Heidi M. Thomas's Blog, page 21

Meet Award-winning Author Beth Hodder

My guest this week is Beth Hodder, author of the WILLA Literary Award Finalist children's/young adult novel, Stealing the Wild.

Stealing the Wild is an entertaining, informative story of life at a ranger station. Jessie Scott, 12, hopes to enjoy time with new friends at Jessie's home in the remote Schafer Meadows Ranger Station within the Great Bear Wilderness in Montana. This sequel to the award-winning novel, The Ghost of Schafer Meadows, finds the three friends and Jessie's dog, Oriole, unwittingly hunting for whoever is poaching wildlife in the wilderness.

Beth, you have worked for the U.S. Forest Service. Tell us what inspired you to write these books?

Part of my job with the Forest Service included surveying the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex in northwest Montana for rare plants. I also was in charge of the native plant program for the Flathead National Forest, and we did rehab work in backcountry campgrounds. My husband, Al, was the wilderness ranger at the Schafer Meadows Ranger Station, deep in the heart of the Great Bear Wilderness, which is part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. I had the opportunity to spend lots of time at Schafer Meadows when I was working. I also traveled there on some weekends to visit Al. I love the area. It's like going back in time to the 1920s or '30s. There is no electricity, telephone or cell service, Internet, or TV. To get there, people must hike 14 or more miles, depending on the trail; fly to a grassy airstrip; or ride on horseback. When I began thinking about writing a novel, Schafer Meadows presented itself as a natural place to start. Writers are told to write about what they know, and this was it for me.

Why did you decide to write for young adults?

I have a friend who asked me to edit a manuscript she had written. The protagonist was a 16-year-old girl. To help me understand what writers need to know when writing for younger audiences, I read a Nancy Drew mystery. I loved them as a kid. I found myself drawn to that age group, thinking it would be easier to write novels for young people than for adults (not so). I remembered what it was like being a kid and believed I had the ability to connect with younger readers.

You have been very successful at self-publishing these two novels. Tell us what made you decide to go that route.

When I wrote my first book, there were two things that really drew me to self-publishing. First, I was anxious to get the book into the hands of readers. I knew finding a publisher could take a long time, and I was impatient. Second, I didn't know if I had a good enough product to be picked up by a publisher. I didn't have confidence in myself as a writer. I had never taken any writing classes, and I had only attended one two-hour session with a writing group. I sent the manuscript to as many people as I could to get their opinions. In the end, a friend who had self-published suggested that route to me. She had self-published her own book and watched other writers she knew who sat waiting to find a publisher while her book was out making money. She walked me through everything I needed to know, and I decided that was what I should do for my own book. After I published The Ghost of Schafer Meadows and it became successful, I was already on my way to self-publishing my second book, Stealing the Wild.

What kind of marketing, etc., have you done for your series?

I sell most books to individual people. I have attended many festivals, have done book signings, and attend a local farmer's and artisan's market weekly in the summer. I am fortunate to have Glacier National Park nearby, so I have a constant supply of new people who learn of my books, rather than local people. I wrote a marketing plan and have Baker & Taylor as a wholesaler, which allows me to get my books into national chains. My books sell well in local bookstores, gift shops, and ma and pa stores. I also visit schools, libraries, and other places, and have put in for book awards. Marketing is the most difficult part of the writing process for me. It takes time and effort and it's where I feel I'm weakest.

Do you have a third book underway?

Yes. I have the draft completed for a third book in the series. Unofficially titled Out of the Ashes, Jessie and her mother and Oriole go camping in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and get caught in an arson-caused fire. I decided to write the book away from Schafer Meadows this time because I wanted to have airplanes and helicopters in the story and didn't want to have to have them at Schafer Meadows. The airstrip there is one of a handful in the entire U.S. that's within a designated wilderness area. Aircraft are monitored closely for use. I didn't want to intrude on that use. The aircraft in my story can take off and land at the Spotted Bear airstrip, outside of wilderness.

This story also pits Jessie against her mother and makes her mother a strong character in the book. Mom is a writer and spent a lot of time in the first two books as a secondary character, much of the time in the background. I wanted to develop her more in this book.

When did you first start writing?

I tried writing years ago, when I was in my 20s and 30s, but I wasn't very successful. I guess I actually "became" a writer in 2004, when I started to write The Ghost of Schafer Meadows. That's when I knuckled down and kept at it.

What motivates you to write?

Friends, readers, and my husband and other family members help keep me on track. I'm not a dedicated writer—one who writes every day or on a set schedule—so I find inspiration in knowing that others like my books.

Are there authors who inspire you?

Ivan Doig, who lives in the Seattle area but who was born and raised in Montana, is one of the writers whom I admire most. I love his style of writing, which creates a strong sense of place with lyrical language. His book, This House of Sky, which was a 1979 National Book Award Finalist, is my favorite of his. I also loved Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men, and being a writer of mysteries, I'm drawn to mystery writers. Recently I've been reading the Charlie Moon mysteries by James D. Doss. We lived in New Mexico for 5-1/2 years, and Doss is from Los Alamos and Taos. His books are likened to Tony Hillerman's stories, although Charlie Moon and characters are Utes, not Navajos. Doss infuses a lot of humor in his books, which I like.

Doig is also one of my inspirational authors.

Where can people go to learn more about your work, or purchase your books?

Please visit my website, Grizzly Ridge Publishing,  to find out how to order my books directly through me. I'll be glad to personally sign any that are ordered that way if you wish. They're also available at Amazon.com, both in paperback and on Kindle, through Smashwords.com, and at some retail stores.

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Beth.

Banished Words List

I just read a list of "banished words" from Lake Superior State University http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php I'm always interested in these lists and how words become overused to the point of gag-reflex.

Their number one word nominated was "Amazing." I can see that. Everyone being interviewed on TV seems to be limited to that word. Another word that relates to that is "Awesome." That's probably been nominated in the past.

Another was "Shared Sacrifice." "Usually used by a politician who wants other people to share in the sacrifice so he/she doesn't have to." Scott Urbanowski, Kentwood, Michigan. I agree.

"Man Cave." My husband hates that one. Yes, men need their private space (this goes back to John Grey's Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus), but enough already!

"Ginormous." I kind of like that one, but I agree, it's become overused.

One word that has made its way into the dictionary, but will always remain a banned word in my mind is "snuck." That word reeks of illiteracy to me and is like fingernails on a blackboard.

What are your overused word pet peeves?

Merry Catmas

My Jellicle Cat under the Christmas tree.

Celebrating the birth of Jesus. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish Friends and Happy Holidays to all!

Elizabeth's Christmas Eve Gift

Elizabeth's Christmas Eve Gift is a vintage Christmas story by Chesna L. Smith.

As if they were playing a game of verbal tag, the members of the Miller family always tried to be the first to shout "Christmas Eve Gift!"

Spend Christmas Eve with young cowgirl, Elizabeth on the  Miller ranch in the 1920s to discover how in the midst of everyday chores, good ol' cowboy humor and the ranch animals remind her of the true meaning of Christmas.

From the wide-eyed wonder of the little believer to the wiry grandmother with a sparkle in her eyes as she muses, "My dad told me that when I was little too," the heartwarming story has generated responses from young and old alike.

Author Chesna Smith says:

The inspiration came from a story that my husband's grandmother (Elizabeth Miller Smith) was told when she was a little girl.  Another family tradition was woven in when, after marrying my husband, I discovered that both our families grew up playing a peculiar game on Christmas Eve Morning!  Every member of the family would try to be the first to shout "Christmas Eve Gift."  In theory if you "got" someone by saying it first, they were supposed to give you a present early.  However, no one ever got around to "paying up."  The victory was in the thrill of knowing that they would have to wait a whole year before they had a chance to get you back. Neither family really knows where the tradition came from.

Chesna, who grew up in Oklahoma, says, "For as long as I can remember I wanted to grow up and be a cowgirl,  I don't know if I will ever get there, but it sure has been fun trying.

Illustrators are Shawna Wright,  Clayton, NM, and Ben Miller, nephew of the late Elizabeth Miller Smith, who lives on the Miller Ranch where this story took place.

Come along with Elizabeth and see how in the midst of everyday life she discovers the greatest gift of all.

Cowboy Wisdom for Today

I am sharing these pearls of cowboy wisdom, courtesy of fellow western author, Ron Scheer, who blogs at Buddies in the Saddle and The Real West

Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.
Don't expect mules and cooks to share your sense of humor.
Your buckle don't shine in the dirt. Get up.
Don't let your yearnings get ahead of your earnings.
Don't wake a sleepin' rattler.
Ride it like you stole it.
Size does matter. The bigger your buckle the better.
Cattle know why they stampede, but they ain't a-talkin'.
The fastest way to move cattle is slowly.
If you're gonna drive cattle thru town, do it on Sunday. There's little traffic and people are less disposed to cuss at ya.
A hat brim breaks a spider web before your face does.
When somebody outdraws you, smile and walk away. There's plenty of time to look tough when you're out of sight.
Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.

Liz Adair's New Novel, Cold River, a Hot Read

Liz Adair has a new book out, Cold River, a fast-paced romantic suspense novel that grabs you from the first page, and keeps you on the edge of your seat as you ride the current of this mystery. Who is trying to run her out of town and which man will win her heart?

 Liz has had six novels published, including the award-winning Counting the Cost, based on family history. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where her latest book takes place.

Liz, you've set your story in the fictional town of Limestone, Washington. Tell us why you chose this locale. People like to read about exotic places and cultures that that are different from where they live. Face it, I'm never going to visit the Riviera or Paris or Budapest. But here's a place right in my back yard that has great potential to be, if not exotic, at least different.  I based the town of Limestone on my memory of the town of Concrete as it was when I taught school there in the 1970s. That was before the proliferation of cable TV, so reception came through antennas. I think there wasn't much of a signal that far upriver, and the leveling influence of television hadn't yet eroded the local culture.

Your main character, Mandy, feels out of her element in this small-town atmosphere. But she finds satisfaction in teaching a woman with dyslexia how to read. How prevalent is this among adults? Have you had experience in this field?

I was a reading specialist my last few years of teaching, but that was with school-age students. I have only taught one adult to read, and I can't say how prevalent dyslexia is among adults. I do know that the fellow I taught to read was adept at hiding his handicap and found ways to compensate. I didn't know about the Ron Davis book The Gift of Dyslexia when I taught him. I was introduced to it by someone who uses the Davis method in teaching dyslexic students.

You talk about the "Tarheels" who live in this area. Can you explain what that refers to?  Spanning several decades during the early 1900s, many families from North Carolina migrated to the foothills of the Cascades along the Skagit River: Sedro Woolley, Concrete, Marblemount. They brought with them their music, dances, seeds and speech patterns. Traces still remain in the area, but thirty years ago, particularly upriver, the Tarheel culture was stronger, and you could still sometimes hear a slight twang in the spoken word.

You've used some rich colloquialisms from these natives, such as "I love you like a mule a-kickin'." And you've also used words from the Lummi Indian Nation. Tell us how local slang and idiosyncrasies can enhance our writing. I think local slang and idiosyncrasies can enhance our writing if two things are operative. First, the use has to be unforced. It has to flow naturally and not be shoehorned in for window dressing. Secondly, I think it has to be presented with respect, not as a way to get a cheap laugh.

I have to tell about something that happened one time while I was teaching in Concrete.  I had been appalled to discover that few, if any, of my students knew what Camelot was, so I organized a full-court press to try to expose them to as much 'culture' as I could.  One day in the spring, I asked if anyone knew where to find morel mushrooms. Almost every hand went up, and a young man who, until that time, had been reticent told me in great detail where to look for morels. I realized then that these kids weren't deprived. They were simply enriched in different areas than I was.  I was comfortable in books; they were comfortable in the woods.

Music also plays a large role in this story, both jazz and bluegrass, and music is used as an innovative way to teach mathematics. Can you elaborate on these subjects in your book?  I didn't mean for this to happen, but in the book, music becomes a symbol of the difference in cultures between Mandy and the people of Limestone. It's also a bellwether of Mandy's attitude change. She plays jazz, you see, and regards it as an intelligent form of music that allows, through improvisation, for musicians to express their individuality, and she looks down on bluegrass as hillbilly music.

As far as the teaching of mathematics through music, I did a little experimentation with that when I was in the classroom. Knowing that it's easier to memorize when things are set to music, I tried it with the times tables. I don't know how successful it was, but that's the wonderful thing about fiction: you can have your hero succeed where you may have failed. I felt that the brilliant thing about the program they had going in the book was that it would address auditory and kinesthetic learners' styles of learning.

Other than the exceptional historical novel Counting the Cost, you seem to specialize in mysteries. Is that your favorite genre? It must be. With Cold River, I set out to write a romance, but I just can't get away from a puzzle, I guess.

Are you working on a new project? Yes. I'm working on another romantic suspense, this time set in the high desert of Nevada. It's got opal mines, off-road racing and flying cars in it.

Liz's books are available at Village Books in Bellingham and Amazon.com

Also, visit her blog at www.sezlizadair.blogspot.com and read a review of Cold River at Mary Trimble's blog http://trimble.web.officelive.com/blog.aspx

For our readers in the Skagit Valley area, Liz will host a launch party on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Sedro Woolley Library. Door prizes will include books and homemade apple pies, and she will have copies of Cold River for sale.

Count Your Blessings

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday?

I'm thankful for:

God in my life
Great parents and a positive childhood
Wonderful family that I'm close to
My dear, supportive husband and best friend for 37+ years
My kitty purring in my lap
The books I've had published and won awards for
All the books in my "To Be Read" pile
Sunbreaks after a hard wind and rain
Green lawns all winter long
Sunsets and walks by the water
A comfortable home and plenty to eat
Dear Friends and their prayers in tough time

What are you thankful for?

Make the Most of Writers' Conferences

I trust Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Frugal Book Promoter for promotion advice so today I'm helping her celebrate the release of the second edition and its recent availability for Kindle (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkProKindle) .  Here is a partial excerpt from the multi award-winning Frugal Book Promoter.

Writers' Conferences Are More

Than Giant Writing Classes

 By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

A partial excerpt from the new edition of The Frugal Book Promoter

 Make the most of a conference by planning in advance. You want to treat a conference like a garden and bring home all the ripe stuff that suits your palate. That means you have to organize. This section will help you do that. Without it you won't be able to glean the most from whatever conference you choose.

Your notebook—either the old-fashioned paper kind or the one you set up on your laptop— is key to getting the most from a conference:

Bring a seven-subject notebook. Divide the notebook into sections that match your goals. These might include: Agents, Publishers, Promotion, Writing, and Other Contacts. Leave one section open for a category that crops up after you arrive.
On each separator page tape a number ten envelope in which you slip business cards, bookmarks, mini notes to yourself, and small brochures. When you arrive home, part of your filing and sorting will be done.
Take blank mailing labels to make index tabs that stick out from the edge of your notebook.
 On the first night of the conference, clip and paste separate parts of the conference handouts into corresponding segments of your notebook.
At the back of your conference notebook make a directory section. Use the label index markers to delineate each one.

o   The first page is a name and address list for publishers. They should be listed in conference handouts but you may glean more from seminars. Star the ones you spoke to. Make notes. What have they published that is similar to your book? Jot down anything that will help them remember you when you write to them and mention your encounter. Query letters work best when you indicate you are familiar with the person or company being queried.

 Big Hint: When you talk to publishers always ask them what they do to promote their authors' books. Pin them down to specifics.

 o   The second directory page is for fellow authors. Jot notes on them, too. It's no fun to arrive home with a useless business card.

o   Ditto for agents and for conference planners. You may be surprised at how often you'll refer to this page.

o   A page for "Other Resources" includes information on anything from other conferences to books you'd like to read.

o   Designate a few pages for writing ideas.

o   The final pages are for new promotion ideas.

Hint: Bring a small pouch of tools—I use one I received with an Estée Lauder gift-with-purchase. Toss into it color-coded pens, snub-nosed scissors (sharp ones may not get you through airport security), a small roll of cellophane tape, your index labels, paperclips, strong see-through packing tape, hammer, tacks, razor, ChapStick, hole puncher, breath mints, elastic bands, Band-Aids, and your personal medication. Don't unpack this when you get home. You'll need it in the future for other conferences, book signings, book fairs, and other promotional events.

You can use a conference to promote, too.

Some conferences offer tables where participants can leave promotional handouts for their books or services. Before you leave home, ask your conference coordinator how you might utilize this opportunity.


Ask the conference coordinator if they publish a newsletter or journal. If so, send the editor media releases as your career moves along.
Take your business cards to the conference.
If you have a published book, take your bookmarks to give to others. And even a few books. Authors tend not to forget to give their books to people who are in a position to recommend it.
If you have an area of expertise that would interest a conference director, introduce yourself. She may be busy, so keep your pitch very short and follow up later.



Think in terms of gathering endorsements for your book to use in the future. You are building a network.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of book for writers. Learn more about them at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. She also blogs writers' resources at Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites pick www.SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com. Follow her tweets at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo. And that new edition of The Frugal Book Promoter? It just won a USA Book News award in its own right (for best business/writing book).

Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Instructor for nearly a decade at the renowned UCLA Extension Writers' Program

Author of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally books including the second edition honored by USA BOOK NEWS

The Frugal Book Promoter ( http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo ) :

E-mail: HoJoNews@aol.com

Facebook: http://Facebook.com/carolynhowardjohnson

Web site: http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com

A Surprise for Christmas

A Surprise For Christmas

by Lizzy Stevens

Samantha wasn't expecting what she got for Christmas this year. Her doorbell rang and there sitting on her porch was a baby in a basket. This changes her life for the good. But then something happens. The baby's father comes for his child. How can Samantha convince him that she is the best thing for the child?

This Book Previously titled "Somebody Else's Child," Won 4th place in The Love is In The Air Contest, Hosted by Reader Jack

 

Reviews:

Ashlynn Monroe 4 stars: Lizzy was kind enough to give me a copy of her wonderful story. This book was a fun read and I enjoyed the theme. It's sweet and romantic. This book will surely enhance your holiday season and if you're giving a e-reader to someone special this year I suggest purchasing a copy and loading it on the device for them. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I did.

JBarr 5 stars A Surprise for Christmas by Lizzy Stevens

And what a surprise it is. Wow. What every single woman dreams of finding,

a baby on the doorstep to raise as your own. Kinda reminded me of the baby in a basket among the grassy reeds-a religious story.

I rate this a 5, it's just the right length and not too heavy, just a light story.

Price: $0.99

Buy link  http://www.amazon.com/A-Surprise-For-Christmas-ebook/dp/B00570IBZO/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318793422&sr=1-9

Find Lizzy:

http://twitter.com/LizzyStevens123

www.lizzystevens.blogspot.com

www.lizzystevens.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lizzy-Stevens/190503464326261

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lizzy-Stevens/190503464326261#!/profile.php?id=100001030391242

Women Writing the West

Alice Trego, Arletta Dawdy, Randi Platt, Mary Trimble at registration

This year's Women Writing the West conference is once again history. And once again, I come away with an uplifted spirit after meeting old friends and making new ones, creative encouragement, and many new tidbits of information to digest and use in my writing and marketing endeavors.

Heidi, Randi Platt, Mary Trimble

The conference was in Washington state, where I live, and I had the honor of helping our Conference VP, Mary Trimble, plan this event. We started more than a year ago lining up speakers, workshop presenters, and looking at hotel venues. The year progressed, with a new deadline nearly every month, until the last 3-4 weeks turned into an all-consuming, nearly 24-7 effort to weave all our efforts together and tie off the loose ends.

Highlights included the luncheon honoring the WILLA finalist recipients and a humorous, entertaining keynote speech by Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl. The Saturday evening banquet for WILLA winners was also a special highlight for me, as I received my lovely trophy for Follow the Dream. Author and poet Ellen Waterston was our keynote speaker that evening.

Another highlight was having my publisher, Lee Emory of Treble Heart Books, family and friends there to see the awards ceremony.

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Lee Emory, Marylou Thomas, Heidi and Janet Oakley

 

Mary and I are now breathing sighs of relief and contentment after a successful endeavor. Thanks to all the members who made this possible. I look forward to seeing you all again next year in Albuquerque, NM!

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