Monday Morning Spotlight on Eddie Snipes

Eddie Snipes is a member of the John316 marketing network I belong to. I ordered his book a few days ago and started it, but didn't have time to finish it due to an out of town guests and a funeral this past week. But, what I have read so far is very interesting, and I can't wait to finish it soon! Please read on to find out more of the Confessions of a Dyslexic Writer. And, as you will see, a very humorous writer!



What made you write I CALLED HIM DANCER? Have you ever danced, taken lessons?

The only dance lesson I’ve received came when I was walking in the woods. A yellow cloud surrounded me and I began swatting yellow jackets like a break-dancer. Upon reflection, I don’t think I had the grace needed to make it big, so I quit after my first lesson. No more bees for me.

The inspiration for I Called Him Dancer came from a song performed by Tralena Walker and co-written by Tom Webster. I attended a meeting at the Atlanta Writers Club. Tralena and Tom were guest speakers. The topic was on how to write a story in lyrics for songs. Not my cup of Formosa Oolong, but at least it was entertaining. After performing the song, "Dancer", either Tom or Tralena said, “We’ve been looking for someone who will turn the song into a novel. We think it would make a great story.”

Until those words were spoken, I was a passive observer. I looked up and words were swarming around me like those yellow jackets. They attacked my head while I lay screaming on the floor. Okay, maybe I didn’t scream – but my mind did. In an instant, the story unfolded in my mind and I knew this was something I was to write.

I knew nothing about dancing (other than what the bees taught me). Tom and Tralena gave me the lyrics and I started researching and writing. I have to admit that I worried about the dancing scenes, but I knew things took shape when people began asking how I became so knowledgeable about dance. I thought back to the bees and said, “It’s just something that hit me while walking in the woods.”

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
When I was a child, I got my first book. I flipped through the pages, then tore it apart. I didn't know it at the time, but that's exactly what you do when editing a manuscript.

I hated writing when I was younger. I only did what I had to do, and sometimes not even that. Writers block was more like writers dementia. My mind didn't return to me until after... hmmm. What were we talking about?

In 1998, I became active in prison ministry. Many of the men I ministered to were eager to learn. Someone asked me if I had my studies or notes on paper. I agreed to write out the next study and then my writing career was born. The problem wasn't that I couldn't write. It was that I didn't have something to say. Or didn't realize I had something to say. Over time writing transformed from a task to a passion.
Tell us a little about your book, I Called Him Dancer.
For a moment, Michael danced on top of the world, but one bad choice turned his life upside down. The once promising Broadway star now washes windows for tips and lives among the homeless. When his former dance partner recognizes him behind the fray of whiskers, shame drives him away from her. Angry at God and the world, the Dancer refuses to allow anyone into his life. When everything is stripped away, three things remain: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love.

I Called Him Dancer is a story about how one woman’s enduring faith and unconditional love drives her to reach out to a homeless friend who has given up on life.

Who is your favorite character in I CALLED HIM DANCER?
The character that inspired me the most is Kenyon. Many readers have stated the same. He’s human, struggling to do what is right, and lives by a genuine faith. At times he wrestles between what he knows God wants him to do, and what he wants. Kenyon is down to earth, not preachy, yet his life has an impact on others.

In the story I tried to present Christianity in an honest light. Many who claim to be Christians show hypocrisy and drive others (like the Dancer) away from the faith. This is a real problem in the Christian culture. Kenyon shows what sincere faith looks like. He’s far from perfect, but his simple faith impacts those around him. Kenyon’s sincerity is something the Dancer can’t understand and it piques his curiosity.

What would you like your readers to take away from this novel?
I want people to look at the reality of how faith impacts the world around us. Hypocrisy is being pretentious about faith, and there is a difference between failure and hypocritical behavior. Christians shouldn’t feel dejected when they fail. It’s part of this life of reaching upward.

Also, we all know someone who appears hopeless and hostile toward God, but we don’t know what the Lord is doing behind the scenes. Ultimately, hope is what everyone should take away. Hope that readers are not alone in their struggles. Hope that our lives can make an impact – even with our imperfections. Finally, hope that the people we care about are never out of God’s reach.

How can readers get in touch with you?
You can flash a light on the clouds that says, ‘Free chicken fingers,’ and I’ll play Batman music and come running. Some people prefer the simpler route of connecting with me on Twitter @eddiesnipes. My facebook username is eddiesnipes. It might seem like a strange coincidence, but my LinkedIn name is also eddiesnipes. Even more crazy is my website: http://www.eddiesnipes.com/. On each of these, I just closed my eyes and typed out random letters. I might have peeked on a few letters.

You can get Eddie’s novel I Called Him Dancer for only 99 cents at http://www.amazon.com/I-Called-Him-Dancer-ebook/dp/B004ISLPUE/

Book Review--A Woman Called Sage by DiAnn Mills

DiAnn Mills writes historicals and contemporaries, doing great jobs at both. The last couple books I read of hers were contemporary mystery, and I loved both of them and their characters, so I wasn't surprised when I also found myself falling in love with Sage Morrow and Marshall Parker Timmons, two very unconventional characters in a story set in Colorado in the 1870s and 1880s.

Sage is half Indian and has survived a tragedy by becoming a bounty hunter. Marshall Timmons is a nice guy with a tough job. This book contains murder, kidnapping, and some shooting, but also has wonderful spiritual themes and, like all DiAnn Mills books, a heart-stopping romance! I highly recommend this book to anyone searching for a great read!

Fridays with Friends--guestblog by Cara Lynn James

I am happy to introduce author Cara Lynn James to my readers. And to let you know that Cara will be giving away a copy of Love by the Book IF she receives at least ten comments, so be sure to leave a comment and your contact info in case you win. And I am sure you will want to win after you read the synopsis below. Cara leaves us hanging, and I want to find out how the story ends! The deadline for the drawing is Sunday night at midnight, and if we have enough commenters, Cara will let me know on Monday who won the drawing. It could be you! But it can't be you if you don't leave a comment!

Now, I'll turn the microphone over to Cara:

Rose, thank you so much for having me on your blog today! I’m an author, wife, mother of two, grandmother of two adorable grandsons and one grand-dog, a Papillion named Sparky. We all live in northwest Florida. I’m a 13th generation New Englander and still consider myself a Connecticut Yankee.


Here’s a short history of my Ladies of Summerhill series—three historical romances set during the Gilded Age in Newport, Rhode Island.

My first two books in the series, Love on a Dime and Love on Assignment, were essentially completed when I sold to Thomas Nelson Publishers two years ago. Of course that made everything easier—or so I thought. Wrong!

I’ve taken my writing step-by-step, meaning I don’t look ahead and try to plan the future. I concentrate on the present and what I have to do today. So I learned the writing craft (a continuing process), joined RWA and the local chapter, ACFW and joined a critique group and wrote a lot. Once I finished a story I submitted it to contests, received both positive and negative comments, and eventually finaled.

When Thomas Nelson bought Love on a Dime I naively expected only a few minor revisions. After all if they didn’t like it they wouldn’t have given me a contract, would they? However, they suggested lots of necessary improvements in a very, very long, single spaced editorial letter. Yes, it shocked me! But when I finished making corrections I learned they were SO right. We had a much stronger book.

Book 2, Love on Assignment, was the first novel I ever wrote, but not the first book I sold. After it was completed, I decided it didn’t work well as a contemporary romance, so I tried to turn it into a historical assuming it would be fairly easy. Wrong, again! Converting from one time period to another was a huge job and involved several major rewrites. That taught me how different the turn-of-the-century (19th to 20th) was from the present. I had to rethink the story and change nearly every aspect of it. Even though human nature doesn’t change from generation to generation, our society sure does! My characters lived in a totally different world than our own, though they still had the same virtues, faults, needs and desires as we have now.

The third story in the series, Love by the Book (released July 12th) was the most challenging novel of all. I had a contract and a deadline and no finished story or even a good idea in mind. The days and weeks ticked by before my editor and I agreed on a synopsis. Then panic set in. How do I write and revise a 90,000 word book in 4 ½ months? I always took years to write and polish a manuscript and they were always much shorter.

If I wanted to become a credible, professional author I had to learn how to write faster and better. Lots of writers find this relatively easy. But not me! I’m slow and methodical. So I began by organizing myself. I used a notebook filled with things to remember and reference, a storyboard for a picture of the plot, and research files. Although I’m not a particularly organized person, I did my best to cut down on the amount of time I usually waste fumbling around for information.

I wrote when I wasn’t ‘in my writing zone’, when I was bored, when I was tired, when I wanted to do something else—anything else. It was hard to believe I could actually settle down and work as if this were an ordinary 9 to 5 job. Every author knows her muse can be stubborn and won’t always appear on command. But that doesn’t matter. My point is: if I can do it, so can you.

Writing a first draft is an art (at least for me), but revision is all craft. I’d get the words down on the computer screen even when I thought they were awful, and later I’d fix and polish. I learned to write even when my muse went on vacation and left me without inspiration. Just keep on keeping on!

Here’s a summary of Love by the Book.

Savor this sweeping love story set in a lavish seaside mansion in 1901 Rhode Island.

Melinda Hollister is a society lady, intent on finding a rich husband before her peers discover her quickly diminishing wealth. Nick Bryson is all business, focused on making a name for himself in his father’s steamship line. Despite the marriage of their siblings, they rarely gave each other a second glance—until a tragic accident results in Melinda and Nick being appointed as co-guardians of their three-year-old niece Nell.

In order to get better acquainted with Nell and one another, Melinda and Nick agree to spend the summer in their own private quarters of the Bryson family vacation home, Summerhill. As their love for Nell grows, so does their attraction to each other. And for the first time in their lives, they sense that God has a bigger plan in motion.

Yet old habits die hard – and Melinda and Nick each find it difficult to resist the pull of their former worlds.

When the unthinkable happens, they find themselves faced with seemingly impossible choices and a new understanding of God’s true love.

Rose back again: If you have read this synopsis, I am sure you want to win a copy of the book, so hurry up and leave a message!

Happy Tuesday with Ashley Wintters!

I am happy to introduce you to another of my cyber friends from the John316 group--Ashley Wintters

1. Tell us about your favorite book as a child and your favorite book as an adult. Can you see a connection between those books?


My favorite book as a child was (there are a lot to choose from) but I would have to say the one with the biggest impact at an early age was the 'Boxcar Children'....actually I enjoyed that whole series! Now my favorite book is 'Danger in the Shadows' by Dee Henderson. Both books have mystery so I can see that similarity. I guess the Boxcar Children books were a small step toward more of the mystery and suspense but not quite the romance that was added in. :)

2. What is your favorite Scripture? Do you also have a favorite Scripture that encourages you in your writing?

I know it is a lot of people's favorite but John 3:16 will always be my fav. It was the first one I was taught to memorize as a child and the one that has stayed with me most as an adult. 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son...' That is powerful! I can't think of a specific one that I go to for writing but any time that I get stuck or am looking for something, if I pick up my Bible, all of a sudden, there is the answer staring at me! I LOVE how that works.

3. If you could go to any place in the world to research/write a book, what setting would you choose?

Australia. I've always wanted to go there. As a kid growing up I was fascinated by all the animals and the aboriginal tribes. Now I think it would be the perfect setting for a murder mystery :) There are so many possibilities there. There can be water scenes, desert, mountainous, and a whole host of other picturesque scenery. The story line has a hundred different ways it could go from a plot for murder to an actual one or even someone is trying to 'harvest' animals and selling them at an astronomical rate. It would be so much more believable, at least to me, to write a story about a place that I've seen and visited. At least that is what I'm trying to convince my husband of!

4. I often wonder if I would write if I had to do it the old-fashioned way without computers and spell-checks and email. Is there anything about technology that you don't like? Or anything about it that you feel enhances your writing?

Well, my weird quirk for writing is I do handwrite my book before I type it. I love the feeling of having it in front of me on paper and it just flows for me. After I type it up, you wouldn't believe the red and green squiggles under all my words. I can't spell at all so it is like every other word is wrong or the tense. I do love that it checks your spelling but I wish I had something that would check to make sure its the correct word! Sometimes when I'm typing (like at work) I write trail when I'm really meaning trial but spell check doesn't catch it because it trail is a word and is spelled correctly. Technology has made research for me quite a lot easier. If I'm trying to write about a place I've never seen or a police procedure that I know nothing about, just a couple clicks and I've got it in front of me. Of course, I think that also makes me somewhat lazy. Instead of going and doing research physically, I just look on the Internet. If it is police procedure, I could go actually visit with a detective and probably find out more than on line but instead I take the easy route!

5. As a writer how have you had to grow and stretch out of your comfort zone?

I've made public appearances and spoken a few places. Speaking in public is WAY out of my comfort zone. I'm fine with groups, as long as I'm not the center of attention but a few times, this has given me a wonderful opportunity to share my faith. Speaking even in small groups took a lot of effort for me but I have to admit that it can be fun. Explaining how you come up with your book ideas, the writing process, what your book is about or even why you write are fun for me to share. I still get tongue tied but so far no one has laughed too hard!

6. What advice would you give to a beginning writer that you wish someone had given you?

No matter what other people say, believe in yourself and your work. If you believe and are passionate about your work then that will attract others to you who can help and will be passionate about your work as well. If you aren't passionate, why would someone else be?

7. Do you want to add anything about your book such as how to order it?

Shadows of Suspicion is only $2.99 in ebook form and can be bought from any ebook retailer such as Amazon or Smashwords. If you want a paperback book, you can order them through Amazon or directly through me by emailing me at ashleywintters@gmail.com .

Book Synopsis:

Revenge is the agenda…

“Find my sister.”

Rick Reiley’s words were what drove Luke to search mercilessly for Kerry. He is in a race against time to find her and will have to face more than a criminal mastermind to get close to her. He is prepared to give his life for her, but what about his heart?

“…I would like you to meet….My wife.”

Those words from her enigmatic rescuer threw Kerry more than anything else that had happened to her in the last few days…and that was saying a lot! Kerry’s simple life is turned upside down when she is kidnapped and dragged to the middle of nowhere by a madman. She trusts Luke with her life, but can she trust him with her heart?

As Luke fights to keep Kerry safe, the chemistry ignites and the danger gets closer.

Will God protect them while Luke tries to sort out his heart….and capture Kerry’s?

About the Author

Author Ashley Dawn was born and raised in rural Arkansas where she developed her love for writing while helping in her parent's office. She graduated with an accounting degree from the University of Central Arkansas but is currently working as a legal assistant. Ashley has been writing professionally for the past seven years and has two published books. Her first book, Shadows From The Past, was originally published by Tate Publishing and is considered more of a traditionally published book while the second, Shadows of Suspicion, was published by self publication using AuthorHouse. She is currently working on multiple projects including the third in her ‘Shadows’ series entitled Shadows of Pain and also a standalone mystery about a serial killer that remains untitled. Ashley also has a review blog to share her love of reading, Ashley’s Bookshelf, where she reads and reviews books of all genres. (http://ashleysbookshelf.blogspot.com) She and her family make their home in Texas.

Fridays with Friends--guestblog by Paulette Harper

I am happy to share this good advice from Paulette Harper about writing, editing, publishing and marketing, four things writers always want to know more about!
I Want To Write a Book by Paulette Harper

I have heard that statement so many times. When I started writing my first book in 2007, it took me all of three months to complete. To some, that might be a very short time. But believe me, I know authors who have written a book in six weeks! Regardless of where you are, you can get your thoughts on paper, and share those thoughts with the world. The main thing is to get started. Don’t procrastinate; that’s a bad word in this industry. And I want to share with you a few steps to getting your book/books published.

Before I do that, let me introduce myself. I’m Paulette Harper-Johnson: writer, speaker, life coach, and author. Since 2007, I’ve gone on and written four books--two of which are anthologies and two Christian-inspirational books. My most recent book was just released, Completely Whole, a self-published text. I am also working on my first Christian-fiction book. I believe I know a little about writing, so with that said, I will share some of what I’ve learned over my few years as a writer.

The first thing you must decide is what it is you want to write about. In other words, you must choose your topic. What are you an expert in? Here are a few things to get you thinking:
1. Do I want to write about my life’s experiences?
2. What about my job or my profession?
3. Travel
4. Things I’ve gone through
5. What about something that interest me?

Believe it or not, there is something you have to say. It’s just a matter of deciding what it is. When you first start out, it doesn’t have to be perfect…just start journaling. As you do the research on the topic, you will become an expert in that field. Expert? Yes, expert. Don’t let that word intimidate you. An expert mainly means one who is skillful, one who has practiced, or one who is a professional in a given field or subject. I believe we all are experts when it comes to life’s experiences.

Once you have completed your manuscript, you are ready to get it edited. I would highly recommend you hire a professional editor, and in some cases, several editors. Please don’t let momma, sister, or brother do your edits. I would even recommend that you refrain from editing your own material. I know that might sound funny, but believe me, I have seen unedited books, and it does not speak well of the author. Your book is a reflection of you. Remember that! Your readers will notice how poorly your books are edited more than the story or advice you write about. Here are some examples of the type of editing you should use:

Developmental Editing- making suggestions about content, organization, and presentation. A developmental editor will help you transform your manuscript into a better book.

Substantive Editing-identifying and solving problems of overall clarity or accuracy, reorganizing paragraphs, sections, or chapters to improve the order in which the text is presented.

Copyediting (sometimes called line editing) - correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and word usage while preserving the meaning and voice of the original text; preparing a manuscript for the next stage of the publication process.

Proofreading- querying or correcting errors or inconsistencies that may have escaped an editor or writer, reading for typographical errors or for sense without reading against copy. The proof reader is the last stage before printing. Now you’re getting closer to having your book in your hand.

Now that you have completed the editing of your book, you will need to consider how to publish it. You have several options:
1. Self-publishing--A method of publishing in which the author does all the things a publisher does from editing to printing to distribution.
2. Traditional--Traditional publishing is the most well-known and the hardest to break into.
3. Vanity--Vanity publishing requires the author to pay the expenses of being published along with marketing.

Next, you need to decide how your books are going to get printed. Here are two links that will help you with your decision:

Please visit: http://www.bookmarket.com/101print.htm and https://www.createspace.com/

And finally, market your book. Here are three places to market your book:
1. Social networking and social media
2. Virtual book tours
3. Radio and TV talk shows

Hope I’ve helped you get motivated. Enjoy your journey… it is so much fun!

©2011 Paulette Harper Johnson, Author of
That Was Then This is Now, Completely Whole


Website: http://www.pauletteharper.com/

Blog: http://www.pauletteharper.blogspot.com/

E-mail: info@pauletteharper.com

This article content is provided free of charge by the author. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through Paulette Harper Johnson@info@pauletteharper.com

Monday Musings pre-empted for the next seven weeks to bring you...

Spotlights on Authors!

The first author I am spotlighting is Amanda Stephan, a fellow member of the John316MarketingNetwork and also ACFW. Amanda's first book, The Price of Trust, a Christian romance/suspense is available now, and she is offering a pdf copy of the book to one commenter so be sure to comment on this post and leave your email addy by Saturday night as she will draw at the end of this week.

Here are some questions I asked her followed by her answers. Be sure to keep reading for the book blurb and more info on Amanda and her new book out this fall.

Thank you, Rose for having me here today! I look forward to meeting your readers!

1. Tell us about your favorite book as a child and your favorite book as an adult. Can you see a connection between those books?
My favorite book as a child would have to be the Trixie Belden mystery series. I almost devoured those books, and at one time had the entire collection of hardbacks. As an adult, my favorite book is Pride and Prejudice with Jane Eyre at a very close second. I really can't see a connection through those books ~ I guess I just love a good story!

2. What is your favorite Scripture? Do you also have a favorite Scripture that encourages you in your writing?
My favorite Scripture is 3 John 4: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. I look at my children, and realize they are a walking testament to what my husband and I have taught. If they serve the Lord, it doesn't matter what else I've ever done or will do ~ they will be my success. (Rose adds: that's one of my fave verses, too, and I have it three places in my house!) When I'm discouraged--yes, it happens--I turn immediately to the Psalms. To pick a favorite is almost impossible.

3. If you could go to any place in the world to research/write a book, what setting would you choose? Scotland or Ireland, hands down!

4. I often wonder if I would write if I had to do it the old-fashioned way without computers and spell-checks and email. Is there anything about technology that you don't like? Or anything about it that you feel enhances your writing?
One thing I don't like about technology, is how easily it is to get sidetracked. You know it's bad when your husband has to email you to remind you to cook dinner! I actually have stories I wrote in college and high school the hard way. Pen and paper! Boy those were the days... ;)

5. As a writer how have you had to grow and stretch out of your comfort zone?
Wow, that's a very easy question! When I finished my book, The Price of Trust, I had initially intended it only to be a love letter to our children. A kind of encouragement during times when they thought they had to settle for abuse ~ and when I finished it, my husband asked me to at least try to have it published, and that's the rest of the story. It wasn't easy to let people--strangers, even--read it. Now, we're rounding the corner for my second novel, Lonely Hearts to be released in October, so I guess I could say I'm getting a little used to it! ;) By the way, if any of your readers would like to get a sneak peek and read the first three chapters of The Price of Trust and the first chapter of Lonely Hearts, they can do so by visiting HERE.

6. What advice would you give to a beginning writer that you wish someone had given you?
Research potential publishers. Check them out thoroughly, ask questions, ask authors that are with that publisher, and make a list of the pros and cons.

7. Do you want to add anything about your book such as how to order it?
You can purchase The Price of Trust on Amazon.com, ThePriceofTrust.com, Christianbook.com, or BooksByAmanda.com

The Price of Trust - Christian Romance/Suspense
Beaten and betrayed by the one who was supposed to love her...
Carly Richards is on the run.
Forced to live as a fugitive as her ex-fiance stalks her across country, she finds refuge in a small town in Montana. Her emotional scars are reluctant to heal, and Carly resists the friendliness of those around her ~ especially handsome farmer Joe Baird. Caught in the circumstances, the kind people around her begin to creep into her softening heart. God is at work, and she has to trust Him not only to take care of her, but care for the people she is learning to love.

EVERY purchase includes a FREE audio book download (mp3 format)

Lonely Hearts ~ releasing in October, 2011!
One lonely mother. Two matchmaking kids. Three eligible bachelors and VERY yummy apple pie!
Becky Callis is the widowed mother of two. When they move to a new town, she only intended it to be a safe haven where she didn't have to be reminded of her late husband. Her children had other plans, as well as a variety of men to choose from!
~*~ releases October 2011 ~*~

**follow Amanda's blog, Facebook, or Twitter for exciting release news as well as many opportunities to win great prizes*

Amanda Stephan
Author - The Price of Trust
Lonely Hearts - Coming Fall, 2011
Follow me on Twitter

We have a winner...
in last month's book drawing contest. Valerie Comer has won a copy of A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad. I have contacted her and will mail it after receiving her mailing address. Everyone with a US mailing address except Valerie is eligible for this month's drawing which is for a copy of Gail Sattler's Love by the Yard. And please leave an email address to make it easy to contact you.

I love Gail Sattler and I love her writing! Love by the Yard did not disappoint. Shanna McPherson is a widow trying to raise two kids and a dog. Her dog makes Brenden Gafferty's job of landscaping her yard a lot harder.  As the back cover asks: "When Shanna receives menacing threats from an angry relative, can she trust Brendan enough to turn to him for help--and maybe even another chance at love?"

Leave a comment anytime this month to be placed in the drawing held on August 1st. And come back on Monday for my special guest Amanda Stephan.

Friday with Friends--guestblog by Ane Mulligan

My readers are certainly in for a treat today. Our guestblogger is the lovely, zany (as evidenced by her photo!) Ane Mulligan. Ane and I met at an ACFW conference several years ago and have been friends ever since. Of course, I don't know anyone who meets Ane who doesn't claim her as friend. Her engaging personality attracts friends like a bird feeder filled with red sugar does a hummingbird. Could it be the red hair? I know you will enjoy and learn from her article below, and I hope you will also check out her bio and the websites listed at the end of the article to find out more about Ane.

Bio: Ane Mulligan writes Southern-fried fiction served with a tall, sweet iced tea. While a large, floppy straw hat is her favorite, she's worn many different ones: hairdresser, legislative affairs director (that's a fancy name for a lobbyist), business manager, drama director and writer. Her lifetime experience provides a plethora of fodder for her Southern-fried fiction (try saying that three times fast). She's a humor columnist for ACFW's e-zine Afictionado and a featured blogger on Suwanee Patch. She's published dozens of plays and numerous articles and won several awards in contests for unpublished novels, including a three-time Genesis finalist. A past Board member of ACFW, she's mom, a grandmom, and resides in Suwanee, GA, with her husband and one very large dog.


Exasperating Characters ~ Plotting via Motivation

Maybe I should have called this NO Plot via Motivation. Have you ever had a character that refused to talk to you? I have. I'm dealing with her right now. I'm in the second book of a series.

This character, Lacy, was in the first manuscript. She's the sister of another character in my small fictional town. My "plan" was to have her story the main plotline of the second manuscript.

The set-up

In the first novel and through the main POV characters, I set-up Lacy's personality ... or at least what I'd gleaned from her character analysis. I use a fairly detailed character interview, including the GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) and the lie the character believes about herself.

In the first manuscript Lacy played a very minor part, so I didn't dwell on her GMC. All I needed to do was let the reader know she was shy, hardly ever spoke, and was plain (and I don't mean Amish).

Lacy is the invisible kind of plain. I wanted a person other people overlooked. The kind who could be at a party and no one remembers them being there. Interestingly enough, her husband is cute, the boy next door. And he adores her.

The problem

I finished the first manuscript having set-up Lacy exactly as I planned. In the second one, she and her sister would both play POV parts. I went through their character analysis sheets and expanded them for POV.

What I discovered changed everything. First of all, I thought these sisters were close, since Lacy's sister, Lydia, had moved after the death of her husband, to be closer to Lacy. Ha! I found deep-seeded animosity between them, stemming from their childhood. Was I shocked!

Lydia was easy. She's open and shared her life with me. Lacy? She clammed up. So much so, I realized she wasn't ready to be a POV character.

Resolution ... for now

I changed the second manuscript's plot and POV character. Lacy will play an increasing part in this one, and it's my hope I'll discover more of her motivation. That's what has me stuck. I know what she wants, I know her conflict, but I don't know her motivation.

At first I thought perhaps I'm not far enough along as a writer to write a character that is so far removed from me. After all, I'm not remotely shy. Well, maybe a tad in certain situations. Oh, come on, I can be shy. But not as shy as Lacy. While we always grow as writers, I'm still fascinated by Lacy.

I've decided to forge ahead, even though I can't figure her out ... yet. However, I took a course, "Plotting Via Motivation" by Laurie Schnebly Campbell (LaurieClass-subscribe@yahoogroups.com). That link will subscribe you to her class schedule only. She told me, accompanied by a chuckle, that she'd looked forward to playing counselor to Lacy.

By the third day into the course, I hollered, "Eureka!" I found her motivation. I highly recommend the course. I'm hoping we can get her for an EB at a conference one of these days.

Southern-fried Fiction: http://www.anemulligan.com
Southern-fried Musings: http://anemulligan.blogspot.com
Novel Rocket: http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com (you'll be redirected)

Adoption Share: http://www.adoptionshare.blogspot.com

Blog Tour for Delia Latham's Kylie's Kiss

Our usually scheduled Monday Musings has been pre-empted because I am one of 26 bloggers who are taking part in a blog tour for Kylie's Kiss by Delia Latham. So, check out the info provided on this blog, visit some of the other blogs listed on her website, and leave a comment by June 30th if you would like a chance to win one of four pdf copies of her books spread among all the commenters on all of the blogs. Those winners will be announced on her website on July 1st.

And a special drawing for First Prize will be announced the morning of July 28th for all those commenters who leave a post by midnight June 27th. It will be for a beautiful necklace pictured and described on her website. So check out Delia's website listed below to see it.

Below are a bio of Delia and an excerpt from Kylie's Kiss.

Bio:

Delia Latham is a born-and-bred California gal, recently transplanted to Oklahoma where she lives with her husband Johnny. She’s a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend—but above all, she treasures her role as child of the King and heir to the throne of God. Delia enjoys big, loud, happy family gatherings. When she’s not writing, she loves to play piano and sing, read, enjoy nature’s beauty, and design marketing products for authors.

A former newspaper Staff Writer and frequent contributor to her hometown’s regional publication, Bakersfield Magazine, she has also freelanced projects to a public relations firm and various magazines; has compiled, edited, and designed cover art for several book projects for Kindness Incorporated and Chuck Wall, the president/founder of that organization; and has sold greeting card verse. Many of her short stories, articles, and devotions can be found online.

Latham’s backlist of published novels includes: Goldeneyes (2008, Vintage Romance Publishing); Yesterday’s Promise (2010, White Rose Publishing); Destiny’s Dream (2010, White Rose Publishing, Solomon’s Gate Series, Book 1); and Mine! (children’s picture book, 2011, Vinspire Imaginations). Kylie’s Kiss (Solomon’s Gate, Book 2) released in April 2011. Book 3 in the Solomon’s Gate Series will also be available in 2011, with release date pending.

Find out more about this author at:

Her website: http://www.blogger.com/

Blog: http://www.my-book-bag.blogspot.com/

Newsletter: http://www.bookshelfnewsletter.blogspot.com/

Kylie's Kiss Excerpt:
 Rick settled into a seat across from Kylie and Clay and sat in silence for a moment, a slight frown drawing his dark brows together. Finally he looked up, first at Clay, then in her direction. “Kylie, I haven’t had a chance to share with you about Lea, though I believe Clay knows a little.”


Her heart sank and her gaze flew to her boss, who nodded. Yes, he knew about Lea, whoever she was. This didn’t sound good. “Who’s Lea?”

“She’s my little girl.” Kylie drew in a slow, deliberate breath, forcing herself to stay calm. So he had a daughter. As long as a wife wasn’t the next announcement, she could handle that.

“You have a child. How old is she?”

“She just turned six.” Rick’s expression softened as he spoke, and Kylie knew without a doubt that Lea was his life. His green eyes, startling against the olive of his skin, met hers without flinching. “She’s a special child, Kylie. Smart, beautiful, charming….” Kylie found herself fascinated by the adorable little self-derisive grin that played about his lips. “And sweet as cotton candy.”

Kylie couldn’t help smiling. “You don’t like her much, huh?”

“She is my heart and soul.” A little sheepish, but unrepentant.

“When do we get to meet this perfect child?” Clay’s grin lit up his craggy face. “Destiny’s already looking forward to it, but be warned—she’s going to try to keep her. My wife has a thing with kids, man. She loves ’em, and they always love her right back.”

Rick laughed a little, but his tone was serious. “I hope she still feels that way after she meets Lea.” He pulled a wallet from his pocket, then sat for a moment, saying nothing.

Puzzled, Kylie watched him run slender fingers through his thick black hair. Again and again he invaded the thick waves, managing to somehow leave them only slightly mussed. Finally he opened the billfold and pulled out a photo.

When he raised his head, revealing the torment in his eyes, her heart nearly stopped. What was wrong with Lea? Whatever it was, did Rick think it would make a difference in how she or Clay might feel about the child? If so, he certainly didn’t give them much credit.

“This is Lea.” He handed the photo to Clay, who smiled and passed it on to Kylie.

“She’s a cutie all right, my friend. You weren’t exaggerating. So what’s the problem?”

Kylie wondered the same thing. The photo showed a partial silhouette of an extraordinarily beautiful child. Unlike her olive-skinned father, Lea was a vision of light. Golden hair, porcelain skin, eyes the color of a robin’s egg. Kylie met Rick’s gaze, mystified by his obvious unease. “She’s lovely.”

“Thank you. I think so.” He pulled out another photo and handed it to Clay. “In spite of this.”

Kylie’s stomach clenched and threatened to revolt. Her boss’s flinch was slight, but unmistakable. Oh, dear God, please help me handle whatever this is with grace. How ironic that her first real prayer in years would be one of such a pitifully begging nature. Somehow she knew her reaction to this photo could mean life or death for her relationship with Rick. How strange that she’d be thinking in terms of a relationship now, when only moments before she’d been ready to concede defeat.

Clay nodded slowly, then met Kylie’s eyes. He held briefly to the picture even after her fingers closed on it. His words were directed to his friend, but his gaze held hers. “You’re right, my friend. Nothing could make this child anything less than perfect.”

He released the photo into Kylie’s grip. By now she did not want to look at it. Something in Rick’s eyes and Clay’s voice told her she could be in trouble. But what choice did she have?

Her eyes moved in slow, jerking movements from Clay’s face to the photo in her hands. She gasped, overwhelmed with sympathy—and total panic.

Another silhouette, shot from the opposite side of Lea’s face. Long, lumpy red welts stained her exquisite skin, puckering her cheek into an inhuman mask. Kylie had no idea she was crying until the tears tickled her face, even as her throat closed and her stomach lurched.

The photo fluttered to the floor as she leaped to her feet. Sending the two men a desperately apologetic look, she flew out of the room with a hand over her mouth.

A Kim Vogel Sawyer Marathon

Kim Vogel Sawyer is one of my favorite authors, and I proved it by reading three of her books in the past ten days! (See the review I posted June 20th for the review of A Hopeful Heart.) I had read My Heart Remembers about two brothers and a sister who are adopted out to separate families who finally find each other as adults a couple years ago, so I was very eager to start its semi-sequel.

I call it a semi-sequel because In Every Heartbeat does catch us up on what is going on in the lives of Maelle and her siblings over a decade later, but it also introduces three other orphans who have been raised together and now go off to the same college. Libby, Pete and Bennett all have their own hopes and plans for the future, but, as usual, life gets in the way, and some of those plans have to be altered. And, as in all of Kim Sawyer's books, we see how the hand of God is guiding the characters along the way, even when they don't acknowledge Him. And we learn along with the characters how God knows even better than we do when it comes to planning our future. Set while the US teeters on the brink of entering WWI, the reader can learn about history while enjoying a super story.

The third book I read in my marathon was Courting Miss Amsel, about a schoolmarm in her first year of teaching in a small town in Nebraska. Edythe Amsel raised her siblings after her mother's death, but kept studying for years, and has finally reached her dream of becoming a teacher. She loves the students and teaching, but some of the townspeople distrust her unconventional ways of presenting the lessons to the students.

Two of her students are being raised by their uncle, Joel Townsend, after the death of their parents. Joel admires Edythe and lets her know he would like to court her, but she refuses since she spent her own youth raising her siblings and doesn't think she can raise someone else's kids again.

Will the school board ask Edythe to return for another year? Does she even want them to if it means watching Joel with someone else? The author shows how God's plans are even better than our own, if we will only trust and obey. A happy ending with surprises makes for a great read!

Fridays with Friends--guestblog by Angie Arndt

I met Angie Arndt several years ago at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference which is an inspiring conference in the lovely Blue Ridge mountains of NC. It is also a wonderful place to meet other Christian writers like Angie. I have stayed in touch with her and several of the fellow writers I met there that spring. Join me in reading these words of encouragement from Angie, God's Word, and a bumblebee!

BE NOT AFRAID by Angie Arndt




How many of you have heard the old story about the bumblebee? Supposedly, a scientist compared the weight and measurements of its body to its wingspan and judged that bumblebees cannot fly. However, the bumblebee just keeps vibrating its wings and buzzing away from flower to flower.

Lately I've been getting little love notes from God. No, I'm not hearing voices, but do you ever find yourself seeing things with a common theme over and over? Lately, my theme has been, "Don't be afraid."

"Don't be afraid," you ask? Am I climbing a mountain, taming lions or fighting a war? No. I'm just writing a little novel and sometimes it terrifies me. The What-If-Asaurus hovers over me as I type, his stinging stinky breath settling over me like a cloak, telling me I'm going to fail or I'll never finish or even, I'll finish and be published (which in some ways is even more terrifying).

But these little love notes keep popping up for me. Scriptures such as Deut. 31:6
"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."

Or I may "happen" to read blog posts or inspiring articles while waiting in the doctor's office on conquering fear. Over and over again, I find this topic keeps popping up and you know what it tells me (besides the obvious)? It's telling me that Someone loves me enough to make sure I hear His message. It also tells me to keep on going, even when the little voice inside me says I can't do it. I'm supposed to keep on writing even if what I wrote last night sounds ridiculous the next morning.

Did you know there are at least 11 references in the Bible that say, "Be strong and courageous?" From Deuteronomy to the Psalms and through the New Testament to Ephesians, we are admonished to go forth with courage and strength.

In addition, we're also reminded that we should:

·                Not be frightened (Joshua 1:9)

·                Obey the Lord's commands (Joshua 1:7)

·                Remember the Lord will defeat our enemies (Joshua 10: 25)

·                Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-11)

·                Obey the Lord's commands and don't be sad (1 Chronicles 22:13)

·                Remember the Lord will be with you until our work is finished (2 Chronicles 15:7)

·                Wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14)

·                Remember the Lord will not leave us (Deuteronomy 31:6)

·                Remember the Lord will be with us (Deuteronomy 31:23)

And I have to do more than just show up. Remember the bumblebee can't fly unless it vibrates its wings. I've got to move my fingers and try, at least. And I've got to trust Him to do the rest.

What a wonderful testimony to God's love for us and His commitment to His plans for us! If God is for us, who can be against us? As long as we obey His commands and do His will, we have no reason to be afraid. God is in control!

http://www.angelaearndt.com/

http://joyonthebackroads.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Angie, for a wonderful post and lesson! And I hope our readers will check out her website and blog for more inspiring writing.

Monday Musings--Book Review of A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

I am behind on book reviews so decided to use some of my Monday Musings posts to catch up. I love all of Kim Sawyer's books, even though she writes mainly historical and I write mainly contemporary. But whenever I read one of her books it reminds me of why I've always loved historical romances, especially those written by such an expert writer of that genre.

Kim Sawyer has taken a chance comment by someone she met on a trip about a "herdsman school" that taught women how to be proper wives for ranchers, and woven a love story of an unlikely couple that you fall in love with and root for them to be together. And the whole cast of characters are so unique and well-drawn that you feel like you have spent time living in that community and sharing their lives with them.

Besides being a romance, this story encompasses cattle rustling, a couple shootings, lots of lessons on surviving on the prairie, and some great spiritual lessons that are so interwoven into the story that you feel like a friend is counseling you, not preaching at you. Forgiveness is one of the lessons, and also that God can turn bad things into good things.

Since this book is a stand-alone, it doesn't matter if you have read any of the author's earlier books or not, and if this is your first book by this author, you are in for a big treat. You could read a book a week by her until November without any repeats, so check out her website for a complete listing at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/. Happy reading!

Fridays with Friends--Guestblog by Deborah Vogts

I am always happy to introduce other readers to my guestbloggers and their writing, and especially glad when the person is a long-time friend like Deb Vogts. I met Deb at one of the first ACFW conferences, and I have watched her faithfully hone her craft. I also attended a well-run writers' conference run by Deb's local Kansas group a few years ago, and hope to get the chance to do that again. And we have plans to brainstorm with each other someday. I have reviewed two of Deb's books on this blog which you can check out by typing Deb Vogts or Deborah Vogts in the little search box at the top left-hand corner of this blog. You are in for a treat with Deb's pictures as added inspiration for her stories!

Now, without further ado, here is Deborah Vogts!

Finding God in Your Story Setting by Deborah Vogts

I thought I would share with you today about one of my “research trips” into the Flint Hills of Kansas, the setting for my book series. Some of my most cherished moments in life have occurred while driving off-the-beaten-path into the heart of these rolling pastures.

On this particular November day, the north winds were trying to blow in a storm, but we managed to stay dry--cold but dry. And the prairie colors couldn’t have been more beautiful.

“I heard the prairie call to me, its words a whisper on my heart, and I knew that I was home.” From Snow Melts in Spring.

Cattle Guards are used in the open range to keep cattle within their pasture boundaries without the use of gates. A very nifty invention. In case you haven’t guessed, my books deal with ranching, horses, and family conflict . . . with some romance thrown in for fun.

Pictured above, my husband pretending he's a movie director. I first fell in love with the Flint Hills while attending college at Emporia State University. And while these hills were my first love, the man above claimed my heart a few years later and has never let go. We’ll celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary in February.

My road to publication has been long and winding, just like this back road through the Flint Hills. But it’s been a joyous adventure and well worth the wait. I’m currently working to finish my third book with Zondervan, Blades of Autumn (release date to be announced). What I find most rewarding, however, is how with each book, I learn a little something new about myself and my faith in God.

Just like in this closing picture—when the sun peaked out and smiled on us, reminding me that God is always with me. Each time I drive out into the Flint Hills, my heart soars, and I’m touched by God’s presence in the simplicity of that rolling prairie. Do you have a favorite place that warms your heart?

Thanks so much for allowing me to share with you today. Many blessings to you.


Deborah and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, Deborah developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there. Visit Deborah at her web site http://deborahvogts.com or at her Country at Heart blog: http://deborahvogts.blogspot.com

Monday Musings--a big THANKS to Barbour Publishing

I received the galleys (proofs) for my first book a little over a week ago and sent them back in this past Wednesday. I must say that the team at Barbour Publishing has been a dream to work with. I finished my edits about a month ago. Margie Vawter did a great editing job and walked me through any questions I had.

Jessie Fioritto sent me my galleys and was also willing to answer anything I wasn't sure of since this was my first time at galleys, also.

Shalyn Sattler sent me 500 bookmarks with my cover on it which made this whole dream seem more real! She also has answered my questions of how Barbour will help with booksignings and other marketing. These behind-the-scenes people at Barbour have made this whole experience a wonderful one.

And in case you haven't seen it yet, I am posting my cover again. I'm not sure who drew it, but isn't it beautiful? And it portrays the setting so well.

Thanks to everyone at Barbour!

Fridays with Friends--Marlene Bagnull

I know many of you already know Marlene and have been blessed by her and her writing, but I am happy to introduce her to any of my writing friends who have not yet had the privilege of meeting/reading her. I met Marlene at the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference several years ago, and she felt like a long-lost friend from the get-go. At the bookstore I bought a copy of her devotional book for writers entitled Write His Answer, and have read/studied it twice and am now starting my third time! It is a book all Christian writers should read. So, if you need encouragement in your writing, read on! Marlene is an encourager-extraordinaire! PS. And I hope you will order the book, too, from her site below, so you can be encouraged each day as you read a portion.

Write His Answer . . . And Don’t Give Up by Marlene Bagnull

Twenty-six years ago I sat in a workshop with Lee Roddy at the St. David’s Christian Writers Conference. I remember how my heart pounded the last morning of his workshop when he challenged us to put a commitment in writing to complete our book in a year. And then he prayed that heaven would be different because of the words we would write and publish.

I knew God had called me to write this book. I never questioned that, but I did question my ability to write it during the next year as I struggled to finish it. One friend reminded me that a year in the Lord’s sight is like a thousand years, but I knew the Lord knew that I had promised to complete it in a year made up of 365 days. And amazingly I did. I wasn’t a day late or a day early! I took “my baby” to the post office and mailed it to a publisher that had requested the entire manuscript. And then the waiting began. That editor kept it one year before finally returning it. Over the next five years I queried 40 other publishers. Some asked to see the entire manuscript. All of them returned it too. Frustrated, discouraged, and consumed by self-doubts I came so close so many times to giving up.

Only the promises in God’s Word kept me keeping on. “Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up,” the apostle Paul encouraged the early Christians (Gal. 6:9 TLB). I felt God speaking directly to me and saying, “Don’t you give up.”

Friends babysat my kids so that I could go to the conference each year on a working scholarship. I commuted to save money, and after five years even ended up on faculty teaching a continuing session on writing for Christian periodicals. Even more amazing, several months after that conference an editor I’d met with called and offered me a contract.

Had I given up, I would have missed the not only the joy of seeing my book in print but also the joy of helping others get published through 28 years of directing the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference and 15 years of directing the Colorado conference. Both conferences are under the umbrella of a ministry God birthed over 30 years ago when I dared to believe that His words in Habakkuk 2:2 were His call on my life. “Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so anyone can see it at a glance and rush to tell the others” (TLB) He said.

I hope you’ll visit www.writehisanswer.com and read the excerpts from my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers. And please ask Father if He wants you to come to the August 10-13 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference (www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia) and/or to save May 13-16, 2012 for next year’s Colorado Christian Writers Conference (www.writehisanswer.com/Colorado). And may heaven be different because of the words you write and publish!

In Christ - Marlene
Marlene Bagnull, Litt.D.

Write His Answer Ministries - http://www.writehisanswer.com/

Blogging at http://writehisanswer.wordpress.com

Director, Colorado Christian Writers Conference - May 11-14, 2011

at YMCA of the Rockies - Estes Park Center (NW of Denver)

www.writehisanswer.com/Colorado

Founder & Director, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference - August 10-13, 2011

at Philadelphia Biblical University

www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia

Monday Musings--A Book Review of The Art of Romance by Kaye Dacus

Another delightful read by Kaye Dacus, this second story in the Matchmakers series will bless your socks off! Set in Nashville, Tennessee, in the heart of the Bible belt, we see the 'meddling matriarchs' on the march again when it comes to marrying off their grandkids so they can be the first of their group with great-grandchildren.

Caylor Evans and Dylan Bradley are not your typical hero/heroine. Both are hiding secrets in their past, but little do they know that their secret past includes the other. Is that the reason Caylor wonders why Dylan looks so familiar and she is so attracted to him? Can Dylan throw off the bonds of his past to go after what he desires for his future--for their future?

Set on a college campus among plays, art exhibits and classes, the reader experiences (or re-lives) the joys and frustrations of academia. And roots for this unlikely couple to find a way to make it work.

This book can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend finding a copy of Love Remains to read first so you don't miss out on any of the fun with this ensemble cast of characters, especially the fun and loving grandparents. Or go to amazon or cbd.com and order all of Ms. Dacus's books. Each one is a great study in "The Art of Romance."

Monthly Book Drawings and Book Review of A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad

The winner for last month's book contest is Lisa Lickel who will receive 199 Promises of God after I receive her mailing address. Everyone (except Lisa) with a US mailing address who leaves a comment during the month of June will be eligible to win a copy of the delightful book A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad. So, please remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

This is the second book in Lorna's Lake Manawa Summers series, and although it could be read on its own, I would recommend reading Making Waves first for the enjoyment of it, plus several of the major characters in Making Waves are minor characters in A Great Catch, so you get to find out what is going on in their lives a few years later.

Lorna's bio says she is a history buff, and it shows in this very true to period book. It also says she found this setting in her home state of Iowa. I'm so glad she did. Lake Manawa is a wonderful place to visit and re-visit. I hope Lorna will write more books set in this location.

Emily Graham is our heroine, a beautiful young woman who is over zealous in her quest to see that women get to vote in Iowa and the US. She's even willing to play on a baseball team, in spite of her clumsiness, to further that cause. This brings her into close quarters with the captain of the team, Carter Stockton. He falls in love with Emily, only wishes she would slow down some and listen to God more. As it says on the back cover, "She wants to change the world. He wants to change her mind."

I love the characters of Emily's grandmother and two elderly aunts with whom she lives. And there is a mystery involving her grandmother's dwindling funds at the bank. Emily has to search her heart to find out whom she can trust. And she has to learn to let go and let God have control.

This book is a delightful read with a great spiritual message. I did receive this copy of the book from the publisher, Revell, for review purposes, but all thoughts are my own.

Monday Musings--the creativity of a 9 year old!

I shared a couple of my granddaughter's stories last year, written when she was only seven or eight. This year she entered two stories in a local writing contest for children 9-14 years old. She spoke them to me and I typed them as she rattled them off. She had two stories in the top ten in spite of being the youngest in that category!

Last week she and her sister spent the night and we watched a movie called Nim's Island about a young girl whose father is lost at sea. Nim enlists the help of an author of adventure books to rescue him. The author arrives, but she is afraid of most things and has writer's block. I asked Danielle if she ever got writer's block. When I explained it meant that you couldn't think of what to write next, she said, "No, I just say it as I think it!" My writer friends and I all wish we had her creativity and confidence!

So, for today and next Monday I will share the creativity of a nine year old with no writer's block! Hope it inspires you as it does me!

Love That Dog, Pokey by Danielle K.


Back in the nineteen thirties, some people did not love dogs. And dogs did not love books. But there was one special girl and her dog that actually made history. Here is how the story goes.

Once there was a girl named Bella. She had a dog named Pokey which was named after the Hokey-Pokey. She loved him as much as her heart. But, she loved him so much that she read books to him ever since he was born. She would grab a blanket, two pillows and a couple books and read them to Pokey.

She loved books that she got from her favorite librarian in the world named Mrs. Carolyn. Bella never wanted to go to school because she wanted to read books to Pokey. That was her most favorite thing to do.

Also back in the nineteen thirties, there were so many dog catchers around that Bella had to keep Pokey safe, so she would hide him in her bedroom and close the windows and hide with him.

Many days later, Bella and Pokey went to a dog store to buy lots of dog chew toys and dogfood. The storekeeper said, “If you are going to bring in dogs, I cannot allow you, so either get the dog out or both of you get out.” So, Bella left.

Bella never stopped checking out books from the library, but she could not bring Pokey in because dogs were not allowed. So, she always would go to the back of the library and go into the basement which had many good books and hide Pokey in the bathroom so no one would see him. And she would go upstairs to check out Pokey’s favorite books.

After they came home from the library, they both went upstairs to read another book. Bella was so happy that she would not even sell her dog for one million dollars even though she was so poor.

That night she read forty books and did not stop—every word in those books. But in the morning, there was one book left on her table. It was called Love that Dog.

She didn’t grab it because she was so tired.

Her sister Molly said, “It’s Saturday morning. You’ve got to read something.”

So Bella grabbed that book and read all the chapters in two hours. But Pokey was laying on her bed and not listening because he was not feeling good. He did not wag his tail.

So she grabbed her phone and called the vet. The vet said that the dog may not be a him, it may be a her.

The vet came over to check Pokey out. He said, “Pokey is going to have puppies.”

“Pokey is a her,” said Bella.

Two hours passed. When the puppies arrived, Bella was so excited that she had grandchildren!

When she looked at the book Love that Dog, she grabbed it and started reading it to Pokey’s puppies.

Many years passed. When Bella was twenty years old, she looked at the same book and said to herself, “If you love that dog, you love the dog’s pups.”

And that is the story of Bella and her beloved dog, Pokey.

THE END

Fridays with Friends Guestblog by Connie Stevens

Today's guestblog is very special to me for two reasons. One is that Connie has been a very special friend and prayer partner to me for several years, since soon after we both joined ACFW. The other reason is that it tells the story of one of her prayers that concerned me! And Donna Rich, the other person Connie is hugging in the picture above.

NEXT YEAR . . . AND THE WINNER IS--by Connie Stevens


In September of 2009, after many years of struggling, learning, praying, practicing, improving, being rejected, learning some more, achieving baby steps, learning some more, praying some more . . . well, you get the idea . . . I attended the annual conference of American Christian Fiction Writers. There is a tradition at the conference that takes place on the first night. Two editors from Barbour Publishing take the stage and announce the awarding of first-time contracts. It has always been one of my favorite parts of the conference. On that magical night in 2009, the title of my novel was announced. After screaming, laughing, crying, hugging, and some joy-filled phone calls, I had a few quiet moments to spend with God.


In the stillness, He let me re-live the excitement, but He also reminded me of the journey. There were countless times I remember wondering if this writing thing was really God’s direction for my life, or was it just something I wanted to do. Had I truly heard from Him in pursuing this crazy career or was this merely an obsessive hobby? While I re-read the letter of intent from Barbour Publishing, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of exciting roller coaster ride was ahead. But one thing I knew beyond any doubt: God walked with me through the pre-published journey. He would walk with me on this next level as well.

The following day—day two of the conference—during the worship time we sang While I’m Waiting, and it occurred to me that someone in that room of 500+ people there was a person who, like me, was wondering and waiting. Next year would be their time, but they didn’t know it yet. So I started praying for that person. I asked God to encourage them and motivate them, to keep them close to Him and honor Him with every word they wrote. I prayed for the person’s heart, knowing that in one year they would know the same joy I now experienced.

I prayed again the following day and the day after that. Have you ever prayed for a specific person without knowing who it was? Before I knew it, praying for “next year’s recipient” of the first-time contract became a privilege I anticipated every morning. It was impossible to keep the smile off my face as I prayed blessings for the person whose name I did not know.

As the time for the 2010 conference grew closer, my prayers grew too. My heart was stirred for this unknown person, and the anticipation of learning their identity swelled. In the opening general session, I was supposed to be working in the bookstore, but I snuck into the auditorium and stood at the back, my heart pounding, my hands clasped at my chin. The editors took the stage and the name was announced.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! The person for whom I’d prayed for an entire year was my dear friend, Rose McCauley!! I screamed. I cried. I praised God.

I knew she would be mobbed immediately after the session, so I held back and waited. When God gave us a moment, I told her how God had impressed on my heart to pray for “next year’s recipient” for the entire year. Rose immediately agreed to do the same. So this year, Rose is praying for that yet unnamed person who will hear their name called at the 2011 conference—the person who is at this moment still on the journey. What joy is in store for him/her! But there is another joy--the joy of praying for someone whose name we do not know.

Rose again: Dear Friends, I count it a privilege to continue this tradition Connie started of praying for this year's winner of the first contract from Barbour award. And if you will check out Connie's website below and the books she has published and has coming out, you will see how God has blessed her and is using her to bless her readers. Thank you, Connie, for sharing this memory with me and my readers, for your friendship and prayers over the years, and especially for your faithfulness in listening to God and following as He directs you!


http://www.conniestevenswrites.com/

Leave Me Never - January 2011 (Heartsong Presents)

Revealing Fire - May 2011 (Heartsong Presents)

Scars of Mercy -- Coming soon (Heartsong Presents)

Heart of Honor —2012 (Heartsong Presents)

Hope’s Dwelling Place – 2012 -- novella in the Sundays In Fredericksburg collection (Barbour Publishing)

Monday Musings

May is a Special Month because...

it is our wedding anniversary and...
Mother's Day and...
college graduations and...
high school graduations and...
the last day of school and...
mostly beautiful weather and...
gorgeous flowers from all the April rains and...
time to praise God for all His wonderful creation!

Fridays with Friends--Lisa Lickel

Lisa Lickel and I became friends after meeting at the Write to Publish Conference in Chicago a couple years ago. (see picture below.) We are now working on a book proposal together, and I am amazed at how much she gets done! Lisa has shared her perspective on feeding your imagination by being involved in things you are passionate about. And all of us need imagination!

How Deep Does Your Passion Run? by Lisa Lickel

An author doesn't sit around pounding at the keys all day. Real authors go out and gather experiences to fuel their passion. I am a local historian—that is to say, I have studied and continue to learn about the people who live in my rural community, where their ancestors came from, the struggles they went through to get established. One particular place, the Saxonia House, feeds my imagination like no other. I immerse myself in it.

There has to be some truth about the saying, that something gets into your blood. I can’t explain my passion any other way. I unload my third five-gallon container of frozen raccoon scat in the nearby woods last winter, in the snow. It doesn’t escape my notice that it's Valentine’s Day. I hoped that cleaning it out of the attic of the Saxonia House in the winter would make it easier. Just because this once lively home is abandoned except for the mice and bats and spiders and flies, and, oh, my, raccoons (and two spotted salamanders in the basement) and a very persistent groundhog, doesn’t mean it needs cleaning any less than my own.

I am obsessed.

In summer another crazy person wants to take pictures for a Powerpoint production. I want the house to look as nice as it can, in its aging floozy condition. While I was sweeping the year’s worth of guano from my favorite room of the house, I thought about my obsession, and why it is so. I find a bottle. It’s not antique, but it still immediately brings to mind that this might have been a tavern and meeting room, where so much that is Fillmore came to be. Maybe some Prussian comes into town, stopped at the inn for a lukewarm one and directions to his new holdings in the western part of the township. “Ach, back in the Fatherland, we Prussians – we’d be considering how to take control of your measly confederation. Saxony, tariffs – bah! But here in the new country – we be friends.” I hear German songs echoing from the rafters.

Bats chitter behind the attic door and briefly I consider running so I can see which hole they fly out of, so we can patch it up. But that’s silly; there are so many holes.

I couldn’t find a filter mask this morning before I came to finish cleaning. I’m probably going to get a disease from breathing in this bat gunk and old plaster dust, I think. I consider how the particles get into my lungs, and then into my bloodstream. Maybe I don’t sneeze them all away, and some of this place literally stays in my blood.

I go home, and write stories of friendship and lost loves and found dreams.

What's your passion? Is it something that gets into your blood, so that you can pour it onto the page? Go out and live! Feed your imagination from real experiences.

Monday's Musings--A Late Mother's Day

My husband and I went to Florida last week for our 43rd anniversary so we were gone on Mother's Day. Although all three of our kids called me that day, I am just now receiving my gifts. Our oldest daughter told me she plans to take me and her daughters to get pedicures together. Our youngest daughter bought me several flats of red, white and blue flowers today to beautify our yard. But, it was rainy and too wet to plant today, so my husband thinks they will be OK if we set them out in the yard to keep them moist. Hope so. I will try to take a picture later when it is all done. and I wonder what our son will get me? He did come to the airport to pick us up when we returned, so perhaps that is his gift.

In closing I want to share a free verse poem I wrote a few years ago about Mother's Day:
Mother's Day

Maternal instinct
     Mother's touch
          Mother's embrace
Mother's prayers
     Mother's smile
          Mother's love

How was your Mother's Day? Anyone have some more thoughts to share?

Friday with Friends

I want to welcome another ACFW friend, Karin Beery, who is sharing her unique perspective on learning this writing business.

Real World University, by Karin Beery

I never intended to be a writer. Though I love to read and I had a degree in English, I enjoyed working in hospitality. Writing was just something I did for work, but then my husband was diagnosed with cancer. I quit my job and started substitute teaching so I could take care of him. I also started writing. I didn't have a goal or deadline, and I think my ignorance saved me. This has been a long journey, and it's not over yet.

Like many writing newbies, I thought I'd jump right in and get a novel published. I wrote the manuscript. Friends read it. I edited it. Then I did the research – I knew nothing about the publishing industry. Instead of giving up, however, I decided to press on. I'm glad I thought so highly of myself at the time, because if I had honestly realized how long it would take me to develop my career, I don't know if I would have kept going.

The first thing I knew I needed to do was get some bylines. Truthfully, that was pretty easy. A local paper needed help, and they were willing to work with an inexperienced writer. Once I had gained some confidence, I branched out to other local weekly papers and got more gigs. Though I love writing for the small town rags, they don't pay a lot. If I could afford to do nothing more than write local human interest stories, I would, but I can't. I had to branch out even more.

I started scanning the Writer's Market Guides for new markets. Those books are huge, however, and only a handful of the magazines want what I write. It would have been easy for me to spend days researching the possibilities.

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to hone my craft and break into fiction. One of the best ways to do that is by attending writing conferences. They, of course, require money. What little I made writing locally I poured right back into conferences. To get the most bang for your buck at a conference, you really need to find out which editors and agents will be there, as well as who's interested in your type of work. That meant more and more research, and none of it paid.

Then I heard about the wide world of freelance editing. The same writing skills are required, but it's faster to edit a book than it is to write one. That's why so many writers dabble in both worlds. I decided to do the same. I wasn't entirely sure where I should start, but I knew where I wanted to start – online.

During all of my research of conferences, editors, and markets, I discovered something about myself – I love a well-designed website. Unfortunately, I know nothing about creating one. It made sense to hire someone to do it for me. Sounds simple enough, right? I wasn't prepared. It took weeks of brainstorming, proof-reading, second-guessing, mind-changing, and other nit-picking before I finally had a website I liked. It lasted less than a year – I'm already changing it, and I'm still paying for it.

Recently, I received my first unsolicited phone call from an interested client (thank you, website!). We've met once and are going to do a couple of test-runs to see if we're compatible. If we work well together, he'll start sending work my way – as an editor. I do already have many of the skills necessary for that, but I want to make sure I'm the most professional, well-informed editor that I can be, so I'm going back to conferences, buying resources, and doing more research. This is all speculative, too. I may not get the job. Even if I don't, I'll be better prepared for the next call.

I'm now over two years into my career, not making much money, and spending many more hours studying and learning than I am actually writing and selling. It's taking longer than I anticipated, but I don't regret it. After all, it took me four years to earn my Bachelor's degree. I figure I'm just about halfway through my Real World Education.

Monday Musings--Book review of Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer

I thought I would start our week off with a book review of a wonderful book I just finished last night. I read Karen's debut novel, A Tailor-Maid Bride and reviewed it last year. Although some sophomore novels don't live up to the promise of the first book, I need to tell you that Karen's second book is superb! I read this book in two days which is a rarity for me nowdays!

If you like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, you will love Head in the Clouds. Take a governess, a small child and an English nobelman, then transport them to a sheep ranch in Texas and you have a rollicking good story with more than enough love to go around.

There is also a villian and some tense scenes which is why you have to read it so quickly to make sure everyone survives. So hurry on out and buy or order this book. You might have your head in the clouds for days afterward!

This book was sent to me by the publisher, Bethany House, for review purposes, but that did not affect my review in any way. Thanks, Bethany and Karen for a great read!