Cathy Bryant's Blog: CatBryant.com ~ Journey Blog, page 102

SUMMER SPLASH WINNERS (& Links & Updates!!!)

LINKS: 



Here's a great post by one of my favorite Christian authors, Susan May Warren, about the importance of secondary characters. I couldn't agree more, and truly tried to incorporate vivid secondary characters in my Miller's Creek series. Here's the link: http://www.mybooktherapy.com/index2.php/2010/07/22/secondarycharacters/



TEXAS ROADS showed up in a review here: http://publishingworks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2014



UPDATES:

Hubby and I had a great time on our vacation to Red River,...

How To Use the TRACK CHANGES Tool in Microsoft Word

I was so grateful when my crit partner extraordinaire, Ralene, tipped me off to using the TRACK CHANGES Tool in Microsoft Word. Whether your editing your own manuscript or someone else's, this tool is easy and helpful.



1. Open up Microsoft Word and type any sentence.



2. Click the Tools Tab and then Click Track Changes. 





3. To leave a comment about anything in the manuscript, highlight the part of the text you want to comment on and click on the starred folder in the toolbar. A comment...

A Call-Out for Beta Readers

As most of you know, I've been finishing up Book Two in the Miller's Creek, Texas series, a book entitled A Path Less Traveled . Even as I write these words, I'm working on edits and revisions. Once I finish the process I'll be sending the story out to a handful of beta readers to get their feedback and constructive criticism.



I thought it would be prudent to write a post on what I'm looking for in a beta reader so you can see if you're interested. The main point I want to make clear from the...

What I Learned From Tinker Bell

"Everything is possible for him who believes." ~Mark 9:23 (NIV)



I love the scene in Peter Pan movies and musicals where Tink's light is fading. She's dying, and only one thing can save her. Do you remember what it is?



Belief.



I've seen at least two stage productions of Peter Pan, and both times the audience applauded to let good ole Tink know they believed in her. We're enraptured and enthralled when our belief sends TB soaring to the ceiling.



On my daily walk (where I do most of my deep ...

Character Traits: Manipulation

Whether or not we care to admit it, all of us possess at least a smidgen of the character trait of manipulation. It's part of our human genetics.



Don't believe me? Consider a newborn. Babies are born with the ability to cry. That's how parents know something is wrong. But within a few months, babies learn how to use their ability to cry to get what they want. Imagine, something as innocent as a baby, using a mechanism which alerts parents to possible danger, to get what they want...



That's ...

MEDITATION MONDAY: No Condemnation

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." ~Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)



Have you ever felt condemned? As if the person condemning you had made up their mind, pronounced you guilty, locked you up, and thrown away the key? A more revealing question is: Have you ever condemned yourself? Others?



I know of nothing more hurtful than condemnation. It is nothing more than t...

TEXAS ROADS Giveaways

Just wanted to let you know about a couple of TEXAS ROADS giveaways going on right now, in case you're interested (or know someone who might be). Here are the links:



http://roseannamwhite.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-friend-cathy-interview-giveaway.html

http://psalm516.blogspot.com/2010/07/cathy-bryant-interviews-with-nora-give.html



Thanks!

And The Cover Design Winner Is... (& Links, Updates & Winners)

AND THE WINNER IS...



CHOICE #3!!!



Thanks so much for everyone who participated in the fun contest to choose the book cover for Book 2 in the Miller's Creek series, A Path Less Traveled . I had an awesome time, and hope you did too! I soooo appreciated the thoughtful comments and suggestions. Since this cover zipped past the other choices early on (& stayed there), I've already sent a copy of the photo to a talented cover designer, and I can't wait to see what she does with it! (You can view ...

What I Learned About Edits/Revisions From Renovations To My Fixer-Upper

Back at the beginning of the month, I took a week off from writing to help my hubby lay new floors in our century-old fixer-upper. (You can see the results to the left.)



Since I was about to start the editing and revision process for my latest novel, A Path Less Traveled , I couldn't help but notice the similarities between the renovation and the editing process.



Here's what I learned:



Begin with the end in sight.

If you can visualize the finished product, it will help you through some long...

What I Learned About Edits/Revision From Renovations To My Fixer-Upper

Back at the beginning of the month, I took a week off from writing to help my hubby lay new floors in our century-old fixer-upper. (You can see the results to the left.)



Since I was about to start the editing and revision process for my latest novel, A Path Less Traveled , I couldn't help but notice the similarities between the renovation and the editing process.



Here's what I learned:



Begin with the end in sight.

If you can visualize the finished product, it will help you through some long...