Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 8

welcome to the tour! (tmylm & stl blog tour)

Here I go again, forgetting to write my kickoff post. *glares at self* ANYWAY, today begins the epic, giveaway-filled, love-centered tour for not one but TWO beautiful, God-honoring romance anthologies!

Most of y'all know about Tell Me You Love Me, but it's not the only Christian romance anthology releasing on Valentine's Day! Allow me to introduce y'all to Seize the Love!

about seize the love

Honoring the Love of the Savior

Agape. Eros. Philia. Storge

All forms of love… Seize the Love pulls readers into an anthology of stories all showing love. A love that honors God even as the reader flips the pages to find the story of a dying request, a random encounter, finding proof of God’s love, reunited siblings, caring for others, finding hope, love among the hard and easy, and more stories.

No matter the form of love, you’ll find stories sure to warm your heart, bring a smile or a tear, and hopefully remind you of the love of the One who created you.

Matthew 22:37

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Featuring various love stories sure to please the whole family.

Doesn't it just sound lovely? If you'd like to learn more or even have the chance to win an e-copy of Seize the Love (or TMYLM, or both!), then be sure to follow the tour schedule for more fabulous posts coming soon!

February 7th

,Grace A. Johnson – tour kickoff

,H.S. Kylian – anthologies spotlight & giveaway

,Kaytlin Phillips – anthologies spotlight & giveaway

February 8th

,Grace A. Johnson – anthologies spotlight & giveaway

February 9th

,Rhys-Marie Whitnell – anthologies spotlight & STL review

February 10th

,Vanessa Hall – STL spotlight & anthologies giveaway

Weekend Break

February 13th

,Lilly Wiscaver – STL spotlight & giveaway

,Allyson Jamison – STL spotlight

February 14th – Release Day!

,Madisyn Carlin – STL spotlight & giveaway

,Lillian Keith – anthologies spotlight & giveaway

February 15th

,Kellyn Roth – anthologies spotlight

February 16th

,M. L. Milligan

February 17th

,Kristina Hall – anthologies giveaway

,Vanessa Hall – TMYLM review

Weekend Break

February 20th

,Allyson Jamison – TMYLM spotlight

February 21st

,Merie Shen – TMYLM review & anthologies giveaway

,Katja Labonte – anthologies spotlight

,Katja Labonte – anthologies review

,Abigail Kay Harris – tour conclusion

I am SO excited for this tour and these anthologies!!! What about you? What other Christian romances are you excited for this year? Let's celebrate God-honoring, beautiful romance in the comments!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#blogtour #dualblogtour #seizethelove #tellmeyouloveme #anthology #shortstories #romance #christianromance #love

welcome to february! (january wrapup & february goals)

No way is it February already. I refuse to believe it. *crosses arms*

Anyway, welcome one and all to the month of love and romance, for which I only have one romance-themed post planned (as of yet!), which makes me feel like a fraud. *pouts*

I feel like I’ve exhausted the subject of romance with my Q&A posts (which y’all can read here), but if you have any post suggestions or romance-related questions, feel free to drop them below! I’d love to share about love during February!

Now, since I wrap up the whole year in January, I don’t do a proper December wrapup (poor December!), so y’all bear with me and the gap in details here until next year, when I resolve to do a December wrapup.

what i did last month

I…

edited a novel got a part-time job as a virtual assistant for Kellyn Roth prepped Tell Me You Love Me for release outlined Something Bright and Beautiful (my next novel and the sequel to Daylight) hit 1k followers on Instagram participated in two blog tours and hosted the author blog tour for TMYLM read nine books wrote a devo every day (more on that in the future!) designed a website for my good friend Lin (check it out here !) wrote a thousand or two words in Her Heart’s Home (my submission for Wild Blue Wonder Press’ anthology)

Whoa. When you write it all out like that, it’s quite a lot. Hmm. Of course, there were a lot of other miscellaneous things—such as posting more consistently on Instagram and creating my first junk/bullet journal spread—done throughout the month, but I think that’s the gist of it!

this month’s goals

In February, my main goal is releasing Tell Me You Love Me and completing four editing projects, Lord willing!

I’d also like to write four reviews, finish the three websites I’m designing, and begin writing Something Bright and Beautiful!

monthly progress

As I mentioned above, I wrote a couple thousand words in Her Heart’s Home, a historical romance novella set at The Deepdene House and Gardens in Surrey, England during the early 1920s! Otherwise, no fiction writing, not until I officially start on SBaB!

reading highlights

I’m off to a decent start in the reading department (thank the Lord!), with nine books in January! Several of which were actually Christmas novellas/short stories, but they still count.

My top favorites from January are easy, though!

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz (review)

Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White (review)

We Are Storm and Starlight by Sarah Delena White

top blog posts

I’m finally getting back in the groove, y’all! I know I wanted to cut back on my posting (I kinda still do, to be honest), but there’s nothing like having 17 posts a month with several of them racking up 100+ views. Shallow, I know.

Last month’s top post was my interview with Maggie Copeland!

In the #2 spot is my kickoff post for the TMYLM author tour!

And third place goes to my interview with Amelia Cabot!

follower updates

Y’all, I have got some announcements for you! On February 11th, I’ll be on an indie author panel at a virtual writing retreat hosted by Lorelei Angelino—and you can register NOW to join us!!! Check out the site here for more details!

Also, I have officially opened up commissions for custom WIX website designs (and redesigns) for all my author and blogger friends! Y’all can learn more about what I offer here!

What about you? What did you accomplish in January? What was your first read of 2023? What do you look forward to doing in February? Will you be joining us at the virtual retreat? I wanna hear all about it in the comments!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#welcometofebruary #monthlyupdates #monthlygoals #monthlywrapup #readinghighlights #topblogposts #followerupdates #virtualretreat #websitedesignn #monthlyprogress #writingprogress #wrapup #goals

3 tricks to writing vivid fight scenes

Admit it, fight scenes are difficult. Even the veteran writers who have watched their favorite movie fight scenes hundreds of times, scribbled notebooks full of details, and choreographed fights with their brothers have a hard time putting the action on paper. You can have a vivid picture of the fight in your head, but no matter how hard or often you try, you can’t seem to write it out.

You’ve done everything you know to, like picking an epic location, ensuring everything is technically accurate, and beating up your younger brother for good measure (not recommended).

But what’s the use when the words won’t flow or make sense?

Trust me, I’ve been there. From sword fights to fisticuffs, I’ve wracked my brain a million times over to figure out the best way to describe my fight scenes. You need to do some things differently in your fight scene—and here’s how you can!

spare the details

This is likely the only time you’ll ever hear it from me, but when it comes to writing fight scenes, the last thing you want to do is bog readers down in play-by-play descriptions. Whether it’s a play/practice fight, barroom brawl, fight from another character’s perspective, or even an all-out war, fight scenes are always exhilarating and full of action—which is all too easy to capture on-screen. Without the assistance of cameras, we writers have to carefully select our words, structure our sentences, and shorten our paragraphs to bring the action to life.

A great example of a poorly executed fight scene would be this one, an excerpt from one of my own works:

Cheers rang out from the crowd surrounding us, names called in encouragement, urging us on. But they were all drowned out by the clanging of steel against steel, of the violent pounding of my heart.

Roger was good. I’d seen his skill with the blade many times, hard work and much training evident in his fighting. But actually battling him, for my life and my ship, put to use an entirely different perspective. No longer were his abilities merely good, just enough to pass, to fight like a proper pirate. Now they were superb. Frightening, almost. Now I saw the level of technique in the way he held his cutlass, the concentration in the furrows of his brow, the strength in the muscles pulling taut in his shoulders and arms.

He had not simply picked up a sword one day and played around with it until he’d become good enough to kill someone. Nay. He had been trained by a master. And from a young age, it seemed, for he was comfortable in his position, easy with each thrust and parry, each blow and grind.

But I was better. Much, much better, and I wasn’t even using my full strength.

Yet.

I blocked a blow to my shoulder, stepping back and to the right, avoided the sharp tip that grazed my forehead, striking the underside of my opponent’s knee. My cutlass carefully slit the blood vein there, the one that I’d found never failed to send ripples of pain shooting up one’s leg and droplets of blood coursing down the skin.

Here’s what I did wrong:

I spent too much time in my character’s mind, describing things that didn’t matter. I used vague and cliched terms like the “clanging of steel against steel” and “thrust and parry.” I used long sentences to elaborate on a quick, simple move.

I’ve since learned the error of my ways, I assure you, so here’s what this scene would look like if I spared the details and focused on what mattered.

The cheers around us were drowned out by the rush of blood in my ears and the unsteady thud of my heart. Steeling myself, I drew my cutlass and poised it to block Roger’s first blow.

He stumbled back when I thrust his blade away, but he quickly recovered, surging forward to meet my cutlass again.

He was good. I nearly growled, knocked off balance by his sudden swipe at my head. Very good.

But I was better.

Blocking a blow to my shoulder, I shifted away. Struck the underside of his knee. Blood spurted from the vein I’d slit, causing the same pain I had once felt. Roger groaned as he staggered back, body crumpling and face tightening.

Can you see the difference? In less than half the amount of words, I was able to describe the same fight without any useless or boring details. This way, the pace of my writing has the same rhythm as the fight would if you watched it on TV. I may not make my word count for the day, but you can not only see the action, you can also feel the character’s struggle both inside and out.

This is both the writer’s great advantage and disadvantage: we can convey two different things at once—action and emotion, the physical and the mental—which a camera cannot. However, it takes a lot of time and effort to accurately portray both.

Ask yourself these questions when reviewing your scene:

Are the characters’ movements clear? Is my writing focused on the action? Does the pace of my writing align with the pace of the action?show the inner struggle

Oftentimes we get so swept up in the battle, in the punches or parries or cannon blasts, that we forget to include the character’s internal struggle as well. Especially in fight scenes between mortal enemies, old friends, or to the death, emotion plays a powerful force in the fight.

However, using an overabundance of adverbs or, like I mentioned above, taking up whole paragraphs for internal monologue, isn’t going to help. It’s all about balance. All of the elements—action, dialogue, monologue, etc.—should weave in and out of each other in perfect synchronization.

Here’s an example of a fight scene without any emotion:

Rina pushed Billy back against the forecastle railing, every blow she made parried as she advanced forward. She stood with one foot forward in preparation to dart towards her young second mate and the other behind her, bracing herself in case of a sudden fall.

He shoved Rina back with his blade, and Rina ducked, avoiding the sharp point of his cutlass and darting around to Billy’s side in a quick flash, her own cutlass slicing through the edge of his white shirt.

Here’s what I did wrong this time:

I didn’t make it clear whose POV this fight is in. I left out any internal monologue or emotion. I didn’t give you any context for why they are fighting.

The good part about this short excerpt is that you can tell exactly what’s going on and see the action clearly—just like you’re supposed to. The bad part is that there is no emotion whatsoever. Why are they fighting? Are they angry with each other? Is there disappointment or animosity at play? What are the opponents thinking? Whose perspective is this in?

I actually wrote this scene from a third-party’s perspective—a character who wasn’t in the fight—and Rina and Billy are actually just practicing. In a case like that, a lack of emotion would be understandable—but what if Rina and Billy were at odds? Could you imagine the two as enemies in the above excerpt?

Let’s try this again, but this time we’ll put the fight in Billy’s perspective and imagine the two are enemies:

Rina shoved me until my back hit the railing, and I struggled to thwart every hasty blow toward my neck and chest. Unlike the first time we had fought, I was prepared to best her. Unlike the first time, I needed to best her.

I thrust my cutlass and my body weight toward her, growling as I swiped at her head. She ducked. Darn you, woman. She darted around me, slicing through my shirt, and it took all my self-control to refrain from throwing myself at her and beating her down.

Now what do you read? From the first-person perspective of Billy, you can experience the fight and taste his need for dominance. His thought “darn you, woman” makes his anger toward her perfectly clear, and when he talks about beating her down, we can see his inner struggle to defeat her.

Like I said above, I kept the narrative’s focus on the action and Billy’s focus on the here-and-now. Had I gone on and on about something that didn’t matter, his feelings and thoughts wouldn’t have been so clear, would they?

When you go to write your scene, make sure you portray both the mental and the physical aspects of the fight and keep your focus solely on them. I mean, if Billy were off in la-la-land, Rina would’ve cut him down in a minute, trust me.

Ask yourself these questions, then translate the answers into your fight:

Can the reader tell who is narrating the scene? What are the fighters thinking and feeling? Why are they fighting?say something

Dialogue is actually one of the most important aspects of fight scenes. Think back to some of the most iconic fights in film—or my personal favorites: Anakin and Obi-Wan’s duel on Mustafar, Luke vs Vader, Jack Sparrow and Will Turner in the blacksmith’s shop. They all include some witty or emotional dialogue.

Try to imagine Anakin and Obi-Wan’s iconic Mustafar fight without their heartrending exchange. The viewers wouldn’t have felt the same connection to the characters and the scene without knowing just how they felt—angry, betrayed, lost, alone, hopeless.

Emotions like these can be translated into narrative or monologue—or, better yet, dialogue. With dialogue, the fight can have more than just a physical impact; it can leave an emotional mark on the characters for the rest of the book, depending on what was said.

One of my recent fight scenes has very little dialogue, so when I take it out of context, the reader has no idea why Keaton and Quinn are fighting—and, come to think of it, I don’t suppose Quinn really knows why he’s being beat up either.

I tore Quinn away and then the world blurred.

I threw the first punch. He staggered back, dazed for a moment that allowed me access to his undefended body.

I charged, ramming him into the bulkhead. Something cracked and Quinn went limp. Punch after punch landed in his abdomen, a guttural moan the only sound heard against the deafening blows. Blood squirted in my eyes when I popped the man in the jaw, his head slinging backward again.

I raised one hand to swipe the blood away, the other pressing against Quinn’s shoulder. That single second was enough for him to regain his bearings.

My forehead hit the bulwark, skin breaking at the first strike. Quinn’s arm around my neck pushed me back again, but I blinked the pain and blood away, catching myself with my hands on the wall. I left Quinn with no room to move, crushing his head to the wall with my chest and jamming my knee in his groin.

He slipped the minute I pulled away, crumpling to the ground in a heap of blood, sweat, and lifeless limbs. Come morning, he’d wish I had killed him.

The emotion and action are both there, but let’s see what it would look like with a few well-placed quotation marks.

“How dare you?”

My voice was a roar even to my ears as I threw the first punch. He staggered back, dazed for a moment that allowed me access to his undefended body.

I charged, ramming him into the bulkhead. Something cracked and Quinn went limp. Punch after punch landed in his abdomen, a guttural moan the only sound heard against the deafening blows. Blood squirted in my eyes when I popped the man in the jaw, his head slinging backward again.

I raised one hand to swipe the blood away, murmuring hoarsely, “You’ll regret ever laying a hand on her, you worthless piece of trash.”

That got his attention.

My forehead hit the bulwark, skin breaking at the first strike. Quinn’s arm around my neck pushed me back again, but I blinked the pain and blood away, catching myself with my hands on the wall. I left Quinn with no room to move, crushing his head to the wall with my chest and jamming my knee in his groin.

He slipped the minute I pulled away, crumpling to the ground in a heap of blood, sweat, and lifeless limbs. “Coming morn, you’re gonna wish I’d killed you.”

See the difference? Now you have an idea of why they’re fighting and Quinn will have a verbal reminder of the consequences for crossing Keaton. Both excerpts are fine, but adding a little bit of dialogue helps their motives and emotion come through much more clearly.

Don’t know when to use dialogue? Here are some things to ask yourself:

Are my characters clearheaded? (If so, they’ll probably be up to throwing a few verbal jabs.) Is this a sparring scene? (If so, add a few witty quips or taunts.) Is the motive or emotion clear without any dialogue? (If not, just add a few sentences like I did above!)time to write!

Yes, fight scenes are tough. Sometimes the words won’t flow. Sometimes the action doesn’t seem clear. Sometimes the motive behind the fight and the opponents’ emotions and thoughts are difficult to see or understand.

But if you can remember to (1) spare the details, (2) show the inner struggle, and (3) say something, you’ll be able to translate clarity, motive, and emotion into your scene without cluttering the narrative with useless descriptions!

What are some of y’all’s favorite fight scenes—from books, TV, or movies? How well did they balance the description, emotion, and action? Which of these elements is the most difficult for you to include? Let me know in the comments!

(Up for more writing tips and tricks? Drop your suggestions and questions HERE!)

yours in spirit and script, grace

#writing #writingadvice #fightscenes #writingtips #tipsandtricks #howto

review: yesterday's tides by roseanna m. white

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Y’all, I have been waiting for this novel for years. When I first began reading Roseanna M. White’s books back in 2016-2017, I found her blog and scoured her archives, digging up details about old stories she’d been working on. One of those was Yesterday’s Tides, a contemporary about Remington and Louisa and an inn on an island.

Suffice to say I immediately fell in love, but this story never came into fruition...until The Codebreakers series released, and one of the cryptographers in Room 40 was named Remington Culbreth.

As my younger sister once said, “I just knew, ew it, ew it.”

Yesterday’s Tides was to be reborn. Naturally, I bugged Roseanna about it until the day FINALLY arrived, and YT was on its way.

Cue my anxious anticipation for the culmination of my years of patient yearning.

To be honest, I hadn’t the foggiest notion what to expect from YT—I just knew that, despite it all, I would love it. See, I typically hate dual-time fiction (okay, not quite hate; it’s just not my favorite), but this is Roseanna M. White, y’all. And two historical timelines. And a dude named Sterling, for crying out loud! (I adore that name, FYI.)

I was right, by the way.

I loved it.

I loved it so much that I downright hated it, let’s be honest. This book had me literally feeling the panic. There was so much of that evil angsty back-and-forth and just plain good writing and all the questions and omgosh I barely survived this book.

(SPOILERS SECTION: Okay, so like, I knew Rem and Louisa were going to get together, stay together, etc., and have Evie and Davie, but SWEET LORD did Roseanna put me through a lot of crap to get to that! I LOATHE the divisive mother trope—although Rem’s precious father made up for it—so just everything that Edith did drove me absolute NUTS, and I couldn’t get over how well Roseanna wrote it, to keep everyone guessing about who was who and what was what. I mean, in my heart of hearts, I knew Aunt L was Celeste, but HOW?! HOW?! And Y’ALL THE ANGUISH. THE ANGUISH. MY SOUL COULD NOT BEAR IT. I could not stand for Rem and Louisa to be separated for SO STINKIN’ LONG. *sobs* SPOILERS OVER.)

Basically this book was just a huge slab of heartache made from tree pulp and ink.

I loved it.

Apart from the mutilation of my heart, my only “real” qualm is that IT WAS TOO SHORT. In the plot/development/characterization/romance department, that is. I had more than enough anguish, believe me. I wanted so much more of Sterling and Evie, and Louisa and Rem, and just the beautiful, sweet romance stuff...and the war-related intrigue and that situation at the end (both situations, actually, which was really the same situation in two separate timelines). I feel like we missed out on the wonder and the beauty and the intensity of it all—and to be honest? The characters were lacking some development, in my opinion. For example, I knew very well the differences between Evie and Louisa, I just had such a hard time keeping them straight regardless. And Sterling and Rem deserved so much more page time, because they were such lovely boys—men, I mean.

But technically, for me to want more of something means it was good, so there’s that.

Also, please read this in one sitting. Don’t read this over the span of three days, trust me.

If you couldn’t tell by now, I loved both timelines equally (very much a rarity, if that’s ever happened) and all four of the characters. And aaaalllll however-many of the side characters, which were SO fun and well-written! THE CAMEOS THOUGH GUYS. THE CAMEOS.

I’m a bit ashamed of myself that I missed Elsie, but in my defense, it’s been years since I read Circle of Spies, and since then I’ve read at least three hundred other books, so. *shrugs*

The cameos were easily the best part, as well as how vibrant and lovely the setting was! Of course, Roseanna wrote everything in her typical excellent fashion, including the setting. Ocracoke came to life, along with its people, and now I simply must visit! (Granted, I’ll probably visit the Scillies first, but then again, Ocracoke is a heck of a lot closer, so we’ll see. )

Even though there was far too much plot for there to be any real character arcs/growth, there were some lovely themes that I know everyone will love and enjoy! Really every novel of Roseanna’s just leaves you with this beautiful feeling and appreciation for life, and I think that’s one reason why I love her work so much. I never feel depressed or ranty or confused or angry or apathetic after reading one of her books. I feel a little more inspired and in love with life, you might say, and grateful for the wonderful God who gave it to me.

Yesterday’s Tides is no exception, and it truly was worth the wait! (Even though I still want a contemporary romance from Roseanna one day. )

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

about the book

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same--until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the man he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, but he doesn't count on falling in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. When war breaks out in Europe, and their relationship is put in jeopardy, will their love survive?

As Evie and Sterling work to track down an elusive German agent, they unravel mysteries that go back a generation. The ripples from the Great War are still rocking their lives, and it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

Bestselling and award-winning author Roseanna M. White whisks you away to two periods fraught with peril in this sweeping and romantic dual-time tale.

snag your copy

(If you make a purchase through my Indiebound link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!)

about the author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. She and her family make their home in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

Have you read Yesterday's Tides, or any of Roseanna's other books? Do you like dual-time fiction? WWI or WWII? I'd love to read your thoughts in the comments!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#review #bookreview #christianfiction #romance #historicalfiction #historicalromance #roseannamwhite #splittime #dualtime

guest post: insight on strong heroines by rina blackstone bennet

I don’t usually do these things, you know. Write articles, I mean. Oh, wait. I’m supposed to introduce myself? I told you blighters I’m under-qualified for this position.

Well, hullo, mates. My name is Captain Rina Blackstone Bennet—you may have briefly heard of me; my author is known to brag about me around this lovely blog (that is what you call it, aye?)—but I insist you call me Rina. All my friends do. For that matter, so do a great portion of my enemies…but that’s inconsequential.

My point is that I usually spend my days pirating, so I’m unaccustomed to writing articles. I beg you to pardon any poor grammar. I’m a better shot than a writer—which is most assuredly why Grace has requested me to come on, since from what she’s told me, the purpose of this article is to equip you with the necessary tools to write genuinely strong heroines. I think the specific terminology Grace used was “strong heroines who aren’t feminists,” but you’ll understand that as I’m from the 17th century, I had never heard that word ‘til Grace spoke it.

But you’re not here for a thesis on my vocabulary. You’re here for advice. (If I think of it in those terms, I might actually be able to manage.)

Strong heroines are not only becoming rapidly popular (even in my era, for Shakespeare was quite fond of them), they’re also a requirement in certain stories and tropes. Not to mention, who doesn’t enjoy reading about an unconventional woman who defies all odds and comes out on top? Particularly one who’s twice as strong as her opponents and can out-smart a fox?

Of course I would, since I qualify as one. I’m perhaps not twice as strong as all of my opponents, but more often than not, I’m six inches taller. And a better shot.

But not all strong heroines are muscular and able-bodied. Neither does being strong necessarily mean being captain, if you know what I mean. Strength takes on many forms, and oftentimes we mistake physical strength, an assertive personality, or a manipulative manner as strong. Power and control don’t equal strength, and on that note, neither does a catty attitude. Strong heroines are everywhere—even the quietest, meekest women are usually the strongest—and you don’t have to rely on the obvious qualities or popular archetypes to create one.

the true definition of strength(and different types of strength)

There’s no doubt that the dictionary can supply you with a point-by-point, solid definition of the word strength—and that’s all well and good, but I’m talking about strength as a virtue. Something you develop or long to possess.

True strength doesn’t come from the way your heroine acts or presents herself—it comes from who she is. Is she naturally smart? Inherently courageous and daring? Physically strong? Is she a natural born leader or a charismatic spokesperson? Is she calm and level-headed in stressful situations? Is she full of wisdom, experience, and good advice?

What kind of life experiences has your heroine gone through to give her or help her develop her strengths? Personally, I’ve been through many harrowing experiences—I’m a pirate, you remember—and I had to grow up quickly. Seeing death at every corner hardened me to many things, especially when I was instrumental in that death, but my strength doesn’t stem from my callousness. It comes from my determination to fight back, stand strong, and rise again. Even in grief, I pushed through another day, and each day I grew stronger. It’s that sort of mentality—that stubborn mindset—that develops true strength.

Not all strength is mental or physical, though. I like to think of there being four different types:

Strength of mind—intellect and logical thinking Strength of body—physical condition and capabilities Strength of heart—compassion and empathy Strength of spirit—endurance, courage, and loyalty

Each type of strength is developed over a long period of time and carefully honed. Even the kindest people who seem weak-spirited or stupidly optimistic (no offense) have been through heartache, rejection, and depression—and because of that, they have emerged with a strength of heart that helps them understand and empathize with others. And, trust me, selflessly loving and serving other people is the most difficult thing you could ever endeavor to do. (Which is why I typically try to avoid being nice, but that’s irrelevant.)

Regardless of whether or not your heroine is physically strong or daring, you can utilize her talents and personality traits to give her a strength of mind, body, heart, or spirit—or, for a well-rounded character, all four. Consider a shy, submissive heroine. Is she compassionate toward others and always rooting for the underdog? Well, then she’s fiercely loyal and persistent, fighting for those she cares about like a true warrior—and that’s where her strength is found, in her love and faith.

I’ve known my fair share of women who feign strength through their words or attitudes, trying to be something they’re not, whilst in reality they are shallow creatures with no strength to their heart or mind. They seem to think their power, control, or own pride will sustain them. (But it won’t, of course.)

Don’t let your heroine fall into the pit of self-importance and feminism, where her strength comes from her attitude instead of her actions. Carefully examine who your heroine is at heart—and what traits come through in tough situations—and you’ll begin to see where her strength comes from.

putting the “show, don’t tell” rule into play(and ways strength can be displayed)

Grace has recently introduced me to a popular writerly term, “show, don’t tell.” She had to explain it to me, of course, but once I understood the definition, I knew I had to share with you my take of it.

Grace has not-so-politely informed me that my point-of-view is probably the most “telling” she’s ever written…and apparently that’s a bad thing, so I’ve got some work to do showing my emotions and whatnot. But I’ve found showing/telling can be used in other ways.

In this case, I’m referring to showing or telling your heroine’s strength, through reputation and rumors (or description and dialogue, for you writers.)

Description

I’m a boastful woman, I’ll admit it. I’ve built up a reputation I am very proud of simply by using strong language and a forceful attitude. People have spread rumors about me that far surpass what I’m actually capable of. For example, you might have heard that I’m the most ruthless and successful female pirate captain to ever plunder the Seven Seas. As much as I’m loath to admit it, I’m not. (I’d give that title to Grainne O’Malley, actually.)

What I mean to say is, I have been telling my strength rather than showing it. Because of my frightful appearance and idle threats, I’ve set up extremely high expectations for myself.

Or maybe that was Grace’s fault. After all, the very first sentence of Held Captive’s summary is: “Captain Rina Blackstone is the most notorious female pirate to ever plunder the Seven Seas and the fiercest captain to ever sail the Atlantic.” She basically set me up to fail.

Whatever you do, don’t do that to your heroine.

Don’t give her a reputation she can’t live up to and don’t make her appear to be more than she is. You must show how strong she is rather than rattling on about it. “Mary was a strong, capable woman, blah, blah, blah, blah…” is not going to cut it. Your readers are not going to believe you unless you display her strength through her actions in the story.

Eventually, I would say Grace came to understand that as she began to portray my strength through my frequent success in sword fights - er, actions, I mean.

Or perhaps it was simply through the way I always bounce back. Even after my uncle was murdered before my eyes, I persevered. I held on. True, I have struggled considerably through the years - from the nightmares that plagued me for months to the drink I oft turned to - and I may fall. But I always pick myself up again, dust off my breeches, and keep on fighting.

Dialogue

Another way strength is told of is through dialogue. Other characters remarking on your heroine’s strong suits and personality can be a great way to build her character—but only if you’ve already established it to your readers first. Introduce Mary (or whatever her name is) to your readers, showcase her strength, abilities, and willpower, and then have your other characters acknowledge it.

For instance, the first two chapters of my novel (‘tis a lovely book, by the way; you ought to read it) set the stage, showcasing my physical prowess, my mental capabilities, and my endurance through careful description (and mayhap a little bit of telling, but Grace still hasn’t admitted to that). Then, Chapter 3 uses dialogue to confirm or solidify the facts.

I particularly like what my friend Charlie said about me (he’s always so kind). ‘Tis simple, but it leaves a lasting impact on Xavier, the hero of the book (or, in other words, my future husband). “Rina, she ain’t like the ladies ye’re with on land. She ain’t one t’ be messin’ with.”

Sometimes, though, your heroine isn’t big and tough from Chapter 1. Sometimes, becoming strong is a slow process. Don’t pressure yourself to show her strengths immediately in the story. She can still be in that process of growth, or her strength can be hidden until the time comes to show her true colors. Give your character—and your readers—time to grow into her strengths and push past her weaknesses. It’s what she does in the end and how she reacts to the worst of situations that make her strengths apparent.

A particular method you ought to try (or, at least, Grace told me it worked well; I don’t suppose I would know, would I?) is to put your heroine in a trial situation—a small problem or breakdown early on in the story that can act as a precursor or foreshadowing of the climax. That way you can test your heroine’s reaction to strenuous situations and give your readers a taste of her strength. It can be anything from a confrontation with her brother or a mishap at her job—whatever it takes to show her inner will.

Wait. What’s that you say? Oh. Well, I suppose this is farewell. Grace has just informed me that the final section of my—er, her article will be about strong heroines in fiction. I don’t read…so I’m most assuredly not an expert on that.

Anyway, here’s to hoping my rambling was of some service to you! It’s been a pleasure, luvs.

unconventionally strong heroines to emulate(and how they succeeded)

Well, I’m back! I know Rina can go on, but hopefully she was able to cast a new light on strong heroines. I’ve sent her back to her ship so I can wrap up this post with a few of my favorite strong heroines and how they succeeded in being tough and capable without being feminists.

Black Widow from The Avengers. I think we can all agree that Black Widow is one of pop culture’s strongest heroines—she’s an international super spy, a martial arts master, and just an all-around tough cookie. No one can break Natasha Romanov. What strikes me as Nat’s best trait is that she’s genuine—she’s not out there to prove herself to somebody or best the boys. Being strong is not her purpose—it’s utilizing her strength to help others and make up for her past. Give your heroine a purpose, and not one that’s shallow or selfish—and don’t forget to give her moments of vulnerability, because let’s admit it—even Black Widow has a heart. Esther from the Book of Esther. Here’s a real-life example for y’all: Queen Esther. Unlike the fictional heroines we’re accustomed to, Esther’s strength didn’t come from her body or mind—it came from her heart and spirit, which were fortified by the Lord. Instead of using brute force or cunning schemes to save her people, she put her trust in God and His will and did something outrageously courageous—but not because she wanted to prove herself or undermine the authority of her husband, the king. She did it out of love for her people and duty as a Jew. That right there is not only the truest form of love, it’s also the truest form of strength—sacrificing your life for those you love. A heroine with that kind of strength is the kind of woman—the kind of person—we should all aspire to be. Scarlett Marley from Ignite. Of course, I have to throw in a plug for one of my friends. The lovely Jenna Terese’s debut novel, Ignite, features a strong heroine who’s not strong in the conventional manner. Her strength isn’t physical or mental—and, like all imperfect humans, she fails to be strong at many times. In the end, her strength is displayed by her willingness to learn from her mistakes and do what’s right against all odds. Don’t forget that even strong heroines are humans too—and humans fail. Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. You may not have heard of this particular heroine—who am I kidding? Haven’t we all? Elizabeth Bennet is one of classic literature’s most popular heroines—and for good reason. She is a strong woman in many ways in an era where women were often overlooked. But, unlike the feminist heroines our modern era is promoting, Elizabeth’s strength wasn’t assertive. There were times it wasn’t even channeled at the right thing. Her strength was in her convictions and opinions (however wrong they might have been), her loyalty toward her family (or at least the good portion of it), and her ability to stand up for herself and her beliefs at all times. Sure, she had her faults and let’s just say that she didn’t always believe correctly—but she was always firm without being aggressive (except for that one time when she, you know, turned down my lovely Mr. Darcy’s proposal…). Remember that true strength will not waver in the face of adversity or conflict—instead, your heroine should stand firm come what may. Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind. Scarlett differs from most of the aforementioned heroines—she’s not physically strong like Black Widow; she’s not selfless and sacrificial like Queen Esther; she doesn’t learn from her mistakes like Scarlett Marley; she isn’t loyal like Elizabeth. In fact, Scarlett is basically an anti-heroine and could very well be the true villain of the story. And it’s because of her worst qualities that she’s so tough. She’s self-serving, presumptuous, progressive, unfaithful, and a whole host of other adjectives that don’t look good on anyone’s resumé. And sometimes our heroines are anti-heroines with selfish motives, which is where we can learn from Scarlett. She possesses strength of mind and spirit—ambition, quick thinking, and dogged determination that could change the world for the better if only she’d set her mind to it. Don’t shy away from imperfect heroines whose strengths are used against others instead of for them. These are the flawed, real humans who accurately portray the way Satan corrupts our God-given talents, initiative, and strength, and uses them for evil. And even if your heroine’s intentions are good, you can take a page out of Mitchell’s novel to help you write a heroine full of perseverance in hard times. I think Rina would approve.time to write!

I think it’s time I close this message. You do remember Rina’s advice, don’t you? Remember that your heroine’s strength must come from her actions—not her sarcastic quips or disrespectful attitude. Trying to make your character seem strong rather than showing that they are only serves to make them appear self-important and inauthentic. Utilizing all of their varying qualities—optimistic outlook, loyalty to their family, love for orphans, survival instincts, undying persistence—will give them a strength unmatched by physical capabilities. The body will deteriorate before long, but what will be left is a strong mind; and when the mind is gone, what remains? A strong heart. True, lasting strength comes only from the heart.

How do you notice strength in characters or real life people? Is it their reactions to stressful situations? The way they treat others? Their quick thinking? Who are some other heroines who are unconventionally strong but also real? Let me know in the comments below!

Make sure you stay tuned for more posts on writing strong heroines! If you have any other post ideas or writing questions, feel free to leave them in this form HERE!

yours in spirit and script, grace (and rina)

#guestpost #rina #strongheroines #heroines #writingadvice #writingtips #howto #tipsandtricks #characters

tell me you love me author tour wrapup (& giveaway winner!)

The end is here, my lovelies! The time has come to bring this fun (if a wee bit chaotic) tour to an end...and the announce the ✨winner✨ of our giveaway!

But before we dive into that, I want to thank you all for following the tour and checking out all the amazing posts the authors of Tell Me You Love Me anthology have shared! From character Q&As and author interviews to beautiful graphics and behind-the-scenes, this tour has been jam-packed with wonder and romance - and that's only a taste of what's to come on February 14th!

So, if you're bursting at the seams to get a chance to read TMYLM, now's your chance to (yes, here I go marketing again) PREORDER!!! For only two more weeks, the Kindle copy of TMYLM is available for only $2.99 and will immediately be delivered to your Kindle the moment it releases!

Now, on to what you're really here for...

Well, right after this message from our sponsors.

about the anthology

Tell Me You Love Me - a timeless collection of stories that truly understand the meaning of “I love you”

Twelve young Christian authors have come together, alongside romance novelist Grace A. Johnson and editor Issabelle Perry to show our world of depravity and cheap imitations of romance what love really means: faith, hope, and sacrifice.

These stories range from contemporary YA to historical to fantasy, and tell diverse, unique love stories that compel, captivate, and warm readers’ hearts with their sweet and authentic nature.

Featuring work from Michaela Bush, Saraina Whitney, Karynn Heckler, Margaret Copeland, Lucia Molano, Sarah Lawton, Brooklyn O’Brennan, Mackenzie Hendricks, H.S. Kylian, Lydia M. Jupp, Katherine Perry, and Amelia Cabot, the Tell Me You Love Me anthology is the collaboration of talented and inspirational young writers you’ve been waiting for!

Preorder your Kindle copy here or add the anthology to your Goodreads want-to-read shelf here!

the tour

Grace A. Johnson – tour kickoff – January 17th

Michaela Bush - January 18th

H.S. Kylian – January 19th

Michaela Bush - January 19th

Amelia Cabot on Of Blades and Thorns – January 20th

Issabelle Perry – January 23rd

Grace A. Johnson - about the anthology – January 23rd

Maggie Copeland on Of Blades and Thorns – January 24th

Sarah Lawton – January 25th

Lydia M. Jupp on Of Blades and Thorns - January 25th

Saraina Whitney – January 26th

H.S. Kylian - January 26th

Katherine Perry – January 27th

Mackenzie Hendricks – January 30th

Lucia Molano – January 31st

Grace A. Johnson – tour ends – January 31st (thou art here!)

And now, without further ado, the winner of an e-copy of Tell Me You Love Me (and more epic surprise goodies) is...drum roll, please...

Oh, wait. What's this? We have two winners? One grand prize and one second place?

Well, then.

Our winners are Ava C. (grand prize) and Ellie C. (second place)!!!

Congratulations, girls!!! I'm SO excited for y'all to read TMYLM, so keep an eye out on your inboxes for your prizes!!!

(And honorable mention goes to Saraina, who cannot win because she's one of the authors, but who's name was drawn multiple times because she commented on pretty much every. single. post in the tour! So thankful for all your love and support, Saraina!!)

And thank you to ALL to read, liked, commented, and shared posts from our tour! If you'd like to chance to share more about TMYLM (and another amazing Christian romance anthology also releasing on Valentine's Day) and be a part of a blog tour, check out our dual blog tour for Tell Me You Love Me AND Seize the Love anthologies here! We'd love for you to be a part!

Well, that concludes our tour, but we're just getting started celebrating beautiful, Godly romance! I can't wait to see what God has in store for us and His Kingdom in the future!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#tellmeyouloveme #anthology #blogtour #wrapup #giveaway #winner #romance #christianfiction #historicalromance #contemporary #fantasy #signup #dualblogtour #seizethelove #shortstories

2022 highlights: books, series, & reviews

Whew, boy! Did I take my precious time with this post or what? Fortunately, I still made it in time for January (but just barely!), and I am so excited to jump into my 2022 reading highlights! (Check out 2021's highlights here!)

favorite books

Y’all, picking favorites was hard. I had so many novels I thoroughly enjoyed but couldn’t count as a favorite, so we’re gonna keep this list short. In no particular order, my favorite books of 2022 were:

A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz (my review) Beneath His Silence by Hannah Linder (my review) The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano (my review) Under the Texas Mistletoe by Karen Witemeyer All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes (review to come!)

These novels (and novella collection) checked all the boxes. From exquisite prose to vivid settings to unique storylines to endearing characters—plus beautiful romance and authentic faith—these five had it all! It’s no wonder the authors are some of my top favorites as well!

favorite series

I literally did not read one entire series last year. I finished a couple, started a few, and read the in-between books in some, but never one whole series. That’s crazy, to be honest.

So the four series that I read some (or most) of the installments of and that stood out to me this past year (again, no special order) are:

The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy by Kellyn Roth (Beyond Her Calling) The Secret of the Isles by Roseanna M. White (Worthy of Legend) Refuge series by Kristina Hall (Fled for Refuge and Refuge from the Storm) Grace Sufficient series by Vanessa Hall (Unworthy)

Have you read any of these? Which is your favorite book in the series?

favorite authors

new to me:

Emily Conrad Nadine C. Keels Grace Livingston Hill Ashley Clark Cheyenne Van Langevelde Michaela Bush

repeat:

Laura Frantz Joanna Davidson Politano Sara Ella Kellyn Roth Roseanna M. White Hannah Linder Kristina Hall Vanessa Hall Nicole Deese

surprised by:

George MacDonald Robin Lee Hatcher Lynn Austin

I actually did a lot of branching out last year, even though I didn’t read much. I FINALLY read something Lynn Austin, George MacDonald, and Robin Lee Hatcher—and although I didn’t have low expectations for any of these authors, my expectations still weren’t very high, and they all more than exceeded them! I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the novels I read from these authors! And I’ve been longing for years to read something by Grace Livingston Hill...and 2022 was the year!

I also got to read more indie fiction—mostly works by friends of mine, but also some authors I’d never heard of—which was wonderful!

favorite alpha/beta read

So, thank the Lord I didn’t do much alpha/beta reading in 2022, because as much as I enjoy doing it, y’all...it’s a lot. And one of the two projects I beta read, I never actually finished...sorry, Issabelle.

Even though I didn’t finish it, I still thoroughly enjoyed my twin sister Issabelle’s latest novel, and my alpha read was A Prayer Unanswered by Kellyn Roth, which of course I loved! (Even though it broke my heart.)

I did a lot of reading for editing, though, so perhaps I should make a category for that? Hmm, no. I’d hate to pick favorites out of my clients’ work.

favorite current read

Welp, as I write this, we’re almost an entire month into 2023, so this section technically wouldn’t be focused on my current first read of 2023, because I’ve already read between five and seven books, and am in between books at the moment…

So for this go-round, I’ll pick a favorite or two out of my most recent reads.

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz ( my review ) Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White (review to come!)

Naturally, I must start off the year with a Frantz novel, and of course I thoroughly enjoyed it and Roseanna’s latest release!

favorite indie book/series

Welp, since three of the series I mentioned earlier were indie, I think I’ll stick to my favorite indie standalones (some of which are in series, although they can be read as standalones).

Reviving the Commander by Nadine C. Keels The Lady of Lanaria by Michaela Bush Between Two Worlds & Dìlseachd – A Stolen Crown by Cheyenne Van Langevelde

I didn’t come in with ultra high expectations for these, so of course they surpassed them, but y’all. Regardless of what you expect from these four novels, they are so good!

favorite nonfiction

Yes, I read some nonfiction last year (and I hope to read more this year), and even though there were only three nonfiction books, there’s no denying that I truly enjoyed The Management Methods of Jesus by Bob Briner. Mr. Briner kept things short and sweet with simple but impactful nuggets of wisdom drawn from Jesus and His ministry that apply not just to business but to everyday life. I did read it for business purposes, though, and thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated it!

favorite book review

So, 2022 was an interesting year for reviews...I wrote one of my most ranty ones ever back in the spring about In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh (most of my ranting was against specific things in Christian fiction in general that the book brought to mind, not necessarily the book itself). The review was so long that it exceeded Goodreads’ character limit. Oops.

Then my most controversial review ever, which resulted in lots of hurt feelings and yours truly getting in big trouble, for Love in Disguise by Penny Zeller. Honestly, yes, I screwed up with this review. I ranted too much about the trope and didn’t accurately present my thoughts on the book (it was a good book; I just wish the author had handled the trope better). I’ve since edited it, so hopefully it’s more encouraging and less ranty, and I directed my chaotic thoughts into this post here.

So to all those who read that review and were turned off by my attitude, I sincerely apologize! It was not at all my intent to bash or disparage the book or anyone/thing else!

As for a favorite review...probably my review of To Treasure an Heiress by Roseanna M. White at the very beginning of the year! And my review of Beneath His Silence by Hannah Linder!

debut of the year

This new unofficial award goes to...We Could Be Villains by Megan McCullough. In case you’re curious, to qualify as a “debut of the year,” the book must (1) have been first published in that year, (2) been the first published work by that author, and (3) been absolutely amazing!

And that’s what We Could Be Villains was.

No, it wasn’t perfect, and that cliffhanger was cruel (but not as cruel as The Wonderland Trials’ cliffhanger, but let’s not go there), but I found it quite entertaining and well-written! (Plus the villain-is-the-love-interest trope was SO well-done, especially if you don’t typically like that trope.)

So, what about you? What were your top reads of 2022? Favorite series? New authors? Did you read any indie fiction? What do you look forward to reading in 2023? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#highlights #readinghighlights #favoritebooks #favorites #readsof2022 #favoriteauthors #books #bookishness

guest post: why do you write? finding your why by kaytlin phillips

I hope y'all have enjoyed learning more about Writers' Vision the last couple days! I'm so excited to have Kayti on for one final post, and it's such a good one! She's got a very good question for y'all, so make sure you answer in the comments below!

If you've missed the last two posts, you can check out the spotlight posts here and our interview here!

why do you write? finding your why

Kaytlin Phillips

Hey, folks! If you're just now hoping on the tour my name is Kaytlin Phillips and I am the founder of Writers’ Vision: A Christian Creative Community. When not over there you can find me on the blog I share with my sisters called Sisters Three or more often than not creating or getting lost in a made-up world. That’s a little about me and now it’s time for my guest post!

Why do you write?

Sometimes it’s hard to answer certain questions, but for this question the answer isn’t really that hard. I’ve always loved imagining the impossible and believing it’s real, and since writing is just that I quickly fell in love. I love the concept of taking the most outrageous things you can think of, putting them into words, and convincing people they are real! I’m not sure I’m good at any of that, but let’s look a little deeper into my love of writing.

Growing up I did a lot of reading, though our kid-friendly book selections were limited. My dad had tons of books most of which were theology or flower guides because my dad is a pastor and avid wild orchid hunter. But we did have two shelves that were full of books like Little House, Narnia, The Hobbit, Banner in the Sky, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and other such classic kids stories. I read them all and then my dad made me a bookshelf and started picking up books at thrift stores or finding them on Amazon for a penny as he helped me grow my own collection.

How does that have anything to do with writing? Well, those books I read inspired me to write my own. At the ripe age of seven and half, I plagiarized a Roy Rogers film and turned it into a book (if you don’t know who Roy Rogers is…wow, but his movies are family-friendly Westerns). That turned out horrible, so I put my pen aside. But occasionally I’d get that itch to write a story and would start one.

It wasn’t until I was fourteen and my dad seriously encouraged my sisters and I to write our stories down that I really started writing. My sisters and I wrote several books together and I enjoyed it so much I started writing books of my own two years later.

Since then, I’ve not looked back. Okay, I did once and then after a few months had to write because I thought my brain would explode with all the stories and characters in it. But the thing that really keeps me writing, because as much as I love it it’s hard, is the reason I write. My why behind writing.

What is my why, you ask.

Writing awakens the imagination inside me. I love building my own worlds, creating characters that can do and be anything I want them to do or be. Writing makes me feel closer to my Creator. Maybe it’s because I’m creating a story, a world, characters and creatures, I’m doing something similar to what He did when He first spoke us all into existence. When I’m writing I feel closer to my Lord, connected to Him in a beautiful, unexplainable way. He has given me a love for the unbelievable, a love of writing, and I hope to always use it for His glory!

I write because I want people to know they are never too far gone for God to save them. I write because I want everyone to know they have a purpose, that they are here for a reason, and that the world would not be the same without them. I write to awaken hope in the despairing hearts of our nation! Writing to Awaken Hope has become my anthem.

I write for the Light of lights, for the Hope of all hopes, I write for my Savior. Because I want His hope to touch as many hearts as possible, I want His light to shine into the darkness and cause it to flee. I want to serve Him in all I write.

But what is your why? Why do you write? If you are going to pursue this as a career, this is a question you need to sit down and ponder. Why do you write? What is the reason behind it? Because when it gets hard you need that why. When you feel as if you aren’t cut out for this, you need to be able to look at the reason you write. Because that will be your reason to keep going!

Money and fame won’t cut it for whys, it has to be deeper than surface value. It has to be something you truly want and are willing to fight for. So, what is your why?

kaytlin phillips

Hello, I'm Kaytlin!

A homeschool grad, blogger, influencer, and the author of the MG fantasy World of Silence, Co-Author with my sisters, Marisa and Jaiden, of the YA Fantasy series The Dragon Prince Chronicles, and have been featured in the Seize the Night Anthology.

I first discovered a love for writing at the age of seven when I plagiarized a Roy Roger's film into my own book. Since then I've become more creative and write books of my own invention, which are usually stories of hope, purpose, and redemption. More often than not you can find me with my nose in a book, whisked away to some fictional setting.

Through my stories I long to present the Savior and His overwhelming love for us, I want everyone to know they are never too far gone for God to save them and that everyone has a purpose!

links

Writers’ Vision: ,Home | Writers' Vision (sistersthree3.wixsite.com)

Kaytlin Phillips: ,Kaytlin Phillips | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

the tour

Monday, Jan 16th

Writers’ Vision - Kick-Off Post

Vanessa Hall - Spotlight

Louise Taylor - Spotlight

Tuesday, Jan 17th

Pearl Christine - Spotlight

Sisters Three - Spotlight

Wednesday, Jan 18th

Louise Taylor - Guest Post

Allyson Jamison - Interview

Thursday, Jan 19th

Lorelei Angelino - Spotlight

Madisyn Carlin - Spotlight & Guest Post

Lillian Keith - Spotlight & Interview

Friday, Jan 20th

Kristina Hall - Interview

Vanessa Hall - Interview

Annabelle Batie - Spotlight & Guest Post

Abbigail Befus - Interview

A.J. Syngraféas - Guest Post

Monday, Jan 23rd

Joelle Stone - Guest Post

Louise Taylor - Interview

Writers’ Vision - Mid-Tour Recap

Tuesday, Jan 24th

Abbigail Befus - Guest Post

Issabelle Perry - Guest Post

Wednesday, Jan 25th

Saraina Whitney - Guest Post

Grace A. Johnson - Spotlight

Allyson Jamison - Guest Post

Thursday, Jan 26th

Grace A. Johnson - Interview

Sisters Three - About Writers’ Vision

Friday, Jan 27th

Grace A. Johnson - Guest Post

Annabelle Batie - Interview

Writers’ Vision - Wrap-Up Post

So, what is your why? Why do you write? Let us know in the comments!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#writersvision #kaytlinphillips #christiancreativecommunity #writingcommunity #writing #writerslife #connecting #betareading #writersvisioncommunity #christianwriters #blogtour #relaunch #guestpost

interview: kayti phillips, founder of writers' vision

Interested in learning more about Writers' Vision? Then you're in the right place! Kayti's joining us for a wonderful interview all about Writers' Vision and how it's the perfect community for young and aspiring Christian writers!

Hey, Kayti! Thank you so much for joining us today! I am so excited to learn more about Writers’ Vision and share this amazing community! Would you mind telling us a little bit about what inspired Writers’ Vision?

Thank you so much for having me, Gracie! I am so happy to be here and share about WV! Alright, let me see if I can summarize…

I had been writing for about two years, which put me at sixteen, when I realized writing wasn’t something I could do alone, so I started searching for a community to join. That’s like searching for a needle in a haystack; there are so many options, many you have to pay for, a lot you don’t, but then I was questioning the security of the site. (I’m paranoid about my writing sometimes…lol…) So I ended up not joining any site and thinking that maybe one day I’d start my own.

In 2021, almost three years later, God gave me a shove and was like, do it. Just do it. I was afraid no one would join and I didn’t know what to call the site, but then as I pulled Wix up and started creating it, Writer’s Vision came to mind, which I then changed to Writers’ Vision! I launched it and was pleasantly surprised at how many people joined!

That was kind of long…but not overly so, I could make it longer…lol…

What’s your main mission for Writers’ Vision?

To create a community for writers who can’t afford to pay for a community site. I know I’ve been there; you’re a teen writer without a job yet and you’re saving your money for books or other things. I want anyone to be able to join the community, because we all need it!

But also, I want to help writers achieve their visions. We all have a vision for what we want our writing to be and do, and Writers’ Vision was made to come alongside you as you stretch toward those goals, to encourage, critique, and help you reach your goals!

Where do you see WV being in the next few years? What are your goals, both in this new year and long-term?

Wow, well…I hope to see it as a thriving community of close-knit writers, a family more or less. (Hopefully not lost in a forgotten corner of the internet…lol…) My goals this year are to get more guest posts on the blog, more interviews, overall just more useful material for writers and bloggers. Of course, I’d love to see more members; we are always looking to welcome more Visionaries to the site!

Long term, I just hope to continue serving writers, bloggers, and editors with the blog and community! To do whatever is God’s will for the community!

I love your blog title/tagline, “Writing to Awaken Hope”! What does that look like to you, and how can writers intentionally write to “awaken hope”?

Why, thank you! A dear friend of mine, named Grace, listened to me ramble on messenger and helped me come up with it. *winks*

For me, this looks like writing the stories God has placed on my heart. Stories where light sends darkness to flight, where the might of God is made clear. Where purpose and redemption shine forth. Stories that end on a hopeful note and not one of despair.

Writing to Awaken Hope is all about remembering Who you serve and what He did for you! God, through His Son Jesus, wrote the greatest story on hope ever to enter the earth. Purpose and redemption are on every page. The way I keep myself writing hopeful stories is that when I despair…I turn on some good Christian music or read my Bible and remind myself of the God I serve.

Stories of hope are so important because the world looks so bleak right now that it’s so easy to get blindsided and to forget the infinite and beautiful truths of our Saviour. But hope…that light at the end of the tunnel, that spark to set the fire to roaring…that is what we need. The world may look like nothing but ashes, but hope is an ember among those ashes, and we as storytellers have the power to fan that flame and bring back the fire the world so desperately needs.

And that got long…sorry…lol… Calling a preacher’s kid on that one…haha…

How does WV encourage and support young writers?

Well, first off our blog is full of interviews, encouragement posts, and helpful tips and resources for writers. We also offer book spotlights, cover reveals, and reviews to writers, even if they aren’t members—we just like to help out.

Our community is full of like-minded writers who are striving to serve God with their writing. Writers can receive feedback and ask questions about publishing, beta-reading, or anything else writing related they need help with. For feedback on writing we use the sandwich method so it’s praise, criticism, and more praise, that way we begin and end on the right foot and it seems to work well. So far we haven’t had any fights…lol…or anyone with hurt feelings.

How can writers, editors, and bloggers get involved with Writers’ Vision? Are there any avenues for them to help others through WV?

By joining the community they can interact directly with our members. Getting feedback or helping others. There are practically endless opportunities on WV for people to help out, whether in the community or on the blog.

Though the biggest avenue that I’d like to have help with is the blog. I’d love to have some bloggers and writers share their stories of success, tips, tricks, and how-to’s, and I’d love to have some editors talk about the importance of editing, how to edit best, and what to look for when editing a novel…etc.

What a blessing Writers’ Vision is and will continue to be! Thank you so much for coming on and sharing, Kayti! Before we go, could you tell us about you, your books, and how readers/fellow writers can connect with you?

Aww, thank you! And thank you so much for having me! I’ve enjoyed doing this interview with you!

Yeah, I can do that.

I’m a homeschooled graduate who longs to write the stories my Creator has placed on my heart which most often are of purpose, redemption, and always hope! I have a strong belief that words and stories are powerful and love to encourage others to take up their pen and fight. I’m a writer of many genres, but right now, I mainly write MG and YA Fantasy and Westerns—don’t ask how those go together, I don’t know. *shrugs*

Currently I have published one MG Fantasy World of Silence and one YA Fantasy Unfortunate Events (both available on Amazon). My current WIPs are Emberling, a YA Fantasy/Romance that I’m super excited about! And Rivals of Skyline, which is a Western that needs major edits.

You can connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and at www.sisters-three.com where I blog with my sisters.

the tour

Monday, Jan 16th

Writers’ Vision - Kick-Off Post

Vanessa Hall - Spotlight

Louise Taylor - Spotlight

Tuesday, Jan 17th

Pearl Christine - Spotlight

Sisters Three - Spotlight

Wednesday, Jan 18th

Louise Taylor - Guest Post

Allyson Jamison - Interview

Thursday, Jan 19th

Lorelei Angelino - Spotlight

Madisyn Carlin - Spotlight & Guest Post

Lillian Keith - Spotlight & Interview

Friday, Jan 20th

Kristina Hall - Interview

Vanessa Hall - Interview

Annabelle Batie - Spotlight & Guest Post

Abbigail Befus - Interview

A.J. Syngraféas - Guest Post

Monday, Jan 23rd

Joelle Stone - Guest Post

Louise Taylor - Interview

Writers’ Vision - Mid-Tour Recap

Tuesday, Jan 24th

Abbigail Befus - Guest Post

Issabelle Perry - Guest Post

Wednesday, Jan 25th

Saraina Whitney - Guest Post

Grace A. Johnson - Spotlight

Allyson Jamison - Guest Post

Thursday, Jan 26th

Grace A. Johnson - Interview

Sisters Three - About Writers’ Vision

Friday, Jan 27th

Grace A. Johnson - Guest Post

Annabelle Batie - Interview

Writers’ Vision - Wrap-Up Post

What do you think of the tagline? Do you believe your stories awaken hope? Comment down below!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#writersvision #kaytlinphillips #christiancreativecommunity #writingcommunity #writing #writerslife #connecting #betareading #writersvisioncommunity #christianwriters #blogtour #relaunch #interview

introducing lydia m. jupp (tell me you love me tour)

IT'S HERE!!! We've all been so busy during the duration of this tour, so we were unable to get Lydia's post together in time for her original date, and we decided to post on the 25th instead! This is coming in very last minute, but it's here!

I am SO excited to have Lydia M. Jupp on to share about her story and a Q&A with the characters from Sarah Lawton's story Till Death Do Us Part!

Without further ado, here's Lydia!

Hello lovelies!

Tell Me You Love Me is soon to be released, isn’t that exciting?!?! First of all, I want to thank the wonderful Grace A. Johnson for not only hosting me on her blog, but also for putting this beautiful anthology together. My name is Lydia M. Jupp, and my short story Forever Loved is featured in the Tell Me You Love Me Anthology with many other amazing authors and their stories. Today I’m going to tell you a bit about my story and interview a few characters from Sarah Lawton’s story Till Death Do Us Part. Let’s dive in!

forever loved

Forsaken, Unloved, and Alone.

Those were three words that Charity Reynolds knew all too well. When a war threatens to take away her last hope of being loved, will a chance meeting help her understand a new kind of love, one that will last forever?

It is May 1915 in Spruceville, Ontario, and WW1 is becoming real to all the people in this little town. Hearing that the Canadian troops had held their own during the second battle of Ypres had sparked enthusiasm, and many young men began to see the need to defend their country on the battlefield. One young woman is searching for stability, friendship, and even love, in the midst of her own turmoil.

Go check out Sarah Lawton’s interview with Charity and Michael on her ,BLOG!

Now here are two printable quote bookmarks featuring a bible verse and a quote from Forever Loved. Hope you enjoy!

*Disclaimer: Graphics and Bookmarks were created in Canva using pictures from Pinterest and/or royalty free pictures*

till death do us part by sarah lawton: an interview with jon and carlie

Hello Jon and Carlie! Thank you so much for joining me today, and allowing me to interview you! I have around 5-6 questions to ask each of you, so who would like to go first?

Jon: Thank you Lydia! I’ll go first, if that’s alright with Carlie.

So Jon, what do you do for a living?

I’m a software developer, which has been a big blessing, since I’m able to work from home and have the flexibility to be there for Carlie when she needs me.

That is such a blessing! Speaking of Carlie, what do you love most about her?

*smiles softly* She is incredibly selfless. Even in the time where she was nearly dying, all she was thinking about was her family. I also love her faith. Nothing will ever take her faith away from her. If you ever met her, within the first minute you’d know she’s a Christian. I’d never be able to live without her.

*smiles Carlie* That is such a cute and great testimony to have said about you, Carlie, and meeting you now, I can 100% agree. *faces Jon* What was the hardest part about hearing that Carlie was in the hospital?

*sighs* Just the fact that I could lose her. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. When you have a loved one in such a critical condition, you try to prepare yourself for the worst, but you can never truly be ready for their death.

*gives Jon a sympathetic look* That must have been hard, but through this whole experience, what was the most valuable lesson you learned?

The most valuable lesson was definitely to trust God. When Carlie was dying, my faith was not as strong as it should have been. Through this whole experience I’ve really learned a lot about myself and our mighty Father in Heaven.

Beautiful. *quickly wipes tears threatening to form and clears throat* Now, let's move onto some different questions. Who shared the gospel with you?

After Carlie broke off our relationship, I went to church right away, hoping that if I could go through the motions, Carlie would take me back. After a few months of attending this church, the pastor approached me to ask about the state of my faith. *shifts uncomfortably* It felt wrong to lie to a pastor, so I told him the truth - that I was only attending for Carlie. He took me to his office, and started to tell me about the Gospel from the beginning. I didn’t believe right away, but after almost a year of these meetings, I accepted Jesus into my heart. It’s the best thing I could have ever done, for me and for Carlie.

Amen to that! Salvation is the best decision anyone can ever make. Now your final question-and I tried to make this one a little fun*wink*. What was your initial reaction when you met Aaliyah Mae?

I didn’t really have much of a reaction. Looking back on that moment, I should have felt compassion for this little girl with cancer, but instead I was caught up in my own emotions and feeling sorry for myself. She really did snap me out of my self-pity, though, and helped to distract me for at least a little while. I still love to visit Allie. She’s in worse condition now, and in the hospital more often, but her personality is brighter than ever.

She is such a sweet girl, isn’t she? I’m glad that Allie was able to help you. Well, thank you so much for letting me interview you, Jon! Looks like it’s your turn next Carlie.

Carlie:

I want to start at the very beginning. Were you angry at God when you first got diagnosed with cancer?

I was. As an active, sixteen year old girl, it was really hard to comprehend what the doctors were telling me. I was on bedrest when I wasn’t at the hospital, so that cut out a lot of things for me. I also lost a lot of friends. But I am ever so thankful for Jon. We reconnected after my first surgery and he never left me again. *smiles*

Aww! That must have been really difficult for you. Speaking of Jon, was it hard breaking up with Jon before he became a Christian?

It was incredibly hard. He didn’t understand why, and so he sent me tons of letters, apology notes, flowers, and more. I just knew that it wouldn’t be good for either of us to be in a relationship like we were until he became a Christian. I also knew that his faith needed to be his own, and not just him trying to please me.

That’s understandable, but I’m also glad that you both got back together! What do you love the most about Jon?

His love for God, me, and others is beautiful. He is also loyal, and a wonderful provider and protector. He can get a little worried sometimes, but I know it is only because of his love for me. I would never be able to live without him.

*grins* That’s so sweet! Now, here are some more personal questions. What is your favourite Bible verse?

Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Knowing that Jesus has prepared a place for me in heaven helps a lot in those moments when I’m not sure how much longer I have on this earth.

Oh, I love that verse too, and it must hold so much meaning for you. Now here’s your last question, why do you like roses? Do they remind you of anything special?

I love roses because when you spend a lot of your life in a hospital, you learn to appreciate the little things. After my first surgery, when Jon came to apologize and to ask me again to be his girlfriend, he brought me the biggest bouquet of roses I have ever seen. *giggles and looks at Jon*

Thank you so much Carlie, and thanks again Jon! I am so glad that I had an opportunity to interview and learn more about you both, and I’m sure our readers did as well! Goodbye for now!

giveaway

Now who's ready to hear about the giveaway? Yep you heard that right! There is a giveaway consisting of an e-copy of Tell Me You Love Me and many more surprise prizes. To enter just comment on the posts in the tour! Each comment equals an entry, but replies to other comments do not count.

The giveaway ends January 31st , so don’t be afraid to tell us what you think of the posts and this tour by commenting below. Winner will be announced in Grace’s post at the end of the tour. Entrants must be eighteen years of age or have their parent’s permission to enter.

tour

,Grace A. Johnson – tour kickoff – January 17th

,Michaela Bush - January 18th

,H.S. Kylian – January 19th

,Michaela Bush - January 19th

,Amelia Cabot on Of Blades and Thorns – January 20th

,Issabelle Perry – January 23rd

,Maggie Copeland on Of Blades and Thorns – January 24th

,Sarah Lawton – January 25th,Lydia M. Jupp on Of Blades and Thorns – January 25th

,Saraina Whitney – January 26th

,Katherine Perry – January 27th

,Mackenzie Hendricks – January 30th

,Lucia Molano – January 31st

,Grace A. Johnson – tour ends – January 31st

I hope y'all enjoyed Lydia's Q&A and learning more about her story! Forever Loved is such a sweet, touching story, and so is Till Death Do Us Part! I can't wait for y'all to read them!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#tellmeyouloveme #blogtour #anthology #christianfiction #christianromance #shortstories #historicalromance #comingsoon #preorder #upcomingrelease #giveaway #entertowin #characterqanda #qanda #character #contemporary #contemporaryromance