Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 168

Off the Bookshelf: WRITING FICTION FOR ALL YOU'RE WORTH, by James Scott Bell

Don't you looooove January, when you're not only full of resolutions to improve your life, but you still have the energy to follow through? This year, like last year, my resolutions include reading at least one book each week, and clearing off a shelf or two in my to-be-read bookcase. Problem: I have probably twice as many books waiting to be read in e-format as I do in paper ...

WRITING FICTION FOR ALL YOU'RE WORTH not only fulfills my reading goal for the week, but helps me in my quest to keep improving my writing skills, finding new ways to approach the age-old conundrum of just how, exactly, do I write compelling characters, weave intriguing plots, and keep up a pace that makes readers keep turning pages until 2am?

I like Bell's easy-to-read style, his sense of humor, his illustrations, and the fact he comes at it with a common sense attitude. No, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing -- at least when it comes to style, voice, the schedule for writing the book, creating characters and situations, descriptions, on and on and on ... but there ARE hard-and-fast rules when it comes to the mechanics. Bell talks about discipline and offers examples of tactics he uses to get the creative juices flowing, how to figure out what you want to do, and avoid what doesn't work. I like the little exercises/checklists at the end of each section to sort of remind readers what they just learned. What's intriguing is that his book is lifted from his writing blog ... which means there's a lot more where that came from. Gotta check it out one of these days, for new insights. Or read his other writing books.

Lots more wisdom and guidance where that came from. After I get a few dozen more books off my to-be-read list ...

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: Always a Bridesmaid, by Jana Richards

Today's SPOTLIGHT is focused on fellow Uncial Press author Jana Richards with her romance, ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID.
Dani Dipietro has always considered herself an ugly duckling in a family of swans. She's the bridesmaid her friends count on, but never the woman any man wants for his bride. So she plays the funny girl and guards her emotions, and her secrets, closely.
When Zach Morrison was dumped at his wedding, Dani was there to help him through the humiliation. A year later they meet again and once more Zach needs her help. To fend off the unwanted attentions of his former fiancé, he asks Dani to pretend to be his girlfriend. They play their roles a little too well, and make believe turns into reality. But their relationship comes crashing down around them when Zach's trust issues cause him to accuse Dani of cheating. Telling the truth means that Dani will betray a friend, something she will
Find this NEW book online at: http://www.uncialpress.com/Always-a-Bridesmaid.html

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.
In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg with their Pug/Terrier cross Lou and several unnamed goldfish. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.comBlog:  http://janarichards.blogspot.comFacebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthorTwitter:  http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_RichardsNewsletter Signup:  http://www.eepurl.com/m3UnTPublisher url:  http://www.uncialpress.comBuy link: https://www.uncialpress.com/Always-a-Bridesmaid.html  

Letters to KEL: Launch of an idea

Today I'm launching a new initiative: LETTERS TO KEL.

Hopefully, this will provide insight and advice on writing, maybe answer some questions, give some guidelines, maybe even make you laugh.

Why am I doing this? Well, for starters, I offered writing guidance to someone we'll call KEL several years ago. We met a few times, and then her schedule changed and things happened and we lost touch. I hope to reconnect with her someday. These will be the lessons I would have at least tried to give her.

The second, bigger reason, is that last year I was honored to be invited to come down to my alma mater, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, to speak to the students about being a writer. They asked questions and I tried to answer them, to give them an idea of the messy, monotonous, solitary reality. No, it's not all sleeping in until noon, eating bonbons and writing with feather pens, and then being paid thousands of dollars every week for having fun. I essentially warned them that while yes, you can make a living with an English degree, odds are against you to make that living with your writing -- as in writing what you want. You're going to use your training doing other things, editing, writing ad copy, proofreading, etc. And if you're very, very lucky -- and stubborn, or else too stupid to give up -- you'll make a little money by actually selling the words you wrote, whether it's a poem, a novella, flash fiction, novels, screenplays or stage plays, comic books, whatever gives YOU pleasure and fulfillment.

I realized that I am lousy with verbal communication. Give me time to think through what I want to say, write it down, revise it, polish it, trim it, and come close to being coherent.

So here we are at the launch, hoping to give you something useful. Feel free to ask questions in the comments area. I hope some of my writing friends will offer advice every once in a while. As I go through my daily writing chores, whether it's meeting deadlines or editing someone, I'll make notes of the things that really hack me off, problems to avoid, things to be on the lookout for -- and every Thursday (at least, that's the plan) offer you something that might set off that "ah ha!" spark and help you.

Here we go!

Tabor Heights, Year One at OneTrueMedia.com

A new book trailer, giving thumbnail sketches of all the titles in Year One of the Tabor Heights, Ohio, Inspirational romance series published by Desert Breeze Publishing.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Off the Book Shelf: CONFESSIONS OF A RAGING PERFECTIONIST, by Amanda Jenkins

I can sympathize and empathize with Amanda Jenkins, author of this semi-autobiographical, devotional, thought-provoking book (obtained free on Bookshout). The reason I can't identify with her is that, while yes, I do make lists and set goals and always give myself more to do in a day than I know I can actually accomplish ... *sigh* ... perfection is very far away.

Must be nice to be close to perfection.

I identify with her, the pressure to get so much done, the pressure to get it RIGHT, the envy of other people who have been able to let go and relax and enjoy life, to be flexible, to NOT be perfect. I think we all feel the pressure as Christians, because we have the ultimate example to live up to, right?

Thank goodness being a Christian is an ongoing process and not something we have to instant become, reach the pinnacle, cross the finish line two seconds after we realize we're a sorry mess without Christ in our lives. Read the book, sigh and laugh and say, "Oh, yeah, that's me!"

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: White Trash & Southern, poems by C.S. Fuqua

Today's SPOTLIGHT focuses on something new: POETRY by a fellow author at Uncial Press.

White Trash & Southern, Collected Poems, Vol. I , spans more than three decades of C.S. Fuqua’s publishing career. This is the first comprehensive collection of Fuqua’s poetry which explores such themes as domestic violence, politics, family life, friendship, ecological destruction, and more.

His poetry and fiction work has appeared in publications as diverse as Bull Spec, Main Street Rag, Iodine, Brutarian, Slipstream, Pearl, Bogg, Chiron Review, The Year's Best Horror Stories, Cemetery Dance, Christian Science Monitor, Honolulu Magazine, Naval History, The Writer, and many others. His published books include The Native American Flute: Myth, History, Craft, Trust Walk and Rise Up short fiction collections, The Swing: Poems of Fatherhood, Big Daddy's Gadgets, and Notes to My Becca, among others. He is also featured on the Native American flute CDs WindPoem I  and WindPoem II, available from Amazon.com and Bandcamp.com.

Critical praise:
"With an eye for the particular and an ear for the music of everyday life, C. S. Fuqua shares with readers his brave and lyrical view of human experience. An unflinching examination of the sorrows and joys we experience while moving through the world, White Trash & Southern is a fine collection of poems." ~Dr. Wendy Galgan, Editor, Assisi Literary Magazine

"White Trash and Southern is full of empathy and honor for the human condition that we ultimately all share. This is a wonderful book of poetry, and a fine achievement that will greatly enrich its readers. " ~Devin McGuire, Editor/Publisher, Unrorean literary magazine and author of After the Hunt (Encircle Publications 2013)

"White Trash & Southern [by] C.S. Fuqua [is] gritty, insightful, humorous, tragic, and celebratory ... [B]egin anywhere, skip around, or read it from back to front ... a well-written, coherent collection ... however you read it." ~Jonathan K. Rice, Editor/Publisher, Iodine Poetry Journal

Website: http://csfuqua.weebly.com
Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/C.S.Fuqua.Author, https://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Trash-Southern-Collected-Poems-Vol-I/612967105432330
Purchase links: Print edition available through Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/White-Trash-Southern-Collected-Poems/dp/1492363014/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383153980&sr=1-4&keywords=white+trash+%26+southern,
CreateSpace at https://www.createspace.com/4433857,
and through most brick-and-mortar bookstores by order
Kindle edition, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GA7J99K
ePub (Nook and others) edition, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/white-trash-southern-collected-poems-vol-i-christopher-fuqua/1117261796?ean=2940148719809
Audible.com at http://www.audible.com/pd/Drama-Poetry/White-Trash-Southern-Collected-Poems-Volume-1-Audiobook/B00GO580UM/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1386517432&sr=1-1
 iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/white-trash-southern-collected/id752304379?uo=4

Four Tabor Heights titles ON SALE -- One Day Only -- At Christianbook.com

TOMORROW, Monday, January 13, you can get four Tabor Heights titles for 99 cents at Christian Book.com.

Tomorrow ONLY, regularly $2.99, you can get these titles for 99 cents each -- how can you resist?

The Second Time Around

Firesong

Common Grounds

Seasons -- A Tabor Heights Anthology

Come on -- what do you have to lose?
Except maybe you'll decide you're hooked and you want to read more books ...

And while you're there, check out my other titles available at Christian Book.com -- there are TWENTY-SEVEN -- e-book and paper, Inspirational romance and SF. Lots to choose from!

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: Betrayed, by Lillian Duncan

Today's SPOTLIGHT is focused on the new suspense novel by fellow ACFW Ohio member, Lillian Duncan.
BETRAYEDThe Witness Protection Program claims they can keep anyone safe if only they follow the rules, so Maria follows the rules -- every rule. She's given up everything -- her friends, her family, her past, even her name to ensure her daughter has a future. Reborn as Veronica Minor in the sleepy little town of Sunberry, Ohio, she struggles to rebuild their life amid the beauty of her flower shop. A life where her daughter can have a happy normal childhood. A life where her daughter will never know that her father was a monster.
When a child disappears, Veronica prays it has nothing to do with her past, but what if she's wrong? Not knowing who to trust, she trusts no one...and that's her first mistake.
Lillian Duncan…Stories of faith mingled… with murder & mayhem.Lillian is a multi-published writer who writes the type of books she loves to read—suspense with a touch of romance. Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillianduncan.net.  She also has a devotional blog at: www.PowerUpWithGod.com  as well as her personal blog, Tiaras & Tennis Shoes at www.lillian-duncan.com
CELEBRATION ... and prizes! To celebrate the release of BETRAYED, Lil is giving away a virtual gift basket at Tiaras & Tennis Shoes at www.lillian-duncan.com. The virtual gift basket includes copies of her books, SERENITY SPRINGS, OHIO; DARK ALLEYS; and GEESE MATE FOR LIFE.  Along with the books, a $25 Amazon gift card is included plus a few books from some writer friends. To enter the contest, simply hop on over to Tiaras & Tennis Shoes at www.lillian-duncan.com , leave a comment on the post titled CELEBRATION! Winner will be chosen and announced on February 14 on her blog.

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: The Quaker and the Rebel, by Mary Ellis

Today's SPOTLIGHT is focused on a friend and fellow ACFW Ohio member, Mary Ellis. Long known for her Amish romances, Mary is now writing about people, adventures, and romance during the Civil War. This new book released January 1.
In The Quaker and the Rebel, Mary asks: What Happens When an Underground Railroad Conductor Falls in Love with a Man Loyal to the Confederacy?  Emily Harrison’s life has turned upside down. At the beginning of the Civil War, she bravely attempts to continue her parents’ work in the Underground Railroad until their Ohio farm is sold in foreclosure. Now alone and without a home, she accepts a position as a governess with a doctor’s family in slave-holding Virginia. Though it’s dangerous, she decides to continue her rescue efforts from there.

Alexander Hunt, the doctor’s handsome nephew, does not deny a growing attraction to his uncle’s newest employee. But he cannot take time to pursue Emily, for Alexander isn’t what he seems—rich, spoiled, and indolent. He has a secret identity. He is the elusive Gray Wraith, a fearless man who fights the war from the shadows, stealing Union supplies and diverting them to the Southern cause.
The path before Alexander and Emily is complicated. The war brings betrayal, entrapment, and danger. Amid their growing feelings for each other, can they trust God with the challenges they face to provide them with a bright future?
Mary Ellis is the bestselling author of many books, including A Widow's Hope and A Little Bit of Charm. She is an active member of the local historical society and Civil War Roundtable, where she served as secretary for several years. She has enjoyed a lifelong passion for American history.

You can fine Mary online here:Website: www.maryellis.net Blog: www.maryeellis.wordpress.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236 

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: Jodie Mae by Robert Rogers

Today we're focusing the SPOTLIGHT on a new novel touching on many areas of interest and sensitivity by a fellow author at Uncial Press, Robert Rogers.

JODIE MAE

A blend of main stream, historical fiction and women's struggles, set in small town Mississippi in the 40s & 50s during a male-dominated culture. Jodie Mae is born on the wrong side of the tracks where the "Trace Avenue bunch" think she should stay. Forced to marry an older man with a discount clothing store to escape her mother's fate, she makes the best of it and begins to gain self-respect. Then, her husband dies and his children try to force her out. The established order, with an axe to grind against her mother, support the children. However, Jodie has made friends along the way and they help her fight back. Finally, in an act of defiance, she decides to take something from them that they hold dear, a hallmark of their power. She decides to run for Sheriff. Her brother, Taylor, comes back to cover her back. And, she needs all the help she can get.

Jodie Mae falls in love twice, but love always takes a back seat to survival.

The story features a number of French Quarter scenes in New Orleans. For all who believe in a woman's right to be considered equal, this story should be interesting. It explores the similarities between prejudices against women and prejudices against black people; man's innate need to dominate. It shows how the KKK dealt with people they considered undesirables. And, in general, describes what the poor had to do to survive.

To learn more about Rogers' books, go to www.dirtdauberbooks.com and click on his name.