Before all the fiction writers get excited, note that her publishing plans center around timely political and cultural topics as well as memoirs, and that her writers will come from Daily Beast freelancers.
Eric, of Pimp My Novel blogged today about "The Future of Publishing". This is more than water cooler chatter, folks. Publishing is undergoing a seismic shifting.
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How about some fun?
Saw a link that led me back to a blog I'd stumbled across and shared earlier this year, Men With Pens, and had to borrow it.
Should information be free? We’re used to paying for newspapers, magazines and books, specialized information previously available only via some form of hardcopy. Today, the Internet not only makes such information more accessible, it also provokes questions about whether information, or specifically, what types, should be free vs. paid. Who doesn’t want something for free? But really, the bigger question is what is the future of publishing?
Traditional models for sharing information, or content, are dying. New business models that allow for content sharing while providing a means of earning revenue are a the big dilemma for today’s information businesses.
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I'm resuming my role as the Tampa Bay Writing Examiner. Read the rest of this article here.
Vanessa Miller of Dayton, Ohio is an Essence best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, Can’t You Hear Them Crying, and Abundant Rain.
To date, Vanessa has written the Rain Series, including the books Former Rain, Abundant Rain, and Latter Rain. She has also penned Storm Series which consists of Rain Storm and Through the Storm. These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Pastor Jerome Tyler “JT” Thomas is charismatic behind the pulpit, charming to all he comes in contact with, and lethal to those who linger too long. Since the age of twenty-two, when he prayed for God to keep him out of prison, JT knew he would preach the gospel. Bishop Turner makes it possible, but there are strings attached and now JT isn’t sure he can stay tied down.
Cutting loose causes more problems than JT anticipates. When an old friend from his days on the streets resurfaces and JT's extracurricular activity comes knocking on his front door, JT’s life and the lives of those close to him spiral out of control. Only divine intervention will make things right. But how much help can a man hope to receive when he feels he’s been forsaken by God?
I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing one of Ms. Miller's earlier works, Through the Storm a few months back when it was re-released. That book now resides squarely on my list of top reads this year. I couldn't believe I'd somehow missed Vanessa Miller on my author radar. So I'm looking forward to reading Forsaken when my review copy arrives.
This is unrelated to fiction, but I thought it important enough to share about the ever-changing publishing industry. President Obama supports newspaper journalism. Like our president, I hope the newspapers figure it out too.
Author Dyanne Davis shares writing secrets she culled from interviews with authors, editors, and agents.
There are a surprising (to me) number of poets out there, including my friend, Patricia Dorsey-Neeley. So this one is for you guys: The 6th annual Palm Beach Poetry Festival is scheduled for January 18-23, 2010.
I'm a casual student of history. I don't always go looking for it, but when I bump up against it, I'm usually eager to learn. Such is the case with getting a look at publishing then and now, as in this interview Poets & Writers did with literary agent Georges Borchardt who has represented such names as Elie Wiesel, Samuel Becket, Tracy Kidder and many more over a career spanning more than sixty years.
In interviews like this one, there are always nuggets of insight and inspiration, like this: "I remember something my French mentor said to me years ago when there were other issues. He said, 'In the end the only thing that really counts is the poor author in his attic in front of his typewriter with his blank piece of paper and what he puts on it.' The only thing that has changed is that maybe now he is no longer writing in the attic, and he has a computer instead of a typewriter. But it's still what goes on the page that counts. And everything else really doesn't."
I finished my outline last weekend. I took my still fluid synopsis, opened Excel, and created a scene-by-scene outline stripping away all the character notes and backstory, all the plot points and what-ifs, and turned it into an outline. I worked out some of the kinks and filled a few plot holes. Ouila! A completed plot outline for my inspirational romance.
81 scenes. Roughly 35 chapters. The chapter breaks are still fuzzy but I think that will work itself out as I write. I've indicated for each scene who I think the POV character will be and whether the scene is related to his or her external goals or internal goals, the romance thread or the spiritual thread.
Now, I've got no excuses...or at least one less.
I have a story.
I have an outline for this story.
I know the beginning, the middle, and the end.
I'm confident, with outline in hand, I can write this story.
You have no idea how liberating this feels!
Already I have a slight change to a major character's motivation that will ramp up the conflict and alter a few scenes. No big deal. I'm making a note of it, and will incorporate it as I go. No need to alter the outline. Not now.
I'm psyched!
A number of things set my rudderless writing ship on course. Here's the short version:
I promised myself I wouldn't let another year go by without a completed story, and I don't like to break promises.
To help myself get off the sidelines, I entered two major writing contests for inspirational authors earlier this year.
I leaned on a few helpful writing websites:
My Book Therapy --Authors Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck, both multi-published, have a heart for aspiring writers. They graciously share all they know, even hosting a weekly Q&A chat for MBT members.
Storyfix -- Larry Brooks provides straightforward, easy-to-apply knowledge about story structure and what makes a story work.
Screenplay Mastery -- Michael Hauge's illumination of three-act story structure is easy to understand and dovetails nicely with the next item on my list.
I joined a new critique group. These ladies, who write everything from women's fiction to fantasy, are on fire! No way was I going to be the slouch in this group. (Ladies, we need a name for our little gang!)
I took a free class over the past month and a half at Forward Motion for Writers. The course, taught by Margaret Fisk, was called "From Ideas to Outline". This course really gave me what I needed to get over the hump.
I discovered a writing software tool that helped me better organize all of my thoughts, plot points, character notes, back stories, etc. It's called yWriter.
That's it. A recap of my writing year-to-date.
Bottomline, I have an outline.
It's not a book yet. It's not even a first draft. But, I'm better prepared to get there from idea to polished, completed manuscript than I've ever been. And unlike the last time, I don't think I'll be overwhelmed by the thought of revisions.
Another busy weekend--celebrating my middle son's birthday today (Happy Birthday, baby!) and attending a basketball camp with the oldest--but somewhere in there, I'll be writing, writing, writing.
Again, I'm reading in a rush to catch up with the scheduled book features. But An Eye for An Eye lends itself to that, as it is "a fast-paced tale of romance, suspense, and intrigue that will keep readers glued to each page." I'm only halfway done so I can't give a full review, but if you like law-enforcement suspense with a heavy dose of romance, you'll like An Eye for An Eye.
UPDATE: I finished An Eye for an Eye a few hours after this post went up. Most of the time, it's the heroine that captures my attention, but in this case, I thoroughly enjoyed the strong hero who was open to both love and faith, and knew both of these things early in the story. Circumstances and internal issues stemming from past experiences threatened to keep Emily and Mark apart, but of course, love prevailed. I found myself curious about Mark's colleagues-- Evan and Nick--which means I need to find the first book in the series while I eagerly await the third.
In An Eye for an Eye, Mark Sanders is a member of the FEBI Hostage Rescue Team—the nation’s most elite civilian fighting force. But after an accidental shooting at a tense standoff, he is sent to St. Louis to work as a field agent and get his bearings while the bad press settles.
Just weeks away from returning to Quantico, Mark has a chance encounter with his first love, Emily Lawson. But their reunion is cut short by a sniper. Now Mark must find the shooter before he strikes again. But what is his motive—and who was his intended target? As they search for answers, the peril escalates. Can Mark put the pieces together, keep Emily safe, and rekindle a relationship at the same time?
Can their relationship survive a killer set on vengeance?
Irene Hannon is the author of more than thirty novels, including the bestselling Against All Odds. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, and the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. Irene and her husband make their home in Missouri.
Ms. Hannon recently interviewed with NovelJourney, where she talked candidly about writing and promoting category vs. longer, single-title romances and offers advice to aspiring authors. Read it here.
Find out more about Ms. Hannon and her books at her website, http://www.irenehannon.com. An Eye for An Eye is available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
I watch The Biggest Loser on occasion. My husband and oldest son, both pretty physically fit and blessed with pretty good genes, don't understand.
For one thing, I definitely need to lose a few pounds. (Okay, more than a few. I'm working on that.)
But what they don't get is that I get inspiration from shows like The Biggest Loser. When I see someone who has so far to go to reach his goal but is willing to do the work, I get inspired. I think, "If they can work hard and move forward toward their goals, what's my excuse?" It gets me off my duff.
Well, on a recent episode, a very heavy young woman with many more pounds to lose than I collapsed while running about a mile or so very slowly. She stopped just short of the finish line, and had to be carried over it, then airlifted to a hospital. She looked to be in very bad physical shape. I immediately felt her pain.
My husband, who was off to the side of me and I would have sworn wasn't paying any attention to the show, said, "It's her mind." He repeated his assessment, then explained.
Faced with a huge, difficult goal, it's most definitely mind over matter. He felt that because this woman had told herself it would be hard before she even began, it was. Because she likely told herself all along the way that she would never finish, she didn't.
The mind has great control over what a person achieves.
Author Kristi Holl would pretty much agree with my husband. She recently blogged about "hardiness". The ability to focus and harness one's mental power toward achieving one's goal.
I think this is why, in both weight loss and writing, I've stopped thinking so much about my goals and I've been spending more time on my process. Where am I and what's my next step? What have I learned along the way that will make the next step even easier? I wake up every day feeling good about where I am and having another opportunity to move one step closer to attaining my dreams. Then I push myself forward, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.
Eventually, in weight loss and writing--I will achieve my goals.
I'm reading this one now. For some reason, I thought this book was a romance. It is...and so much more. One Imperfect Christmas deals with a couple who lose their footing in the face of a devastating family illness. It delves into caregiving and the delicate balancing act of keeping one's own family going while doing all one can for the parent who cared first.
From personal experience, I know how difficult this situation can be, having been sandwiched between caring for my mother for several years while trying to raise a then grade schooler, not to mention experiencing two pregnancies along the way, all the while worrying that my husband, who so lovingly supported me, really didn't understand, that no one did.
Myra Johnson's written a touching look at the role faith plays in the mess that has become so many people's lives in similar circumstances. At times funny and at times tear-provoking, One Imperfect Christmas is a wonderful read.
Making up stories has been second nature to me for as long as I can remember. A select group of trusted friends back at dear old Mission High waited eagerly for the next installment of my "Great American Spy Novel" (think Man from Uncle) and my "All-American Teen Novel" (remember Gidget and Tammy?). I even had a private notebook of angst-ridden poetry a la Rod McKuen.
The dream of writing persisted into adulthood, although it often remained on the back burner while I attended to home and family and several "real" (read paying) jobs along the way. Then in 1983, while recovering from sinus surgery, I came upon one of those magazine ads for the Institute of Children’s Literature. I knew it was time to get serious, and the next thing I knew, I'd enrolled in the “Writing for Children and Teenagers” course.
Within a year or so I sold my first story, which appeared in the Christian publication Alive! for Young Teens. For many years I enjoyed success writing stories and articles for middle-graders and young adults. I even taught for ICL for 9 years.
Then my girls grew up, and there went my live-in inspiration. Time to switch gears. I began my first women's fiction manuscript and started attending Christian writers conferences. Eventually I learned about American Christian Romance Writers (which later became American Christian Fiction Writers) and couldn't wait to get involved. Friends in ACFW led me to RWA and the online inspirational chapter, Faith, Hope & Love.
So here I am today, still on this crazy roller-coaster ride. Still writing. Still hopeful. Writing, I'm learning, is not about the destination, it's about the journey. My current projects are primarily women's fiction and romance . . . novels of hope, love, and encouragement. Novels about real women living out their faith and finding love in the midst of everyday, and sometimes not so everyday, situations.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she's allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves-most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she's one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.
Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit's end. Nothing he's done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion isn't helping matters. As Daniel's hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.
The ACFW conference concluded on Sunday. Winners of this year's writing contests, the ACFW Genesis contest for unpublished authors and the Book of the Year contest for published authors, were announced at Saturday night's banquet.
One quick search for the winners turned up the following list: (taken from Genesis finalist Cathy Bryant's blog, who did a tremendous job of blogging from the conference. Check out her posts.) As I said before, the first thing I do is do a google search on every name. So I've provided the links for those who'd like to know more about this year's winners.
Beginning this week's roundup with a couple of tidbits picked up from agent Nathan Bransford's blog:
If you really want to know how publishing is changing as a result of ebooks--and get a look at how author/ would-be publisher Kassia Krozser spent her summer vacation--check out her blog post explaining some of the things that led to the downfall of startup Quartet Press.
I guess libraries are going to go the way of free radio and television. It seems Philadelphia's library system will shut down October 2nd without additional state funding. Ultimately, whether we pay in higher taxes to offset increased state funding or we pay per usage, as many now do for satellite radio and cable television, we, the consumers, wind up paying.
Now let's be clear. I have not failed as a writer. I'm just getting started. But the insight and advice in this article, 7 Ways You've Failed as a Writer, is priceless. Dovetails with my thinking of late relative to my writing and all the other things that take priority in my life. More about that later.
Pastor/author Rick Warren has a new book releasing in November, The Hope You Need.
And, November 7th will be the first annual National Bookstore Day, sponsored by Publishers' Weekly to encourage book buyers to support bricks-and-mortar bookstores, especially independent ones. See logo above. More to come as details unfold.
The American Christian Fiction Writers' conference is going on in Denver this week. Once again, I'm not there. Waah!
Denver would have been interesting because I've never been to it or any cities in its vicinity, East coast gal that I am. Based on pre-conference blog posts I read, it seems like a city I might enjoy.
But next year's conference is in Indianapolis, a city I've been to before and one that's not quite as far to travel. Three out of five of my critique group are in Denver; I'm planning to make it next year and so is the other at-home member. It would be great if we could all meet in person.
The winners of the ACFW Genesis contest for unpublished authors will be announced at Saturday's banquet, as well as the Book of the Year winners. When the list of finalists is released each year, I do a Google search for the names to learn more about the writers who have won such coveted recognition. Usually the names of the unpubbed writers are unfamiliar to me.
This year I won't have to search quite as much. Now in my second year of ACFW membership, I've had the pleasure through loops and critique groups to "meet" a number of the finalists. I visit their blogs and they frequent mine. We've "friended" each other on Facebook and Twitter. Two of this year's finalists, Lynda Schab and Valerie Comer, are in my recently formed critique group. I want them to win.
Problem is, in some categories, I'm rooting for more than one person. Do they ever have ties? Mind you, I haven't had the pleasure of reading the submissions. Still, I want everyone I know all to win, would that it were possible.
Jody, Gina, Ane, Sharon, Valerie, Lynda, Lisa, Danica, Candee, Kasey, and all the finalists I have yet to meet: May you all have your Genesis dreams come true.
Yes, I know that won't happen, not this year, but it doesn't stop me from cheering for each and every one of you.
If not this year, soon.
Best wishes to you all and congratulations on recognition of your hard work.
I haven't had a chance to read this one yet, but it's next up in my TBR pile. Shelley Adina's series about a diverse group of young women at an elite California boarding school has been "on point", as my teen would say, since book one and I'm sure this latest release will be no less satisfying.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Award-winning author Shelley Adina wrote her first teen novel when she was 13. It was rejected by the literary publisher to whom she sent it, but he did say she knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep her going through the rest of her adolescence, a career, a move to another country, a B.A. in Literature, an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, and countless manuscript pages.
Shelley is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She writes books about fun and faith--with a side of glamour. Between books, Shelley loves traveling, playing the piano and Celtic harp, watching movies, and making period costumes.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Finals week is approaching and Mac is still undecided on where to spend the holidays. Normally she'd go home to Scotland, but spending two weeks alone in the castle with her dad isn't as appealing as it used to be. So she invites Carly, Lissa, Gillian, and Shani to join her for the holidays!
Mac is determined to make this the best Christmas ever. She even decides to organize the traditional Hogmany dance for New Year's Eve. If she can get her mother involved in the dance, maybe her parents will finally get back together.
But when Mac and the girls arrive in Scotland, they are faced with bad news: the castle is falling apart and Mac's parents are struggling financially. Not only that, but Shani is in big trouble with Prince Rashid's royal family. Can the girls find a way to celebrate the holidays, get Mac's parents back together, save the castle, and rescue Shani from her relentless pursuers? There's only one way to find out...
First, some breaking news, a tidbit that can't wait until the weekend:
The 2009 Muse Online conference, scheduled for October 12-18th, has extended the registration deadline to this Sunday, September 20th. That's it. After that, you're waiting until 2010.
I was going over the workshop and chat registration forms last night and was wowed by the depth and breadth of the offerings for this online conference. Workshop topics include:
12 Stages of the Writer's Adventure by Beth Barany
So, you want to be a Freelance Writer by Bob Medak
Write as Tight as Granny's New Girdle by Margot Finke
Chats include:
World Building with Karina Fabian
Plot, Action and Turning Points with Patrika Vaughn
Passive vs. Active: How to Turn Dull, Limp, Lifeless Prose into a Mesmerizing Story that Sizzles as it Yanks Your Reader off the Couch and into the Action with Dindy Robinson (I had to type that one!)
Pitch sessions are available with Crescent Moon Press, Wild Child Publishing, Freya's Bower, Breathless Press, 4RV Publishing, Samhain Publishing, Red Rose Publishing, Lyrical Press, Eternal Press, White Rose Publishing, Damnation Books, Morrigan Books, and the Wild Rose Press.
By the way, if you missed the SORMAG online conference back in August, the workshops can still be seen on the blog. These are the two online biggies. Don't miss them both!
Now, back to the writing.
I'm further along than I thought toward having a usable synopsis. I'm working on it every evening that homework or business doesn't consume the family computer. I expect to be done with it this week. I already have a few chapters written, not all of which will make it into the first draft, but I'm definitely going to have the first draft done before the end of the year. I'm planning for before Thanksgiving, which will set me up perfectly for beginning of the year revisions.
Moving forward in writing is about making choices. It's not about making the perfect choice, but about making a choice. Who is my character? What does she want? What is she willing to do to get it? How will the events unfold toward the happy ending? Infinite choices from which I must select the ones that will become my story. I think this is why experienced writers advise newbies to write. Anything. Because writing means one's been courageous enough to make a choice, realizing none are cast in stone until the manuscript is published and the story no longer belongs solely to the writer.
I also can tell you there's a flurry of anticipation and activity around the upcoming American Christian Fiction Writers Conference, happening in Denver beginning this Thursday and including a Saturday book signing with more than 100 authors.
I did see one thing I found interesting as I think about upgrading my cell phone. Want to read and manage book downloads via cell phone? Overdrive is offering a free mobile phone application to help you do it, available on select phones.
Remembering 9-11. The images are still burnished on the mind, but the intensity of the feelings have faded a bit. Time does that, I think. Prayers for those who lost a loved one on that day.
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I've been writing.
Really. Well, not so much in the last seven days, what with the in-laws' 50th celebration, and my foggy brain since my return. But the cobwebs are just about cleared out, and I expect to have normal mental function again before the weekend is over. Before that, however, yeah, I was writing.
What am I doing?
Working on my outline.
My understanding of my writing process is so much more refined than it was even six months ago. Working in corporate America, one of the things that I've always enjoyed are brainstorming sessions. Those gatherings where all pens are down except for that of the person tasked with recording ideas, and everyone in the room gets to let it all hang out on whatever the topic is.
These sessions can be maddening for those who want to jump right in and get to work. But for those who enjoy thinking of possibilities and examining nuances, they can be a lot of fun.
I'm one of the latter people. Which is great when I'm actually in a brainstorming session or making up a quick story for my kids or even experiencing an "I Have a Dream..." conversation with God.
Terrible for writing a novel.
Because eventually the brainstorming has to end. One has to pick a path to head down, then stay on the path. Veering off more than a quick turn on to a side street and back doesn't work. It's not okay to start a cross-country drive from California to New York, and somehow end up in Brazil.
My writing has looked like that in the past. So I've been really working to hone my process.
I've discovered I need lots of time to brainstorm. Days, weeks, even months. Record all my ideas and all the possibilities on paper. Then, the story begins to congeal and it's time for an outline where some things are discarded and others unleash a whole other round of brainstorming. This also leads me to think about what I need to know, what kind of research do I need to tell an authentic story. I record these questions too, and maybe do a little online searching, bookmarking web sites that I might return to for more information.
Eventually, I have to rein it all in, choose my characters and plot points, and tell the story. Not every possible story, but the story that becomes my work in progress.
If I don't stop and write, the rest is all for naught. Just something to pass the time. As author Jack Cavanaugh puts it, "Words turn into sentences. Sentences into paragraphs. Paragraphs into pages. And before you know it, you have a complete manuscript."
Right now, I'm reining in my thoughts. The outline is just about done. Next comes the writing. I expect to have a more coherent first draft when I'm done than when I simply muddled my way through.
Today I'm helping Christian mom and author Christina Berry promote her debut novel, A Familiar Stranger. Christina is a can-do type of person who also co-authors stories with her mother, author Sherrie Ashcraft. Because of her determination, publication for Christina wasn't a matter of if, but when!
Craig Littleton's decision to end his marriage would shock his wife, Denise . . . if she knew what he was up to. When an accident lands Craig in the ICU, with fuzzy memories of his own life and plans, Denise rushes to his side, ready to care for him. They embark on a quest to help Craig remember who he is and, in the process, discover dark secrets. What will she do when she realizes he's not the man she thought he was? Is this trauma a blessing in disguise, a chance for a fresh start? Or will his secrets destroy the life they built together?
In her own words, Christina talks about her deeply personal experience in penning A Familiar Stranger:
Even though it’s my one and only (novel) so far, I believe The Familiar Stranger will always have a special place in my heart because it comes from such deep personal pain...and shows the strength of the Lord’s restoration.
I think this is pretty typical of authors, but almost every day I hear or see something that has potential as a plot line. Just the other day I read about a woman who was so badly mutilated when her boyfriend killed her that the police identified the body by the serial numbers of her breast implants. That’s horribly graphic, I know, but my first thought is, “There are serial numbers inside countless women? Do they know this? What if the numbers had been switched?” Yes, it’s a sickness.
In the summer of 2006, two stories appeared in the newspaper. One was a huge, national story; the other a smaller, local-interest item. I wondered what it might look like if those two stories conceived a child. Boom! I had the entire plot for The Familiar Stranger. (It will be interesting to see if readers can figure out which stories inspired the book.)
Though the plot of The Familiar Stranger came from news stories, I’d been looking for a fictional vehicle to express the lessons I’d learned regarding forgiveness in my own marriage. I knew no one was interested in reading my particular story, but I still felt God had given me something to say. My husband and I worked through a major issue six years ago and found a vibrant, completely renewed marriage on the other side.
The first scene came to me like a movie. Once the first chapter was written, I took a few hours to write down how I saw the story progressing. Then I numbered each main point and called it a chapter. All told, I had just over one page of plotting. To keep everything straight, I made notes about the characters as I went along. A very different experience to write (sic) by the seat of my pants, but I’m working through my current book in the same way.
Denise and Craig’s story is based on the lessons of forgiveness God taught me when my marriage fell apart...the first time. Accordingly, many of the emotions Denise goes through correspond to what I felt, though our situations differ. I also wanted to really understand the male perspective, so Craig had parts of me in him as well. The path away from God and following temptation is something we can all recognize and, unfortunately, identify with.
However, seven months ago, during the editing process and years after my husband and I reunited, our marriage of thirteen years unexpectedly ended. The words I had written as a happily married woman ministered to me in my singleness. If no one else ever reads it, I’ve been convicted and encouraged by my own words. If that isn’t a gracious God at work, I don’t know what is!
Now as a newly-single woman, I’m in the midst of promoting a book that touches far closer to home than I would have ever dreamed. My heart’s hope is that this book will lead people to Live Transparently—Forgive Extravagantly!
During the divorce, my agent, Sarah Van Diest, sent this verse to me: "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose hearts are completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9
Completely His: that’s what I want to be.
But if I could pick a verse to symbolize The Familiar Stranger it would be this one: "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
I see writing as one of the tools God uses to form me into His image—a tool to teach me patience, self-control, determination, reliance on Him, and other life lessons. I also see writing as a gift that brings me hope, fulfillment, and purpose when the rest of life is not so nice. The journey has sharpened me, yet also softened me.
If reading The Familiar Stranger makes even one man or woman be more honest with his or her spouse or delve into trust issues in a healthy way, I’ll consider it a success. Maybe there’s a hurting heart that can find a new path to forgiveness because of the story.
Celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of my in-laws with my husband, his six siblings and their spouses, and the nineteen grandchildren, along with many, many other family and friends. Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad!
By now, you may have heard of this blockbuster deal, but in you case you haven't, Disney is buying Marvel Comics. Mickey and Spidey. Woody and Ironman. Snow White and Storm. As if we parents haven't been inundated enough with the movies and marketing. But can you imagine a Marvel Super Heroes ride at Disney World? Hmmm...
And a little more insight into the Disney-Marvel deal from Publisher's Weekly here. Looks like Spiderman is safe but...
The Writer Mama is doing her annual giveaway. Writing craft books, one given away each day to one commenter on her blog. She's also raising money (no donation required for the giveaways) for a good cause. Check her out.
Author Melanie Wells is donating 100% of the profits from her book, A Soul to Keep to ProLiteracy to help fight adult illiteracy. Buy a copy and encourage two friends to do so too.
RWA now has an official special interest chapter for writers targeting the teen and young adult market, YA RWA.
Enjoy the "last weekend of summer", Labor Day Weekend!
I'm reading this now. Feisty journalist from the Midwest moves to the Deep South, where she finds it's a lot like--and nothing like--what she expected. Gone to Green is funny, touching, and illuminating.
Judy Pace Christie, after working as a journalist for twenty-five years, left the daily news business to open a consulting firm that works with individuals, businesses, and churches on strategies for meaningful life and work, including goal-setting, living fully, and balancing personal and professional lives. She is the author of Hurry Less, Worry Less; Hurry Less, Worry Less at Christmastime; and co-author of Awesome Altars. Judy and her husband live in northwest Louisiana.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Lois goes from being a corporate journalist at a large paper in the Midwest to the owner of The Green News-Item, a small twice-weekly newspaper in rural North Louisiana. The paper was an unexpected inheritance from a close colleague, and Lois must keep it for at least a year, bringing a host of challenges, lessons, and blessings into her life.
When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people. She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2, she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named Kevin.
Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of real people and the importance of being part of a community.
While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Gone To Green, go HERE
I think Angela Benson authored the first Christian fiction book I ever read with African-American characters that were real people dealing with real issues, a romance called Awakening Mercy. Not the church-based "high drama" stories that were popular then and now in Black Christian plays and books. Knowing nothing about the publishing industry back then, just shy of a decade ago, I flew back to that NYC Christian bookstore to find any and everything else the author had written, only to be disappointed. I looked for other authors in the same vein and found little to none. (I later learned just how much time there can be between book releases in a series, and that books of this type are rarely sold in Christian bookstores, even today. Even so, at that time, there were very few authors writing this type of fiction.)
Since then, I haven't missed an Angela Benson book. And that's a good thing, because each one is better than the last, both in story and in craft. Angela also penned a writing book that I've read and found very helpful, although I'm still refining my writing process.
So I'm pleased to present the latest Angela Benson title, Sins of the Father.
Meet Angela Benson, author of Sins of the Father Angela Benson’s numerous novels include the Christy Award-nominated Awakening Mercy, the Essence-bestselling The Amen Sisters, and Up Pops The Devil. Currently an associate professor at the University of Alabama, she lives in Northport, AL.
About the Book
Successful media mogul Abraham Martin has great wealth, an elegant wife, Saralyn, and a rebellious son, Isaac. He also has a secret: a second family that no one knows about. Now, after thirty years—driven by the urging of his long dormant conscience—Abraham is determined to do the right thing by finally bringing his illegitimate children into the light…and into the family fold.
But beautiful, manipulative Saralyn will never accept the proof of her husband’s indiscretions. Isaac the heir, shaken by his father’s revelations, will fight mercilessly when his world is threatened, and may lose everything that matters as a result. And while Abraham’s forgotten daughter Deborah is open to the undreamed-of possibilities suddenly awaiting her, son Michael cannot forgive the man who cruelly abandoned them to near poverty. And he’s driven by only one desire: revenge!
Angela Benson’s Sins of the Father is a powerful story of a house bitterly divided—a rich, multilayered family saga of betrayal and redemption, rage and compassion, faith, forgiveness, and ultimately, of love.
BOOK REVIEW
Sins of the Father is based on a Bible story that always fascinated me, the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. In the novel, Abraham marries Saralyn but has children by both her and Leah, including sons just months apart. Issac, Saralyn's son grows up privileged with both of his parents; Michael, and his sister Deborah, grow up with single mother Leah, knowing who their father is--a wealthy and respected businessman--but having no relationship with him and living on the outside looking into his mighty kingdom.
When Abraham tries to bring his "outside" children into the fold, it wreaks havoc on every relationship involving Abraham, Saralyn, Issac, Michael, Deborah, Leah, and even the daughters-in-law, Rebecca and Josette.
Sins of the Father is another case of extraordinary storytelling by Angela Benson. In a slight departure from her past stories, she categorizes this one as inspirational, not Christian, fiction. But Sins of the Father is no less based on a sure Biblical foundation, exploring and highlighting the principles of redemption and forgiveness. Ms. Benson develops her characters so well that each one is interesting, lovable yet flawed and begging to tell his own story. In fact, the character that stayed most with me after reading this was Saralyn, a character I'm sure many will love to hate. I thought Ms. Benson's last novel, Up Pops the Devil was my favorite, but each one is better than the one before.
