Regina Jennings's Blog, page 10

My One and Only Sports Injury was from Band

I am an athlete.

Just kidding. I wish I was that tough, multi-vitamin-eating mom in the commercials who jogs through the park talking about how she’s good to herself, but I’m not.

That’s why I took band.

Every year during marching band season some of us woodwind players would be chosen to beef up the percussion section. My assignment – the bass drum.

It was the best year of my life – or at least in the top thirty. The bass drum section consisted of two bass clarinet players, one flute and one obo...

Once when I was in jail in Mexico…

“Would you like to hold a service for the prison church?”

This was one of those moments when you wonder…when you hope…that something is lost in translation.

“I’m sorry. In English the word prisonmeans jail, a place where criminals go. There’s some mistake.”

The translator consults Jesús and continues, “No mistake. He leads a church inside the prison. They have forty believers and meet on Saturday.”

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Now before you get distracted when you see thenameJesús – he’s a church planter in Mexico, not Naza...

From Manuscript to Bookshelf – Part 3

What’s the earliest you’ve ever pre-ordered a book? Would it surprise you to know that most books can be pre-ordered seven months before their release? As the author is still dealing with line edits, blurbs and descriptions are written, the cover finalized and the catalog is produced.

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If you could read the excerpt in this catalog you’d see that two of the characters mentioned don’t appear in the final version of Sixty Acres and a Bride.You won’t find Naomi and Augustus, but you will find Louis...

From Manuscript to Bookshelf – Part 2

Why did it take a full year to get Sixty Acres and a Brideon the shelves? To see the first steps you can read Part 1.

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Eye Candy – 9 Months from Release Date

After the substantial edits were made and the title chosen, marketing really starts spinning. Have you ever picked up a book and after a few pages you flip to the front cover for a double take? Huh? That’s not how she’s supposed to look. And by the end you’re wondering when did he ride a stallion with his white shirt unbuttoned? I don’t rem...

From Manuscript to Bookshelf – Part 1

[image error]Is it safe to assume you like books? I do. I’ve inhaled my share, marveling over the words, the characters, praising the author’s imagination and research. So many small miracles caught between cardstock covers.

But what’s involved in getting those books onto your shelf? Why does it take forever to go from a manuscript to a product in your hands?

The Obvious

Someone has to write the book. You knew that. For my first book Sixty Acres and a Bride the process of writing and re-writing took about a...

The Silver Screen or the Golden Page?

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Have you read The Hunger Games? Have you seen the movie? How about The Help? Movies have always sifted through literature for their inspiration and this season is no exception and although I don’t mind seeing a book-based-movie, I always find myself preferring the book.

Wonder why?

No Do-Overs on Dialogue

Movies only give us one shot at dialogue. If you miss a word, say someone sneezes or the sound track surges, you’ll spend the rest of the movie wondering “Who was hit by a car – her dad or her...

The Perfect Flaw

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Usually my 4th grade son’s writing assignments involve heroes with super powers. They throw grenades, dodge bullets and never make mistakes.

This week as we worked on a character sketch I insisted that he only write about “real life” 4th grade issues. His character “Bo” needed to have a real problem that he would solve during the story.

“His problem is that he eats shrapnel and it turns into gold,” he suggested.

“Absolutely not. What’s a problem that boys your age have? Maybe he’s not good in sp...

Legacy Gardens

[image error]Allow me to make a few confessions about my gardening:

1) I’m a gardener in April, maybe May. By June I’ve lost interest and everything dies.

2) I rarely plant anything besides flowers. I don’t eat vegetables unless they are in salsa or pizza sauce.

3) I chose my flowers based on sentimental reasons, not because they add to the appearance of my yard or are suited to our climate (see confession #1).

[image error]So as I’m out weeding this spring, praying that we don’t have another summer that competes with ove...

The Voices of Good Friday – Part 3

[image error]In the rush to Easter we often overlook Good Friday. "Yes, that's when Jesus was crucified," we say, "but He rose again."

Praise God. But let's not forget that two thousand years ago very few people expected that miracle. Even His closest followers didn't understand what was happening. Their hope, their Rabbi had been murdered. Their fears and doubts were allowed to grow in what had to be the longest weekend ever.

This Good Friday try to imagine what you would hear if you spoke to some of the w...

The Voices of Good Friday – Part 2

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In the rush to Easter we often overlook Good Friday. "Yes, that's when Jesus was crucified," we say, "but He rose again."

Praise God. But let's not forget that two thousand years ago very few people expected that miracle. Even His closest followers didn't understand what was happening. Their hope, their Rabbi had been murdered. Their fears and doubts were allowed to grow in what had to be the longest weekend ever.

For the next few weeks I'd like to imagine what we would hear if we spoke to...