BOOK BLEST - What is your vision? Why do we do this?

It is now only 9 days until the first ever Book Blest, a Christian book festival in Stroud.  This is the time when I can become jittery, with a combination of excitement and nervousness.  Why do I put myself through this (I don’t like to call it stress)?  As writers, we all do it, every time we make our work public, either by submitting it to a publisher or an actual book launch.  Why do we do it?

For me, it's a simple matter of obedience.  God clearly told me, that despite multiple and complex health issues, He hasn’t finished with me yet.  To cut a longish story short, He told me to write, so I do, out of obedience.  Why do you write?  What or who inspired you?  My mum was one of my inspirations.

Now, on top of all of the usual stress (there, I said it) I took on the task of starting this Christian book festival and the reason is the same, in obedience.  In the book of Joel 2:28 we read that young men see visions and old men dream dreams.  I guess I must still be young in that case, as God gave me the vision for this festival and made everything fall into place in the space of a month (I think that’s a miracle).

I do also believe, that without connections and friends that I have made via the ACW, I don’t think this would have been possible (God’s timing is perfect).  Just look at this list of participating authors – Sophie Neville, Clive Dale, Maressa Mortimer, BJ Mears, Corinna Turner, Hazel E Pinder, Margaret McAllister, Tanya Birchell, Joanna Watson, Sarah Tummey, Penelope Swithinbank, Joy Margetts, Fiona Myles, Amanda Bedzrah and Brendan Conboy (yes, that’s me).  How many of those do you recognise as ACW members and contributors?  The festival is also hosted by yet another ACW member, Revd Jo Regan, just to keep it in the family.

With such a fabulous lineup of authors, why am I so nervous?  As well as having the vision, I also had a dream (at age 62 I am in between young and old).  In my dream, I organised a music event and Status Quo were playing but no one turned up.  I do hope that this dream isn’t prophetic.  I shared the dream with Jo Regan and she said, “What we are doing is breaking the status quo.”

I found her words so encouraging, it is the encouragement of other writers that helps to keep us all going and heading toward the goal that God has given us.

Book Blest is shaping history, as we know of no other festival like it.  If you would like to be part of history and part of making this festival a success, then pop along to Stroud, in Gloucestershire for 4^th & 5^th November and be prepared to give and receive encouragement.

VISIT BOOK BLEST WEBSITE HERE

Please pray that God is glorified through the work of these Christian writers.

Brendan Conboy is the author of 10 published books including his fascinating autobiography, The Golden Thread.  In 1986, Brendan invited Jesus into his life and God blessed him with the gift of rhyming words.  He used that gift as a Christian Rap artist for 25 years and has written 4 poetry books including the entire Book of Psalms in Rhyme.  He has 3 published novels - Issues, Invasion of the Mimics and Legacy of the Mimics.  He is the creator of Book Blest Christian book festival.  Visit Brendan's website HERE.