESV: 

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 aSpeak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that bher warfare1 is ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the Lord's hand

double for all her sins.

5 Great Christmas Gifts for Artists

Artists need our help; they need the help of fans, and they need the help of other artists. If a handful of small artists have given you a gift through their work, why not give them a little something in return this holiday. Here's 5 ways to give your favorite artists a treat this December (and 3 of the ways are free, so no excuses!)

RAIL MAIL: A RECOMMENDATION (or, "a letter of love to my eldest sibling")

In 2004, my eldest brother Geoff Stunkard wrote a book, and I never read it. I even got an autographed copy, but I didn't give it a chance. I should have. Regardless of subject matter or interest, he's my brother, and I should have supported him. Being a struggling writer myself, I see that now.

Gift Recommendations from 3LC

Hi All,

It's not too late to get some great Christmas gifts for readers and enjoyers of fine music!
Plus, Amazon Prime still offers 2-day shipping.

My Book Recommendations:

Chasing Shadows: Back to Barterra - John Mark Reynolds

JLA: A League of One - Christopher Moehler

Called To Stay - Caleb Breakey

Earthen Vessels - Matthew Lee Anderson

The End of Our Exploring - Matthew Lee Anderson

The Preacher's Bride - Jody Hedlund

Sola Scripture - Keith Buhler 

and...because I'm me, I gotta include it...

Stronghold - C.J. Stunkard

My Music Recommendations:

Satellite Kite:

The Music of Matty Rineer

Chasing Shadows: Back to Barterra: A Recommendation

Author John Mark Reynolds and I have something of a strange history. At the age of 17, I was invited to join the Torrey Honors Institute that Dr. Reynolds had begun at Biola University. I declined the offer, because at the time I did not want to spend my entire college life reading (I know, I was an idiot). Later, during my senior year at university, one of his students asked me to adapt a play Dr. Reynolds had written into a script for a senior project. And I did. Very poorly. The doctor made that known to my friend rather than me, and he was right to do so (I was, after all, not really his student). After this, Dr. Reynolds and I saw each other very little and years later crossed paths when we I was working at Biola. We chatted briefly, and that was that.

December Links

Want more to read...Here's some stuff.

Five Times to Write When You've Got No Time

When I started my new job, I knew that my writing time was going to be significantly reduced. The first week I was scrambling to fit twenty minutes or so into each day. Yeah, it was like that. Fortunately, as time has passed, I've begun to carve an hour here and there on the regular, and my wife has been exceedingly gracious with me during the evenings at home.  Nonetheless, I still hunt for minutes here and there to polish a blog post or jot down notes, and below I've provided 5 really great times I've found to fit in a few worthwhile words.

Scripture Memory: Lamentations 3:21-42

In a recent post about holding to hope, I referenced my attempts to memorize Lamentations 3:21-42, and today I have included the passage for you all. I cannot tell you the number times I have recited it to myself in the last few weeks, in part or in full, and how often its truth has provided relief, peace, and focus. The passage is truly wonderful, but I need not speak for it. Read below and you will see what I mean:

NANOWRIMO UPDATE: Last November, This One, and the Writer's Race

This time last year, I had just finished NaNoWriMo. The result was a very poor fantasy novel...so poor that it will likely be scrapped for spare parts rather than revised. But that's not all. I had also pitched an idea to The Lego Group for a new theme as well as built items for the annual Creations for Charity event (five of which sold).

How I Fight the Pride I Hate

In Stronghold, I wrote about slaying lust, but I didn't touch on pride. Frankly, I don't even want to consider it. Fighting pride in my soul...I don't even know where I'd begin. I suppose I would start with me (how appropriate). Perhaps the battle would be just the two of us--the Old Self that clings to life in the soul despite the ground that the Holy Spirit gains through sanctification versus the New Self that craves said sanctification like water. Maybe that old C.J. is a saboteur or a lone terrorist burning the fields of peace or laying desolation to cities of solitude. Then again, were I to write that book, I don't know how I would end it (and I won't compare it to Stronghold, for I don't want to spoil that climax for anyone who has not read it).