Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 9

spotlight: writers' vision

The short of it is, Writers' Vision is a truly amazing and uplifting community for young and aspiring writers to grow, learn, and connect!

The long of it is...

writers' vision is...

Writers' Vision is a community where Christian creatives can connect and receive feedback, advice, encouragement, and even form friendships. Originally started in 2021 as a writers' critique site, Writers' Vision has expanded to include creatives of all levels! From authors to bloggers and even editors! Whether it is a community you are looking for or simply encouragement and advice, Writers' Vision is here to help!

Our Community space where we share bits of our stories is open to a wide variety of genres and is for making your manuscript what you envisioned it could be.

The Community is a place where authors and bloggers can receive Beta reading services from readers and fellow authors. But it's not just another critique group, it is a friendship, a coming together for the benefit of all involved.

writing to awaken hopeThe Official Blog of Writer's Vision

Writing to Awaken Hope is the official blog of Writers' Vision and is full of encouraging posts, interviews, stories, and even useful skills and resources for authors and bloggers alike.

our writing challenges

Writers' Vision host a writing challenge/competition every three months! The prompts range from sentences, word count restrictions, picture prompts, and even collages!

The challenge winner has their story posted on the Writers' Vision blog and, of course, given bragging rights.

You don't have to be a member of the Community to enter or even be subscribed to the blog.

You don't have to be a member of the Community to enter or even be subscribed to the blog.

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

If you've been longing for community, a place to meet writers just like you, and tools to help you on your writing journey, then Writers' Vision is the place for you! Check out the blog, join the community, and don't forget their challenges!

yours in spirit and script, grace

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

interview with margaret copeland (tell me you love me tour)

Y'all, please welcome Maggie Copeland! She's one of the many amazing authors featured in Tell Me You Love Me, and I can't wait for y'all to get to know her and her story! I actually had the pleasure of meeting Maggie in real life several years ago, and she's so sweet! I know y'all will enjoy our interview as much as I did!

Hello, Maggie! Thank you so much for joining us today! I’m very excited to get into this interview, but first, please introduce yourself!

Hi, Grace! Thank you for this opportunity, I really appreciate it. Hi everyone, my name is Maggie Copeland. My pen name is Margaret Copeland. I am a first-time Christian author publishing my first short story in the Tell Me You Love Me Anthology.

How long have you been writing? What first inspired you to start writing?

I have been only writing stories for a few months during the summer. I have various works in progress (*gulps and looks at all of the stories started) and projects that I am planning out. Anyway, so I do not have many works published, but I am excited that this is the first story that is going out into the world.

To be honest, I do not know what exactly inspired me to start writing. I knew that I wanted to do something to bring glory to the Lord and His kingdom. But, I was not sure where to start. The inspiration to write came from reading the Daughters of the Seven Seas books. I also wanted to write stories that reflected different points in history in a Christian manner and shed light on new parts of history that have never been discovered.

How did you hear about Tell Me You Love Me? What was your initial reaction?

I first heard about the Tell Me You Love Me anthology through Grace’s website. After reading the post, I was like this is really cool, maybe I should try to write a story. I was really excited and nervous to start the process of writing my story because I knew that there would be other people submitting stories as well. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. So, I spent a long time brainstorming ideas and writing the story several times.

Your story is The Day Tragedy Strikes, set during WWII. What prompted you to write this story?

One of the things that prompted me to write this story during World War II was that there are not a lot of stories out there that had someone that had survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor and coming home all in one sitting. Also, I feel like the bombing of Pearl Harbor was a topic that interested me a lot when I learned about in high school. But I had the general facts about the bombing, I wanted to do a deep dive into the day that it happened and how the emotions of people in America were days after the bombing happened. I also wanted to capture the emotional side of someone, who may have lost a loved one during the bombing and not knowing the outcome.

You cover the bombing of Pearl Harbor in your story—how did you conduct your research for it?

When I was writing the story, I had a general idea about the topic on Pearl Harbor. First, I decided to build Nancy’s world by researching the world of nursing before the bombing, medical events going on, and the popular culture of the time-music, movies, and radio shows. Then I researched different forts, Pearl Harbor history, military history to build James’ story. I also looked at newspapers and letters from that time. Lastly, I did look at different websites to understand what was going on in the world at the time on the homefront. When I had all of my sources, I went through and booked marked the websites as things that I wanted to read. So, I could have some references to look back to when I was writing the story.

The theme of the anthology is, obviously, the words “I love you.” How did you incorporate that theme into your story, and what does “I love you” mean to you?

As I was writing the story, incorporating the theming of loving was a little intimidating because it was my first time writing about love. But a few of the ways that I showed that James loved Nancy was through flashback scenes of their time together, the little letters that James wrote to Nancy, and the feelings that they had towards each other. I also feel like centering a story around a holiday (such as Christmas) that involves love and family helped me to incorporate the theme as well.

To me, the words “I love you” are a symbol of devotion and commitment that you are making to another person. It also is about the true feeling of love and feeling loved by another that makes this phrase even more special. It also is about expression and showing your affection towards them.

Before you go, do you have any advice for other writers? Any lessons you’ve learned as a writer?

To be honest, one of the biggest pieces of advice that I have for other writers is to be patient with yourself when you are first starting out. Crafting a story takes time and patience. The first draft of a story doesn’t have to be perfect, you just have to keep at it until you have something that you and God are proud of. Take time and listen to God because He might give you some inspiration and ideas for your stories. Some of the lessons that I have learned as a writer are patience, brainstorm ideas, and researching small little details for your story can add depth to your story.

I really appreciate you joining me today, Maggie! I hope everyone enjoys our interview as much as I did!

about the author

Maggie Copeland is a college student from Southern VA and a follower of Christ. She enjoys writing feel-good stories that reflect the love of the Father. When she is not reading or studying, she enjoys watching classic movie musicals (maybe White Christmas in May), plotting new story lines, or finding new ways to make her characters diverse.

the day tragedy strikes

It’s Christmas 1941. Nancy Smith, who is a nurse at St. Paul’s Hospital, worries over her fiance, James McCallen, who is serving in the Navy at the base in Hawaii. She waits day in and day out for him to come home, but nothing ever comes from him in the mail. Her faith in God is being tested and pushed, but she never wavers and never gives up hope on him, especially during Christmas time. She trusts that the Lord will give her what she needs, until there is a tragic accident at Pearl Harbor. Will Nancy ever see James again or will she be stuck wondering what has happened to him when the day that tragedy strikes?

the giveaway

Follow the tour schedule below and comment on any or all of the upcoming posts included in the tour for an entry into a giveaway for an e-copy of Tell Me You Love Me and more fantabulous prizes! (One comment = one entry! Replies to other comments do not count.) Entrants must be eighteen years of age or have parent's permission.

The winner will be announced in my post at the end of the tour, on January 31st, so y'all enjoy all the wonderful content coming your way from these lovely young authors and be sure to comment on all their posts for a chance to win!

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!

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 – January 23rd

Maggie Copeland on Of Blades and Thorns – January 24th

Sarah Lawton – 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 my interview with Maggie! (I'm so amazed and touched by the fact that my series prompted her to start writing! ) Her story is so interesting and tender, and I can't wait for y'all to read it!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#tellmeyouloveme #blogtour #anthology #christianfiction #christianromance #shortstories #historicalromance #comingsoon #preorder #upcomingrelease #giveaway #entertowin #authorinterview #interview

about the anthology (tell me you love me tour)

Around Valentine's Day last year, I came up with the idea to challenge myself to write one romance flash fiction story every day for a week. Well, just as soon as I wrote that idea down, another one popped into my head: a romance anthology. That night, Tell Me You Love Me was born.

A day or two later, I got everything together and posted about open submissions for my romance short story anthology contest, and within a mere month I had over twenty submissions of all kinds - historical, fantasy/speculative, contemporary.

What I'd originally intended to be a seven-story anthology (six stories chosen and one written by me) nearly doubled. I had the hardest time picking just six stories, so I settled on twelve (and consequently did not write one myself).

And that's when Tell Me You Love Me became a reality.

It's been a long, hard process. Lots of back-and-forth, late nights, figuring things out and making it work as some of these writers are being published for the first time and I am publisher of others' work for the first (and certainly not last) time.

But through it all, God has brought us through for a tremendous purpose: to give the world beautiful, God-honoring romance stories that reflect the love of Christ.

I am so thankful to all of you who have supported and invested in this project...to my twelve marvelous authors who poured their hearts and souls into their stories...to my twenty-one writers who submitted their sweet stories...and to everyone who has read and enjoyed our anthology.

I absolutely cannot wait for Tell Me You Love Me to be placed in readers' hands all over the world, for these stories to come to life before hundreds of people's eyes, and for hearts to be opened to receiving the wonderful, life-changing love of God!

If you haven't yet, I want to remind you to preorder your Kindle copy of Tell Me You Love Me before release day (February 14th)! Preorders not only give you access to the book the moment it releases, but also are cheaper than the price after release and help us exceedingly at promoting and supporting this anthology on Amazon!

If you've already preordered, thank you SO much! I pray you enjoy the stories as much as I did!

(Pst! You may have noticed that the tour schedule said Lydia M. Jupp, one of our authors, would be on today. Unfortunately, we've had to push the post date back, hence why you're hearing from me instead of from her, but rest assured her post will be up soon!)

the giveaway

Follow the tour schedule below and comment on any or all of the upcoming posts included in the tour for an entry into a giveaway for an e-copy of Tell Me You Love Me and more fantabulous prizes! (One comment = one entry! Replies to other comments do not count.) Entrants must be eighteen years of age or have parent's permission.

The winner will be announced in my post at the end of the tour, on January 31st, so y'all enjoy all the wonderful content coming your way from these lovely young authors and be sure to comment on all their posts for a chance to win!

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!

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 – January 23rd

Maggie Copeland on Of Blades and Thorns – January 24th

Sarah Lawton – 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

Let's celebrate Godly romance today (and every day), y'all! Share the titles of some of your favorite Christian romances in the comments below!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#tellmeyouloveme #blogtour #anthology #christianfiction #christianromance #shortstories #historicalromance #comingsoon #preorder #upcomingrelease #giveaway #entertowin #romance

interview with amelia cabot & her character annemarie (tell me you love me tour)

Welcome to Day 4 of the Tell Me You Love Me author tour! I'm pleased to announce that one of our lovely authors has agreed to introduce herself and her main character with us today, so everyone give a round of applause to Amelia Cabot! Y'all, this girl is such an amazing writer and so full of wisdom! I know you'll love hearing from her!

the interview

Heyo, Amelia! Thank you so much for joining us today! I am SO excited to get into this interview, but first, please introduce yourself!

Hey, Gracie! And a huge howdy to all y’all who are reading this!!

My name’s Amelia Cabot, and I’m a homeschooler, writer, and amateur musician (violin and piano). I write Christian fiction and poetry but do meld genres at times, such as historical fiction for my anthology story. Besides writing, I also enjoy singing, messing with Pinterest boards, being an English nerd, and learning Spanish.

(And telling my dad that no, adding “o” at the end of words does not automatically make them Spanish. “El dinner-o” is not dinner. “La table-o” is not table.)

How long have you been writing for? What first inspired you to start writing?

Oof, well, the earliest writings I have date back to when I was five or six … I tend to go with six because I don’t have any months or days written in.

Hm … I’d say my dear mother had a part in inspiring me to write. Early on, she taught me the rudiments of phonics and all that jazz that comes before reading; so I’d say that spurred my love for reading as a child. All of that reading definitely inspired my stories, too. The first story I ever wrote (or so I claim) was about a family going camping, possibly based off of a story I read in second grade about a family who went camping and then got lost.

(They found their way back. Nobody was eaten alive by bears or captured by Bigfoot. All was well.)

So we could assume that I’ve been writing since then.

(Also, my dad writes! He’s not an author, but he has participated in writing contests. So all of the weirdness and humor in my writing comes from my dad, because I inherited fifty percent of him. And he knows he can’t deny that logic.)

I will say that one person who greatly inspired my writing was Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her books made me obsessed with prairie life. I remembered being quite excited when I discovered that there were also books written about her great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and daughter when they were children. Consequently, I wrote various stories based on these books and other books of other genres, even if I messed up the timeline and events half the time in books set around the 1800s.

(I mentioned World Wars I and II in the 1800s … and I didn’t realize how huge of a gap there was between the two wars …)

So thank you to my parents and Laura Ingalls Wilder. :) (And every other author who wrote one of the many, many books I read as a kid. ;) )

How did you hear about Tell Me You Love Me? What was your initial reaction?

Why do you ask me all the questions that I have to search into the cobwebs and shadows of my mind for LOL?

I must’ve come across it one day when I was stalking your blog … ? I thought, “Sure, let’s try it!”, since I’d just tried my hand at a writing contest and didn’t place anything. So I had some hopes with the anthology. :)

Your story is His Freedom Over Mine, set in Berlin during the 1960s. What prompted you to write this story?

Ahhh, yes, the origin! The inspiration came from none other than my dear homeschool video teacher for world history, Mr. Smith! One of my world history lessons had included the Berlin Airlift and the Berlin Wall, and as Mr. Smith continued speaking of the airlift, I grew more and more intrigued.

That’s when inspiration struck and the setting of Operation Vittles at the beginning of the story started forming—and the rest is history!

(Literally!)

The details in His Freedom Over Mine are very thorough—how did you conduct your research for this story?

Aw, thank you! With the help of the Internet, I scoured the web pages I could find from various history-related websites for aid! (Wikipedia was not one of them, except to confirm the name of a country perhaps. My video English teacher from last year would have been horrified if I had heavily relied on this site.)

Besides reading history-related sites, I think I watched a YouTube video (or two, or … three?) on Operation Vittles and Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen, too. My attention span might not have held out for every video though. ;)

The theme of the anthology is, obviously, the words “I love you.” How did you incorporate that theme into your story, and what does “I love you” mean to you?

Yes, the theme is about “I love you.” Not about tacos falling from the sky.

At first, I wasn’t sure where in the world I was going with the story. (#Pantser!) Yet whether through reading the Bible or getting lost in the labyrinth of my mind, I had a particular verse that focused on the aspect of love I addressed in my story strike me.

(And for those of you who haven’t read the anthology, I shan’t say. ;) For those of you who have read it … let’s see if you can guess what it is.)

I’ve never had anybody ask me what “I love you” means to me though. This is a first!

I’d say “I love you” means you put everything aside—doesn’t matter how busy you are—to focus on the person you love. “I love you” means that you stop caring about you and your problems and focus on somebody else and their problems. (Situations, as my dad calls them. Or opportunities.) You’re willing to go the extra mile to help them, because “I love you” doesn’t stop short as a three word sentence.

(Or two, if you’re speaking in Spanish.)

Think of it in its simplest form: Jesus Christ and His love for His children. He gave up splendor to become like His children (minus the sin) and then to die for them. That was something God already knew His Son was going to do, way before Adam and Eve broke His only command to not eat the forbidden fruit.

And isn’t that so gorgeous? I could say beautiful, but gorgeous is more vivid than beautiful. If Jesus Christ, as perfect as He is, would die for us, then couldn’t we at least give up ourselves and our desires for Him? He deserves it! We didn’t deserve a drop of the blood He shed for our sins!

But it’s so easy to get caught up with ourselves. ‘Cause c’mon, when you were little, did you care about other people that much? I know I didn’t. Yet here we are as teenagers and adults, surrounded by people on social media and TV and friends and maybe even family who promote finding the right guy just for you.

Um, hello? Didn’t Jesus Christ just give it ALL for His own? Isn’t it ridiculous to go after everyone else’s advice and to find somebody who makes you happy, who makes you feel good?

Didn’t everyone else ever consider that the other person is a human being with problems—ahem, situations—that need to be helped? I don’t care if the guy has eyes the color of dark chocolate that make you want to melt into them like a goop of raw honey. He has things he struggles with, too, and he needs somebody willing to love him and help him in those battles.

*clears throat* Rant’s almost over. Hang on.

In essence, true love isn’t about you! Period! It’s about the other person (in our case, ladies, the guy whom God has for you, if that’s His will) and about Jesus Christ! Because we’re going to suck at a relationship if we don’t have God in it, mk? So as long as the both of you are glorifying and serving God while putting the other over self, you’ll have a sweet, successful marriage in the eyes of God.

Alright. I have ended the rant.

Amazing answers, Amelia! (Aah, alliteration. ) Before you go, do you have any advice for other writers? Any lessons you’ve learned as a writer?

Yes, the wonderful usage of alliteration. :D ‘Tis a lovely literary device.

Ooh, girl, advice? Lessons? Oh, dear, she’ll be daring me to eat fried squirrel one day … (Not that you haven’t chased me around the country with a bucket of that … substance … already.)

I can’t give advice that I wouldn’t force myself to use; so … here’s two pieces of advice and two lessons I’d force myself to use/learn from!

1.) You can’t hide your writing forever.

Silence the freaking out going on in your head. Seriously. At least for some time. ‘Cause guess what?

Writing for yourself is a LOT easier than sharing your writing. And publishing your writing? It’s like a dream in one side of your head and a chaotic mess in the other.

Which then permeates the dream and turns into that goop of honey you became when you saw Dream Boy’s chocolate-colored eyes.

But if you were paying attention to my rant, Who do we have to think about? Mhm. Jesus Christ. We have to give everything back to Him. :)

And while you’re not hiding your writing and not planning to bury yourself in a ten-foot-deep hole in the ground (and while I am also not doing just that) …

2.) Write what’s going to matter in the long run.

William Faulkner’s “The Nobel Prize Speech” was a selection I had the opportunity (haha, using words that my father would approve of) to read in literature this year. Yes, it was a speech that he gave because he won the Nobel Peace Prize, but it was more than, “Thanks for the award. This is why I’m great. Blah, blah, blah, snore.” In this speech, Faulkner encouraged young writers to write about one particular topic. And what is that topic?

The heart.

What comes from the heart?

Every feeling under the sun.

So writers, don’t neglect the stories God’s given us. Life is a weird combination of laughter and tears, humor and cynicism, deserts and mirages of hope that vanish. Yet if we can let our readers see Christ through every problem and every good moment, I think we’ve got the point.

As for lessons I’ve learned as a writer …

1.) You’re going to learn a lot more about people than you probably ever have before.

Think about it.

Your characters have to have issues so that you have a plot, right? Some of us don’t necessarily write what we’re familiar with. We’re constantly running to mental health websites, scrolling through Pinterest quotes, and reading random books and articles to understand how to write our characters.

Yet have you considered how this could come in handy in the real world?

You start learning what to say and what not to say in certain scenarios. You get glimpses of some of what goes on inside other people, even if they don’t tell you. You’re prepared to deal with certain situations. And chances are, you might be inspired to use somebody’s situation (not as gossip or shaming though) in one of your books, because …

2.) You are allowed to use anything in your stories.

When I say anything, I mean anything. (But please use common sense and spiritual discernment on certain topics. ;) ) Trip to a foreign country? Use it. Musical instrument you barely know the name of but think it’s cool? Use it. Random application you learned in chemistry that you won’t remember a year from now?

Use the thing, even if you don’t like chemistry! Or physics. Or trigonometry. Or plane geometry.

Do I recall anything to use in plane geometry other than to allow my characters to insult each other in their inabilities to complete such a course?

Nope.

But is it still fun to watch my characters joke over how much they suffered through that course?

Of course.

I really appreciate you joining me today, girl! I hope everyone enjoys our interview as much as I did!

Aww, thank you! This interview was definitely fun! And I hope everyone reading this enjoyed our interview, too!

(Although I may question what else you have up your sleeve thanks to your questions now.)

about the author

Amelia Cabot is a sinner saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, homeschooler, and Christian fiction/poetry writer who has embraced the world of writing since she was six. She can typically be found in the corner of the living room at her desk, mostly due to the fact that she lives in an apartment and doesn't use her room half of the time. Although she hasn’t published her own novels, she has dabbled in writing contests, with the Tell Me You Love Me anthology as the first official work she has been published in. When she’s not writing, she’s mentally correcting improper grammar (and punctuation, and capitalization, and spelling), uncovering the enigmas of the piano and violin, singing, comprehending Spanish, or daydreaming about her characters and their never-ending predicaments.

meet the character

Annemarie, thank you so much for joining us today! Do you mind introducing yourself to everyone?

Thank you, Grace! And sure, I can introduce myself. :)

I’m Annemarie Müller, the main character from “His Freedom over Mine.” I’m originally from West Berlin but moved to East Berlin when I was a bit of an older teenager, since my parents had passed and I didn’t have relatives in West Berlin.

*looks at Amelia and mouths* What else am I supposed to say?

Amelia: I don’t know! You’re the one who gets to talk now!

*sighs and turns back to Grace* Well … I guess one other thing is that I’m a wife and mother to two beautiful children, Gabriele and Ralph. And … *still looks at Amelia for help*

Amelia: Just go on.

*turns back to Grace again* Yep. That’s … the story of my life.

-Amelia has temporarily left to scream over her character’s inability to speak to living people.-

You’re currently living in one of Germany’s most tumultuous times in modern history—how do you feel about that? Can you tell that you’re part of such a pivotal time?

*laughs* That’s true. It’s … nerve-wracking, to say the least. It’s like you can’t do anything when you’re outside without thinking that the guards will see you and you’re scared they’ll think you’re doing something wrong. Or that they’re spying on you. And what I really don’t like is all the shortages. Oh, my. Everything is so hard to get.

This is an … interesting time frame. I knew things were bad since World War II, but younger me thought life would get better.

*another laugh* Younger versions of us are a little too hopeful sometimes.

There’s a lot going on in your country and your personal life, yet you still trust God through it all. Do you have any advice for trusting God and having that kind of faith?

Aww. That is sweet of you to think that of me. Praying. Always praying. You know that verse “Pray without ceasing,” right? And thinking about God’s promises is definitely a huge part in my life. It isn’t easy. *laughs* Oh, believe me, it isn’t. I’d rather fret about things than take God’s Word.

Hm, since we’re speaking of promises, what’s a good promise? Like … Psalm 55:22. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” *smiles* I remember sharing that verse with Gabriele once, and she said, “But, Mama, we don’t have any burned dens. I don’t know what a den is anyway. And we can’t go anywhere unless we move our feet.” *giggles*

On a lighter note, you met your now-husband Rudolph when y’all were kids. What was your first impression of him? When did you come to love him in a romantic sense?

Oh, my husband? I thought he was terrible when he met me. He sat next to me and then wouldn’t stop scooting over every time I tried moving away from him. *rolls eyes*

But I think I started learning to like him after he shared chocolate with me. Because I like chocolate. *laughs* And I started loving him when I was old enough to know that he really did care about me and that he had something different in him than the other teenage boys I saw.

Different in a good way, of course. Because when you’re a Christian, you’re supposed to be different. Rudolph is still different from a lot of other men I’ve seen. I’ll keep it that way though.

*smirks* Although we might have to do something about his love for chocolate.

What does love look like to you? How do you define it?

Well, I’m not a writer. That’s more of Amelia’s thing. But … I guess I’ll try explaining my thoughts on love.

I think love is simple. Simple, but also really, really difficult to manage. One wrong word or action can shake that foundation, but the right words or actions can strengthen it. And it also isn’t about me—wait, we’re talking about me, right? *looks uncertainly at Amelia*

Amelia: *makes strange gesticulations to indicate that Annemarie needs to keep talking

*turns back to Grace, perplexed* Um … where was I? Oh! Yes. Love isn’t about self. There we go. I Corinthians 13 is the ultimate chapter in the Bible on love. That and the chapters of Jesus’s death on the cross. That also is love.

And I think I can see love in different ways, too. Whenever Gabriele comes running up to me with another bouquet of flowers … or weeds that she thinks are flowers … I can tell she’s trying to give me something to show her love. Ralph’s still learning not to eat those weeds; so he doesn’t bring me things like that. *giggles* But he’ll sit on my lap and cuddle with me when I’m having a bad day.

And Rudolph? Ah. He helps out around the house in his … own way. Not always the right way. But I’ll take his help. He’s sometimes having to remind me to calm down, too. Which is nice. Because I think I want to become scared over everything. :)

What do you think you learned throughout your story? What do you hope readers learn from your life?

That God’s still faithful. *smiles* Life is terrifying. But He’s still there, and He will pull us out of those terrifying times. He’ll do what He wants whenever He’s ready, not whenever we think it’s time.

Oh, dear, people have to learn from my life … Then again, I blame Amelia for this. *looks at Amelia with a laugh as Amelia rolls her eyes but then grins* If whoever reads my story can put it down with one thought in mind, it’s that love is sacrifice. Denying yourself for somebody else. Being the best you can be to benefit your husband, your kids, your parents, your siblings … well, everyone.

But don’t pretend to care for others if you want attention for it. Then that’s selfishness.

I loved getting to know you, Annemarie! Thank you for coming on!

Aww, thank you, Grace! Thank you for allowing me to have this interview with you!

*looks at Amelia and mouths* And you’re never making me speak like this again.

his freedom over mine

She never could distinctly remember what freedom truly was.

Ever since Annemarie Müller was a little girl, all she’d known was horror, war, and the consequences of war. But after she met Rudolph, her world began to change. And once they had grown up and gotten married, changes sprang up into their lives like the first green plants of spring inching their way through the soil. One of those sprouts of change was a blazing hope to escape East Berlin into that ever-coveted freedom called West Berlin, a home that had once been theirs.

What they didn’t expect to sprout overnight was the Berlin Wall–the wall that could forever bar them from their only chance at having freedom.

the giveaway

Follow the tour schedule below and comment on any or all of the upcoming posts included in the tour for an entry into a giveaway for an e-copy of Tell Me You Love Me and more fantabulous prizes! (One comment = one entry! Replies to other comments do not count.) Entrants must be eighteen years of age or have parent's permission.

The winner will be announced in my post at the end of the tour, on January 31st, so y'all enjoy all the wonderful content coming your way from these lovely young authors and be sure to comment on all their posts for a chance to win!

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!

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

Lydia M. Jupp on Of Blades and Thorns – January 23rd

Maggie Copeland on Of Blades and Thorns – January 24th

Sarah Lawton – 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 my interview with Amelia and Q&A with her character Annemarie! They both had some wonderful wisdom to share, didn't they? Her story is so beautiful and sweet, and I know y'all will love it! Have you ever read a story set during Soviet-era Berlin? Drop the title down below if you have!

yours in spirit and script, grace

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

5 tricks to writing pristine prose in any genre

I don’t know about you, but my prose differs in some way in every single book, genre, and POV type I write. Sometimes, in a lovely third-person historical romance, my writing is flowy and poetic and immerse and detailed. And then just as soon as I switch to a first-person contemporary, it’s chaotic and unbalanced and overly emotional.

Sound like something you’ve dealt with? Or do you have a hard time finding a consistent style that fits well with every genre and story you write?

If so, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve compiled five of my top tips for creating beautiful, immerse prose that enhance your story rather than take away from the elements that make it unique!

get to know your personal style

This is really the foundation of everything, not just prose, and if you’re like me you jump right into writing without really developing and understanding your own personal writing style, preferred genres, themes, character archetypes, tropes, etc., each and every story is going to feel inconsistent and incomplete. Whether you write action-packed sci-fi and poetic historical romance or contemporary slice-of-life and epic fantasy, there are going to be some common threads. Your own personal flair. Hints of you. Maybe it’s your sarcastic quips, classic comedic situations, themes of light vs darkness, messages of hope, admirable heroes, or including specific things like pirates, talking vegetables, and grumpy elves.

Ask yourself what makes your stories your stories (besides you being the author, of course). What makes your writing stand out from everyone else’s?

For example, one of my common threads is passionate but pure romance that reflects the love of God! So whether you’re reading one of my pirate books, a contemporary novel, a mystery, or a Regency romance, you’re gonna see examples of God-honoring romance and love stories He’s redeemed for His purposes!

Another example is Julie Lessman. Not only do all of her stories also have passionate, Godly romance and impactful messages of faith, they have Irish main characters and families! So whether you’re reading her contemporary series, her westerns, or her O’Connor family series, you’re bound to find some stubborn Irish mules in her books!

Once you know what your common thread is and how it translates into your stories, you can cultivate it and give all of your work a consistent, cohesive feel!

strive for quality in every project

Sometimes it seems easier to rush up to write your short story and half-tail it, while you take a painstakingly long time creating and editing and rewriting your fantasy epic. You may feel obligated to pay careful attention to the prose and specific words you use in your historical novel, but just have free rein with your contemporary project.

But the thing is, writing inconsistently produces inconsistent writing. If you want quality prose that is a delight to read in every story, you need to put in the work in every story. Pay attention to how your sentences flow in your contemporary coming-of-age novel. Short, choppy sentences may sound more modern and vibey, but they can be a pain to read if you don’t arrange them just right (which is a post for another day). In the same way, you may not want to spend 1,000 hours researching Old English for your medieval romance, but letting modernisms slip is only going to make your story feel inauthentic and amateurish, so keep an eye out for phrases that don’t sound correct and try throwing in a few 14th century insults or idioms every now and then!

Read your writing aloud to catch moments of rambling or lack of detail, and rewrite accordingly. Edit every project thoroughly, no matter how long or short, to ensure you’ve done your very best. Don’t be afraid to cut out or rework sentences or paragraphs that don’t mesh well with the rest of the story.

It may take time and effort, but it’s worth it in the end!

Bonus Tip: If you’re like me and you can’t stand for your writing to feel poor or incomplete as you write, try writing a cleaner first draft! Go ahead and flesh out descriptions, focus on the flow of your sentences, and choose words that accurately convey your meanings!

pick an element to emphasize

My friend Grey S. Park was lamenting her prose the other day (hence this article, actually), and one of her main reasons why she felt her prose fell flat in her current WIP is because her characters are all a bunch of tough gangsta boys. Not ideal for lyrical, poetic prose, eh?

Maybe you’re in a similar predicament, working with macho men or no-nonsense girls or dogs who can’t see color, and you’re curious how in the world you’re going to make the prose sound good when it would be insanely out of character for your characters to wax poetic about the glow of the moon. Or anything else, for that matter.

No problem.

There are ways to add some flair (maybe not entirely poetic flair, but close enough) to your prose, even with a bunch of gangstas and pirates.

Start by getting to know your characters and what they actually care about and notice, how their mind works and what they think. For example, my character Rina isn’t one to spend three paragraphs describing a beautiful dress or a sunrise or really anything...but she rambles. Her thoughts are always detailed and emotional and immersive. Not chaotic (not after editing, at least), but certainly not bland and vague. Or my character Keaton won’t ramble in his mind, but he will take note of everything around him and catalog all the details.

So ask yourself what your characters think about, what they notice, how they think and describe things. The hero may not notice the beauty of a garden, but he’d notice how the freckles dance across the heroine’s nose. The heroine may not describe her setting lyrically, but instead she may use metaphors and similes that fit her life/personality/experiences.

Once you’ve got a good idea of the individual elements of your characters, focus on those elements. You do not have to describe everything or detail everything prettily, but odds are something will affect your characters (or fit your setting, genre, or plot), so take advantage of that! Use words, metaphors, and similes that are natural to your characters, and pay attention to what they pay attention to.

choose unique & meaningful words

Just like using metaphors that mean something to your characters, you need to choose words that mean something to your story. Describe your storm as violent instead of very strong. Call the love interest captivating instead of pretty. Use as blue as the waves that hit the shores of my home instead of sea blue. Try the heavy mahogany table instead of the brown-ish red table.

See the difference?

Using strong verbs instead of adverbs, applying detail to boring nouns, and selecting adjectives that are unique and meaningful will give your prose that beautiful, immersive feel without overdoing it!

do something drastic

When all else fails, give a word a new meaning. Turn a noun into a verb. Make up your own metaphor or simile. Describe something in a way no one’s ever done before.

Personally, one of my favorite pieces of writing, The Gift of Her Heart, was written drastically. As you can read in the first chapter here, I tried a few of the techniques above to turn the short story I wrote in an even shorter amount of time into something unique and well-written.

So next time you feel like your story has lost its spark, try infusing a bit of light into it with some drastic measures.

Well, there you have it, folks! Five tips and tricks to help you make your prose stronger and most consistent between all your stories, no matter what the genre is or who the characters are! Of course, there’s so much more, and I could go on about prose all day, but hopefully this will get you started! Let me know which tip is your favorite down below, or what genres/types of stories you write!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#prose #writing #howto #tipsandtricks #writingadvice #writingtips

tell me you love me author tour kickoff

Am I posting at 9:50pm? Yes.

Did I totally forget that this post was supposed to go live at 5am? Yes.

Did I also forget to actually write it until I was about to leave the house this evening? Yes.

Y'all, I have been a HOT MESS this year. I participated in CWW for the very first time last week, and boy was that hectic. So this surprised Tell Me You Love Me tour I planned will be very surprising, suffice to say.

Anyway, enough about that. Onto the ✨fun stuff✨!!!

Tell Me You Love Me, my first-ever anthology with my very own small press (which hasn't “officially" launched yet), releases on February 14th (in less than a month!!!), and to celebrate, the AH-MAY-ZING authors and I have gathered together to share all sorts of fun things, from author interviews to character Q&A to exclusive story details over the next couple weeks!

I'm kicking things off tonight with an epic GIVEAWAY!!!

Follow the tour schedule below and comment on any or all of the upcoming posts included in the tour for an entry into a giveaway for an e-copy of Tell Me You Love Me and more fantabulous prizes! (One comment = one entry! Replies to other comments do not count.)

The winner will be announced in my post at the end of the tour, on January 31st, so y'all enjoy all the wonderful content coming your way from these lovely young authors and be sure to comment on all their posts for a chance to win!

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!

the tour

Grace A. Johnson – tour kickoff – January 17th

Michaela Bush - January 18th

H.S. Kylian – January 19th

Amelia Cabot on Of Blades and Thorns – January 20th

Issabelle Perry – January 23rd

Lydia M. Jupp on Of Blades and Thorns – January 23rd

Maggie Copeland on Of Blades and Thorns – January 24th

Sarah Lawton – 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

Y'all have fun learning more about this beautiful project and getting to know the even more beautiful authors behind it!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#tellmeyouloveme #blogtour #anthology #christianfiction #christianromance #shortstories #historicalromance #comingsoon #preorder #upcomingrelease #giveaway #entertowin

marketing q&a pt. 4: marketing for unpublished writers

Many moons ago, I shared a series of marketing Q&A posts, and I promised a final one, which never arrived...

Until today.

I'm not sure if it was lack of time/being overwhelmed with other things or if it was pure procrastination, but for some reason, I never got around to answering this final round of questions until the end of December, so here we are.

I hope none of y'all's questions were extremely pressing, since I made y'all wait a billion years to get the answers, but I also hope you're still interested in reading what I have to say.

So, before we get into it, if you wanna catch up on the last three posts, you can read the one on social media marketing here, the one sales promotion here, and the one on author branding here! Enjoy!

Now, without further ado, the moment we've all been waiting eons for...

annabelle’s question

Is it a good idea to market books on Amazon? Is there enough of an audience there, and is it easy enough to get your book noticed? If so, what steps do you take to do that?

This is a very good question, and complex in some ways. Whether you publish through KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, or pretty much anything, chances are your book will (or can be) on Amazon. So its mere presence on Amazon is a huge step in the marketing process—in part because Amazon itself is going to give your book a slight nudge for the sole purpose of driving more sales for themselves.

And, y’all. Amazon is the #1 online bookseller/retailer, so believe me when I say that there is more than enough of an audience there. The fun thing about working with Amazon is that everything is ready for you. The tools are there, the readers are there, everything you need is there for you, waiting for you to discover all the myriad possibilities.

All that’s left for you to do is make your book stand out from the 48.5 million books on Amazon. No pressure.

Case in point, if you never do any other kind of marketing for your book, market on Amazon. It is more than a good idea. Amazon is where your book is being sold; it’s your book’s landing page; it’s the portal through which readers enter into your book; the list goes on. So if you can work with Amazon, you’re set.

Now, let’s get down to business.

Amazon has a ton of resources and tools available for authors to use for marketing…but they’re not all that straightforward and obvious, if you know what I mean.

One of their best tools, Author Central, is just…not talked about by a large percentage of authors, book marketers, etc., so it’s relatively unknown to most up-and-coming authors. But whether you’re indie or trad, using Author Central (which is totally free, dudes) is going to help you track sales, improve visibility, and create a presence for yourself and your book there on Amazon.

With Author Central, you can easily add information like editorial reviews, blurbs, and more (like graphics in the A+ content section) to your book’s page to make it more intriguing to readers and stand out from the crowd. You can also claim and customize your author page (check out mine ,here), where you can keep your bio and author photo updated and collect followers (and you used to be able to link your blog feed, but I think they recently removed that feature)! (Also, although there is no way to see who follows you or how many followers you have, it’s still a great tool that keeps readers up-to-date on when you release a new book!)

There are also SO many tactics and strategies you can employ on Amazon to boost sales and ranking (therefore gaining more visibility, readers, and profit). Some of my favorites are:

REVIEWS! Nothing helps more than a good review—even though bad ones still count on Amazon!—and gaining more quality reviews will always help turn casual browsers into lifelong readers! Free Kindle promotions! Yes, that basically means you’re discounting your ebook to $0.00 for up to five days. But it helps tremendously in boosting your ranking, and of course you gain more sales, which equals readers, who may review your book or purchase more from you in the future! Keywords. Choosing the right keywords can take your book over the edge—so make sure you pick ones that fit your book, are searchable (and actually searched for), and will draw readers in!

And, of course, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…

Ads.

Yes, Amazon does offer advertisement services on their platform (as if you haven’t noticed), and from what I’ve heard, it’s actually a really good investment! I don’t know from experience because I have yet to (although I want to in the future) try advertising on Amazon, so I will simply direct y’all to Google for that.

To sum up, marketing on Amazon/with Amazon is one of the best things you can do for your book. So make sure your book is worth marketing (i.e., you have an appealing cover, intriguing description, updated information, etc.), then start working with Author Central to take control of your book’s page and your author page, and begin fiddling with all of Amazon’s tools to find the right keywords and price for your novel. And don’t forget to get as many reviews as you can through ARC readers, reviewing programs, blog tours, and more!

joelle’s questions

I'm trying to run a giveaway but am having a hard time finding a platform to do that on that allows teens to enter. Any suggestions?

RAFFLECOPTER! I absolutely love using it because it’s free, easy, and totally customizable. As long as your teens have an email address, they can enter your giveaway through Rafflecopter! In fact, all the rules are up to you, since you can customize your own terms and conditions! Just make sure that if you’re running a physical giveaway that requires a mailing address that entrants under 18 have their parent/guardian’s permission to enter and share their address if they win!

What are some of your best tips for growing your email list/blog following?

Hmm. Let me think of some of the things I’ve done…

Blog tours and collabs Guest posts Newsletter swaps Newsletter incentives GIVEAWAYS (end of story)

Basically, offer potential readers/subscribers something: an exclusive short story, a giveaway, writing tips, etc. And don’t just rely on your reach; promote to other people’s audiences by being featured on other blogs/newsletters or doing collabs!

Should I be marketing when I have no books to market?

In short, yes. Absolutely.

In long, the point isn’t really marketing your book. If it was, it’d be much less effective. The point is (which I’ll get into in my answer to your next question) investing your audience in you, your writing, and pretty much everything you do.

So market yourself. Share guest posts, host giveaways, post snippets and aesthetics, do Q&As, participate in blog tours, join communities and forums, post reviews on sites like Goodreads, pin quotes from your blog posts on Pinterest…all of it.

Establish a strong platform and audience even before you finish your debut book—and trust me, you’ll be beyond glad you did so!

What is the #1 marketing tip you would give if you were on your deathbed and poor, helpless young writers surrounded you?

Wow, Joelle. Getting right to the heart of the matter, eh? Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what my #1 tip is, mainly because I’m still learning and growing and discovering new things.

But as far as my current #1 tip and the one I pretty much always fall back on as a sort of motto or mission…is to invest people in your writing. Heck, invest them in anything—your soap-making, your spiritual growth, your cooking escapades, your reading habits—and chances are they’ll be interested in your books because they’re interested in you.

Cultivate relationships—deep and abiding ones—with everyone around you. Get to know them, their preferences, how they communicate, all of it. Introduce them to your work and immerse them in it. In fact, your friends and followers should come to care more about your writing than you do—so when you’re burnt-out or struggling with procrastination or writer’s block, they can help you see your story through to the end; and when you’re second-guessing your writing, they’ll help you see the good in it.

In the end, whether you pay for ads or go on 10-city book tours, none of that will matter if you haven’t invested your audience in your work. So, if I were taking my final gasping breath, that’s what I would tell all the poor, helpless young writers huddled around me.

allyson’s question

I have a private IG account but I want to go public soon, how can I use that momentum to get a lot of engaging followers? Or, how can I get a lot of engaging followers period?

The answer, my dear Allyson, is in the question. To have engaged followers, you must engage with them.

Start by:

Replying to their comments on your posts Commenting on their posts Posting polls or Q&As in your stories Asking questions and playing games in your feed posts Inviting them to comment or share (or anything else, really) by using a call-to-action in your posts

Making a habit of one, two, three, or more of these things will spiral into a community of followers who engage with your content and are invested in your work!

ava's question

What is the best way to promote my own writing (that's not even close to being published ready) for others to see? So far I've only let one of my friends read along as I write, to offer me feedback and whatnot. Would a website/blog work? Maybe just simply talking to people? lol. I do not have social media, but my parents do...would that be alright? Thanks!

Ooh, girl, a website/blog would absolutely work!!! And so would simply talking to people!

Really, anything that invests others in your writing (and pretty much anything/everything you do) will help you in the long run. Whether that’s sharing your favorite snippets on a blog or in a newsletter, posting writing updates on social media, or even writing stories/articles for other blogs, magazines, etc., it’s gonna be worth it.

I also recommend becoming part of a community—whether that’s on a blog, forum, or something like Young Writers’ Workshop—of writers just like you who will encourage, support, and inspire you! That community will also be the first people to help you promote your writing when it’s available to be read!

Well, that (finally) wraps up my series on marketing, but it doesn't bring an end to my marketing posts! If you have any follow-up questions or anything you'd like to learn more about, please let me know in the comments! I have a lot I want to share, I just don't know quite where to start - which is where you come in!

Also, I have duly noted everyone's requests for writing advice posts, so I have decided that (1) I will start sharing some old(ish) writing articles here over the next few weeks and (2) I will be setting up yet another form for writing-related questions/post suggestions. This could look like "Please write about how you write" (aka, vague) or something like "How do you write quotable dialogue?" Whatever you want to know, I want to write about! So here's the form for all your writerly needs! I'll try to be a bit more timely with these posts...but no guarantees.

Thank you all for your patience! I'd love to hear how (if at all) these tips can help you market yourself and your work, even as an unpublished author!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#marketing #marketingqanda #qanda #publishing #forauthors #marketingforauthors #socialmedia #socialmediaforauthors #marketingadvice #marketingtips #socialmediamarketing #booksales #promotion #authorbrand #branding #amazon

interview: kellyn roth, founder of wild blue wonder press

If you haven't started piecing things together from the title of today's post, or if you haven't already heard, the esteemed Kellyn Roth, author of the beloved Chronicles of Alice and Ivy series, is launching a small press!!!

*cue dramatic celebratory squeals*

Kell has this amazing mission to help new indie authors through the publishing process (specifically with ✨anthologies✨ right now), and I am SO excited to be a part of sharing this fabulous press with y'all!

I hope y'all enjoy reading our interview! I had such a fun time learning more about Kell's vision for Wild Blue Wonder Press!

the interview

Hiya, Kell! It’s so great to have you on the blog today, and I am beyond excited to talk about the launch of your small press, Wild Blue Wonder Press! To get started, could you share a little bit about the history of the press and how it morphed from your personal self-publishing imprint into a small press?

Hi Grace! I’m so grateful to be here—thank you for hosting me!

Well, let’s see. I suppose the first bit to share is how I started using “Wild Blue Wonder Press” as an imprint. Originally, I just used “Kellyn Roth, Author,” but I have always known that in the long run, I wanted to write a variety of genres, and it made sense to make sure I had the flexibility to switch pen names, etc., and still have a recognizable brand.

The name itself comes from a special location on my family’s property. As a child, I always said “wild blue wonder” instead of “wild blue yonder,” and in particular, I named a certain (rather unattractive but homey) valley “the wild blue wonder.” I love how it evokes that feeling of adventure, too. I knew at once that the logo would include a chickadee—my favorite bird and my grandpa’s childhood nickname for me—and have a snowy, cozy aesthetic.

However, once I had that set up, I realized that first, I would have to do some marketing to make the press name familiar to my audience.

Further, I am always the kind of person with a lot of irons in the fire, and it is exhausting. I love helping indie authors and young writers; I want to provide safe places for them to learn and grow. But how to do that when I have a thousand other things going on?

It eventually made sense, for that reason and just because it’s the next logical step, to combine the two. At that point, with my decisions made, it was just about finalizing the branding, deciding exactly what we would offer, and making sure the launch went smoothly.

I decided to start off with launching three anthologies, but we will soon be helping indie authors kick off their career with full-length works, too! If that’s of interest to you, you can actually contact us now.

What’s your main mission as the founder of Wild Blue Wonder Press?

Primarily, to help indie authors achieve their goals in a professional, organized matter and reduce the inherent risk of indie publishing while still giving authors freedom to make their own decisions.

However, that’s just the behind-the-scenes information!

As for what fiction I’m excited to promote and support, I’ll quote my website:

“Wild Blue Wonder Press’s mission is to share fictional stories full of grace and truth. Our goal is to create stories that matter, to delve into the deepest and sometimes the saddest parts of life, and to return from the darkest valleys resplendent in the light of hope and the fullness of joy.”

As also mentioned on the website, I’m currently focusing on women’s fiction aimed at a “new adult” Christian audience—young women navigating life as an adult and asking big questions along the way. That said, in the future, I will probably be expanding my audience. It will be a long time before I can personally work with fantasy, though I have hopes that some day I may be able to. However, I am already looking into expanding my audience.

Your website says your goal is to create stories that matter. What does that look like to you?

I love fiction of all types, and I am a big fan of fiction for the sake of entertainment. For real: despite the fact that I tend to write deep themes and characters with issues, there’s nothing wrong with a purely for-fun read! Fiction is valuable because it inspires us, yes, but sometimes it is equally as valuable to have a book that briefly takes us away from real life and makes us grin or cry or giggle.

That said, it’s not too hard to find that kind of fiction. I could recommend dozens of authors who fall under that category for me! However, I have always struggled to find authors who really make me think in my favorite genres. I want stories that matter—stories that transcend their fictional state and stay with you forever—stories whose themes and topics discussed have a real weight to them, heavy, that you can almost touch. Modern classics, if you will.

The idea is that every action the characters make should be human and real, every theme presented should be shown clearly through the realistic events of the story, and the tendency in Christian fiction to wrap things up in a tidy bow should be avoided. Think Jane Austen meets Anne Brontë, and eventually, we’ll branch out, but Jane and Anne are my inspirational queens, for now.

What are your goals, both short-term and long-term, for Wild Blue Wonder Press? Just for fun, where would you like this project to be in, say, ten years?

Short-term, get the anthology submissions open—the authors selected—the stories put together and launched—and then on to the next anthology (which, by the way, will be author-themed!).

Still somewhat short term, I will be using it to launch my own novel in September of 2023. Potentially, there will be another novel launched through the press before that, too. My goal is to start working with indie authors on developing their careers as soon as possible. I’m being cautious about overextending myself while I build out a team and figure out realistic goals (especially financially), but I will still be pushing to work with more indie authors in 2023 and 2024, to the limit of my capacity. Of course, the anthologies will be a great way to support some indie authors, but it’ll be a somewhat narrow group.

For authors who are publishing full-length novels with us, Wild Blue Wonder Press will offer support in editing, cover design, and other elements of the publishing process in addition to brand, marketing, and career-building.

The level of responsibility, financially and work-wise, for the author will vary based on individual contracts and comfort-levels. More experienced authors may choose to use our name (including provided ISBNs) and marketing resources but handle most of the process themselves. Beginners may rely on us more and may also choose to take less (or no) financial risk as time goes on, as with a traditional publisher. This means royalty rates will vary based on our involvement. However, this is more of a future plan.

In ten years, I hope we’ll have expanded to have several mini imprints for different genres, supporting many indie authors by helping them publish and giving them the association of our name. We will likely never be a traditional publisher, but we will offer indie publishers an introduction to hybrid publishing. More than anything, I want Wild Blue Wonder Press to be associated with quality fiction and successful authors who shine God’s light throughout the world.

You’re planning an anthology (which I absolutely cannot wait for!) to release soon, focused on the theme “Springtime in Surrey.” Can you tell us a little more about this collection of stories? How can writers submit their work?

Absolutely! This collection of stories will, as the title hints, involve a springtime in County Surrey, England. They can be historical (set in any era) or contemporary, and the stories should contain strong themes and lots of character development, allowing them to loosely fall under the genre “women’s fiction.” They may or may not have romance, but they will have a female main character.

Authors who join our anthology will agree, depending on their situation, to do a certain amount of personal platform development in addition to working with us on the anthology. Particularly, for the beginning writers, we will be discussing branding, audience, and so on and making a plan to set the writer up for a career.

For all our anthologies, we will be focusing on authors who have big goals and who truly want to launch a writing career. There’s nothing wrong with hobby writing, but for now, our energy is best spent on writers who can legitimately benefit from our help.

To submit for the collection, your story does not have to be completed—but you will have to submit a full synopsis, so if you are a pantser, it may be a good idea to write the story ahead of time. You can view our official submission page ,here. But here’s what you’ll submit:

An introduction to yourself, written in first person, which should include past writing experience, any details about your platform, and other applicable information you wish to share about your time as a reader, writer, and member of the “bookish community.” Note that beginners are welcome; however, it is helpful to know how much you have done, even if that answer is “practically nothing.” It’ll help us know how to help you! A brief description of the types of books you enjoy writing or would like to write and a brief summary of your dreams for a writing career. This way we can understand better what your goals are. A “pitch” of a short story idea that could theoretically fit into our collection. This does not have to be written. However, we want a full synopsis or rough outline that gives us the beginning, middle, and end of your story idea, a decent understanding of who your main character is and why we should care about them, and a brief summary of the main theme. A snippet of a book, short story, or other piece of writing that you have worked on in the past, preferably something that has received no professional edits (edits from friends or family is fine!). At least 3,000 words preferred.

To submit the above, you can email the above in a PDF or Word Document to ,admin@wildbluewonderpress.com! Note that on the anthology page, you will find a link at the bottom of the page to view further submission guidelines that are worth the read!

What’s next for Wild Blue Wonder Press? Another anthology?

Definitely another anthology! Our next one may be called Novelists in November. My idea is that it will be centered around the idea that the main character is a writer, probably dealing with some writer-related problems. Much like Springtime in Surrey, I hope to feature largely historical and contemporary authors. (I’ll note that I’ll have to get someone else on my team before I can work with other genres, due to my own expertise.)

However, we will be moving forward working with individual authors as much as possible.

How can writers get involved with the press? What ways can they help bring this idea to life, and how can Wild Blue Wonder Press help them bring their dreams into reality?

Right now, of course, anthology submissions are a big one. If you want to be a part of our anthology, please reach out to us! I’m also happy to help mentor you through the process. (Don’t worry—I don’t bite.)

If in the future, you might be interested in publishing a novel with Wild Blue Wonder Press, I would love to chat over email or even schedule a call with you to discuss what that would look like. Right now, I have planned out three potential imprints—Western, romance, and children’s fiction—in addition to our current women’s fiction novels, and I am considering doing more. If you want to influence the direction the press takes with its imprints, now may be a good time to express interest and let me know what you’re thinking!

In general, thoughts are always welcome. I enjoy talking through my ideas and hearing yours, so if you want to just email me (,admin@wildbluewonderpress.com) or message me on our social media, I’m happy to check!

Of course, I’m happy to do interviews like this one, participate in giveaways, and the like to promote the press. And when I do those things, any kind of help with shares/reshares gets the word out. Entering the giveaways helps a lot, too!

As for how we can help you, while we’re still getting on our feet, we can’t offer a ton of mentorship except for people in our anthologies OR hoping to be one of our authors on a future project, but if you fall into one of those two categories, we are happy to start helping you in any way possible—especially with making goals, developing your career plans, etc.

This is amazing, Kell! Thank you so much for coming on to share about Wild Blue Wonder Press! Before we go, could you tell us about your books and where readers can connect with you?

Of course! Right now, I have two main series out: a Victorian family saga centered around two sisters, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, and the Kees & Colliers series, a trilogy centered around two families navigating the tumultuous days of the WWI, the 1920s, the Great Depression, and WWII.

The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy is my baby, of course. Right now, I have the first six novels and two novelettes/short stories out, and I’ll be expanding it to 10+ novels over the years. I’ll also have my first spin-off story, Like a Ship on the Sea (The Hilton Legacy, #1), out in late 2023. This series is great for women 16-25 who enjoy somewhat dramatic books with deep themes and tough topics tackled in an honest but tasteful manner.

You can find out about those books (and me and my blog and everything else!) on my website, ,kellynrothauthor.com!

I have an email list you can sign up for on that website, too!

Also, you can check me out on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

the press

Wild Blue Wonder Press was established in January 2016 by Kellyn Roth for the purpose of independently publishing her historical women’s fiction series, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy.

Based on a special location on her family’s property and a childhood stumbling over phrases, Kellyn chose the name to evoke feelings of wonder in a world full of dark valleys. After all, where there is snow and ice, there will be chickadees, and in the midst of the darkest woods, you can often find a cozy cabin.

As of January 2023, Wild Blue Wonder Press is beginning to work with other creatives to expand its outreach and help more independent writers achieve their dreams in a professional manner.

Wild Blue Wonder Press’s mission is to share fictional stories full of grace and truth. Our goal is to create stories that matter, to delve into the deepest and sometimes the saddest parts of life, and to return from the darkest valleys resplendent in the light of hope and the fullness of joy.

At present, we are specifically focusing on women’s fiction aimed at a “new adult” Christian audience. Our ideal reader is a young woman navigating life as an adult and asking big questions along the way. We tackle topics such as mental health, sexual sins, past trauma, and more in a godly light while also showing the positive hope that comes from healing through Jesus Christ.

springtime in surrey

You can find out about Springtime in Surrey on ,our anthology page. In particular, please see the “your submission” section to see what you will be submitting in January. (It’s not exactly your average collection of stories!)

There are also ,further submission guidelines and ,a Pinterest inspiration board available for the project.

The main idea is you’re pitching YOURSELF as much as your story (which does not have to be written—just outlined—at the time of submission.

Stories included in this collection will be:

Women’s fiction, generally aimed at young adult or adult audiences. Vintage in style if not in setting. Real-life characters & therefore real-life problems. Heavy Christian themes. May be historical or contemporary. Featuring stories set in County Surrey, England. Desired word count: 10,000-20,000 words. Flexibility may be available.

I don't know about y'all, but Wild Blue Wonder Press sounds wonderful!!! *winks* I've been working on my submission for Springtime in Surrey, and I absolutely cannot wait to submit it! How about you? Are you interested in being a part? How can Wild Blue Wonder Press help you on your journey to becoming a published author? Let us know in the comments below!

yours in spirit and script, Grace

#wildbluewonderpress #interview #anthology #smallpress #indieauthors #shortstories

book review: the rose and the thistle by laura frantz

Where do I begin? How can I put into words the enchanting beauty of this novel, this lovely work of art?

I’ve noticed many reviews for The Rose and the Thistle thus far coming from first-time Frantz readers—and I’m not surprised that they all say this book of hers won’t be their last. TRATT is exactly the exquisite wonder I have come to expect from Laura Frantz, and I know everyone—long-time fans and new readers—will be as captivated by this story of an English rose and a Scottish thistle as I was.

I first fell in love for this novel just from the blurb (or, let’s face it, the author name). A love story set in the Scottish Lowlands during the beginning of the Jacobite Uprising? I simply could not ask for anything better. I’ve long wanted a novel set during the Jacobite rebellions, because it was SUCH an intriguing time period that seems so often overlooked in favor of the classics like the American Revolution or the American Civil War. (Is it just me, or are all the American wars overdone?)

Then I met Lady Blythe Hedley. A tall, “plain” bluestocking tossed to and fro by the ever-shifting loyalties and betrayals within and without her country. Despite this, she kept such a level head, a gracious spirit, and a God-honoring heart. Never complained, never snapped, never lorded herself over others, never expressed false humility...basically, she never fell for any of the classic blunders of most heroines, so how could I not love her? (For the record, all of Frantz’s heroines are p e r f e c t i o n.)

I did have one qualm with Blythe. She was one of those heroines who jumped to a harebrained (and really unnecessary) conclusion and dwelt on it even when it was completely unfounded and just plain dumb. But more on that later!

As for Everard Hume… The first chapter with him had me cocking an eyebrow, and I told him sternly, “Make me fall in love with you, dude.” And he did. Oh, good heavens, he did. Why did I ever doubt him (and Laura)? He was the ideal strong, silent, tall, dark, broody, and handsome type (read: my type), and his character was always so authentically written and flawlessly portrayed. He had his soft spots (namely Orin), but he never acted out of character or weak. He was just the perfect combination of sweet and precious and blunt and brooding. Plus, he didn’t take no crap! *applause rings out* I love a good nondramatic hero.

Obviously, I had no qualms with him.

But I did have a small issue (not necessarily a good or bad issue, I guess) with both of them. Neither had an arc. No character growth. The development was spot-on, yes, but there was no change or, well, anything. Had the novel been plot-driven, it would’ve made sense. But…it wasn’t. It was the perfect blend of character-driven and plot-driven, but still no character arcs. THAT SAID, I didn’t miss them, not really. The story was fine without it, but in retrospect it does make me wonder if it would’ve been even better with at least one small character arc.

In keeping with my addressing of qualms, let’s revisit the jumping-to-conclusions subject, shall we? I feel like some drama/conflict may have been forced in with that stupid conclusion Blythe jumped to, and it a way it felt a bit sloppy/contrived...but on the other hand, Everard took all the drama in stride and put it to a swift end. So the drama never saw its fullness, which made me curious as to why it was even there to begin with. *shrugs* Not that big of a deal, I suppose, but I have to find something to nitpick on about this pretty much perfect book. *winks*

Now, back to the good stuff.

This story was ripe for contention and ranting. Frantz could have easily turned this into a Catholic vs. Protestant rant or a political argument…but she didn’t. She clearly and graciously portrayed both sides (religiously and politically) and didn’t create unnecessary conflict between Blythe and Everard with their different beliefs. They respected each other, considered everything from an objective point-of-view, and moved on with their lives. Literally the first time this has ever happened in the history of everything I’ve ever read. *sobs tears of joy*

On that note, I love how Frantz so naturally and authentically writes faith. Nothing is forced, diluted, or too concentrated—everything flows so seamlessly and genuinely. It feels real, not written, you know?

The same goes for her romances, her settings, her accents—all of it! This story came to life so vibrantly and, as Blythe would say, enthrallingly, and I am just in pure awe every time of how talented and skilled Laura Frantz is. How she weaves every element together in a glorious tapestry. How she draws you in and grips you through every single page. How her words become poetry, even when written in Scots.

It’s like this: I’d like to say I found a way to put The Rose and the Thistle into words...but even in this I have still failed. Just read it, folks, and you’ll see this magnificent story unfold a million times better than I could ever describe.

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

about the book

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies--and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.

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about the author

Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky. According to Publishers Weekly, "Frantz has done her historical homework." With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Readers can find Laura Frantz at www.laurafrantz.net.

I do believe I'm going to make it a tradition to ring in the new year with a Laura Frantz novel (as I did in 2022 with A Heart Adrift)! That way, my first read of the year will always be my favorite! *winks* Nothing quite compares to a luscious historical romance by Laura Frantz, I doubt anything ever will!

What was your first read of 2023? Have you read anything by Laura Frantz? If so, which of her novels is your favorite? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#bookreview #review #laurafrantz #firstreadoftheyear #historicalfiction #christianfiction #romance #historicalromance #scotland #favoriteauthor #favoritebook

2022 highlights: blog posts & stats

To be honest, I was not going to do this post this year, because it’s kinda boring…maybe? I don’t know. I actually enjoyed putting it together this time around, so maybe it’s not! Y’all will have to let me know what y’all think in the comments!

It is pretty fun to look back over the year and see what content everyone enjoyed and what all I got to do and share here, so I hope y'all enjoy it as well!

most popular post of the year

The most popular post of the year (according to views) was by far my post announcing open submissions for Tell Me You Love Me anthology! As a bonus, the post with the most comments (74, to be exact) was my announcement of the winners of the TMYLM anthology contest!

Now, let’s take a look at each month’s most popular post, out of a grand total of 147 posts this year!

January: 14 posts total. Most views at 153 goes to Guest Post: Why Christian Fiction CAN End with a Kiss by Kellyn Roth. February: 11 posts total. Most views at a whopping 405 goes to Submissions Open for Tell Me You Love Me Anthology! March: 17 posts total. Most views at 247 goes to Introducing...Sky’s the Limit Press! April: 16 posts total. Most views at 342 goes to Tell Me You Love Me Anthology Winners Announced! May: 13 posts total. Most views at 182 goes to What’s Your WIP Tag. June: 11 posts total. Most views at 173 goes to The Bookworm’s Tag #4. July: 10 posts total. Most views at 268 goes to Contest + Questionnaire. August: 13 posts total. Most views at 142 goes to Romance Q&A Pt. 3: Kisses, Chemistry, & Why I Write Romance. September: 13 posts total. Most views at 99 goes to Marketing Q&A Pt. 1: Social Media Marketing. October: 11 posts total. Most views at 206 goes to Author Interview: Lillian E. November: 7 posts total. Most views at 121 goes to the day hath arrived. December: 11 posts total. Most views at 82 goes to welcome to december.most memorable blogging moment

Hmm. This is tough. To be honest, I have a ton of negative memorable moments, but what’s the point of remembering and dwelling on those? (Not that y’all or my blog is a source of negativity, not at all!)

So…I think that, unsurprisingly, one of the most memorable moments would be sharing about TMYLM and just watching it absolutely take off! Seeing so many people from all corners of the internet come together over this project…just wow. Pure wow right there, folks.

new things I tried

Well, naturally, I tried creating an anthology and hosting a contest for it—and we succeeded, by golly! What an amazing and exhilarating experience! One I’m excited to do again!

I also did two different advice Q&As (one on romance, the other on marketing) that were so. much. fun! I’m excited to debut my next Q&A series this month!

Otherwise, I don’t think I really tried anything else “new,” per se!

favorite posts

My favorite posts? Gosh, that’s tough. I still don’t know why I do this category. Some of my favorites were absolutely my Q&A posts (you can check out all the romance ones here and the marketing ones here!), and one that will always be near and dear to my heart is my Bound and Determined publication announcement!

What about you? What were some of your favorite posts? What would you like me to share more of this year? Do you blog? If so, how did it go last year? What are you looking forward to doing in 2023? Feel free to share all about it in the comments below!

yours in spirit and script, grace

#blog #blogging #2022highlights #2022favorites #blogposts