Linda S. Glaz

Young Whippersnapper!

2012-02-13T06:15:00.000-08:00

I have to pay my respects to the young whippersnapper who became my crit partner four years ago. Jessica Nelson, a truly gifted writer, is about to introduce her first novel, LOVE ON THE RANGE, a Love Inspired Romance. The story will be out April 3, 2012 and is a delightful read.

It's a long road to publication, but Jessica was determined. Though just a whippersnapper compared to a lot of folks writing, her perseverance left no doubt she would be pubbed.

Whether you are fifteen or fifty, if you've been blessed with the talent to write, get off your duff and start putting words to paper. Shut off the tv, or leave it on for comfort, if you're a noise-infused writer, whatever it takes. But write!

Never give up your dream, don't even postpose it, you might be the next Jessica Nelson with a new book to celebrate.

SAD DAY FOR MUSIC

2012-02-12T06:17:00.000-08:00

Farewell, Whitney Houston.

Yes, I was a HUGE fan. When she sang, I was sure I heard the gates of heaven open so all could hear her better there. She had THE voice of this generation without a doubt. Remember the highs and lows? Both vocally and personally that we watched her go through? A mixture of joy and sadness...

When God blesses an individual with incredible talent, there comes huge responsibility with the talent as well. And artists, as we all know, can be very troubled individuals. But we also know God can be in the mix. Only He knows the human heart of each individual.

When Ms. Houston sang the national anthem during the Gulf War, I cried liked a baby, not only at her magnificent voice, but her enthusiasm for America. She raised us to our feet and helped us stand tall at a crucial point in our history. Her voice lifted us up and gave us hope--joy we hadn't felt in a while.

Hopefully we can all remember that our talents in voice, writing, theatre, and/or all of the above, aren't in and of themselves, but in and of God. There is a responsibility.

Don't hide your light under a bushel. Shine. You never know when your breath is your last on this earth.

May God bless her and hold her in His hand. Her personal struggles--our personal struggles are never ours alone. He is always--always--always with us.

MOST FOLKS GO POSTAL; I GO COCKADOODIE!

2012-02-11T13:58:00.000-08:00

HE DIDN'T GET OUT OF THE COCKADOODIE CAR! Anyone remember Kathy Bates screaming in the movie Misery about how the writer cheated her? Well....I've read three romantic suspense books because I like the actual story the writer tells, but I can't stand the cockadoodie nonsense she allows to happen in her books.

In one instance, a piece of equipment which gives away the evidence of a murder, sees down a hallway, around corners, through walls into a bedroom and witnesses a murder, without ever moving. Now, I wasn't a physics major, but 'taint possible, folks.

In another book, a PI in a VERY small town, is asked by the chief of police if the PI has a permit for his gun. Anybody want to venture a guess who signs the permits for weapons in a town? That's right. He had to know about the cockadoodie permit!

Now, I hope you realize, I didn't really go postal over this, but these three books all received 5-star reviews. And, again, I like the stories. Not a big fan of alpha males who talk rather flamboyantly, but I can even get over that. But don't cheat me as a reader by not doing your homework. I had made up my mind not to do this post a couple weeks ago, but after book three it stuck in my "craw" if you don't mind me dating myself.

Readers plunk down hard cash, and I would, as an agent, turn these submissions down if an author didn't fix these problems; instead they went from author, to editors and into print without anyone noticing.

Some things are preferences, others are the laws of physics. C'mon now...

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE IN NEW BALTIMORE, MI

2012-01-29T06:16:00.000-08:00

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
Here we are in New Baltimore, MI. Time for Winterfest in spite of the fact that there is no snow, it's barely above freezing, and the sun's out--for now. It IS Michigan after all. But the plungers are ready and will soon take to the water.

When I chose a title for my holiday novella for 2011, I couldn't help but think of the many volunteers who work tediously for the Jingle Bell Run and Polar Bear Plunge here in my home town, all involved in local charities and organizations to help others.

If only I added a nurse and a bestselling returning war veteran, there might be a chance for some romance to "heat up" the winter activites. So I did. Even added a manipulating mother-in-law who planned to get her widow daughter-in-law back into circulation. "Circulation" being key for the Polar Bear Plunge and the war veteran who cracks his noggin during the festivities.

If you like laughs and a few tears, check out the novella, Polar Bear Plunge, OR stop by New Baltimore, Michigan this afternoon and take the plunge for charity.

You won't be sorry on either account!

Anybody from New Baltimore or surrounding area who attends Polar Bear Plunge today and leaves a comment and their email, will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of the book. Good luck and be blessed. I'm hoping for snow for all you plungers!

STOP ALREADY!

2012-01-11T05:59:00.000-08:00

Stop already with the words and punctuation that get you nowhere fast. See if you can find problems in the sentences below. What can you do to make the sentences stronger?

-He never like the way she fixed her hair.
-I couldn’t go to town even if I wanted to.
-She literally flipped her bouncing tresses out of her perky face.
-"Celebrating birthdays just doesn’t do it for me anymore."
-Bob dropped a twenty on the table and looked at his date. “Is that enough?” he asked.
-She couldn’t even move the dresser two feet before feeling tired.
-Sadie laughed at the way her toddler waved his arms. Smiling at her husband, she said, “Isn’t he just adorable?”
-His life was over. There weren’t enough hours in the day. She was so hard to please.
-The newspaper said that he had done a poor job.
-If she could, she would do it again. It wasn’t the worst job in town. Or was it? It made no sense that people fought her about it.
-“I don’t understand! Isn’t my coming to the party enough?”
-It wasn’t important . . . or maybe . . . maybe it was. She tried . . . she really did. But to no avail.

Do you see ways to strengthen or at least stop the tired aspect of these sentences?

WHERE THERE’S A WILL…

2012-01-08T14:43:00.000-08:00

…there’s a relative. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying. And it’s probably true in a great many instances.Common expressions can make great fodder for your stories.

Have you ever thought of going through some of the tired old expressions in order to come up with a stimulating storyline? Titles to nursery rhymes? Lines from a song? Suspense doesn’t come just from frightening news at night.

A tisket, a tasket, I bought a yellow basket. (and when I took it home, I found a mummified finger with a gold ring initialed with the letter C.) Old man Conyers had been missing for thirty years.

I saw Mommy kissing Santa…(and then he shot her.)

Ring around a rosey, a pocketful of posies. (a girl’s body is found in a lovely English garden. Zuzu’s? petals are in her pocket.)

A little corny, but you get the idea.

Wonderful, novel ideas can come from anywhere. If you sit at your keyboard and pick a topic, you’ll be surprised at how many amazing and fresh subjects will fill your head.

The next time you’re looking for a theme for a story, pick up a dictionary and just point at a word. Do you get a tingle down your spine? Maybe this is the next bestseller for 2012.

THE RUSH FOR A BARGAIN

2011-12-27T06:33:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, shoppers abound. They fly in their cars to the nearest department store offering the best bargains. Many of these same folks just received dozens of wonderful gifts from under their trees, but “there must be bargains out there, right?” So the chase begins.

“Oooh, a bathrobe. I didn’t get one. And it only has a small tear in the sleeve.”
“Look. A Keurig. Only some scratches on the reservoir. No biggie.”
“Man, a broken hammer. But what a deal!”

How often do we allow our work to have the same tears, scratches, and complete breaks? And we are also in a hurry. A hurry to send out a work that is nowhere near ready to be submitted.

“But it’s a bargain! I’ve worked it enough and rewritten it until it’s ‘okay.’ So I should send it out, right?”

When our work is rushed to the finish line, it shows. It’s that simple. We want so badly for someone to read it, enjoy it, and validate us that we rush it to be finished, and all we really end up with is a bargain. And it’s not even that, if truth be told. Instead, it’s an unfinished, unpolished, and eventually, unread work. No one will rush to buy it.

We all need to take our time writing, rewriting, proofing, and polishing before we submit. We want a work of art, not an old bathrobe with a torn sleeve!

Christmas wishes from my heart!

2011-12-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

My prayer for you this Christmas is:
When you experience sorrow,you will learn the joy of the Lord
When you feel lonely,His arms will surround you
When you feel lost,His presence will guide you
When you feel overwhelmed by life,His Word will sustain you
May this be the best year of your life as God continues to be in control…
Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!

WISHING YOU ALL by Linda S. Glaz

2011-12-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Another year has rolled along. Are you able to look back and say you're proud of what you did with 365 days? Did you follow your dream, make it a reality?

My dearest Christmas wish is for each and every one of you to have a dream, work toward it, and never quit until it is reality. Whether it's writing a novel, a short story, a magazine article, or a letter to a soldier overseas. What was your goal on 2011? What is your new one for 2012?

Blessings!

Merry Christmas to all!

2011-12-04T21:07:00.001-08:00

OFFICIALLY RELEASES TODAY! POLAR BEAR PLUNGE at White Rose Publishing and Amazon!

CONGRATS LAURA AND GREAT LAKES ROMANCES.
LAURA, shoot me your email at lglazagain@aol.com for Polar Bear Plunge, which officially releases today, and GLR, I'll be sending you Savanna's Gift.

Hope you both enjoy!

CHRISTMAS BARGAINS AND FREEBIES!

2011-12-03T06:13:00.000-08:00

“Humbug! There’s no such thing as a Christmas bargain! And a freebie?(whatever that is)Bahhh!”

“Oh, really, Mr. Scrooge. Well, I beg to differ. Camille Eide and I have put our heads together with White Rose Publishing and our books are available for one dollar apiece!”

“That’s not possible. Why, it takes more money than that to hire someone to set the type.”

“We’re in a new age, Mr. Scrooge. Polar Bear Plunge and Savanna’s Gift are both ebooks. And that helps keep the price down. I’m surprised you didn’t know about ebooks already. AND to make this Christmas excitement even better, I’m offering a copy of one book or the other to two lucky readers. Maybe someone who works for you. Someone who doesn’t even make a day’s wages after a full day’s work. Hmmm?”

“Bah, humbug!!!”

No need to worry, no Scrooges allowed around this blog. Just leave a comment and I’ll draw a name to win a copy of Polar Bear Plunge or Savanna’s Gift. You have today and tomorrow to leave a comment. Then, on Monday, I’ll announce the winners. Don’t be a humbug, leave a comment and your email addy and here’s hoping you win!

A very Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Scrooge!

SAVANNA'S GIFT by Camille Eide

2011-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

When Savanna gets a second chance at the love of her life, will her dream that divided them get in the way?

Forced to return to the ski lodge where she once worked, Savanna Holt is reminded of one special Christmas and how ambition led her to make the worst mistake of her life: Leaving Luke Nelson.

Stunned to discover Luke never left, but worked his way up from lift operator to manager, Savanna sees the opportunity as a gift from God. She’s determined to win Luke back. But Luke wants no reminders of his past hurt, or a relationship with the woman who put ambition before love.

Can Savanna convince Luke she’s changed and her interest isn't because of his position? And when her dream job beckons, will she sacrifice her dream for a second chance at love?

Okay, Camille, now we know something about Savanna’s Gift, tell us something about yourself:
I write contemporary romance and romantic women’s fiction. I live in Oregon with my husband and am mom to three brilliant college-age kids. I’m grateful for the amazing grace of God, and either in spite of or thanks to that grace, I have a PhD in Learning Stuff the Hard Way. I’m also a church secretary, a bassist, and a passably devoted fan of classic rock, muscle cars, and Jane Austen. w w w . c a m i l l e e i d e . c o m

When does Savanna’s Gift release?
Tomorrow! Dec. 3rd. Just in time for Christmas.

Where can we find it?
White Rose Publishing and Christianbooks.com where you can enjoy the Holiday Extravaganza by purchasing this book and many other holiday stories for one dollar during the month of December. After that, they go back to $2.99. So don’t wait, get them as stocking stuffers. I believe Amazon will also have them, but not sure they are participating in the holiday bargains.
Feel free to stop by my site and get a taste of who the real Camille Eide is.

Camille, thanks for stopping by. I was lucky enough to have a sneak peek at the novella and I can tell you that if you like a sweet romance with plenty of kick, Savanna’s Gift should be at the top of your Christmas list.

Ahem...nobody bothered to ask me!

2011-12-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, Aleni Callan, tell us why you wanted your story, Polar Bear Plunge, told:
Well, it's important to move on in life. I had a habit of holding on to the past. My mother-in-law, Megan did her best to make me see that wasn't healthy, but it's hard to let go of your one and only true love.
How did you start your journey to move on?
(Aleni can't stop laughing) My goodness. You want to know EVERY little detail, don't you? Well, this arrogant man landed in the emergency room.
Arrogant, you mean Brice Taylor the war hero? Arrogant? I didn't get that impression after reading his book, The Human Shield.
Okay, I THOUGHT he was arrogant. He was just a poor schmuck who hit his head participating in the Polar Bear Plunge for charity. I guess it bothered me that he was taking chances with his life. My Eli took chances, but for a cause. He believed in what he was doing in the middle east, trying to help. Trying to make a difference. And then he was killed, leaving me with a small boy and a lot of questions without answers.
Sorry to hear that. Did Brice turn out to be a jerk?
He, well he turned out to be...now I can't tell you how this all turned out, can I? That would spoil the whole story.
Any special reason you wanted to tell it in the first place?
Yes, a friend of mine, another nurse, Brandy Hayes, thought it was a story worth telling. She kept pestering her mom, the author, to put it in black and white. Now, I'm glad it's been told. Thanks, Linda. Thanks, Brandy. I hope you all enjoy finding out just what kind of man Brice Taylor really is.

CYBER “PLUNGE” WEDNESDAY

2011-11-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, and here’s the Wednesday deal!!!
POLAR BEAR PLUNGE is to be released at White Rose on Dec. 5th, but Amazon has it up and selling right now for .99! YES! RIGHT NOW!
Why not take advantage and get those stocking stuffers for less than one dollar!
I’M SO EXCITED! CAN YOU TELL? If you want a real feel good read to cheer you this Christmas, go for the “plunge”.

Striving to put meaning back into her life after her husband’s death, Aleni Callan immerses herself in hospital work. Angry with God, she finds herself even angrier, when hero, Brice Taylor, author of The Human Shield, arrives in the Emergency Room with a concussion and hypothermia after participating in the Polar Bear Plunge. Aleni wants nothing to do with a man who willingly takes chances with his life.

Brice doesn’t understood how God could bring him through being a captive in Iraq, when he failed his troops so miserably. Writing about his escape brings fame he would rather avoid. And by meeting widow, Aleni Callan, his feelings of failure only increase.

Megan Callan with the help of her three-year-old grandson, Ty, scheme to bring Aleni and Brice together. And while the best laid plans often go awry, Megan isn’t one to accept no.

Just grab a cup of coffee sweetened with cream and sugar and a hand full of chocolate chip cookies, the ooey, gooey kind, and sit in front of the fireplace. As the logs break apart and crackle, you’ll be in the best mood to read Polar Bear Plunge. Just remember to have a box of tissues handy, you’ll need ‘em.

And if that .99 deal isn’t enough, check out Camille Eide’s novella, Savanna’s Gift, another in the White Rose Holiday Extravaganza.

Make it a reading day just for yourself after you’ve wrapped the last present!
GO FOR CYBER “PLUNGE” WEDNESDAY and grab these book bargains!

Enjoy this read from me to you. I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it!

Sitting down with author, Lynda Lee Schab

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Lynda has been kind enough to spend an afternoon with us, discussing her writing, but especially, her debut novel, Mind Over Madi.

When and how did you get interested in writing?
I’ve always loved to read, which seems to be a precursor for all writers. I don’t remember exactly when I picked up a pen and started to write, but I remember writing a story in 6th grade called The Summer I Went to Honolulu (no, I’d never been there – and still haven’t!), complete with caricature drawings. I moved on to writing plays for my cousins and me to perform for our parents, then tried my hand at poetry. In high school, it was all about poetry – some of it was pretty good, but some was very, very bad. I still love to write poetry, but prefer to create funny, rhyming poems for retirement parties, milestone birthdays, bridal or baby showers, and other fun occasions.

What was the first thing you ever had published?
Besides a little blurb in a high school newsletter, my first professionally published works were greeting cards for Blue Mountain Arts.

Who has encouraged you most on your writing journey?
Definitely my mom. She has always believed in me and encouraged me in my gift. Professionally, one of my greatest cheerleaders has been Deb Porter, administrator for FaithWriters.com. From the moment I joined FaithWriters in 2004, Deb spoke blessings and positivity into my life and motivated me more than she’ll probably ever know. Another organization that has blessed me so much is ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). Joining was the best thing I’ve done for my writing career. The members, many of them published authors, have served as mentors to me and some have become fabulous friends.

What is the writing process like for you?
Honestly, I don’t have a typical process. As this is my debut novel, I’m on a learning curve. While writing MIND OVER MADI, I basically wrote when I felt like it, with no set schedule. Now that I have contracts for the next two books in the series, which my editor wants to publish 6-9 months apart, I’m doing everything I can to learn how to organize my time effectively. But I do tend to work better on a deadline, so hopefully that will work out for me. We’ll see!

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?
Favorite: The creative process. Thinking a story through from beginning to end and then seeing my vision come to life through the characters and situations I create.
Least favorite: Definitely the self discipline it requires. Time management is something I’ve always struggled with. Making myself sit down and focus when I know the basement needs cleaning, laundry is piling up, my office needs to be organized, or I want to watch the episode of Survivor I missed the night before is my biggest challenge.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
That’s easy: Apply the Butt Glue and just write. Discipline has never been my biggest strength, but that book won’t get written unless I park my behind in the chair and start typing. Even when I don’t feel like it. Even when I have a million other things to do. One of my favorite quotes on writing is “You can fix bad, but you can’t fix blank.”

What is Mind over Madi about?
Madi McCall is a 38-year-old mom of three whose insecurities are destroying her marriage. When she suspects her husband Rich is cheating with the mother of one of his fourth grade students, she kicks him out of the house and he moves in with his bachelor brother. Madi is then forced to take a deeper look at herself and her insecurities. She does this with the help of a counselor, her best friend Sylvie, and a few cartons of Edy’s Dibs. At a 20-year get-together with former high school classmates, Madi runs into “the other woman” and things come to a head. It’s a lighthearted story about taking a true look at ourselves and accepting God’s grace when we think and do dumb things.

Which character is most like you, and why?
There is a lot of me in Madi. Insecurity is something I’ve always struggled with. As a child, I was very shy. As a teenager, I was insecure about everything, which resulted in a lot of rebelling and contributed to hundreds of my mom’s migraines, I’m sure. As an adult, early in my marriage I experienced some of the insecurities Madi deals with, regarding her husband and his faithfulness. That isn’t something I deal with anymore today, but I still have similar insecurities about what others think of me, as well as doubts about God’s love for me. Other ways I’m like Madi is that we share bad eating habits, a love for coffee, a tendency to waste hours of time playing computer games, and an insane fear of spiders.

What do you want readers to take away from reading Madi’s story?
An understanding of just how infinite God’s love is. That no matter what we’ve done, God will never stop pursuing our hearts or desiring a relationship with us. His mercies are new every morning and His grace covers our weaknesses, our mistakes, our ignorance.

Are you planning another book? If so, what is the story?
I am currently working on book #2 in the Madi series, titled, Madily in Love. Now that Madi and Rich are working things out, she attends a class at church to try to put the romance back into her marriage. But with her mother-in-law living with them, Madi’s new job, and issues with her kids, things don’t exactly go as planned. It’s a fun book that will look at finding peace –and romance - in the middle of chaos.

There will also be a book #3. I have the title and the premise, but I’ll save the details for later, when I have the plot worked out.

Who or what inspires you?
People in general inspire me. Whether it’s hearing a moving testimony or just witnessing someone’s positive outlook on life, I find inspiration to be a better person by various people I meet. A good message from my pastor, a pep talk from a friend, or a song I hear on the radio. Inspiration is everywhere. All that’s required is a heart to receive it.

What would be your dream job if you weren’t a writer?
I would probably being doing something in the field of mental health, whether as a counselor or in research or something. Why people do what they do fascinates me and I love learning about human behavior. I’m constantly analyzing people and my husband is always telling me I should have been a psychologist. He’s probably right. In writing, I think this helps me in character development. Or an ice cream tester. Now that would be a dream job.

What Bible verse is Mind over Madi based on?
Well, I have a couple of scriptures on which Mind over Madi is based. First, Isaiah 26:3 tells us that it’s only when our minds are stilled, we’ll have peace. “You will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Another one I think is especially fitting with Madi’s insecurity and trust issues is: “… It (Love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

Do you have a favorite personal Bible verse?
My favorite verse is Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” I recite this verse often! Because my mind is always so busy and distracted, I tend to stress out a lot. I need to keep reminding myself that God is God. He’s in control. And everything will be okay.

Take a moment to brag about your family:
I’ve been married to Rob for over twenty-three years. He works for a dairy company (yes, that means free ice cream sometimes!) and is an all-around great guy. We have two teenagers, who both inherited my creative gene. Zach is almost 18 and will be graduating from high school this year. He will be going into film – editing and directing – and he’s also a talented artist. My daughter Lyndsey is a freshman and plays the cymbals in the high school marching band drum line. She loves to read and is an excellent photographer.

How can readers connect with you?
My website address is http://www.lyndaschab.com/. I also have a blog with various writing and reading-related material at http://www.on-the-write-track.blogspot.com/. You can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Make sure this charming book, Mind Over Madi, finds its way into all your friends' Christmas stockings...Release date: November 15, 2011

Big Thanks to Author Deb Harper

2011-11-18T05:34:00.000-08:00

I have to shout out a big thanks to author, Deb Harper, of the Laramie on the Lam series for her blog about my upcoming book, Polar Bear Plunge. Swing by for some laughs and say hi to Deb: http://www.deborahdeetales.blogspot.com/

And if you have little ones, her books are a wondeful idea for Christmas. Five of the six installments are now available on Amazon for .99 cents each! Woohoo, and I've read them all. Wonderful books for kids.

All for now! I'm still on my tour, next stop? All aboard!

Reality Show to the Death!

2011-11-17T17:48:00.001-08:00

See Jonathan Wakefield's book below if you really want to be scared!
Suspense at it's finest.

Fatal Reality

2011-11-15T20:39:00.000-08:00

Do you sit by the boob tube biting your nails, attached to a program that has folks eating bugs, diving into mud, and manipulating each other week after week in order to win a million dollars? Are you anxious for a more “real” reality show?
Then it’s time you read Fatal Reality by Jonathan Wakefield.

How would you feel if you tried out for and won a slot on a reality television show only to find out that the reality was whether or not you would live? In Fatal Reality Jonathan brings together an eclectic group of strong competitors who want more than a win, they want to continue to hide dark secrets.

For a whirl of suspense with a wonderful cast of characters, read Fatal Reality.

A bit about the author:
JONATHAN WAKEFIELD has always loved thrillers that pack an emotional and philosophical punch. Combining this with his intrigue of the cultural impact of the reality-show industry, Jonathan thought it would make a fascinating story to thrust a Christian into a reality show featuring a diverse cast of strong characters and forcing him to react as the show is taken hostage and turned into a battle for survival.

Jonathan, an IT professional, holds a degree in Biology from the University of Richmond. A Craftsman graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, he has trained under authors Jerry B. Jenkins, John Perrodin, James Scott Bell, Jeff Gerke, and Douglas Hirt. Jonathan’s short stories have appeared in The Rose & Thorn and The Messenger, and he has written articles for various magazines and journals, including New Man, Men of Integrity, Live, The Gem, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Fatal Reality—a finalist in the 2009 Operation First Novel contest—is his debut novel.
Jonathan lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife and two sons.
Look for his novel to release in November, 2011

Swing by and visit his site: http://www.jonathanwakefield.com/

Thyme for Love Pamela S. Meyers

2011-11-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

For those of you who were intrigued by Pam's book, it is available at Amazon.
They have it posted incorrectly, but you can get it. So goooo get that book and enjoy!

COZY CHAT WITH AUTHOR, PAMELA S. MEYERS

2011-11-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

Cozy up with a cup of tea and some shortbread cookies!

What do a handsome Latino man, a cute, perky blond chef, a murder, and a non-profit organization that supports orphans in Latin and South America named Rescate all have in common?

Thyme for Love, of course.

A wonderful lighthearted romantic mystery that will draw you in and keep you reading to the end. April Love, yes, that’s her name—stop singing, and Marc Thorne rediscover each other after a rocky break up. But more than love is waiting for April and Marc; a body is discovered that sends both of them into detective mode. Around cherry upside-down cake and Chicken George, the two taste the horrors of murder and the yumminess of love. Or is the murderer closer to April than the flour on her nose?

Take a bite of your cookie and a swig of your tea and let’s learn something about author, Pamela S. Meyers:
Q: Give us a little preview of Thyme for Love.
A: April Love has always dreamed of being a chef. When her Aunt Kitty hears of a in-house chef position for a non-profit organization housed in a lakeshore mansion next door, April returns to Canoga Lake, Wisconsin, where she’d spent many summers growing up, to apply for the job. When she discovers her former fiancé Marc Thorne working there, she wonders if this position was really God’s intention for her. After all, Marc all but left her standing at the altar to chase his own dreams in California. It doesn’t take long to realize Marc is hiding secrets and despite returning feelings for the man, April determines she will not make the same mistake as she did eight years earlier. But when their boss is found dead and Marc is framed for his murder, April has no choice but to turn sleuth to keep Marc from being accused of a murder he didn’t commit.

Q: What made you want to write this book?
A: I’ve always loved romance and mysteries, and decided to write a story that married the two elements together. I grew up in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and have always been fascinated by the many 20th Century mansions that dot the lake’s shoreline. I toyed with the idea of setting the story in one of those homes, but decided to create a smaller lake and village just to the east of Lake Geneva to gain more freedom with some of the details of the story and its characters. I loved having the area located close enough to Lake Geneva that April and Marc could go there for a meal at one of the actual restaurants there. I also gave them backgrounds that involve working on Geneva Lake as many college students do during the summer months.

Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer?
A: In one way or another I’ve always written almost since I could hold a pencil. When I was eight years old I asked for a diary for Christmas and I wrote in it at different times of my childhood. I still have that little book and it contains bits and pieces of my life from age eight until sometime in high school. Even into my adult years I’d journal from time to time, but never thought of turning that “need” to put words to paper into a career until years later. While completing my bachelor’s through an accelerated adult program, one of my professors suggested I could make a living writing. I published several magazine articles, but as the hankering to write stories grew stronger, I began taking fiction writing classes. At a local writer’s conference a multipublished author suggested I could turn one of my short stories into a novel. That was all I needed to hear. I soon joined American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) while the organization was in its infancy and through their writing courses and conferences I continued to grow in the craft.

Q: Have you written other novels besides Thyme for Love?
Oh yes. My first novel which I would classify as a women’s fiction languishes in my computer at the moment. Authors very seldom publish their first written work as that often turns out to be a practice project. The storyline still resonates with me and I’d love to one day pull it out and rework it. There are a couple other stories that will probably never see the light of day. I’m very excited to have a novel set in my hometown of Lake Geneva, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, coming out in June 2012 from Summerside Press. It’s a 1933 historical romance, and I had a blast researching for the story.

Q. Do you have any plans for a sequel to Thyme for Love?
A. I’m so glad you asked. Thyme for Love is part of a three-book series called “On the Road to Love.” Books 2 and 3 involved April and Marc, and both are set in Canoga Lake. In Book 2, Love Will Find a Way, April moves into an old Victorian home with plans to turn it into a restaurant and catering business. It isn’t long before a discovery made while they are renovating the home threatens to hijack plans for the grand opening. In Book three, Love’s Reward, April and Marc’s wedding plans are in full swing, until it becomes apparent there is someone who doesn’t want them to marry.

Q. How do you get your story ideas?
A. There’s an old adage to write what you know. I might add to that, to always keep your eyes and ears open for a possible story line. That first novel I wrote was sparked by something someone said to me when she showed me a picture of my great-grandfather’s grave. My Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin story grew out of wanting to know the history behind the beautiful lakeshore recreational building that has become an icon of the area. Just today a newspaper article sparked an idea I’d like to develop into a proposal.

Q. What is your daily writing routine?
A. My best writing time is morning, but I’ve had to make myself work outside the box at times when that kind of schedule doesn’t work. Since I am a morning person, I find it best to set my alarm as if I’m going to work. I get up at 5:30 and spend at least an hour in my Quiet Time with God. Then I try to walk daily for exercise before settling down in my home office to write. I recently converted unused space in my dining are into an office and that has helped tremendously with getting the sense of “going to work.” This helps me stay on task. Too many years actually working Monday through Friday probably contributes to that. On days I have an obligation away from home in the morning, I have had to force myself to be creative in the afternoon and early evening. I think as I start working on deadlines more and more that’s going to be essential.

Q. What advice do you have for new authors?
A. Persevere, persevere, and persevere. I started out aspiring to be published in novel writing more than ten years ago. I had the raw ability and desire to write, but that skill had to be trained and honed, much like a young colt has to be trained. I have learned that writers need to develop what we jokingly refer to as rhino skin and also we need a positive teachable attitude. Join critique groups, take writing courses, attend writing conferences where great teaching occurs and you’ll have opportunities to meet with industry professionals and pitch to editors and agents. ACFW has a great yearly conference ever September that is for fiction writers only. I cannot tout ACFW enough. It is a must organization to join for anyone who writes fiction from a Christian point of view.

Q. When you aren’t writing, what fills your days?
A. I volunteer at my church in the multicultural ministry, helping Japanese women learn to speak English and lead a women’s small group Bible study. I’m also chapter president of my local ACFW chapter which meets monthly. Also, I enjoy reading (surprise, surprise) and movies. Love to cook and find new ways of making things. You’ll find an adaptation of a recipe someone gave me called Chicken George at the back of Thyme for Love. I loved having April prepare it in the novel, and look forward to experimenting with more recipes for the sequels.

Look for Thyme for Love on November 14, 2011 and have an enjoyable read!

VETERANS' DAY!

2011-11-11T08:02:00.001-08:00

Found this on Facebook and thought it said it all!

What are you seeking?

2011-11-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

FAME!
FORTUNE!
FUN!
What are you seeking when you sit down to write?
Do you write because you have to like you have to breathe? Because you long for
the day when a printed book arrives in the mail with your name on it?
(I know, that sounds awesome...)
There's no right or wrong, no good or bad, but what prompts you to sit
behind a computer, sometimes for hours and hours pounding away at the keys?
I've been told by a few wonderful folks it's to promote God's kingdom and
then I read a few of the stories. OUCH! They promoted everything but...
And that's okay, just say you're writing to write. Or to make money, or
to have people see your name in print. Whatever drives you.
A couple years ago when I was fairly new to inspirational novels, I reviewed
one by a "Christian" author. I hoped she might be slightly outside the box,
as I love edgy fiction, but edgy in my world, and edgy in hers...hmmm.
Big difference.
My world of edgy doesn't include enough "private" scenes to make a porn
star happy. YIKES! And it did. Needless to say, I didn't finish that particular
review.
What I'm trying perhaps not all that well to say is, just because something
has a particular label doesn't make it so.
Believe me, I learned the hard way, red face and all.
I'm rambling here a bit, so I'm gonna sign off, but think about it...why do
you write? And are you able to admit to yourself, to others, to your readers,
why you began in the first place? And why you keep going...

How Are You Promoting?

2011-10-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

A lot of folks are getting ready to promote their new books.
Blog tours, Facebook, Twitter, books for review, book trailers.
As many as there are books, there are options to get out the word.
But what really works?
Would anyone like to chime in on how they best utilized their valuable
marketing dollars?

LET’S TALK SOME MORE CREEPY! I LOVE CREEPY!

2011-10-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

I guess it’s pretty obvious from some of my last posts that I absolutely love evil characters. Good always abounds in inspirational fiction, but a truly evil character that the writer has to rein in enough to stay within boundaries can be quite a challenge. I love writing the creepy, particularly when you find your creeps “also” have redeeming qualities.

Think Sweeney Todd, folks. He was “evil” but why? What pushes a perfectly normal, sane individual to that brink?

Shouldn’t we ALL say there but the grace of God go I?
Here’s another little sample. Let me know what you think of this stalker!

“Don’t make another sound or I’ll kill you.” Tangling his fingers into the swirly softness of her hair, he reveled in the silkiness. His other hand held tight across her mouth and offered its own hint of danger.

Her round blue eyes darted back and forth.

“Look all you want. There’s no knight gonna show up to save you. Are you happy now, Princess? I used to be happy. A kid who believed his life would never change. Well, guess whose life is gonna change tonight?”

She twisted against his hands. He dug in harder and eyed his surroundings. No one in sight. Leaning in closer to her ear, he brushed the curls from her face with his lips. “Do you know what it’s like to have a parade of ‘uncles’ moving through your front door like cockroaches, Princess?”

His fingers muffled her response and her eyes blinked wildly.

“Makes it hard to believe God’s watching over you, doesn’t it? Maybe He’s forgetting you the same way He forgot about me.”

Choking down his excitement, he welcomed her spiraling fear. He yanked her around the neck and hauled her behind the dumpster, where a brown, furry something with bulging eyes scuttled over her feet and into the night. She snatched her legs under her as her breathing accelerated. He shoved her head against the side of the dumpster with a smack. Her eyes rolled back under fluttering lashes.
Kyle struggled with his clothing.

Rochelle stirred. “Help me, someone! Please, God!” Her expression begged him to stop.

After her plea to the God Who Didn’t Care, Kyle laughed in her face and fired off a string of obscenities worthy of his father’s associates.

In control again, he delivered the first blow. “That one’s for the old man.”
Her head slammed against the frozen ground with a satisfying thud. He hit again. “And that one for the old lady.”

“But this one.” He backhanded her across the lip. “This one’s for me.”

Tiny flakes stuck to her eyelashes as she lay, barely conscious, against the cold ground.He waited—she had to be fully awake.

He wanted her fully awake.

Without warning, she surprised him with a knee to the shin. His leg burned, and he clutched it with one hand as his lip curled back. “Watch it, Princess!” His fingers ripped into her hair. He tugged her face closer—his breath the only air moving. A thin line of blood trickled from the lid of her left eye, which had already swelled shut. Drops dyed the snow red. The blows to her head had taken most of the fight out. Drawing her face to within an inch of his, he inhaled deeply of her perfume and hesitated.

Remember what’s really important.

His tongue flicked out, snaking to the nape of her neck just below her right earlobe. Rewarded with a terrified moan, he nudged her cheek with his chin.

LEST YOU THINK I FORGOT, HERE IS WHERE THE KNIGHT RIDES IN. BUT IS HE ABLE TO SAVE THE DAY OR COST HER HER LIFE? MAYBE HE'S NOT A KNIGHT AFTER ALL, BUT THAT'S A STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY...

While the stalker's creepy, what did we learn about him through dialogue and actions that tells us he had a heart at some point? Any thoughts?

Karla Akins writes:O Canada! Her Story from Bramley Books

2011-09-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

Karla, tell us a bit about you. (Only those things you want us to know, hehehe)
I'm a pastor's wife, mom of 5, grandma of 5, full-time college student pursuing a degree in Special Education. I have degrees in theology, three dogs, ride my own motorcycle, and collect books and shoes.

Whatever prompted you to write a book about Canada?
I had written for this publisher before in compilations and they liked my writing style, so they asked me to do this project for them.

How did you research the interesting characters?
I love research! It's one of my favorite parts of writing. I try to use as many primary resources as I can and I buy a lot of out-of-print books from used book vendors. I also use reputable websites and interview people who either know something about the character or are in charge of a museum about that person or area. Then, I keep a binder for each character and also use evenote and LiveBinder.com to organize my research. Once I'm sure I have the flavor of the time period and enough details to make the story interesting, I begin to write.

Did you have a personal favorite?
Oh, that's tough. Each one of them is very special to me. I lived with them for so many months! I enjoyed writing from a dog's POV in the Vikings chapter, but I also enjoyed learning and writing about the Canadian school on wheels where kids went to school on train cars. But if I must choose just one, I think I'd have to pick the one on the Acadians. Their ties to the Louisiana Cajuns is fascinating.

What has been the response from Canadians?
So far I've gotten great reviews! One of the best compliments was from a mom who bought the book for her children and said, "I'm madly in love with this book!"

Would you ever consider another similar type book?
Oh absolutely. I love writing biographies and historical stories.

Where can the readers purchase O Canada?
At Bramley Books and once the print version is in stock they can get it on Amazon both in print or as an ebook for Kindle.

Can you give us a hint about what else you write?
My current work in progress is a historical suspense. I've also written a humorous novel that I'm rewriting. I have a homeschool column on Examiner.com and I am the Indiana correspondent for Mother Nature Network. I also have several blogs. My research blog is The History Scroll, and my daily live blog is That I Did Always Love. My writing blog is at Envision Publishing.

My website is http://www.KarlaAkins.com Sign up for my history newsletter!

Karla, thanks for dropping by. I’ve read O Canada, and it’s wonderful. I never knew all that about their folk heroes. You drew me right in and bopped me over the head with lots of interesting stories. Way to go!

A Hard Job!

2011-09-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

So many wonderful books have found their way into my mailbox since I began this agenting gig. Wonderful books! But I've learned for myself the lesson Terry Burns taught me. I good book, a really good book will show up quite often, but are they great books? Are they stellar?

It's so difficult to tell a good writer, keep trying. I just had to write just such a letter, and it broke my heart. The author was very good, but not quite there yet. I guess I shouldn't be whining; I have the best job in the world.

When just one of those books reaches in, grabs my heart, and makes me sit up, dying for a full read, then I'm content.

Just wish I didn't have to say no so often.

With Hope on 911

2011-09-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

Psalm 91:1
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

We need to look past the sadness and remember that in Christ
we have hope and safety...

Remembering the Muse in You

2011-09-05T07:05:00.000-07:00

Days come and go when you sit down and dash off dozens of pages of brilliant writing. Then…there are days…

Your original heartfelt writing takes flight and you’re left with an empty screen.
Now, for some, this is absolutely paralyzing.
Writers’ block.

Trying to meet deadlines, attempting a new style, writing for someone else instead of for yourself. So many reasons to feel the block as surely as an epidural.

Anything in particular that stops you?
What do you do to remember the Muse in you?

TENTH ANNIVERSARY

2011-09-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

God bless America
Tin, aluminum, or diamond?

It would be nice if that were the only question for a tenth anniversary, but this anniversary is deserving of more thought than what to buy.

Next weekend will be the anniversary of 911. We aren’t worthy of buying anything to commemorate such a day, let alone think of it frivolously. This was a day that unified a country in one morning in such a way as nothing had in over fifty years. Churches, cathedrals and synagogues were suddenly filled to overflowing. Our connection with Israel and our roots of faith, that much stronger. Our connection to each other stronger still.

So what happened?
We, Americans, have it so good that apathy sets in so “sneakily”, if you’ll pardon that word, but it’s exactly what happens. Our hearts turn to other things, and we forget. The church rolls, once again, dropped off as we grew accustomed to taking our shoes off at the airport and leaving large bottles of shampoo behind.

Well, I’m asking each one of you who reads this to pray on the 11th. Pray that God will again turn our hearts to Him, to our faith, to those around us who need help in any way. To remind ourselves that we are a family of God. America was founded on those principles and we should NEVER allow them to be snatched from us again: not with fear, not with hatred, and not with apathy.

God bless America and God bless each of you.

When Author, Editor, or Agent is Blessed to Judge…

2011-08-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

Hopefully you count your blessings and take it very seriously when an organization asks you to be a judge for what? A writing contest? The thing you love most in the world? Woohoo!

And do you? Do you really take it seriously, or just go through the motions to be a good sport?

A writer takes a huge step when he or she places their work in your hands. They are, in essence, asking you to validate them as writers. Some are new to the task, some have been trying for years to break into the industry, and you hold their hopes before you.

Is it more important to you to encourage the writer or show them how much you think you know?

Don’t get me wrong. Holding a poor writer’s hand only goes so far. It’s difficult to keep saying, “Very interesting.” But there has to be something you can find that would encourage, uplift, or steer the writer in the right direction.

Ever had a judge return an entry like this?

Poorly written, no plot, no sense of reality. Your characters were cardboard. Dialogue stilted, and it looks like you wrote it with your feet. But good luck and I wish you the best.

REALLY!?!

How have you helped the author?

Perhaps:

I’d recommend a strong crit group to help you find typos and errors that can be easily fixed once they’re recognized. Go deeper into the characters’ POVs so that the reader can connect with them and what they are going through. Dialogue should move the story along and with a bit of help, I think you can make your male characters come across with a more masculine touch without losing their sensitivity. You have a great start here and I encourage you to take as many online classes as you can to improve your writing skills until next time you’ll wow us with this novel.

You’ve said the same thing without the caustic bite that could eat into a writer’s delicate spirit. Yes, we all have to be thick-skinned, but the thick skin should come gradually, not in one huge makeover.

The blessing is yours when you’ve been asked to judge. No matter your background or ability, always give it your best. You’ll walk away with much more than the authors. You’ll walk away knowing that you cared about another human being.

ROCK ‘EM SOCK ‘EM ROMANCE!

2011-08-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Whew! Let’s hope my post lives up to all the hype.

Someone just asked me a question about romance, and since my last post was about edgy, I figured this would fit here just fine.

Here you go, here’s my fave contemporary romance EVER!

And I haven’t read the book yet, but it’s in the to do chute.

THAT BEING SAID, I saw the movie, which I’m told holds true to the book. SUZANNE’S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS, by James Patterson. Yes, Patterson, and no woman was raped, tortured, or anything as equally disturbing. Just a wonderful, albeit, a bit out of the box, romance.

Christina Applegate, Johnathon Schaech, and Kathleen Rose Perkins bring to life a sweet, touching, never to forget story of lost love and love found again.

So, for anyone out there who wants to know what I like in a romance, it’s the boy meets girl with a lot of problems to fend off. Not just a small situation that thwarts the romance for a time, but something so big, it sends heads reeling until the love can find a way to “make it all better.”

In Diaries, you have a romance that you feel is doomed right from the start. And yet, you are unable to stop watching(reading) because you just know it has to have a good ending. Then…

WHAM, it socks you in the gut and you wonder “Whuhappened?”

Only then do the characters warm your heart again before the next, “Huh? Where did that come from?”

If you see only one movie this year, rent the 2005 TV movie based on James Patterson’s book. You will not be sorry. Oh, yeah, and to make it that much sweeter, the story is about a publishing editor. How great is that? Just bring a huge box of tissues and be prepared to watch it right to the end.

Ahh, love sweet love!

EDGY FICTION or SIMPLY MORE SECULAR?

2011-08-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

The words edgy fiction are being tossed about like a marble on a teeter totter. I was recently given a work to proofread and was told I would enjoy it because it was “edgy fiction”. I read it; it was a wonderful romance, albeit formulaic. So where was the edgy?

Ah hah! I finally figured out what the author and publisher thought was edgy.

A lot more sex filled the pages. Is that edgy or is that just plain old secular?

Don’t panic. There’s no right or wrong answer to that question. You won’t be given a test. But think about it. Are we in the inspy market simply leaning more toward secular when we call our work edgy or are we jumping on the secular wagon and riding off into the sunset, guns drawn, bustiers showing, and kisses as well as other body parts flying here and there.

Okay, a bit melodramatic, but you get my point.

What defines edgy for you?

For me, it’s an author willing to push the limits of his/her genre. Takes steps no one else has. For romance, it means stepping outside the traditional formula and bringing a wonderful romance that might or might not have a happy ending.

Love Story anyone? There’s hardly a woman who lived in the seventies who didn’t read/watch that romance. I can’t tell you all that I read back then, but I can tell you almost scene for scene what happened to Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw’s love. For the story’s time, IT WAS EDGY!

As an inspy writer, do you merely throw in a bit more sex, violence, or **shudder** a couple obscenities and call that edgy? Or do you dare delve into difficult topics that might bring thought-provoking interest to your work?

This is an issue very dear to my heart.

You will hear more on it.

In Your Deepest Heart of Hearts

2011-08-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

In your very deepest heart of hearts where you only allow a select few friends and family, what do you truly want? As a writer…

As an inspy writer, just what is it you want?
Is it your intention to bring Christ to those who don’t know Him?

As a writer in any genre…
Do you want to be a bestseller?
Is it your goal to make boatloads of money? (my youngest would say craploads, but I’m feeling particularly ladylike today—almost!)
Would you like to reach into someone’s life and bring entertainment?

These are all logical questions. At any other job in life, we have goals, we have reasons for knocking on a door saying “Let me in. I’ll be your best employee.”
Are you being your own best employee?

Have you outlined your goals? Organized your time? Do you treat this writing career as a career or as a hobby?

Only you can answer, but your responses may make the difference between being pubbed and not being pubbed.

Editors and agents will want to be able to envision your goals as clearly as you should. They want to know you’re in it for the right reasons and for the long haul.

What is in your deepest heart of hearts for this career called writing?

How do YOU do evil?

2011-08-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

How do you create evil characters in your writing? Let's look at Harrison's Laura:

The officer’s car halted, nearly morphing into a night silhouette but for the lightbar across the top; she slowed her vehicle, removing her foot from the gas without braking. Laura choked on the heaviness in the air. She wanted to strangle Harrison.

A quick glance from the patrolman, and she smiled and nodded. One second passed in time as they locked eyes, but in that second, she read his face as clearly as a divine vision. He didn’t know. Didn’t have an inkling. He revved the engine and sped past her toward some unknown target as her heart steadied to a semi-normal thumping.

And suddenly it came to mind why she suffered these hair-raising moments. This was all Harrison’s fault. She let out the suffocating breath. She wanted to kill him for the misery he caused.

Not now. Stay focused on the prize. Soon they’d be living like the millionaires they already were. She bit the inside of her cheek so she could feel. She was sick of middle-class living, of small towns, hicks, and doing without. Gimme the good life, the rich, rich, rich life.

One positive thing, she no longer had a carload of snivelers and whiners to haul into the wilderness. The girls awaited new families courtesy of Ernest. Good families? Who cared. She snorted. Too bad if they weren’t. Yeah, life could be tough. What was it the Good Book said? Everyone had a cross to bear.

She jeered as the tension of the last few seconds erupted from within her. All those five-year-olds trudging along in ashes and sackcloth with tiny white crosses slung on their backs. Winding their way to utter devastation.

Laura exploded with laughter.

Swing by Hartline's blog on Monday for another sample and let us all know how YOU do evil. http://hartlineliteraryagency.blogspot.com/

Faithwriters Conference

2011-08-09T20:46:00.001-07:00

Hey all, the Faithwriters' Conference in Livonia, MI is just around the corner. Hope to see a lot of you there. We'll have a great time meeting and greeting new folks. If you're there, please drop by and say "Hi!"

Swing by Hartline for a Fun Exercise

2011-08-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

Hey, folks. Swing by the Hartline Blog for a fun
post about telling and showing. Do the exercise.
It's tons of fun!

http://hartlineliteraryagency.blogspot.com/
Do the exercise and wow us with your genius!!!

OH WOW! THERE ARE SOME AMAZING EXAMPLES!
Swing by and leave one of your own. What
great "short" descriptions...

What Moves You to Write?

2011-08-04T05:57:00.000-07:00

When writing inspirational fiction, where does your passion come from?

Paul said that his heart broke for his people, so much so that he could be cut off from Christ-cursed-so that his people would come to know Jesus Christ.
Romans 9:2-3

Does our writing reflect that kind of passion? Do our hearts break for the one reading our stories in the hope that one of our words will reach out and touch a life? Paul, after having it all, after knowing the best life had to offer, followed Christ. Gave all he had to further the lives of others in the kingdom of Christ.

What is the goal of your inspirational writing? To makes loads of money or to touch just one life?

Dialogue Tags: Outdated or Out of Favor?

2011-07-31T05:53:00.000-07:00

Thought you all might enjoy this article about dialogue tags by
multi-multi-pubbed author, Gail Gaymer Martin. It explains
why you should do away with them to make your POV stronger,
and if you do use them, to only use said and asked (I don't necessarily
totally agree with just said and asked, but who can argue with 28
very successful books?) I try to use tags sparingly and when I do, try to keep them to said and asked and an occasional whispered.

Okay, I admit it. I love the tag, whispered. Is there a writers' support group for that? Although, I'm sure saying, his words fell in a tickle of warm breath against her ear, would have more impact. That would be whispered, right? Hmmm, okay, may have to rethink the whispered addiction.

Here you go:
http://writingright-martin.blogspot.com/2011/07/cutting-dialogue-tags.html

Do you try and avoid the use of the tired tag? Or do you growl and snarl your way through a story? Leave more to the reader's imagination by leaving them out? Let us know how you feel and how you handle dialogue tags...

Swing by Hartline's blog tomorrow where we'll discuss this some more.
http://hartlineliteraryagency.blogspot.com/

The Voices in My Head

2011-07-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

Now, you can take this one of two ways.
I need help (sometimes I do) or:
I need a keyboard and a few hours alone.

Let’s just assume I’m talking about the second type of voices in my head.

From the time I was a young whipper snapper, I couldn’t look at the news or a an article without my mind insinuating, ooohh, that’d make a great story. I remember writing my first novel in eighth grade about a horrible fire and a pilot who took a flight up to try and seed the clouds so it would rain and save the people below. For whatever reason he couldn’t do it properly, so he died trying to release the chemicals in order to save the people.

Pure unadulterated cheddar!

But, I had heard of some massive fires and heroics being done to save folks’ homes. And I simply HAD to write and tell their story.

Fast forward about 28 years. Now, I still had felt those tuggings all those years, but ignored them in order to raise my kids, do soccer with my kids, theatre with my kids, and re-enacting with my husband. In other words, I put the not-so-alive aside for the sake of the living.

But the voices never quieted.

I’d watch the news and mmmmm, that would make a great story filled my head again. And it’s not enough to say I only had an inkling of an idea. The characters came immediately to life; I could hear their dialogue and see their faces, fighting for the right to live! Without sounding trite, I began to understand just a trickle of what someone with a disorder might feel like, cuz those communities of people living in my imagination really wanted out. Wanted their stories told. Even pushed and shoved at each other for who would be first in line.

Bless the first folks’ heart. No one will ever read their story. It was horrid, but, at least, I told it, however lamely…

For non-writers reading this, I’m sure they’ve already reserved me a room in Happy Acres where I’ll get the rest and medication I need, but for you writers, you know.

Ahh, yes, you know so well how it is when the new folks come to town, take up residence in your mind, and begin picking away at your imagination until you have to tell their story or lose sleep night after night.

How is it for you? How do you sort out and decide which of the voices come alive and which are put aside for another day? Or, do you just head for Happy Acres, sit in front of the TV, and pretend they never existed in the first place?

When Do You Give Up?

2011-07-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

When do you look at the days, weeks, months, and even years you’ve been writing (without pay) trying to get published, and say “enough”?
That’s right…
I-Give-Up!

I started my first story when my daughter was 12. She went to a birthday sleepover in a huge snowstorm, and on the way home I began to question my sanity. Do I know the girl’s parents well enough? Is she safe there? What if I had to go back in the middle of the night? What if I did and nobody was in the house. Everyone and everything was gone. The fear literally forced me to sit down and write my favorite work. Finished, edited a b’zillion times, but still, unpubbed.

I’ve written seven since and only this year is my first work coming out.
Lemme give you a hint, my daughter is almost 30.
I overheard a young woman at a local writers’ group ask one of the guys when they thought she’d be pubbed and earning a living from her writing so she could call herself a writer. Believe it or not (and most of you who know me will) I stuck my two cents worth in. And I told her this:
When you have to write as surely as you have to breathe, only then will you be a writer.

I know I’ve read where it really is a choice, but I don’t believe that. God makes singers to sing, intercessory prayer warriors to pray, first responders (military, police, firemen) to respond, and writers . . . to write.
Good or bad, polished or a diamond in the rough, a writer MUST write.
So, if you are a writer, truly called to bring stories to life, then never give up. You aren’t called to be a quitter, you are called to be:
A writer.

Swing by Hartline's blog http://hartlineliteraryagency.blogspot.com/
for a discussion of losing your unique "voice".

Old Story or Old Lady? Who is Your Protag?

2011-07-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

When writing a new novel, we take into account who the protags are: appearance, occupation, past, personality, social status, and a myriad of other issues. But, do we seriously consider our characters’ ages as a must to a successful story? If so, how and why?
Let’s look at the typical age for most female protags. Anywhere from 25-late thirties. Why not late forties? Fifties? Sixties? How about seventies? Have you even considered for a moment writing a protag in her eighties?
Generally the geriatric crowd is relegated to second place, a doting grandmotherly type who is there with wisdom and babysitting skills.
Not fair?
Well, let’s think about who the average book buyers are (30-44 )and how they are able to relate. And, of course, remember, we all think we’re younger than we are.
If I’m sixty years old, why must I read about 30-something?
Quite simple, really, I’ve been there. I’ve had the opportunity to experience the first kiss, holding hands at the altar, the sound of my children’s first cries. I’ve been there when my kids threw up on my only dress while participating in a Civil War re-enactment where water was scarce. My feet spent hundreds of hours playing in the back yard or searching for four leaf clovers to prove their existence. I worried over a child who’d wandered off, worried about how to explain the birds and the bees, and even had to survive explaining to my children why mommy and daddy were going to be living apart. All experiences that took time and growth over the years. And added hundreds of tiny wrinkles along the way, I might add. I mean added character-yeah-that’s it!
I also had the joy during those times of teaching my precious children that God loves them, even when it doesn’t seem like He’s there. And those teachings often came at a price.
So I can relate to all the tales about 30-somethings that I read.
I can remember and relive some of the beautiful moments of my own life (and most were) while enjoying the author’s personal take on that ageless period.
The 30-something, however, has no way to relate to: kissing someone with Geritol breath (I’m kidding here, folks…or am I?) reminding someone what they ate for breakfast yesterday, having help opening a jar of pickles because it’s just too doggone hard anymore, hot flashes and menopause, having difficulty taking the stairs two at a time like we used to.
You see, us “oldies” can relate to a younger protag because we’ve been there, but the younger readers have no way to directly relate to an older character…for the most part. Hence, most of our protags are younger.
Are we, the Oldtimers being cheated? Not at all. Our walks down memory lane are sweeter, more intense, more applicable for having been there. And a good writer will help us forget we’ve grown older and allow us the sweet pleasure of recollection.
Ahh, that first kiss!
The very reason I occasionally chuck the suspense novel and reach for a romance. There is no better memory than young love, and when I read about the happy couple overcoming adversity, I’m twenty or thirty-something again, and his breath is warm and minty and soft against my cheek, without a hint of Geritol!

Accepting Responsibility/ZERO DEFECTS

2011-07-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

While it is so much easier to pass the buck, particularly in today’s society,
we, as writers, have an obligation to produce the best possible work we can.
And when that work is finished, we must further edit, read through, polish,
edit some more, and polish even more.
In the end, after the entire book is ready for publication, when we
have the last opportunity to make our work shine, do we simply look at
the words, awed by our “wonderful” literary sense,
or do we take that last moment
to dig into it and be sure the work is typo free?
Having served in the Air Force, way too long ago to go into, I can
remember one expression that was drilled into our heads:
ZERO DEFECTS
We not only were encouraged, but we were expected to
produce a product or a service with
ZERO DEFECTS.
This wasn’t an option. They didn’t tell us that as a suggestion.
It was EXPECTED in much the same way we should approach our writing.

Let’s here the cry from coast to coast, office to office, computer to computer.
Raise your voices in smart, crisp military style:
Sir! ZERO DEFECTS! Sir!

We Must Never Forget

2011-07-09T17:15:00.001-07:00

We must NEVER forget!
While reading Max Anderson’s post
about his new book,
When the Lights Go Out,
it brought to mind that this year is the
tenth anniversary of 911.
Now, already, someone’s scratching
his head going tenth anniversary of the
emergency phone number?
Come on, if you’re over 25, you
should know exactly what I’m talking about.

The day America died just a little bit!

But more importantly, the day America learned she still had
a backbone with plenty to say to anyone wanting to hurt her.
I can tell you exactly where I was—at work.
One of our patients came in and said something about
a plane ramming into some building in New York.
Then another patient and another.
I ran over to a store, grabbed a small B&W TV, the mini kind,
and took it back to work so we could find out what was going
on outside our calm little burg.
One of the therapists made an offhand comment about
not turning it up too loud, she wouldn’t be able to hear
herself think. After convincing her it might be worth checking out,
we watched in horror as the building collapsed.
Our Pentagon? Hit? No way, couldn’t happen.
Our way of life being threatened? Who would dare?
An hour later our boss called and said for everyone
to go home and be with their families. Who knew
what might be coming next?

A small piece of all of us died that day along with the thousands in
the Towers and the Pentagon and those brave souls aboard
Flight 93 who through their selfless actions stopped further
carnage from taking place.
And those brave first responders who put others lives ahead
of the their own. Many still paying for it today with health issues.

What do you tell your children about 911?
Do you tell them about the
bravery of the Americans?
The cowardice of the terrorists?
The wakeup call to the greatest
country in the world?

It must NEVER be forgotten what happened that day.
Those of us who lived through watching the scenes unfold, one
graphic nightmare after another, must NEVER allow
complacency to become the norm. Apathy the new tolerance,
and a call to freedom, a whispered memory.

Max Anderson wrote a tribute to those of 911 with one of
his books for boys, When the Lights Go Out.
This should be a must read for every family with children,
boys or girls. Let the conversation open up and let your
children know they must NEVER forget what happened the day
America got sucker-punched—the day a small piece of all of us died!

Here’s Max’s video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfSEkGN5q0U&feature
and here’s his site where you can find out more about
this book and many others.
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/

http://max-whenlightsgoout.blogspot.com/

God bless America!

Is There Anything More Exciting?

2011-07-07T06:26:00.001-07:00

Is there anything more exciting than the first book cover for an author? Well, okay, there's the birth of your children, your marriage, the first time you realized Jesus Christ truly was the only Way, but I'm talking surreal things here, not obvious life-changing phenomena.

Okay, this won't rock everyone's world the same way,
but mine's rocked lemme tell ya!

Now, I just have to wait for the release...

Take Off the Boxing Gloves

2011-07-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's time to get right down to it. Take off the gloves and promote your work. Do you think it's too self-serving to talk about yourself? Does a Ford dealership brag about Chevy or Toyota?

I don't think so!

It's time to understand that if you don't have faith in your work, who will?

There's a difference between pride and promoting what you do. How far would a craftsman go if he only encouraged you to buy from competing craftsmen? So no more soft punches, take off the gloves and wallop the reader with how good your work is. We'd better believe in ourselves or why should anyone else?

So . . . You Wanna Write a Romance

2011-06-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, please pardon the cliché,
but in this instance, it’s true. No four letter words, no tumbles
under the covers. Just real down-to-earth romance.
What better place to start than An Affair to Remember.
So, do you remember?

Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, both running from love. Where?
Straight into each others’ arms. With a fiancée at home,
Cary Grant realizes there has to be more to life. With a
fiancé waiting for her, Deborah Kerr asks herself, is this all there is?

When they meet on a luxury ship headed for New York, they discover
each other but do their best to deny feelings which will disrupt more
lives than merely their own. Will they still care in six months or are
their emotions steering them? Plans formulate to meet at the top of
Empire State Building in half a year if they have the same intense feelings,
but one of them doesn’t show.

Formulaic romance? Sure. But what challenges face them throughout the
two hours of sheer pleasure! Each one with a love back home. A promise
to meet in six months. An accident that stops all their plans.

Subplots, disaster, thwarted love.

If you want to write a successful romance, first, get a copy of An Affair to Remember. Pop a big bowl of corn and be ready with a very large box of tissues, because this is an affair to remember. And a wonderful lesson in what makes a great romance.
If you write it like this, they will come!

WHEN GOD PLACES IT IN YOUR HEART

2011-06-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

In life, there will always be plenty of people to tell us we can’t. But when God places a dream in your heart, let hope find root. Don’t look at your unfulfilled dream like a weed and pick it prematurely. Recognize it as the real thing. Then give it time to grow, time to be all it can and then pick it, share it, allow others to be part of it.

We have to allow God’s timing is all things, our writing especially. Very few folks sit down and dash off a novel, have agents and editors fight over the work, and see it published as a bestseller. That isn’t one of life’s realities, but in God’s timing, if He placed writing in your heart, then allow Him to be the one to ready it, place it, put your woven words in the right hands.

Anymore than you would want a baby born prematurely, you wouldn’t want your work brought out too soon, either. Allow it to grow and with God’s timing, the day of showing the world your work will arrive.

When God places it in your heart, give your story time to take root.

FABULOUS WRITING TIPS

2011-06-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, swing around to Suzanne Hartmann's blog for some great writing tips.
http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/
She touches on so many topics and is spot on.
You won't be sorry.
Whether you're having trouble with show vs. tell or learning how to incorporate all the senses, Suzanne's your gal.

Happy writing!

Hartline Adds New Agent!

2011-06-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Well, have been keeping this to myself, and wanted you all to know. I was just invited to work with Hartline Literary Agency as an agent. It's been so much fun working with Terry this last year. So drop by and visit from time to time, I'm going to try and do some posts for Hartline's blog as well as add some fun things for writers to this blog.

Stay tuned, there's more fun in store.

ARE YOU AN ENCOURAGER?

2011-06-22T07:00:00.001-07:00

Has God called you to encourage other people in any aspect of life?
Maybe in writing, maybe some other venue?
If so, what has been the outcome?

THEY AREN'T ALL WINNERS!

2011-06-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT, DOES IT SHOW ON YOUR FACE?

You wait with great expectations. Your favorite author’s new book is about to be released. Let’s see, $13.96 through Amazon, wait a week, wait for the mailman each day around 11:30, chew your lip, think it over. Hmmm, maybe download to Kindle.
Instant gratification! Woohoo!!!
Cup of tea and some butter cookies, fireplace crackling, kids taking a nap, hubbie’s off to work so the lounge chair is all yours or:
Mug of coffee (none of that sissy kind), wife’s shopping, kids are out playing, and the throne room is empty, no one around to pound on the door!
TIME TO READ A BOOK!
You’re on page fifty (the house is unusually quiet today) but you still can’t get into the characters, still can’t connect. You already know whodunit and the female and/or male protagonist is a wimp. There’s just not enough suspense to fire up your blood pressure.
BUT ISN’T THIS YOUR FAVE AUTHOR?
Every single aim at the target doesn’t come away with a prize. Your favorite author is no different. Somewhere in his or her repertoire there lurks a story that won’t appeal to everyone. And while it’s a disappointment to you, it might be just what another reader needs to hear. I was reminded of this recently when I whined to a friend about a book I’d just read. She told me ever so sweetly (she’s one of those who says everything with much humility and kindness) that each book has a purpose. Each book has a reason why it was written and for whom. I just wasn’t the target audience this time. And this made me view “my opinion” a bit differently.
So, here I am, anxiously awaiting the “next” book by my fave author and maybe this time, the message will be for me!

Woohoo!
What has your experience been?

NICK OF TIME-Review

2011-06-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

If you’re not adverse to holding your sides to prevent bursting,
If you don’t mind having to change your shorts
halfway through a read,
If you don’t mind strangers staring as you belly laugh in public,
Then you’ll want to pick up a copy of
Tim Downs’ newest entry
in the Bug Man series,
Nick Of Time

When Nick Polchak and Alena decide marriage is the answer for two quirky people who might never find anyone else who understands the other any better, Nick is voluntarily whisked away the week before their wedding to partake of a cold case crime with some of his eccentric genius buddies. As the case sends him state-hopping, and bug collecting, Alena waits alone, and not so patiently at home for him to return in time for the ceremony. But Nick finds a lot more than decaying bodies and bug casings, he finds…well, if I tell you what it all means, I’d have to kill you.

Grab your belly binder, a few dry pair of shorts, and put on your blinders to the rest of the world, you’re ready for the read of your life.

You didn’t see it coming?
Didn’t I warn you?
Okay, there’s more than laughter, there’s a thriller that will keep your heart pumping like an old-time fire engine.
Don’t waste another minute before getting your hands on
NICK OF TIME.
What a great summer read!
Did I mention dry shorts?

A FAITHFUL SERVANT

2011-06-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

I want to take a minute to do a shout out for my agent and mentor, Terry Burns of the Hartline Literary Agency. Very few agents, in this atmosphere of unsure publishing trends, are willing to take on new authors. Understandable, most want to go for the sure thing--an experienced author with plenty to offer, and bucks to be made.

But how does one get experience and publishing credits without an agent who will give him or her a chance in the first place?

Enter Terry Burns, agent extraordinaire! "Send it to me and I'll look it over." And he says something to that effect more often than not. I know, because I work with him wading through some of the submissions. Are they all stellar? No. But each and every one of them receives time, a commodity few people have for each other these days unless there's something in it for them. And a caring response. Also something that is short in supply.

Lately, it seems his client list has been adding publishing credits left and right, to be cliche, and it couldn't happen to a better agent. Someone has to be a help to newbies anxious for their first contracts. And Terry has made that happen more often than not. I'm proud to be part of Team Terry and glad to know there are those out there with servants' hearts, willing to help "the least of us".

Move over bestsellers, there's a man in a big Stetson nippin' at your heels!

GOTTA PLAY HOOKEY

2011-06-08T16:22:00.000-07:00

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!

Every now and then Jack's gotta stop working and have some fun. That's what I did this week so I could read Purple Knot by Raquel Byrnes and Diagnosis Death by Dr. Richard Mabry.
Was it worth it? Oh Yeah!

While I got very little writing done, I truly enjoyed playing hookey, no, not hockey, hookey!

What do you plan to read this summer?

“Right as Rain”

2011-06-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

The Purple Knot will make you feel right as rain!
Raquel Byrnes, author, writes about Reyna Cruz, a spitfire of
a private investigator, and she’ll enjoy seeing you twist and
turn around the curves of this awesome novel.

After the death of her best friend, a death for which she’s blamed,
Reyna Cruz sets out to prove her innocence while digging
too closely into personal information that will expose the real killer.
On her journey, she is reunited with her childhood sweetheart,
but can they overcome the pain she caused him when she
left four years earlier?

Unable to come to grips with God’s handling of the loss
in their lives, Reyna struggles to resolve her faith issues as she
fights to save her relationship with the one and only man she’s ever loved. The man who finds it difficult to balance his emotions with her risk taking.

Just when you’re convinced the cops will step
in and cuff someone, you couldn’t be more wrong.
Ms. Byrnes has a way of leading you
astray in such a way, you never saw it coming.

Join me in reading this outstanding
Edge of Your Seat Romance by Raquel Byrnes:
THE PURPLE KNOT
First in the Shades of Hope Series
Happy summer reading…

Purple Knot

2011-06-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Knot to be missed!

If you can only afford one summer read,
make it Purple Knot by debut author, Raquel Byrnes.
Okay, so I’m only 25% of the way done.
But I can tell already this is going to be one of my favorite reads
by a debut author. You know what I mean.
You can just tell…
And even though I’m busy, right? I can’t put it down.
I’m reading for work. In fact, I’m in the middle of one
I have to get done, but I knew Purple Knot was
coming out today and I just wanted to take a break in order to
read “a few pages.”
Yeah, right. Well, the best laid plans and all that jazz.
So here I am, putting down a book that has grabbed
me by the cheeks and is slapping then both so hard
my mouth is twisted into a frown. Get the picture?
But I knew this book was coming out and because I love
SUSPENSE SEALED WITH A KISS,
I couldn’t resist moseying over to Amazon and
popping the puppy on my Kindle.
Okay, Ms. Byrnes, the ending had better do justice to the beginning, because when I finish, I’m doing a full review, right here, right now, right to the end!
Suspenseful reading all…

CONGRATS JOANNE!

2011-05-22T20:13:00.001-07:00

Way to go, you were the book winner!
Hope you enjoy!

WOOHOO!

Check out all those exclamation points!

You probably won't see that again!!!

FREE BOOK/AWESOME INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA BOESHAAR

2011-05-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

Today we have an interview with multi-pubbed author, Andrea Boeshaar.
Andrea is a multi-published author (see her site for available books)In addition, she teaches workshops for writers. As a former literary agent and now multi-published author and certified life coach, she encourages writers and assists them in making good decisions in both their personal lives and writing careers.

Andrea, what is the name of your new book?
Unexpected Love

Is this book self-published? If not, list the name of the publisher. Realms/Strang Book Group

Could you share your cover blurb?
Nurse Lorenna Fields has always taken her job at Chicago's Mercy Hospital seriously, determined never to become personally involved with her patients. But when a mysterious man with eyes like onyx is admitted after a shipwreck on Lake Michigan, she develops a connection with him that she can’t deny.

Slowly her patient regains consciousness, but to Renna’s dismay he has lost both his sight and his memory. Dubbed “Mr. Blackeyes” by her, the two build a strong, trusting friendship as they search for clues to his past. But part of her dreads the day of his recovery, convinced that his memories will take him away from her and his regained sight will reveal a secret about herself that Renna has been trying hard to hide.

How did this story come to you?
As I wrote its prequel, Uncertain Heart, I realized I needed to tell Captain Brian Sinclair’s story too.

Tell us about the journey to getting published.
I’ve always loved to write, ever since I was a little girl. But when my sons were toddlers, I began reading secular romances. I remember thinking, “I can do this.” So I tried and tried and tried. Me and my electric Smith Corona typewriter. Then in 1991, I gave my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. It rocked my world and suddenly I couldn’t write godless love stories. I needed to write tales that honored Christ. So I did. Again, I tried and tried and tried. I’m no stranger to the rejection letter. But then in 1992, God blessed me with a book contract. I’ve been writing – and getting published – ever since.
How does your faith play into your writing?My faith is the very fabric on which I create my stories. I’ve considered writing secular romances, those which don’t publish explicit sex scenes, and I can’t seem to write a novel without the Lord in there somewhere. I admire writers who can so subtly share their faith to a general audience.

Share a verse or Scripture passage with us that is special to you.
Psalm 91, verses 7-12. It reads (in part), A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you…For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they (the angels) shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
I prayed this Psalm while my son Brian was in first Kuwait and then Iraq. He’s told me of some “close calls” he had with IEDs (improvised explosive devices), but God kept him safe during his tours. (PRAISE BE TO GOD!)

What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am anticipating the release of Undaunted Faith, Book 4 in my Seasons of Redemption series. It’ll release in May 2011. And this month (Jan ’11) I’m beginning to write a brand new series called Fabric of Time. It’s a 3-book historical romance series about a Norwegian family that migrates to Brown County, Wisconsin. The first book is set to release in November 2011.

Parting comments?Be sure to leave a comment so you’re in the drawing for a FREE, autographed book.
Linda will take comments until Sunday, May 22nd!

Where can fans find you on the internet?
www.andreaboeshaar.com
Please be sure to check out my blog “Everything Writerly” when you visit my site.
If you're interested in arranging an appearance or learning more about her coaching services, please email her at andrea@andreaboeshaar.com

Thank you so much for stopping by, may this book be truly blessed.

WHAT DOES YOUR READER WANT?

2011-05-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Making your presence known! (in a good way)
Your book is out, you’re anxiously awaiting the release date, you’ve got your running shoes on, and you’re ready for a marketing marathon. Any number of sites, pr folks, etc. will tell you what you have to do to make the hype leading up to you book the best it can be.

But no one’s asking the reader!

What does the reader want to know about your book?
Just what information leads a reader to peruse the back cover or the e-back cover of your book? What catches their attention—forces them to care enough to smack down the greenbacks, or the credit/debit card as it were?

Are reviews the best way to garner attention?
Word of mouth?

Readers, answer the age-old question…does Santa sleep with his whiskers out of the covers or under them?

Sorry, wrong blog…

Seriously, what makes you as a reader want, no, need to pick up a book? Share your thoughts here, or email me with any thoughts that might help writers learn what makes the reader’s mind tick. If it’s as scary as what makes a writer’s mind tick, we might have a peculiar match made in heaven.

Scary!
Let’s hear from you!

2011-05-06T16:33:00.001-07:00

Are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kinda guy?

When things are going well,
it’s so easy to be a glass half full person.
But what about when things don’t go well?
Someone’s sick, died unexpectedly? We didn’t get our dream wish?

God IS still there, even when the glass feels half empty.

So, what are you today?

ZOMBIES AND VAMPIRES

2011-04-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, Chime in here.

I'm anxious to know how people really

feel about zombies and vampires in inspy writing.

Think about it before launching into your ideas.

Really give it some thought.

Is it reaching teens in a good way?

Can it?

How might it work?

What do you have to say?

HE IS RISEN!

2011-04-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

Need I say more?

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, DEB HARPER

2011-04-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

A special welcome to Deborah Harper, author of the Laramie on the Lam series.

Hey, Deb, tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi, Linda. Thanks so much for having me today.
I took an early retirement from a Michigan school district and accepted an invitation from my middle child and her husband to move in with them about six years ago. He’s in the Air Force and we’ve been on Elmendorf AFB here in Anchorage, Alaska for the last two and a half years. I’ve been so blessed not only to be able to live with them, but also to be retired and able to enjoy the different places we’ve lived, travel to see family members, and write to my heart’s content!

I have three married children, four grandsons (and two more on the way—one a boy, the other still a mystery). Life is so good!

What prompted the series Laramie on the Lam?

I’ve written for years (and years and years). I’ve had two different newspaper columns, been published in some anthologies, and done a lot of work online. As a result (as with most writers), I have a lot of material that’s never seen the light of day. Laramie on the Lam was one of them. One day our agent, Terry Burns, posted a call for submissions for ongoing YA books with specific themes from Echelon Press. Laramie was just sitting on my hard drive (doing nothing to earn his keep), so I decided to give it a try. Echelon accepted my proposal and the eBook series, Laramie on the Lam, was born.

Do you have any other works in progress? (as if I didn’t know)

Yes! I was very fortunate to be a finalist in the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild 2009 Operation First Novel contest (say that three times real fast!) with Misstep, an adult humorous Christian novel. I didn’t win, but I was thrilled to meet Terry Burns from the Hartline Literary Agency at the conference. Terry asked for my proposal and passed it along to you. We had a blast whipping it into shape for his perusal. He accepted it, I became his client, and Terry has it out to publishers now.

The strange folks in Road’s End, Virginia (the setting of Misstep) have become very near and dear to my heart. They decided that while Misstep is making the rounds, they wanted me to write another book, so Faux Pas is my current work-in-progress. Road Enders will get into even more trouble than they did the first time around.

How do you manage to get that special twist of humor in your stories?

I’m a little twisted myself. I believe most people like to chuckle over the crazy things they find themselves doing— particularly if they recognize themselves, or folks they know, who are not only quirky, but genuinely good people. And of course, humor relies on a certain amount of exaggeration, and that’s what I’ve tried to do with Misstep and Faux Pas. I like to write about good folks in strange circumstances who make the most of things, given their individual personalities and life experiences, and are still, in the end, able to laugh at themselves. Overall, however, I want to relay the message that it’s never too late to accept Jesus Christ and that even longtime Christians make mistakes, get cranky, and find themselves in hot water.

Laramie is a little different because he’s only eleven years old and I have to keep my humor in the realm of his life experiences. Frankly, it’s more difficult for me to write for children because I love irony and that’s a little tougher to pass along in a children’s book. But exaggeration comes in handy, particularly in a kids’ adventure series, and it will play a big part in Laramie’s adventures.

Where do your ideas come from?

For the most part, my ideas spring from names—of characters or towns, for instance—that pop into my head when I’m not looking. One day it occurred to me that Laramie Wyoming would make a great kid’s name (and of course, he’d have to live there, as well). That name seemed to call for an adventurous boy, one who would find himself in deep trouble with bad guys.

What do a camel, oldtimers, bad guys, and Christmas all have in common? I can tell you right here. I've had the privilege of reading Misstep, and I couldn't put it down. It's one of those stories where you have to change your bloomers halfway through because of all the laughing.

Misstep came about from hearing the words “Road’s End, Virginia” in my mind. It seemed like a good location for a group of senior citizens who lived in a small town that was accessible by only one road that led both in and out—literally at road’s end. I thought about the kind of folks who would live in such a rural, out of the way setting, and the characters were born.

Deb, thanks for stopping by. How about telling us one last thing about yourself we might not know from your books.

I love photography and astronomy. Both help me to appreciate the vast array of gifts God has given us “just because.” He didn’t have to give us 339 species of hummingbirds, but He did! He could have created just our solar system (or galaxy, for that matter) which would have kept us enthralled forever, but instead, He gave us hundreds of billions of galaxies, each containing at least 100 billion stars! There’s no limit to what He’s given us. Photography and astronomy (well, looking at pictures of our universe and reading facts—I’m no expert, by a long shot), are two ways I can remind myself and others of His unbelievable generosity.

And would you mind sharing your blog and/or website with us? I'm sure lots of folks would like to stop by and visit!

Linda, I maintain three blogs (what was I thinking?)…
The first, http://www.deborahdeetales.blogspot.com/ , is a compilation of everyday things that showcase God’s blessings to me and my family. I use it to communicate my love for “all things God.”
The second, http://deetrails.blogspot.com/, is all about taking a closer look at God’s gifts—those tiny things along the way that we might overlook in the vastness of all the other wonderful things He provides along the trail. I use my own photography in both of these blogs.
The third blog, http://www.laramieonthelam.blogspot.com/, is especially for my Laramie on the Lam readers.
I’m also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1553465645 and Twitter @deborahdeetales.
Thank you so much for having me on your blog and letting me share my thoughts and my work with your readers.

DO YOU NEED A CONFERENCE?

2011-04-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Are you going to a conference this year?
Do you think you need one?
Can you afford it?
What can you take away from it?

Conferences offer so many opportunities for writers.
You can network by meeting all sorts of new people.
At some you can meet with agents, editors, mentors, best-selling authors.
At others, you might spend one-tenth or one-fifth the amount of money
and attend some of the same classes offered by the larger conferences.

If the budget allows, do your best to attend a conference this year.
Maybe a one-day conference where local people get together and have
a free-will offering for a good speaker.

Don't miss the chance to learn from others.

Going to a conference this year? Ooooh, I hope so...

MY BABY'S UGLY?!?!?!?!?!?!?

2011-04-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Yup! We get back our contest entries.
Wah. A sixty?
Boohoo! A 50!
And all from the same story . . .
We-ellllllllllllll!
Feels like we posted pix of our kids on our blogs,
and someone said, "What an ugly kid!"
We take it all personal and have our feelings hurt.
Pretty normal response, but now that the initial boohoo
is over, remember to thank those people who helped
make the contest a true success.

Helping writers get better.

Please take the time (even if you grit your teeth doing it sometimes)
to thank the judges and the coordinators of the contest.
Whether it's all warm fuzzies or not, judges spend a lot
of their own spare time critting the work.

THEY DON'T REALLY THINK YOUR BABY'S UGLY!
They just want to help you succeed.

CONTEST JUDGING

2011-04-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

Gee, here's a great topic. Errghhh!

Okay, so this week brought a lot of cheers and even more BIG SIGHS!

A lot of discussion within groups are centered around: But this one scored me very high and this one at the bottom of the heap! What gives?

Imagine going to a job interview:
"Do you have any experience? No? We can't hire you."
"But how do I get experience if you won't hire me?"
A rather large shoulder shrug. And therein lies part of the problem with finding new judges. We need to have new folks to judge, but they have to start somewhere and often have to learn merely by experience. And rarely get so much as a pat on the back for all the hard work.

Contests are increasing in size each year, and new judges are needed to replace those who are overworked, overtired, and fed up because they don't want to take any more complaints. It is discouraging to find such a diversity between judge #1 and judge #3, but we have judges from all genres, all different backgrounds, and all doing their best. I wish the organizations had mentoring programs for their new judges. That might help with some of the discrepancies.

But, all that being said, my money is still on the big, reputable contests. Where, for $20-$35 can we get a thorough breakdown (most of the time) on our first 15-20 pages of work? And from 2-5 different judges? This is money well spent.

We can't throw that crying baby out with the wash water. We need to glean what we can from the judges' comments. Take what we want, pitch the rest, but remember one thing before we complain: Editors and agents will be as diverse as the judges and so will readers and reviewers.
This won't be our last experience with criticism, not by a long shot.

Happy writing, happy contests!

Indie or Self-pubbed???

2011-04-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Sew, you’ve deceided too go indie or selfed-pubbed? Good luck, be smert, and dew it write…

How are you going to prepare your work? Grammar and spell check alone? A new and quickly expanding move in the writing industry is to self-pub or print independently. Is this a course you might be considering?

It has obviously been a huge success for the likes of vampire writer, Amanda Hocking. Check out her story: http://www.novelr.com/2011/02/27/rich-indie-writer Now, we know in this current frenzy, vampires and zombies are selling like hotcakes-eeouwww! But reality tells us this is a hot topic, whether it’s for some of us or not. So that certainly helps her sales, but there has to be another element, and from what I’ve read, it is this:

the girl is marketing savvy!
And a lot of mistakes are overlooked by the reader when you offer the right topic to the right group at the right time!

What prepares a self-pubber’s work? Relying on the computer to write it for you won’t get you very far as we’ve seen in some other self-pubbed work. Then who does one go to for help?

Mom, Grandma, Best Friend,
Cousin, hair stylist, next-door neighbor, on and on.

Any family member or friend is not going to give you a bad review. They'll be impressed that you can string two intelligent words together.

If you are considering a move to self-publishing and considering it seriously, get into a sound crit group, one that doesn’t exist for the sake of telling you how wonderful you are. You can blow smoke up your own backside by standing in front of a mirror, clicking your ruby slippers and saying, “there’s no writer like me, there’s no writer like me.”

If you have tough crit partners, you should see comments and suggestions even after you send them the final copy. Only have crit partners who will treat you as though you were a paying project and they were editors. If your grammar and punctuation are difficult at best, get an editor. Someone who, for a reasonable price, can help you “put your affairs in order”, because that’s what you’ll be doing for your career IF YOU DON’T GET HELP!

So, you’ve decided to go indie or self-pubbed? Good luck, be smart, and do it right!

BURNING BRIDGES

2011-03-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

Soooooo, how does it make you feel when someone gives your book a poor review? Or, if you're unpubbed, if your crit partners let you have it? I'm sure most of you have already read about the British self-pubbed author who was:

Let's say. . . . . .

Less than happy about a review she received and launched into a rant the likes of which a two-year-old toddler would have been proud, or maybe even embarrassed. Depending on the toddler, I guess.

For those of you who might have missed it, here's the URL: http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

Be prepared, however, it's full of slightly (ahem) colorful language. Knowing that agents and editors might tune in to the continuing saga (not sure I've EVER seen that many responses to a blog) would you really want to be remembered as the author who had the internet meltdown? Granted, she might be suffering from menopausal issues (I hope there's a logical reason) but then again, she might not.

Folks, don't burn any bridges in this industry. It isn't worth it.

Simply thank the person for taking the time to read your work, whether a reviewer or a crit partner, and move on. I hope no one within reading distance of this post EVER responds in like.

Good luck, happy writing, may all your reviews be AMAZING!

DIALOGUE TAGS

2011-03-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, we’ve all heard it in classes. No one should say:

He growled
She snorted
He admonished
She chided
He murmured
She whispered and on and on . . .

I’ve heard it explained only he said/she asked.

Recently I heard the move is going a bit further and only

he said and she said are considered the most

acceptable modes with respect to dialogue.

What do all of you think? Do you dislike reading dialogue with
all kinds of tags? Or is a good story the most important thing?

Is it distracting or does it add to the story?

How do you write, with or without different tags?

Would love to have your feedback…

Happy writing, she mumbled.

Isn't That Just Like a Writer's Life?

2011-03-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

From my little corner of the world.
It’s spring, and what comes with spring in Michigan?
More snow, more sleet, more freezing rain.
Well, isn’t that just like a writer’s life?

Just when you feel like you have your foot in the door,
someone comes along and slams the door on your foot.

You can cry, whine it isn’t fair, and limp around,
or you can grab a pair of crutches and learn to walk
with them, run with them,
jump hurdles with them.
And get back to writing.

Until the next door opens and you are allowed a few
more steps inside.

Has spring been overcome with freezing rain in your writing
world, or are you simply missing the signals that tell you
you’re slowly getting ahead? One crocus at a time...

OR . . . maybe the time has come to kick the doggone
door down and step through. Don’t be afraid, take the
next step. If that novel has been sitting in your computer
drawer because you are afraid of the possibility of rejection,
then get off your fanny and move it! There's no day like today!
After all, there's freezing rain outside and nothing else to do
but dust off the work center and dig in.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN?

2011-03-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

So, how do you want to be known?

This week in the media, we have seen a human being and his entire family turned into nothing but pathetic sound bytes, for all to hate, love, denegrate, or merely stand by and watch the meltdown occur. Charlie Sheen. For all intents and purposes, here is a man who had it all in the worldly sense, and the sand is shifting so rapidly under his feet, he's scrambling to take a stand.

I don't know about you, but I feel compelled to feel sorry for him.

Probably the last thing he wants, but for some reason, the good Lord continues to lay him and his family on my heart. Errrrghhh, one of those, pray about it whether I like it or not deals.

But let's face it. This is what we all come down to.

Do we want to be known for our rants, our meltdowns?

Or do we want to be known as someone who LIVED,

who knew HOW TO LIVE,

and who LIVED IN A WAY GOD WOULDN'T BE SAD?

It's the same with our writing. How do we want to be known?

Maybe writing erotica would net us thousands of dollars; okay, let's be honest, hundreds of thousands, but are willing to be known by that standard? And yes, this is a moral statement and stand, one which I have no problem defending.

When and if you are in the public eye, what will people say?

And if you're waiting for that day, remember this;

You ARE in the public eye every day of your life.

SCENE BREAKS AND BODY PARTS / Writing Tips #3

2011-02-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder what editors think of eyes stuck to the wall, tongues waggling words of discontent?

All kinds of body parts float around the pages

of too many otherwise good books.

Are you guilty?

Hope you enjoy this next installment of the Big, Bad Editor's List of Pet Peeves. With permission of White Rose Publishing.

The Big, Bad Editor's List Of Pet Peeves - Act III
In the ongoing saga of the Big, Bad Editor's Pet Peeves, we come to a host of small problems which can kill a perfectly good manuscript. Scene breaks, brand name dropping, body parts, swearing, one word emotion, and it.

SCENE BREAKS

Let me issue a caveat. Some editors are fine with scene breaks. I'm not one of them. I feel that if you need a scene break, you need to clarify your character's position better. A transitional scene from one to the next makes sense. My fellow editors will respectfully disagree with me and we'll probably have emails flying on our Staff loop. (Don't worry, its good for them to question their beliefs, keeps us all fresh).

So, what is a scene break? It is where you write one scene and then realize your character really should be somewhere else or thinking something else. Or you go to the other character's POV and see what he's doing at the same time. And, CUT! Off you go. Three asterisks and your reader has been beamed like a Star Trek character into the next scene. In most cases, your reader isn't Captain Kirk (unless its fan-fiction) and you don't own one of those transportation devices. Having your reader plopped into a different setting is like Kirk appearing out of nowhere to the superstitious savages. I will occasionally allow a scene break, but you better have 25 reasons to back up why you need it when I ask. I'm just saying.

A scene break pulls the reader up short. It is a stopping point. When you couple it with a POV shift, it can be the kiss of death to the reader - they may not finish the book. How many books have you read where you skipped to the 'good part?' Think about it and you may see a trend. The 'good part' is usually in one POV where you feel what that character is showing. Your purpose is to keep that reader so happy to finish the book that she'll buy your next book.

BRAND-NAME DROPPING

Brand-name dropping seems to be increasing in the manuscripts I've read lately. I kid you not, I got a manuscript in which the characters had to go buy a part for a car and the author listed 22 stores by name that might carry that part. If your heroine drives a 1969 Buick LeSabre change it to an 'older, gas-guzzling sedan.' Mentioning such things will get the red pen from me. These date your manuscript, they also come under 'fair use' laws. It means you can use certain terms, but it is dictated by the owner of the brand name. Since we don't want to constantly be writing letters to the owners asking permission, we prefer you use generic euphemisms for the cars, toys, tourist traps, and sexy lingerie.

BODY PARTS

One of the funniest lines I ever read in a manuscript was a hero who allowed "his eyes to run around the room as he looked for a way out." I had this vision of an alien species whose eyeballs popped out, dropped to the floor, sprouted legs and took off running around the room like a spider on speed. Make sure your hero/heroine's body parts can actually do the tasks assigned (real aliens are the exception to this rule).

SWEARING

Different editors have different views on swearing in a story. If there is no shock value and cussing doesn't impact the story in a profound way, it is unnecessary. I prefer no swearing in a Christian Inspirational. Throwing cuss words around as if they're everyday jargon dilutes the power. When you overuse the words, it is a waste of resources. You want every word to count in a good story. If a character swears for lack of anything else to say, it simply fills the silence, not a good trait. Heroes and heroines need to come across as decisive, firm and in control of their speech.

ONE WORD EMOTIONS

Human beings are not one-dimensional. We laugh, we cry, we share the lives of others for a while (that's a quote from Thomas Carlyle. Go look him up. I don't agree with him on most things but he understood the value of a good book). When we 'get emotional' we are not one feeling, we are a big mass of feelings. That said, sometimes in our intent to show exactly what our heroine/hero is feeling, we think a short, clipped sentence will do the trick. Add a little emotion and everyone gets the point...twice. Sentences like this grate on many editors' nerves.

"Surprised, she jerked back."

How about:

"She jerked back."

The verb tells us something startling happened. Ahhh, mystery. The reader will continue to read because they'll want to know why she jerked back. The 'surprised' part of the first sentence gives away an unnecessary clue that subtly foreshadows what is to come. If a reader knows the 'good part' is coming, they may put the book down to do other tasks, relishing the anticipation of the 'good part' for later. But your job is to make them keep reading a book they can't put down!

IT

And then there's the magic IT. It is not a subject. Sentences with 'it is' or 'it was' instead of a specific noun makes for passive writing.

"It was the man's abrasive tone that got to her."

How about:

Sam's abrasive tone grated on her nerves. (although really, I would do anything Sam Elliott told me to do - I love his abrasive, Scotch-on-the-rocks voice).

Do a find/search of the instances of 'it' and its iterations (ha ha, "it and its iterations!") and work on being more specific.

Once again, thank you White Rose for allowing me to offer these
writing tips on my blog.

WRITING TIPS #2 FOR AUTHORS

2011-02-23T06:07:00.000-08:00

You're in a writing contest and you get back your entry with

HEAD-HOPPING written all over.

What? I don't do that...do I?
And what does it mean, anyway?

Following is the Big Bad Editor’s List Of Pet Peeves # 2 by MJ West,
with permission of Nicola Martinez,

White Rose Publishing:

In the second installment of The Big, Bad Editor's Pet Peeves I bring you yet another bane of my existence...

POINT OF VIEW SWITCHES & HEADHOPPING

There are editors who don't mind head-hopping. There are authors who write head-hopping characters seamlessly. And then there's me.

But first, here are the main POV's used in fiction so you'll know what I'm talking about.

Objective Point of View - In objective point of view, the writer tells what happens without any bias towards character or plot. The writer doesn't tell the reader how the characters feel or what they think. The writer is simply an observer telling a story. A lot of children's stories are told in objective point of view. Journalism used to be told this way, too. (Don't ask my opinion on what is called journalism nowadays).

Third Person Point of View - The writer is not a participant in the story, but allows the reader to know and understand the point-of-view of one or more characters. The reader knows how the characters feel about events and what they think, too. The writer is the third person - "the fly on the wall"- hearing and seeing all in the chosen POVs. Most fiction is written in third person narrative.

First Person Point of View - The writer is the narrator of the story. The writer's opinion is not always objective and they may infuse their opinions, thoughts and actions on the reader. This style of writing may not always be trustworthy, because the reader is depending on the writer to tell the truth. Biographies are usually written in the first person. (What, you think some of them are the whole truth??)

Omniscient - The writer knows everything about everyone, how they fell, how they think, what their motivations are. Some police thrillers are written with this style because the POV of the criminal and what the motivation may be is just as important as the POVs of the police. Think of this POV as an army general. The general is looking over a map of the land and moving his armies where he thinks they'll do the most good. The armies have no say, they do not understand or care why they are being moved, they are simply minions of the general and do as he dictates. All action and characterization if any is from the viewpoint of the "all-knowing" general.

Author Intrusion - When an author infuses a preaching tone or opinion that has not been stated as the character's thoughts/feelings anywhere else in the book.

Now, back to my peeving. A point of view head-hop breaks my train of thought.

It is disconcerting to be identifying with the hero and to suddenly be thrown out of his perspective by an invasive newcomer who is a stranger with thoughts, actions and a perspective of her own! When reading, the reader starts to understand the character, starts feeling his/her depth of emotion, starts thinking "wow, that's almost exactly how I feel!" and then BAM! they're kicked out of his/her POV and into another character's thoughts. Even if the second character also feels as they do, the reader is left with a sense of incompleteness. The reader isn't even finished with the first person when they have to deal with the thoughts of the second person.

Wait? What? See how confusing it is?

Think about the classic books you read as a child - rarely are there even two POVs - part of the reason they're classics is because the characterization is so strong with one POV.

I know you feel that you can convey more when you show both sides of the story. I know it is easier to keep them in the same scene while they go back and forth like a tennis match. However, its not strong writing unless you are one of the few experienced authors who've mastered the technique.

Inexperienced head-hopping keeps the reader off balance. And worse, it gives the impression of a play. Each person and their story is produced like the characters in a play - "here is your part, tell your background, move off the stage for the next person." It comes across as very cut-and-dried. I have noticed that many authors who do this are avoiding something.

That avoidance is very telling. What is it telling this editor? In almost every instance, the author is avoiding emotive content. You read that right. Most authors are trying to "wow me with words" so they don't have to delve into their psyche and pull out emotions that may bare the soul of their character. Why? Because every character the writer invents carries a little piece of that writer in it. Most people don't let all their thoughts/feelings hang out. Even overly dramatic people may sometimes be hiding behind an opinionated façade. When a writer puts words to paper, they open up they way they themselves may think. It's a little scary to show that vulnerability to an audience of readers.

Part of writing is that ability to share what we feel. Constantly head-hopping can convey the story you want to tell without having to get emotional about it.

But this is romance, baby. It is all about emotion! It is all about that vulnerable state when you open your heart and bleed until a hero rides to the rescue, wraps a tourniquet of love around that heart and helps it heal.

Open that vein. Strengthen the story by wearing your heart on your sleeve. Don't hide behind pretty words or keep the reader head-hopping so much they can't get a real grasp on how that character feels. Emote! Give me a point of view from one character that strengthens the romance and makes it grow. Give me a point of view that shares its pain, its angst and its passion. And I'll give you a contract for a well-written book that readers will want to read.

Thanks, again, White Rose for the writing tips...

Has this helped in your quest for the PERFECT NOVEL?

GOOD NEWS FOR NEW AUTHORS

2011-02-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

For about two years, we’ve been hearing all sorts of “cutting edge” news about the writing industry, and it’s only getting hotter. E-books will kill publishers. Print books will never make room for e-books, and on and on and on.
Everyone has an opinion, and we know what that means. So who and what do we believe? If bigger houses will only look at established writers, and agents want established writers, where does that leave the rest of us?

DON’T LOOK NOW, THERE’S GOOD NEWS FOR NEW AUTHORS!

Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency has been bumped to the top of the list by Publishers Marketplace as the “go-to” agent for new authors. His track record is amazing!(I’m slightly prejudiced since I am one of his clients, but I couldn’t agree more)

So how about publishers?

Just more good news. A few smaller presses are taking on new clients as we speak. One in particular that is growing faster than weeds, where you don’t have to wade through an erotic section to get to inspirational, is White Rose Publishing, where faith is the cornerstone of love.
For full length novels, they will do print and e-book. Hmm, sounds like this might be the best of both worlds.

Nicola Martinez is Editor-in-chief and as such, has set the guidelines with a godly standard in mind. I asked Ms. Martinez if I could pass along some of the writing tips she and her staff of editors offer on their site to help writers know what they expect in submissions. She agreed, and so for the next few posts, I will be reprinting writing tips from White Rose and their staff. Take the time to read them over, you won’t be sorry.

Following is the Big Bad Editor’s List Of Pet Peeves # 1 by MJ West, with permission of Nicola Martinez, White Rose Publishing:

The Big Bad Editor's List Of Pet Peeves I
I have a lot of pet peeves. I plan to highlight the big ones for this series of articles. The rest I'm willing to work with to find a viable compromise between the author and myself. And honestly, although I prefer great grammar and punctuation, I will not reject your story because you missed a comma or misspelled a word (however, this doesn't mean you can send me a poorly edited manuscript). So, with that said, we shall concentrate on my Pet Peeves. And the Number One Spot goes to...(drumroll)...

BACKSTORY.

Nearly every newbie author (including myself back in the day) is guilty of back story. Back story is when one set ups a scene to tell the reader all about the hero or the heroine before the actual story. Because one is trying to capture the reader's attention, one wants them to understand and identify with the heroine/hero. That's almost always how to TELL a story. Think about it. Remember the stories you told your kids?

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl whose Grandmother was sick. She baked some goodies for Grandma, put them in a basket, put on her little red jacket with hood and headed out the door. Stepping onto the forest path, she met a wolf..."

But in romance, it works better to SHOW a story. Start the story in the middle of the action, preferably when the hero/heroine or protagonists meet.

"Hello, my pretty." The wolf's eyes gleamed as he eyed the girl's basket. He licked his chops as drool ran down his chin. (Right away we can see that this is the Bad Guy - his personal hygiene habits alone tell us his character).

"Hello," Little Red Riding Hood said in a polite tone, furiously thinking that the loaf of bread in her basket simply wasn't an adequate weapon. (Smart, bakes and can multi-task. Obviously, the heroine).

Even if the meeting isn't auspicious, it actually sets the stage you were striving for in the back story. The wolf is established as the bad guy. Little Red Riding Hood is established as being the heroine in deep trouble. The reader has just entered the comfort zone of reading. Reader immediately knows the actors on the page, and is ready to identify with the heroine. The door is open. The page must be turned.

And that, my pretties, is right where you want the reader to be. So excited that turning the page cannot be helped. How many times has someone interrupted you right at the Big Moment in a book or movie? Your job, as a writer, is to make every single chapter have a Big Moment. Or two...or twenty. Keep that page turning.

Don't bore me with the story of how Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother made that coat by going to a specialty store to buy the woolen fabric in that specific shade of cherry red, and how she bought real bone buttons and lined it with silk because LRRH was such a special little girl, what with baking Granny treats and doing the housework and fluffing pillows and all. Granny is a secondary character. She can be mentioned, but I don't want her life story, her choices or her pet peeves even mentioned in the book, okay? Well, unless you can do it in a paragraph or less, as it relates to the hero/heroine. There is no reason to know why Granny made the coat. She's Granny, LRRH is her granddaughter. Grannies do that kind of thing. That is sufficient for readers to know by inference.

Write tight. Your goal is to use as few words as possible to convey character and action. You want to punch the reader in the eyeballs with everything that will make them keep reading down the page and to the next.

The master of writing some of the best first lines ever was Louis L'Amour. Next time you go to the bookstore or library pick up a few of his books and read.

"When I rode up to the buffalo wallow, Pa was lying there with his leg broke, and his horse gone." (END OF THE DRIVE - Louis & Katherine L'Amour Trust)

In that single sentence, the writer conveys a sense of urgency, a sense of responsibility, a sense of trouble, and the need to solve the problem fast. And the reader is off and running - reading as fast as possible to find out what happens.

Louis didn't go into back story, he hopped right into the action, left the reader staring at the page thinking "My goodnes, WHAT HAPPENED?" And then they find themselves reading all day and finishing the book at 2 a.m. knowing they have to go to work tomorrow.

As you continue writing the book, and at this point, I'll talk specifically about romance, you must keep the hero and heroine together. Do not go off on a tangent about how the hero's long lost brother shows up with three kids and a dog, and how the hero loved his brother's wife back in the day and now must mourn her passing but is charmed by his brother's daughter because she looks so much like her mother, a pretty girl with brown eyes and blonde hair who sang as sweetly as a lark, loved dogs, and could bake the best apply pie this side of Sara Lee. (It is almost Thanksgiving, I'm into baking metaphors).

The reader doesn't want to know all that. The reader is looking for the romance - the reader wants to see the relationship develop between hero and heroine. Hero and heroine. Hero. And. Heroine. You can allow a little back story as they interact with each other. He can tell her about losing someone he loved. He doesn't need to go into detail. She can see a photo of Mom and notice that the little girl looks like Mom and the hero seems to have a soft spot for the kid. But then, you must revert back to hero and heroine and how THEIR relationship is growing. What are they doing? What are they feeling? What is happening? How do they react when it happens? Do they take action? If so, is it a resolution? If not, why not? Will there be a resolution later? Why the delay?

Every time an author introduces a secondary character, the potential for back story is set. Resist! If you must use a secondary character, give the reader bare bones. A quick paragraph about their meaning in the hero or heroine's life, and then move back to hero and heroine. Don't give them a life history. Don't give them "air-time" in a story about Hero and Heroine. If they have a story, write another book about them.

Don't give Hero and Heroine much back story, either. Heroine's story before meeting hero is hers alone. Hero's story before meeting heroine is his alone. But this story...this story is about them. Together. Developing a relationship in the present. This is their story. Write it wisely.

I hope you enjoyed and took to heart the suggestions by the editor. White Rose is the romance sister site to Harbourlight Books, which publishes novels in many genres outside the realm of romance.

WOULD JANE AUSTEN BE PUBLISHED TODAY?

2011-02-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Too much telling!

Every contestant’s nightmare critique.

And a favorite complaint of judges

across the industry. Have you read much omniscient lately?

It’s all about the deep POV. Get in their heads and feel what

they’re feeling; don’t tell us what they feel.

But what about Agatha Christie? Charlotte Bronte?

Jane Austen?
Have you read their books---helllooooo!
Are their books classics that have stood the test of time?
Helllloooooo again…

But!!! And here’s my big but

(no comments from those of you who know me),
would they survive, would they be looked at twice,

would they be pubbed today?
Let’s look at a f’rinstance!

Pride and Prejudice

In the first few chapters we were in so many heads,

they didn’t even have time to hop.

And the adjectives were plentiful enough

for a junior high English Comp class.

How about the characters? Let’s look at my favorite.

Mr. Darcy!

He was at the same time haughty,

reserved, and fastidious,
and his manners, though well-bred,

were not inviting.

I can only imagine the comments from a fiction

writing contest today.
“SHOW us how haughty he was. Let us see through dialogue and

actions just HOW his manners were not inviting.

Give us examples that put us in the character’s head.”
And by today’s standards, they would be right.

We really do write what we read, and if we only read books that

aren’t being pubbed in today’s market, how do we expect to get

published ourselves?

Am I saying the classics are bad?
Heavens, no!

But I am saying the market isn’t the same one that

existed when Austen and Bronte,

or even Christie wrote. Shucks, it isn’t the same market as

the one Mary Higgins Clark broke into years ago.

The industry is changing—are you willing to change, too,

or will you be left behind?

Writing Contests

2011-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Well, Genesis is just around the corner. Anyone entering?
Go over the material, read it aloud to yourself, and
put your best writing in your synopsis.
GOOD LUCK!

PRIDE VS. PUBLICATION?

2011-02-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

How about it, Van Gogh?

More interested in battling the system, taking a firm stand, rather than getting your work out there and published? Do you even care what actually sells in the industry and doing a bit of change to meet the needs of the market?
Which writer are you?

It has to be my way or the highway…
or
The editor says I need to change that?
Okay, doesn’t change the integrity of my storyline. Let’s do it.

It’s never easy to change your “baby”.

But are you picking the right battles?
If an editor is anxious to look at your work with some changes, are you willing to make those changes? At least compromise? Or do you dig your heels, resulting in NEVER getting published just so you can keep your manuscript 100% intact?

The publishing industry isn’t Burger King.
You won’t always get to have it your way.

Maybe you’ve just started out; maybe you just got an agent; maybe an editor just took at look at your work and said, “Let’s work on the changes and try again.”

Will you, or won’t you?
Maybe you’d rather be one of the artists whose

work is discovered
long after you’re gone.
I’m not saying one way is right or wrong.

Just what do you want to get out of the writing industry?

THE FLEX DIET/Review

2011-01-22T09:31:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE.

Ever know in your heart that you could design

your own weight loss

program better than a nutritionist or doctor?

That you understood your body better than someone else?

I can spit out all the facts to you on low-fat diets, high-carb diets, low-carb diets, and shucks, I probably even remember in detail the Grapefruit, Steak and Egg diet(lost a bundle on that one and gained it all back plus some). So why am I still battling weight? Well, for one thing, I don’t crave grapefruit every day. And because, until now, no one has given me good advice on day-to-day living that I can incorporate into a program of my own. A REAL lifetime change that will reap the rewards I’ve wanted for nearly thirty years.

A PROGRAM OF MY OWN???

Absolutely!

Cardiologist, James Beckerman, while caring for a patient, realized he needed to do more for the patient than merely patch him up and send him home. He had to find a REAL SOLUTION to help this man change his life or die.

THE FLEX DIET: Design-Your-Own Weight Loss Plan
by James Beckerman, M.D.
Touchstone Hardcover / Simon & Schuster

I ORDERED MINE ON MY NEW KINDLE-Woohoo!

You say: HO-HUMMMM! What’s so different?

Hasn’t it all been said?

Why should I try again?

I’ll tell you why, because FLEX is a new approach that anyone can live with.
LIVE BEING THE KEY.

Try all his suggestions or just one, and you’ll see a difference in your life. Common sense. Isn’t that what the old family doctors used to prescribe instead of all the whoop-la?
Common sense solutions to better health.

Dr. Beckerman uses Solutions that offer not only ways to eat,
drink, and exercise that are actually doable,
one Solution,
one pound at a time.
But also, a way to see YOURSELF, encourage

YOURSELF, talk YOURSELF into getting healthier.
Incorporating all of these, or just some, will allow you to see a difference in how you view your health, your body,

and the rest of your life, one small step at a time.

IF YOU BUY ONE NEW BOOK THIS YEAR

(and me, a fiction writer)
BUY THE FLEX DIET. See a difference in your life.
Don’t simply spend the rest of your overweight life quoting diet programs that have failed you,

get on board with The Flex Diet

and learn how to change your life without

uprooting your life—style!

James Beckerman: As seen on the Today Show and anywhere else you find cutting edge-no pun intended-contemporary home-run segments, Dr. James Beckerman is a cardiologist with the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute in Portland, Oregon. He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University and earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Beckerman completed his medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Stanford University Hospital. He serves on WebMD as well.

AND NO, I’M NOT RELATED TO OR INDEBTED TO THE AUTHOR. I JUST FOUND A GREAT BOOK THAT HAS THE OLD-FASHIONED COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS

LIKE MY FAMILY DOCTOR USED TO EXPOUSE.
ISN’T IT TIME FOR A COMMON SENSE APPROACH IN YOUR LIFE?

Get Ready...it's Coming

2011-01-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

A review you don't want to miss!

THE FLEX DIET

by James Beckerman, Cardiologist

Simon and Schuster

NOT JUST ANOTHER DIET BOOK!!!

Get ready, and come back to visit.

I'll have it posted this weekend and you'll want to read about it.

One of the best books on the subject I've ever read . . .

and I've read them all. Read and failed, but not this time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-01-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it's been almost two weeks, but dear
friends, the flu hit our house day after Christmas, and I
mean, THE FLU! We are still coughing so much I can barely
sit long enough to check my site. Let's be positive and hope for
a better 2011,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

CHRISTMAS WISHES FROM MY HOUSE TO YOURS

2010-12-19T14:02:00.000-08:00

MAY THIS YEAR FIND GOD'S BEST

FOR YOU AND YOURS.

Thank you all for joining me this year.

I pray you will have a wonderful

Christmas and an amazing New Year.

Let the true meaning of Christmas

crawl into your heart and find

a welcome home there.

Peace and prosperity to you and your family

this Christmas and the whole year through.

IN THE BLOCK OF AN EYE

2010-12-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hmmm. Maybe that should be in the blink of an eye.

Or maybe the block is writers’ block?
Christmas is close with kids and other family members all

geeked about the holidays, presents to be purchased and wrapped,

special services at church, dinners to be cooked, fudge to make,

pies and cakes, sugar cookies.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
It is so easy at this time of year to get caught up in the Christmas

trappings that we, as writers, find excuses to

forget about writing, or worse yet,

we try, but the words won’t come.
Her long, slender fingers ruffling the blond curls on his forehead

become reindeer antlers and peppermint sticks in our minds.

Panic sets in and soon the whole mood to write is gone.
There comes a time when the

staunchest writer has to take a break.
How about now?
Dig out the fruitcake or sugar cookies, a cup of tea or cocoa, and a

movie—find out whether or not Chevy Chase CAN INDEED

create the perfect Christmas or if Ralphie gets his Red Ryder gun.

Put you pen and paper or computer away, and

simply enjoy the holiday.

Give that writer’s mind a rest.
Unless, of course, there’s an editor breathing

down your neck asking

for the next great American novel from you. (then you’re gonna have to work)
But if you are able, enjoy this season, set work aside for a

couple weeks, and put your thoughts on what

is really important this time of year.

The Baby in the Manger
Because in the BLINK OF AN EYE,
the season will be gone.

GOBBLE GOBBLE!

2010-11-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, that's what I'll be doing.
Too much gobble, gobble.

And yet, I wanted to stop long enough to wish all of you

THE HAPPIEST THANKSGIVING EVER!

Did you wake up in a warm bed?

Others are cold and alone.

Can you pay your bills (for the most part)?

Others are losing their homes.

Are you able to say you ate too much?

People are starving all over the world.

Are you free to worship the One and True God?

THEN, MY FRIEND, YOU ARE TRULY BLESSED.

ARE YOU TRULY GRATEFUL AS WELL?

God be with all of you and your families...

GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE

DWTS--GOOD LUCK BRISTOL AND MARK

2010-11-21T11:22:00.000-08:00

DWTS
I don’t generally chime in a lot about issues other than writing, but what on earth is happening on DWTS? For those of you who don’t have a clue,

DWTS is Dancing With the Stars!

The show is SUPPOSED to be about taking
NON-DANCERS and with the help

of a professional (and these folks are brilliant, especially Louie whose choreography is spectacular, but I digress)
they learn and improve as much as possible.

NOW, every season manages to have a couple people with little to

no performance experience and they are
generally voted off right away.

But occasionally, as with Emmett Smith, football pro, they improve so much

that the voting public puts them through over very talented,

albeit, already performer, personalities.

And that is the case this year. Bristol Palin is being
crucified in the media

along with her mom and the Tea Party movement, and any other

conservative out there daring to admit to voting for her,

because she, as a non-performer, has made it to the finals.

OH NO! HOW CAN THAT BE? SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LEARNED FROM NO EXPERIENCE AND IS NOW DOING A GOOD JOB!!!
MUST BE VOTER FRAUD!

GROW UP AND GET A LIFE!

We had to listen to Maks and Brandi (who until their loss, I found to be one of my fave couples) whine all week because she was voted off. She WAS brilliant. She’s also an actor, singer, performer with, I believe, some dance background. Just like Jennifer Grey from Footloose, who is the leader on the show. She is WONDERFUL, but we’re comparing apples and oranges here, folks. What’s so hard to understand in all this.

The show is
SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT NON-PERFORMER, NON-DANCERS

who learn the ropes gradually and get better each week.

THIS ISN’T A CONSPIRACY!

NOT VOTER FRAUD!

IT’S PLAIN OLD, CHEERING FOR THE UNDERDOG

AS SHE/HE GETS BETTER AND BETTER EACH WEEK.

AND THAT, TO HER CREDIT, IS BRISTOL PALIN.

SHE’S ADORABLE AND HARDWORKING.
Just heard a man shot his TV
‘cuz he was so angry
Bristol made it to finals.

WOW! That was intelligent. It’s a show, people.

It is, what it is. Get over it and get on with your real lives.

Cheer for your favorite and be happy for whoever wins,
‘cuz that was

who the voting public wanted. They all work hard and deserve for us to support them all. Show a little class in a world gone nuts!

GOOD LUCK, BRISTOL AND MARK. YOU
REPRESENT MILLIONS

OF US WHO WISH WE HAD THE
COURAGE TO PUT OURSELVES

OUT THERE IN SPITE OF THE ABUSE YOU’VE TAKEN.

YOU’RE A CLASS ACT IN A SEA OF DIVAS AND VIEWERS WHO THINK THIS IS THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE N'OTHER STORY!!!

Sanity Prevails

2010-11-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

Thank you Fox News for taking a stand.
Thank you Amazon for allowing sanity to prevail.
THE BOOK'S BEEN PULLED...
BIG CHEERS FROM THIS WRITER'S PERSPECTIVE...

AMAZON, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

2010-11-11T06:07:00.000-08:00

It’s Veteran’s Day and as a veteran, I have very strong feelings about the direction of the country that I swore allegiance to. The country and it’s tenets. BUT, and I say this sadly, I feel as if we have come to a place where the intent of the Founding Fathers has become so perverted that they, themselves, would no longer recognize their original meaning. Particularly of:

FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS!

Was it the intent of those good men who gave all they had that we should sit here, in front of our computers, and be subjected to the kind of filth that slithers over the screen at an ever-alarming rate? Do companies, in this instance, Amazon(with whom I and many other authors have done a LOT of business), have the right to sell a book under the guise of first amendment rights whose topic enslaves millions of children worldwide?

Is it a coincidence that John Walsh was on the morning news explaining that wealthy western countries are the source of so many pedophiles? Babies . . . yes, I said babies, some as young as five years old are being enslaved for the sole purpose of being a source of pleasure for pedophiles.

And all under the umbrella of FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS!

My heart broke this morning when I read the response from Amazon that it is taking the stand that it would be “censorship” to not sell a book because of the opinions expressed in the book.

Fox News is calling for a boycott that would hit Amazon where it would feel it, in the pocketbook at Christmas. And the only way to do that is to express our concerns, as writers, who may or may not have books for sale on Amazon. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

I understand this topic is a difficult one for us, as writers, but if we won’t stand up for the innocence of children, who will? Aren’t we the men and women who have changed history throughout civilization with our words? And though Amazon is such an important element in our business, what are we going to put first?

I ask each of you, whether you are a reader or a writer, where do you stand on this issue? What is your heart telling you?

I’d like to hear back from all of you.

AND TO ALL YOU VETERANS FOR HAVE GIVEN IT ALL FOR OUR RIGHT TO ARGUE OUR BELIEFS, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

THE BARN DOOR

2010-11-08T05:25:00.001-08:00

Seeing the world through a midwesterner's eyes!

Stop by and enjoy smirks, smiles, squabbles and quirks

all through the eyes of various midwestern writers.

http://www.thebarndoor.net/

Hopefully, you'll take away some tid or bit

you didn't know about people from the midwest.

Come on by, now, ya hear?

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

2010-11-02T06:34:00.000-07:00

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

LET FREEDOM RING!

USE YOUR RIGHT AS A CITIZEN
TO GET OUT AND VOTE!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Halloween for Suspense

2010-10-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

What better night for a novel about suspense

than one that surrounds Halloween?
Who’s hiding behind that mask? Is it really a teen
at the door in a vampire costume expecting candy or
someone more sinister?
Do you use holidays, special circumstances, and
times of year to make your suspense novels
that much more flavorful?

Mwahahahahaha!

Christmas is Just Around the Corner

2010-10-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

With Christmas just around the corner, we should be thinking of books as a way to reach our middle schoolers. What better book to take our boys(and girls)into the land of mystery, than
LOST ISLAND SMUGGLERS by Max Anderson.

Sam Cooper, eleven years old and full of curiosity has moved a lot in his short life. Now, living in Florida, he quickly makes friends and their adventures begin with a diving trip they don’t happen to mention to their parents. It can only mean disaster.

What happens when the boys are stranded on a deserted island by a tropical storm? You guessed it; they encounter mysterious characters on the island obviously harboring secrets. LOST ISLAND SMUGGLERS will keep your boy or girl reading well into the night.

PARENTS BEWARE! LOOK FOR TELL-TALE SIGNS OF READING ADDICTION!—a flashlight under the covers.

Never fear, there’s nothing better than nurturing the love of books in your child. Take this opportunity with Christmas just around the corner to buy
LOST ISLAND SMUGGLERS for your son or daughter, niece or nephew, or even the paper boy.

Max Anderson’s ability to capture the reader’s interest and keep him or her guessing well into the night whodunit, will thrill any child on this year’s Christmas list.

OH YEAH, DON’T FORGET TO BUY ‘EM FLASHLIGHTS, TOO!

Bobby's New Book

2010-10-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

Bobby's book below is a great thought to ponder this Sunday.
Are we the Christians we want to be?
Do we at least try?
IF IT WEREN'T FOR US CHRISTIANS, THERE'D
BE A LOT MORE CHRISTIANS
forces us to ask ourselves if we're living the life we should.
God bless you all,

IF IT WEREN’T FOR US CHRISTIANS, THERE'D BE A LOT MORE CHRISTIANS

2010-10-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

Guest today, Bobby Weaver, is the author of:
IF IT WEREN’T FOR US CHRISTIANS, THERE’D BE A LOT MORE CHRISTIANS.
Before we dig into that title, Bobby, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Well Linda, I am a relatively new Christian (thanks to an on-air national fight with Howard Stern…yeah, THAT Howard Stern). I was pretty much a human disaster for the first 50 years of my life….then Jesus showed up and he is in the process of revolutionizing my life. You can see the press release that explains a lot by going to: www.prlog.org/10942484

Very impressive, Bobby. I encourage you all to check out the press release; it’s thought-provoking to say the least.
Okay, so this is quite an explosive title. Certainly puts the responsibility in our hands for how we represent ourselves to the world. What made you pick this topic?

I chose the topic by observing one particular person that kept figuring out ways to alienate seekers and new believers from the Christian faith. This person was a hypocrite and a world-class judge…he could and would judge anyone at the drop of a hat. By the way, that person was me.

How did you muster the courage, no, let’s be honest, the guts to write on this?

That’s an interesting question. I don’t think it took courage or guts. I think maybe “obedience” is the better word. It just became so obvious to me that I could write a book about “us Christians” that did a poor job of representing our faith because I was one of them.

What gave you the idea? Any special event that triggered your thought process?

I suppose my “road rage” had a little something to do with the original idea for the book. Thanks to my dad’s OCD concerning driving skills, I was brought up being overly observant of the behavior of other drivers on the road. And I recall on several occasions’ Christian drivers either cutting me off, running a red light or whatever. And why did I assume they were Christians? Because they advertised it! Yep, right on the rear of their vehicles with bumper stickers “fish” emblems and so forth. And that is when it occurred to me that many of us might be inadvertently driving people away from our faith by our actions. And not just by our driving habits, but other habits such as our language, our attitude, our “judging others” and many more

More than one of us can identify with that, I’m sure. At least, I know I can. I’m one of those drivers-OUCH.
What kind of response have you had?

I have probably mentioned the title of this book: “If It Weren’t For Us Christians, There’d Be A Lot More Christians” at least 350 times to fellow Christians. Almost to a person, the response has been a big smile or laugh and a comment like “Isn’t that the truth!?” My publisher even said originally that the title was too long but by the time I agreed to change it, they had mentioned it to a lot of people and had the same positive response. So we stuck with the original title…and I’m thrilled we did. People relate big-time!

Was your family behind you or did they try to persuade you not to tackle this hot button subject matter?

The family was fine with it…I mean, this is a real tame venture compared to my

LBJ…Life Before Jesus.

Where does your passion come from?

It comes from trying to imagine someone dying and going to hell because one of “us Christians” scared them away from the faith.

Do you have any other books “under construction” at the moment?

Yes, I have a book to be out next year. It is called “Kids Pray The Darndest Things.” It is a collection of short prayers that kids say to God. Here’s a couple of samples:

Dear God,
Last year Timmy Johnson tole me that hell was 3 times hotter than Tabasco Sauce. I haven’t missed Sunday School since.
Love,
Alan M. Age 6

Dear God,
I know you are perfect and all, but what’s up with naps and spinach?
Susie Y. Age 7

Dear God,
We had a popularity contest at our skule today and you won! You beat Santa Claus by 2 votes and hammered the tooth fairy by 24.
Billy S. Age 8

There’s not a mom out there who doesn’t hear “the darndest” things. Thanks for sharing your new book idea with us. And thanks for:

IF IT WEREN’T FOR US CHRISTIANS, THERE’D BE A LOT MORE CHRISTIANS.
Bobby, all I could think of during this interview is the scripture that tells us we are the salt of the earth. Better to flavor like salt than sting like pepper. Thanks for reminding us and best of luck and blessings with this book.

THE BEGINNING OR THE END?

2010-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

So, your crit group tells you the story rocks! Now what?
You attend a conference and meet an interested agent. Now what?
You send a proposal to the agent, wait a couple months.
He/she wants you for a client. Now what?
Numerous publishers say no, a couple “might” be interested.
One finally asks for a full read. Now what?

They like it! A contract is signed.
Now what?

Are you facing the end of a long journey or are you merely at the beginning?
If you think you’ve arrived—you’re crazy. This is just the start.

Now, you have to sell yourself, your story, a reason for someone to lay out a lot of money to read all that work you’ve devoted the last 2, 3, 10 or 15 years to.

We so often think, “if only” this happens or that happens,
THEN I’ll be happy. THEN I’ll have what I want.

Don’t look now, but your happiness doesn’t rest in being published or validated in any other way. Your happiness is there every day of your life to have for the grabbing. BE content with the life you have and view the extras as just that. Or like my mom used to say, the frosting on the cake. But don’t miss out on the yummy cake while you’re waiting for the frosting.

Life is too precious to overlook any one day.

Are you enjoying your writing journey even if no publisher has signed you?
Do you write because you have to?

If you write because you have to as surely as you have to breathe, then you are writer, published or not!

Have a happy one!

ONE DAY I’LL PAPER THIS ROOM

2010-10-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

At some point, we’ve all said it.
I mean to do it. The day I receive a contract to publish one of my novels, I am going to paper my office with the rejections. And since I have such a large stockpile of “paper”, I can be discriminating.

:( I’ve kept the rejections in binders. :(

That way, I can go back and (torture myself), no, read the encouraging notes, which helped me, as well as the form letters which did little to "form" me on my path to publication. They came in an array of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Now, years later, working as an editorial assistant to Terry Burns, my agent, I begin to understand why and how the rejections are given out. Many writers, just like myself, are so close for so long. Just a bit more work and the novel would be accepted, but in our haste to “get the next bestseller out there” we cut corners, don’t study the craft sufficiently, don’t wait for the right moment to approach an agent or editor. And, unfortunately, burn a lot of bridges in the process.

Just like sadness is the only way to understand joy, rejection is the only way to appreciate acceptance. If it were handed to us on the proverbial silver platter, would we be grateful for the gift or merely nurse a feeling of entitlement?

Ahem, I know myself. Had I been published years ago, I would never have honed my craft and been able to help others do the same. Plus, I would have put 400 pages of garbage into a book which would no doubt have eventually found itself on the shelves of some dollar or .99 store.

But you’re convinced your baby is ready to walk. “Mom said it was the best story she’d ever read!” Of course she did. She’s mom. But an agent or editor doesn’t give a flying rat’s patoot what mom, or Aunt Jenny, or Uncle Jebb, or even the crotchety neighbor next door thinks. They KNOW what the public is reading, and what the public expects. They don’t tell you these things to hurt your feelings (okay, I know a couple who might) but rather, to lift you up to a point where you will work harder at your craft to be able to bring it into the public arena one day.

The hardest lesson God has been trying to teach me for 60 years (yes, I said sixty!) is to have patience. I know you don't want to hear this, but God’s timing isn’t always our timing. Even when we’re in panic mode, He’s looking at the Big Picture, not the grain of sand we call life.

Well, I’m preaching to the choir, folks, as I pick out which of the lovely shades of recycled gray, green, or blue to use on the north wall, just behind the computer. After all, that’s the one I’ll be looking at the most often when I sit down to write, rewrite, and rewrite some more.

Good luck, may God’s blessings pour over your work, but ‘til they do, remember, in your patience, you’re learning something wonderful.

And isn’t that what life is all about?
LEARNING!

My review of DECEIT by Brandilyn Collins Suspense at its absolute best!

2010-10-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

When I finally got my hands on a copy of DECEIT, I figured I’d start reading, do a little of the work piling up on my desk, and then read a bit more when I got the chance.

Riii-iiightt!

After devouring her book EXPOSURE last year, I should have known better.
So in my world of imagination, I waited for Brandilyn to drive up in that little sports car called Suspense that gets your blood pumping from 0-60 in 3.4 seconds.

She looked at me with eyes that said, “You’d better buckle your seatbelt.”

How could I forget?

“Oh, yeah,” my imaginary friend murmured, “and pull it tight.”

I gulped, snugged it across me, and turned the first page.

Years after the death of her best friend, Linda Jackson, skip tracer—Joanne Weeks is still doing her best to see Linda’s husband, Baxter, brought to justice. No easy task since he’s close friends with the chief of police, is an elder at his church, and pillar of the small community.
Pages shot through my fingers as I glanced over at Brandilyn.

“Why? What did he do?”

She shifted gears and raised a brow. “I’ll let Joanne tell you.”

Here was this middle-aged woman filled with despair, years of despair over the loss of her friend. Joanne turned tired eyes in my direction. “Because he killed my best friend, Linda.”

The chapters had my heart pumping full throttle (all thoughts of the work which awaited me were sent away with the pit crew).
Suddenly, Brandilyn careened to the left, leaving me grasping the handle of the car and praying we’d make the curve. I fanned through some more pages, but just as the car stabilized, she lurched to the right. The belt tightened across my chest so hard, I was sure I could feel the bruises the change in direction had caused, but I didn’t care. I had to find out what was going to happen.

Finally, I leaned back in the seat, content. I was sure, as I have been with so many other suspense authors, I knew what awaited me on the next page.
But Brandilyn hit the brakes.

Whoosh!

The airbag slammed me in the face, stopped me cold. Told me I wasn’t so smart after all. “What happened? Man, I didn’t see that ending coming!”

Brandilyn just smiled, opened the door, and offered a short salute.
“See you next time.”
***
I’m not sure who nicknamed Mary Higgins Clark the queen of suspense. Obviously, they hadn’t read anything by Brandilyn Collins. She takes you on a wild ride that leaves you flipping pages faster than a Whirling Dervish. Without preaching, she forces you to evaluate yourself and your belief system in such a way, you’ll never view the world the same again. What is in the heart of man and what lies merely on the surface? Who knows for sure. She digs, analyzes, and digs some more, leaving the reader questioning who’s lying, who’s telling the truth?

For me, DECEIT is Brandilyn’ best novel yet. I wondered after EXPOSURE how she could possibly top that.
Well, she did.
When you buy DECEIT, and you should, be sure and fasten that seatbelt!
And if you hear a faint voice say, “Really tight.” Don’t hesitate.
This is Seatbelt Suspense at its finest.

WRITING WITH THE STARS

2010-09-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, great idea for a reality show.

Stephen King steps up, writes a couple paragraphs and then the
“guest” writer fills in the rest. When done, the winning
“guest” gets a publishing contract with Harper Collins,
Simon and Schuster, Zondervans or
any other publisher of his/her choice.

HEAVEN HELP US! SIGN ME UP!

Now, that’s the way it should come to us.
Wrapped in a bow and filled with all the goodies
the literary world has to offer, but . . .

REALITY REARS ITS UGLY HEAD
and here we are, plugging away at the keyboard,
not with Stephen King, but with the cat,
or the dog, or the ferret or (fill in your own helper).
Chris Harrison isn’t holding a rose, waiting
for us to finish the next great American novel.
“Will you accept this publishing contract?”
And he hands us the rose.

WAKE UP, STUPID! WRONG SHOW!
Jeff Probst might be closer to reality.
After all, to make it in writing,
you need to persevere and be . . .
A Survivor!

THE NEW CHARACTER WHO LIVES AT MY HOUSE

2010-09-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Well, just came back from my oldest daughter’s wedding.

Didn’t find any new characters in Oregon to write about,
but when I returned home

and looked at the photos, there was this old, chubby, bald,

homeless lady in a bunch of the photos.

Yikes! It was me!

I’m not that old in my stories when I picture
myself as the protagonist.

So, what happened? Did that old broad with the
sagging eyelids and thin hair

just move in one day when I wasn’t looking?
Okay, so now I have a new character to work with.

A bag lady in

the middle of romantic suspense?

Hmmm. I see some possibilities.

Theatre and Fiction Parts I and II Revisited

2010-09-08T15:23:00.000-07:00

PART ONE

A couple folks who just joined were interested in the theatre/fiction blogs, so I thought I'd repeat these two interviews with actors/director. Enjoy!

Interview with Rachel Arbaugh

Originally from Michigan, Rachel is finishing her
degree in Theatre at Regent University in Virginia.

As an actor, when you first get a part, how do you prepare for it?

I first read the script over and over. Then I do a play analysis and a character analysis, pretty much filling out a series of questions that makes me reflect on the character’s past and current situation.

You once showed me a journal that you
used to get ready for your part as Jo March.
What was the purpose of the journal?

I actually copy and cut up my script and glue the script to one side, leaving the other side open for notes and pictures. I find pictures online that help get me into the mind of the character for certain situations. When Beth died, I needed an immediate and emotional reaction in rehearsal and sometimes the scenes were rehearsed out of order, making it hard to build emotion. It’s also hard to get to a high emotional level when you are literally reading your scene; this way I could look at an image that would immediately get me there. I also knew that actor wasn’t really dying, so it helped me feel a real emotion. As an actor you still have to live in the moment even though you already know the future. For that scene, I found pictures and artwork of sisters. Some paintings that really spoke to me were of people dying in their beds with someone at their side. I had pictures of babies, of sisters, one was a little girl looking into her sister’s bassinet. To get me where I had to be, I needed to have old memories as part of the current situation, so looking at “her” as a baby, then her as my dying sister really helped.

That’s perfect because as writers, we have
to somehow create a past for our characters in much
the same way. Can you give me an example of another
memory you created for that part?

All the sisters and Laurie would play tag and hide and go seek before and during some rehearsals. That way we could bond as a family. It’s easy to do what’s in the script, but in order to create a relationship that’s fun and playful, you have to do things that actually get you there. (I should say also say that these emotional connections need to be done in a safe way, so you still know that you are you and your character is your character. You always have to be careful not to get “too” connected to your scene partner. You must know where to emotionally stop.)

One of my readers mentioned setting an object next to
her computer to make her think of her character.
Have you ever done that?

When I was in, As It Is In Heaven, a show about the Shakers by Arlene Hutton, the little girl my character was raising got taken away by her dad. Throughout the whole show, my character was sewing a ragdoll, and it’s something my character always had with her. And the audience didn’t know what it was for, but it was a connection I was able to make with the little girl. My character gave it to the little girl when her dad took her away. It was an emotional connection that was tangible; I could actually hold it and look at it. For me it was a representation of the little girl, allowing me to build emotion throughout the show. I endowed that object with emotion, so that anytime I looked at it, I would remember “my” little girl and have an emotional response.

In writing, there are a few main themes that are
repeated over and over, much like re-cycled characters.
We try and make the characters fresh in each novel.
How so with a character on stage?

It’s always different with everyone. You will always bring something different because you are you and no one else can bring that to the character. You will always have your past and your world view. Everything that makes you—you, will be in your character. And that’s something no one else could ever play the same. You also have a script in which the author has givens for you. These are things that make that character a unique person. So between the author and the actor, a lot of thought is put into that character. And like I said, you put yourself into it.

From an actor’s point of view, what would you ask of
a playwright to help in your role? Help your character
have a multi-dimensional character?

Please don’t stereotype your characters! No one is just good or just bad. And don’t judge your character, because we, as actors, are told never to judge our characters. We play them in the moment and don’t judge their actions. You wouldn’t want to say, “That’s not something I would do, so it’s bad.” If you do that, you’ll have labeled that character instead of making her a real person. Please give us conflict, decisions should never be easy. So I’d say, “Nothing is black and white, nobody is or all good or all bad, and people do things for a reason”.

To finish, if you had a chance to play a character. What kind would you pick?

I want a chance to play a character with depth. But, of course, it’s up to the actor to make whatever part they get, the best they can be. Again, I wouldn’t want to judge a character before I even started.

How does your faith affect the way you view a
character or your decision to take on a part?

It has everything to do with it. Not in what I choose per se’, but how I go about it. You always have to ask yourself, “What is the story that needs be told and how can I do justice to it?” If there is a message that needs to be told, or a story that I believe needs to be relayed, I am a servant to that message, whether I initially “like” that part or not. You play the part that you have to because you believe that God will ultimately use you. If you have faith in God you must have faith in all aspects of servitude. It’s not ever about us, and that’s what we have to remember. When people refuse to do something or play a certain role, it’s mostly about themselves, they are selfishly saying that they don’t want people to judge them. (Though I’ll say, it’s not always the case, it’s just often the case.)

PART TWO

Rob Arbaugh
Rob Arbaugh is originally from Michigan.
He is an actor, director, teacher, fight choreographer
and designer. Rob is finishing his MFA in Acting
degree at Regent University this May. He and other graduates
have already started a theatre company that
will be moving to Chicago next fall.

Rob, you once told me how a director has to look at the stage and “see” a picture. As writers, we have to help the reader “see” the picture in his/her mind’s eye. How do you do it on stage?

First, as I’m directing, I’ll see in my head what I think

a scene should look like. The whole play picture,

they become stills, each individual picture and then

I let that go and let the actor do whatever. Meld my

overall picture with their individual pictures to see

what I have to get. But then you have to let the actors

flow to be able to create themselves.

As a director, I let the world of the actor play into the story.

That’s interesting because as writers,

our characters often

take off, so to speak, and turn

into personalities we never expected.

It’s the same with an actor’s character, seeing what the actor will

bring to the table. It’s a collaborative process.

Sort of like the writer and character working together to create a “real” person. Our characters often seem to have minds of their own, like your actors.

After this first step, I watch everything I’m creating

and make sure every moment and every thing

is grounded in reality. In other words,

don’t create a picture just for the sake of the picture on the stage.

It’s easy for a writer to get caught up in that and

put in an action just for the sake of the character

doing something during dialogue.

When a crit partner tells us, we need some

action here, it’s easy to want to

just fill in. And sometimes that doesn’t

move the story along at all.

Well, I had a professor once say, if you start with the phrase,

“Wouldn’t it be cool to…” then it’s probably not too

brilliant an idea because you’re doing something

just to be cool. “Oh, I’ve always wanted to do this.”

Whether it fits or not.

So there has to be a reason for every action/reaction

on stage just like in a book?

Yes.

Why did you choose the expression “a picture”?

Because a picture is used to reflect life back to people.

So they can see life in a mirror. And take the message

to instill it in their own lives. The picture grounds them

in reality. A springboard for self-reflection.

I guess that’s similar to readers seeing themselves

on the pages of the book. We can have reality

reflected back or the suspension of reality

for a while, but still,we want to see ourselves

in the characters. Okay, I realize scripts aren’t

filled with description,but what piece of advice

would you offer from the director’s point

of view to help us make our readers

see what we want them to see?

I think from the directing side of things that you have

to present real people, not characters.

“Characters” are a misconception in theatre or any

aspect of the arts. One of the biggest mistakes is that

you play a mood or character stereotype.

When you do, what you have becomes a

two-dimensional object instead of being real.

As a director and actor, you have to become a child

of psychology, a student of human nature.

I can imagine that would help the writer as well.

As a director, my job is to

bring a script from page to stage.

I have actors to help me. For the writer, it should

be the same thing. When I read a character in a book

going through situations, I tend to cast the roles in my head.

How does your faith impact what you do?

I am faith-filled so everything I do is Christian.

But truthfully it all comes down to speaking truth.

God is truth, and whether the truth comes

from a believer or a non-believer, truth still comes from God.

Sometimes in the strangest places.

Rob, thanks so much for taking time from your schedule.

I know finishing this year has you really multi-tasking

to complete your degree. Do you mind if I

shamelessly let you promote

your site for Uncovered Theatre Company?

Not at all. Just want to say as artists, our whole goal in

our company is to create art that helps people

self examine. I can send that same charge

to writers; stories shouldn’t be in vain, just like

shows on the stage.

Be passionate about what you’re writing.

Visit us at: http://www.uncoveredtheatre.com/

WHERE THE WILD VIOLETS BLOOM

2010-09-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

Utilizing the senses in fiction
When we first moved into our 120 year old home,

I found wild violets, wild asparagus, and

wild strawberries at the back of the property.

Now, I have wild concord grapes growing everywhere.

Yummy, tangy grape jam.

But what can you do with wild violets? They are so fragrant,

so beautiful, and so DELICIOUS!

Have you ever considered wild violet jelly?

It is a delicate flavor that is wonderful on homemade biscuits.

What an amazing thing to include in a story.

Very few people have heard about violet jelly, let alone tasted it.

Can you imagine your heroine picking a bunch,

smelling deeply of the rich aroma, and

putting them on display in her old farmhouse.

The next day, she picks another bunch and turns them into jelly

to take to a sick neighbor. Can’t you just feel the senses

all kicking in when the reader hears about and tastes on

the tip of their tongues your wild violet jelly?

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that draw a reader in.
Have you ever tasted wild violet jelly?

Ah, it’s heaven to the tongue and makes for a

spiritual connection to the bounty God offers.

Don’t neglect these wonderful opportunities to titillate

the senses of your reader. Walk outside, close your eyes, and

FEEL, SMELL, PARTICIPATE IN

what you should add to your story.

Anyone with any particular scenarios

where you used the senses to

connect with your reader?

OLD COOT

2010-09-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! The brown stumps with green

all over them really are trees.

The cataract’s gone, folks.

Where did that young woman with thick

brown hair and bright blue eyes go?

She’s an old coot. Cataracts and all.

Only now, there’s just one bad eye and it sees pretty good!
The years flew by just like my grandmother said they would. And she was a wise woman. Lived into her 90’s and was sharp (almost) as the proverbial tack. She had silver hair swept up in curls all over her head like Spring Byington, and if you know who she was, you’re as old as I am . . . maybe older.
(December Bride)

Time moves ever forward.

Are you living your dream?

If you aren’t at least attempting to put some time in on your writing, if you’re only skimming by, if you don’t treat writing like (at least) a part-time job, then why bother in the first place to think of yourself as a writer?

If God blessed you with a story. Write it!

And now that the surgery’s over, I have no excuses.

Back to the proposals that have been sitting here, waiting for me

to LOOK at them.

Woohoo! There really are words on the pages!!!

Important details were highlighted and made larger for the rest of you

OLD COOTS!