Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 120
January 24, 2019
Mayday! Mayday! Is Anybody There?
by Pam Hillman
Have you ever been a guest on a small radio station and wondered if you’re talking into a vacuum? Or even been invited to participate in an online video chat and you’re not even sure if anyone is listening?
Ever watched a movie where stranded sailors cobbled together a short-wave radio and started sending out distress calls, “Mayday! Mayday!”
What about Cary Grant in the movie Father Goose? At one point, Cary Grant is desperately trying to raised the commander on the other end of the radio.
And then there’s that old saying, “If a tree falls deep in the forest, and nobody is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?”
Well, if an author publishes a book, how does she know if anybody reads it? Is anybody listening? How does she know? Let’s talk about 8 ways authors can estimate if their message is being heard.
Reviews - Authors love reviews. We love reviewers. And we love readers who love reading and love to tell others about the amazing stories they’ve read. Goodreads and Amazon reviews are a mix of reviews from readers who’ve either purchased a copy of your book or been given a copy in exchange for an honest review. Romantic Times, Library Journal, Fresh Fiction, just to name a few, review many of the newest releases. Reviews mean somebody somewhere is getting your book and is reading it. You are being heard.
Interaction on Social Media - We’ve had several posts related to social media here in Seekerville. It’s part of making noise. Make some noise. Let people hear you roar on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, your newsletter, etc.. But just as it can be really irritating when the neighbors party all night long, be aware when you’re becoming too loud, too pushy, or too obnoxious. That’s when it’s time to ask how they’re doing, or take a breather and post some cute cat (or calf) videos! You are your message and your message is being heard when others retweet you, when others share your cute meme, or your latest book news.
Analytics - Social media sites all provide analytics to help you determine if you’re being heard. There’s also Author Central where you can get a bit of a handle on which books are moving, rankings among other authors, etc. If you self-publish a book, or even traditionally publish, those analytics can give you an inkling if people are seeing your name and your book. It’s not perfect, but if you have a special sale or a free book, you can definitely see those spikes in the rankings.
Local Events - Be heard and seen in your community. Schedule book signings at local bookstores. Speak to a book club, a ladies group, a retired teachers’ association. Connect with groups who have your same interests. It’s a great way to be heard, and even though it might not result in huge numbers in sales, every connection counts.
Name Recognition - Which leads us to the next point. Name recognition happens when you have books (print or ebook) in the marketplace. Name recognition happens when you blog, post on social media, write articles and interviews, appear on the radio, attend events, or just go out of your way to be nice to others, your name will become known.
Awards and Contests - Finalling or winning a contest means you’re reaching another aspect of the reading community. Judges love to read, and many of them pass your books on to others.
Reader Response - It’s so exciting to hear from readers. Sometimes they just want to tell authors how much they enjoyed their books. Other times they want to know when the next book is coming out. And sometimes, their emails might not be quite as gushing as we’d like, but they are readers, and they bought your book. With a bit of work and communication, they’re likely to buy your next one.
Sales Numbers - All of the above is wonderful feedback and can give an author an indication of how well they’re being heard, but the final indicator is sales numbers. Sometimes sales numbers might not be as wonderful as we’d like, but we don’t grow a readership overnight. On the flip side, write the best stories you possibly can, and continue to cultivate the first 7 tips on this list, and eventually, your readership will grow.
CBA Bestselling author PAM HILLMAN was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove an Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should dream of. www.pamhillman.com
Have you ever been a guest on a small radio station and wondered if you’re talking into a vacuum? Or even been invited to participate in an online video chat and you’re not even sure if anyone is listening?
Ever watched a movie where stranded sailors cobbled together a short-wave radio and started sending out distress calls, “Mayday! Mayday!”
What about Cary Grant in the movie Father Goose? At one point, Cary Grant is desperately trying to raised the commander on the other end of the radio.
And then there’s that old saying, “If a tree falls deep in the forest, and nobody is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?”
Well, if an author publishes a book, how does she know if anybody reads it? Is anybody listening? How does she know? Let’s talk about 8 ways authors can estimate if their message is being heard.
Reviews - Authors love reviews. We love reviewers. And we love readers who love reading and love to tell others about the amazing stories they’ve read. Goodreads and Amazon reviews are a mix of reviews from readers who’ve either purchased a copy of your book or been given a copy in exchange for an honest review. Romantic Times, Library Journal, Fresh Fiction, just to name a few, review many of the newest releases. Reviews mean somebody somewhere is getting your book and is reading it. You are being heard.
Interaction on Social Media - We’ve had several posts related to social media here in Seekerville. It’s part of making noise. Make some noise. Let people hear you roar on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, your newsletter, etc.. But just as it can be really irritating when the neighbors party all night long, be aware when you’re becoming too loud, too pushy, or too obnoxious. That’s when it’s time to ask how they’re doing, or take a breather and post some cute cat (or calf) videos! You are your message and your message is being heard when others retweet you, when others share your cute meme, or your latest book news.
Analytics - Social media sites all provide analytics to help you determine if you’re being heard. There’s also Author Central where you can get a bit of a handle on which books are moving, rankings among other authors, etc. If you self-publish a book, or even traditionally publish, those analytics can give you an inkling if people are seeing your name and your book. It’s not perfect, but if you have a special sale or a free book, you can definitely see those spikes in the rankings.
Local Events - Be heard and seen in your community. Schedule book signings at local bookstores. Speak to a book club, a ladies group, a retired teachers’ association. Connect with groups who have your same interests. It’s a great way to be heard, and even though it might not result in huge numbers in sales, every connection counts.
Name Recognition - Which leads us to the next point. Name recognition happens when you have books (print or ebook) in the marketplace. Name recognition happens when you blog, post on social media, write articles and interviews, appear on the radio, attend events, or just go out of your way to be nice to others, your name will become known.
Awards and Contests - Finalling or winning a contest means you’re reaching another aspect of the reading community. Judges love to read, and many of them pass your books on to others.
Reader Response - It’s so exciting to hear from readers. Sometimes they just want to tell authors how much they enjoyed their books. Other times they want to know when the next book is coming out. And sometimes, their emails might not be quite as gushing as we’d like, but they are readers, and they bought your book. With a bit of work and communication, they’re likely to buy your next one.
Sales Numbers - All of the above is wonderful feedback and can give an author an indication of how well they’re being heard, but the final indicator is sales numbers. Sometimes sales numbers might not be as wonderful as we’d like, but we don’t grow a readership overnight. On the flip side, write the best stories you possibly can, and continue to cultivate the first 7 tips on this list, and eventually, your readership will grow.
CBA Bestselling author PAM HILLMAN was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove an Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should dream of. www.pamhillman.com
January 22, 2019
Why I Love Fairy Tale Retellings
by Carrie Schmidt
From the first time I watched Disney's Cinderella as a starry-eyed three-year-old (who watched it in an old theater with sweeping staircases... and became Cinderella as much as any one little girl can), I have loved fairy tales.
I love the way they champion the power of love & kindness & courage.
I love the way they always end in happily ever after.
I love the way they reflect the Gospel and my relationship with Jesus.
But most of all, I just love everything they promise us about life and love.
Fairy Tale retellings continue to be a wildly popular subgenre in, particularly, Young Adult fiction but have a huge adult following as well. (It's been a long time since I've been a 'young' adult and this is still one of my very fave types of fiction to read) They can be historical or contemporary, a more literal retelling or a loose reimagining. Maybe all the details but one are changed to suit the author's purposes, or maybe all the details but one are the same. (Retellings are also crazy popular for classic literature - Austen & Dickens, etc. - and beloved stories from the Bible - Ruth & Esther tend to be the go-to stories to retell here.)So why do I love them?
Because they do everything that a fairy tale does (see list above) PLUS they remind me of my childhood, of that princess-wannabe who fell in love with story as Cinderella fell in love with Prince Charming. They remind me what it's like to discover the wonders and intricacies of a beloved plot and characters for the first time.
Not only that, but retellings of any kind remind us that our stories are never really over.
I will pretty much gravitate toward any book that claims to be a retelling (for all the reasons I've already mentioned) but allow me to take a moment to share some of my favorites. This can definitely act as a syllabus of sorts for anyone wanting to do more research!
CINDERELLA
The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson (medieval Germany)Cinder by Marissa Meyer (sci-fi)Texas Cinderella by Winnie Griggs (historical/western)Cowboy Charming by Lacy Williams (reverse Cinderella/contemporary/western) It Started With Goodbye by Christina June (YA contemporary retelling)
BEAUTY & THE BEAST
The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (medieval England)The Lady & The Lionheart by Joanne Bischof (turn of the century Appalachia/circus) Whispers In the Reading Room by Shelley Shepard Gray (Gilded Age mystery)The Beastly Princess by Lacy Williams (reverse roles/contemporary/western)The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson (medieval Germany)
SNOW WHITE
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson (medieval Germany)Winter by Marissa Meyer (sci-fi)Once Upon a Cowboy by Lacy Williams (contemporary/western)The Shadow Queen by CJ Redwine (YA fantasy)
Can't imagine a contemporary retelling of Little Red Riding Hood? You need Everywhere You Want to Be by Christina June.
Intrigued by an allegorical retelling of The Wizard of Oz? Make sure you grab a copy of Emerald Illusion by J. Rodes.
And what about....
MULAN
I'm so glad you asked!
Turns out that Seekerville's own Melanie Dickerson has a Mulan retelling releasing in just two weeks!
She knows women are expected to marry, cook, and have children, not go to war. Can she manage to stay alive, save her mother, and keep the handsome son of a duke from discovering her secret?When Mulan takes her father’s place in battle against the besieging Teutonic Knights, she realizes she has been preparing for this journey her whole life—and that her life, and her mother’s, depends on her success. As the adopted daughter of poor parents, Mulan has little power in the world. If she can’t prove herself on the battlefield, she could face death—or, perhaps worse, marriage to the village butcher.
Disguised as a young man, Mulan meets the German duke’s son, Wolfgang, who is determined to save his people even if it means fighting against his own brother. Wolfgang is exasperated by the new soldier who seems to be one step away from disaster at all times—or showing him up in embarrassing ways.
From rivals to reluctant friends, Mulan and Wolfgang begin to share secrets. But war is an uncertain time and dreams can die as quickly as they are born. When Mulan receives word of danger back home, she must make the ultimate choice. Can she be the son her bitter father never had? Or will she become the strong young woman she was created to be?
This fresh reimagining of the classic tale takes us to fifteenth-century Lithuania where both love and war challenge the strongest of hearts.
Preorder your copy HERE
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I'm giving away a copy of The Warrior Maiden (or a Melanie Dickerson retelling of your choice) to anyone who comments below. Open internationally as long as Book Depository ships to your country.
Do you like retellings? Why do you think they are so popular?
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January 20, 2019
Reading as a Writer: The Great Adventure! (Part One)
by Jan Drexler
My favorite advice for new writers, wanna-be writers, and experienced writers is: Read, read, read, read, read. And then read some more.
Just a few of my research books...
Great advice, right? Except for those unanswered (until now) questions: Why should I read? and What should I read?
Let’s start with why a writer should read.
Reason #1: Writers use words. Not just any words, but the right words. We don’t only try to communicate information with our writing, we try to communicate and evoke emotions.
So instead of telling our readers that a character was sad, we want our readers to cry. Instead of telling our readers that a character is afraid, we want them to be looking over their shoulders as they read.
How do we learn how to use the right words? We read. We learn how other writers have used the words we need to convey the images, emotions, and feelings we want to give our readers.
Reason #2: Writers need to draw from a deep well to write deep stories.
Admit it. It’s easy to write a story. A-B-C, the plot is done. The characters have their HEA ending. Ho Hum.
But it’s hard to write a story that means something. A story that can be the catalyst for change in another person’s thinking. A story that preaches the gospel (without being “preachy”).
So we writers need to read stories to expand the depth of our knowledge. We need to read stories with tough ideas to chew on and tough situations to live through. Stories with meat and grit. Stories that grip us from the beginning and don’t let us go.
Reason #3: At the same time, writers need to have a wide range of knowledge.
Things I’ve learned through reading could fill a set of encyclopedias.
Think about some of the things you’ve learned through reading. Maybe you know how to keep your toes warm while milking the cow on a frosty morning because you read Laura Ingalls Wilder. Maybe you know what it’s like to be lost in a cave because you read Mark Twain. Maybe you know the squalor of a mountain cabin in Appalachia because you read Catherine Marshall.
Writers don’t have to experience everything they write about because we have books. They open our minds to an entire universe of other people’s experiences.
Now let’s tackle the second question: What should I read?
This one can be answered with one simple word: Everything!
Okay. I know we can’t read everything (and there are some things we shouldn’t allow access into our minds and lives,) but I think you get the point.
A writer should read inside her genre and outside. He should read classics, popular fiction, fiction from past centuries and our current century. A writer should read widely and deeply.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
#1: The Bible. I can’t say enough about how a Christian needs to be Bible literate. Even if you aren’t a Christian, you should be familiar with the stories and themes that are found in the Bible. I read through the Bible every year, following a Bible reading plan. It is my first priority every morning. My goal is to know God through the Bible, and to know how the Christian world view forms the human experience.
Why are those two things important? Because they are the core of every person's life - believer or not - and so they are the core of the life of every reader who picks up one of your books.
#2: Your favorite books. There is a reason why a particular book is your favorite, so read it again to discover why you love it so much. Examine the characters, dialogue, and descriptions. Once you’ve identified what it is that makes you love the book, you can work to make that technique your own and incorporate it in your writing in your own way.
#3: Award finalists and winners. These are lists I choose from when I'm looking for my next book to read. I have two reasons for reading these books. One is to keep up with what is popular in popular fiction. Reading tastes vary from year to year. What’s in one year is out the next…and then you see it reappear a few years later. What are publishers going to be looking for next year? No one knows. But it’s probably going to be a new slant on this year’s award winners and best sellers.
The second reason is to read excellent writing. Writers tend to echo what they’re reading, so I figure I ought to be reading the best books if I want to write a good one. Writing also changes over the years (just read a book written a hundred years ago to see what I mean.) By reading the best of this year’s fiction, I’m also keeping up with the writing styles and word usages of today’s publishing world.
Where do I find these lists? Right here!
Here is the list of 2018 Rita Winners in the “Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements” category:
Then There Was You by Kara Isaac
Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson
A New Shade of Summer by Nicole Deese
A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander
One Simple Wish by Katy Lee
And here are links to the finalists and winners in a few well-known inspirational fiction contests:
The Christy Awards
The Carol Awards
The Selah Awards
The FHL Reader’s Choice Awards
In this post, I covered two of the three questions to get you started on your adventure of reading as a writer. Next month, we’ll delve into the third question: How do I read? Stay tuned!
Wait a minute! I know what you're all thinking!
"Oh yeah, this is all very well for Jan. She has the perfect life with all kinds of time to read. Answer me this, Drexler! When in the world am I going to do all this reading???"
(Okay, maybe only Ruthy is thinking this...)
LOL! If you could see me squeezing my reading in, taking a minute here and an hour there, then you'd know our lives aren't all that different! Because we'll never read if we wait until we can find the time (just like we'll never write if we wait until we can find the time!)
Just like writing, we need to make the time to read and grab it with both hands.
So, let's talk about that! When do you take time to read? How do you fit it into your busy life?
My favorite advice for new writers, wanna-be writers, and experienced writers is: Read, read, read, read, read. And then read some more.
Just a few of my research books...Great advice, right? Except for those unanswered (until now) questions: Why should I read? and What should I read?
Let’s start with why a writer should read.
Reason #1: Writers use words. Not just any words, but the right words. We don’t only try to communicate information with our writing, we try to communicate and evoke emotions.
So instead of telling our readers that a character was sad, we want our readers to cry. Instead of telling our readers that a character is afraid, we want them to be looking over their shoulders as they read.
How do we learn how to use the right words? We read. We learn how other writers have used the words we need to convey the images, emotions, and feelings we want to give our readers.
Reason #2: Writers need to draw from a deep well to write deep stories.
Admit it. It’s easy to write a story. A-B-C, the plot is done. The characters have their HEA ending. Ho Hum.
But it’s hard to write a story that means something. A story that can be the catalyst for change in another person’s thinking. A story that preaches the gospel (without being “preachy”).
So we writers need to read stories to expand the depth of our knowledge. We need to read stories with tough ideas to chew on and tough situations to live through. Stories with meat and grit. Stories that grip us from the beginning and don’t let us go.
Reason #3: At the same time, writers need to have a wide range of knowledge.
Things I’ve learned through reading could fill a set of encyclopedias.
Think about some of the things you’ve learned through reading. Maybe you know how to keep your toes warm while milking the cow on a frosty morning because you read Laura Ingalls Wilder. Maybe you know what it’s like to be lost in a cave because you read Mark Twain. Maybe you know the squalor of a mountain cabin in Appalachia because you read Catherine Marshall.
Writers don’t have to experience everything they write about because we have books. They open our minds to an entire universe of other people’s experiences.
Now let’s tackle the second question: What should I read?
This one can be answered with one simple word: Everything!
Okay. I know we can’t read everything (and there are some things we shouldn’t allow access into our minds and lives,) but I think you get the point.
A writer should read inside her genre and outside. He should read classics, popular fiction, fiction from past centuries and our current century. A writer should read widely and deeply.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
#1: The Bible. I can’t say enough about how a Christian needs to be Bible literate. Even if you aren’t a Christian, you should be familiar with the stories and themes that are found in the Bible. I read through the Bible every year, following a Bible reading plan. It is my first priority every morning. My goal is to know God through the Bible, and to know how the Christian world view forms the human experience.
Why are those two things important? Because they are the core of every person's life - believer or not - and so they are the core of the life of every reader who picks up one of your books.
#2: Your favorite books. There is a reason why a particular book is your favorite, so read it again to discover why you love it so much. Examine the characters, dialogue, and descriptions. Once you’ve identified what it is that makes you love the book, you can work to make that technique your own and incorporate it in your writing in your own way.
#3: Award finalists and winners. These are lists I choose from when I'm looking for my next book to read. I have two reasons for reading these books. One is to keep up with what is popular in popular fiction. Reading tastes vary from year to year. What’s in one year is out the next…and then you see it reappear a few years later. What are publishers going to be looking for next year? No one knows. But it’s probably going to be a new slant on this year’s award winners and best sellers.
The second reason is to read excellent writing. Writers tend to echo what they’re reading, so I figure I ought to be reading the best books if I want to write a good one. Writing also changes over the years (just read a book written a hundred years ago to see what I mean.) By reading the best of this year’s fiction, I’m also keeping up with the writing styles and word usages of today’s publishing world.
Where do I find these lists? Right here!
Here is the list of 2018 Rita Winners in the “Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements” category:
Then There Was You by Kara Isaac
Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson
A New Shade of Summer by Nicole Deese
A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander
One Simple Wish by Katy Lee
And here are links to the finalists and winners in a few well-known inspirational fiction contests:
The Christy Awards
The Carol Awards
The Selah Awards
The FHL Reader’s Choice Awards
In this post, I covered two of the three questions to get you started on your adventure of reading as a writer. Next month, we’ll delve into the third question: How do I read? Stay tuned!
Wait a minute! I know what you're all thinking!
"Oh yeah, this is all very well for Jan. She has the perfect life with all kinds of time to read. Answer me this, Drexler! When in the world am I going to do all this reading???"
(Okay, maybe only Ruthy is thinking this...)
LOL! If you could see me squeezing my reading in, taking a minute here and an hour there, then you'd know our lives aren't all that different! Because we'll never read if we wait until we can find the time (just like we'll never write if we wait until we can find the time!)
Just like writing, we need to make the time to read and grab it with both hands.
So, let's talk about that! When do you take time to read? How do you fit it into your busy life?
January 19, 2019
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: Laurie Wood took us on a Journey to Churchill. The winner of a pdf copy of Northern Deception is Edwina!
Tuesday: Guest Jill Lynn gave us a fun look at what Writers in January be Like. The winner of her brand new release, The Rancher's Unexpected Baby, is Sherrinda Ketchersid!
Wednesday: Debby Giusti discussed the new Amish Witness Protection Continuity from Love Inspired Suspense along with Maggie Black and Dana Lynn. The authors worked together to create three exciting stories that will keep readers on the edge of their seats! Debby provided a behind-the-scenes look at how continuities are created as well as the challenges the authors faced in writing this fast-paced series. The winner of the Amish Witness Protection drawing will receive all three of the stories in this continuity, AMISH HIDEOUT, AMISH SAFE HOUSE, and AMISH HAVEN. The prize goes to Lucy Reynolds! Congrats, Lucy!
Friday: Winnie Griggs gave us writerly ideas from her trip to Disney World!
Monday: Jan Drexler will explore different ways to help us read well in order to write well.
Wednesday: Meez Carrie offers inspiring words as only Carrie can! Friday: Pam Hillman shares her special brand of awesomeness today!
Loving the Mysterious Texan Garrison's Law enters the Gothic Romance Genre.
Click to Buy
Amnesia, murder, treasure and ghosts. A woman wakes up next to a dead man with no idea how she got there, who he is.....who SHE is.
Grey Devereau drags a terrified woman out of his cousin's bed...his very dead cousin. It looks for all the world like she killed him. But then everyone who knows Victor wants to kill him eventually. Grey included.
Lanny Cole, the young woman hired to research the history of the Devereau family, can't remember a thing.Deveraux Grey isn't a Garrison, but when he gets in trouble, he turns to his old friend Case Garrison for help.
Garrison's Law just got spooky.
The Ebook and print book are live!
AND
Welcome to the Scavenger Blog Hunt and giveaway for the Garrison’s Law contemporary romantic suspense series by Mary Connealy, hosted by JustRead Tours!At each stop, there will be:special content by the blogger, anda clueKeep track of these clues each day because you’ll need to enter the clues you’ve gathered that day in the Rafflecopter (a new entry each day for that day’s clues).
On the last day, the final piece of the scavenger hunt will be revealed in a puzzle on JustRead’s (and JustCommonly’s) blog.
AMISH SAFE HOUSEBy Debby GiustiHiding in Plain SightThe second thrilling Amish Witness Protection novel
After Julia Bradford’s son witnesses a gang shooting, hiding in witness protection on Abraham King’s Amish farm is the only hope the Englischer and her children have. Even as danger closes in, Julia is drawn to the community’s peaceful ways—and the ex-cop turned Amish protector. But when their location is discovered, can Abraham protect her family…and possibly have a future by her side? Pre-order HERE!
Contest Title! BookSweeps' Christian & Inspirational novels BookBub Giveaway
Contest Dates: January 21 – January 30
STARTING MONDAY AT 9:00 AM EASTERN! A wonderful chance to win books and an e-reader, my friends! I've got two dogs in this fight (what a horrible analogy, Ruthy!!!!) "More Than a Promise" a full-length women's fiction that has garnered crazy high ratings on Amazon....
AND!!!! My beautiful current Love Inspired "A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing", on sale nationwide and at Amazon! Same deal.... Two chances to win as I gently encourage people to follow me on Bookbub and make my editors SO HAPPY!!!! I love happy editors!
Contest Link: https://booksweeps.com/book-giveaway/christian-inspirational-fiction-bookbub-january-2019/
And don't forget this amazing sale on Amazon.com!!!! Either Wishing Bridge book on sale at $1.99 for KINDLE!!!! https://amzn.to/2QviefO
January and February Special Events at SavvyAuthors. Includes January Speed Dating for Critique Partners and February Sweetheart Pitchfest.
Lessons from Little Women by Amanda Cabot at An Indie Adventure
The Writer's Resource - Self Editing by Katherine Ross at Thyme For Writers
New (and mostly improved) Wordpress Options by Julie Glover at Writers In The Storm
Questions To Consider When Writing A Scene by C.S. Lakin at Jane Friedman
Top 10 Writing Posts of 2018 by K.M. Weiland and Helping Writers Become Authors
Make A Living From Your Writing by Joanna Penn at the Creative Penn
January 17, 2019
10 Writer Takeaways From My Trip To Disney World
Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here.Last week I took a trip to Orlando with one of my daughters. She was running in some of the Disney races and I went along to be her cheerleader. And of course we spent time playing at the parks and visiting Disney Springs. We had a fabulous time - of course I always have fun when I spend time with any of my kids.
But keeping in mind that this blog was coming up, I kept my eyes open for writerly lessons I could take home to share with you.
With that in mind, I present the following:
Disney is Overwhelmingly PositiveWhen you’re at Disney World, you’ll see there's always a smile on people's faces, be they characters, vendors, waiters, bus drivers or greeters. And if problems do crop up (we had to wait two hours for our room to be ready) they maintain an upbeat, empathetic attitude and put your comfort at the top of their list.
Writer Takeaway: Life is going to throw you curves, whether it be health issues, family issues, writers slump, bad reviews or something else. But there’s no upside in deliberately airing these to your readers, especially if you’re just trying to garner sympathy. Your contract with your readers is to entertain and engage them, perhaps even challenge them, and most of all to provide them with a world they can immerse themselves in to forget their own cares for a while.Managing Expectations
If you’ve spent any time at Disney World you know that you spend a lot of time standing in lines waiting to get into the rides and attractions. In fact, for one of the more popular rides, my daughter and I spent two hours in line. But there are electronic signs posted outside of each ride letting you know what the expected wait times are so you know up front what you're letting yourself in for and there are no surprises. And every time we stood in line, those numbers were right on the money.
Writer Takeaway: Always let readers know when they can expect to receive the next release from you and then make sure you meet your deadlines if at all possible.Keep The Illusion Going
Speaking of standing in lines, one of the things I noticed was that even in the area set aside for those waiting, Disney was doing their best to keep us entertained. There was special artwork, scenery, flora, audio, etc. to hold your interest, and every bit of it was designed to fit within and support the story world of the ride/attraction.
Writer Takeaway: There are lots of things I can do to keep my readers engaged between releases, be it newsletters, short stories, bonus content, blog posts or teasers from upcoming releases. But whatever I do, it should fit within my personal brand.
Details Matter
The 4 Disney Parks are Divided into different areas – for instance Animal Kingdom has Pandora, Africa, Dinosaur Land among others. In each of these areas the landscaping, employee clothing, restaurants, shops, etc. – everything down to the tiniest detail - is themed to match the story world you’ve entered. It is to the extent that an elaborate system of tunnels run under the park so characters from on story world never step into a different story world to risk shattering the illusion.
Writer Takeaway: All of the details and subtext I put into my stories should be chosen with care so that no author intrusion slides in to spoil the reader immersion into the world I am building for him/her.
Understand And Respect Your Readers
Before I left for my trip I read somewhere that all employees of Disney World are taught that when you point, for whatever reason, always do it with two fingers. That’s because folks from all over the world visit the parks and in some cultures pointing with one finger is extremely rude. I kept an eye out while I was there and found it to be true, the workers and cast members do this consistently.
Writer Takeaway: Understand who your readers are and what expectations they have for the books they read and the experience each will bring and be aware of this in your writing. This doesn’t mean you can’t deliver surprises, just that you remain mindful of how you deliver them.
And of course music from Disney movies is everywhere - parks, resorts, buses. And I found 5 takeaways from those as well.
You’ve Got A Friend In Me (from Toy Story)
Writer Takeaway: Writing can be a lonely, solitary business. Savvy writers will take the time to make personal connections, to be supportive of other writers and to maintain connections with friends outside of the writing community.Bare Necessities (from Jungle Book)
Writer Takeaway: Most of us are working with limited resources when it comes to finances and time. But we all bring a special resource to the table – our creativity and storytelling abilities. That is the true ‘bare necessity’ it takes to succeed in this business. As for the rest, work with what you have and know that, if you stay alert to opportunities, you can go a long way on your God-given talent.
A Whole New World (from Aladdin)
Writer Takeaway: Take the time in your worldbuilding to transport your reader to someplace they’ve never been before or to see the familiar in a whole new light, and make sure there are things to make them feel wonder and surprise over.
Let It Go (from Frozen)
Writer Takeaway: There are things that will come your way – story ideas, promo opportunities, project participation offers, etc. - that you won’t be able to pursue/take advantage of. Hard as it is to let them go, you have to accept that they were not to be and don’t let regrets weigh you down.
Go The Distance (from Hercules)
Writer Takeaway: No one promised it would be easy or quick – persistence is key to making it in this business. As is the proper training – the best writers know that they never reach the point that they know it all.
There you have it, my 10 writerly takeaways from my trip to Disney World. What do you think? Have you ever been to Disney World and if so do you have anything to add to the list?
January 15, 2019
Amish Witness Protection Continuity
By Debby Giusti
Love Inspired Suspense is starting 2019 with a bang…and an exciting new continuity that’s sure to please. The three stories feature heroes and heroines in the Witness Security Program who are placed in various Amish communities to keep them off the grid and away from the vile villains who have them in their cross hairs!
When my amazing editor, Emily Rodmell, asked if I wanted to take part in the Amish Witness Protection Continuity, I couldn’t say “YES!” fast enough. Plus, the opportunity meant working with talented authors Maggie K. Black and Dana R. Lynn. Both gals write fast-paced suspense that keeps me on the edge of my seat so I knew this continuity would be a hit with readers. Maggie’s story, Amish Hideoutis a January release. My story, Amish Safe House, follows in February, and Dana’s book, Amish Haven, completes the series in March.
Being part of a continuity comes with its own challenges so I thought you might enjoy learning a bit about the process and how it works.
Emily created the continuity “bible,” as it’s called, which provides a basic outline for each story and information about anything that must be revealed as the series progresses. U.S. Marshal Jonathan Mast is the hero in book one who comes up with the initial idea of hiding the heroes and heroines in various Amish communities. Jonathan also plays a role in the other stories, along with two additional U.S. Marshals, all of whom work together to create new identities for the WITSEC characters.
Here’s what Maggie K. Black said:
Writing Amish Hideout was a challenge because I’d never written an Amish book before. But my heroine, Celeste, had never visited an Amish community before—so it was something she and I had in common!
Celeste is a computer programmer who risked everything to singlehandedly take down a criminal hacker who has been eluding the F.B.I. When he uses the power of the internet to send killers after her, the hero Jonathan will take her to the one place he knows technology can’t be used to hunt her down or hurt her—the Amish family he left behind when he became a cop.
In writing this book, I relied a lot on the wisdom and kindness of fellow authors. I listened to lectures on how to write about the Amish and also fired off questions to other writers when I was stuck or there was something I didn’t know. I also benefited from my excellent editor.
For me, Amish Hideout is a book about family, forgiveness and feeling lost. Jonathan has to reconcile with his family, overcome the damage his leaving did, and also figure out how to reconcile his faith and Amish roots with his calling to be a cop. Celeste too has to figure out where she belongs and what her future holds. It was deeply inspired by a family who came alongside me while I was going through a rough time and showed me acceptance, love and mercy.
Debby here:
In Amish Safe House, a down-on-her-luck single-mom tries to hold her family together, but after her teenage son witnesses a gang shooting, Julia Bradford and her two children are forced into Witness Protection in hopes of eluding the street thugs who have them in their cross hairs. Three years earlier, Abraham King left law enforcement after his wife and daughter were killed and returned to his Amish roots. When his old friend, Jonathan Mast, asks Abraham to provide safe refuge for a family in danger, the reclusive former cop turned Amish farmer agrees, never suspecting that Julia and her children will upset not only his peaceful way of life but also the wall he’s built around his heart.
I had fun writing the two children into the story and fell in love with them almost immediately. Keeping the children safe while evil loomed upped the stakes and challenged me to find creative ways to outsmart the bad guys. The Amish lifestyle with its lack of electricity, cell phones, automobiles and weapons provided additional demands not found in most contemporary suspense novels.
Abraham and Julia come from opposite worlds and seem an unlikely match. Both carry guilt for mistakes they each made in the past that must be brought to light. Old wounds need to be healed with the salve of forgiveness and their faith in God reaffirmed before they can find their happily ever after.
Dana shared the following:
I am so happy to be on Seekerville again. I’m especially tickled to be here with Debby Giusti and Maggie K. Black, both of whom are authors I admire so much. This whole process was one more dream realized for me.
I have wanted to be part of a continuity ever since I started to read Love Inspired Suspense years ago. As a reader, I would wait for the next book in each series every month with anticipation. When my editor emailed me and asked me if I wanted to participate in a mini-series with Debby and Maggie, I was overjoyed. And a bit nervous. Writing a story which shares elements from other books that I didn’t write was a challenge.
It was also tremendous fun. I loved talking with the other authors as we brainstormed and tried to line up our stories. Connecting with friends on such a unique project was entertaining and also educational as we researched together.
I loved that while all our stories contained some similar characters, they were all very different stories. Mine is a reunion romance, which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I love the themes of forgiveness and second chances. I had such a blast with this project and would do it again in a heartbeat!
We hope you like the series and would love to hear your thoughts on continuities. Do you enjoy the connected stories? What about Amish reads? When you see a bonnet or buggy on the cover do you add the book to your shopping cart or search for another selection? If you read Amish stories, what draws you to the genre? Have you written an Amish story or is that something you might try in the future? We’d love to answer any questions you have about writing continuities and/or writing Amish suspense.
Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for the entire Amish Witness Protection series. The winner will receive all three books: Amish Hideout, Amish Safe House and Amish Haven!
Happy reading! Happy writing!
Wishing you abundant blessings!Debby Giustiwww.DebbyGiusti.com
AMISH HIDEOUTBy Maggie K. Black
She must survive to testify…
The first exciting Amish Witness Protection thriller!
With a price on his witness’s head, US Marshal Jonathan Mast can think of only one place to hide Celeste Alexander—in the Amish community he left behind. As a computer expert, leading a life off the grid isn’t easy for Celeste. But will staying in Jonathan’s childhood home save her…and convince them a future together is worth fighting for?
Order HERE!
AMISH SAFE HOUSEBy Debby GiustiHiding in Plain Sight The second thrilling Amish Witness Protection novel
After Julia Bradford’s son witnesses a gang shooting, hiding in witness protection on Abraham King’s Amish farm is the only hope the Englischerand her children have. Even as danger closes in, Julia is drawn to the community’s peaceful ways—and the ex-cop turned Amish protector. But when their location is discovered, can Abraham protect her family…and possibly have a future by her side?
Pre-order HERE!
AMISH HAVENBy Dana R. LynnA Refuge for His Family
An Amish Witness Protection story
When criminal lawyer Tyler Everson witnesses his boss’s murder, he becomes the killer’s next target—along with his estranged wife, Annabelle, and their daughter. Now they must enter witness protection in Amish country. But reuniting with his family isn’t easy when Annabelle doesn’t trust him. Will going into hiding keep them safe…and bring the family back together for good?
Pre-order HERE!
January 14, 2019
Writers in January be Like...
by Jill Lynn
In December, writers are trying to finish all the writing things and all of the Christmas things at the same time.
Writers be like…
via GIPHY
And this…
via GIPHY
And sometimes this…
via GIPHY
But, things don’t always go as planned at the end of the year. All of the Christmas and New Year’s stuff takes up all of our brain space. So writing often looks a little more like this…
via GIPHY
Or even this…
via GIPHYThe good news is, it’s January now. January feels full of promise and butterflies and sunshine.
via GIPHY
Okay, that's actually summer. But you know what I mean. Because suddenly, we have a fresh start. A whole new year. We start making lists of all of the things we’re going to accomplish.
via GIPHYWe dream big, letting new ideas flow.
via GIPHY
The words we couldn’t find at the end of the year suddenly arrive back in our heads and we start working like…
via GIPHY
Until we get to a tough part of the book and remember that writing is always hard work.
via GIPHY
But the good news is, we still have a lovely new year ahead of us, filled with possibilities.
via GIPHYSo hang in there, writing friends, when the days are long and the word count is short. You can do this!
via GIPHYToday I’m feeling like this…
via GIPHY
Because I’m celebrating the release of my new book, The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby! (This is the GIF that comes up when I type in my book title…haha!)
via GIPHY
I'm giving away a copy of The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby to one randomly chosen person who comments below. (Paperback for US and ebook for international.)
Order your copy here!
Thanks for stopping by to celebrate with me!
Jill Lynn is an author of inspirational romance for Love Inspired, and a recipient of the ACFW Genesis award. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University and lives near the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her husband and two children. Details for her latest (6 book) giveaway can be found at Jill-Lynn.com/news.
Social media links:
www.facebook.com/jilllynnauthor
www.instagram.com/jilllynnauthor
In December, writers are trying to finish all the writing things and all of the Christmas things at the same time.
Writers be like…
via GIPHY
And this…
via GIPHY
And sometimes this…
via GIPHY
But, things don’t always go as planned at the end of the year. All of the Christmas and New Year’s stuff takes up all of our brain space. So writing often looks a little more like this…
via GIPHY
Or even this…
via GIPHYThe good news is, it’s January now. January feels full of promise and butterflies and sunshine.
via GIPHY
Okay, that's actually summer. But you know what I mean. Because suddenly, we have a fresh start. A whole new year. We start making lists of all of the things we’re going to accomplish.
via GIPHYWe dream big, letting new ideas flow.
via GIPHY
The words we couldn’t find at the end of the year suddenly arrive back in our heads and we start working like…
via GIPHY
Until we get to a tough part of the book and remember that writing is always hard work.
via GIPHY
But the good news is, we still have a lovely new year ahead of us, filled with possibilities.
via GIPHYSo hang in there, writing friends, when the days are long and the word count is short. You can do this!
via GIPHYToday I’m feeling like this…
via GIPHY
Because I’m celebrating the release of my new book, The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby! (This is the GIF that comes up when I type in my book title…haha!)
via GIPHY
I'm giving away a copy of The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby to one randomly chosen person who comments below. (Paperback for US and ebook for international.)
Order your copy here!Thanks for stopping by to celebrate with me!
Jill Lynn is an author of inspirational romance for Love Inspired, and a recipient of the ACFW Genesis award. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University and lives near the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her husband and two children. Details for her latest (6 book) giveaway can be found at Jill-Lynn.com/news.Social media links:
www.facebook.com/jilllynnauthor
www.instagram.com/jilllynnauthor
January 13, 2019
Journey to Churchill
By guest Laurie Wood
People have asked me if Northern Deception is the “book of my heart” and it is in the sense that since I began writing for the CBA market, I’ve felt a calling to write books set in Canada. This was the hardest book I’ve ever written up till now. It’s also the first book I’ve written for the CBA market, and I’m sure that's why it was so hard to write.
The idea for Northern Deception came in stages. I didn’t want to make my first hero the “standard” Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer–or “Mountie”–even if the red-serge uniform is a Canadian icon. I kept joking to my husband that when people think of Canadian men, they think of RCMP officers on horseback or lumberjacks in red flannel shirts!
One weekend we took our kids to the local Zoo and their favorite part is the extensive polar bear exhibit. We have six rescued polar bears from Churchill, Manitoba which is 1000 kilometers north of Winnipeg. These bears were orphaned, or they came into a human/bear interaction and then didn’t stay away from town after being flown further up north by helicopter, so our Zoo brought them down. And as we were enjoying watching the bears, it hit me: what’s another famous Canadian icon? Our frozen Arctic with our polar bears! And my hero who owns a wilderness guiding tour company in Churchill, Manitoba stepped into my mind, full blown and ready to tell his story.
So, I had a hero who owned a wilderness touring company and a heroine who was a polar bear scientist - now the problem was what to do with them? Churchill is home to an international science center where scientists come from around the world, along with university and high school students, to study the arctic ecosystem, and do various research projects. It took a while for me to figure out what to do with this rich location because science is NOT my strong suit! Eventually with research I developed a suspense story based on what could go wrong with a pristine environment that’s already under stress from climate change. Churchill, Manitoba is just on the edge of the parallel where the sub-arctic turns into the arctic in Canada so I’m hoping people will enjoy learning about Canada. It sits on the same parallel as Juneau, Alaska and Inverness, Scotland, and yet we still have another 2,794 kilometres of partially inhabited Arctic north of it that reaches to the North Pole.
For my love story, I did a reunion storyline because it’s one of my favorite romance tropes.I think people with some baggage deserve a second chance at working things out! I also wanted to cover a serious issue in a Christian book in a way that a non-Christian might pick it up and read it and say, “I didn’t think Christians thought that way”, or “I didn’t realize things like that happened to Christians”. And I was fortunate that Anaiah Press agreed with my take on the issue and let me run with it. And the hero also has an adorable three-year-old toddler who has special needs. She’s based on my own daughter at that age. So, if you know of anyone who’s got family or friends with someone with special needs, you’ll love little Sophie. It was a joy to include a character with a disability. Weaving all the romance, suspense, back story, and faith threads together was challenging because my other novels were secular. They flowed out of me with ease, and yet none of them sold. I felt as though every word had to be ground out of granite with this book. And yet, I’m humbled by the positive response it’s gotten. The hard work and heartaches have paid off and I hope people will enjoy the suspense and love story and the takeaway of forgiveness for yourself and others. And I hope readers will gain an appreciation for my home country of Canada!*****Laurie will be giving away a PDF copy of her book today! In the comments, please let us know you'd like to be entered. Now let's celebrate Laurie's debut!
Northern Deception
Reunions can be deadly.
After a savage attack in university, Kira Summers fled to the safety of northern Canada and her work as a polar bear scientist. But when her whistleblower brother dies in a mysterious car crash, she must return home to bury him and pack his belongings. Unaware she’s carrying explosive evidence someone’s willing to kill for, she has no choice but to rely on the one person she never thought she’d see again.
Lukas Tanner, a widowed single father of a special needs toddler, moved to Churchill five years ago. As the proud owner of Guiding Star Enterprises, a wilderness tour company, he and his daughter lead a simple life. But when Kira comes crashing back into his world, he realizes God has other plans. Now, Lukas and Kira must confront a merciless killer as their past and present collide in a deadly race—a race they must win if they have any hope of a future together.
About the Author:
Laurie Wood is a military wife who’s lived across Canada and visited six of its ten provinces. She and her husband have raised two wonderful children with Down Syndrome to adulthood, and their son and daughter are a wonderful blessing to their lives. Over the years, Laurie’s books have finaled in prestigious contests such as the Daphne du Maurier (twice), the TARA, the Jasmine, and the Genesis. Her family lives in central Canada with a menagerie of rescue dogs and cats. If the house were bigger, no doubt they’d have more.
Website: https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/156135775204820/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LaurieJeanWood
People have asked me if Northern Deception is the “book of my heart” and it is in the sense that since I began writing for the CBA market, I’ve felt a calling to write books set in Canada. This was the hardest book I’ve ever written up till now. It’s also the first book I’ve written for the CBA market, and I’m sure that's why it was so hard to write.
The idea for Northern Deception came in stages. I didn’t want to make my first hero the “standard” Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer–or “Mountie”–even if the red-serge uniform is a Canadian icon. I kept joking to my husband that when people think of Canadian men, they think of RCMP officers on horseback or lumberjacks in red flannel shirts!
One weekend we took our kids to the local Zoo and their favorite part is the extensive polar bear exhibit. We have six rescued polar bears from Churchill, Manitoba which is 1000 kilometers north of Winnipeg. These bears were orphaned, or they came into a human/bear interaction and then didn’t stay away from town after being flown further up north by helicopter, so our Zoo brought them down. And as we were enjoying watching the bears, it hit me: what’s another famous Canadian icon? Our frozen Arctic with our polar bears! And my hero who owns a wilderness guiding tour company in Churchill, Manitoba stepped into my mind, full blown and ready to tell his story.
So, I had a hero who owned a wilderness touring company and a heroine who was a polar bear scientist - now the problem was what to do with them? Churchill is home to an international science center where scientists come from around the world, along with university and high school students, to study the arctic ecosystem, and do various research projects. It took a while for me to figure out what to do with this rich location because science is NOT my strong suit! Eventually with research I developed a suspense story based on what could go wrong with a pristine environment that’s already under stress from climate change. Churchill, Manitoba is just on the edge of the parallel where the sub-arctic turns into the arctic in Canada so I’m hoping people will enjoy learning about Canada. It sits on the same parallel as Juneau, Alaska and Inverness, Scotland, and yet we still have another 2,794 kilometres of partially inhabited Arctic north of it that reaches to the North Pole.
For my love story, I did a reunion storyline because it’s one of my favorite romance tropes.I think people with some baggage deserve a second chance at working things out! I also wanted to cover a serious issue in a Christian book in a way that a non-Christian might pick it up and read it and say, “I didn’t think Christians thought that way”, or “I didn’t realize things like that happened to Christians”. And I was fortunate that Anaiah Press agreed with my take on the issue and let me run with it. And the hero also has an adorable three-year-old toddler who has special needs. She’s based on my own daughter at that age. So, if you know of anyone who’s got family or friends with someone with special needs, you’ll love little Sophie. It was a joy to include a character with a disability. Weaving all the romance, suspense, back story, and faith threads together was challenging because my other novels were secular. They flowed out of me with ease, and yet none of them sold. I felt as though every word had to be ground out of granite with this book. And yet, I’m humbled by the positive response it’s gotten. The hard work and heartaches have paid off and I hope people will enjoy the suspense and love story and the takeaway of forgiveness for yourself and others. And I hope readers will gain an appreciation for my home country of Canada!*****Laurie will be giving away a PDF copy of her book today! In the comments, please let us know you'd like to be entered. Now let's celebrate Laurie's debut!
Northern Deception
Reunions can be deadly.
After a savage attack in university, Kira Summers fled to the safety of northern Canada and her work as a polar bear scientist. But when her whistleblower brother dies in a mysterious car crash, she must return home to bury him and pack his belongings. Unaware she’s carrying explosive evidence someone’s willing to kill for, she has no choice but to rely on the one person she never thought she’d see again.
Lukas Tanner, a widowed single father of a special needs toddler, moved to Churchill five years ago. As the proud owner of Guiding Star Enterprises, a wilderness tour company, he and his daughter lead a simple life. But when Kira comes crashing back into his world, he realizes God has other plans. Now, Lukas and Kira must confront a merciless killer as their past and present collide in a deadly race—a race they must win if they have any hope of a future together.
About the Author:Laurie Wood is a military wife who’s lived across Canada and visited six of its ten provinces. She and her husband have raised two wonderful children with Down Syndrome to adulthood, and their son and daughter are a wonderful blessing to their lives. Over the years, Laurie’s books have finaled in prestigious contests such as the Daphne du Maurier (twice), the TARA, the Jasmine, and the Genesis. Her family lives in central Canada with a menagerie of rescue dogs and cats. If the house were bigger, no doubt they’d have more.
Website: https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/156135775204820/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LaurieJeanWood
January 11, 2019
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: Ruthy was here rambling on about taking charge of your days and getting the job done, you know... the same thing she says all the time but with 50 novels and novellas published now, we're listening more! So that's our advice from this day: Write, write, write!
Tuesday: Richard Mabry stopped by on Tuesday. We love Doc Mabry, and he shared with us how he's going to live more intentionally and focused and not be grumpy... and he offered a copy of his newest suspense "Emergency Case" and the winner of that is Pudy68!
Wednesday: Ruthy...again! Yes, our very own Ruth Logan Herne was back in the house on Wednesday with words of wisdom for any professional in any business... Finish the Job. This holds particularly true in writing because it's so easy to become distracted. Shiny object??? Email??? Someone messaged me??? Beware the shiny objects, stay focused and let your light shine through your efforts! Go you! Winner of a copy of "A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing" is Nicki Chapelway!
Friday: Mary Connealy entertained with stories of Gothic romance...her own!! The winner of an ecopy of Loving the Mysterious Texan is Vince.
Monday: Laurie Wood will be our guest! She'll be giving us a peek behind the scenes of her recent book, Northern Deception . Come celebrate the debut release with her! She'll be giving away a PDF copy.
Tuesday: Jill Lynn has a post that's guaranteed to make you giggle. She'll also be sharing some good news and celebrating with a giveaway.
Wednesday: Debby Giusti invites Maggie Black and Dana Lynn to discuss their new Amish Witness Protection Continuity from Love Inspired Suspense. Debby, Maggie and Dana worked together to create three exciting stories that will keep readers on the edge of their seats! Get a behind-the-scenes look at how continuities are created as well as the challenges the authors faced in writing this fast-paced series. Friday: Winnie Griggs is at Disney World today, cheering on her marathon-running daughter, but she'll be here on Friday with another of her posts filled with writing tips.
Loving the Mysterious Texan Garrison's Law enters the Gothic Romance Genre.
Click to Buy
Amnesia, murder, treasure and ghosts. A woman wakes up next to a dead man with no idea how she got there, who he is.....who SHE is.
Grey Devereau drags a terrified woman out of his cousin's bed...his very dead cousin. It looks for all the world like she killed him. But then everyone who knows Victor wants to kill him eventually. Grey included.
Lanny Cole, the young woman hired to research the history of the Devereau family, can't remember a thing.
Grey steps in with an alibi and Lanny realizes that if Grey is her alibi, then she's his. She decides to trust him, but then she's suffered a head injury. So she's probably making one stupid decision after another.
And then someone else dies. And a hurricane cuts them all off from help. And then someone else dies....
And the rumors of ghosts and treasure can't be true. Sure Grey saw the ghost, in fact, he's pretty sure the ghost saved his life as a child. But he was upset at the time and he doesn't believe in ghosts.
Chills and thrills abound in an old island home built by a loathsome pirate. He's not a Garrison, but when he gets in trouble, he turns to his old friend Case Garrison for help.
Garrison's Law just got spooky.
The Ebook is up, the print book should appear when the ebook goes live! But is not available for preorder!
AND
Welcome to the Scavenger Blog Hunt and giveaway for the Garrison’s Law contemporary romantic suspense series by Mary Connealy, hosted by JustRead Tours!At each stop, there will be:special content by the blogger, anda clueKeep track of these clues each day because you’ll need to enter the clues you’ve gathered that day in the Rafflecopter (a new entry each day for that day’s clues).
On the last day, the final piece of the scavenger hunt will be revealed in a puzzle on JustRead’s (and JustCommonly’s) blog.
Ruthy has a couple of things to share!!!!
FIRST: BOTH WISHING BRIDGE STORIES ARE ON SALE RIGHT NOW FOR $1.99 KINDLE EDITION!!!!! CLICK RIGHT HERE TO GO GRAB THESE TWO BESTSELLERS!!!!!
AND SAVE THE DATE IF YOU CAN! The nice folks at Harlequin and Love Inspired Books are daring to let Ruthy speak live on facebook on January 28th... at 1:00. Like the meme says below. What were they thinking???? Gadzooks, we know it's not safe to let Ruthy have a microphone, ever, but clearly THEY DON'T KNOW THAT.... :) Join me there, let's talk faith, hope, love, romance, smokin' hot heroes and the women they have to work to impress!
AMISH SAFE HOUSEBy Debby GiustiHiding in Plain SightThe second thrilling Amish Witness Protection novel
After Julia Bradford’s son witnesses a gang shooting, hiding in witness protection on Abraham King’s Amish farm is the only hope the Englischerand her children have. Even as danger closes in, Julia is drawn to the community’s peaceful ways—and the ex-cop turned Amish protector. But when their location is discovered, can Abraham protect her family…and possibly have a future by her side? Pre-order HERE!
Rest for Success & Why Busy is Seriously Overrated by Kristen Lamb
Did God Really Ask You to Write? (podcast with transcript) at Write From the Deep by Karen Ball and Erin Taylor Young.
Writers Beware of the Legal Pitfalls - Defamation, Privacy and Publicity by Karen Van Den Heuvel at Thyme For Writers
Want Authorly Superpowers? Build A Street Team! by Angela Ackerman at Writers In The Storm
4 Things You Should Know Before You Quit Writing Your Novel by Jerry B Jenkins at Helping Writers Become Authors
A Nest of Words: What Kind of Writer-Bird Are You? by Gayle Brandeis at Writer's Digest
The Different Types of Editing Explained by Jim Dempsey at Writer UnBoxed
January 10, 2019
Hello from Insanity Central!
Mary Connealy checking in from the mad center of my universe
I've got a sweet 90-year-old mama who's ailing.
A new granddaughter who is just precious--but seems to think crying and eating are all there is to life! C'mon kid, Grandma's old and tired--you're six weeks old, time to start playing with us--and sleeping--and listening to sweet reason when Grandma begs you to settle down!Add in Christmas, New Years, a book to write, a book to revise and a book to release...and...well...I am full of excuses for why I am scrambling madly through life these days.
The book to release is what I'm talking about today.
I wrote a gothic romance! Yikes.
This is the most fun I've ever had writing a book...and I've had many, many great times writing, so that's saying something.
Click to BuyBut I wrote this book YEARS AGO called The Devil's Nest.I would sit in my computer room just off the living room and write and LAUGH OUT LOUD. I mean I was CACKLING!
And the children, would come and look in the computer room with such weird expressions, like they're thinking, "Just checking to see if you need us to get a net, Mom."
The title has been changed to Loving the Mysterious Texas (Garrison's Law book #5).
Think.........Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier meets And Then There Were None by Agatha Christy
Now how could that not be fun???
But the spooky old pirate's lair is called The Devil's' Nest.
Click to BuyEnter the sweet, innocent maiden hired to gather and make order out of the old family papers that fill the attic....for historical reasons, she's told. But the truth is, an evil family KNOWS the pirate who built the monstrosity hid his treasure somewhere in this gothic mansion.The search is over 200 years old ever since the wife he betrayed and battered, cast herself off the roof of the house, taking her secret to the grave.
As I wrote--back then--I would think, I have to make her go into the attic while she KNOWS a murder roams the spooky old house.
Add to that, I couldn't bear to have her be an idiot.
Why would she do that? Why would she go up there alone?
Only an idiot would go up there alone? If she goes up there alone she deserves to die just so she doesn't have children and weaken the herd!
Did I mention the hero was called away from the house?
Did I mention the hero might be the killer?
How about...the electricity is off? I don't think the idiot even had a candle!
Click to BuyNo reason to even deal, at this point, with her amnesia and waking up next to a dead guy. A dead guy who everyone thinks SHE KILLED. She can't remember but she doesn't think she killed him. Except the hero assures her most people want to kill Victor so she might have.There might be a ghost.
Here's an interesting fact about amnesia in a character.
You don't realize it but, as someone who is a big believer in weaving in backstory a bit at a time, a person with amnesia...……...has no backstory in her own head.
Other people can tell her about herself.
But she can never have the constant small thoughts like, When the lightning struck it was terrifying, she'd been afraid of storms since the night her parents died.
Click to BuyYou can't do that.Because she DOESN'T REMEMBER HER PARENTS.
She can't say, "I'm doing this because I've loved history all my life."
She can't think, "I took this job because I was desperate for the money because--"
Anyway, I found it so frustrating that I finally just had her get her memory back waaaay ahead of schedule just so I could STOP STUMBLING OVER THE STUPID AMNESIA!
If you want to write an amnesia story (and who doesn't) be warned. But also, if you do it, HAVE FUN!
Let's talk FUN.
What's the most fun you've ever had writing a book.
What made you laugh, what sent chills up and down your spine.
Do you make yourself cry? That can be fun!
Or heartbreaking...tricky.
Tell me about the most fun you've ever had writing a book and every comment gets your name in a drawing for an ebook copy of Loving the Mysterious Texan
Loving the Mysterious TexasThe ebook is up and will release in a week. The paperback will be there, too, but no pre-order available on ebooks. Weird!Click here to pre-order Garrison's Law goes gothic.
Amnesia, murder, treasure and ghosts.
A woman wakes up next to a dead man with no idea how she got there, who he is.....who SHE is.
Grey Devereau drags a terrified woman out of his cousin's bed...his very dead cousin. It looks for all the world like she killed him. But then everyone who knows Victor wants to kill him eventually. Grey included.
Lanny Cole, the young woman hired to research the history of the Devereau family, can't remember a thing.
Grey steps in with an alibi and Lanny realizes that if Grey is her alibi, then she's his. She decides to trust him, but then she's suffered a head injury. So she's probably making one stupid decision after another.
And then someone else dies. And a hurricane cuts them all off from help. And then someone else dies....
And the rumors of ghosts and treasure can't be true. Sure Grey saw the ghost, in fact, he's pretty sure the ghost saved his life as a child. But he was upset at the time and he doesn't believe in ghosts.
Chills and thrills abound in an old island home built by a loathsome pirate. He's not a Garrison, but when he gets in trouble, he turns to his old friend Case Garrison for help.
Garrison's Law just got spooky.
And just to be thorough, let me include a mention of my MARCH release, book #3 of the High Sierra Sweethearts seriesThe Unexpected Champion
The City Man and the Wild West Woman take turns saving each other's lives in the high stakes conclusion to the High Sierra Sweethearts Series.
Unexpected Champion-Available for pre-order now!
City dweller John McCall never expected to be out in the High Sierras of 1868 on a wild-goose chase to find the Chiltons' supposedly lost grandson. But now that he's out here, things have gotten complicated, mostly due to wildcat Penny Scott. She's not like any woman he's ever met--comfortable in the woods, with a horse, and with a gun. When Penny and John are taken against their will by a shadowy figure looking for evidence they don't have, both realize they've stumbled into something dangerous and complicated. With their friends and family desperately searching for them, Penny and John must make a daring escape.
When they emerge back into the real world, they are confronted with a kidnapper who just won't stop. They must bring a powerful, ruthless man to justice, even as this city man and country woman fight a very inconvenient attraction to each other.
http://www.maryconnealy.com
