Cathy Bryant's Blog: CatBryant.com ~ Journey Blog, page 123

Weekly Winners Announced (& More Updates!)

Our God is so incredibly good! He knew that my weak faith needed bolstering this week--that I needed confirmation I was indeed following His plan for my life and my writing. His first gift came in the form of a newspaper interview with my good friend and down-the-street neighbor, Pam Kumpe. The following link will take you to the newspaper article: http://www.texarkanagazette.com/ad/pdf/BCLweb.pdf. (It's a large file and may take a while to load. The interview is on page 2.)



The second oppo...

My Note Card System

Today I thought I'd share with you my own personal note card system of plotting. Using note cards to plot isn't a new idea by any means, but I've adapted it to fit my needs. Hopefully, there will be some small nugget of info here that will be of help to you.



As most of you know, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool plotter. The idea of beginning a story without having a pretty clear idea of where I'm headed scares me just as much as taking off on a trip with no money, no gas, and no idea of where I'm g...

BOOK REVIEW: "Love Finds You in Paradise Pennsylvania" by Loree Lough

I've yet to read a "Love Finds You in..." book that I didn't enjoy, and Love Finds You in Paradise Pennsylvania by Loree Lough is no exception.



The story takes place in a close-knit Amish community, and is about a female attorney by the name of Julia Spencer who has grown up in foster care. She struggles with her past and tries to overcome it all with sheer determination and an independent spirit. That is until she meets veterinarian Simon Thomas.



Simon, though not Amish himself, has close...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Janet Ann Collins (& Book Giveaway!)

Before we begin our interview, let me make a quick announcement! I'm being interviewed about our Facebook group, Christian Fiction, on Thursday, Jan. 7th on the Red River Writers Live BlogTalk Radio Show. Here's the link:



http://www.blogtalkradio.com/robinfalls/2010/01/07/savvy-designs-with-april-robins



The show starts at noon Central (CST), and my part of the show will start around 1:15-1:30 p.m. Please enter the chatroom to ask questions and join the fun. You can also listen to the show a...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Linda S. Clare (& Book Giveaway!)

I'm delighted to welcome author Linda S. Clare to WordVessel today. Here's her bio:

Linda S. Clare grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, got her degree in Art Education from Arizona State University and taught art as well as elementary school in public and private schools for more than ten years. She has also been the Director of a church-sponsored preschool for four year-olds. Her husband of thirty years, Brad, and their four adult children, including a set of twins, live in Eugene, Oregon, along w...

GUEST BLOG POST - Promoting Your Book from the Platform: 3 Tips on How Your Speech Can Help or Hurt Back of the Room Sales by Shari Alexander

One of the things I absolutely adore about social media sites like Facebook and Twitter is the opportunity to make new friends. I met our guest blogger today, Shari Alexander, on Twitter and immediately contacted her for a guest blog post. Take it away, Shari!



You're not just an author anymore. Once you've published your book, you are now a marketer and a speaker. Increasing book sales means speaking to groups, grabbing their interest in the book, and selling copies at the back of the room....

The Privilege of Intercessory Prayer

"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by family to pray for you." ~1 Samuel 12:23a (NIV)



A dear friend recently lost her husband. My heart broke for her and her precious family as I lifted them in prayer before our Father. I requested prayer for her on social media sites, and was blown away by the number of people who responded to tell me they were praying.



My awareness of the privilege of prayer skyrocketed. What a blessing it is to be able to lift others up in...

Call Out For Help (& Giveaway Winner!)

NEW BABY, NEW YEAR, NEW BOOK TRAILER





A new baby graced our home during the holidays. What joy! Now a new year has been born, and it's also the beginning of a new year of my life since today is my birthday. (49 & HOLDING!!!) I can think of no better time to announce the birth of my new book, TEXAS ROADS, which will be released later this month. Here's the book trailer and book blurb:

City gal Dani Davis just wants to find a place to call home. Miller's Creek, Texas seems like the...

Prayers For The New Year

I pray that you all will have a blessed and glorious New Year through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Below are a couple of poems that I find especially meaningful for a new year.





Another Year Is Dawning

by Frances Havergal



Another year is dawning: Dear Father, let it be,

In working or in waiting, another year with Thee;

Another year of progress, another year of praise,

Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.



Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace;

...

Story Structure Analyzation: "Miss Congeniality"

Movies are a great resource for analyzing story structure. Books are good as well, but it's often easier to see structure in a two-hour movie as opposed to a book which takes several hours to read.



Miss Congeniality, a 2000 movie starring Sandra Bullock, is the movie I've chosen to analyze.



In "How To Build A Story - Part 1" we discussed some aspects of characterization that are critical to story structure. Let's begin there.

Grace Hart's Wound/Scar ~ The movie begins by showing Grace as...