Sara R. Turnquist's Blog, page 41

BIG News!!!

Hey, all! Thanks for dropping in today to hear my BIG news! Well, you may remember (if you’ve been following the blog) that I queried (sent in) a manuscript to be reviewed for possible publication. And the great news is…my publisher (Clean Reads) has offered me a contract on “THE GENERAL’S WIFE”. You may have noticed over in the left hand side of the screen that “The General’s Wife” has been changed from “Seeking Publication” to “Publication in Process”.

THE GENERAL’S WIFE. This was actually the first novel I wrote. The very first scene was written back when I was in college and the manuscript was shelved not long after. I would take it out ever so often and write more, tweak it here and there and whatnot. Finally, a couple of years after graduating, I got serious about finishing the novel.

SO WHAT’S THIS BOOK ABOUT ANYWAY? You can certainly read my blurb about the book here. I became fascinated by the Ptolemaic Period during a history class at some point in my youth. It was a seed that was planted that I never really thought much about until much later when the main characters came into being. Placing them in this period in history just made sense to me.

WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO READ THIS BOOK? It takes about 6-8 months with this publisher to go from signed contract to eBook release. So, you can hope to see the book come out sometime February-April 2016. This is still a fairly short time window for contract to debut. As I understand it, with the larger, more traditional publishers, it can take 18 months-2 years.

Well, that’s all I have for now. I’ll be in pre-edits for the next week or so. I look forward to it and dread it at the same time. Editing…not my best friend, but such a crucial part of the process. I’m looking forward to sharing more as we go along!

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Spotlight on “The Brightest and Best” by Olivia Newport

Hello, Readers! Today I am hosting author Olivia Newport on my blog! She and I have a couple of things in common – our love of Historical Fiction and our membership in the ACFW. Speaking of which, the ACFW Conference is coming up mid-September. I will be there…so excited!! So, without further ado, here’s Olivia:

Meet Olivia! Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. She lives in stunning Colorado, where daylilies grow as tall as she is. Her past work includes the Avenue of Dreams series set in 1890s Chicago; the Valley of Choice series of intertwining contemporary and historical Amish stories; Hidden Falls, a digital-first contemporary small-town series; and the Amish Turns of Time series exploring real historical moments of Amish values.

I’m always interested in what inspires authors…so tell us, Olivia, what was your inspiration for your book, Brightest and Best?  This book comes out under the banner of Amish Turns of Time. I’ve had a blast in these stories exploring events in Amish history that illustrate points in time when the Amish made significant decisions that affected the development of their churches. In this case, the question was emerging laws that required the Amish to educate their children in a way that conflicted with their central values. This journey started almost a hundred years ago and endured until they took their case to the Supreme Court in 1972. Brightest and Best intentionally conflates some events to bring the driving themes together in one story.

Interesting. What are some of the more historically significant events behind your story? My research turned up some articulate, impassioned arguments by Amish writers about why they could not separate education of their children from the practice of their faith. While the non-Amish world was pressing for more standardized education, including keeping kids in school longer,  the Amish believed that true education cultivates humility, simple living, and living according to the will of God. They were preparing children not for success in this life but for eternity. For many decades, Amish children attended school with non-Amish children. It was only when public schools became larger, offered more varied curriculum, and required students to remain in school past the eighth grade that the conflicts began.

Do you have any current projects you’re working on? Care to share? I’m putting the finishing touches on a manuscript called Hope in the Land, a Depression-era story that highlights the pivotal role Amish women played in the stability of their households in an economic time when so many people across the country were losing their grasp on hope. Hope in the Land will come out in the spring of 2016.

Brightest and Best  by Olivia Newport:

Ella Hilty’s deepest desire is to marry Gideon Wittmer and be a mother to his three children. But before the betrothal and ceremony take place, Ella’s 1918 Ohio Amish community gets caught in a storm of controversy when English government authorities dictate that Amish children must attend consolidated public schools rather than their one-room schoolhouse. 

English schoolteacher Margaret Simpson had given up thoughts of marriage years ago, and she’s content with her peaceful life. But a budding romance and conflict with the neighboring Amish community lead Margaret down a path that she never expected.

Citing freedom of religion rights, Amish parents stand their ground against progressive English laws that threaten to erode their culture and beliefs beyond recognition, but their stance doesn’t come without consequences. Where is the balance between submission to God and submission to a God-ordained government that endangers the church?

Soon Margaret puts her last chance for romance at risk for the only choice her conscience can abide, and all eyes turn to Ella to bring unity to the Amish and understanding to the English.

Find Olivia:  http://www.olivianewport.com/

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When Your Day Job Takes Over

So…it’s be a little while since I posted. That’s because my day job…yeah, that whole mom/wife thing…has taken over for a while. This has been one stressful week of getting back from vacation and gearing up for school. Can anyone relate? How do you keep

your writing going when your “day job” starts demanding more and more from you? Especially those of you who have a clock to punch in addition to the mom/dad/spouse thing and then your writing on top of that? There just simply aren’t enough hours in the day it seems! Or there haven’t been for me at least.

But it’s just for a season…this is what I have to constantly remind myself. This craziness of transitioning from summer to school year is just for a season and it will pass. There will be a return to normalcy (or some semblance of what we call “normalcy”) and routine. Then I can begin to once again find time for these things that are of utmost importance to me (like writing and blogging), that seem to get put by the wayside sometimes in the business of the mom thing which, I’m just going to say it, has to come first sometimes. I cannot tell my children to take a backseat to my writing. That is not a choice I am willing to make. And if my writing career suffers for it, so be it.

There is a time and place and season for everything. And the writing will have it’s own time. While my kids are small and so dependent on me is not it. So, it will have to take it’s rightful place in my priorities. Sometimes that means I can dedicate 20+ hours a week to writing, sometimes not even 5. It all depends. And I have to be okay with that. Especially if I’m going to have the priorities that I have (namely, children before writing). There’s just no sense in beating myself up over something I can’t control (the lack of hours in a day). I can’t be all things to all people…least of all to myself. I can only be me. I can only stretch myself so far and still be sane.

So, after all that rambling, here’s what I’m left with – priorities. Have them, use them, don’t let anything or anyone judge you (including yourself) for how you prioritize your life. Just commit to it and live them out.

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Taking a Breather

I have blogged before about the necessity of a schedule to maintain with your daily word count as a writer. And I have talked about determination to write daily as a general rule. But now, I’m going to go against all of that and say that sometimes, what you need is a break, a breather.

Finding balance. Why a breather? Sometimes it just becomes overwhelming. And sometimes, as a writer, I can become so wrapped up in the stories I write and in learning the craft of writing that I forget that I am also a wife, a mother, a friend, a sister, a daughter, and so many other things. Yes, this is my chosen career path, but it is not the sum total of who I am. There is value to stepping back and remembering the other parts of me and how important they are. Finding balance can be tricky, but it is also very important.

“Refilling” the tank. Taking a breather can also be good for perspective. I am pumping the creative well until it’s almost dry every day. It’s not a bad idea to give it a rest and let it become refreshed. Setting my manuscript(s) to the side for a few days or weeks to gain some distance from them will only help give myself fresh eyes on them in order to better edit and revise.

Vacation. Plain and simple – everyone needs a vacation from their job. I have come to believe that writers, among other professions, really struggle with this. We tend to be writing or thinking about writing. I find that the more I take a break from writing, the better I am at separating myself from the work of it and enjoying my vacation time. It has also helped me translate that to my daily life and better separate my “work time” (writing time) from the time designated for my house and family. I can be more mentally present with them.

So, while I do believe firmly in a daily routine of writing and having goals (such as word counts) each day, I also feel it’s important to step back every so often and just breathe.

 

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Blog Tour GRAND GIVEAWAY

Here we are…the end of the blog tour. Thanks for following along with me on this crazy ride! It’s been fun. I hope you have enjoyed getting a peek into the book through excerpts, learning more about me through interviews and guest posts, and having a chance to see what’s in store for you in the pages of “The Lady Bornekova” through reviews. All in all, it’s been a good tour and I’m glad you have joined me along the way.

I am pleased to announce that I am already well into writing the sequel to “The Lady Bornekova”! This next book will follow the characters we became acquainted with in the first book through the Hussite Wars. That is all I will say. I want to give everyone space and time to read “The Lady Bornekova” before we jump into more information. But stay tuned to my blog for bits here and there along the way as I do research and delve into this continuing story.

And so, I am also very happy to present the entry for the GRAND PRIZE for the blog tour. This giveaway will run from today, July 31st until August 14th. The package includes:

– A signed print of the cover

– “The Lady Bornekova” bookmark

– A free copy of the eBook

– A $25 Amazon Gift Card

Are you geared up to enter for this package? Here it is:

The Lady Bornekova Grand Prize Giveaway

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The hardest thing about being an author

I thought writing a query letter was difficult. Then I thought the waiting game was hard. And then everyone told me the editing process would be killer. These things weren’t necessarily the most pleasant thing, but they weren’t nearly as hard as something that I would come to find to be the most difficult part of this whole gig: reading reviews.

We as authors have put ourselves out there into the world, heart exposed in a lot of ways. At least that’s how I feel. I put so much of myself in each and every one of my creative works, so handling reviews is going to be a learning process.

The reviews I have received have not been bad. They’ve actually been really good. Phrases like “I could hardly put the book down”, “I hope there is a sequel”, “I highly recommend this for those that love historical fiction with a touch of romance involved” are just a few of the pieces I can pull out of reviews. For some reason, the perfectionist in me wants to see five stars every time. That’s just not possible. For some people, giving three stars is a good review. This puts me in a tough spot. I think You wrote such wonderful things and didn’t give me more stars!?!

At the end of the day, the advice I’ve been given is to not let the reviews be the end all of your day/week/life. They can, if you let them. I think it’s best to let them be what they are: someone’s opinion on what you’re doing well and maybe need to work on. Take that and let it spur you on to write a better book the next go around if you must, but do not let them drag you down. For newbie authors, just in case you haven’t heard this yet, let me say that you should NEVER respond to a negative review. Let someone have their opinion. There is nothing to be gained by getting into a word battle with them. It will only hurt you and your brand.

In the end, I’d like to say that I truly appreciate the time the reviewers put in to reading my work and putting their own thoughts down about it. Everything above is my own issue. I do really am thankful for those who review books and the role they play in this process.

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To Blog Tour, or Not to Blog Tour…

The Blog Tour…has been a wonderful monster. But, thankfully, the bulk of it has been managed by the capable team at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. They have really made this tour a much smoother experience. I cannot honestly imagine the kind of work that must go into planning and arranging this kind of tour.

The Challenges. Even with someone doing the planning and arranging and coordinating, there is still work on my part. Getting the blog posts written, interviews done, excerpts selected, and manuscripts out for reviewers was the easiest part. There’s the waiting for the blog to post each day, posting on social media about it, and following the blog throughout the day to check comments in case I need to respond (on the blog and on social media posts). It doesn’t seem like much, but I do feel chained to my computer all day. There was a day my husband had a procedure done and I was away from internet for several hours in the waiting room (who doesn’t provide wifi in a waiting room when you know your patients’ family and friends will be waiting that long?) and I felt totally out of the loop on the tour that day.

The Positives. The fact that “The Lady Bornekova” has had exposure to people and markets that otherwise wouldn’t have known about it is HUGE! Numerous people have found me on social media that wouldn’t have known about me otherwise. Those things are priceless to me. And though this paragraph may be shorter than the “challenges” paragraph, the quality of it far outweighs anything found in the one above.

I cannot finish out this entry without thanking Amy and her team at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. They have been amazing! I highly recommend this service for any authors out there considering a blog tour and wondering whether or not to go it on their own or use a service like this. I cannot say enough good things about my experience with them.

And now, some news. The blog tour will end here in early august, on my blog, with a GRAND giveaway. We’ll be giving away a signed book cover, a Lady Bornekova bookmark, a free e-copy of the book, and an amazon gift card. Stay tuned!!

Will I do another blog tour? Absolutely! For each and every book that gets published. And I hope that this blog tour service will be available for each and every tour I do. They are fantastic!

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The Creative Process

Hey, all! I’m coming to you live from the midst of this craziness that is my life. Between the kids, the house, the blog tour, revising “Off to War”, working on my new writing project (to be announced), and my book becoming officially available, life is going non-stop! So, I thought I’d take a side-step from all of that and spend some time talking about the creative process.

Inspiration. I’ve written about inspiration. That is a BIG part of the creative process for any writer. Certainly for me. Everything comes from that inspiration, that initial idea. And you need to continually revisit that idea/inspiration throughout the process of crafting your work to make sure everything fits into that idea/theme and that you stay on track (no bunny trails). Also, it can help stave off writer’s block or lulls in your creativity.

Determination. Determination to get words on the page whether you “feel” like it or not is something I’ve discussed on this blog, too. Journaling, or simply sitting down and trying to get something (no matter how bad you think it is) on paper is important to “prime the pump”, so to speak. I mean, you can rewrite or revise something you wrote that was bad, but you can’t rework something that doesn’t exist. And, in my (admittedly limited) experience the more you give in to the lulls/writer’s blocks, the longer they tend to drag on.

Word Counts. My life being the way it is, I’ve never been a fan of the idea of getting in a certain amount of words every day. I’ve started to rethink that stand, however. As I feel so strongly about getting something down on paper each day, the word count thing seems like the next most logical step. I’ve always been more a fan of sitting down and getting out what you can each day. Some days that’s 500 words, some days that’s 5000 words. I have enough trouble with perfectionism without one more stipulation staring me in the face each day. And this is not income that my family relies on to survive. Most of these authors who preach about word counts per day are career authors. That just can’t be my situation right now with three small kiddos. On the other hand, I take my writing very seriously, as does my husband. And we do carve out several hours every day for me to dedicate to my craft. So, there’s really no reason I can’t get a goal word count in. So, that’s where I am on this.

The Draining Effect. Here’s the truth about word counts and me. I have found that when I get more than 2000 words in a day, I feel drained. Either that day or the next day. Completely drained. Perhaps this is how the creative process should be – that I’m putting a piece of me on the paper. If this is so, it should take something out of me. I love what I do. Writing makes me feel fulfilled in a way that nothing else has. From the moment of inspiration, there is a story inside of me that has to get out. And putting it on paper is so…cathartic. The fact that others enjoy my work is icing on the cake.

That’s about all I can say about my creative process. It’s unique to each person. Be inspired…get words on the paper…go back to your inspiration…put more words on paper…repeat.

 

 

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The Lady Bornekova has arrived!!

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” ~ Walt Disney

The BIG day. Today is a big day…for me and for this blog. This blog began when I got the first “bite” at my manuscript “The Lady Bornekova“. And today a dream of mine is coming true…one that I almost never dared hope would come. For today, I become a published author. I am just sitting here at my keyboard and letting that soak in. It feels strange, it feels good…I feel the weight of the long journey lifted off of my shoulders. I cannot thank you enough for joining me on this journey, no matter where you came in. You have been a part of it!

Celebrate with me! Please feel free to interact with me via this blog or on Facebook (Sara R. Turnquist) or Twitter (@sarat1701). I would love to hear what you think as we get this book launched!!

The Blog Tour. The tour is still in full swing. In fact today, you can find me at Library Educated‘s blog in Interview about the book. Please stop by and check it out. The blog tour has been a wonderful opportunity to read excerpts from the book, get some feedback from reviewers, and read posts by me on other blog spots. To catch up on the tour and to keep following, click here.

A Moment for Gratitude. I am so thankful for many people. God, Who has gifted and sustained me through so much. My husband who tirelessly supports me. My children, who (though they tirelessly tire me) love and inspire me. My parents and family who have shaped me into the person I am. My friends who encourage and carry me through it all. My publisher who believed it me and my book. My blog tour coordinator who has helped me tackle the marketing bear. My mentor and beta readers who have sharpened and honed my skills and so much more. And you, reader, who has taken this journey with me and cared to follow my story. So, to you, I say “happy reading” and let’s keep meeting…same time, same blog?

 

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The Waiting Game

Patience is a virtue…I do not have. I’ll just tell you that straight out. But I have come to find that often in this writing gig that you have to “hurry up and wait”. More than I ever expected. I mean, I expected to wait for publication, to hear back from querying, and the like. But you never really know just how on the edge of your seat you’re going to be. But, right now, I’m in a season of waiting.

The Lady Bornekova. The book comes out Tuesday! It’s been the product of MUCH waiting. And we’re almost there. Thank you for taking this journey with me. The finish line is in sight! And we’ll just have to wait a little longer.

Agents. I pitched to an agent at the last conference I went to a couple of weeks ago. She received my information very well and even asked for more to be sent to her. So, I’ve been waiting to hear back from her. Will she want sample chapters? The whole manuscript? Or have some good feedback for me? I just have to wait. This is the hardest kind of waiting…an undetermined amount of time. Unlike waiting for my book to come out, I don’t know how long I will be waiting. Could be today, could be another few weeks before I hear something.

Querying. Now that “The Lady Bornekova” is ready to hit the market, it’s time for me to turn my attention to querying the next novel. Which one? And how long after my book’s release should I query? Now? Or should I wait to hear back from this agent? The only thing I love as much as waiting is uncertainty. Another thing that just comes along with the job.

The Work. My Beta Readers are so good to me. They give me a lot of great feedback and things to bring back to the manuscript. And I have plenty to work on. But, with my limited time, the work progresses slower than I would like. As I’ve mentioned, I’m eager to get into the next work, but I’m caught up in rewriting and editing. More waiting.

And so, as you can see, I’m playing the waiting game left and right. Surely, I’m being stretched in this area. It’s never a good feeling when you’re in the stretching process, but in the end, you are a better person for it. So, I’ll wait and look forward to that.

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