Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 121
January 8, 2019
Planning, Plotting, Pantsing: What Matters, What Doesn't
by Multi-published, Award-winning author Ruth Logan Herne
You're a planner.
You're a plotter.
You're a pantser.
Guess what?
It doesn't matter. Not all that much. Not nearly as much as some would have you believe.
How you write isn't nearly as important as how you spend your time. If you're spending all of your time planning or plotting or researching and not writing, well... then your production may drop. Or be non-existent.
What does that mean, you ask?
Simple. We follow the math. Some creative types hate to look at numbers. It stifles their creativity.
(YAWN....)
Like so many things, it comes down to numbers and a writer is actually running a small business. You need to know and understand the numbers of your business to make it work, right? We'll keep it simple, I never get complicated if I can possibly avoid it.
If you plan or plot your book for a month... then write it for two months and have a full book 90 days in:
GO YOU! BONUS!!! YOU ROCKED IT!!!! :)
And I mean that most seriously.
If you didn't plan or overly plot and you still have a book done at 90 days, YOU ROCKED IT, TOO!!! PARTY BONUS FOR YOU AS WELL!
So you're equal, correct? Both with a book done at 90 days, equating the possibility of 4 books/year if they're 70,000 to 80,000 word books. Leaving some editing time there.
You two can go grab coffee now. I'm not talking to youse at the moment. I'm talking to them.
You know who you are...
You've over-plotted four books and haven't finished one.
You've written three great openings, and sent them out to editors and EVEN GOT A BITE ON ONE, a request for a full manuscript, but alas... you haven't finished a manuscript.
And therein lies the problem.
It's not the writing for some folks.
It's the finishing.
When someone does the dishes and leaves them on the counter to air dry: UNFINISHED TASK.
When someone walks out of a bedroom leaving the bed unmade: UNFINISHED TASK
When someone adds pool chemicals but doesn't vacuum the weird things on the bottom: UNFINISHED TASK
When someone washes a car, but doesn't wash the inside of the windows: UNFINISHED TASK
Do you get what's similar about all of these tasks? They look good on the surface. Effort has been expended. Stuff's gotten started, but nothing is finished.
That's a common conundrum, and the basic reason why many authors never get published...
Because writing the whole book isn't easy. It's not the fun part. It's a challenge on a daily basis.
Now I love what I do. Like that cute GMC truck commercial, and the wife that claims the big gray truck, exclaiming "I LOVE IT!!!" And the crazy cute guys acquiesces and nods toward the big red SUV. "I like red."
That's me and writing. I love it.
So maybe I'm jaded because I love what I do, but if you also love it, then why aren't you finishing things?
Here's a probable cause: Your conflict isn't strong enough and your characters are under-developed.
That's another common cause of the malady they call "Writer's Block"... when the brain just can't wrap its head around the story, it's usually because the story is too weak to write. Once you've added layers of conflict, reasons to avoid one another, and big bumps in the road, the kind that are organic to the story, not just thrown in for the author's page count, you have the depth to keep writing. Otherwise it's very hard to know what on earth these characters should do next?
(THAT WAS A VERY LONG, BAD SENTENCE. DON'T DO THAT, OKAY?)
We are all guilty of this at one time or another. And the world didn't end. We re-write.
We deepen the conflict, we add reasons why the characters can't ever get along (Mother/daughter, sister/sister, hero/heroine) and then we have them creep toward the middle...
Not like Justin Timberlake in "Can't Stop the Feeling"...
And by the way, Justin can creep up on me anytime. The guy is two thumbs up stinkin' adorable, but I digress...
And along those lines, as an author I would be REMISS to not remind you about my newest Love Inspireds "A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing", a great story about a cowboy who thinks he know just who he is, what he's doing and where he's going...
Until he finds out he's been living a lie for thirty years.
Great story. Heart-grabbing characters. And a beautiful Western Idaho setting that makes you want to move there, like right now.
I've got a copy to give away to one lucky commenter. It could be you... and I promise: It's a really good story.
What's your plan for this brand new year with no mistakes in it yet? Well, hardly any!
Let me know below and I've got the Keurig set up, delightful creamers and raw sugar. You know you love raw sugar.
I just love saying it!
Raw sugar.
What's the plan, Stan? Answer and I'll tuck your name into the cowboy hat for this latest Shepherd's Crossing book... and a favorite of readers nationwide already!
Multi-published, award-winning inspirational author Ruth Logan Herne is living the dream of writing books that touch the heart-- and soul-- and leave the reader wanting more. Book #50 will be published in 2019 and she is over-the-moon about that! Find her on facebook or Twitter as Ruth Logan Herne, stop by her website ruthloganherne.com and email her at loganherne.com to sign up for her newsletter or just to chat. She's a people person most days, as long as caffeine and chocolate are involved!
You're a planner.
You're a plotter.
You're a pantser.
Guess what?
It doesn't matter. Not all that much. Not nearly as much as some would have you believe.
How you write isn't nearly as important as how you spend your time. If you're spending all of your time planning or plotting or researching and not writing, well... then your production may drop. Or be non-existent.
What does that mean, you ask?
Simple. We follow the math. Some creative types hate to look at numbers. It stifles their creativity.
(YAWN....)
Like so many things, it comes down to numbers and a writer is actually running a small business. You need to know and understand the numbers of your business to make it work, right? We'll keep it simple, I never get complicated if I can possibly avoid it.
If you plan or plot your book for a month... then write it for two months and have a full book 90 days in:
GO YOU! BONUS!!! YOU ROCKED IT!!!! :)
And I mean that most seriously.
If you didn't plan or overly plot and you still have a book done at 90 days, YOU ROCKED IT, TOO!!! PARTY BONUS FOR YOU AS WELL!
So you're equal, correct? Both with a book done at 90 days, equating the possibility of 4 books/year if they're 70,000 to 80,000 word books. Leaving some editing time there.
You two can go grab coffee now. I'm not talking to youse at the moment. I'm talking to them.
You know who you are...
You've over-plotted four books and haven't finished one.
You've written three great openings, and sent them out to editors and EVEN GOT A BITE ON ONE, a request for a full manuscript, but alas... you haven't finished a manuscript.
And therein lies the problem.
It's not the writing for some folks.
It's the finishing.
When someone does the dishes and leaves them on the counter to air dry: UNFINISHED TASK.
When someone walks out of a bedroom leaving the bed unmade: UNFINISHED TASK
When someone adds pool chemicals but doesn't vacuum the weird things on the bottom: UNFINISHED TASK
When someone washes a car, but doesn't wash the inside of the windows: UNFINISHED TASK
Do you get what's similar about all of these tasks? They look good on the surface. Effort has been expended. Stuff's gotten started, but nothing is finished.
That's a common conundrum, and the basic reason why many authors never get published...
Because writing the whole book isn't easy. It's not the fun part. It's a challenge on a daily basis.
Now I love what I do. Like that cute GMC truck commercial, and the wife that claims the big gray truck, exclaiming "I LOVE IT!!!" And the crazy cute guys acquiesces and nods toward the big red SUV. "I like red."
That's me and writing. I love it.
So maybe I'm jaded because I love what I do, but if you also love it, then why aren't you finishing things?
Here's a probable cause: Your conflict isn't strong enough and your characters are under-developed.
That's another common cause of the malady they call "Writer's Block"... when the brain just can't wrap its head around the story, it's usually because the story is too weak to write. Once you've added layers of conflict, reasons to avoid one another, and big bumps in the road, the kind that are organic to the story, not just thrown in for the author's page count, you have the depth to keep writing. Otherwise it's very hard to know what on earth these characters should do next?
(THAT WAS A VERY LONG, BAD SENTENCE. DON'T DO THAT, OKAY?)
We are all guilty of this at one time or another. And the world didn't end. We re-write.
We deepen the conflict, we add reasons why the characters can't ever get along (Mother/daughter, sister/sister, hero/heroine) and then we have them creep toward the middle...
Not like Justin Timberlake in "Can't Stop the Feeling"...
And by the way, Justin can creep up on me anytime. The guy is two thumbs up stinkin' adorable, but I digress...
And along those lines, as an author I would be REMISS to not remind you about my newest Love Inspireds "A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing", a great story about a cowboy who thinks he know just who he is, what he's doing and where he's going...
Until he finds out he's been living a lie for thirty years.
Great story. Heart-grabbing characters. And a beautiful Western Idaho setting that makes you want to move there, like right now.
I've got a copy to give away to one lucky commenter. It could be you... and I promise: It's a really good story.
What's your plan for this brand new year with no mistakes in it yet? Well, hardly any!
Let me know below and I've got the Keurig set up, delightful creamers and raw sugar. You know you love raw sugar.
I just love saying it!
Raw sugar.
What's the plan, Stan? Answer and I'll tuck your name into the cowboy hat for this latest Shepherd's Crossing book... and a favorite of readers nationwide already!
Multi-published, award-winning inspirational author Ruth Logan Herne is living the dream of writing books that touch the heart-- and soul-- and leave the reader wanting more. Book #50 will be published in 2019 and she is over-the-moon about that! Find her on facebook or Twitter as Ruth Logan Herne, stop by her website ruthloganherne.com and email her at loganherne.com to sign up for her newsletter or just to chat. She's a people person most days, as long as caffeine and chocolate are involved!
January 7, 2019
New Year, Old Me
New Year, Old MeWell, here it is, 2019—and I’m just now getting used to writing 2018. The new year is traditionally a time of starting over, and everyone is making resolutions. I stopped making formal new year’s resolutions some time back, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve given up trying to improve. Rather, it means that I don’t wait until the first of the year to make a change when one is needed. And I try to make those changes permanent. I don’t always succeed, but I do try.Although I’ve had two good careers in my life already—medicine and writing—in my heart I sometimes long to own a health club, especially around the first of the year. We’re all familiar with what happens then. After the holiday meals and the snacks, we resolve to lose that five pounds (or whatever amount we seem to have acquired). “I’m going to go to the gym every day,” we say.That’s why gym memberships go up about this time every year. But according to the best figures I can find, two thirds of them are never used beyond the first few months. Our spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. We become like the person who doesn’t go to the gym because they can’t find a parking place close enough, and they don’t want to walk all that distance! Our gym memberships go unused, and the treadmill we wanted for Christmas becomes an expensive coatrack.My suggestion is that, rather than improving our physical bodies (or in addition to such measures, if we’re in the minority who really tries), we consider making a few adjustments to our personalities. My wife, bless her, saw me dragging my feet one morning as I made my way around the house. She pointed this out, while reminding me that—even though I may be piling up the years—I still have the prospect of some good ones ahead. Although I hadn’t formally joined the “give me a word” movement I’ve seen so much on social media lately, she used a word that has stuck with me: “purpose.” Rather than shuffling my feet, I needed to move with purpose. So, for the year ahead, I intend to proceed with purpose. The subject of my purpose may change as the situation changes, but I want to keep the word before me. My purposes (and most of us have multiple ones) right now are to complete my next novel while not neglecting being the best family man possible. At some time, I may find that I’m being unusually short-tempered with those around me, and I’ll do my best to change that. I may forget for what purpose I’m writing, and if that is the case, I’ll try to correct that. We all have purposes. Find yours. Do you need to add to it? Do you need to make a change? Continue those efforts for the long haul. You’ll be glad you did. * * *
Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, now writing “medical mystery with heart.” His novels have garnered critical acclaim and been finalists for ACFW’s Carol Award, both the Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year and Reviewer’s Choice Awards, the Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and the Selah Award. He is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the International Thriller Writers, and Novelists Inc. Emergency Case is his latest novella.He and his wife live in north Texas, where he writes, works on being the world’s greatest grandfather, and strives to improve his golf game. You can learn more about him at his website, and via his blogand Facebook page. Ruthy here, happy to announce that Richard "Doc" Mabry has offered up a copy of his newest release "Emergency Case" to one lucky commenter.... So do you need to add to your purposes? Can you identify them? Leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing. Doc will pop in and out through the day to chat with us.
KILLER OR TARGET?
The relationship between Dr. Kelly Irving and her husband, attorney Jack Harbaugh, has cooled recently, but she figures they’ll muddle through and repair it.
But when she backs down her driveway, her car hits a bump that turns out to be the partially snow-covered body of a man her husband recently represented. Not only that, the gun that killed him belongs to Jack, who seems to be the primary suspect.
As events escalate, Kelly can’t decide if her husband is a murderer or the next victim. Eventually, they put their marital differences aside and find the person masterminding the syndicate behind all this, while trying to keep Jack alive.
New Year, Old MeWell, here it is, 2019—and I’m just now g...
New Year, Old MeWell, here it is, 2019—and I’m just now getting used to writing 2018. The new year is traditionally a time of starting over, and everyone is making resolutions. I stopped making formal new year’s resolutions some time back, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve given up trying to improve. Rather, it means that I don’t wait until the first of the year to make a change when one is needed. And I try to make those changes permanent. I don’t always succeed, but I do try.Although I’ve had two good careers in my life already—medicine and writing—in my heart I sometimes long to own a health club, especially around the first of the year. We’re all familiar with what happens then. After the holiday meals and the snacks, we resolve to lose that five pounds (or whatever amount we seem to have acquired). “I’m going to go to the gym every day,” we say.That’s why gym memberships go up about this time every year. But according to the best figures I can find, two thirds of them are never used beyond the first few months. Our spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. We become like the person who doesn’t go to the gym because they can’t find a parking place close enough, and they don’t want to walk all that distance! Our gym memberships go unused, and the treadmill we wanted for Christmas becomes an expensive coatrack.My suggestion is that, rather than improving our physical bodies (or in addition to such measures, if we’re in the minority who really tries), we consider making a few adjustments to our personalities. My wife, bless her, saw me dragging my feet one morning as I made my way around the house. She pointed this out, while reminding me that—even though I may be piling up the years—I still have the prospect of some good ones ahead. Although I hadn’t formally joined the “give me a word” movement I’ve seen so much on social media lately, she used a word that has stuck with me: “purpose.” Rather than shuffling my feet, I needed to move with purpose. So, for the year ahead, I intend to proceed with purpose. The subject of my purpose may change as the situation changes, but I want to keep the word before me. My purposes (and most of us have multiple ones) right now are to complete my next novel while not neglecting being the best family man possible. At some time, I may find that I’m being unusually short-tempered with those around me, and I’ll do my best to change that. I may forget for what purpose I’m writing, and if that is the case, I’ll try to correct that. We all have purposes. Find yours. Do you need to add to it? Do you need to make a change? Continue those efforts for the long haul. You’ll be glad you did. * * *
Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, now writing “medical mystery with heart.” His novels have garnered critical acclaim and been finalists for ACFW’s Carol Award, both the Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year and Reviewer’s Choice Awards, the Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and the Selah Award. He is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the International Thriller Writers, and Novelists Inc. Emergency Case is his latest novella.He and his wife live in north Texas, where he writes, works on being the world’s greatest grandfather, and strives to improve his golf game. You can learn more about him at his website, and via his blogand Facebook page. Ruthy here, happy to announce that Richard "Doc" Mabry has offered up a copy of his newest release "Emergency Case" to one lucky commenter.... So do you need to add to your purposes? Can you identify them? Leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing. Doc will pop in and out through the day to chat with us.
KILLER OR TARGET?
The relationship between Dr. Kelly Irving and her husband, attorney Jack Harbaugh, has cooled recently, but she figures they’ll muddle through and repair it.
But when she backs down her driveway, her car hits a bump that turns out to be the partially snow-covered body of a man her husband recently represented. Not only that, the gun that killed him belongs to Jack, who seems to be the primary suspect.
As events escalate, Kelly can’t decide if her husband is a murderer or the next victim. Eventually, they put their marital differences aside and find the person masterminding the syndicate behind all this, while trying to keep Jack alive.
First Week In! What Have You Done to Make Your Dream Come True So Far?
January 7th...
A week in.
About now most folks' resolutions of going to the gym are dying a slow or not-so-slow death.
Most of the Christmas stuff has been packed away... but is it organized like you planned? Or stuffed in random totes that you'll lament and regret next November?
There's probably a small stack of things needing to be returned on a counter or table or dresser... and you'll get to them soon!
And the registration for the car that you meant to do in December is only a week late.
:)
If this sounds familiar, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, MY FRIENDS.
Life happens. It spins. It hurries! It's frankly amazing how it beats its own little drum in a rhythmic time that leaves us in a whirlwind of things to get done.
Now I know a lot of folks who will quietly and effectively not have any of these things happening or waiting.... and that's good for them. They are not generally the people who take on extra volunteer projects when someone gets sick or step in to host a family gathering at the last minute, or have open Sundays at the pool for anyone who wants to drop in during a hot, hot summer.
So part of the problem is that some folks do too much and their time disappears.... I love those folks!
And others just can't seem to get it together no matter what season, what time, what setting.
If you're a writer, that's not gonna work.
If you're a writer and want to publish your own work or be traditionally published, that's not gonna work.
Meeting expectations, meeting deadlines, meeting other professionals on their terms is a huge part of your success as an author.
Learning the business, understanding the industry, climbing the walls and nudging open doors... All of these are huge.
You do not have to be organized to be a writer. Creative minds do not have to follow those rules, and many don't.
But you do have to be productive enough to feed a hungry audience of readers who are anxiously awaiting your next book.
Authors fail for a lot of reasons, but lack of production and lack of time spent are two big ones.
So where are you in your goals this 7th of January?
What do you see yourself doing in five years?
An author asked me that years ago and prayed for me when I said "I want to be where you are, an award-winning author with a sizable pile of books to my credit..."
I don't think she expected my honesty. Or that once a goal is set, I am determined to do the work to meet it. I can't predict the outcome!
But I have the power within myself to do everything I can to make it come true if I work hard enough.
I'm not worried about your undone stuff, my friends.... We've all got a pile of that.
But now is the best time to set your plan in motion, before guilt at turning that new Pelitron into a drying rack for fine washables sets in. :)
Share your plan with us if you'd like!
I'd love to hear it!
And while you're here I would be REMISS not to mention that "A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing" is available NATIONWIDE right now, wherever mass market paperbacks are sold and also on Amazon! Jace Middleton always works his plan... a talented construction contractor and cowboy, Jace does whatever it takes to get the job done. When faced with leaving the town he loves, the town his family helped settle, Jace faces the choice with reluctance and determination... but when old secrets come out, and an eccentric and possibly more-than-eccentric old white woman reveals that she is Jace's biological grandmother... everything changes because the determined cowboy discovers he's been living a lie for thirty years... This beautiful story wraps itself around your heart and touches your soul as you take Jace's journey with him. I hope you dash out and buy it (or use the link RIGHT HERE!!!!) and that you love it!
Multi-published, award-winning inspirational author Ruth Logan Herne loves what she does and hopes that shows in everything she publishes. As creator of the Shepherd's Crossing Western series, she's having so much fun writing a cast of unforgettable and diverse characters in a crazy beautiful and rugged setting.... You can find her on Facebook where she loves to share all kinds of things, on Twitter, at ruthloganherne.com and you can find her books through bookstores, Walmart, anywhere mass market media books are sold, and of course the entire library of her 50 books is available on Amazon at Ruth Logan Herne's page!
January 4, 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: Happy New Year's Eve
Tuesday: Our Rockin' It New Year's Eve Party
Wednesday: Mindy Obenhaus rang in 2019, offering some direction for the new year with Goals, Resolutions and One Word.
Friday: Amy Anguish talked about home and the impact it is has had on her writing. The winner of a copy of An Unexpected Legacy is Sandy Smith.
Monday: Mary Connealy joins us to today to fill us with post-holiday cheer!
Tuesday: Our friend Richard Mabry is coming by today to talk about his newest release and whatever else Richard wants to share with us because, well... we like him.
Wednesday: Ruth Logan Herne is here to chat about The Sorrow of Unfinished Tasks and why that becomes a writer's Achille's heel or nemesis or arch-enemy #1... She'll be talking about what it takes to get the job done because ain't no one gonna be buyin' a blank page.... And she's pretty sure she's right about that! :) Friday: Meez Carrie will enlighten and entertain this fine Friday!
Erica will be blogging at LearnHowToWriteANovel.com (1/5/2019) and Heroes, Heroines, and History Blog (1/10/2019) this week. She'll be talking about the Maori traditional marae on the fifth, and the Scots custom of 'First Footing' on the 10th!
The first book in Jan's Journey to Pleasant Prairie series is on sale! Pick up your e-book copy of Hannah's Choice at your favorite on-line retailer (Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or christianbook.com) for only 99 cents! (79 cents from CBD!)
SAVE THE DATE!!!!
Love Inspired Books and Harlequin are doing a RUTHY LIVE spot on facebook on 1/28/19 at 1:00 EST... and you know our Ruthy does not want to be left alone to be embarrassed in front of the bosses! So you must come over to facebook (and yes, she will nag, cajole, annoy and remind you) so that they think I'm ridiculously popular!!!! That way they keep letting me write books, Win/Win!!! And I'm talking for thirty minutes.... Most of youse know that talking is never a problem for The Ruthinator. :)
Don't miss the exciting Amish Witness Protection Continuity from Love Inspired Suspense!
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 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!
Join the fun and find out more about Mary Connealy's Garrison's Law series! Starting January 8, there will be a scavenger hunt series Blog Hop hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! See you there!
How to Promote Your Book for Free by Cleo Harrington from the BookBub Partners blog.
The Inner / Outer Balance by Donald Maass at Writer Un-Boxed.
Questions to Consider When Plotting a Scene by Jane Friedman.
How Many of These Top 30 Classics have you Read? from BookBub
Trends For Authors and Creative Goal Setting 2019 by Joanna Penn at The Creative Penn
Blessed Are The Legend Makers: 11 J.R.R Tolkien Quotes For Writers by Jess Zafarris at The Writer's Dig at Writer's Digest
January 3, 2019
Home
Guest Amy Anguish
Home.
Just four short letters, and yet, it’s a word that packs a powerful impact. Think about all the songs and sayings related to it.
“Home is where the heart is.”
“There’s no place like home.”
“Home is where you hang your hat.”
“Who says you can’t go home?”
You get the idea. Okay. So, home is important. We all have one, right? That depends on how you define home. If you simply define it as the address where you receive your mail, then yes. We all have a home. If you define it as something deeper, a system of roots, a place full of memories and love and growth and all that entails, then no. Some of us don’t have that. Not in one place, anyway.
I’m a preacher’s kid. My daddy has always preached in small congregations in small towns. Unfortunately, that meant we moved every few years. I’ve never lived anywhere longer than six years. When people ask me where I’m from, I simply say “the south.” It’s easier than saying, “Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee.” I’ve added Texas to the mix since I got married, for the record. I grew up everywhere. As a child, that was hard. After all, no one wants to leave their best friends behind, start a new school, try to fit in. Especially in high school. College was a balm to my soul, with all those people who just accepted me because almost none of us had been there our whole lives.
Now that I’m an adult, I can see benefits to the way I grew up. After all, not having an earthly place to really think of as home keeps me focused on the heavenly one I’ll get one day. And it’s helped me lose any shyness I had when younger, giving me a willingness to put myself out there and find friends. And it’s helped me help my husband learn to acclimate to new places as we’ve moved around in our fourteen years of marriage (he grew up in the same place his whole life).
The more I write, the more I find my “lack” of a home has also affected my writing. “Home” has become almost a recurring character in my stories. It started out sneakily, but has become more and more prominent.
In my novel, An Unexpected Legacy, my characters Jessica and Chad are both transplants to the central Texas area. After they start dating, they find out their families are actually from the same small town in Arkansas--the town Jessica thinks of as home because of all the good memories with her grandparents and aunt there. Unfortunately, when her aunt demands she quit dating Chad, that sense of home is ruined for Jessica unless she can figure out what the aunt has against her boyfriend.
In my novel coming out in April, The Greatest of These, two sisters Faith and Hope are thrown together for the summer, despite not getting along. Faith has chosen to live in Texas with her husband Sam. Hope made her home in Mississippi and hates to leave it, but needs a job. Hope has to overcome her prejudice against the state of Texas as well as realize that location isn’t so much what makes a home as the people.
I have a couple of other stories still in edits before I can have them published, too. In one, Michelle moves back to her small hometown after being away for several years. But everything is not the same, including her best friend, Greg. She comes back with dreams, goals, and a baby, and has to figure out how to fit back in to the place she loves most. And in another, my character, Adrian, is a lot like me. She grew up a preacher’s kid, moving every few years. Unfortunately, that caused her to give up on God and choose to live working a job that doesn’t allow her to settle. After all, if she never settles anywhere, she won’t have to go through the pain of leaving friends behind. She also has to learn the true meaning of home.
The house in Kansas where I lived as a baby.
I didn’t set out to write my stories to be so “home-centric,” but it’s there in each. It’s not necessarily the main struggle or even the main theme, but it’s big enough that you know it’s there. Each character has to realize that home is more than just a place. It’s wherever you can be yourself, be comfortable, be loved. Because without love, it’s just a place.
Last summer, I was privileged to attend the Ken Ten Writers’ Retreat in Tennessee. In one session, Linda Fulkerson, an author who is amazing at marketing, told us that to market well, we have to figure out what our platform is. Then, we need to write about that. At the time, I wasn’t sure what my platform was, besides getting the stories out of my head and into people’s hands. But the more I think about it, the more I think it’s “home.”
After all, everyone wants a home. It’s a God-given desire, the longing for a place to belong, to be comfortable, to be loved. And if I can tie that in to my stories, as well as the longing for our eternal home, that sounds like a great platform, a way to reach out to my readers and find a common ground.
The house my husband and I bought last year here in Tennessee.What about you? Do you have a theme that is so big you can almost call it a character? Do you have something in your past that sneaks its way into your stories and somehow ties them all together? I’d love to hear about it!
*****
Amy will be doing a giveaway today! Just let us know you'd like to be entered.
An Unexpected Legacy
When Chad Manning introduces himself to Jessica Garcia at her favorite smoothie shop, it's like he stepped out of one of her romance novels. But as she tentatively walks into a relationship with this man of her dreams, secrets from their past threaten to shatter their already fragile bond. Chad and Jessica must struggle to figure out if their relationship has a chance or if there is nothing between them but a love of smoothies.
Amy R. Anguish
Author of An Unexpected Legacy
Amy R. Anguish grew up a preacher's kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.
Follow her at http://abitofanguish.weebly.com or http://www.facebook.com/amyanguishauthor
Home.
Just four short letters, and yet, it’s a word that packs a powerful impact. Think about all the songs and sayings related to it.
“Home is where the heart is.”
“There’s no place like home.”
“Home is where you hang your hat.”
“Who says you can’t go home?”
You get the idea. Okay. So, home is important. We all have one, right? That depends on how you define home. If you simply define it as the address where you receive your mail, then yes. We all have a home. If you define it as something deeper, a system of roots, a place full of memories and love and growth and all that entails, then no. Some of us don’t have that. Not in one place, anyway.
I’m a preacher’s kid. My daddy has always preached in small congregations in small towns. Unfortunately, that meant we moved every few years. I’ve never lived anywhere longer than six years. When people ask me where I’m from, I simply say “the south.” It’s easier than saying, “Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee.” I’ve added Texas to the mix since I got married, for the record. I grew up everywhere. As a child, that was hard. After all, no one wants to leave their best friends behind, start a new school, try to fit in. Especially in high school. College was a balm to my soul, with all those people who just accepted me because almost none of us had been there our whole lives.
Now that I’m an adult, I can see benefits to the way I grew up. After all, not having an earthly place to really think of as home keeps me focused on the heavenly one I’ll get one day. And it’s helped me lose any shyness I had when younger, giving me a willingness to put myself out there and find friends. And it’s helped me help my husband learn to acclimate to new places as we’ve moved around in our fourteen years of marriage (he grew up in the same place his whole life).
The more I write, the more I find my “lack” of a home has also affected my writing. “Home” has become almost a recurring character in my stories. It started out sneakily, but has become more and more prominent.
In my novel, An Unexpected Legacy, my characters Jessica and Chad are both transplants to the central Texas area. After they start dating, they find out their families are actually from the same small town in Arkansas--the town Jessica thinks of as home because of all the good memories with her grandparents and aunt there. Unfortunately, when her aunt demands she quit dating Chad, that sense of home is ruined for Jessica unless she can figure out what the aunt has against her boyfriend.
In my novel coming out in April, The Greatest of These, two sisters Faith and Hope are thrown together for the summer, despite not getting along. Faith has chosen to live in Texas with her husband Sam. Hope made her home in Mississippi and hates to leave it, but needs a job. Hope has to overcome her prejudice against the state of Texas as well as realize that location isn’t so much what makes a home as the people.
I have a couple of other stories still in edits before I can have them published, too. In one, Michelle moves back to her small hometown after being away for several years. But everything is not the same, including her best friend, Greg. She comes back with dreams, goals, and a baby, and has to figure out how to fit back in to the place she loves most. And in another, my character, Adrian, is a lot like me. She grew up a preacher’s kid, moving every few years. Unfortunately, that caused her to give up on God and choose to live working a job that doesn’t allow her to settle. After all, if she never settles anywhere, she won’t have to go through the pain of leaving friends behind. She also has to learn the true meaning of home.
The house in Kansas where I lived as a baby.I didn’t set out to write my stories to be so “home-centric,” but it’s there in each. It’s not necessarily the main struggle or even the main theme, but it’s big enough that you know it’s there. Each character has to realize that home is more than just a place. It’s wherever you can be yourself, be comfortable, be loved. Because without love, it’s just a place.
Last summer, I was privileged to attend the Ken Ten Writers’ Retreat in Tennessee. In one session, Linda Fulkerson, an author who is amazing at marketing, told us that to market well, we have to figure out what our platform is. Then, we need to write about that. At the time, I wasn’t sure what my platform was, besides getting the stories out of my head and into people’s hands. But the more I think about it, the more I think it’s “home.”
After all, everyone wants a home. It’s a God-given desire, the longing for a place to belong, to be comfortable, to be loved. And if I can tie that in to my stories, as well as the longing for our eternal home, that sounds like a great platform, a way to reach out to my readers and find a common ground.
The house my husband and I bought last year here in Tennessee.What about you? Do you have a theme that is so big you can almost call it a character? Do you have something in your past that sneaks its way into your stories and somehow ties them all together? I’d love to hear about it!*****
Amy will be doing a giveaway today! Just let us know you'd like to be entered.
An Unexpected Legacy
When Chad Manning introduces himself to Jessica Garcia at her favorite smoothie shop, it's like he stepped out of one of her romance novels. But as she tentatively walks into a relationship with this man of her dreams, secrets from their past threaten to shatter their already fragile bond. Chad and Jessica must struggle to figure out if their relationship has a chance or if there is nothing between them but a love of smoothies.
Amy R. Anguish
Author of An Unexpected Legacy
Amy R. Anguish grew up a preacher's kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.
Follow her at http://abitofanguish.weebly.com or http://www.facebook.com/amyanguishauthor
January 1, 2019
Goals, Resolutions and One Word
by Mindy Obenhaus
Ready or not, a new year has arrived. And like a new calendar waiting to be filled, January presents us with a blank slate. A new beginning. But like any journey, it’s best approached with a sense of direction. As a compass points our way, we, too, need something to guide us through the coming year. A reference that keeps us moving forward instead of allowing speed bumps and unexpected detours to determine our course.
How do we do this?
Goals – Goals are specific. Maybe you want to lose ten pounds, get a better paying job or get your book published. Whatever your goal may be, you must take action in order reach it. If you want to lose weight, diet and exercise will play a key role. A better job typically doesn’t just fall into your lap. You need to actively seek that new position, perhaps improving your skills along the way. And even if publication doesn’t happen for years, you still need to keep writing and learning.
Determine your goal, then make a list of steps that will help you reach it.
Resolutions – People used to ask me, “What’s your New Year’s resolution?” To which I usually replied, “I don’t make resolutions, because I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”
For several years now, I have made it a practice to go to the gym on a regular basis. And if there’s one thing I’ve noticed, it’s that the gym gets more crowded on January 2nd. Seems everyone and their brother resolves to eat healthier and get fit. The second thing I’ve noticed, though, is that by March, most of those people are gone and we’re back to the same sweaty faces we saw the previous year.
A resolution is a promise, typically made to one’s self. Yet while we may resolve to lose ten pounds, that doesn’t mean it’s magically going to happen. As with a goal, a resolution requires action to become a reality.
What steps do you need to take to fulfill your resolution?
One Word – This has become increasingly popular in the past few years, particularly among Christians. Prayerfully choosing a single word to be your focus for an entire year is really about attitude.
In 2018, my word was grateful. No matter what life threw at me, good or bad, approaching it with gratitude changed my perspective. This year, PEACE is my word. Something I'm still trying to wrap my brain around, but I have 363 more days to better understand.
You can learn more about your One Word at myoneword.org.
Whether you choose only one of these tools or pair them together, you can feel more confident marching into 2019 with a sense of direction. Even if you wander off the path, the right focus can put you back on track.
Now it’s your turn. Do you run headlong into each new year or do you approach January with a goal, resolution, one word or something else? I’d love to hear about it, so let’s chat.
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
Ready or not, a new year has arrived. And like a new calendar waiting to be filled, January presents us with a blank slate. A new beginning. But like any journey, it’s best approached with a sense of direction. As a compass points our way, we, too, need something to guide us through the coming year. A reference that keeps us moving forward instead of allowing speed bumps and unexpected detours to determine our course.
How do we do this?
Goals – Goals are specific. Maybe you want to lose ten pounds, get a better paying job or get your book published. Whatever your goal may be, you must take action in order reach it. If you want to lose weight, diet and exercise will play a key role. A better job typically doesn’t just fall into your lap. You need to actively seek that new position, perhaps improving your skills along the way. And even if publication doesn’t happen for years, you still need to keep writing and learning.
Determine your goal, then make a list of steps that will help you reach it.
Resolutions – People used to ask me, “What’s your New Year’s resolution?” To which I usually replied, “I don’t make resolutions, because I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”
For several years now, I have made it a practice to go to the gym on a regular basis. And if there’s one thing I’ve noticed, it’s that the gym gets more crowded on January 2nd. Seems everyone and their brother resolves to eat healthier and get fit. The second thing I’ve noticed, though, is that by March, most of those people are gone and we’re back to the same sweaty faces we saw the previous year.
A resolution is a promise, typically made to one’s self. Yet while we may resolve to lose ten pounds, that doesn’t mean it’s magically going to happen. As with a goal, a resolution requires action to become a reality.
What steps do you need to take to fulfill your resolution?
One Word – This has become increasingly popular in the past few years, particularly among Christians. Prayerfully choosing a single word to be your focus for an entire year is really about attitude.
In 2018, my word was grateful. No matter what life threw at me, good or bad, approaching it with gratitude changed my perspective. This year, PEACE is my word. Something I'm still trying to wrap my brain around, but I have 363 more days to better understand.You can learn more about your One Word at myoneword.org.
Whether you choose only one of these tools or pair them together, you can feel more confident marching into 2019 with a sense of direction. Even if you wander off the path, the right focus can put you back on track.
Now it’s your turn. Do you run headlong into each new year or do you approach January with a goal, resolution, one word or something else? I’d love to hear about it, so let’s chat.
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
December 31, 2018
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Reader & Writer Friends!
Here in Seekerville we turned the last page on 2018and are now opening a promising new year!
A year of hopes and dreams.A year of possibilities.
A year of challenges . . .growing . . . stretching . . . andreaching for the stars.
Another year of encouraging, supporting,and praying each other through whatever comes our way.
Join us on the journey through 2019!
What are YOU most looking forward to?
December 30, 2018
Rockin' It New Year's Eve Party Bash!
WELCOME TO THE PARTY!!!!!
Gonna Party Like It's 1999!
We are ready to welcome 2019 in with a bang!
We've got party hats.
We've got KAZOOS!!!!
We've got champagne and mimosas and chocolates and pastries and FOUR DIFFERENT SHRIMP DISHES....
Very "Forrest Gump" friendly!!!!
We've got prizes....
And several authors are offering "books of choice" for the winner! We'll keep you posted throughout the day.
And we're asking questions of you. Our friends. Our neighbors. Our villagers. Writers AND readers.
What are some of your favorite quotes or Scripture verses? Here's our 2019 Bible Verse to guide us through the coming year:
Don't let our hearts be troubled and Do Not Be Afraid!
We want your quotes. Your thoughts...
They can be Biblical or Ben Franklin friendly... or Yoda or Churchill or Zig Ziglar or whomever you like, but what quotes do you keep on hand mentally or physically to move you along the path you've chosen? Because we know how tough life can be... we know that jobs can test our mettle, that life can wring us out and that bends in the road can be sudden and unexpected. Whether you're a writer or a reader or both, one thing we all know: Life can change in a heartbeat and we need to be ready to face its challenges
(Prizes help. Not to mess with the seriousness of the situation, but golly gee willikers, PRIZES HELP!!!)
Which include four Amazon gift cards of $20.19 each, drawn randomly throughout the day...
And some really nice gifts:
And did I mention the end of the day Kindle????
Ruth Logan Herne shares her love of Ecclesiastes 3: "To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heaven"... she says that one has gotten her through the best of times and the not-so-best of times.
But her snark-side likes this one, too... "Just Do It." Because she's never found comfort in talking a thing to death when just getting the job done and moving on works so well! :)
From Audra Harders:
Fear limits us. Conquering fear frees us.
We would be remiss not to seek God's help in this and every endeavor. The original Seekers formed their Yahoo group and this blog to reflect that faith, hope and love in a very competitive business!
From Audra Harders:
I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not be afraid. Those words bear repeating.
Fear is self-limiting and we want you to live 2019 without limits. Fearless. Bold. And filled with peace for if God is with us, then who can be against us?
Missy Tippens likes this quote from Arthur C. Clarke: The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible.
And this from Mindy Obenhaus:
Erica Vetsch sent this Winston Churchill quote along, and it's one that every writer could embrace:
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
And we see the spirit of continuity in another Scripture quote from Mindy...
And from Glynna Kaye: The Lord himself will lead you and be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you, so do not lose courage or be afraid. (Deuteronomy 31:8)
From Winnie Griggs comes this thought:
Again, no fear.... Avoid fear. It's too easy to get caught in the snare!
We'd love for you to share your thoughts, those trials and those triumphs... share the goals and how we can tame fear and believe that we can do anything.
We know we can some days, but we want you to believe in yourself, your goals and your achievements on a day-by-day basis. Not just some days but most days.
God wants his people happy and so do we!
Okay, Debby's got party hats in the back corner by the karaoke machine!
Mary's mixing mimosas for everyone.
Ruthy's got the coffee corner up and running, and she's making FANCY COFFEE AND TEA drinks for anyone who steps up to the counter....
Breakfast spread is along the sun-drenched patio and those guys with the palm branches???
They're here to fan you as you relax along the wide beach expanse overlooking the Gulf waters.
And as we motor into our second year of being "Seekerville: The Journey Continues" and our eleventh year of being Seekerville, we want to celebrate our new birthday with old and new friends....
So to start the Birthday/New Year celebration, we're going to have our first Amazon card drawing at 10:00 AM EST...
Stop in, leave a comment and join the party!
December 28, 2018
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: Seekerville is Closed for Christmas Eve
Tuesday: Seekerville is Closed for Christmas. Merry Christmas to you!
Wednesday: Ruthy shared just another love story with us today. Winners of a copy of A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing are Lee-Ann and Marcia! Congratulations, ladies!
Thursday: Erica offered ways to mitigate the post-holiday blues. The winner of a bundle of Erica Vetsch goodness is Paula Shreckhise
Friday: Pam encouraged us to reflect on Jesus's birth, death, and resurrection during the days between Christmas and the New Year. The winner of books #1 and #2 in the Natchez Trace series and an adult coloring book is Lila.
The winners of the TWO KINDLE FIRES are:
Troy Breiland
And
Sharon Timmer!
Congratulations, and thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway!
Monday: Seekerville is hosting our annual New Year's Eve Party! There are spontaneous drawings ALL DAY LONG and then a grand prize Kindle drawing for next week's Weekend Edition! Stop in off and on throughout the day, leave a comment and you'll be entered into the drawings.... Come celebrate 2018 Seekerville's Rockin' It New Year's Eve with us... We'd love to see you there!
Wednesday: Mindy Obenhaus is our hostess today. Friday: We're pleased to welcome Villager and guest blogger Amy Anguish today! She'll bring us a post about discovering her theme of "Home" in her writing. She'll also be doing a giveaway of a copy of An Unexpected Legacy!
ON SALE STARTING JANUARY 1, 2019, Ruthy's two bestsellers "Welcome to Wishing Bridge" and "At Home in Wishing Bridge" for $1.99 each/Kindle edition! A chance to escape to the sweetest town imaginable, filled with folks that bless your heart and touch your soul. Ruthy's thrilled to announce this January sale. If you don't have these yet, now is the time to get them! This link goes live on January first at sale prices!!!! LINK TO WELCOME TO WISHING BRIDGE
And finishing up this serialized and wonderful "Shepherd's Crossing" story this week, you can read ALL TWENTY CHAPTERS of this sweet abbreviated novella right here on Harlequin.com. I hope you love it, an absolutely free read for you, courtesy of Harlequin and Love Inspired Books!
LINK TO THE COWBOY'S CHRISTMAS SURPRISE by Ruth Logan Herne
We're celebrating Ruth Logan Herne's new release, A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing on JustRead Publicity Tours with a Blog Blitz! Come check it out with excerpts and a tour-wide giveaway! Starts January 4th!
From First Book to a Multi-Six-Figure Writing Business: 10 Years of the Creative Penn by Joanna Penn
2018 Year In Review: Inside the Publishing Industry by Jane Friedman at Writer's Digest
Top 10 Book Marketing Articles From BookBub in 2018 by Diana Urban at BookBub
How To Outline Your Novel by K.M. Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
Story Planning Books: 3 Approaches To Consider by Katrina Byrd at Jane Friedman
APODS - Priorities: The Four Ps (Part II of Smart Goals) by Amanda Cabot at Thyme For Writers
Class Flash with Laurie Schnebly Campbell - A Full Year To Plan By by Laurie Schnebly Campbell at An Indie Adventure
