Delia Latham's Blog, page 46

New Release: Kate's Kisses by Mary Manners

Mary Manners strikes again! This week, White Rose Publishing releases the first in a short story series. Step into Sweet Treats Bakery for four tales iced with confection, affection, and heart-melting romance Don't miss the first installment: Kate's Kisses.



Broken dreams…shattered hearts…a special recipe…

Following the tragic, sudden death of her parents, Kate Spencer broke off her engagement from high school sweetheart Logan Daniels, just weeks before their wedding. She chose, instead, to remain in Mount Ridge, Tennessee to raise her younger sisters and help keep the family together. Now, with her sisters grown, she spends her days at family-owned Sweet Treats Bakery, hiding a wounded heart in the sweet confections she creates.

Logan Daniels left town when Kate broke his heart, but now he's come home to claim what he lost four years ago, and he won't stop until he gets what he came for…Kate's kisses.

Jeannie Campbell: the character therapist

I am honored and excited to welcome Jeannie Campbell to My Book Bag today! 

Have your ever wondered what really makes your characters do the things they do? Or if the things they do would make any kind of psychological, emotional - or any other kind of sense in the real world? Are their actions and reactions believable and in line with how a "real" person would act...feel...think...respond? Would you like to find out?

Jeannie's blog, the character therapist, is an amazing place for authors to send their characters to therapy. My own characters have spent time on Jeannie's "couch," and I enjoyed the experience both times. Didn't hear my characters complaining either. :)

Visiting Jeannie's blog is an interesting, informative learning experience for writers - and a FUN look into what makes characters tick for readers, as well. Read on to learn a bit about what goes on over at "the character therapist," in Jeannie's own words...



 THE CHARACTER THERAPIST - AN ONLINE THERAPY SERVICE FOR FICTIONAL CHARACTERS

How can you—a published or yet-to-be-published writer—benefit?

1) Write characters more realistically.

Using a search engine to find out information about a mental disorder yields a very different result than asking a therapist who has treated those same problems in real life. Instead of getting a bunch of stale facts, I can help you breathe life into your characters while taking into consideration your unique story world.





2) Plot more feasibly.

Plotting the external conflict around your character's internal conflict is essential to create tension on every page. Understanding the character's driving goals and motivation in relation to their emotional state will help you figure out what plot points need to occur to maximize the character's arc to its fullest potential.



3) Avoid clichéd or incorrect depictions of mental disorders.

My passion is helping those not afflicted with mental disorders understand those who are. Since one in four adults have a mental disorder, the likelihood of one of your characters having one is pretty high. But you want every nuance to ring true about the character, not feel cardboard cutout or stereotyped. So pick my brain instead of yours to avoid pitfalls of re-writing later.



Have I piqued your curiosity?  Think your characters might benefit from some couch time?





Subscribe to Jeannie's quarterly newsletter to keep abreast of her tips and pointers for character development. Do it now, and claim your free copy of The Writer's Guide to Character Motivation, over 28 pages to help you solidify your character's motivation to one of three driving needs. That's right...three. Subscribe and get your copy of the guide to find out what they are.



Jeannie offers several different guides to help you better understand your characters and their motivations. They're reasonably priced and packed full of information that will help you make your characters the best they can be.





Jeannie Campbell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC # 45366) in the state of California. She is Head of Clinical Services for a large non-profit in Humboldt County, and enjoys working mainly with children and parents. Two of Jeannie's "therapeutic romance" manuscripts have garnered the high praise of being finalists in the Genesis Contest for unpublished writers, sponsored by the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), of which she is an active member. She writes a popular monthly column for Christian Fiction Online Magazine and has been featured in many other e-zines, newspapers, and blogs.

Interview: Nike Chillemi

Welcome to My Book Bag, Nike. Please tell us a little about yourself. Who is Nike Chillemi, the gal next door?

Many writers have called me a crime fictionista because of my passion for crime fiction. I love to read murder mysteries, detective novels, thrillers, and romantic suspense. I love to talk about them and write reviews of them. I even give them as gifts at Christmas and on birthdays. This Christmas my pastor got HOUSE by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti and my pastor's wife got THICKER THAN BLOOD by CJ Darlington.

How long have you been writing? Was there an "aha" moment when you knew that's what you wanted to do?

I did the usual teen thing many writers do, writing bad poetry filled with angst. And sometimes I would even trap my friends or parents and make them listen while I read stanza after awful stanza. I've always been comfortable expressing myself In writing. However, about five years ago I started to feel an inner prompting to write fiction…novels to be exact. I began to follow that inner niggling and got a jolt. Crafting a story wasn't anywhere near the same as writing a college term paper. So, then I set about learning the craft of writing fiction and here I am.

Congratulations on your new release, Burning Hearts. I know you're excited! Is this a debut novel, and what inspired you to write this particular story?

I wish I had some exotic tale to tell about the origins of Burning Hearts. Unfortunately, I don't. Actually, I keep a file of possible plotlines. I've got about fifty storylines in that file right now, most of them will never see the light of day. They're that bad. But it's kind of a plotting brain storming file. I add potential stories as they come to me. Then one of them will grab hold of me. The characters start to take over and demand their story be told. That's what happened with Burning Hearts. I could see Erica and Lorne vividly and I had to write their story.

What's your favorite scene from Burning Hearts? Can you share it with us?

There are quite a few scenes I really love. Lorne's rescue of the arson victim is one. Erica conducting her own investigation of the crime is another. But I'd like to present a scene that they're both in. I think a great one would be when Erica is in the hospital after being knocked on the head by a mystery attacker, perhaps the arsonist/murder.



Lorne held his breath. Pain shot through his stomach. Couldn't have hurt more if he'd been kicked in the gut. He gripped the railing at the sides of Erica's bed.Her lips moved, but no sound escaped them. Anger flashed across her eyes, and she sank back into the pillows. In a matter of minutes, she'd fallen into fitful sleep.Katrina shot Argus a look, and the Scot left the small examining room.Lorne stayed a moment longer then walked out, his head hanging. Erica had called for Alfred Snoddy.The hackneyed saying was true. He didn't know how much he cared until he'd all but lost her. Erica spoke of nothing but her old beau. The boy she should've gone to the prom with. The one with great prospects.The antiseptic smell of the place choked him. He was beginning to hate hospitals. A hand slapped him on the shoulder. "Laddie, buck up. Erica will be fine. She'll pull out of this conundrum."Katrina, immaculate in her nurse's uniform, closed the door to Erica's room. "She's confused is all. Disoriented from the concussion.""I know." Lorne ran the palm of his hand over his head. "I only want her to be a hundred percent well." He could handle Erica forgetting who he was. It's what he wanted anyway, wasn't it?Erica's mother burst through the emergency room's outer door with Erica's father in tow. Her handbag, crooked at her elbow, jerked back and forth, as she rushed across the room. "Milachku. Oyi, my milachku.""Mr. and Mrs. B." Katrina stepped forward. "Erica has a concussion, but all her vital signs are strong."Mrs. B took Katrina's arm and nodded her head. A long gray strand loosened from her bun. "So, she will be fine?""I'll page Dr. McCloud and have him speak to you. He can give you a much better picture of her condition." Katrina patted the older woman's hand. Mr. B wrapped his big arms around his wife and pulled her to him. He tilted his head toward Lorne. "Do you know anything more?""Sir, she's a bit fuzzy now." Lorne bit his lip then cleared his throat. This bear of a guy was the most important man in Erica's life. The man who was there when she was born. "I don't think disoriented is so unusual for a serious concussion.""Serious?" Mrs. B grasped the collar of her dress and her fingers worried the material. "Oh, my Lord, help us."Lorne stepped toward the terrified woman. "I didn't mean to alarm you. What I meant is she's not making any sense right now. But that's to be expected after being clunked on the head.""Aye, but the thing is she might have amnesia. She's talking about Alfred Snoddy." Argus placed a hand on the big man's shoulder.Mr. B's face turned dark. His eyes went flat. "Did he do this to her?"

The rest of the story...

Favorite Protags: Saying Goodbye

Guest post by Amanda Flower



When you finish reading a novel, are you ever sad to see the protagonist go? Does it feel like you're saying good-bye to a good friend? Those are signs of well-crafted main characters, like the ones in our excerpts this week.

There are many protagonists whom I've met in my life who have felt like old friends, and I miss them at the end of the book.

Here are eight of my favorite protagonists and their characteristics which I found most endearing as a young reader and still admire to this day:





1. To Kill a Mockingbird- Scout Finch's imagination

2. Pride and Prejudice- Elizabeth Bennet's wit

3. Mouse and the Motorcycle- Ralph S. Mouse's sense of adventure

4. Charlotte's Web- Wilbur's loyalty

5. The Baby Sitter Club Series- Kristy Thomas's organization skills

6. Jane Eyre- Jane Eyre's conscience

7. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe- Lucy Penvensie's bravery

8. Mandie Series- Madie Shaw's crime solving skills





My question for you, who is your favorite protagonist?





***Make sure to hop on over to COTT this week to get to know the 

authors of our current Clash:Best Description of a Protagonist!***Amanda Flower is an academic librarian for a small college in Ohio. Her first novel, Maid of Murder, was released in 2010. When she is not at the library or writing her next mystery, she is an avid traveler, aspiring to visit as much of the globe as she can.





She is the author of Maid of Murder

Contact Amanda: amandaflower(at)gmail(dot)com

Amanda's Site , Blog , Facebook

Review: Starfire

 by Mary Manners



Blurb:

Austin McGill has one goal: to satisfy the conditions of his estranged father's will. After living on Starfire Ranch for three months, he'll sell the property and leave East Tennessee and its heartbreaking memories...forever. At least, that's his plan until Samantha Lakin comes along.

Samantha Lakin has one goal: to save Starfire and its summer camp for special-needs kids like her foster daughter, Jenny. To succeed, Sam will have to soften Austin's stone-cold heart. Not an easy task, especially when she realizes the ranch isn't the only thing that needs saving.

Can Sam's devotion and the love of a little girl teach Austin to let go of the past and to trust God for the future...before the ranch and any chance at a happily-ever-after are lost?

***

My Opinion:

Austin McGill returns to his boyhood home, Starfire Ranch, a bitter, disillusioned man. What he finds there could change his life forever…but a lifetime of pain and anger could easily prevent him from seeing the possibilities.

In Starfire, Mary Manners has created yet another touching tale that grips the heart and won't let go. This author has discovered the secret to creating well-rounded characters and gripping emotion, and she's well up to the challenge of packing an entire novel's worth of that kind of impact into just a few pages. Starfire is dynamite in a small package, and you do not want to miss the blast! 

(Starfire is a Dollar Download from White Rose Publishing, and I can guarantee you'll never get more return for your money.)

Chatting it Up with Samantha Lakin

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Character Interview: Samantha Lakin



I'm very excited about our guest today on My Book Bag! I know you'll enjoy listening in on my chat with Samantha Lakin. Sam is the heroine in Mary Manners' short novella, Starfire . The story released May 27th through White Rose Publishing. My thanks to Mary and Sam for joining us today.

Tomorrow I'll post my review . Don't forget to come back...same time, same place! :) Now, let's go greet our guest...

Hi, Samantha! It's so good to chat with you today. Thanks for joining us.

Oh (waggles her fingers). Please, call me Sam.

OK, Sam…I guess that's why Austin McGill was surprised to find you're a beautiful woman…(laughs) when he was expecting the Sam at Starfire Ranch to be a big, burly guy.

You can say that again, and thanks for the compliment! Wow, he was hot under the collar the first time we met—the first week, actually. He had a chip on his shoulder big as the Montana sky.

Tell us about that…your first meeting.

Well, it wasn't love-at-first-sight, that's for sure! Austin might have slain me with those ice-blue eyes if I wasn't so determined to make things work out. And I have to say, Austin's easy on the eyes…that dark brown hair and electric-blue eyes. (Sighs…) Oh, sorry…I got a bit distracted there for a moment.

So, what was your goal?

Well, to save Starfire Ranch, of course. But Austin, well, he was just as determined to see it go under. He certainly didn't like the stipulations of his father's will—the terms that said he had to stick it out at the ranch for at least three months and try to make things work. Austin wanted to return to his construction business in Chicago. You see, he'd left his business partner in a lurch, and money from the sale of Starfire Ranch would have really helped the business flourish.

So why didn't you just let Starfire Ranch go?

Let it go? No way! The kids depend on it—especially Jenny.

The kids…Jenny?

My foster daughter. She and the other kids with special needs love the horses, and the programs really help them cope.

What kind of needs are you talking about?

Oh, for example, Jenny has Asberger's, a form of autism, so she's not very comfortable around strangers at first. But she took to Austin immediately—surprisingly enough.

Did Austin take to Jenny, as well?

(Laughs) Kids are so innocent…and loving. It was much easier for Jenny than it was for Austin. But she had her ways…that's all I can say for now.

And you lived at the ranch?

That's right—in the guest house. John McGill, Austin's father, was so kind to Jenny and me before he died. He knew we wanted to be a family, and that I was trying to adopt Jenny.

But Austin didn't have any family?

No. (Sighs). And I'm not sure he wanted to—at least at first. You see, his parents divorced when he was young, and his Dad left them. Austin was bitter about that. They never had a chance to patch things up before John died, and Austin carried the guilt.

How did you and Jenny bring healing?

Oh, it wasn't Jenny and me. It was God, pure and simple. He has His ways!

So, you mentioned you wanted to adopt Jenny. How did that go?

Touch and go. I'm really not at liberty to say at this time.

And Starfire Ranch…will the kids enjoy another season of programs, or did Austin head back to Chicago with a pocketful of cash?

Oh…that's highly confidential information. (Shrugs, grins). You'll have to ask Austin.

Well, I guess that closes us out for today. Thank you so much for sharing.

My pleasure. Happy summer reading, all!

COTT's first YA Champ: Shellie Neumeier

Shellie Neumeier has just received the honor of being named a COTT Champ with her teen novel, Driven. This is a first for COTT, having a YA title take the crown. And Shellie deserves high accolades. She had some stiff competition: Julie Carobini and her book Fade to Blue.

So how did this story come about?

"The plot [for Driven] morphed over several dinner conversations with my kids and my hubby," Neumeier says. "It started with a whole lot of what-if questions and ended with a girl, a demon, and a whole lot of forgiveness."

You can read COTT's excellent interview with Shellie here .

A clip of her winning excerpt:Robyn can't help but notice the handsome new guy at her school. She ignores, however, the arrival of another being at Brookfield Central High School—a demon assigned to destroy her…Read the full blurb, along with that of her competition,  here   About the book: Robyn can't help but notice the handsome new guy at her school. She ignores, however, the arrival of another being at Brookfield Central High School—a demon assigned to destroy her…

Robyn loves her friends, enjoys her youth group, and looks forward to meeting cute Caleb Montague. But when a caustic news reporter challenges her school's prayer team, Robyn must choose: defend their right to meet on campus and pray for whomever they wish or back down at the principal's request.

Now she must learn what God wants her to do. And she had better learn fast, because there's a supernatural enemy in town whose sole mission is to stop her—no matter the cost.

Shellie's reaction:Oh wow!! I'm wordless! Especially since, Julie's Fade to Blue has such a wonderful blurb. (Actually, I can't wait to go get her book, now. :D)

Thank you, COTT crew and Jennifer for letting me be a part of your competitions. And a big thank you to all the folks who left encouraging notes. That means so much!!

Here's what our readers had to say:"Good work. The books you write help us go to a different place in our lives."

"Both blurbs are very appealing. I have to say that if I was a teenager I would be more attracted to "A", but because I'm older and love anything to do with art "B" is my choice. Very Close!"

"I'm wanting to know just how big a role this demon plays in the story. I've always been fascinated by books that give glimpses into the spiritual realm. (i.e. Frank Peretti, Randy Alcorn")

Visit Shellie Neumeier's website to find out more about her and her writing. Then visit Amazon to get a copy of Driven.

Congratulations, Shellie!!



Make sure to hop on our to the Clash of the Titles Book Club to join the fun discussion on Karen Witemeyer's A Tailor-Made Bride. (In July, we'll dive into Elleanor Gustafson's novel, The Stones.) 

And if you'd like to get your vote on, head over to COTT for their current Clash and BE HEARD (not to mention be entered to win a free copy of a contending title.)

COTT Assistant Editor Michelle Massaro is married to her high school sweetie, Mike, and they have four amazing children. They attend Living Truth Christian Fellowship in Corona, CA where they are involved in teaching the youth- primarily about origins science- and where Michelle is involved in the worship ministry. Michelle is also a new homeschooling parent and an aspiring author of contemporary Christian fiction. Above all, she is a follower of Christ Jesus, unashamed to stand upon the Word of God from beginning to end!

Contact Michelle: michelle_massaro(at)hotmail(dot)com Michelle's Blog  Find Michelle on Facebook

Guest Post:: Raquel Byrnes

Welcome once again to Author Raquel Byrnes, with a fun and

informative guest post. I'm honored to have Raquel on My Book

Bag as part of a blog tour to promote her debut novel, Purple

Knot. (See yesterday's post for my interview with Raquel, and

an excerpt from her book.)





Raquel Byrnes

It's a nightmare of mine, sitting alone at a table in a dark corner of the bookstore. But this doesn't have to be the case. I've talked to many authors about their own experiences and learned some great ideas for ensuring a fun book signing.

Here are 5 tips for avoiding the sound of crickets at your own book signing.·          Make it an event, not a book signing. How about a unique venue? A friend of mine is planning a signing for her mystery book at a dinner theater. Most people would love to participate in something interactive and fun.


Schedule family and friends to arrive hourly. Ask your supporters to arrive in waves on the hour or on the half instead of all at once. People happy to see you, walking toward your table, and smiling are going to attract positive attention. Customers might wander over to see what the hub-bub is about.


Call ahead and make friends with the bookstore staff. Send a postcard and follow it up with a phone call or visit. Some authors even offer small gifts for the staff as a thank you…chocolate often works. The more they know you, the more likely they are to tell customers about your signing.


Don't stay seated. You have the most fun and best response when you walk around. I'm not talking about stalking people in the aisle of your genre, though I'm not above that. I mean have bookmarks in hand and chat people up. If they aren't a fan of your genre, they may know someone who is. Be natural and act happy to be there, it puts others at ease.


Decorate your table. Have a banner made, bring book marks, and set up a candy dish. Some authors have a laptop playing their book trailer on mute. Its eye catching and not intrusive.
These are some easy ways to take the terror out of book signings. With a little planning, some creativity, and a sense of humor, you'll have a great time.

ABOUT RAQUEL:

Raquel Byrnes lives in Southern, California with her husband of sixteen years and their six children. She considers inspirational fiction a wonderful way to minister to others. She writes romantic suspense with an edge-your-seat pace. Her first book the Shades of Hope Series, Purple Knot, is set to release from White Rose Publishing.com later this year. You can visit her at her website: www.raquelbyrnes.com and her writing blog, Edge of Your Seat Romance.

Interview: Raquel Byrnes

Please join me in welcoming Raquel Byrnes, a fellow White Rose Publishing author. Raquel's here to talk about her new release, Purple Knot. Authors, you'll want to be sure to come back tomorrow for Raquel's guest post: "Avoiding the Sound of

Crickets at a Book Signing."



 Raquel Byrnes





Welcome to My Book Bag, Raquel!

I love all the covers for your upcoming Shades of Hope Series. I understand the first book, Purple Knot (your debut novel), is set to release in a couple of days (June 3). You must be so excited! What is this book about?

It's about a petite private detective. Reyna Cruz returns to Seattle, a place she fled amid tragedy, to join with her ex fiancé to solve his sister's mysterious death.

What inspired you to write Purple Knot, and when did it become

a series in your mind?

I went through a situation in which a dear friend of mine was in serious trouble. We've all been in a place where all we can do is hope and pray for those that we love. I started writing the outline while staying in the hospital with my friend. It was sort of therapy. 

I began to write out other story ideas and came to realize that all of them dealt with different aspects of faith and hope. The Shades of Hope series was born out of that.

Please share a little about your journey to publication. (How long have you been writing? How hard was it to find a publisher? What did you learn in the process?)

I've been writing full length books for almost ten years. I always wrote, but it wasn't until my daughter was born and I was at home that I really realized my love for it.

I signed with an agent at Hartline Literary a year and a half ago and recently signed with a publisher so the publication part has come within the past few years.

I learned that I write because I must. Despite rejection and setbacks, I love creating stories.

I know this is not easy, but…do you have a favorite scene from Purple Knot? If so, please share it with us.

Jimmy turned in his seat to face me. I avoided his eyes and instead scanned the street names for the one I needed to get to Digi-Safe."Rain, you have to decide what kind of person you're going to be. I have to know." "What are you saying, Jimmy?" Confused I looked at him."I'm saying that you're racing towards a crossroads, and I want to know what path you're planning to take.""Now is not the time for this conversation, Jimmy. We're chasing a suspect!" "Now is exactly the time, Rain. I need to know, right now because anything you do out of anger or grief will directly affect me, too!" Jimmy said loudly.Dread bubbled up into my chest. I tried to answer calmly but I felt control slipping. My throat ached with the words I wanted to shout at him. "Don't make me do this, Jimmy. Not now.""Yes, now, Rain."  "What do you want me to say?" I shouted. "What do you want to hear?""I want to hear that you won't put your anger ahead of our future. I want to hear that you can walk away from the possibility of revenge.""Why…why would I do that?" I looked at Jimmy with wonder."Because you'll destroy us in the process, Rain." Jimmy reached out and caught the hem of my sweater in his fingers. He looked worried."Are you asking me to choose between nailing Parker and loving you?"  Anger and confusion whipped through me like a cold wind. "No. I'm asking you to choose between the hatred boiling in your veins and the grace hanging over your head."I gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles ached. Why was Jimmy doing this? I spotted the road I needed through blurry eyes. I killed my headlights and drove slowly down the street toward the empty Digi-Safe building."Jimmy, don't do this now," I begged."Yes, now, Rain. You're at such a dangerous place that you don't even see how vulnerable you are right now. You're this close to believing in the promises you've been given, this close, Rain. Don't turn away from that."

I can see why you like that scene! What is your favorite book of all time? Favorite author? What is about this author's writing style that makes you love it?

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. He showed aching, longing love without one piece of clothing coming off. He wrote about romance and breathless looks across stunning fields of poppies. Love his work.

What has been the most beneficial piece of writing advice you've ever received?

That getting published isn't a selection process, it's a survival process.

Do you have a favorite verse of scripture? If so, what makes it special to you?

Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

It's very clear. This is what the Lord wants of me. To keep my eyes on Him and to follow His example, to be merciful as He has been with me, and to be just.

Where can readers find you and your books?

They are available publisher direct at White Rose Publishing.com or at online booksellers like Amazon.

Thanks for hanging out at My Book Bag today, Raquel. It's been a pleasure having you





ABOUT THE BOOK:



A killer strikes. A love rekindled. A life-altering choice.

When her best friend, is murdered, Reyna Cruz doesn't believe the police have the whole story. An investigator by trade, she has the talent to track Summer's killer, but when clues lead to a family connection and a vicious gang, she suddenly becomes the hunted. At the end of her rope, Reyna must decide to trust the God she believes abandoned her. 

Wanting justice for his sister's murder, lawyer Jimmy Corbeau agrees to help Reyna—even though she's his ex-fiancé, and their break-up devastated him. Romance is reawakened, but so are memories of their tragic undoing. Jimmy must decide if he will fight for a future with Reyna or allow their past to derail the investigation and his second chance at love.

When the investigation goes awry and Summer's infant daughter is kidnapped, Reyna must put her life on the line. Will Jimmy and Reyna survive the desperate measures it takes to recover his niece, catch a killer, and secure a happily-ever-after for them all?

Why I love Charles Dickens - Diving Into the Story World

by Jen Slattery  A few years ago someone mailed me a historical fiction about.... Well, I'm not sure what it was about because I never made it that far. I tried. Oh, my, did I try, but after page upon page of life-activities, my perseverance waned and I put the book aside. I learned the heroine wore her hair in ribbons, what she ate for breakfast, and numerous other details of her daily life. To the author, perhaps these events were significant. Maybe she had fond memories of getting her hair done and thought perhaps if she outlined these details, one movement at a time, she could invoke those same emotions in her reader. But sadly, her over-abundance of minute details, void of conflict, dulled my brain.

As I read over today's excerpts again--talking of spiritual warfare, castles, and jail sentences--I realized one of the things I long for in a story is the ability to visit a place other than my own. That doesn't mean I always gravitate toward time-traveling speculative fiction, but I don't want to relive the monotony of life either.

I love books that raise the stakes, introduce me to unique settings and unique characters, and allow my mind to drift from the day-to-day. One of my favorite authors is Charles Dickens. Upon first glance, I might conclude this is due to his "other-than" settings, but I believe it's more than that. His use of language creates images so vivid and emotive, he manages to turn a walk through the city into a unique experience. And yet, somehow he does this without losing the human element--the universal emotions we all share. So basically, he creates a world that is unique enough to grab my attention and propel me into the story, but he does it in such a way that I deeply connect with the characters.

This week's excerpts captured my attention with their unique settings and story-lines. The shuffle of monotony in a high school is intensified by the presence of evil. In excerpt B, I'm introduced to the magnificent Hearst Castle, and the world of antiquity. In both, I realize much more is at stake than castle restoration and chemistry class.

What about you? What are some things you look for in a story? Think back to a story you've particularly enjoyed. What was it about that novel that grabbed you? Is it a slightly quirky character or a castle shrouded by clouds and hidden behind a patch of trees?

(If you haven't already done so, read over both excerpts. And remember, there are numerous ways to be entered into our drawing for the book give-aways: leave a comment on any of the articles posted over the next week, fb share us, tweet us, or subscribe. Remember to shoot us an email letting us know you've shared, tweeted, or subscribed.)

To our blogging readers, if you'd like to join the COTT family as a blog alliance partner, shoot us an email at contactcott(at)gmail(dot)com. We'd love to tell you more.



Jennifer Slattery is a novelist, freelance writer and biblical studies major at Calvary Bible college. In 2009 she won first place in the HACWN writing contest in the book category, placed second in the 2010 Dixie Kane, fourth in the 2010 Golden Pen and third in the 2010 CWG Operation First Novel Contest. She has a short piece appearing in Bethany House's Love is a Flame (under a pen name), forwarded by Gary Chapman, another piece in Cathy Messecar's A Still and Quiet Soul, and writes for Reflections in Hindsight, Christ to the World, Samie Sisters, The Christian Pulse, and reviews for Novel Reviews. She's also written for Granola Bar Devotions, Afictionado, The Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Romantic Times Review, Bloom and the Breakthrough Intercessor. 

Contact Jennifer: slattery07(at)yahoo(dot)comJennifer's Blog, Facebook