Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 14

Author Interview: Marisa, Jaiden, & Kaytlin Phillips

These sisters three are three of the loveliest, most talented people you'll ever meet! Rissy, Jaidie, and Kayti Phillips have quickly become sweet friends and amazing authors, and I am SO excited to introduce y'all!

Our interview (my first time interviewing a group, so I got to use y'all in every question...y'all know I enjoyed that *winks*) is not only interesting, it's also so uplifting! I know y'all will enjoy!

And stick around to learn more about their new book, Unfortunate Events!

What first inspired y’all to write?

This answer is actually pretty simple. Our parents have said we’ve always been really imaginative, and our dad happened to pause in our bedroom doorway one day (looking for one of his many theology books…lol…on the shelf right outside our room) and heard the game we were playing (with our extensive collection of Schleich horses ;) ). We didn’t notice he was there, or rather that he was listening, but after a while he told us we should write it down.

So, we did. That was the start of our journey and was the first novel we completed together; it took about 4 months. Then our dad told us we should write stories about our pet rabbits, like adventures they went on at night while we slept. So we did. And then…we just loved writing so much we kept doing it…but also because we moved and had nothing else to do. We loved the craft and have stuck with it! And we are happy to say dad continues to ask us what we’re writing and gives ideas…lol…so, ‘ere we are!

What are some of the driving forces behind y’all and your writing now?

We need more God centered literature, especially for young people. There just aren’t enough good books out there. We long to spread hope and love and the story of our Heavenly Father to as many as we can, lighting a path through stories to the Greatest Story Writer of All! Because if we didn’t write the stories inside, our heads would literally drive us insane! These characters are relentless, you guys!!! Lol….

Can you name any authors who have influenced y’all in some way?

Yes! S. D. Smith, Andrew Peterson, and Chuck Black being the main three. We like a lot of authors but these guys were the authors we were reading when we first started out, that made us want to write stories like they had delivered. Stories that pointed to a higher calling, stories that were both amazing and heartfelt! Where action and emotions collided and pointed toward our Father above. :)

What are some of y’all’s most favorite books/genres—to read and to write?

We love writing and reading fantasy, contemporary fiction, dystopian, sci-fi (sometimes, more of dabbling), and action/adventure…lol… Basically, we’ll read or write in all these genres! But Kayti has branched into westerns, and both she and Rissy of late have dabbled in romance…haha…

Favorite books are impossible to nail down so we won’t waste your time or ours…lol…

What do y’all do when you aren’t writing?

Hahaha, edit.

Just kidding, we have other hobbies…lol…

Jaidie is an artist (You can view her work on the cover of UF!), reader, and a Dulcimer learner…lol…

Rissy spends her time wrangling our overactive dog, baking amazing cakes, learning mandolin and dulcimer, and listening to audiobooks…haha

Kayti reads, crotchets, edits a lot, practices dulcimer (yes, we are all learning dulcimer), bakes bread, and dabbles in graphic design…oh, and she works for our mom!

And we all enjoy hiking and visiting historical sites with our parents!

Y’all’s debut novel, Unfortunate Events, just released September 9! What inspired this story?

Boredom. Honestly, that is legitimately the dedication…which says something along the lines of ‘For Dad, thanks for being late to supper that day’....and some other stuff. But Dad was late, we were bored, and Rissy said “let’s write a ‘fun’ story.” So we did…it ended up being an emotionally heart-wrenching prologue (which is what happens with three teenage girls…lol…) that set us on the course of writing The Dragon Prince Chronicles!

Could y’all tell us a little bit about your individual projects?

Ooo, great question! We like this question! And individual projects, eek! We thought you’d never ask! Haha…

Jaidie is working on two, a MG contemporary about a set of twin boys separated as babies when their parents divorced…which contains much emotional trauma and upheaval…lol…

And her other project is YA fantasy about a boy named Dice and that is all she has allowed to be disclosed…haha…

Rissy is working on two YA fantasies. One has the first two chapters in the back of her upcoming anthology, Emotional Commotion.

And the other is a secret project set in a chilling landscape about a girl who lives in mystery and secrets…and that’s all we’re allowed to say.

Kayti is working on a Western with a redemption arc and a subplot of romance, set on a ranch in 1860-70 Kansas.

And a MG fantasy about a squirrel, but the plot is very secret-bound (hence the book having the working title of Secrets…haha…).

What do y’all want, most of all, for readers to take away from your writing?

Hope and the realization that there is a God who cares for us all! That no one is beyond the love of God, that He is always there for us, that because of Him we have hope!

Have you ever endured any discouragement as authors? If so, what inspired y’all to persevere?

We have…a lot of people when we said we wanted to be writers said we couldn’t be that, we’d never make a living doing it, we needed to be realistic. We also got from one or two people that we were unsocialized homeschoolers so we couldn’t write books because we didn’t have enough ‘experience’ with interacting with other people….haha…we’re 3 out of 7 kids! Plus, they told us that at church, where we were interacting with them!

But yeah, we did have some people tell us it was just unrealistic. What kept us going was 1.) we’re stubborn, so they said it couldn’t be done and we kept doing it to prove them wrong…lol… and 2.) our parents said to do what we felt called to. After lots of prayer we decided writing was what we loved and even if we never make a successful career out of it we are going to keep doing it because we love it! And we’d go crazy if we didn’t…lol…two months of not writing last year taught us that one…haha…

What has being a writer taught y’all?

To look closer, be more observant…you never know what you’re missing in the world around you. It’s taught us that it’s not as easy as it looks…lol…writing is really hard, like REALLY HARD!!! But it’s also really rewarding and enjoyable!

It’s brought us closer to God because our characters ask some really tough questions that we have to find answers for and it grows our faith and relationship with the Lord. Overall, it’s just been a really great and awesome experience!

What are y’all’s advice for other aspiring writers on writing and publishing?

Wow, to stay true to what God has laid on your heart. Listen to the advice of those who know more than you do. Never sacrifice your style for the rules of today (because honestly, most of the published books we’ve read don’t follow all the rules we’ve been told we should follow…lol…). Write what is laid on your heart, seek God’s heart for your story, and be brave enough to take that leap of faith!

Thank you so much for having us, Grace!

about the authors

Kaytlin Phillips is Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction and Fantasy author. She’s a homeschool grad who spends her days praising her Savior, reading, writing, blogging, and annoying her sisters with random thoughts. She is the fifth child out of seven and resides in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Her favorite hobbies include writing, reading, hiking, theology, history, blogging, ASL, crocheting, doodling, and anything she does with her sisters or family.

Marisa Philips is a teen author, saved by the grace of God! She was born and raised in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. She is the sixth child out of seven and has been homeschooled her whole life. She likes to write fast-paced stories that catch the attention of all and that will hopefully inspire them in a wonderful way.

She enjoys hiking, writing, reading a good fast-paced book, baking, daydreaming, teasing her sisters, and playing with her dog, Ruger.

Jaiden Phillips is a teen author residing in the mountains of western North Carolina. She has six older siblings and one set of amazing parents!

More often than not you can find her sketching one of her wild ideas, writing out a scene for a book, or giving her sisters a healthy dose of sarcasm.

She enjoys praising her Lord, reading, drawing, writing, hanging out with her sisters and bestie, hiking if there is a destination, and wearing vibrant rainbow-colored things.

You can connect with the Phillips sisters on their website , Goodreads , and newsletter !

about the book

Lies are worn as masks, darkness threatens, and fear spreads like fire.

Mazleah has lost its Crowned Prince and the kingdom stands on the edge of ruin. When Kahtan Faber is forced into the King’s army life as he knew it collapses. Thrust onto a team with a brogue-speaking street boy, a secretive lordling, and his hometown bully, Kahtan quickly learns what it means to be alone. As a Blacksmith’s son who has never wielded a blade, he’s nothing more than a failure to those around him.

But when secrets about his teammates are revealed, secrets that could shake Mazleah to its core, Kahtan must decide whether to stand with his team or with his country. Although nothing in Mazleah is ever that simple.

snag your copy tour

Monday, Sept. 12th

Sisters Three - Blog Tour Launch Announcement

Joy Woodbury - Review and Spotlight

Abbigail Befus - Review and Spotlight

Tuesday, Sept. 13th

Madisyn Carlin - Author Interview and Spotlight

Rose Q Addams - Review and Author Interview

Wednesday, Sept. 14th

The Introspective Introvert -Author Interview, Sneak Peek, and Spotlight

Saraina Whitney - Review and Sneak Peek

Vanessa Hall - Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Thursday, Sept. 15th

Old Fashioned Book Love - Review and Spotlight

Lorelei Angelino - Review and Spotlight

Jasmine - Review, Spotlight, Author Interview, and Character Interview

Victoria Marinette - Sneak Peek

Issabelle Perry - Goodreads Review

Friday, Sept 16th

Kristina Hall - Review and Sneak Peek

Vanessa Hall - Review

Saraina Whitney - Character Interview

Grace A. Johnson - Author Interview and Spotlight

Natalie Nordby - Review and Author Interview

Hailey Marshall - Author Interview

Sisters Three - End of Tour Post

Those girls have got such hearts for the Lord, and you can tell by the inspiring posts they write that they truly desire to serve Him and produce literature that glorifies Him - such a rarity in this day and age!

And doesn't Unfortunate Events sound SO interesting? They had me at the tagline!

Thank y'all for joining us, and y'all be sure to check out the other fabulous posts in the tour!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#authorinterview #debutauthor #interview #christianauthor #youngauthor #blogtour #christianfiction #middlegradefiction #yafiction #fantasy #newbook #newrelease #indie #indieauthor

Coming Soon: Identity by Annabelle Batie

No, Identity is not a boring self-help nonfiction book to guide you to your "true self"...

It's an epic Christian YA fantasy romance all about (you'll never guess)...MERMAIDS!!! Augh, I dunno about y'all, but I adore mermaids, and I know we're all gonna adore this intriguing short novel by young author Annabelle Batie!

about the book

Maria Brooks is just a plain orphan girl with a mysterious past. On the day of Maria’s sixteenth birthday, everything seems normal. From being required to do chores all day to being bullied by her own friends, nothing seems to be amiss. But when Maria goes swimming at the beach the next day, she discovers a secret about herself she didn’t even know: she’s a mermaid.

As Maria explores her newfound ability to change from mermaid to human, she finds herself in the midst of an underwater war that may just contain the secret to her past. Mixed with drama and fantasy; romance and mystery; this book is sure to hold you in suspense through the very end.

preorder your copy about the author

Annabelle Batie is an author and book-enthusiast. She loves mermaids and all kinds of fantasy, and thoroughly enjoys reading and/or writing a good book. She is very passionate about her Christian faith, and she wants to share that passion with others. Some other things that she likes to do are drawing, sewing, playing piano, and talking with her friends. She lives in Traverse City, Michigan, where she homeschools with her three younger siblings and parents. You can visit her on her website, annabelle.batie.com.

Identity releases February 1st, 2023, so you've got time to check it out, preorder you copy, and get to know Annabelle through her website (link above)! She's got some great content, plus some fun Daughters of the Sea quizzes!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#comingsoon #upcomingrelease #yafiction #youngadultfiction #christianfiction #fantasy #romance #youngauthor #indie

Book Spotlight: Kingdom Lost by Dawn Shipman

Well, I feel like a cad. I meant to share about this epic YA fantasy novel months ago (literal months...I'm not exaggerating this time), but somehow, I totally forgot, lost track of time like crazy, and didn't remember to spotlight this book until a couple days ago.

So here we are.

Allow me to introduce to y'all the first book in the Lost Stones of Argonia series, the novel Jill Williamson called "absorbing" and Melanie Dobson praised as "brilliant," the award-winning debut novel of Dawn Shipman...

Kingdom Lost.

about the book

A Kingdom in Chaos. A Merciless Enemy. A Desperate Quest.

Heat radiated from the gem against her palm, and like a burning ember, the opal stone glowed red.

At seventeen, Princess Lyric rides a horse better and faster than do any of her father’s prized knights. She knows how to dance at the palace balls, how to flirt with the guards, and how to cajole the king into giving her almost anything.

But she’s never learned that non-human, intelligent beings—some of them savage—live in her world. She doesn’t know the gem in her necklace is far more than a family heirloom. And she doesn’t realize the visiting prince who has come to court her wants much more than her hand in marriage.

Overnight, her kingdom is torn from her and her only option is to run. Accompanied by a maidservant and a handsome lieutenant in her father’s palace guard, she must learn to fight, to lead, and to trust those at her side—human or not. If she doesn’t, she won’t live long enough to reclaim her throne.

snag your copy about the author

Dawn Shipman is an award-winning author whose fantasy stories bristle with believable characters fighting fierce battles in strange worlds. Dawn makes her home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where she lives with her long-haired IT-guy husband, a gregarious German Shepherd, two disdainful cats, and four horses--two large ones and two very small, (but mighty) ones!

Connect with her on her website here, where you can download and read a free prequel story!

OKAY Y'ALL. That cover? GORGEOUS. The blurb? INTRIGUING. The princess' name??? FANTASTIC!!! (Seriously. Who wouldn't wanna be named Lyric???)

I dunno about y'all, but I already cannot wait to read this book or the sequel, coming sometime this year!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#bookspotlight #yafiction #fantasy #romance #youngadultfiction

Daylight Anniversary Sale!

Wow, you guys. It has nearly been a year since my last fiction release, since my first official book launch, since the twentieth anniversary of 9/11.

How time has flown.

For my newbs, last September, I released a 9/11 short story by the name of Daylight, inspired by the catastrophic events of 9/11 and a song called "Sky is Falling" by Lifehouse (y'all can give it a listen here).

This story was such an experience, and not only for me but for (I hope) my readers as well. If you'd like to learn more about the inspiration behind the story, how we honored 9/11 last year, and read an unreleased epilogue and a first-draft peek at the sequel (Something Bright and Beautiful), y'all check out the tour posts here (schedule in the post)!

If you have yet to read this little tale (and by little, I mean 5k words...you could literally read it in a sitting), then today is your lucky day! For Daylight is officially $0.99 on Kindle and completely FREE on Nook, Kobo, and other platforms!

This sale lasts from Sept. 9 (today) to Sept. 12, and after that, the price goes back up to $1.99.

ALSO, strangely enough, Amazon has discounted the print version of Prisoner at Heart from $15 to only $9.46! That's over five dollars cheaper! Now, I don't know how long this discount will last, so y'all better hurry and snag a copy while you can!

Already read these books? Then please share the sales with your friends and family who haven't! You can send them the link to this post, or share the graphics below on social media! Thank y'all!

May we always remember and never forget the events that happened on 9/11, and may this story remind us all of God's sovereignty throughout all our trials and travails.

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#daylight #nineeleven #shortstory #sale #discount #prisoneratheart #bookiversary #anniversary

Marketing Q&A Pt. 1: Social Media Marketing

Y'all, oh y'all, oh y'all! I am SO excited for this new Q&A series! Marketing is actually super fun and interesting to me (*coughs* it's literally in my blood, so...), and so I have had such a fantastic time reading and answering y'all's questions!

I think these answers are a little less rambling and a lot more applicable than the answers to y'all's romance questions, thank the Lord, so hopefully this post will provide osme insight and assistance for y'all as you market your books, author brand, and side hustles!

NOW, I did divide up the questions by subject - so one or two of your questions may be answered in this post but others are. I wanted to make these posts more concise and conclusive rather than chaotic, so I selected all the social media questions to answer for this post!

Branding and pre- and post-launch preparation/advertising are next, so those answers are coming soon, don't worry!

Thank y'all SO much for sending in y'all's amazing questions! If y'all have any more to add, the form is at the bottom of this post! Happy reading! *winks*

virginia's questions

I always feel awkward about promoting or like I'm nagging. Do you have any suggestions to make self-promoting more natural?

Marketing question of the century. To be frank, authors/entrepreneurs fall into one of three categories: the “I didn’t know they’d written a book” category, the “Oh my gosh, shut up about your book” category, and the “I am so invested in this person’s writing journey” category.

Wanna guess which one you should be in?

The categories are honestly pretty self-explanatory.

If you never share about your book, never mention it, never actually launch it into the world, people will never know. Seriously.

But if every. single. piece. of content you put out is about your book, you’re gonna annoy people. A lot. I follow several hundred people on Instagram…but, to be honest, I only know a couple authors who are in this category, who literally only ever post about their book(s).

And it’s not necessarily how much they post…it’s what they post.

Which brings me to the last category. The trick is not how much or how little you share, it’s what you share. You want to draw your followers not to your purchase link, but into the story. Into the journey. Into the process. Into your life. No, you do not have to do a daily vlog (please don’t), but every piece of content should invest your follower in what you do. It should have value for them.

In marketing, we have something called a value proposition, and it is literally the simplest thing ever. It’s one sentence that explains why your product is valuable to your customer.

And once you have your value proposition, you have the core of your entire marketing strategy. It’s that simple, yet that important.

So ask yourself: why should people read my book? Why should they care? Why is it important? What does what I have to say matter to them? How can I give something to my followers rather than just take their money?

Business is a trade. The customer provides payment, the seller provides a necessity, a form of satisfaction, entertainment, whatever. But you can’t expect people to pay if you don’t actually offer them anything.

So what are you offering?

Are you offering a beacon of hope and light? An escape from tough times? A moment of peace and quiet? Wisdom and wit? A new perspective?

Think about it. Solidify it in your mind. Then capitalize on it.

Remember that delivering that offering—that value—to your customer is your single most important goal as a marketer. Even if you’re doing it for profit or fame or whatever, if the customer walks away from your book with that offering in hand and is completely satisfied with their purchase, then you have completed your goal.

So, what exactly does valuable, investment-oriented content look like? I’m glad you asked!

When you’re trying to offer your followers something, DON’T:

Always point them to a purchase link Be overly confident Be short and impersonal (like a commercial) Post only about your book

A post that reads “Order Held Captive, the most amazing pirate book you’ll ever read, by Grace A. Johnson through the link in her bio for only $9.99!” isn’t going to convert your followers into readers/buyers. Chances are they’ll like your post and scroll right on by—especially if this post is one of many—because this reads like a generic, heartless (and false) advertisement.

You’ve got to convince your followers that they really need to read your book—not because of how wonderful it is (although I’m sure it is), but because your work means something to them.

So, DO:

Bring them into the creative process Share details about your story Interact with followers Mix things up

Whether you share behind-the-scenes or fun facts or character art or what, try going beyond the traditional “buy this” message and actually immerse your followers into the world of your book. Interact with them on your posts and their posts to actually establish a relationship with them (and assure them you’re human), because people are much more likely to support someone they know as opposed to some random author person who pops up in their feed from time to time.

And mix things up! Instead of prompting them to buy, prompt them to subscribe or enter to win or comment below—any kind of call to action that generates engagement. Instead of posting books, books, books, share about something you’ve learned recently, your favorite tunes to read/write to, what you did over the weekend, interesting things you learned while researching. No, you don’t have to share all about your personal life (not a good idea), but do be personal and fun and unique and creative. Give them a glimpse into who you are, what you do, and why you do it!

When your focus switches from creating customers to creating relationships, you’ll find that translating into what you post and how you post it!

I recently splurged and bought books (mainly) because of Instagram. #instagrammademebuyit *coughs*

Not because an ad prompted me to or because the author said “buy this,” but because I grew to love the characters, came to know the author, fell in love with the premise and aesthetic. I experienced the book before I even read it, and that is what’s gonna get followers to buy/read your book.

Let them experience it and see just why they do need to read it, to become a part of your storyworld. You can do that through your posts or even a freebie, giveaway, or sneak peek—or just by being a fun, unique individual your followers come to love!

What are the best social media platforms to use?

(Just to heads-up everyone, I have Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, and Pinterest—that’s it. There are many other platforms that are probably amazing for book marketing, so this is just from my personal experience.)

That honestly depends on your goals and how much time/effort you’re willing to put into it.

If you’re looking to create a community of readers (not necessarily buyers, although there will be some) who will encourage you, beta-read for you, join your street team, share about your books, etc., then I’d go with Goodreads. It’s not a traditional social media platform, as it’s tailored specifically to readers/authors, but it is an amazing tool. It’s pretty low-maintenance in that all you have to do is set up your profile and rate whatever book you’ve read, but if you intend to actively market on it, it can be pretty high-maintenance, between reviewing and joining groups and whatnot.

They also offer advertising tools and opportunities for authors, but those cost money, of course, and I’ve yet to part with my meager savings to test them out. *winks*

If you’re looking to build your platform and following, develop meaningful relationships that will benefit you in the future, and just get your name out there…Instagram. So far, I haven’t noticed a climb in sales or anything since joining back in April, but I have seen a lot of growth and I’ve connected with people I otherwise wouldn’t have, and I’ve encountered a lot of opportunities and gotten my name “out there.” For the most part, to get any real benefits out of the Instagram, it’s pretty high-maintenance.

They too offer ads, and you can utilize Instagram for sponsored posts and brand representation, but again. Money. *sighs*

If you’re looking to put out dense content (i.e., lots of words) and find a support group, Facebook is your best bet. For me personally, I haven’t noticed much benefit out of it at all…but I also don’t put a lot of time into actively marketing on it. It is pretty low-maintenance in terms of what you do, but how you do it can get more effortful and time-consuming. That said, if you work with it, you can get something out of it! Just keep in mind that most of the active members on FB are a little older, so your YA and middle-grade readers/writers are gonna be on Instagram. Even Facebookers seem to be more active on IG.

Again, there are ad opportunities. I tested the FB ad campaign out, with poor results. *sobs* So I wouldn’t recommend it.

Now, I have never used TikTok or YouTube has an author; HOWEVER, I know and have witnessed people really explode on these platforms. YouTube is really valuable for credibility and pouring back into the community (if you’re sharing quality content, of course), and is great for advertising, and TikTok has its own little community for authors, where many of today’s popular novels have gained HUGE traction. So if you play your cards right, you can really make it on some of these platforms!

(I personally recommend Bethany Atazadeh on YouTube. She is phenomenal.)

In my experience, Goodreads and Instagram (and my blog, of course) have been the best. Again, though, it’s all about your goals and how much work (and time and money) you’re willing to put into it. I’m very low-maintenance and try to be organic, so for me to see results says something. *winks*

I recommend trying things out, giving each platform your best shot, just to see how well it does! And it’s really all dependent upon who you connect with and how you interact on the platform, so be intentional about what you do, share, and say!

issabelle's questions

Which social platform (i.e. Goodreads, facebook/instagram, blog, etc.) would you say has been the most beneficial for marketing books?

As I told Virginia, each platform has different goals and tools, so there’s really no “best” or “one size fits all” option. However, in my experience, I’ve found blogging, Goodreads, and Instagram to be some of my most beneficial platforms!

My blog really is my platform. It’s what put me out there as a debut (ish) author, what introduced me to so many amazing writers/bloggers/readers, and it’s what gets the most engagement now.

However, it’s also static, as I’m not really growing on my blog or getting new traffic. And most people are here for the content (like this post, of course) rather than actually learning more about my books for the purpose of purchasing them. Which, although it sounds like a con, I am perfectly content with! Since I don’t sell through my website, that’s no big deal, and I like to think of this as my homebase for other things, whereas…

Instagram has really gotten my name out there and received a lot more traffic/growth. There has also been a small increase in sales (for example, I make/sell about double per month than I did before I got Instagram), but I haven’t been on IG long enough to say if it’s actually good for converting followers into customers—although my theory is it is. I do feel like I’ve become more of an “actual author” since joining IG—which is crazy, I know, but there’s something about being an IG author and getting to interact with all these successful authors (like Erin Phillips, Lauren D. Fulter, Victoria Lynn, and many others) that lends to oneself a hint of credibility. *winks*

And Goodreads. Y’all, Goodreads was actually my first platform as an author, and even though it didn’t become much until after I got my website/blog, it has been a huge proponent in growing my blog and connecting with actual readers. Plus there are so many ways to make your book visible, whereas social media and blogs can be centered around so many other things.

To be quite honest, I don’t put as much time into actively marketing or really growing any of my platforms, so once I start doing that (*coughs* once I actually get the time back from wherever it flew off to), it’ll be cool to see how much has changed!

Of course, each platform is going to function differently for each author, and it does all depend on how much time and effort you put into it, but these three—my blog, Instagram, and Goodreads—have all been very beneficial to me!

Should an author post frequently?

ABSOLUTELY. I’ve noticed from the authors I follow that the less frequently they post, the less I actually remember them. *coughs* It’s the ones who post at least three times a week that I feel the most invested and interested in.

I started out posting once a day on Instagram, which actually wasn’t that hard, and my following and engagement was phenomenal. In recent months, I’ve been a lot less consistent, and my follower count has grown kinda stagnant and my engagement is pretty low.

So find a frequency/consistency that works for you and stick with it! If you sign up for a business account on IG or FB, you can actually schedule posts ahead of time, which is SUCH lifesaver!

All that said, don’t play the same track on repeat. Share new and different things. Shake things up a bit by doing a tag instead of a review, or a reel instead of a regular post. Try making a list each month of different post ideas, and you’ll find your creativity flows a lot smoother and posting is a lot easier!

How do you keep your followers engaged?

Simple. Engage with them.

And that starts in two different ways. Either post something really controversial (*coughs* not recommended for one’s mental health, but great for post engagement/stats) OR encourage your followers to share in the comments! It can be as simple as “What are your thoughts?” or as complicated as a giveaway where they have to comment to enter.

Then, of course, when you see their comment, don’t just like it and move on…start a conversation! Get to talking, bring others into the conversation, and start developing relationships with your followers!

Even though I don’t recommend posting controversial things, do post things that inspire conversations. Share your thoughts on a popular book, something you’ve learned, a piece of advice, or even ask a question instead! Just be sure that your post encourages engagement!

m.c. kennedy's question

How can you utilize social media to its full potential?

The answer is quite simple, but putting it into action is very difficult…

Put in lots of time, effort, and research; and don’t be afraid to try new things.

That’s really the brunt of it. But, most of us don’t have time and would rather put effort toward actually writing our books instead of trying to market them…

So, what are some actionable steps to enhance the amazing qualities of your social media platform of choice? Good question!

Take a tour of the platform and see what tools they offer. Make a list of the ones you want to try, what’s free, and what you want to learn more about. Observe other authors’ profiles/feeds and see what works for them. Maybe even reach out to a few and ask for their advice. What works for them may not work for you, but it will give you a great basis. Take advantage of post schedule and batching. Batching is when you create all of your content for a set period of time (two weeks, a month, three months) and schedule them ahead of time. Whether it’s a series of book reviews, cover reveals, or writing snippets, try preparing your posts when you have time and scheduling them for when you won’t. Find a frequency that suits you. Not everyone can commit to posting every single day—so find what times and days work for you. What time is best for you to sit down and work on a post? What time is best for you to share it? How often a week? How much? How long? Ask yourself these questions and review your current lifestyle to see what works best for you—and stick with it! Consistency is not posting every single day of every single year—it’s not even posting often or a lot—it’s simply sticking to the schedule you set for yourself, however that may look! Set goals and make plans. Have a goal in mind every month or every quarter or every year (whatever works for you) of what you want to do and get out of your social media. Reach 1k followers? Turn 100 followers into customers? Post 50 times? Whatever it is, make sure you know what you’re doing…and tailor everything to that. Otherwise, you end up with a chaotic, ineffective mess. Be authentic. Being fake or like a commercial defeats the whole purpose of social media. It’s there for you to share a piece of yourself—who you are, what you do, what you love. So do that! Don’t be afraid to have fun and let your personality shine through, rather than feel confined to a set of boring “buy this” posts written in a stilted voice. Build relationships. Again, the purpose of social media is to, well, socialize! And for someone who’s antisocial, I love chatting (when I have time) with friends new and old on social media! Whether you slide into someone’s DMs or just start commenting on and sharing another creator’s posts or start a conversation with one of your followers, try to actually build meaningful, lasting relationships with the people you interact with! Pick the platform that’s right for you. Some of us just hate pictures. Others hate long captions. Some of us would rather talk to the camera. Others are fine to never show their face. Whatever your goals and preferences are and what makes you comfortable needs to influence which platform you put the most effort into! Not everything is going to work for you like it does for Leigh, Nora, and Danielle, so find what does work and pour into that! Experiment. I don’t recommend spending gobs of money on experiments, but do try new (and inexpensive) things! Whether that’s a reel for the first time or a poll in your stories or a giveaway on your blog, experiment with all that you can do to see what really is the most beneficial! Reuse your content. Post an old blog post on Facebook. Create a tweet in your blog post. Share your newsletter on Instagram. Host a giveaway on Facebook where entrants need to check out your IG. Create pins and infographics from other posts to share on Pinterest. The options are endless when it comes to repurposing your content, cross-posting across multiple platforms, and sharing it all over! Don’t feel pressured to write or design something new and different for everything—just reuse old posts or share them on multiple platforms!

I could go on, I feel like, but I’ll stop here. Y’all give these tips a try and see what happens! *winks*

kristina's question

How do I get more Instagram followers?

I actually wrote down thirteen tips and tricks for growing your Instagram (aka, getting more followers) a couple months ago, so I’mma drop the link to that doc below! There’s a lot that can be said on this topic, but everyone has to start somewhere, and I think this is the perfect place to begin! *winks* Getting followers who will stick around, engage with, and benefit from your content actually starts at the root of your account, so make sure you have a great foundation before anything else!

Growing Your Instagram: 13 Easy Tips & Tricks

Have questions? Drop them HERE! I can't wait to share more about marketing!

Have advice? Now, that goes in the comments! What social media platforms have worked best for you? How did you grow your following? How often do you post? Let us know in the comments! *grins*

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#marketing #qanda #marketingqanda #publishing #forauthors #marketingforauthors #socialmedia #socialmediaforauthors #marketingadvice #marketingtips #socialmediamarketing

Review: The Sugar Baron's Governess by Elva Cobb Martin

Stars: 3.5

Synopsis: Widow Abigail Welch has journeyed from Charleston, South Carolina to Jamaica for a fresh start as a governess for a sugar plantation owner, Mr. Joshua Beckett. But when her voyage is disrupted by pirates, and she’s “rescued” by a mysterious Captain Jay, Abigail discovers her new life may be fraught with more danger—and romance—than she realized.

What I Loved: Naturally, I loved being transported back to Jamaica during era of revolutions, rebellions, and roving seamen. Gotta love pirate—excuse me, privateer books, am I right?

The setting was portrayed well, although I felt like the story didn’t afford much time for dwelling on the setting itself (I’ll get to that later, though). And I loved the tidbits of history and culture—like the Maroons—sprinkled throughout! Speaking of culture, slavery was handled so well, in my opinion! No blatant hate toward slave owners, no disregard for the slaves themselves—the perfect balance. Plus the inclusion of Isaiah, a freedman who owned slaves himself, was so nice to have! Many people forget—or simply don’t know—how many people of color (especially women of color) owned slaves of various ethnicities in the Caribbean and beyond.

The writing was also well-done—vivid but with simple descriptions. Perfectly balanced for every reader to enjoy.

Of course, my favorite part was the authentic faith woven in! The redemption arc could’ve used some work (again, more on that in a bit), but the themes and messages were lovely, and the Christian content was subtle but natural!

Also, I know y’all are wondering...what did I think of Abigail and Joshua? Well, first things first: Abigail wasn’t annoying or obnoxious or constantly undermining everyone’s authority and causing conflict. What breath of fresh air!

However...

What I Didn’t Love: I personally felt like Abigail didn’t have much personality—and there were times where she seemed more like a naïve debutante than a mature widow/mother, which caused some head shaking on my part.

As for Joshua, I wanted so desperately to like him! A prodigal son turned privateer and plantation owner? Sounds perfect, if you ask me! But unfortunately, I felt like his character wasn’t fully developed, and as much as I love a good redemption arc, it wasn’t as fleshed out as I would’ve like either. Had Joshua been given more page time and we could’ve seen more of who he was and how he thought and what he did, I think it would’ve been lovely! As it is, it was rather rushed.

In fact, I feel like there was a lot of the story that was rushed—especially the ending—and certain things I wanted to see were just brushed over. Like Abigail teaching and caring for Jade. Or Joshua being piratey. Or him becoming a true father to his daughter. Things like that, which would’ve given the story more character and life.

On that note, because there wasn’t a lot of build-up, there were incidents that felt anti-climatic as well, and characters like Mark and Lady Harcourt seemed more like plot devices than meaningful, developed characters.

Long Story Short: All of that said, there were some great minor characters, lovely themes, and intriguing premises in The Sugar Baron’s Governess! I know readers of the previous books in the series will love seeing Joshua redeemed—and new readers like myself will be pulled into the story regardless of being new to the series! Had it simply been longer and more developed, it would’ve been perfect!

Fans of MaryLu Tyndall (especially the Pirate Earl, who also led two lives *winks*) will love this story, and readers of historical romance and pirate novels will certainly enjoy it! I personally would like to give the earlier books a try and see what I think of Marisol, Ethan, Samuel, and John’s stories!

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author through Celebrate Lit Publicity. All opinions expressed are my own.

about the book

She needs a new start…He knows a reckoning is coming.

Banished from Charleston for his misdeeds years earlier, Joshua Becket built a new life on both sides of the law in Jamaica. As sugar plantation owner and member of the governing British Assembly, he’s known and respected on the island. But he guards a secret identity. As swashbuckling Captain Jay, he leads daredevil privateering exploits on his ship, the Eagle, when the mood suits him. Currently, he needs a governess for his young daughter whose mother has passed.

Widowed gentlewoman Abigail Welch accepted the governess position, leaving behind her disintegrated life in Charleston. This new start in Jamaica might finally help her find healing for her broken heart after losing her husband in the Revolution and their infant son to yellow fever.

Joshua’s precocious, undisciplined daughter is the drawing card that brings him and Abigail together like clashing cymbals of disagreement…and fiery attraction. Can love and the miracle power of God give them a new beginning and a happily ever after?

The Sugar Baron's Governess is a Christian historical romance that released August 23rd, 2022.

snag your copy about the author

Elva Cobb Martin is a wife, mother, and grandmother who lives in South Carolina with her husband and a mini-dachshund. A life-long student of history, her favorite city, Charleston, inspires her stories of romance and adventure. Her love of writing grew out of a desire to share exciting stories of courageous characters and communicate truths of the Christian faith to bring hope and encouragement. Connect with her on her web site at www.elvamartin.com.

a word from the author

I had an amazing thing happen when first beginning The Sugar Baron’s Governess. My precious husband had booked a week for us in a comfortable condo at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to help me concentrate on my plotstorming—without the “do me” call of our vacuum, washing machine, or phone calls when at home. Of course, he likes to fish from a pier while I’m writing.

The first morning I sat at the kitchen table overlooking the Atlantic, with my laptop, researching Jamaica and especially the historic Maroon settlement of warriors and escaped slaves in the mountains that could play a part in my story. I was also praying for the Lord to help get a good start on this fourth novel in my series. Should I even be including the fierce Maroons in my plot?

A knock came at the door. I had requested no room service, so I was surprised to be interrupted. When I answered it, a black male employee asked if we needed any cleaning done or fresh linens. I almost gave him a short answer, wanting to get back to my laptop, but my ear discerned a British accent. –Here’s our amazing conversation:

“Where are you from?”

“Jamaica.”

I opened the door wide and invited him in. “That’s most interesting. I’m writing a novel set in Jamaica.”

His eyes widened. “You are?”

“Yes, in fact,” I gestured to my laptop, “I’m right now researching a group of warriors in historic Jamaica, called the Maroons. Know anything about them?”

His mouth fell open. “I’m a descendant of the Maroons.”

I got a tingling chill up my arm. How likely was this kind of thing to happen? He further told me he never worked the 15th floor but for whatever reason, had been assigned our floor that day. He told me was a Christian, and he shared several things with me about the Maroons and how they finally won their independence and rights the British government of Jamaica had long withheld. At times, because of their desperate existence, they did hurtle down from their mountain strongholds and burn sugar plantations, as history records.

I decided I had a definite confirmation to include the Maroon warriors in my Jamaican story. They are instrumental in convincing my hero Joshua Becket to turn back to God when his life and plantation are sorely threatened. Whoops, there I go giving away some of the story! Hope you enjoy Joshua and Abigail’s exciting, romantic adventure in Jamaica. Can they survive and make it back to Charleston and a happily ever after?

the tour

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 23

Texas Book-aholic, August 24

For Him and My Family, August 25

deb’s Book Review, August 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 27

Inklings and notions, August 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 30

Connie’s History Classroom, August 31

Holly’s Book Corner, August 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 1

Betti Mace, September 2

Pause for Tales, September 3

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, September 4

Beauty in the Binding, September 5 (Author Interview)

Of Blades and Thorns, September 5

Y'all! Wasn't Mrs. Martin's story about the condo employee and the Maroons AMAZING?! It just goes to show how God really does care about our stories and He certainly answers our prayers!

Y'all be sure to check out the other posts in the tour (they're all available since I'm the last one to go up), and don't forget - with every Celebrate Lit tour, there's sure to be an epic giveaway!!

This time, Mrs. Martin's giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner! Y'all can enter HERE, and gain more entries by commenting on all the tour posts! May the odds be ever in your favor, mon amies!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#historicalfiction #historicalromance #romance #review #bookreview #blogtour #celebratelit #giveaway #christianfiction #pirates #pirateromance #piratefiction #privateers

Welcome to September! (August Wrapup + September Goals)

Y'ALLLLL. IT'S ALMOST FALLLLL.

(Yes, the rhyme was intentional. *winks*)

I dunno about y'all, but DADGUM has time flown! I'll be "graduating" from "college" (quotes because I'm only getting a certification from tech school, but it kinda counts) next month. And HOPEFULLY Bound and Determined will release very, very soon!

(Yes, I have a BAD update.)

(Yes, I'll move on so y'all can find out what it is.)

(Yes, that photo to the right is indicative of an oncoming photo dump. I was overdue.)

what i did last month

Well, last month, I decided not to lock myself into anything—just to finish my three editing projects, start back to school, and plan the cover reveal for TMYLM. WELL...I did just that! I finished my two client projects AND finished my semi-final round of edits for BAD, and I started my last class (so far, so good!), and I would’ve worked on the cover reveal, except that we’re still working on edits…

I also wrote five loooong posts for my romance Q&A and wrote a few short installments for my Instagram serial (which I will probably discontinue and either migrate to my blog or just work on every now and then). I probably did a few other things...but I can’t remember, and I’m too lazy to find out.

OH! I did open submissions for two AMAZING contests with Sky’s the Limit Press—one for flash fiction and one for writing articles—and extended the submissions period for our cover photo contest! Y’all check those out!

I also ran a short story contest, and I posted the winning stories by , Nicole, and Abigail here on the blog!

this month’s goals

Naturally, I want to survive school...and I want to get BAD on its way to publication...and I wanna finish my beta-reading project...and another editing/proofreading project I have...and I want to get edits wrapped up for TMYLM. Otherwise, I think that covers it!

I do have a special surprise at the end, so y’all make sure you check out my follower updates!

monthly progress

Like I said, maybe a couple thousands words for my serial, The Captain. Otherwise, nothing much.

reading highlights

I didn’t quite read as much as I’d wanted to, but more than I’d expected to...so I guess we’re good. *shrugs*

Unworthy by Vanessa Hall. A high-stakes romantic suspense about an ex-ballet dancer, a redeemed socialite, and with lots of armwrestling! The Sugar Baron’s Governess by Elva Cobb Martin. A lawyer-turned-pirate/plantation owner falls in love with his daughter’s governess...and in the process finds God? Sounds right up my alley, eh? My review goes live on the 5th!top blog posts Romance Q&A Pt. 3: Kisses, Chemistry, & Why I Write Romance Strike Out Challenge The Remarkable Blogger Challenge (and a secret surprise)guest appearances

Remember that short story I mentioned writing for Joelle Stone’s prompt? Well, you can read it here! And make sure to check out the other installments while you’re at it!

follower updates

So, my romance Q&A has gone over SO WELL (like, amazing...way better than I’d expected), so I thought, why not do another Q&A? I was torn between a pirate Q&A and a general writing Q&A when I remembered all the writers who’ve told me how much they hate marketing and how many people have asked for my marketing tips!

Naturally, I had to run off and make a form.

So here we are! If you have ANY questions AT ALL about marketing, what it is, what it looks like, how to success at it, ask away! Not only have I done my own marketing and am learning more about it through my personal experiences, I’m currently studying small business marketing and will be certified in October! So I’m a semi-authority. *winks* Can’t wait to read y’all’s questions and share my answers!

Now, don’t tell me I’m the only one who’s pulled out the pumpkin spice! Are y’all ready for fall? What will your autumn look like? How did your summer go? Have you started back to school? Lemme know all about it in the comments!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#monthlyupdates #monthlygoals #welcometoseptember #marketingqanda #qanda #readinghighlights #followerupdates #flashfiction #guestappearances #monthlyprogress #boundanddetermined #progressreport #langstonisadorable #dontyoulovehim #hesapeanut #literallyapeanutcactus #ithink #accordingtogoogleheis

Romance Q&A Pt. 5: Comedy, Romance Movies, & Unintended Romance

Well...there are a few painful confessions in this bunch of questions! Who knows what hard truths you might learn about yours truly!

Seriously, though, I had to put some thought into these! Y'all asked some tough questions, and I hope I did them justice! (And didn't ramble too much...as per usual.)

saraina's question

What are your tips for pulling off non-cheesy romantic comedies (or just including those elements in stories)?

Ha. Ha ha ha.

Um. Saraina.

I suck at comedy (pardon my language). Like, I literally can’t consciously write a comedy to save my life. *sobs*

Keyword: consciously.

No one can write anything convincingly when they’re in their head–but if you just focus on being natural and authentic, you can pull almost anything off.

So let’s take a look at the three most common kinds of comedy in novels: comedy of errors, wit, and humor.

Comedy of errors/comedic situations: To be honest, I feel like this one is either insanely cheesy or insanely good. Balancing the wacky plots and cringe-worthy faux pas with loveable characters and a believable storyline can be difficult. So my advice is to be subtle–don’t push for over-the-top premises or crazy characters. Just be natural. Create characters who are competent, but also have their flaws. Create situations that are realistic, but just don’t fit the character well (thereby causing them to make a few hilarious mistakes).

And if you plan on doing a comedy of errors or having a comedic plot, just stick with one plotline and make the most of it! Don’t feel like you have to throw in eighty-five comedic elements when your one character or situation is more than enough.

Witty repartee/banter: It may not seem like much, but Hollywood’s Golden Age comedies and classic satire novels used clashes of wit and will to create some of the best comedies ever. Instead of laugh-track comedy, try some sophisticated wit. This works best for historical fiction and romance, because it’s built off of strong chemistry and character dynamics, and it also seems more authentic and natural!

Plus, I’m a sucker for witty banter.

When it comes to creating witty character interactions, it starts with–you guessed it–the characters! Create characters who are startlingly different and are practically forced to work together, and don’t let an opportunity for them to butt heads pass you by!

Humor: The classic hilarious comments that get everyone in the audience laughing–even when there’s no one in the audience. *winks* The thing about humor is that a little goes a long way, and not everyone should be responsible for the laughable remarks. Pick a character or two for comic relief, and don’t forget your grumpy sarcastic one to provide them with fodder. Set up a couple running jokes or inside remarks even readers will catch on to. The point is to get the readers to laugh, after all!

Which means even if your story isn’t inherently funny, as long as your readers are cracking up, you’ve done something right!

In my experience, I have a little bit of all three. I have situations where characters are forced to do things they otherwise wouldn’t–and fumble the whole way through. I have snarky characters and comic reliefs. I have some wit and banter that keeps things lively. But I don’t ever sit down and make a conscious effort to be funny–I just can’t. I rely on Rina’s commentary mostly to keep the ball rolling. *winks*

On that note, having a unique character who puts a different spin on pretty much everything always helps with humor! Like I said, it’s the readers who should laugh, so use narrative to your advantage by employing your characters’ unique voices throughout!

And that’s all I’ve got. Maybe one day I’ll learn how to write a full-blown romcom. For now, I’ll just let Rina have fun and hope my readers have the same sense of humor.

What are the most romantic scenes you've watched from movies?

Oh, goodness. Believe it or not, I don’t really watch a lot of romance movies. NOT for lacking of wanting to, though. I just…live with a lot of guys and kids. So the most romance I get is Peter and MJ.

Which, to be fair, isn’t all that bad. Romantic subplots in action movies, I mean. Peter and MJ (the Sam Raimi version, that is) are kinda cringe.

Let’s seeeeee…

Pretty much any scene in Pride and Prejudice (2005). From the hand flex to the declaration of love…gah. So beautiful.

I’d like to mention a scene or two from Gone with the Wind, but omgosh did Rhett and Scarlett have the most volatile relationship. I adore them, but yeesh. They’re not great examples of romance.

,THIS SCENE from Signed, Sealed, Delivered. Actually, any scene with Shane and Oliver is just FULL of romantic angst, and I love it. But this scene in particular.

And can I say the entire Thanksgiving date with Rocky and Adrian? Like…they are so adorable and precious and I love them. The most fumbling, bumbling, cringe-worthy anything…and yet so sweet. *sighs*

(Guys, I am literally racking my brain right now for romantic scenes. Wtheck, y’all. I can think of a few scenes from TV shows, but omword I have apparently only seen like two romance movies in my life. *groans* I mean, I’ve watched my fair share of Hallmark, but that doesn’t cut it for me. And the Jane Austen movies I’ve seen–P&P not included–have been more romance vibes than romance scenes.)

I give up.

I need romance movie recs, people. Please. Save me.

Do you let any of your siblings read your romance stories?

Oh, man. Wow. First off, none of my siblings like to read. Second, most of them are under the age of ten, so…yeah.

My sister has read my published books, but I may have had to bribe her to do so.

Maybe the babies will grow up to love reading and enjoy romance–if not, I may have to resort to extortion.

How do you decide when the first kiss and/or declaration of love will happen for your characters?

I don’t. I used to have this subconscious idea of when-ish each should occur–in my early days as a writer, it was a kiss scene within the last fourth of the book, a declaration of love right at the end. Suffice it to say, as neat as that wrapped up the story, it made for a very long middle and a lot of emotional back-and-forth. *sighs*

Then, in the Held Captive days, I was into the idea of having a kiss (more consequential than out of affection) early on and a declaration of love in the last fourth. It does work and can be very beneficial to have an early first kiss…but you have to be wise about it.

So in comes Prisoner at Heart and Bound and Determined. PAH’s romance timeline was a little easire to work with, very cut-and-dry, and quite similar to HC. They kissed–accidentally–early on, moved on from that, then started to develop true feelings for each other and kissed purposefully this time, and admitted their love close to the end. To be honest, I had so few scenes between Elliot and Crimson that I really didn’t put much thought into how their relationship unfolded. It was almost more of a sideplot, to be honest.

Which was *chef’s kiss*. It made their relationship more emotional and natural, and it helped the story flow well.

As for BAD, it is SUCH a long book that the pacing is quite off. So even though Keat and Daisy don’t kiss until, like, twenty-eight chapters into the story, that’s still in the first third (ish) of the book. And there is no “declaration of love” scene, and there are certain things that happen a little earlier than usual in most romances.

SO, case in point, lately, as I write these monumental moments in romances, I’ve begun to pay more attention to (1) my characters and (2) the flow of the story. If my character wouldn’t flat-out say “I love you,” they aren’t going to. If my characters are the sort that would kiss without any real feeling behind it, they will. And if my story needs to focus more on the plot in the first half than the romance, it will. If my story needs to wrap up the romance before the official end of the book, it will.

When it comes to writing a book that’s a romance and something else (like with mine), following a specific timeline or structure is pointless. That romantic subplot is going to come in earlier or later or end sooner or later than the main plot–and that’s perfectly all right. Go with the flow.

And if you do find that you wrote a scene you shouldn’t have, or you didn’t write a scene you needed, you can always go in and change things!

So, basically, I just try to listen to my characters and let them guide me through the story! And, believe me, they will. There’s one moment in BAD that I NEVER planned, but am so glad Keaton put into motion!

joelle's question

What do you do when romance comes in to your book AND IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE?!!?

The answer is in the question, my dear! If the romance has entered your story all on its own, it is supposed to be there. I know, I know. It’s such an inconvenience and something you absolutely despise and it doesn’t fit the idea you had in mind and now you’ll have to rewrite this–

But guess what?

You just surpassed a level of writerly awesomeness a lot of us haven’t yet. You made it to the place where you are so immersed in your story and characters that they’ve begun forming relationships without your permission!

(Y’all, I am such a strict mother that none of my characters are allowed to have relationships without my permission. I have literally never had this happen to me, where a romance sprang up where one wasn’t planted. I have to plan them out every time.)

So, first off, savor that, girl. Savor it.

Secondly, if it is absolutely natural for your characters to start falling in love, why would you cut that off? It’d be the same as forcing them to fall in love when they didn’t want to, you know?

So if they have natural chemistry and are working together like peaches and cream, I wouldn’t be letting that opportunity pass you by any time soon.

Now, say you take the bull by the horns and run with it…what the heck are you gonna do if you’ve never written a romance before in your life?

Boy howdy, have I got news for you!

If that chemistry I mentioned can just start sizzling all on its own, and that romance starts blossoming without you trying, then don’t feel like you have to put a ton of work into it! Just go with the flow. Let your characters and the natural progression of your story have control, and–to paraphrase William Faulkner–you just mosey on along behind it and jot down what’s goin’ on!

If you get too trigger-happy and jump the gun on the romance, you’ll end up in that same place of forcing it. Take things slow and steady and subtle!

And like I said above in my answer to Saraina’s question, if the story and characters call for lots of kisses and mushy confessions of love, go for it! But, if all that’s required is one tender moment, even better! Just because you’ve got a romantic subplot doesn’t mean you have to dump a whole ton of gush into your story! I can literally count on one hand how many scenes Elliot and Crimson have being romantic with each other in PAH, and I mentioned once that Keaton and Daisy are only alone together 20% of the time in BAD, and most of that’s them arguing!

It’s quality over quantity, my peeps. *winks*

ava's question

I enjoy writing very much, but seem to have trouble with writing romance. I feel like whenever I write it, it seems cheesy. I guess my question here is how to make the romance feel more natural? Like, how to make it flow better. Transitions between characters’ feelings and what they're doing, then moving on to another topic....all that. If that makes sense. Because the last thing I want my writing to come across as forced. I don't want my romances (which are usually just side plots) to seem forced or weird or unnatural. Are there any tips you could possibly share with me?

Makes perfect sense, Ava! I know forced, weird, and unnatural pretty much described my first romances to a T. *coughs* So let’s start at the root of the problem, shall we?

Forced relationships are usually the result of no chemistry. If your characters have no chemistry, there won’t be any bickering, bantering, or emotion in their interactions. It’ll be quick small talk or rehearsed lines instead of natural conversations peppered with inside jokes, knowing looks, and genuine feelings.

Here are some tips to increase the chemistry between your characters:

Pay attention to your characters’ differences and commonalities, even if that means making a Venn Diagram. Have fun with comedic situations, funny encounters, banter, and arguments—you can cut out what’s fluff later and keep what contributes to development! Learn about romance tropes and figure out which one(s) fit your characters—that’ll help guide the direction of their romance and give you examples to refer back to. Develop your characters’ relationship/background without their romance—whether that’s in an outline, prologue/prequel, or through backstory. Take a few scenes to just enhance their relationship, through conversations, collaboration, and more, without throwing in kisses and mushy speeches.

If none of these seem to help, you may have paired the wrong characters! Try revamping your characters’ personalities (which will alter the characters’ dynamic; more on that later), giving your main character a different love interest, or inventing new characters entirely!

Weird love stories are typically due to unrealistic situations. Sometimes you can get away with the weird and zany or with different, unique settings and storylines. But if you feel like your romance is just a little too strange, do some research and observe real life! Maybe the relationship seems unrealistic (like a romance between step-siblings or an age-gap romance), or the premise isn’t right for their relationship to blossom–but a lot of times, real life will reveal it’s not so strange after all! A historical couple could’ve been step-siblings or your grandparents could’ve met and fallen in love in a situation just like your characters! If you as the author can see your story as realistic, that will often come through in your actual writing–you’ve gotta believe it to convince your readers of it, after all!

But sometimes it’s not all in your head. Take a step back and look at your story. Are you putting too much thought into the romance? Are you pushing your characters together at every turn? Are you turning every moment into a mushy one charged with attraction? In my experience, I only ever think of a romance as “weird” if (1) the characters are totally wrong for each other in every way and don’t exhibit any traits of being in love with one another, and (2) the author is trying too hard.

DON’T! Don’t try to follow a strict set of rules or other romance books or the idea that everything has to be romantic for the story to be a romance. Just go with the flow. Be natural. You’ll often find that less is more and subtlety is key.

(Plus, it’s easier to go in and write an extra romance scene or two than cut ones you’ve already written and grown attached to. *winks*)

Unnatural romances are commonly caused by poor dynamics. Similar to chemistry, character dynamics are SO important for how your characters fit with each other and how their romance progresses. Dynamic is more like who the characters are and what their relationship looks like rather than each individual interaction. You can follow the tips for chemistry for dynamics, but I’d try digging a little deeper!

List certain aspects about your hero and heroine–their personalities, appearances, fears and dreams, occupation and goals, etc. Are there any differences? Anything that could cause conflict? Any common ground? If they seem too similar or too different, you might want to change a few things. But if you find a balance of similarities and differences, common ground and conflict, you’re on the right track! Timeline their relationship. How/when/where did they meet? Why are they together now? What obstacles do they have to overcome in their relationship? Why have they stuck it out? When did they realize they loved each other? When will one or the other “make a move”? If your timeline follows the cliche “boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl get back together and live happily ever after,” you might wanna rethink how everything transpires. But if you include a few unexpected twists, the timeline feels natural, and their relationship is woven into the plot perfectly, you’re good to go! Consider their needs/weaknesses/faults. Has your heroine suffered from unrequited love–and your hero falls for her first? Has your hero been abandoned–and your heroine is the only one who stays? Think about what they each need in a relationship–does the other character fulfill it? Are they perfect for each? (Not perfect entirely, but just exactly what God knew they needed.) If neither character truly gains anything from the relationship, or worse–one gives and the other does nothing but take–and they don’t have a positive impact on each other, you’ve got a problem. But if they fit together like puzzle pieces, and God uses them and their relationship for good, you’ve got a fantastic relationship on your hands!

Basically, what makes them different from every other guy and gal? What makes the heroine stand out to the hero, and vice versa? Why should their relationship progress into a romance and not someone else’s or the MC and a different love interest? Why do they choose to love each other above anyone else (apart from God)?

If you can start at the root of the problem, chances are you won’t have those problems. Create unique but genuine characters; establish their relationship in a realistic way; follow a natural timeline; don’t turn everything into a lovey-dovey scene; and believe it. Believe yourself that your characters are meant to be together…and you’ll be able to convince your readers of the same!

And, my number one rule, TREAT IT LIKE A RELATIONSHIP, FOR GOSH’S SAKE.

The bane of all romance writers–especially newbies–is thinking a romance is a genre, a category, a list of elements that must be included, a trope that must be rewritten exactly how it’s presented.

But guess what?

It’s not.

Romance is a relationship just like any other one, and if you can focus on letting it flow as smooth and natural as any other relationship, it will. Like I said earlier, don’t try too hard! Don’t put a lot of thought into it (until you’re editing, that is). If you want the low-down on writing romance as a relationship, check out this post ,HERE!

*sighs* Hopefully that helps, Ava! (And wasn’t too much of a ramble.) In the end, practice makes perfect! Just keep at it, and eventually you’ll find everything flowing as smooth as melted chocolate! (Trust me.)

abigail's question

So you already answered what to do when characters are pretty much opposites–but how do you build a romance when they are really similar? What if they're both grumpy? Is it bad to have romances between similar, but (definitely) not identical people?

First of all, I love this question! It’s definitely not a bad thing to have romances between similar people–at all! You may have heard “opposites attract,” but I love to counter with “like marries like.” Which is true in many ways. For a relationship–especially a marriage–to work, both partners have to have something in common. It may not be personalities or interests, but similar values and traditions. Or it may be personalities and interests, but different ideals and standards. Either way, common ground makes for a much better foundation than shifting sand!

But we’re talking about personalities right now–specifically grumpy characters (my favorites)–which leads me (back) to one of my couples…

Elliot and Crimson.

When I first outlined these two characters, I was kinda shocked by how similar they were. Sure, they were enemies, but their personalities were so much alike, and though the sources of their struggles were different, they reacted in similar ways. They were both headstrong and outspoken, personable but sarcastic, and both were always getting into trouble.

Not only did this make them butt heads all the time, it also helped unite them and gave them a great foundation for their relationship. They could understand each other and emphasize more than if they had been so different.

So, when it boils down to it, what are the steps you should take to build a romance between similar characters?

Well, I’d start by highlighting both sides–their similarities and differences. If you lean too much on their similarities, it’ll look like you were too lazy to create different characters (which *coughs* none of us are, of course)...but if you lean too much on their differences, their similarities will be lost in the muddle. Make sense? So, if you’re writing an enemies-to-lovers romance (which doesn’t have to be a full-blown they’re-trying-to-kill-each-other rivalry, just one where they don’t like each other right off the bat), start by establishing how different they are. If you’re doing friends-to-lovers (or they like each other right off the bat), showcase their similarities.

Then, as their relationship progresses, the enemies will see what they have in common, and the friends will see how they’re different–and thereby more compatible on all fronts. Make sense?

Once you enter the progression stage, establish a tangible connection. Think of it as a single moment where something shifts. Although the characters don’t have to recognize when it shifts (In the famous words of Mr. Darcy, “I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”), you as the author should be able to pinpoint a “climax” in their relationship. For Elliot and Crimson, it was that moment where Crimson opens her heart and Elliot apologizes for being selfish (*coughs* the snippet I shared ,here).

Anyway, whether it’s a confession or an argument or a rescue attempt, something needs to happen that takes them from enemies/friends/whatever to something more. And not just more in a romantic way; I mean more in platonic way too. In that they understand each other better, rely on each other, become each other’s confidant, and share something deep and meaningful.

That’s when those similarities really come into play. *winks*

Speaking of, when it comes to similarities and differences, the rule I like to go by is that they’re similar in the ways that matter–ideals, morals, values, etc.–and different in the ways that make them better. One may be physically weak but super smart; the other is very strong and of average intelligence. Or one’s an introvert, the other’s an extrovert. One’s scared and anxious, the other’s impulsive and fearless.

Balancing that is the fun part. Maybe the introvert/extrovert love the same kind of books. Maybe the smart/strong work together or have the same cause. Maybe the anxious/fearless have the same goals and dreams.

I’m rambling now, aren’t I? *chuckles* Basically, just make sure that their similarities and differences serve a purpose and build one another up–rather than just being thrown in and making it harder for the characters to connect.

Hopefully that helps! It’s just a matter of balance and making sure the characters’ qualities are authentic. Building their relationship won’t be much different than with any other types of characters!

Okay, y'all. Bring on the movie recommendations, please. And let me know - what are your tips for comedy? (Especially romantic comedy!) Has romance ever popped up where it wasn't supposed to in your story? I'd love to hear all about it!

And don't forget, if you have more questions, drop them here, and if you'd like to check out my previous posts, you can find them here, here, here, and here!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#romance #qanda #romancewriting #christianromance #passion #authenticity #characterization #development #writingtips #writingadvice #writing #subplots #repetition #romancetropes #christianwriting #romanceheroes #heroes #heroines #christianfiction #comedy #romanticcomedy #romancemovies

Third Place Winner: Reality Dust by Abigail E.

Y'all. I couldn't help myself. Abigail's story was so unique and intriguing, with such an interesting twist on this prompt. I just knew y'all would love the mystical, sci-fi twist as much as I did!

the prompt

“Breathe.” I exhale. Inhale. “Just breathe, Casey. You're fine. The world is fine. Everything is fine.” I hide my face in my hands, trying to focus on the rattle of the train around me. Familiar sounds. Real sounds. That is what reality is.

Reality is the smell of dust, and the howl of wind, and the feel of the clothes against my skin. Reality is the sound of the woman crying in the next compartment over. Reality is the small metal box in my pocket, digging into my stomach as I curl around it.

My heart rate slows. My breathing steadies. My hand moves into my pocket and clutches the box in my hand. This box is the only thing that connects me to reality.

Rule number 1: Protect the box at any cost.

I slowly lift my face to look at the train around me. Everything is normal. The train is not melting. The world is not on fire. The people are not screaming. A few of them give me curious looks, and I flicker a faint smile at them. Everything is fine.

“Miss…” A little boy approaches me timidly. “Are you alright?”

“Of course, I am.” I smile with more sincerity. “Is there something you need…?”

The boy looks down. “I…um…lost my parents.”

The faintest of ripples passes through the train cars, briefly disturbing the scene. This feels familiar. Like I’ve done this before-

My thoughts slip away.

“I think I heard them looking for you.” I stand on trembling legs and take his hand, leading him to the next compartment.

My reflection twitches in the window and I immediately duck my head back down. Don’t think about what you saw too closely.

Rule number 2: Don’t look at your reflection.

The boy gasps and immediately darts inside. The woman stops crying on the man’s shoulder. They are too distracted to notice me leaving.

My heart aches. My parents…I know I saw them get on this train. So why aren’t they here?

An idea occurs to me. Well, that’s silly- they’re in the dining car, of course.

I keep my gaze down as I open the door to my compartment and step inside. It takes far more energy than it should. I collapse into my seat and curl up, shivering.

I just have to keep going. Just have to reach the destination…I’ll surely meet my parents there. I reach for my neck…then pause…confusion reigning. What was I reaching for…it can’t be important?

Fatigue presses its fingers against my eyelids, and I feebly try to resist it. Sleep is an enemy- things always fall apart when I sleep-

Sleep catches me anyway.

I’m slammed into my seat, and my eyes flash open, fear already pulsing in my veins. I instantly jam my hand into my pocket and clutch the box. It takes one second to realize that it’s there. It takes two seconds to realize that the train isn’t moving. It takes three seconds to examine the man pinning my shoulders to the seat behind me.

“Give me the box-”

Four seconds to pop the lid of the box open.

Five seconds to take a pinch of the dust, six seconds to fling it in his face.

One second to close my eyes and the box as he recoils.

I don’t know what he sees in that moment, but the look of devastation on his face almost makes me feel sorry for him. Almost.

And then he vanishes in an explosion of dust.

I put a hand over my heart, focusing on breathing. Since when was I able to do that- I glance out the window.

My parents are in the crowd outside.

I lurch to my feet and start to run through the train. “Wait!” I scream after them.

***

“Fog! Are you alright?”

Hands swipe at me as I blearily open my eyes. The world is sliding and fuzzing around the edges. Casey had really nailed me this time. I hadn’t had time to get a word in edgewise. To explain. She had just shoved me out of her brain. Again.

“Fine.” I grunt. “I lost her again.”

Conner sighs even as he helps me to stand. “We have to get the box from her, Fog. It’s incredibly dangerous-”

“I already know all that.” I huff painfully, forcing my eyes up to his face. “Her parents never should have messed with it. But they did. And now it’s up to us to fix it all. We need to find her reality anchor, or all of this is pointless!”

***

I lost them. How could I have lost them?

I look back and forth, but the crowd shows no sign of my father’s silly adventuring hat.

I start walking determinedly. They have to be here. I’m just not seeing them.

I rub my thumb over the box nervously, trying to make a plan.

The world shifts in the corner of my vision, people vanish. My eyes are playing tricks on me again, making the world move. It makes me feel sick.

Again, I reach for my neck, and again I find nothing there.

Something isn’t right here-

I see my father’s hat out of the corner of my eye and whirl.

There they are, leaving the station at a brisk walk.

I race after them, ignoring how the people of the station flicker in my vision.

I burst onto the sidewalk and pursue my parents as quickly as I can. But no matter how fast I run I never seem to be getting closer.

I shout, but they don’t hear.

They disappear through a revolving door.

I slam into it thirty seconds later but the door sticks and won’t move. I pound my fist in the glass. It has a grainy texture to it.

I realize my mistake one moment later.

I can see my eyes reflecting in the glass. And in the reflection, I’m wearing a necklace.

My brain doesn’t process the image, and everything bursts into dust.

***

“Got her!” Conner crows triumphantly.

I nearly drop my mug of coffee.

“Where?” I peer over Conner’s shoulder at a computer screen filled with highly complex graphics. A model of a brain rotates on the screen, flashing different colors.

“Her brain patterns just spiked; something must have triggered her brain’s natural defenses.” Conner points to a glowing section of the model. “Shall I send you in?”

I pause. “What we're doing isn’t working. She’ll just nail me with the dust like she did the last twenty times. We need her reality anchor.”

Conner thinks. Glances over at the stasis tube in the corner.

“How are we going to do that?”

I set down my mug of coffee. I’ve only known Casey for two excruciatingly long days. And now I’m supposed to find something deeply meaningful to her. Something that grounds her to the truth no matter what she wants to believe.

I don’t get paid enough for this.

***

Something’s very wrong, everything is dust-

I clutch the box tighter.

The world shifts. Everything is normal. The revolving door is replaced by an automatic door that swishes open quietly. My head pulses with a headache.

I walk forward into the lobby of an incredibly familiar hotel. We stayed in room 246, didn’t we?

My thoughts scatter again. No, we haven’t stayed there yet. Why aren’t they in the lobby?

I don’t bother trying to talk to the woman behind the check-in desk. I just go to the elevator, select the correct floor and start traveling up.

Then I walk on the boring patterned carpet all hotels have. I open the door to room 246.

It’s empty.

Why aren’t they here? They’re supposed to be here!

“Casey.”

I close my eyes, fingernails digging into the box. Fatigue crushes me. It felt like I had been running for years. This box could fix everything. My parents were here-

“Casey,” the man says again.

“Just leave me alone.” I rasp. Without the door I would have already collapsed on the floor.

“I can’t, Casey.” The voice is soothing and calm. “I’m trying to help you; you just can’t see it yet.”

I slowly open the box, every movement exhausting.

“Please don’t.” The man’s voice carries an edge this time.

I pinch the dust in-between my fingers.

“Just look at me first, alright?”

I lift my tired eyes.

His eyes are soft. “You need to tell me if you feel like you're forgetting something.”

My hand almost immediately darts to my neck. I shake my head.

He looks disappointed. “All you’re seeing right now is a lie…the box is doing this to you. Give me the box and all this will stop, alright?”

Tears are falling down my cheeks. “What if,” I snarl. “I don’t want it to?” My parents are here. They have to be. I throw the dust at him and sag down to the ground sobbing.

I just want to find my parents.

***

I slam my hand down on the table so hard that my mug of cold coffee falls of and shatters on the floor. I pull the electrodes from my forehead.

“Fog are you-” Conner starts.

“No!” I yell rubbing my temples. “That didn’t work either!” I found myself staring at the stasis tube in the corner again. “How much time do we have?” She had told me nothing. If she didn’t tell me anything about her, how exactly was I going to find her reality anchor?

Conner opens his mouth and hesitates.

“Tell me.”

“…It’s progressing faster.”

I stand up, moving to brush dust from my clothes. But it’s not there. I just thought it was.

I stride to the tube.

“I don’t think-”

“I have to see.” I peer through the glass at Casey’s face underneath. I grimace. Her body seems to be…crumbling. Turning to dust, as the parasite bonds with her. The box is clutched in her hands, and dust spills from its cracks, feeding on her. Anger boils in me.

That box is possessing her, and she won’t let it go. And she has to let it go, because if we try to take it from her that would kill her too. The illusions are just a distraction to keep her mind busy.

“How long do I have?” I ask in an iron voice.

Conner sighs. “A few hours at best. Then she’ll be bonded too far, and we won’t be able to save her.”

I press my eyes closed. Then open them again looking at her face again. Something glints around her neck.

I inhale sharply. Her hand darting up to her neck-

Bless Casey’s mind for that single motion. “I found it, Conner, quick! Get this tube open-” I shout, relief filling me.

That’s the problem with this job. It always gets personal so quickly. Being in someone else’s mind, you learn things you never thought you would want to know.

I want to save this girl's life and recover the artifact…but I took this job for the people. I can’t lose someone else.

***

Everything is stretched to the breaking point. Words swirl like the dust, memories and thoughts jumbling, past, present and future conflicting, until nothing makes sense anymore. I can feel so much more, like my body is expanding, every grain of dust becoming an extension of myself.

Friend enemy, up down, safe dangerous, reflections-

If you just give me the box, I can make it stop.

That would mean giving up. I try to force my eyes open, to look harder…but I can’t.

***

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Conner mumbles nervously.

“Hand me the goggles.” I answer.

Over the years, I’ve had to do some pretty crazy things. But sending my mental self-inside of someone else’s head to try and get rid of a magical parasite? That’s new.

“If you’re there when she dies, you’ll go with her.” Conner warns.

“Good thing she won’t die then.” I tighten my hold on the silvery chain in my hand. I’m betting everything that It’s her reality anchor. And if it’s not…well, I won’t think about that.

I pull on the goggles and reapply the electrodes.

“Send me in.”

***

I can feel a presence the moment he arrives. Like a searing beacon of change. Painful. I curl around the box, even as I cry. I don’t know why, but the tears just keep coming. Confusion reigns.

My parents-

***

Just as I’d been hoping, both the goggles and the necklace come with me. They aren’t really there. But their mental equivalent is. The goggles will protect me from dust. And the necklace…well…it was a hunch. But the best hunch I have.

The illusion of the hotel bursts into dust, shamelessly attacking me, drawing blood, trying to keep me away from the host, trying to tear the necklace from my hand. I can feel it trying to throw me out again.

But this isn’t a physical fight. It’s a mental one. All this happening to me isn’t real.

And that means it’s just my will against its will.

The skin on my arms smooths, blood vanishing. This dust can’t touch me. My real body is far away from here.

The necklace is a heavy weight in my hand.

Through the dust, I can see her body, crumpled on the ground. She barely moves. I drive myself forward.

***

“No…” I rasp, fighting harder and harder even as the exhaustion grows.

I try to crawl away. But my limbs feel like lead and the fatigue is too great. I can see something flickering in his hand and try to crawl faster. Everything’s dissolving again- a woman’s hand holding the necklace- ‘you use this to remember us by’-a figure lying at the base of the sarcophagus-

“Mom…” I groan. The necklace flashes.

I recoil with a pained scream. But the necklace is drilled in my mind, more solid than everything else.

No- I will not- MY PARENTS ARE ALIVE-

I throw the dust again, trying to form my scattered thoughts to think.

The necklace- my parents- “we found something special this time honey”- “go on home”- hiding in the museum- parents- parents- my thoughts scattered, throwing thousands of distractions.

I catch a glimpse of my parents just down the hall.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” I thrash, fighting towards them.

***

The dust glances harmlessly from my goggles.

She’s too weak to even fight me. I feel pity in me, my anger flashing away. I kneel by her and clasp the necklace around her white neck.

**

I scream, dust falling from the sky and slamming into the ground, memories piercing me.

“We found something special at the site, honey. We’re going to examine it for a while. Why don’t you go home, we’ll be here all night.” Mom smiling, something concealed in a yellow plastic bag.

“You’re…not coming home?” I whisper.

“Just for a little bit, sweetheart.” Dad says, ruffling my hair. “We’ll have a pancake breakfast tomorrow to make up for it. Promise.”

But I didn’t go home. I should have gone home.

I hid in the back room of the museum instead, hiding next to sarcophagus and artifacts that needed to be restored before they could be displayed.

I remember hearing them talk about how to open the box. I remember seeing it glint as it opened, both of their hands on the lid, peering inside. I remember them collapsing as grey dust traveled up their fingers in torrents.

I remember trying to rush forward, trying to slam the box closed, fingers curling around it like claws, pulling it from their hands. I remember their bodies jerking and their skin going white.

And then- nothing. Nothing else. My fingers curl around the necklace and I look up at the man.

***

“Give me the box, Casey. It’s trying to infect you just like it tried to infect your parents. I can help you.” I can see the confusion and pain warring on her face.

“This is all…” She rasps. “This is the last chance I have to- get them back.”

She’s not going to do it, I realize.

Even still, even remembering. After all, who wouldn’t want their parents back? “They’re already gone, Casey. If they didn’t let go of it willingly…the parasite destroyed them. And they wouldn’t want you to die for them.”

She curls tightly around herself, a pitiable shaking ball.

And then she holds out a shaking hand, fingers locked around a silver box.

***

It hurts. It hurts so much to let go. It takes every ounce of energy to be still to offer away everything I could hope for.

I can see my parents over his shoulder, screaming at me to stop, that they were right there, that if I just hung on a little longer and got to them, I would get to hug them again.

But I do it anyway. There were clues. If only I had looked a little closer. Every time I saw my parents was when I thought too deeply, found some problem with the reality I was in. Every time I questioned, something happened to distract me.

This was all fake.

I’m so tired of everything being fake. He can make it stop.

I set the box in his hand.

I jerk upright almost immediately, surroundings warping to a tube filled with gel. I can feel dust crawling over my skin.

A moment before I can scream, the tube’s lid bursts upright and there the man is once again, electrodes shining on his forehead.

He’s wearing gloves. He gently takes the box from my lap. Dust is streaming to it now, and I can almost hear it screaming. It clicks closed with a flash.

He hands it to someone else. Then his eyes are on me, comforting.

“Just breathe, Casey.” He puts his hand on my shoulder, brushing dust from my face. “Just focus on breathing.”

And slowly, as if in a dream, I can feel myself being reassembled.

about the writer

Abigail E. is a teenage writer whose characters often take control of whatever she writes. She seeks to depict hope even through the brokenness, and the love of God through suffering. When she’s not writing or reading, you can find her drawing, painting, or listening to music. Her family has long since gotten used to her staring into space, and being excited about stories with no obvious reason.

So? What do y'all think? Let us know in the comments below! Abigail is so good at immersing you into the character's mind and creating stories that transcend reality! I actually had the pleasure of sharing another story of hers, The Time Thief, which you can read here!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#winner #winningstory #shortstory #speculative #contest #writingcontest #storycontest #contestwinner #thirdplace #writingprompt

Second Place Winner: My Eyes by Nicole Sua

Y'all, I couldn't help myself. I fell in love with this story from the first sentence. So beautiful, with the most lovely message - I know it will touch your heart!

This story definitely deserves a place in the winners' circle! *winks*

the prompt

From the day I went blind, he became my eyes.

We had just been married when sickness fell over the house. The halls were blanketed in thick silence only to be broken by the occasional cough. My dear Edward was the only one who miraculously did not catch anything, despite running in and out of the dim rooms to fetch my father, mother, and me water and cool our heads with wet soothing cloths.

I lived in darkness for three whole days, oblivious to the world of laughter and sunshine. Stuck in a pain that seemed to last for eternity.

Edward was the only spark of light in the deep tunnel. Everyday—morning, afternoon, and night—he stood outside our doors, praying tongues under his breath with such fervency like it had bubbled up from an overflowing well deep within. The words flew over us, gentle but mighty, like the wind blowing in on a warm summer night.

I was the last of my family to lose my fever… but when it fled, my life was never the same.

My eyelids fluttered open, but I could not see a thing. Later, Edward confirmed with such grief in his voice: the sickness had stolen my eyesight.

Ever since that day, Edward became my eyes. He and I are one flesh. Moving in harmony, like how the sky and the clouds roll together. I may never see the sun again, but I don’t need to when I have sunshine right beside me.

“Dearest, what are you thinking about?” Edward’s warm voice pulls me back into the present. “You have that pensive look again with your head tilted in the most darling way.”

I feel my lips curve into a gentle smile. “Edward,” I don’t answer his question directly, but instead reach out my hand to find his. Immediately he is there, wrapping his steady arms around my shoulders and guiding me until I feel the soft couch under me.

“Ed, my dear,” I whisper.

“I’m listening, love. What is on my dearest’s mind?”

“I–I was thinking… back to when I wasn’t well… I realized that you… well, you saved my life.”

“Did I now?” Edward’s voice tender as his touch on my hand.

“Yes, you are my miracle.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “You are my everything.”

I feel Edward take a deep breath next to me.

“Darling,” He shifts and pulls my head near his heart, the slow and steady rhythm beating ever so dependent into my ear. “I want to take you somewhere.”

“Anywhere with you,” I say with confidence.

He lifts me in his strong arms, carrying me like a true gentleman who would let no

dragon ever come near.

I am set down on a smooth seat. It seems familiar, but I can’t quite place it.

“You are in front of a piano, dearest,” Edward tells me, taking me back to a younger

version of myself who started lessons with the help of a very special someone.

“I haven’t played in years, Ed,” I whisper, memories swirling. The first time my father

hired him to teach me. The first time I gazed into his eyes, too young for love, but somehow caught up in a dream I didn’t know I had… didn’t know would come true. Yet, so much heartache as well. In gaining my love years later, I had also lost the ability to see the world.

I shake off the sorrow, reminding myself how he then swooped in like a brave knight and became my eyes for me. I see through him the starry night sky, the warm fireplace, the snowflakes glistening outside, Mother’s beautiful face, Father’s joyful laugh.

“Sarah,” I feel his cheek beside mine as he laces his fingers with my hands and places them atop the ridged surface with ease.

“You feel the keys beneath your hands?” He asks.

“Yes.”

“Good.” He begins to slide my fingers, pressing down every few seconds. The room fills with a melody that tastes like sweet sunshine. Warmth floods my being, Edward’s head still next to mine.

“Dearest,” He speaks slow, as if choosing his words with care. “I’m going to take my hands off of yours for a little bit. Don’t worry, I’m still here.”

I tense, panic rising in my chest. Where could he be going?

He releases his grip and suddenly his presence is gone. My shoulders feel bare without his arms wrapped around mine.

“I’m still here, darling,” he speaks again, his voice farther this time. Knowing that he hasn’t left the room soothes my racing heart.

“Tell me something, dearest, how do you feel right now?”

“I–I’m scared. It feels like an ocean separates us.”

“But you know I’m still present, yes? I haven’t left the room, nor do I intend on doing so.”

I nod, hoping he can see it. I am not sure where he is going with this, but something compels me to trust him.

“Even when we can’t feel the Father’s arms around us, He is still with us.”

I feel my eyelids blink, chills dancing on my arms.

“His Presence never left us, only our awareness of Him did.”

Suddenly, he is by my side again, his breath warm on my cheek.

“I know you wonder where God was during that time of your sickness, my love. But really, He was there the whole time. It was Him who saved your life, not me.”

I feel something wet hit my hands. Tears. My tears.

“I just don’t want you to think I am God, Sarah. I was nothing but a vessel during that time, as with right now.”

“What do you mean, Edward?”

“Each child of God is a vessel, a connecting piece. A servant heart that God speaks through, works through, and loves through.”

“So when I feel your love,” I say, trying to make sense of the matter, “I am really feeling God’s love?”

“That’s right, dearest.” I hear the smile in his voice. “When I surrender my life to Him, it allows His Love to flow through me. A Love greater than anything my humanness could give you because it is from Love Himself.”

“I may be your eyes,” he begins again, “but I am not your God. Don’t lose sight of the One who loves you even better than I ever could. Who knows you completely. He’s reaching out to you through me… but your door may still be closed.”

“Mmhm…” I breathe in, soaking in his words of immense wisdom. “If God loves me so much, how come he took away my eyesight?”

Edward takes a deep breath. “Well, here’s proof that I’m not God… I, uh, don’t exactly know,” He gives a soft chuckle, then sombers. “But what I do know is that He promises to be with you in your pain. What He allows to happen is not for us to question His Goodness; it’s a gateway to trusting Him anyway.”

My thumb brushes against the piano keys, gentle notes arising. “‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His Purpose.’ Trust… trusting in a God who has proven Himself good time and time again.” I suddenly realized, “I–I could have been dead right now if it weren’t for Him.”

“That’s right,” Edward whispers, hoarse with emotion. “He is faithful still. The least we can do in return is trust that whatever He is doing, whatever He is working, it is good.”

With new revelation I speak, joy mounting, “Not a tear shed is wasted. He keeps each one in a jar. ‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’”

“Yes, somehow in someway He is taking your blindness and spinning goodness out of it. You shall know one day, as bits and pieces of the story come together.”

“Well, I may not know the whole picture at the moment,” I reply with a soft smile, “but I do know one good thing that’s come out of it… He brought me closer to you. Even as I wandered in the dark, He kept the light close to me. Without you, I might have never remembered Him. Now I know, He was there all along, shining through you.”

“And that is more than I can ask. That I may be His servant and love you in this way with a Love greater than my own.”

“A Love that lasts for eternity,” I say, “A Love that’s not afraid to dive into the depths of darkness that I fell into. A Love that saves, heals, completes.”

Edward takes my hand in his and brings it to his lips. “You may be blind, but thank the Lord you are not blind to Truth.”

With that, he lifts both of my hands and places them back on the keys, playing together once again.

My thoughts glide as smooth as the notes we create.

I am but one side of a whole. Two halves that the Lord so beautifully united as one to understand His Love on an even deeper level.

But, as I now realize, our love cannot be derived from the flesh… for that will wear thin quickly as time rolls on. We must love each other by soaking up The Love that Lasts and allow Him to run through our veins. We are not gods, but we are servants. Servants of Love.

about the writer

Nicole Sua is a Warrior Princess of the Lord, wearing a crown and wielding her sword of soul-woven stories to battle against the darkness--because by knowing Whose you are, only then do you become fully aware of how powerful the Sword of the Spirit is; the crown and sword coexist. She strives to preserve the wholesome values of the past, which explains her immense love of history and vintage things. Nicole is currently pursuing authorship and entrepreneurship through The Author Conservatory program. You can find her sharing Godly encouragement almost daily on her Instagram: @city_on_a_hill_storyteller_

AH! So sweet and so true!!! I love the beautiful message Nicole weaved in! What did y'all think? Let us know in the comments!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

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