It's been nearly 4 years since I published my debut short story, Beneath the Willow Tree, as a brand new indie author who had no clue what she was doing, only a story she wanted to share.
Beneath the Willow Tree was the first short story I'd ever written (not first story, thank heaven). Beneath the Willow Tree holds a lot of firsts for me. First discoveries, first successes, first failures, and first mistakes.
It's the first book I ever signed my name to, the first book I earned a dollar from. It's the first (and last) book that I didn't have a proof copy sent to me before hitting publish. It's the first book I freaked out about finding a typo in. (By the way, that particular typo wasn't actually my fault, more on that below). The first book I've wanted to bang my head against the wall as I tried to figure out formatting issues. The first book I squealed when I saw the cover for it.
It's the first of my work that I ever held in my hands.
Stories come from stories. It was stories that made me want to write my own stories. And so, four years later, I'd like to share some of the story behind Beneath the Willow Tree. Like, why a willow tree? Why does the book start off with moths, of all things? How in the world did I get such a gorgeous cover when I had zero clue about cover design? How did I end up publishing my first short story?
Friend, welcome to the world of the willow tree.
First of all, why a willow tree?
Willow trees became a favorite tree of mine because of a book. (Are you surprised?) In the Prince Warriors series by Priscilla Shirer, book 2, there's a moment where some of the characters are hiding under the sheltering limbs of a willow tree from nasty creatures called Ents.
The memory is vague (I desperately need to reread that series), but that image stuck with me, of the willow's long, sweeping arms coming out and covering someone in a shelter of sorts. They came to symbolize refuge and a place of peace.
So later on, I drew on that image for this short story. The willow tree is Nova's place of refuge, place of peace and rest, in the harsh, depressing world of slavery she lives in. I think we all have our "willow tree" places, literally or figuratively. For me, one of those places is books, and somehow I suspect that's true of a lot of people reading this 😉 And ultimately, it's Jesus who is our true refuge from the world. From ourselves and our own fears, our pain, and our sin, which is something also symbolized.
"You spread Your hands
And made a refuge for the weak
And blessed the weary bruised and broken."
(From Hallelujah by Tenth Avenue North.)
Naturally I wanted the front cover of the book to have a willow tree on it. At the time I didn't know hardly anything about cover design. I didn't know there were people who specialized cover design. I didn't know how much it cost. I didn't even know about using stock photos!
Ironically enough, there were two things I did know, one of them being I was not the one who could do the cover I was envisioning. I've dabbled in drawing, but I knew I didn't have the skill to do it. So naturally, one must find an artist to do it, right?
I did know of one artist, a family relative, and I asked them to do the cover for me. They (very generously) agreed, though they'd never done a book cover before that I know of, and the result was this:
A gorgeous cover that captured my vision perfectly. (Though my camera can't capture it as perfectly.)
I had no idea how special it was to have a cover custom drawn for me. It looks even more beautiful in person, when you're holding the paperback copy. Truly, I think its somewhat of a miracle and gift from God that I was so clueless but ended up with such a pretty cover. So pretty, that I thought the colors would look gorgeous on a matching fluid acrylic art magnet.
Bella Raine, another artist, did just as good a job capturing the colors of this cover into the fluid art piece, as my original cover designer did in capturing my vision for the cover.
Okay, so all that makes sense with the willow tree and the cover, but what about those moths? The first line is "The moths were back." What? Where did that come from?
At the time I started the first draft of Beneath the Willow Tree, sometime in late spring I think it was, we were suffering from a moth invasion in our home. I'm kind of kidding, but I'm also not. We're used to seeing the occasional moths about, but this was another level.
Moths are little, dusty, gray brown creatures who prefer the night time hours. Think the very opposite of a butterfly. Most of the time, I actually think they're kind of cute, (my mom doesn't), but when they were at this obsessive level... Well, they get put into your story as a way to set the tone for the world.
These moths seemed to fit in with Nova's world. Dusty and dismally colored with gray and brown. Crawling on the walls and invading the home, staring down at you. They immediately set the tone for a world ruled by slavery and the Mark.
If the willow tree is a symbol of refuge and hope, the moths are a symbol of what the rest of the Mark ruled world is like. What Nova goes to escape from by being under the willow tree. What we try to escape from when we go beneath our willow trees.
I can't tell you exactly where the idea for "The Mark" came from, unlike the moths or the willow tree. But just as we all have our willow tree places, we also live in a Mark ruled world, and we know the pain of it. Of our own Marks. So maybe it can be said that the "Marks" just came from our own world.
The Marks in this world come from Disace, emblazoned into a person's arm just above the elbow, and "mark" them as his, as bound to his domain. A simple circle of chain links is what they often look like. Everyone is born with it, everyone dies with it, there is no getting rid of it. Those who are stronger in its power (like plantation masters or Disace's minions), use it against the weaker to cause burning pain and agony that can send a person to their knees.
Sounds like a pleasant world, filled with moths and Marks, right? Oh, and a willow tree. One lone, peaceful willow tree. Through this world, I was able to explore the truths that had been building in my soul for a long time and finally had a chance to come bursting out.
Beforehand, I'd never considered writing a short story. When I first found out about Indie publishing, it was advised that one started out with a short story instead of a whole novel (wise advice), as you learned the ropes. Almost instantly, I knew what I wanted to write about, and it all flowed out from there.
One of the main themes is: trust is hard. Specifically, trust in God is hard. It's hard when you've already been disappointed or failed. It's hard when you just can't see how something is going to turn out. It's hard when the stakes are high and the way ahead is painful.
But that's not all.
Trust is hard, but it is worth it. It is worth it because only God is our willow tree. It's so hard, but it's also so worth it if you can be brave enough to do it. It comes with risk, but it comes with love too, and if so, is it really a risk? Realistic redemption isn't easy. But it is worth it. Even if it means pain.
The themes of Beneath the Willow Tree built the story. Sometimes, the story builds the themes, but not this time. Beneath the Willow Tree grew out of the what the Lord was teaching me, still is teaching me, and I hope that it gives refuge to someone who needs it.
And so, Beneath the Willow Tree became my debut short story.
All these years later, I don't look back with regret.
To be sure, I've grown so much in those four years since then. I've learned a lot. My writing has matured so much. I don't recommend publishing your first short story as your debut. (Your first anything as your debut, for that matter.) But somehow, by God's grace, it worked out.
Beneath the Willow Tree is a snapshot of what my writing was 4 years ago, not what it is now. But I think it is also a snapshot of what that writing would become, what it would grow from. God had His hand on it in a way I hadn't felt before, but have felt a lot more times since then. There is nothing like it, and I will forever be amazed by it.
So friend, thank you for stepping into the world of the willow with me for a bit. If you've read Beneath the Willow Tree, thank you so, so much. It means a lot <3 And if you haven't, your chance is coming up! Beneath the Willow Tree is going to be free from Nov. 29 to it's anniversary publishing date, Dec. 3rd. So that will be your perfect chance to snag a copy. To stay updated on that sale, you can subscribe to my newsletter!
Until the next newsletter, may you be blessed,
Abby 💜