It's my bucket list dream to go to the Grand Canyon and, someday, I'll get there. Here's a confession that's going to be pretty obvious based on that first sentence... I haven't been there yet.
But I have written two books and a novella that take place there.
Here's another thing... I am intent on getting things right, especially when it comes to real places. Why? I never want to trounce all over someone's happy place. I never want to be disrespectful to a place that holds a special spot in people's hearts. It's important to me to treat precious things as precious.
The first time I set a book in the Grand Canyon, it was because my publisher asked me to. I watched documentaries. I read books. I followed travel blogs. One guy helpfully kept a day-to-day account of his rim-to-rim hike of the canyon, including pictures. I'd love to meet him some day and shake his hand.
But still, I needed help. I had to know how my hero and heroine could get through their ordeal in the canyon. What kind of terrain would they face? How could they get to safety without knowing where they were?
So I ordered a map... and I called in this guy:
Y'all meet my husband. He spent twenty-two years in the Army, and he's a rock star at orienteering. Give that man a map and a compass, and he can get anywhere. I handed him the map and a pen and said, "How would you evade someone following you when your lost and need to get to safety?"
His response?
"Depends. Am I a good guy or a bad guy?"
Apparently, that makes a difference. Who knew?
He sat down, asked me a bunch of questions about the story, then mapped me a route that included all of the landmarks I needed. He highlighted the path, noted hills and valleys and plateaus and creeks, and generally made sure my characters survived their winding way through the Grand Canyon with bad guys following close behind.
I never would have been able to do that on my own.
Sometimes, we all need a navigator. Maybe we're looking at an actual map. Maybe we're going through a rough spot and we need advice from someone who's been there before; someone who can help us find a path through the highs and lows, the calm and the chaos. When it comes to life and I'm feeling lost, I know God's right there, but I also have friends and family members I can talk to. Counselors. Acquaintances God sends me in the moment. Occasionally, I've even had someone in a grocery store line say something offhand that sets my feet on a whole new path. The key is, listen to the navigators. Ask them for help. They can often point you onto the best path to get you to where you need to go.
Who has been a "navigator" in your life? Comment below for a chance to win a copy of both Witness in Peril and Hidden in the Canyon, two of the books I wrote that are set in the Grand Canyon! I'll draw a random winner on Monday, June 3, 2024. US winner can choose ebook or hard copy. International winner will receive an ebook.
Boy, this speaks to me. I've had so many navigators. A retired BAU special agent, police officers, a police dispatcher, a retired U.S. Marshall, doctors... The list goes on and on. There's no way I could write all these books without these wonderful people. So glad you're honoring one of yours. (And he's pretty cute, btw.) :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think I'll keep him around. ;-)
DeleteI want to borrow your navigator! (You might think about hiring him out. lol) I've had many navigators both for my books and for life. My wonderful neighbor across the street was my spiritual mother--she set me straight with God's word so many times. Recently she went to live with her daughter an hour away and I really miss her.
ReplyDeleteI remember you talking about her. As for him, I've thought a few times about taking him to a conference and letting him answer questions. I think he'd get a kick out of it. LOL
DeleteI have had way too many navigators in my life to list them all. I would have to say the biggest navigator for me has been Jesus.
ReplyDeleteLooking back, I’ve had different navigators at different times in my life. My parents served in that role during my childhood, a teacher during high school, an unexpected friendship at another time, and writerly friends more recently. It has definitely been an adventure!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! We all need navigators in our lives. My mom. twin sister, brother, hubby and various teachers have shared their knowledge and experiences with me and served as navigators in my life. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeletemom
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
I love this post! I would like to go to the Grand Canyon, too. In fact, we planned a trip last year for our 50th anniversary but I got sick so we postponed. Still trying to go this year maybe. My navigator has been the Lord Jesus and my husband. As a military wife, I spent a lot of time alone with the children while he was deployed, so I learned to lean hard into Jesus when we moved to new places with new faces and a new church. My husband would come home and jump right into his role, but it was comforting to know that when he was gone, I had a Navigator who would never leave me. watts.vickie@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteAmen to that! I don't know how military wives make it without the stability of Jesus! And thank you BOTH--and the kids, too!--for serving.
DeleteMy counselor for sure has been one of my navigators and also my friend Laura. She’s walked alongside me trough so many things!
ReplyDeleteI would have to say my mother has and also me too of course. I have been to the Grand Canyon. I went with my brother and some friends back in the late 1990s. After parking somewhere, we walked down to the bottom which took about 4 or 5 hours. We spent the night down there and walked back up the next day. Going back up took most of the day but it was a beautiful trip.
ReplyDeleteI have not been to the Grand Canyon yet - hope to get there one day. A navigator is an interesting position - I have been the navigator many times as we have moved from one camp to another when we were in camp ministry. As far as a navigator for myself, I think perhaps I have not had one since my Mom passed away in 2003. Since then, I have just waited on the Lord.
ReplyDeleteYour books sound like ones I would really enjoy - I love all the detail!
bettimace AT gmail DOT com
Further to my earlier comment, my email is cwkuen(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThank you.
I've had a lot of navigators in my life over the years to help me when I was too sick to see my way through alone. Right now I'm in counseling for PTSD domestic violence and severe grief. I have a great team of counselors and caseworkers that are guiding me to a healthier head space!
ReplyDeleteHaving counselors is so wise. There are so many things we can't get through on our own, no matter how hard we try. I love how God walks beside us and He also sends others to walk with us as well.
DeleteI've also never been to the Grand Canyon, would love to go someday! tWarner419@aol.com
ReplyDeleteMy Mom was always my navigator. I miss her everyday. Thank you for sharing. God bless you. dpruss@prodigy.net
ReplyDeleteMy current navigator is my husband! Your husband sounds like he has a very special gift!
ReplyDeleteI live in Las Vegas and have been to the Grand Canyon. It is so stunning! We actually went Memorial Day weekend 2020, and it was amazing because there weren't that many people there. We have some incredible pictures without any other people!
I would love to win these books!
Heather Mitchell crhbmitchellfam at gmail dot com
The Grand Canyon is on my bucket list, too! Thanks for an inspiring post.
ReplyDeleteGod is really so good, and I've learned along the way that He restores so much of what we've lost. It doesn't always look like we think it will, but it is always good.
ReplyDeleteEmily, you won the book! If you would send your email address for an ebook or your mailing address for a physical copy to me at jodie@jodiebailey.com, I'll get that out to you!
ReplyDeleteLove all of the comments! Emily Catan was the comment randomly chose by the random number generator. Thank you all for sharing, and I'll see you soon!
ReplyDelete