I'm a 2011 NaNo Winner!

I know, I know.  No news here.  I already told you I'd fiinished.  Nov 19th, to be exact.

But now I have my shiny official new NaNo badge.

Still writing.  Took off 4 straight days around Thanksgiving, but I'm over 60k now.

Today's the last day for NaNo.  Did you make it?  Are you close?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Pawn

"The girl from the van was still screaming when they took her away. I wondered if she would ever be able to stop herself from screaming when she thought of this night.  Some people can put events like this behind them and move on.  Most of us can't." -- from The Pawn by Steven James, pg. 91

Any time I can post from a Steven James novel, I will.  The Pawn is the first in the Patrick Bowers series.  I'm reading the series out of order, having begun with book 4, The Bishop.  But it doesn't matter.  The books are that good.  Nobody does suspense like Steven James.  This morning, I was checking doors and windows to make sure everything was locked before I got in the shower.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page (in the comments or via link to your own blog)

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Reading anything interesting? (Even if you don't post the meme, psot a comment to tell us what you're reading!)

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Featured Books: Mind Your Own Business

A few months ago, I began receiving books from Kensington Books, books I had not requested and didn't know why I was receiving.  (I'd love to know who to thank so if you're responsible or have a thought on that, please email me.)

I put these books--most of them--in the TBR pile.  I knew since I was downsizing my review obligations, I'd get to them eventually.  With no obligation.

Well, this past week, I had a chance to pull one out of the pile.  It was Mind Your Own Business by Lutisha Lovely.

Mind Your Own Business is book 2 in The Business series.  In this series, the Livingston family of Georgia reigns over a food empire, beginning with the Taste of Soul restaurant chain but also including a popular Food Network show and a hot barbeque device that is flying off store shelves.  Yet, the Livingstons enjoy their share of trials and drama as they seek even more success, both in the boardroom and in the bedroom. 

The Livingstons don't do affairs and they don't divorce so finding one's ideal mate is a big deal.  Bianca Livingston, nearing 30, is under pressure to marry her long-time friend and fiance, Cooper Riley, Jr., a defense attorney from one of Atlanta's most prominent families.  But Bianca isn't sure marrying Cooper is what she wants right now.  What she does want is to head up the family's west coast expansion, a position for which her brother Jefferson is also vying.  Their aunt, Candace Livingston, is still making it up to her husband, Adam, for having an affair with Quinton Bright, her personal trainer who is now on the lam, trying to stay beyond the long arms of the Livingstons.

I read Lovely's first book, Sex in the Sanctuary, and enjoyed it.  Lovely is a storyteller.  Her novels are full of twist after twist after twist.  Then, when you think there're no other possible twists to throw into the plot, she'll surprise you and throw in one more.  And somehow she makes each and every one believable.

Lovely's characters are interesting and multi-dimensional.  There are the smart, beautiful, wealthy characters that readers will love and there are the not-so-smart, more or less beautiful and usually not quite as wealthy characters that readers will love to hate.

The sensuality level in Lovely's books is high which might lead one to expect more sex scenes than there are.  When they do occur, they are tastefully done and make sense within the context of the story.  Because Lovely's stories are not about the sex, but about the relationships, in this case, the family dynamics within the Livingston clan.

Readers who enjoy a fast-paced, page-turning story, one which seems to have a limitless supply of surprising twists will enjoy Mind Your Own Business.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits -- November 26, 2011

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Some of you are still eating leftovers while some of you are having the shopping time of your lives.  Then, there are all the NaNo writers who are feverishly staring at Wednesday's deadline. 

This weekend, not a whole lot of tips because it's been a quiet week in the blogosphere and because my weekend is wrapped around family and high school basketball.  So here are just a few nuggets to hold you over...

Romance maven Nora Roberts talks to the UK's The Observer about her life and career.

Thomas Nelson chairman and leadership guru Michael Hyatt offers 13 Blog Post Ideas for Novelists

Wow!  Women on Writing columnist LuAnn Schindler discusses safe social media practices for journalists and writers.  The embedded link to the AP's Social Media Guidelines is worth a read.

Passive Guy, an attorney specializing in publishing contracts, says "Don't Sign a Dumb Contract."

Continue to give thanks and have fun.

Happy Readin' N Writin!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

I've Won But Not Quite Done

Day 23 of NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month.

The goal:  50,000 words

My Progress (at the time of writing this post):  54,786 words,

That's right.  I've won.  I'm a 2011 NaNoWriMo winner!  Or, I will be as soon as I can upload my encoded manuscript which I can't do before Friday.  Think I might stay up until midnight to get my winner's badge.  (Until then, the graphic above will have to do.)

I crossed the 50k threshold over the weekend, on Saturday in fact.

I was darn close on Friday, but just couldn't push myself across that line.

But I'm not done.  I'm still writing.

I'm just over the midpoint of my story.  Things are really starting to heat up.

The more I write, the clearer it is to me that this is truly a first draft.

There are questions I need to consider and answer.  Things I need to add or clean up.  Changes I want to make.

Because I'm taking notes as I go, those things will happen in a subsequent draft.  What's not clear to me at all right now is how many drafts it will take to get my story where I want it.  I can see my way to the end of the first draft.  I can even see my way through a second draft, which will almost be a rewrite, and then to an edit.  That's about it.

I have no idea how long those other two versions will take.

But for now, it doesn't matter.  My plan is to keep writing, if not every day, most days, until I finish this first draft.  I will complete it sometime between now and the end of this year.  Probably before Christmas.

In the immediate days ahead, my new goal is see how much above the 50k I can turn out by the 30th of the month.  Because I love a challenge.  I'm thinking 70-72k in total for this month.

Kudos to all NaNo participants. Writing 50k words in a month, especially as a part-time writer, is no small feat.  This was my 3rd NaNo attempt. 

Third time's the charm...

Are you doing NaNo?  Have you been able to hang in?  Are you getting close to your goal, whatever it was?  (Some folks have smaller or bigger goals for their NaNo projects.)

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Teaser Tuesdays: Within My Heart

"He reached across the table, and it took her a second to realize he was reaching for her hand.  She slipped hers into his and bowed her head as he offered thanks.  God forgive her, but she couldn't think of anything but the warmth of his hand around hers." -- from Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander, pg. 213

Within My Heart is the third story in a three-book Timber Ridge Reflections series set in the rugged time during and just following the Civil War.  In this installment, widow Rachel Boyd struggles to maintain her late husband's dream of ranching while raising their two sons.  Physician Rand Brookston is determined to build a viable medical practice in a place where he is paid more in food than cash.

I pulled this quote, not because it was the most enticing, but because I think it shows that Christian romance is all goody-two-shoes as some readers think.  Still tamer than many a book, yes, but there's passion and real human feelings in Christian reads.

Can't say more.  This is another one, the last one, I'm judging for this year's INPSY Awards.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page (in the comments or via link to your own blog)

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Reading anything interesting? (Even if you don't post the meme, psot a comment to tell us what you're reading!)

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits -- Nov 19, 2011

Author Cara Lockwood has written several bestselling novels, one of which, I Do (But I Don't) was even made into a Lifetime movie.  Lockwood is now hanging out her shingle to offer editorial consulting.  Check out Edit My Novel.

As the year draws to a close and people start looking to 2012, agent Scott Eagan offers his take on what types of stories publishers will be looking for next year.

Author and publishing consultant Bob Mayer wrote this a few months back but it's sure to become a classic as far as blog posts go:  What Does It Take to Succeed in Self-Publishing? (Note:  His advice applies to publishing, period.)

Wonder whether as a touring book author you'll sell any books?  Random House of Canada tests a new book tour strategy with the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid release to help guarantee sales:  ticketed events where the ticket price includes a copy of the book.

That probably works well if you've got a large, built-in following, as those books do (much to my dismay as a mother of two grade school boys), but maybe not so much for new and midlist authors hoping to boost sales.

Have you ever seen this?  The Writing Cheatsheet.  Hysterical.  But I'm sure someone found it helpful to compile and others will find it a helpful reference.

Print newspapers have been struggling for years as the publishing industry changes and readership declines.  Will branching out into e-book publishing be a possible life raft for newspapers?  The Los Angeles Times releases its first e-book.

Big publishers are struggling too.  Harper Collins takes a look at putting ads in ebooks.  (A pretty sure way to make me pass on buying.)

The mess of Amazon's Kindle lending library.

Major publishers are now officially in the self-publishing fray what with Penguin Books' Book Country launching a cadre of self-publishing services.  (Read the fine print:  They charge you to format your book and they keep 30% of your royalties.  Let's hope the other publishers find a better business model.)

Smashwords, on the other hand, is targeting literary agents, offering ebook publication and distribution services to help them assist their clients with ebook publishing.  Do agents want this?

Still confused about how to compare the Kindle Fire to Apple's iPad?  Don't be.  Publisher's Weekly explains why they are very different devices.  After playing with a couple of tablets in Walmart yesterday, I'm convinced that ebook reading on my smartphone works just fine, so the only thing that would make sense for me is a full tablet ala the iPad or maybe a Samsung Galaxy.  (And that's only to have a bigger keypad because I've already written whole scenes on my phone using Evernote.)

Are you one of those writers who likes visuals and creates a board with character, setting and other pictures to inspire you as you write?  What do you do when you're writing away from your normal writing space?  Well, this might help you.  Pinterest lets you "pin" photos of things that excite, motivate or otherwise interest you on to a virtual board.  Now you can see and be inspired by your board no matter where you are.  (Thanks, MyBrownBaby!)

I expect to cross the 50k threshold on my wip today, making me officially a 2011 NaNoWinner!  It's been a great writing month.  Now I plan to continue writing to see just how much I can write in 30 days, although I'm definitely taking off a few days for Thanksgiving.

Happy Readin' N Writin'!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Sliding Down the NaNoWriMo Mountain

I'm on the down side of the mountain, the NaNoWriMo mountain.

That 50k-words-in-30-days mountain for which I began the steep climb on November 1st along with thousands of writers all around the world.

I officially crossed the halfway point, 25k, on November 10th.  Only 10 days to write over 25,000 words?  If you had asked me, I'd have said, "Not possible, not for me."

Today, on day 17, I'm just shy of 45k, leaving a little over 5k left to make the 30k goal.

Shocked?  Me too.

This is my 3rd attempt at NaNo.  I tried before in 2007 and again in 2009.  What's different now?

My youngest child is 6yo and in the 1st grade.

I put this first because in my mind, it may be the biggest difference.  Little man is fairly self-sufficient now.  Heck, he's an artist in his own right, drawing pictures with which most adults would struggle.  The main thing is he doesn't need Mommy in the same way that a 1yo and a 4yo needed Mommy.  Hence, I can more readily give priority to my writing in the evenings--and do so with a lot less guilt.

I'm a different writer now.

Don't know if I'm better writer, although I like to think so, but I'm a different writer.  I'm learned a lot in the past four years, craft-wise.  I've also become more comfortable with the idea of creating my own writing process, culling tips from more seasoned writers, rather than trying to find and copy someone else's process.

I have a plan.

In the past, I approached NaNo the way thousands of other writers have, and many likely did this year, with a blank sheet of paper.  Not even an idea in mind before the first day of the challenge.  Let me tell you, without a plan, an effort as big as NaNo--whether you write full-time or part-time--is doomed from the start.  This year, I have a full, tested synopsis from which to write.  Not that I haven't veered away at times, but I frequently refer to it to get back on course and to tell me where I'm headed next.

And I can't take credit for that, really.  Had I not completed Dee Stewart's and Shelia Goss's writing workshop back in October, I wouldn't be where I am now.  I might even have approached NaNo the same way as I had in the past--with the same results.  I heard about the workshop and thought it would be a nice thing to do.  Didn't know it would be life-changing, not only in terms of my NaNo effort but the group of writers who have become huge encouragers and friends over the past month.

I have support.

From my fellow workshop participants.  From the MBT group.  From ACFW.  From Twitter and FB friends.  From other NaNoWriMo writers.  Lots of people are cheering me on as I cheer them on, and for an effort like this, that matters.  Not to mention my oldest son, who is always a huge supporter, and Hubby who knows I'm doing something different and congratulates me when I share my totals although I know he doesn't total get the whole NaNo thing, but is heads down in some other stuff that is much, much more important for our immediate future.

I got off to a good start and found my momentum.

There's nothing like being fast out of the gate, finding your stride and holding it.  About two days in, I realized that I needed to set a target higher than the average of the necessary 1,667 words if I was serious about making the 50k, then sustain that goal as much as possible.  My goal has been 2k words per day.  I managed that so easily the first week, that I decided to double my goal for the weekend.  So it's 2k Mon-Fri and 4k on Sat and Sun.  That has worked well for me.  Even when I miss my goal one day, I know I'll make it up the next day or the next.

I'm flexible.

I mostly write at home, but I've also written in the library, at basketball practices, at art lessons, in my car...wherever I am.  I mostly write on my laptop, but I've also scribbled in a notebook, spoken into the voice recorder on my phone, and tapped out words on  my smartphone into an Evernote doc.  I've planned to write, and when it didn't happen as planned, I made a new plan.  In this way, I've written something every day.

I'm committed.

I don't like to think I wasn't as committed in the past, but I wasn't.  It was more of a lark.  Let's see whether this thing is doable.  This year, it wasn't whether completing NaNo was doable.  It was "I am doing whatever is necessary to make these 50k words happen."  That includes reading only three books so far this month.  (You didn't think I stopped reading altogether, did you?)

So that's how I'm winning at NaNoWriMo this year.  I've got a lot more lessons that I've learned.  I'll share those after I've officially won.

For now, I'm just thrilled I've accomplished what I have and I'm excited about doing even more.  If I keep my current pace through the end of the month, even after crossing the 50k threshold some time this weekend, I may well end up with about 70k words.

Not bad for 30 days of concentrated effort.

Are you on the NaNo mountain?  How is it going?  Share your progress so we can cheer you on!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Debut Author: Lynda Lee Schab

Again I have the distinct pleasure of featuring a debut author, one who I've watched and have had the pleasure of getting to know a little during her writing journey.  Today's author is Lynda Lee Schab and her debut release, first in a three-book series, is Mind Over Madi.

Lynda and I met about two and a half years ago via an online critique group.  There were five of us, all unpublished:  Lynda, Nicole, Valerie, Janice and me.  Since that time, Nicole, the most prolific of all, has something like 12 published books and another 12 under contract.  Valerie contracted for her debut novella with Barbour, and now Lynda has her debut with Oak Tara Publishing.   

What's fun is that Lynda's debut is also one of two books that we critiqued for her.  I knew right away that she had a unique voice, a humor I could totally relate to, and a gift for storytelling.  For Lynda, it wasn't a matter of if she would publish, but when.  I loved the story back then, in it's rough and unpolished form.  Now you can love it too, all bright and shiny and ready for your purchase.  (Today's release day!  Congratulations, Lynda!)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Madi McCall admits her husband lacks a little in the romance department, but all in all, he’s been a good husband, a good father. Now, though, she suspects Rich is having an af  air with Fawn Witchburn, the mother of one of his fourth-grade students. To say Fawn shows of   her “assets” more than should be legally allowed in public is an understatement, and Madi’s insecurities kick into high gear. When, in a heated moment, she asks Rich to leave and he complies, Madi is forced to deal with her issues. Issues of love and trust she’s tried so hard to avoid. Issues that trail all the way back to her childhood and make her act like a total moron.

Lynda agreed to answer a few questions for her former critique pal, so here's a brief interview with Lynda:

Lynda, what was your inspiration for this story?

I have experienced God's grace and mercy in so many ways throughout my life. I wanted to write a story to show that no matter what stupid things we do, God loves us. That despite the insecurities and fears we allow to control us sometimes, God's grace is enough. That often it's through our weaknesses, our faults, and our foolishness that He draws us to Himself. And most of the time, He uses other people to do it. In Madi's case, God used a hodgepodge of others in the process, most of them as dysfunctional as she is.

How much of you is in your protagonist, Madi?

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

You also write in other genres, particularly suspense.  Are you still writing suspense or have you settled into women's fiction with a chick-lit edge? 

With the publication of Mind over Madi, and a contract for two more in this series, lighthearted women's fiction (yes, chick-lit in style) is what I'm focusing on right now. After this series, I hope to get back to my mystery/suspense, which finaled in the ACFW Genesis contest two years in a row. It won't be a huge genre switch, though, as my main character has the same chick-littish flavor. 

I recall that.  It's simply your voice and you do it well.  

What do you read while you're working on a story? 

Honestly, the only books I read besides the Bible and my daily devotionals are the books I review for FaithfulReader.com. I typically review 3-4 per month, and that's all I have time for. I enjoy reviewing a variety of genres, which I feel fuels my creativity.

What's the best book you've read this year? 

Oooh...that's a tough question! I've read so many great books over the past year, but two that stand out in my mind are She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen and Words by Ginny Yttrup. Both are wonderfully written and contain powerful and heart-touching messages.

What's the biggest challenge you face as a debut author? 

The biggest challenge has been not really knowing what to expect and learning how to market myself more. In the weeks leading up to my book's release, the marketing and self-promotion have been much crazier than I imagined. I don't know that this will get any easier with more published books under my belt, but at least I'll gain more experience and hopefully know how to better manage my time and focus my efforts.

When you aren't reading or writing, how do you spend your time? 

Usually when I'm not reading or writing, I'm sleeping. LoL. It seems like that sometimes. I do spend time with my family and friends. One of my favorite pastimes is going to the movies, and I try to catch at least a couple every month. 

What are you working on? 

Book #2 in the Madi series titled, Madily in Love. Madi is working on putting the romance back in her marriage, and signs up for a Revitalize Your Marriage with Romance class at church. But it's not as easy as she thought it would be. I'm a few chapters in and I have lots of great ideas. It will be a fun book to write and I hope readers will enjoy this second installment of Madi's story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LYNDA LEE SCHAB got her writing start in greeting cards  (Blue Mountain Arts, Dayspring)  and from there  went on to write  articles and short stories (Mature Living, Christian Home &  School)  and in many places online (including www.Examiner.com and www.wow-womenonwriting.com, but her passion has always been fiction.  

Mind Over Madi, her debut novel, is near and dear to her heart.  Lynda admits  she has a lot in common with the character of Madi. Not only are they both  addicted to ice cream, chocolate, and computer games,  they  struggle with the same types of insecurities and continually require a hefty dose of God’s grace. 

Lynda works behind the scenes at FaithWriters.com and is a member of ACFW. She is a regular book reviewer for FaithfulReader.com and is the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner and the National Writing Examiner for Examiner.com.  Mind Over Madi  received Runner-up in the 2007 FaithWriters Page Turner contest, was a finalist in the 2007 RWA Get your Stiletto in the Door contest, and won second place in the 2008 ACFW Genesis contest, Chick Lit category. Lynda lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in Michigan. 

To learn more about Lynda and her writing, catch up with Lynda online at:

www.LyndaSchab.com

www.on-the-write-track.blogspot.com
www.Twitter.com/LyndaSchab

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits -- Nov 14, 2011

I was so focused on my NaNo project, I forgot to schedule this post for Saturday.  Lots of good stuff here.  And my NaNo?  I'm up to 36,800 words.  I could hit 50k by next weekend.

Barnes & Noble announced the release of the new Nook Tablet on November 17th.  It's a 7-in tablet comparable to the Kindle Fire, although priced slightly higher at $249.  Publisher's Weekly provides a nice comparison of Nook Tablet to Kindle Fire.

With the recent sale of Thomas Nelson to Harpers Collins, writers wonder exactly who they are writing for.  (Readers mostly don't care who publishes the book, imo.)  Agent Steve Laube breaks down "Who Owns Whom in Publishing."  Christian Publishing, that is.

On the heels of author Leigh Fallon's success with Inkpop, Dennis Abrams of Publishing Perspectives wonders "Are Social Media Sites the New Slush Pile?"

More ebook publishing success?  Author Lee Goldberg talks about walking away from a long-running traditional book deal, a highly successful one, right in the middle of that success, and Joe Konrath offers an update on his ebook success.

Writers Feel.  So do our characters.  This emotion wheel seems to work just like the color wheel.  Things on opposite spokes are well, opposites (and thus, could make for good conflict).  For how to interpret the adjacent spokes, click on the link to Wikipedia.

Popular writing software, Scrivener, is now available for sale in Windows format.  I've played around a bit with the free trial but now that it's released, planning to pick up my copy for half-price upon the completion of NaNoWriMo.

In the vein of handling your business, prepare to tally and submit your PayPal transaction data to the IRS.  PayPal revenue in excess of $20,000 or 200 payments is now required to be reported.

Freelancer Kelly James-Enger, also an author of two chick-lit novels, gives "Five Ways to Get More from Your NaNo Experience."

Author Jody Hedlund talks about the bane of all writers existence, marketing and promotion, in "5 Ways to Take the Ickiness Out of Marketing Our Books".  Hate asking for the sale? Read Jody's article.  (Caveat:  If asking for the sale doesn't bother you, then by all means...  Because some will react like Jody, and occaisonally, me, but others will take you up on it. Buyers come in all predilections.)

Is a contract in perpetuity really forever?  Attorney and publishing contract expert David Vandagriff AKA The Passive Guy talks about the legal expiration of book and music publishing copyrights.

Looking for a new market for your writing?  Seven Publishers Now Accepting Manuscripts.

Hope you had a great weekend, reading and writing!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Debut Author: Lisa Jordan

Today I'm hosting Lisa Jordan, editor of the My Book Therapy Voices EZine and debut Love Inspired author.  Take it away, Lisa!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USMC!!!

When I was nineteen, a dashing young Marine swept me off my feet. Stationed in Virginia, but he traveled home to PA to visit his family. He walked into the restaurant where I was working as a waitress between college semesters. He wore a blue and white stripped short-sleeved shirt, blue trousers, and white shoes (late 80s J ). The shallow creature that I was, I took one look at him and determined I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. We celebrated 22 years of marriage at the end of October.

I knew my hero in Lakeside Reunion needed to be a Marine—either enlisted or a former Marine. Stephen ended up being a former Marine, who shared many of my hubby’s traits—honor, loyalty, compassion.  

My first formal date with hubby was as his guest to the United States Marine Corps birthday ball in Quantico, Virginia. Being in a roomful of Marines and their dates filled my humble heart with pride. These men and women, along with the other branches, risk their lives daily for our freedoms.

Since today is the 236^th (I think) United States Marine Corps birthday, here are a few facts about the USMC:

*In 1921, General John Lejeune issused Marine Corps Order No. 47, Series 1921 that summarized the history, mission, and tradition of the USMC and directed that the order be read to all Marines on November 10 each year to honor the founding of the USMC.

* In 1925, the first formal birthday ball took place in Philadelphia, PA with such distinguished guests as the Commandant, the Secretary of War, statesmen, and elected officials.

*In 1952, the cake-cutting ceremony was formalized. USMC policy mandates the first piece of cake must be presented to the oldest Marine present and the second goes to the youngest Marine present. The Commandant's birthday message is read to the Marines during the festivities.

Source: http://www.usmcpress.com/heritage/marine_corps_birthday.htm

No matter where Marines, former and present, are gathered, they still remember what November 10th means to them. Happy birthday, devil dogs! Ooo-Rah!

Semper Fi

Take the time to thank a vet, whether a Marine or other branch of the service. Freedom isn’t free—someone lays down a life for us.

I’m holding a scavenger hunt and lakeside photo contest to promote my Lakeside Reunion release. Plus, blog commenters on my blog hop will be put in a drawing for fun prizes—breakfast basket, Love Inspired Authors basket, autographed copies of Lakeside Reunion. Visit my Lakeside Reunion Contest page for more information.

The token for this blog is the USMC symbol—eagle, globe and anchor

Lakeside Reunion: Bed-and-breakfast owner Lindsey Porter prays she won’t run into Stephen Chase when she returns to Shelby Lake. Five years ago, the cop jilted her to marry another woman, and Lindsey fled town. But no sooner does she hit city limits than Stephen pulls her over for a broken taillight. Despite the past, he’s still able to stir up Lindsey’s old feelings for him. Now a widower and single dad, Stephen recognizes a second chance when he sees one. And he’ll do anything to make Lindsey trust in God and take a risk for love—again. Read an excerpt of Lakeside Reunion

Bio: Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories that feature both comes naturally to her. She has been writing contemporary Christian romance for more than a decade. Her debut novel, Lakeside Reunion, will be released in November by Love Inspired. Her second novel, Lakeside Family, will be released in August 2012 by Love Inspired. Happily married for over twenty years, Lisa and her husband have two young adult sons. When she isn’t writing or caring for children in her in-home childcare business, Lisa enjoys family time, romantic comedies, good books, crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. Visit her at www.lisajordanbooks.com to learn more about her writing.

Thanks, Lisa!  

Don't forget to find all the tokens in the scavenger hunt so you can win of Lisa's great prizes.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

So You Think You Can Write 2011

It's time for this year's So You Think You Can Write, hosted by Harlequin Books.  (It's Day 3 actually.)

Writers make choices.  What type of story?  Who are the characters?  Where does the story take place?  What is the conflict?  What types of plot twists will hold a reader?

But writers must also make choices about the best use of their writing time and what types of exposure they will seek.

Last year, I was all abuzz about So You Think You Can Write (obviously a fan of So You Think You Can Dance name this thing, but that's cool with me.)

This year?  Nah.

Because I'm already neck-deep into NaNoWriMo, and as it turns out, my story which I originally thought might be a category romance is more like a women's fiction.  It has become the heroine's journey to independence with romance along the way.

Not what Harlequin publishes so much.

But I'm a fan of SYTYCW.  There are daily blog posts, podcasts, chats and even a daily challenge.  If you're a writer with an eye toward this market, you can't ask for a better opportunity to get your name in front of their 50+ editors.  It's a huge event that culminates with an opportunity to submit to them in December with priority handling guaranteed.

I still want to write category romance.  I love those shorter books.  Reading the original Love Inspired titles, back in 1997, was what got me interested in writing inspirational.  But believe you me, it's harder than it looks.

SYTYCW, NaNoWriMo... Doesn't matter.

Whatever gets a writer writing.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Teaser Tuesdays: A Heart Most Worthy

And so, Mama Rossi finished her gravy, and Papa Rossi ate his dinner in blissful ignorance, happy that for once his wife had listened to good reason.  And all the while, his children sent sly glances down the table in their mama's direction, wondering exactly how, this time, she would manage to get her way." -- from A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell, pg. 59

A Heart Most Worthy is the story of three young immigrant women--Julietta, Annamaria and Luciana-- in early 20th century Boston where they are making their new homes.  Varied in personality, what they find they have in common is a dream for a better life.

Can't say more than that as I'm judging this one for the INPSY Awards.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page (in the comments or via link to your own blog)
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Reading anything interesting?  (Even if you don't post the meme, psot a comment to tell us what you're reading!)

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

It's All About Your Mindset

Day 7 of NaNoWriMo.

18, 111 words.

36% complete.

Seems a lot of writers, some NaNo participants and others not, are ranting on their blogs today.   Not sure why.  Just think it's because the more one writes, the more one wants to write.

But there's a whole life to be lived beyond the page.

Gotta make choices.  Sometimes things are forced upon on us.  Sometimes we're abiding by things we agreed to months in advance before we knew what we know now.  Sometimes unexpected whammies come out of nowhere.  Sometimes we simply have too much on our plates.

Whatever the reason, I'm not going to rant.

Despite having one of those unexpected whammies-- a chest cold that is making keeping my head vertical quite a challenge--I'm happy about where I am this month.

Even with over a third of the challenge completed, I'm still feeling the stress of getting to 50k and will keep writing in the evenings as long as I can keep the eyelids open and the head isn't completely pounding.  Should I keep up with meeting my 2k per day target, which I've mostly exceeded, I'll continue writing until the end of the month even after I make the 50k.

With the exception of Thanksgiving Day, of course.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, although I haven't shored up my plans.

My 6yo has already jumped ahead to Christmas.  As always, he's concerned that Santa will know who he is, what he wants and where to find him.  The kids and I went through the Target Toy Book over the weekend.  They want...everything.  Naturally.  Well, except the girly stuff.

I love this time of the year when I allow myself to step back and revel in the season.

That's my plan for this year.  I've already begun baking again.  Pumpkin cupcakes two weeks ago, brownies last week, pound cake yesterday.  We're not saving any, though.  Unh-uh.  Too good for that and I'll bake a bunch more between now and the end of the year.

What's your mindset?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits -- Nov 5, 2011

Day 5 of NaNoWriMo and I'm a little over 11k into my 50k target.

The biggest news in publishing this week was the sale of Thomas Nelson to Harper Collins.  HUGE in the Christian publishing realm.  Agent Steve Laube provides perspective.

Meanwhile, Thomas Nelson, in conjunction with Women of Faith, is sponsoring the Women of Faith 2011 Writing Contest.  Full manuscripts may be submitted for a chance to be published by either Thomas Nelson or by WestBow Press.  See contest rules for details.  Deadline is January 31, 2012.

Agent Kristin Nelson shares contract clauses more scary than Halloween:  perpetual options, low royalties based on net, and more.

We hear about authors who self-publish and become millionaires and those who sell little to no books.  What does it take to be a successful self-published author?  Jeffrey Trachtenberg of the Wall Street Journal discusses the "Secret of Self-Publishing:  Success".

Telemachus Press, your "digital private press publisher" is a work-for-hire author services firm specializing in ebook and print-on-demand publishing services.  Authors retain 100% ownership and royalties.

Participating in NaNoWriMo?  RT Book Reviews offers a roundup of places online where you can find NaNo encouragement and support, critiques, NaNo discussions, and more.  (Not that you have time for any of these...)

As he brought his 30-day series in preparation for NaNo to a close, Larry Brooks expounded "On Sub-plots, Sub-text, and Submarines".  Do you have a sub-plot for your NaNo novel?  What is your sub-text?

MediaBistro has rounded up a bunch of writing tips to help NaNo'ers make it through the 30-day challenge. 

Historical romance author Winnie Griggs offers a way for writers to keep track of the backstory of their characters--what happened when to whom and how it influenced who the character is in the story.  Pretty neat spreadsheet. Take a look.

Lots of authors include food and recipes in their novels.  Some 60 authors have come together in a collection of  120 recipes that were featured in their books in Novel Morsels.

The Kindle World Blog gives the skinny on Amazon's Lending Library.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

What's In A Closing Line?

We're at the beginning of NaNo, day 2 to be exact.  Got 2,059 words in yesterday and feeling good about that.

Pretty much everyone is working on their story beginning, naturally.  The ending?  Not so much.

On blogs, in craft books and in writing courses, a lot of emphasis is placed on the opening line of a book.  But the end is important too.

Senior editor Wanda Ottewell says, "I think the best endings of stories are like other parts of the story: consistent with who the characters are and consistent with events in the story."

In this post, the one that got me thinking about endings, author K.M. Weiland shares the 5 elements of a resonant closing line.

I thought I'd take a look at the closing line of a few books I've read or am currently reading.  I'll let you bet the judge which are good and which could be better, keeping in mind that these are completely out of context.  I'll begin with two of my all-time favorite books, then some more recent ones:

"'After all, tomorrow is another day!'" -- Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

"'Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you a greater happiness than this!" -- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

"He was waiting for me." -- A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell (currently reading)

"Following her heart, she found the one man she could share breakfast with for the rest of their lives."  Lakeside Reunion by Lisa Jordan (currently reading)

"He made a vow at that moment that he would do his best to make her that happy, too." -- Baby, Come Home by Stephanie Bond (currently reading)

"She had all the blessing she needed and she didn't need anything more."  -- Bring On The Blessings by Beverly Jenkins

"'Now it's my turn to wait for you.'" -- Walking on Broken Glass by Christa Allan

"And then, to the sound of the motor spilling thunder out in its wake, Sofia loosed the song too long tangled in her heart and delivered it upt to the hazy golden morning."  -- Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren

"It doesn't get any better than that." -- Have You Seen Her? by Chicki Brown

"'And I'd call that a definite maybe.'" -- A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

"'Anyone except the preacher's bride.'" -- The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

"We're all waiting to see who will make the first move."  -- Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand

"There are useless items all over the place, but you never know when you'll uncover a treasure." -- Hot Flash by Kathy Carmichael

"Love demanded nothing less."  -- Ransome's Honor by Kaye Dacus

"'My pleasure.'" -- Redemption's Kiss by Ann Christophe

Last lines seem to do a few things:

• Offer a promise of things to come (for the main characters or for the next book in a series)
• Put the cherry on top of the reader's satisfaction
  
• Harken back to the title or theme

I was surprised by how often the last lines were dialogue.  I'm accustomed to stories beginning with dialogue but didn't realize how many end that way.

As a writer, I know some writers write their endings before anything else.  It gives them a bull's eye to hit as they make their way from the first line through the middle and up to those final words.  I'm not one of those writers, but I agree it is helpful to have an idea of what the ending will be as one writes.

There are also readers who read the ending first, not content to slog through the book's journey without knowing how it's all going to turn out.

Quite simply, for readers and writers, sometimes knowing how you're going to end helps you to get there.

Do you have any favorite book ending lines?  What's the last line of the book you're currently reading?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

NaNoWriMo, Here I Come!

It's November 1st.

Day 1 of the 30 day writing marathon known as National Novel Writing Month.

Story idea?  Check

Character profiles?  Check

Story outline?  Check

Writing buddies lined up for mutual encouragement and support?  Check

Excitement?  Check

Realistic expectations?  Check  (Sure hope so.)

Supportive family?  Sort of.  They have noooo idea....

Vacation from dayjob?  Uh, no.

I'm ready and raring to go.  Most of my writing will be done in the evenings after work.  Lot less reading this month, although I do have some book reviews to complete.  But writing will come first.

You with me?

Ready?  Set?

WRITE!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.