Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 106

A Writer's Journey

by Mindy Obenhaus I’m celebrating two milestones this month. Six years ago, my very first book was released. Gosh, that was an exciting time. After eight years, that dream I’d worked so hard to achieve was finally coming true. Holding that baby in my hands for the very first time was such a thrill.

Of course, achieving that goal didn’t mean I was done. Instead, I kept working, setting new goals. Which brings me to my second milestone. September 2019 marks the release of my eighth book. A brand-new baby that’s every bit as exciting as the first one. Writing is a journey. A long, excursion filled with ups and downs, successes and failures, joy and tribulation. A journey that will grow and stretch you, and take you to unfamiliar, sometimes uncomfortable, places.

The realization of these dual milestones had me asking myself what I’d learned since that first book was released. Here are just a few.

Keep moving forward – I worked on that first book for years, but a published author doesn’t have that luxury. If you want to build a career, you have to be productive. No longer can I afford to sit back and wait to see if a book is accepted. I have to move on to the next story. If I get revisions, I revise. If I get rejected I have to ask myself if what I had can be fixed or should I put my efforts into something new.

Be adaptable – In the world of publishing, change can lurk around every corner. Your editor sends you major revisions on your latest manuscript. Or worse, you’ve been assigned a new editor, or your publishing house has been bought out. Adaptability is key in the world of publishing. It’s part of that growing and stretching. Yes, it can be painful, but the good news is that it also makes you stronger, so when the next change comes along, you know you’ve got what it takes to tackle it.

Remember your calling – There have been times when I’ve felt led to write things that might make me uncomfortable. But rather than writing what God told me to write, I did things my way. The easy way. The way that didn’t bring me to tears and have me buying stock in Kleenex. And every stinking time I chose to go my way, I failed and had to rewrite.

God wants us to tell His story, not ours. And if we remember that, we can save ourselves a lot of stress and rewrites. Of course, this applies to life in general, not just writing.
Nowadays, my writing life looks a lot different than it did six years ago. I’m more disciplined. And as I look back on my journey thus far, I can see how I’ve grown. But it was a path I couldn’t have walked alone.
To celebrate these two milestones, I’m giving away a copy of my first book, The Doctor's Family Reunion, and my eighth book, Reunited in the Rockies, to one lucky visitor. Simply leave a comment telling me about one of your recent milestones to be entered. 

Three-time Carol Award nominee, Mindy Obenhaus, writes contemporary romance for Love Inspired Books. She’s passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren at her Texas ranch. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com

Thanksgiving Books and Blessings

I've gotten involved in something I've never done before.And it has nothing to do with COWS.I'm in a series with five other authors calledThanksgiving Books and BlessingsThe novellas (one is book length) release September 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.Mine is book #3 releasing on September 3rd. (it all seems so orderly it's almost like a poem!)
The books are not connected beyond all being historical and all being set around
Thanksgiving.Our fearless leader Caryl McAdoo, who invited me into this series feels like Thankgiving is a a very special and very neglected holiday. She's been doing these series for a while now.In fact there's a Thanksgiving Books and Blessings series 1 & 2 this year.I'm in the 2nd collection.It's been a fun and interesting process and frankly I think I'm the weak link.But it's all Christian fiction and thus my co-authors are forgiving as I scramble to keep up with whatever they're doing now.Thankful for the Cowboy
Hero Tom MacKinnon rides up driving a wagon with a second wagon trailing him. He and his sister want to be hired to build windmills. They’ll ask for very little money and, in exchange heroine, Lauren Drummond, newly widowed mother of four nearly grown sons, will help them learn to survive in the Sandhills of Nebraska. What to grow, what to hunt, how to build a sod house.Tom’s windmills will save her ranch. Lauren needs three windmills on this drought year or her growing herd of cattle is going to die of thirst. She agrees to teach him the ways of the Sandhills, and to give him fifteen head of cattle.
She’s not ready to think of another man. But Tom changes her mind. His little sister and one of her sons find love together before Tom and Lauren do.
Thanksgiving Books and Blessings Series #2Book #1 Texas Tears by Caryl McAdooBook #2 Mail-Order Misfire by Davalyn SpencerBook #3 Thankful for the Cowboy by Mary ConnealyBook #4 Blizzards and Blessings by Samantha BayarrBook #5 Spring of Thanksgiving by Liz TolzmaBook #6 These Great Gifts by Allison Pittman
 Today let's talk that neglected holiday Thanksgiving. What are your thanksgiving traditions. Are they all about food and family? Have you noticed how secular the holiday has become? Thankful FOR things but little mention of Thankful TO GOD.
What do you do to remember to thank God for all you have. And this is a challenge to me, too because I realized as I worked on this book how much time I spend thinking about the delicious way my son-in-law makes TURKEY! (two turkey breasts, one smoked, then roasted, then glazed with pecans, one deep fried. They are DELICIOUS.
But do I spend time thanking God for my wonderful son-in-law? My wonderful blessed life? Yes we say a heartfelt grace before we eat, but I know I fail to really, deeply thank God for how he's blessed me.
A free copy of Thankful for the Cowboy for one commentor. These are Kindle only!
Tell me how you make (or how you PLAN TO START MAKING) Thanksgiving about God.

AND A FREE BOOK
No Way Up is currently FREE in all ebook formatsNo Way Up is book #1 in the Cimarron Legacy SeriesBook 2, Long Time GoneBook 3, Too Far Down Are at a reduced priceAll for a limited time, so go grab a Kindle copy ofNo Way UpEven if you have it, I'd appreciate it if you got one.It's currently sky high on the Amazon rankings and how fun is THAT?!!!!!!!! And to make this a completely self-centered blogHere is a Publishers Weekly Review of my October Release Aiming for Love Coming in October Book #1 of the Brides of Hope Mountain Series Aiming for Love

Seekerville is Closed Today

Seekerville is closed today as we wind down the summer celebrating the U.S. Labor Daywith a little rest & relaxation!  
Please join us here again soon!

Weekend Edition

  



If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com







Monday: Erica Vetsch brought the post, asking readers to evaluate their 2019 goals, habits and mindset as we enter the final third of the year.
Wednesday: Cate Nolan was all about the Persistence! 
Friday: Seekerville gave the nod to school starting, fall is in the air and all things ending the summer season. Delightful chats and stop by next WE for the list of winners of all the giveaways!


Monday: Seekerville is closed for Labor Day
Tuesday: Mary Connealy has a novella release to talk about!
Wednesday:  Mindy Obenhaus offers enchanting stuff to think about! She's not sure what that's going to be yet, but rest assured that she'll be raring to go.  Friday: DiAnn Mills is dropping by to talk about pursuing a writer's holy grail, plus giving away a copy of her new release, Fatal Strike!







What to go on a blind date with a book? JustRead Publicity Tours would love to set you up on a blind date with a book (or two or more) to read!  Just fill out our Blind Tour Compatibility form and once we match a book with you, we'll get in touch. All we asked is for you to post a review and submit a link to us.  Easy peasy, right?! Join now at: http://bit.ly/JR_BlindTours.



FREE!! FREE!! FREE!! FREE!! FREE!!In All e-book formats!Book #1 of the Cimarron Legacy SeriesNo Way Up Kindle Nook Books #2 and #3 are on sale! Long Time Gone Too Far Down
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Novella Release!Thankful for the Cowboy I call this oneWindmills and SandhillsBut it's real title isThankful for the CowboyWith so much fuss about Christmas, I teamed with six authors to celebrate ThanksgivingHero Tom MacKinnon rides up driving a wagon with a second wagon trailing him. He and his sister want to be hired to build windmills. They’ll ask for very little money and, in exchange heroine, Lauren Drummond, newly widowed mother of four nearly grown sons, will help them learn to survive in the Sandhills of Nebraska. What to grow, what to hunt, how to build a sod house.Tom’s windmills will save her ranch. Lauren needs three windmills on this drought year or her growing herd of cattle is going to die of thirst. She agrees to teach him the ways of the Sandhills, and to give him fifteen head of cattle.
She’s not ready to think of another man. But Tom changes her mind. His little sister and one of her sons find love together before Tom and Lauren do.
Thanksgiving Books and Blessings Series #2Book #1 Texas Tears by Caryl McAdooBook #2 Mail-Order Misfire by Davalyn SpencerBook #3 Thankful for the Cowboy by Mary ConnealyBook #4 Blizzards and Blessings by Samantha BayarrBook #5 Spring of Thanksgiving by Liz TolzmaBook #6 These Great Gifts by Allison Pittman

Publishers Weekly...a very nice review for Aiming for Love, coming in October.

Mindy Obenhaus's Reunited in the Rockies releases in ebook format 
Sunday, September 1st!


And this week is just filled with book releases! Jan Drexler's Christmas novella collection with authors Leslie Gould and Kate Lloyd will be available on Tuesday, September 3rd. Don't forget to order your copy!

Order from Amazon here!
Also from Jan, Book 2 in The Amish of Weaver's Creek series is coming on October 1st, and it's available for pre-order!

Pre-order your copy here!




What Makes You Love Your Main Character? by Julia Munroe Martin at Writer UnBoxed

Three Reasons Why You Aren't Reaching Your Potential by Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic at FastCompany (thanks to Cate Nolan for including this link in her post last week)

How to Use a "Truth Chart" to Figure Out Your Character's Arc by K. M. Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors

8 Tips on Balancing Work and Writing by Evan Ramzipoor at Fiction University

Reclaiming the Creative Spark in Troubled Times by Tiffany Yates Martin at Writers In The Storm

12 Mary Shelley Quotes for Writers and About Writing by Robert Lee Brewer at Writer's Digest

End of Summer Blockbuster Giveaway!

Missy Tippens

School is back in session for many, and about to start for others. As summer is winding down, we thought we'd throw a party!



It's been a while since we've fed you around here. So come on over to enjoy a good southern cookout. On the grill, we've got hamburgers, hotdogs, marinated chicken, and marinated portobellos with Vidalia onions. Also, grilled corn on the cob (yum)! And grilled Georgia peaches topped with homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Once your tummy is full, we'd like to take stock of the blog and ask for your input. What post topics would you like to see in the future? What questions would you like us to answer? We want to hear from you!

Oh, and don't forget the giveaways today from all our bloggers...

From Missy Tippens... A Bullet (Dotted) Journal

From Erica Vetsch...a copy of Mail-Order Mishaps




From Mary Connealy... a copy of her upcoming novella, Thankful for the Cowboy




From Winnie Griggs...a copy of her Love Inspired 2-in-1 releasing in September

From Annie...a surprise stack of books


From Pam Hillman...one of her Natchez Trace Novels: winner’s choice




From Ruthy Logan Herne... a copy of Back in the Saddle




From Audra Harders...a Bullet (Dotted) Journal

From Debby Giusti...a copy of the first book in her Amish Protectors series, Amish Refuge



From Mindy Obenhaus...a copy of Reunited in the Rockies


From Carrie Schmidt...a $5 Amazon gift card


From Jan Drexler...a copy of her upcoming release, An Amish Christmas Kitchen, a collection of 3 novellas by Jan, Leslie Gould and Kate Lloyd




From Cate Nolan...a copy of an Australian version of her book, Christmas in Hiding, in a 2-in-1 version with Carla Cassidy


From Beth Erin...winner's choice of one title from her book stash OR a $5 Amazon gift card 

From Glynna Kaye...a $5 Amazon gift card



We're so grateful to all of you for hanging out here with us! Enjoy the party and please stick around to chat.

Please leave a comment about blog topics or guests you've particularly enjoyed in the past or topics you'd be interested in for future posts. Commenters will be entered for the giveaways! Winners will be announced in the September 7th Weekend Edition.

Another "P" Word = Persistence

A few months I did a blog on the P word – procrastination.


Today, I’m back to talk about a different P word, the one that determines the possibility of success – Persistence.
I have two quotations that have guided my writing career for as long as I can remember.The first is:   A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.  (Often attributed to Richard Bach, bus he supposedly disavowed saying it.)
I have read a lot of differing opinions about that quote ranging from arguments about what constitutes a professional writer to what determines the level of success required to claim writer status. I’m not really interested in any of those arguments. In my mind, it comes down to this – writers write. So whether you do it for a lot of money or none, if you haven’t quit yet (or have and came back to it), then you’re on the right/write track.
The second quote follows naturally from that. 
She wrote what she loved, until she loved what she wrote, and she sent it out one more time. I have no idea where this quote came from. I have it on a scrap of paper that is so old it’s turned yellow and brittle.
When I tried to Google the source of that quote, I got a bunch of links to Taylor Swift’s new album. It’s really tempting to tag Taylor in this post and see our views skyrocket. I have no idea why that quote triggered Taylor's name, but when I thought about it, I was glad it had.
 A lesson in procrastination vs. persistence

The other day, I was supposed to be writing, but when I signed on to Twitter to join my #1k1hr group, #TaylorSwiftonGMA was trending. I very easily got sucked down a rabbit hole of Taylor Swift videos. 
Avoiding that kind of rabbit hole is a constant struggle for me. My husband used to drive me crazy flipping channels on the television. It seemed he’d stay on something just long enough for me to get hooked. He would move on, but by that time, I would be begging him to turn it back (to some show I'd probably be embarrassed to admit watching), because once I'm hooked, I need to find out what happens.
Which is what happened last Thursday on Twitter. First there was a video about Taylor's father handing out pizza to the people who waited on line overnight. Then there was Taylor singing a song from her new album. Then... and so on.
It's important to note here, I've never particularly been a Taylor Swift fan. I was just curious about what all the fuss on Good Morning America was about. My interest had been piqued. 
Am I alone in this? I know we joke about going to Facebook to check one thing and discovering we've spent an hour instead of the scheduled 5 minutes.
As it turns out though, watching Taylor Swift videos for an hour wasn’t without some benefit. One of the clips on GMA gave a history of her career starting as an 11 year-old girl determined to make it in Nashville. She explained that her mother and little brother waited in the car while she delivered karaoke demos she’d made. She talked about walking up and down Music Row knocking on doors.
"I would say, 'Hi, I'm Taylor. I'm 11; I want a record deal. Call me."
I cannot imagine having that kind of dedication at my age, let alone at 11. But the story didn't end there.

I found an article on ENews that included this:"She came back from that trip to Nashville and realized she needed to be different, and part of that would be to learn the guitar," Andrea told EW. "Now, at 12, she saw a 12-string guitar and thought it was the coolest thing. And of course we immediately said, 'Oh no, absolutely not, your fingers are too small—not till you're much older will you be able to play the 12-string guitar.'
"Well, that was all it took. Don't ever say never or can't do to Taylor. She started playing it four hours a day—six on the weekends. She would get calluses on her fingers and they would crack and bleed, and we would tape them up and she'd just keep on playing.  ENews
What intrigues me is how someone has that kind of drive to succeed - especially at such a young age. 
Taylor is not unique in her work ethic. We hear stories all the time about athletes and their superior dedication to their sport, practicing endless hours until they can sink that three-point shot flawlessly, or lead a team to another Super Bowl victory.  

What can we, as writers, learn from this mindset?

That question has really been on my mind a lot lately. Writing is not a career for the faint of heart. It requires a lot of hard work, is often solitary, and you can go many years honing your craft before you manage to snag that contract.

And when you do, you just get to do it all over again.
Some writers succeed brilliantly, and others, as in my quote above, never rise to that professional level for one reason or another.
Why?
I found some interesting thoughts on that topic in an article at a teaching workshop I attended this week. I'm going to link the article. Take a minute and go look - it's short.Three Reasons You Aren't Reaching Your Full Potential
The article states: The question, then, is why some people are better at developing their potential than others. 
What intrigued me about the answer was the psychological analysis. I'm just going to share a couple of key quotes that intrigued me. They will all make more sense if you read the article.
The trouble is that most people don’t seriously want what they say they want.
’I want’ means, ‘if I want it enough I will get it.’ Getting what you want means making the decisions you need to make to get what you want.”
In other words, few of us are willing to do what it takes to achieve what we desire.
Some aspirations are simply superficial desires for status, not declarations of will followed up by action.
Real motivation is the key ingredient. Those who actually succeed at getting better are obsessed with their goals, turning that motivation into genuine talent over time.


These thoughts hit home with me, because throughout my life, whenever I was working on something that I cared passionately about, I was unstoppable. My energy was boundless, nothing could stand in my way.
When I find myself faltering, it's usually because some little voice in my head is whispering, Do you really want it enough to work this hard?
Obviously adolescent Taylor Swift did.
Do you?
Is writing something you feel passionately about and are you ready to make the decisions you need to succeed. Are you willing to put in the time to develop the talent? Are you ready to bloody those fingers?
If you’re not a writer, is there something else that you are passionate about to this level?
Let's chat.

Three Things to Evaluate as We Move into Fall

How has your summer been? For me, it seems to have passed in a blink. Some traveling, some writing retreats and weekends, some weeks at home editing and writing, and all of a sudden, I'm staring down the barrel of September, the start of a new school year, the season of pumpkin-spice everything. Since my younger child graduated and I am not homeschooling anymore, I am no longer ruled by the tyranny of the School Calendar. The rhythm of my days is not changed much with the turning of the leaves…and yet…perhaps it should be. 


The changing of a season is a good time to reevaluate our goals, habits, and mindset where our writing is concerned. Did you set some goals in January? We’re 2/3 of the way through 2019 . Perhaps now is a good time to take stock of what we've done and what remains to be done this year for us to stay on track.


Did you set a word count goal for 2019? Or a number of submissions you wanted to get done? Agents queried? Books released? Some other writing goal? How are you doing with that? Do you need to reassess? Perhaps your goals weren’t lofty enough? Have you surpassed any benchmarks you set for yourself? Are you perhaps a little behind? What are you going to do to catch up?


 


Where are your writing habits after the summer months? How is your discipline? Are you writing often, or are you just thinking about writing? What changes will fall bring to your writing time? Will it be harder to squeeze in, or will having kids in school free up more time to write? Are you taking time to learn more about the craft of writing? Reading some good books, listening to podcasts, browsing good blogs? What habits need changed, and what should you keep doing as we head into the cooler months?




How’s your mindset these days? Are you dreading the coming of shorter days, brisker temps, and busier schedules? Or do you embrace a structured format? Are you excited about writing, or does the thought of actually sitting down and sinking into a story world give you anxiety or dread. Can you use this change of seasons to reset? Mindset is perhaps the writer's greatest strength and possibly greatest weakness. How is your attitude about life in general, and how is that trickling through to your writing?

For many, the coming of fall and the start of school means a drastic change in routine. Gone are the carefree days of summer where sleeping in is normal, unplanned adventures are an everyday possibility, and bedtimes as flexible as pool noodles. It’s time for backpacks, homework, after-school activities, and a ramping up of church commitments. Such a change can rock the writer's world, or it can be the catalyst they need to reassess, readjust, and rejuvenate their writing goals for a push to the end of the year.
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she is married to her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.

You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her at online  https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!


Journey along in the Old West as four women travel to meet their husbands-to-be and discover that nothing is as it was planned. Eve’s fiancé is in jail. Amelia’s fiancé has never heard of her. Zola’s newlywed husband is dead. Maeve’s travel is misdirected. Can these brides can find a true love match?
The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch
Kansas, 1875
A mail-order mix-up sends Irish lass Maeve O’Reilly to the Swedish community of Lindsborg, Kansas. Will Kaspar Sandberg consider it a happy accident or a disaster to be rectified as soon as possible?
You can order your copy of Mail-Order Mishaps today by clicking HERE.

Weekend Edition

  



If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com







Monday: We had guest blogger Matt Mikalatos with us! Winner of a copy of his book, The Heartwood Crown, is _______
Wednesday: Winnie Griggs brought our post about eliciting emotion in our characters and readers.She also hosted a drawing for a copy of winner's choice of any book in her backlist...and the winner is Laurie Wood!
Friday: Pam Hillman shared how to make the most of fall festivals.


Monday:  Erica Vetsch will be hosting. We'll be taking stock of our goals, habits and mindsets as we reach the 2/3 mark in 2019.
Wednesday:  Cate Nolan will be bringing our post.  Friday: Kids are back or soon heading back to school and summer is winding down. Don't miss our END OF SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER GIVEAWAY! Join us today for multiple giveaways and to also let us know the type posts you'd like to see in the future!






Do you love historical fiction? Then don't miss this Facebook Party! Did you see what the Grand Prizes are???

Register for the party here!
It's finally here! Mindy Obenhaus's latest release, Reunited in the Rockies is available now!

Read a free preview here.
Order your copy here.


Winnie Griggs is excited to announce that Love Inspired is re-releasing two of her Historical titles in a 2-in-1 volume as part of there LIH Classics program.  The volume, which includes A Baby Between Them and The Proper Wife will release on September 3rd and is available for pre-order now!


Click HERE to learn more or pre-order

Enter for your chance to win The Crossing at Cypress Creek Prize Pack!



How to Tell if Your Story Has Too Much Plot, Not Enough Character by K.M. Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors.


How to Write Scenes (and What Qualifies as a Scene) by Janice Hardy at Fiction University

Email Marketing: Your Secret Weapon by David Gaughran

The Values of Good Fiction by Kathleen McCleary at Writer UnBoxed

How to Avoid Buying Counterfeit Books on Amazon by Nancy Mertzel at Mertzel Law.

APODS - Organization: Part Two by Amanda Cabot at Thyme For Writers

Falling into a Festival

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by Pam Hillman
Fall festivals are just around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I love attending a couple of local festivals. I live in a small town…Well, actually, I live out in the country, and the closest small town is five miles away. The next is 10 miles away and is so small that when Andy Ogletree won the US Amateur Golf Championship this past weekend, Fox News said the town was so small that there wasn’t even a population count. Obviously, everyone in our community is proud of our new celebrity!


But back to small town festivals where everybody knows your name. Well, almost everybody!
I remember a festival from last fall. You know that weekend or cluster of days where you’re already booked 24/7 and then you get an additional 30-40 hours thrown in the mix? That weekend was mine. But everything was good… great, in fact. 

Me and Louis, one of my most loyal fans.

I started at 6 am Saturday morning with a booth at our local really small-town festival in Sebastopol, MS. This was my 4-5th year and, hands-down, it’s my best venue. I sold/gifted 49 books, I think. Most of these people are already fans and they stop by every year to get my latest book. And, I always gain a few new fans. Some bring books they bought to get them signed.


Me and my cousin, Geraldine.



I do 2-4 MAX of these a year, mostly clustered in Oct/Nov. It’s for friends at local events because the closest bookstores are 50 miles away. And these people want signed books. One guy, Homer, has all my books on a designated shelf at his house and it sounded like “woe to the person who moves them!”
I’ve had some good days and really bad days at these events over the years. Selling a handful (or NONE!) of books is bad, but we know to expect that at some events. But I’d say the worst is hauling everything out, tent required outside, etc., and it either be raining, so miserably cold you can’t feel your feet, wind blowing tents away, or so hot you literally are on the verge of heat stroke. Yes, I have experienced all of these even here in MS, some on the same day.
Last year, Sebastopolooza was the PERFECT EVENT. The weather was gorgeous, which was great for set-up and take down at the end of the day, plus people came out for the festival due to the great weather. A cool 56 degrees so my Western-style boots and light corduroy jacket were great for the morning crowd. It climbed to 70 during the day, so I switched to a lighter knit pullover.
L-R: Me, my mother, her cousin Eva, and two of their friends from school


 At this event, we’re allowed to set up from 4-6 pm the night before. Since Sebastopolooza is 4 miles down the road, my Cowboy and I took my tent, table, old doors and 2 bales of hay and set them up. I was in a different spot than I’d been in years past. Hubby wanted to know where I wanted the table, but I told him just put it under the tent and leave the tent at “half-mast” and I’d figure it out when I got there the next morning. My set-up would depend on how many open sides “entry points” I had.

I arrived before 7 am and unloaded my car. Boxes of books, burlap, camp chairs, money, pens, bookmarks and more. Cars had to be out of the area by 7:30, so I quickly unloaded, moved my car and started setting things up.

This is where it becomes tricky, and I’ve learned that I’d rather NOT have help. Each event is different, and I have to set up my space depending on what I have to work with. Hubby wants to just “do it”, but I can’t be rushed here. Do I have one, two, or three open sides to my tent (ie. are there tents set up next to me and behind me, or not)? What’s the weather like? Where’s the afternoon sun going to be?
This event, I ended up with two open sides, so decided that I would set up my area so that it would be a FLOW-THROUGH allowing people to walk through my tent from one side to the other. I have a burlap “curtain” that my son and I made at my first event (literally AT the event) to block the wind that year. It’s come in handy for wind, rain, and sun. This year, I hung it along the SW corner of my booth, knowing the afternoon sun would be brutal.
A booth has to be inviting, appropriate to what someone writes and catch people’s eye. I’ve used the same theme year after year, a rustic, Western-style with old doors, burlap, a couple of bales of hay if outdoors. I tone it down considerably for indoor events (churches, libraries, bookstores). There, I only take books, and an easel banner, and tablecloth and/or burlap for my table. 
My list that I keep in the notes on my phone. We’ll start with the obvious essentials and what you need to sell books:
Books: I inventory my books by title on a notecard before the event. When packing up, I inventory them again. When I get home and rested, I figure up the difference and that tells me how many I sold/gifted. I write books sold and money taken in on the card and keep it for my permanent records. Bank Bag/Cash: I know how much cash I have before leaving home. After arriving back home, I count the cash again and add in any credit card sales. The difference between beginning and end is profit. This figure goes on the permanent card mentioned above. Each event has a card with total sold and $$ taken in. If you’re concerned about messing up your $$ count, take an extra $20-$30 for incidentals like a soft drink, hamburger, chips. If you take money out of the bag for stuff like that, jot a note on a notecard and throw it in the bank bag.
Card Reader: Make sure to update phone/ipad and check that all is working before event. I learned this the hard way when my IOS needed an update. 
More essentials: Pens, bookmarks and/or postcards, notecards or guestbook for newsletter signup, plastic bags (I offer to anyone who buys several books or looks like they might need it!), business cards.

Tent, table, and chairs: This is self-explanatory if you’re outside. Trust me.
Everything else is debatable, but you want your booth to draw readers in, and you have a 10’x10’ space to have some fun. Also, I have a few personal items that I like to take for my own comfort.

~ Tabletop Easels to display books. Also, you can use empty boxes under your tablecloth to give height to your books if needed. You can get these at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, etc.
~ Floor Easel and large poster(s) if you have them.~ Clothespins, safety pins~ Twine / string~ Knife or scissors~ Large Chalkboard (Hobby Lobby)~ Small chalkboards (Walmart, Hobby Lobby, etc.)~ Chalk pens

Miscellaneous comfort. Authors cannot leave their booth for long, and I like to have my own healthy (preferably COLD) snacks on hand. And it needs to be something you can take a bite of, swallow, then shove to the side and smile at a customer. I’ve been blessed to have a family member (husband/mom/niece) come through every few hours or so, giving me a quick necessary break.

~ Cold pack for frozen water bottles, frozen yogurt, iced coffee with protein, etc.~ Nuts or other healthy snacks~ Toilet paper~ Paper towels~ Extra shoes~ Dress in layers~ Comfortable shoes~ Rechargeable fan and a USB charger
Now, for the fun part. Everything below has to do with making your booth inviting. It’s not necessary, I suppose, but I’ve always gone all out on my booth space from day one. I think it pays off. Just decorate it to fit your genre and you’ll be fine.
My props have evolved from some heavy items the first few years to much lighter fare. My husband is willing (sort of) to haul heavy hinged doors and bales of hay in his truck to trick out my booth, but I’m slowly figuring out ways to have an eye-catching display with stuff I can haul in my SUV in ONE TRIP, especially since one of my festivals only allows set-up the morning of the event. So, the hay bales and large, hinged doors are out.
Extras that I’ve used for display purposes at various times:
~ burlap or genre appropriate curtains, tablecloths~ mums~ wooden wagon~ old doors (two hinged together)~ old metal suitcase~ small rustic bookcase~ square bales of hay
And, last, but not least, a collapsible wagon is a wonderful thing to have. It’s great for hauling stuff to and from your car if needed. It can do double duty as a display by stacking empty boxes inside and draping a tablecloth over it, then topping with books.
So, there you have it. My method to creating an eye-catching, welcoming booth at the small handful of festivals I attend each year. Seriously, if you live in a small town, renting a booth space is about the cheapest and coolest way you can see all your friends and family in one day without exhausting yourself.
And you might even sell a few books in the process!

Eliciting Emotion in your Characters and Your Reader

Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here.Back in Jan 2018 I wrote a post here on Seekerville about a workshop I was developing on the subject of evoking Emotion. It was just a rough outline at that point with a few of the bullet points filled in. Well, last month, I along with two other authors, gave that workshop at RWA Nationals in New York so I thought I’d do a follow up post with the other elements I developed for the presentation.
So here it is:

One of the ingredients that will take your story from good to great is the infusion of organic, realistic, believable emotions. It’s what causes the readers to care about your protagonists and what draws them into the story and turning the pages.Marion Bauer put it this way: "People read fiction in order to feel, to have strong feelings in a context of safety. The thrill of danger without the threat of harm. Cleansing tears, but without loss. Even laughter, dignity intact."
What I want to do today is give you a few tools to use to effectively evoke emotion
Before I start, though, I need to say that most of the examples I’ll be using here will be from my own work, not because I think I do it better by any means, but simply because I knew right where to go to pull specific examples.
The items I covered in the January 2018 post are:The SensesInternalizationBody LanguageTells

Though I expanded a bit on those for the workshop, I won’t repeat them here. Instead, let’s move on to WORD CHOICE.


Focusing in on specific key details with your Word Choices can indeed affect mood and emotion.
Consider this bit of description from my book A Matter Of Trust:The heat of the day was softened by the dappled shade of the woods.  She and Toby were out to enjoy  an afternoon of picnicking and berry picking.  Lucy stepped over a knobby root and paused while Toby studied a shiny beetle lumbering up the side of a hickory tree. They’d been strolling along this leaf-carpeted trail for about thirty minutes now, and the creek crossing was just past the bit of leafy brush up ahead.  Some of the choicest blackberries in the county grew there. And Toby deserved to have a bit of fun today.
Now see what happens if I had made some different word choices
The hot summer sun slashed down through the spidery shadows of the too-quiet woods.  She and Toby hoped to spend the afternoon gathering the blood red berries that grew near the old creek.  Lucy stepped over a gnarled root and paused impatiently while Toby eyed a large beetle fleeing up the side of a dying tree. They’d been picking their way along this twisting, rocky trail for about thirty minutes now - thank goodness the creek crossing was just past the clump of thorn bushes up ahead.  Some of the best berries for making her potion grew there.
Though on the surface these are two views of the same scene, just by the word choices made I’ve set two very different moods, evoking different sets of emotions.  In the first version, the reader will assume that the characters are enjoying themselves and that the outing is a pleasant one. In the second example, the reader sees this as a much more ominous experience for our characters and will feel some level of anxiety about what comes next.
Of course it doesn’t have to be this dramatic. Simply describing someone as crying as opposed to bawling with gut-wrenching sobs, or a sky as cloudy versus one that’s ominously overcast will elicit different depths of emotion from your reader.


Another way to heighten emotion, is to sharpen and focus it for the reader. You can do this by OBJECTIFYING and CONTRASTING the emotion.
To objectify an emotion, you either give it a physical manifestation, such as:His words brought the heat to her cheeksAt the sight of his injury, the bile rose in her throat

Or you can use metaphors and similesThe look she gave him made him feel like a low down skunkThe little girl was like a kitten, all soft and playful

Comparing the emotion is just what it sounds like, you compare the emotion the character is feeling to other times when similar feelings aroseThis was more embarrassing than when she walked out of the dressing room with her skirt hem tucked in her waistbandShe was happier than the day her crush had asked her to the prom
You can also contrast the character’s emotion toward a particular person or situation at this point in time to their emotion to the same or similar situation earlier in the story. This would be a good way to show emotional growth.

The next thing I want to talk about today is CHARACTER EMOTION vs READER EMOTION

A well-crafted scene will evoke emotion of some sort, both in the characters on the page and in the reader.  But, these won’t necessarily be the same, and that’s ok, as long as it’s deliberate.  
A good writer will choreograph her scene to tease the emotions she wants from both the characters and the readers.
This next example is pulled from The Unexpected Bride. The set-up is:  The heroine Elthia and her pet Yorkie have just arrived at her destination via stagecoach and is about to disembark.

She picked up the basket that served as Poppy’s carrier, tightened her hold on her parasol, and shifted forward.  Moving to the door as if it were heaven’s gate itself, she barely avoided a tumble when the coach lurched and then stilled again.“Ooof!”She turned to apologize to the passenger she’d inadvertently jabbed with her parasol.  “Mr. Jenkins, I’m so–-”“Watch out!”Elthia pivoted, this time carefully pointing her parasol toward the floor.  “Oh dear, Miss Simms, I didn’t mean–-”The matronly woman gave her a tight smile as she straightened her tipsily-angled hat.  “That’s all right, dear.  This isyour stop, isn’t it?  You just go on now.  Don’t want to keep whoever’s meeting you waiting.”“But–-”“No, really, just go on.”Elthia looked around.  Several other passengers were (enthusiastically) nodding agreement.  Really, this was (just) the nicest group of people.  Especially considering the fuss Poppy had made with his yipping eagerness to get to know the other passengers this past hour.She gave them all a big smile, then stepped through the coach door, ready to begin her new life. 
Now we have quite a range of emotions here:
Elthia is eager to start her new life, is apologetic to the passengers and thinks everyone around her is feeling friendly towards her.  The other passengers, if you pick up the subtext here, are irritated and glad to see the last of her and her troublesome dog. The reader, if I did my job right, is feeling a bit amused and sympathetic toward our clueless, rose-colored-glasses-wearing heroine


The key here, is to make certain you are aware of these dual perspectives and that you are deliberate in how you nurture them.
What you DON’T want to have happen is to inadvertently craft a scene that you intended to be dramatic but that causes your reader to roll their eyes or snicker, or to craft one you intend to be comical but that falls flat or outrages your reader.
A few final things to consider:
Deep emotion comes from Character rather than plot. You need to dig deep into your character’s backstory and fully explore their goals, motivations and pain points to find their emotional triggers and to really draw out emotions that feel organic and realistic.Authentic emotion also comes from the writer. You need to draw on the emotional landscape of your own life. Remember your first crush, your last big breakup, the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, that time you were alone and the lights went out. Try to remember what your physical reactions were as well as your emotional ones.Keep in mind that no emotion is singular. Instead they are a complex blend of several reactions, feelings and perceptions. For example, a student going off to college for the first time might feel eager, anxious, excited, adrift and adventurous all at the same time.  And of course, it is always better to show rather than tell. Don’t just say he’s scared, show me the tremble of his hands, the widening of his eyes, the nervous glances he casts over his shoulderMake sure there is an appropriate balance of light and dark emotions. Even in a heavy gothic, horror or thriller, there should be some light moments to provide relief and contrast to the heavy grimness that the story requires. And just so, a romantic comedy should have at least a few serious or somber moments.Take a look at your story stakes – the higher the stakes, the deeper and more profound the emotions will (or rather should) beUltimately, your reader can forgive many craft and plot issues if you can tap into their emotions with your story. And conversely, you can have a perfectly constructed story from a craft and plot perspective, but if you don’t make your reader feel, if your story is emotionally barren, you will leave them dissatisfied.

There you have it – my take on how to effectively evoke emotion in your writing. Did any of this resonate with you? Do you have some insights or tips that I missed - please share!

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Award winning author Winnie Griggs has written both single title and category romances. She has published with three different houses since her debut in 2001 and has 25 books (and counting) in print.  Her work has won a number of regional and national awards, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award. 
Winnie is the wife of a rancher and the mother of four exceptional children.She has a BS in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science, as well as an advanced degree in the art of procrastination. Winnie is also a list maker, a tea drinker and lover of dragonflies.