I’m running late today, but you’ll soon see there’s an excellent reason for it.

I’ve been asking the Lord to give me the seed of the next Bell Mountain book. I don’t want to wind up trying to write it as the weather turns cold.

So after our grocery-shopping, I was sitting outside with my cigar, taking in the spring day, mentally compiling a list of characters in my books (it helps me remember who’s who); and I asked one more time for something, anything, that would get the next book started, ask and ye shall receive–

And I got it. Wham, bam–the opening scene of the book, and a symbol to tie the whole story together, however it shapes up. Completely out of the blue: nothing to do with any of the loose ends I left, purposely, dangling from the closing chapters of His Mercy Endureth Forever. Them I’ll get to, in good time.

Man, I’ll never get used to this, even though it’s happened so many times–like every time I wrote one of these books. God always surprises me.

I even got a working title: The Wind From Heaven.

Rejoice with me. I’ve got a big, big job ahead of me, it’ll stretch me pretty good; but it’s the work I love best, and I have no idea what I’ll encounter on this journey–surprises all the way. But with the Lord guiding me, wherever the story ought to go, I’ll tell it.

Oh–and you can bet I broke out my legal pad and wrote that scene. I’m on my way!