Greetings.
It has sure been a while since I have blogged. I have been journaling, praying, and doing Bible study mainly, along with reading some as time provides. Mainly, I have been searching for "the" writing project of my life and I think I finally found her. (I like to personify things, by the way. It's part of my quirky personality.)
The idea started to come to me about a week and a half ago and I have already collected 228 pages of research notes. I started collecting the notes three days ago.
So, what is this project? Over the course of the next 6+ years, I am going to thoroughly study the book of Daniel. This research and study will lead me to write in time six historical fiction novels based on the book and man of Daniel. Each novel, by the way, will be based off of two chapters of the book of Daniel. There are twelve chapters in the book of Daniel.
Why will it take me 6+ years to research the book of Daniel? If I am going to write even one historical fiction novel on any part of the Bible, I want to take it seriously. I do not want to get "just enough" information. I want to be thoroughly versed on the subject matter. I want to know it with my brain and with my heart. I want to live it. I want to dive as deep as I can into the material so I can immerse myself in the text, in the culture of the day, in the history, and everything about the people, events, and places of the story.
The truth is, I could spend forty hours a week for probably the next twenty-five years. However, I know I will spend at least a year per novel in research of the two chapters of the Book of Daniel in which the novel will cover and be based. Who knows, it might be more than that. Time will tell.
How am I studying each chapter of the Book of Daniel?
1 I am doing an Inductive Bible Study.
2 I am taking a hermeneutic approach.
3 I am dwarfing my own study after one and two.
Huh? In case that doesn't make sense, in short, I am doing a verse by verse, chapter by chapter study where I am asking the verse lots of questions and am searching for answers, I am looking up all of the cross-references, I am doing several word studies. Then, I am doing three different Bible studies on the book, am listening to three different sermon addresses, and reading every commentary I can get my hands on.
This is not quick. It takes time. It is approximately one week per verse and that is before I look at the commentaries.
I have actually started dreaming about the book of Daniel and when I roll over in the night, it comes to mind. As I drive or as I shower, Daniel comes to mind. Daniel has started to become woven into the fabric of my life and who I am. And I have barely started.
I refuse to shortchanged my study and research so I can write a quick book. I am writing a historical fiction series based off of a man from the Bible and the book of the Bible! This is holy ground and I will tread carefully and intentionally.
I will share what I learn on this blog.
In time, I will share a great deal of my notes and will even write a Bible study here on this blog on the book of Daniel.
This blog will be about my 6+ year journey through the book of Daniel. It will also be a Bible study and I will share the first drafts of my historical fiction novels here in this blog.
Welcome to the journey through the book of Daniel and please stay tuned.
Have a blessed day.
