Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 37

Prepare Ye the Way!

 Oh, those words.

They resonate.

They call out!

They command, they direct, they compel us to move forward, to think, to pray, to ready ourselves for what is to come, and why was John the Baptizer moving out in front of his beloved cousin Jesus... risking death and scorn and humiliation... by heralding Christ's coming?

Because he believed.

He knew.

He understood that what was coming after him... Who was coming after him... was a gift so great, so big and bold and beautiful that despite the normalcy of Christ's looks (remember he was of no special bearing...) He held redemption in His holy hands.

He held Scripture in his mind and His Father's love in his heart.

He risked it all to be the Christ. The Anointed One. The Alpha and the Omega.

We are guilty of taking so much for granted today and I think that shows in the outpouring of love for The Chosen because it's not embellished in ways to make things look better or worse than what they were. We see the humanity and frailty and weariness of the people... and we feel their joy when Jesus teaches, when He comes among them. His very presence heals and helps! Hooray for that!

So this week, this Holy Week, the Seekers wish you all the beauty and love and hope of a week fraught with emotion, filled with anguish and ending in tears of joy... because He is Risen!

He is risen, indeed! 

So we enter Holy Week knowing our King is at hand... and remembering what He did to achieve our grace and ascend to His kingdom.

Thank you, sweet Jesus! 

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION

Jesus Carrying the Cross, Sebastiano del Piombo, c. 1513-14,
Prado Museum.[PD-US]

When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again
until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
“Take this and share it among yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes.”
Then he took the bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which will be given for you;
do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you.

“And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.”
And they began to debate among themselves
who among them would do such a deed.

Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’;
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers.”
He said to him,
“Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.”
But he replied,
“I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day,
you will deny three times that you know me.”

He said to them,
“When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?”
“No, nothing, “ they replied.
He said to them,
“But now one who has a money bag should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the wicked;
and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.”
Then they said,
“Lord, look, there are two swords here.”
But he replied, “It is enough!”

Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
“Pray that you may not undergo the test.”
After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done.”
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, “Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.”

While he was still speaking, a crowd approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
And one of them struck the high priest’s servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
“Stop, no more of this!”
Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”

After arresting him they led him away
and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said,
“This man too was with him.”
But he denied it saying,
“Woman, I do not know him.”
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
“You too are one of them”;
but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.”
About an hour later, still another insisted,
“Assuredly, this man too was with him,
for he also is a Galilean.”
But Peter said,
“My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.”
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,
how he had said to him,
“Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
“Prophesy!  Who is it that struck you?”
And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.

When day came the council of elders of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us, “
but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not respond.
But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of God.”
They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied to them, “You say that I am.”
Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own mouth.”

Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
“We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here.”

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”

But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him!  Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”;
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
“This man was innocent beyond doubt.”
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council,
had not consented to their plan of action.
He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment

Luke 22:14-23:56

The Seekerville bloggers are praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional prayer coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please join us in praying for our country, for the people of Ukraine, for an end to Russian aggression, and for the protection of our military.
GOD BLESS THE USA!
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and keep you safe.      

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.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected.


Monday: Mary talked about giving characters quirks to make them real
Wednesday: Mindy walked us through the struggles and responses to spiritual growing pains.
Friday: Surprise!


Monday: Hannah Mae Linder
Tuesday: Lorri Dudley is our special guest! Drop by and show her some love!
Wednesday: Ruthy is here on Wednesday talking about her newest mystery "Merciful Secrecy" and she's got a copy to send out to some lucky commenter...   Friday: Winnie is continuing her series on crafting Book Blurbs.






SOLDIER PROTECTORa 2-IN-1 featuringThe Officer's Secret and The Soldiers Sisterby Debby GiustiReleasing June 2022 Pre-order NOW!


Ruthy is so excited to have a new mystery coming out from GUIDEPOSTS! 
Merciful Secrecy 
 JUST RELEASED!!!! 

When a man starts lurking around the lush foliage surrounding Mercy Hospital...When a young woman thinks she's being followed...And when a big, black SUV tries to run Anne and Joy off the road...It's clear that something's up. Something.... dangerous.Possibly sinister.But who would want to hurt a beautiful young nurse?Unless...The man has got his eyes on the wrong target?Grab hold of this fun, fast mystery, guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very endbecause sometimes the answer is painfully obvious.And sometimes...It's not.
Ruthy's latest mystery, book 11 of the Miracles and Mysteries of Mercy Hospital series! 
Ruthy is so excited to bring this to you.... because she loves, loves, loves this book, this series and Guideposts mysteries! 
She's blogging on Wednesday so SET YOUR PHONE ALARMS! Ruthy is giving away a copy of this newest mystery as we follow Anne, Shirley, Evelyn and Joy on their adventures in and around this great and OLD Charleston hospital complex..... 


Springtime Clean and Sweet Reads by various authors at Bookfunnel - April 1 - 15
Camp NaNoWriMo for April by Sarra Cannon at Heart Breathings
The Graveyard Shift-Posts for Police Procedure, Forensics, Criminal Behavior and more by Lee Lofland

Kindle Keyword Strategy for Fiction Authors by Dave Chesson at Kindleprenuer
Your Novel Should Always Be Character Driven by Lisa Phillips at Learn How To Write A Novel
332 July Social Media Holidays 2022 That Spark Joy at Louise Myers Visual Social Media 
How To Make Writing Your Career by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
Are You A Character Driven or Plot Driven Writer by LA Sartor (YouTube video) #shorts
Writing Cozy Mysteries with Debbie Young at Writers Cookbook (YouTube video)
There Are Forces At Work Here by Donald Maass at Writer UnBoxed

Growing Pains

 

by Mindy Obenhaus

Did you ever get growing pains when you were a child? My youngest son sure did. He’d have a hard time getting to sleep because his legs always hurt. He’s now 6’2”, so that could explain things.

What about spiritual growing pains? You know, when God decides He wants to grow us.

That’s where I find myself right now.

While I’m walking the path, I believe, God has set before me, He’s recently suggested a slight deviation from the course I had planned. Not verbally, mind you, but through a series of events. This amended route I feel He’s pointing me to is going to be more challenging than what I’m used to. It’s going to require some adjustments in the routine I’ve grown comfortable with. I’m going to have to work at it.

Kind of like weight training. I enjoy weight training. But when I become accustomed to a certain weight and start thinking it’s easy, that’s when it’s time for me step things up a notch. Which means increasing the amount of weight I’m lifting. And it’s not easy. Matter of fact, it’s downright hard. For a while. Then, as I build more muscle, it gets easier.

And so it is with our spiritual life. God doesn’t want us to be comfortable. On the contrary, He wants to push us out of our comfort zones.

How we respond is up to us.

We can…

Fight it – Been there, done that. When I was writing my fourth book, there was something God wanted in that story, but I knew it was going to be very emotional to write. So I ignored it. Bottom line, I had to rewrite that book three times. The third time, I did what God had been telling me to do all along. Not only did my editor love it, I had no revisions. If I would have listened and done it God’s way the first time, I could’ve saved myself a whole lot of time and stress.

Carefully consider – This is my modus operandi. I want to be certain that what I’m sensing truly is from God and not my own foolish desires. And having an honest discussion with Him is the only way I’m going to know. Expressing my concerns and fears. He already knows them anyway. Then I have to be willing to listen and remain watchful for those little signposts He puts in my path, pointing me in the way I should go.

Jump right in – I rarely do this unless I know beyond a shadow of a doubt. Which, most often, doesn’t come until I’ve carefully considered. But occasionally, I just know God is saying, “Go!.”  For some with more faith, though, this may be right where they start. They’re so in tune with God, they don’t even stop to think about self, they just do. I don’t know about you, but that’s what I aspire to.

After nearly colliding with more than one signpost, I know where God is leading me. And while I know it’s not going to be easy, He’s already confirming my decision. Letting me know that He’s got me right where He wants me. And that’s always a good place to be.

 How do you approach things when you feel as though God is trying to stretch you? 

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com

Five Steps to Creating Characters—Step Three

 

In February I talked about Make a character likeable by making someone like them, linked below. In March I talked about Character Arcs, linked below

This month I’m talking about making characters quirky.

1.      Make a character likeable by making someone like them

2.     Character arcs

3.      Give them quirks

4.      My main character types

5.      Avoid backstory dumps

Give them quirks. Quirks become a deep reflection of their true character and become a reminder of a rich backstory.

The thing that comes to mind with this one is, you need to get a piece of information to the reader and have the hero say it. Then later you change your mind about how to write the story and decide instead to impart this piece of information by having the heroine say it, it’s not enough to change the sentence tags. The ‘he said to she said’.

That whole sentence should be in her voice. The words should change. That part of quirks comes down to giving a character a voice that is uniquely hers. The heroine of my WIP is a seamstress. The hero is the overwhelmed widowed homesteading father of three girls. He has no idea what three half-grown girls need. These two do not choose the same words when they speak. They don’t have the same emotions behind their words. This should always be reflected in their reactions, their dialogue, their thoughts.

She thinks in turns of mending a rift, stitching ideas together, fitting pieces, finding patterns. He thinks

in terms of the land, planting, cattle, chores. These two don’t speak in the same way about the same thing. That’s a character’s voice.

I’ve used a lot of quirks is my soon-to-be released romance The Element of Love, book #1 of a new series. The opening of this speech is the opening of The Element of Love. My heroines are three brilliant sisters. Educated far beyond what was normal for women in 1870 California. As the daughters of a lumber baron, they are being raised to take over the dynasty he built. They’ve been educated as engineers in a time when the word engineer was a single catch-all description of applied science. Now there are computer engineers, chemical engineers, nuclear engineers, you name it there’s an engineer behind the break-throughs in that field. They are the men and woman applying the science of the day to the real world.

But back then they barely use the term engineer. I found the term civil engineer and those were builders. They were the men (and in my case the woman) who built the trestles across vast, deep, rugged gorges to build the Transcontinental Railroad.

Anyone who cana get there, should go see the Union Pacific Museum in Council Bluffs. Those trestles and bridges, the holes blasted in mountains, they are all a wonder. A marvel, especially for that era. 1870 was the heart of the industrial revolution. Inventions and progress in all areas was booming. I found out through my research that a self-propelled tractor already existed. It was really new. The tractor engine had been around for a while, but horses had to pull what they called a traction engine to where it was needed to work. But just before my book begins, they’d learned to hook wheels to the engine and then use that engine to drive the engine to where it was needed.

That’s part of the foundational invention behind the car.

My heroine in book one, The Element of Love is a chemical engineer before that was a thing. She and her sisters had as their dream, after the death of their father, to build his long-desired train tracks to the top of his mountain to haul logs down and haul supplies and people up. Heroine #1 has learned how to handle chemicals, most especially dynamite. She’s learned to survey rugged land so she can blast holes in mountains from opposite sides, working toward the middle. It went twice as fast as working from one end and going all the way through.

My heroine in book two is an inventor, a mechanical engineer and she’s not working on fun, womanly things like improving the sewing machine or inventing a clothes washer. She’s working on the braking system of a train. She’s improving the undercarriage of train cars so they can bear the weight of tons of logs. And her dream is to invent the four-stroke cycle engine, today called the internal combustion engine. It was an invention that had been theorized but had never yet been built. She’s got big dreams and just a nice underlying thirst for fame and fortune, which would come if she could just get that engine invented.

My third heroine is a civil engineer. She’s the one building those trestles, telling people how to use the iron she’s ordered to build a bridge and make sure the trestle won’t collapse under tons of logs and that massive iron train engine. I had them think in chemical terms and inventing terms, science terms and construction terms.

It’s tricky trying to create characters who are smarter than I am. I’m not sure I entirely succeeded. I’d say I’m pretty word smart. But these women knew math and science. They thought in term of height and weight, but also altitude and latitude, stress metal and force multipliers. I had to do a lot of research just to let them speak and then, of course, I couldn’t let them say stuff that was convoluted and inaccessible and, let’s face it, boring.

So my brilliant sisters were tricky and very quirky. I also set out from the beginning to figure out a way that my heroines were in a place of peril at the end of each book and she used her scientific, engineering skills to save herself. Which was challenging and fun.

These women were quirky.

 

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT

Christ with the Woman Taken in Adultery, by Guercino,
1621, Dulwich Picture Gallery. [PD-US]

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

John 8:1-11

The Seekerville bloggers are praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional prayer coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please join us in praying for our country, for the people of Ukraine, for an end to Russian aggression, and for the protection of our military.
GOD BLESS THE USA!
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and keep you safe.       

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.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected.


Monday: Erica Vetsch interviewed Cover Art Designer Hannah Mae Linder about how book covers are made!
Wednesday: Dawn Ford was here to talk about her writing journey and announce her first book is coming soon. The winner of an ebook copy of The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes is Glynis.
Friday: Cathy Gohlke stopped by Seekerville to talk about building bridges and her upcoming release, A Hundred Crickets Singing. The winner for a copy of A Hundred Crickets Singing is Karen Jennings! Congratulations!


Monday:  Mary is on step three of her series on writing characters. On Monday she'll talk about making characters quirky.
Wednesday:  Mindy will be in the house. She's not sure what she'll be sharing yet, so stop by and be surprised. Who knows what she'll have up her sleeve?   Friday: Surprise!!









Millstone of Doubt is now available for pre-order.Check your favorite online retailer or indie store!

SOLDIER PROTECTORa 2-IN-1 featuringThe Officer's Secret and The Soldiers Sisterby Debby GiustiReleasing June 2022 Pre-order NOW!








Today is a Good Day to (re)Read by Steve Laube
Choose the Right Job for Your Character by Becca Puglisi at Writers Helping Writers
Motivation, The M in GMC by LA Sartor at An Indie Adventure
Traditional vs Indie Publishing by Michelle Griep at Learn How To Write A Novel
Creating A Fictional Town by Kathleen Peacock at Fiction University
How to Become a Mentally Strong Writer by Edie Melson at The Write Conversation
3 Unconventional Ways to Make More Time to Write by Lewis Jorstad at NaNoWriMo
4 Tips on How to Begin a Novel by Diana Abu-Jaber at Writers Digest
How to Use BookBub with a Limited Budget by Miranda Ditmore at BookBub Blog
RUE Pitfalls by Terry Odell at Kill Zone Blog

Building Bridges by Cathy Gohlke

 ~ 5 Ways No Creek Built Community and We Can, Too ~

 

In my novels Night Bird Calling and A Hundred Crickets Singing, the rural and remote town of No Creek represents a microcosm of our world. Different races, different nationalities, different ideologies live and sometimes war in this small town. As with any group of people, they need to build bridges to ease tensions, to strengthen and build community. Here’s how they do it—and how we can, too.

1.    In Night Bird Calling, a family of means decides to share their wealth of books with the community by opening a lending library in their home. They recognize a need within their community and fill it. What do you have that your community needs and that you can join with others to share?


2.      To introduce their lending library to the community Miss Lill and Celia ask the pastors of No Creek’s churches to invite their congregations to a celebratory tea to open the library. Making neighbors feel welcome by offering food and drink, along with a little music (Joe Earl’s fiddle playing and the harmony of the Saints Delight Church choir), goes a long way toward introducing them to the library. Sometimes we just need to invite people to join us. It helps when trusted voices—like the pastors in No Creek—affirm or extend the invitation. What trusted voices can you call on to endorse efforts to build community?


3.     Celia’s rendition of the Christmas pageant in No Creek is unconventional, to say the least, but it brings to life the plight of refugees with real and desperate needs and gives the community the opportunity to help them. Though there’s nothing like seeing a crisis firsthand to spur people to action, sometimes it helps to create a picture people can understand—like a theatre production or a painting or photography exhibit. How can you show others a human need that requires action?

4.     In A Hundred Crickets Singing, Joe convinces the Willards and the Percys to help him create an Italian feast to bring the community together. He says it was what the grandmothers in his old Italian neighborhood did to ease troubles between warring grown children. A little music, a little dancing, and great food is Joe’s prescription. It also helps that those attending have to learn something entirely new in order to eat the food. They’ve never eaten spaghetti and have to learn how to twirl the slippery pasta onto their forks. It places everyone on a similar footing and creates lots of fun and laughter. What sort of event can you imagine where people might learn or participate in something new, without risking too much embarrassment, to encourage them to laugh with one another? Laughter is known as the “best medicine” for good reason, releasing tension and bringing people together.

5.     No Creek desperately needs a medical clinic that will serve everyone, regardless of race. While there is no denying the stubborn stance and laws of segregation at the time, those who are willing find a path forward despite the resistance they face. Two things help unite the races and the community. First, women in the community, together with trusted pastors, endorse the project and meet personally with other women—often overlooked community members who can gain the ear of their husbands. Second, once the leaders of the building project finalize details, members of both churches—Shady Grove and Saints Delight—are encouraged by their pastors to help build the medical clinic. This gives everyone an opportunity to contribute labor even if they cannot contribute money, giving them a stake and pride in the clinic. It also provides an opportunity to labor together and iron out differences created on the job, building relationships that might extend into the future. Together they witness the growing and finished product of their combined labor. Sometimes we need a project to pool our resources. Financial commitments are good, but there is no substitute for laboring together to build something important for the good of all. Is there a project your community might benefit from that would require many hands and hearts to achieve? How will you go about it, and who can you enlist to help?

Communities, families, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and towns grow through communication and interaction. Recognizing a need, drawing in trusted voices to recognize and demonstrate that need to others, engaging others and making them feel welcome in a way that reduces tensions or animosity, and working together to address the need are all keys to building bridges and a better tomorrow.
 

About the Author

Four-time Christy and two-time Carol and INSPY Award–winning author Cathy Gohlke writes novels steeped with inspirational lessons from history. Her stories reveal how people break the chains that bind them and triumph over adversity through faith. When not traveling to historic sites for research, she and her husband, Dan, divide their time between northern Virginia and the Jersey Shore, enjoying time with their grown children and grandchildren.

 

Visit her website at cathygohlke.com and find her on Facebook at CathyGohlkeBooks.

 

 

About A Hundred Crickets Singing
In wars eighty years apart, two young women living on the same Appalachian estate determine to aid soldiers dear to them and fight for justice, no matter the cost.
1944. When a violent storm rips through the Belvidere attic in No Creek, North Carolina, exposing a hidden room and trunk long forgotten, secrets dating back to the Civil War are revealed. Celia Percy, whose family lives and works in the home, suspects the truth could transform the future for her friend Marshall, now fighting overseas, whose ancestors were once enslaved by the Belvidere family. When Marshall’s Army friend, Joe, returns to No Creek with shocking news for Marshall’s family, Celia determines to right a long-standing wrong, whether or not the town is ready for it.
1861. After her mother’s death, Minnie Belvidere works desperately to keep her household running and her family together as North Carolina secedes. Her beloved older brother clings to his Union loyalties, despite grave danger, while her hotheaded younger brother entangles himself and the family’s finances within the Confederacy. As the country and her own home are torn in two, Minnie risks her life and her future in a desperate fight to gain liberty and land for those her parents intended to free, before it’s too late.
With depictions of a small Southern town “reminiscent of writings by Lisa Wingate” (Booklist on Night Bird Calling), Cathy Gohlke delivers a gripping, emotive story about friendship and the enduring promise of justice.

Leave a comment for Cathy below for a chance to win a copy of A Hundred Crickets Singing.(Subject to Seekerville and Tyndale House Publishers Giveaway terms. U.S. mailing addresses only.)

What’s It Take To Get It Right? by Dawn Ford

 By Dawn Ford

 Twelve years ago I sat down at my computer with one picture in my mind (insert twinkling music for a flashback here):

Tambrynn, a young servant girl, was sobbing in a carriage. Her telekinetic ability skewed out of control when threatened by an angry cook. Knives went flying. Moles were lost. Tambrynn was instantly dismissed. She carried her only belongings with her, packed in a cracked leather case, along with a ring that was to be her inheritance—a key to a kingdom she knew nothing about. And her world was about to turn completely upside down.  

The picture in my mind was so clear that three chapters were written before I knew it. And so started my journey into bringing The Girl With Stars In Her Eyes to fruition. But it didn’t happen right away. The year I started writing it I suffered three terrible events. Emotionally I was bereft. I couldn’t write. It took me over half of a year to start again where I ended: right smack in the middle.

I wrote that last half as I came out of my grief-laced haze. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t good. I moved on to write other things. A few years later I would go back and try again, knowing that I had lost my way. I tried again. It took me awhile to revise it while writing other books.

Friends told me to drop it, it was a lost cause. I couldn’t. I’d felt called that first day when that image came to me. It was as if God was placing this story in my lap and He wanted me to write it. How do you turn your back on that? If he started a good work in me, I knew he would fulfill it (Phil 1:6). I knew I had to keep trying. So, I worked on it. I had it edited so it could be sent into contests. And I kept writing other things.

But I kept coming back to it. In 2016 I sent it into the ACFW’s Genesis contest. I’d sent it in several times before and nothing ever came of it. So, I wasn’t overly concerned. Until that first call saying I was a finalist. That was a nice surprise. Second round. Again, thinking nothing of it, the caller said I’d become a round two finalist. What? Winners would be announced at that year’s conference. I hadn’t even planned on going to that year.

I’m glad I did. I won the Genesis contest which rekindled my hope in Tambrynn’s story. However, in the back of my mind I knew that though the first half was compelling, the last half still wasn’t right. So, I contacted an editor friend. She’d helped me with some small projects and we worked well together. I got things when she explained them. She was encouraging without sugar-coating. I trusted her. I sent her this manuscript for a content edit. Hopeful. Prayerful.

She dug out the guts and gave me some hard truths about what I needed to do to get it right. She told me to, “Think outside the box! Go beyond!” And so, I did. I reworked it and threw away the mold. It was hard. I wasn’t following the norm. I went where I’d never gone before. More fantasy. Some cool creatures. And magic.

It was last year when I finished that last revision. I love it now. It felt right. So, when I saw a request by a publisher I knew and trusted who was seeking fantasy novels to publish, I thought, why not? On a whim I sent it in, thinking maybe I’d get some advice about it—see if I was on the right track. The next day they contacted me back. The publisher loved it. She said she couldn’t stop reading it. Within the next couple of days, I’d been offered a three-book contract for this book and two more, making it a series.

What exactly did it take to get it right? All of it. Revising stinks. Waiting for something to happen is maddening. The doubt in between it all can be fatal if you allow it to root in. But I kept my eye on one truth, God would complete that good work He gave me. I just had to trust the process.

The Girl With Stars In Her Eyes is now up for pre-order and on April 12, it comes out for the world to read. I’m so glad I didn’t give up.Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a free ebook copy of The Girls with Stars in Her Eyes.

Here’s the back cover copy:

Eighteen-year-old servant girl Tambrynn is haunted by more than her unusual silver hair and the star-shaped pupils in her eyes. Her uncontrollable ability to call objects leads the wolves who savagely murdered her mother right to her door.

When she’s fired and outcast during a snowstorm, her carriage wrecks and she’s forced to find refuge in an abandoned cottage. There, her life is upended when the magpie who’s stalked her for ten years transforms into a man, Lucas. He’s her Watcher and they’re from a different kingdom. His job is to keep her safe from her father, an evil mage, who wants to steal her abilities, turn her into one of his undead beasts, and become immortal himself.

Can they make it to the magical passageway and get to their home kingdom in time for Tambrynn to thwart her father’s malicious plans? Or will Tambrynn’s unique magic doom them all?

Dawn Ford lives in a small town nestled among the Loess Hills in Western Iowa with her husband and Snickers, the Wonder Beagle. Dawn’s love for stories came naturally to her as a child who was lucky enough to be able to explore the Iowa pastures and countryside in search of adventure.

Dawn adores anything steampunk, is mesmerized by shiny, pretty things, purses, shoes, and needs at least one good, strong cup of coffee to wake up in the morning.

 

Follow Dawn on her website: https://dawnfordauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnFordAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawn_ford_author/

Preorder Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TY713B2 

The Making of Many Book...Covers!

Erica Vetsch here with you today to talk about Book Covers! After “Where do you get your ideas?” and “How did you become a writer?” “Do you get to design your own book covers?” is one of the most popular questions authors are asked. And of course, the answer is an ambiguous “sometimes.”

Depending upon which publishing path you’re on, you can have exactly zero say all the way to designing the cover yourself. While I often had a bit of input when it comes to my book covers, I have never designed one in my whole entire life. Even the first book I penned (penciled) in 9th grade only had the title ‘erased’ into the blue notebook cover.

Our own Pam Hillman designs the covers for her indie books. Ruthy’s daughter Beth designs her Wishing Bridge covers, so I imagine Ruthy has a tremendous say in the finished product. For myself, my covers have always been designed by a publishing house. Sometimes they send me the finished product and tell me that's what they're going with, and at other times, I have the ability to chip in with my thoughts before it's called done. (I much prefer this option.)

The cover art design process with a traditional publishing house often starts with an Art Fact Sheet, though different publishers call it by different names. This is where the author tries to encapsulate their vision for the book cover, giving the designer an overview of the story, the themes, the moods, settings, time period, etc. Often the author is given the opportunity to insert photos of covers they like, pictures of who they envision their characters look like, and settings and scenes. 

From this, the designer begins work on the cover. And at this point, I have no idea what happens.



So, I asked an expert. I asked Hannah Mae Linder, (who is also an amazing author) the designer of my latest book cover, if she would walk us through her design process from original concept to finished product.
  The beautiful and talentedHannah Mae Linder!

Hannah, thank you so much for agreeing to sit still for this interview! :) First tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get started in cover art design?

Hi, Erica! Happy to be here! The first cover I designed was for my first self-published book when I was twelve. Crazily enough, one of my first covers was square. Not sure how I thought that would fit a 5x8 book! But even though I had a lot to learn, the more covers I designed for my own books the more I loved the process. It swiftly became a dream to work for publishing houses designing book covers.

Can you tell us where you start with a book cover?

I always start with a form! Whether it’s the online form I send to individual authors, or the marketing questionnaire publishing houses send to me, that always gives me the starting place I need to begin the process.

What software do you use to create your covers?

Adobe Photoshop!

How many of the cover elements are provided for you by the publishing house? Fonts, images, logos, etc.

This usually depends on the project. In most cases, I use my own resources for images and fonts, but if the author or team has a specific image or image source in mind, they purchase the rights and send the photo my way. Or, in the case of working on a series where I didn’t design the first book(s), the fonts and logos would be provided to ensure consistency in design.

Where do the other bits and pieces come from?

Other bits and pieces—such as lighting effects, texture, background, etcetera—come from either Photoshop tools or stock photos. Adding in subtle effects is the fun part!

How much give and take is there between the publishing house, the author, and you as the designer?

After reviewing the first comp(s) I send, the publishing team sometimes has a few tweaks of their own before they shoot the cover to the author. In most cases, the author’s thoughts and input are heeded—and we then make adjustments, if needed, to make the end result align with the author’s vision. Every once in a while, a suggestion will be made that I feel would hinder the design (for example, a color clash or an added element that would clutter the design), so I usually pipe in with an alternative suggestion to help resolve the issue without injuring the design.

 Erica here: The Debutante's Code was not designed by Hannah, but by another designer at Kregel. However, when Hannah was contacted about creating covers for books 2 and 3 in the series (Squee!) she needed to work with what was going on in book one to make the series cohesive. I think she did a fantastic job!

Can you walk us through the creation of Millstone of Doubt?

Millstone of Doubt was such a fun cover. How could it not be when I’m a big fan of the author and the time period? (Erica is grinning bigtime here!) Here’s a little run-down on the design process:

· I reviewed the marketing questionnaire and native files that were sent of the first cover in the series.

· I set in place the logo, title, and author name so the layout would match book one, then started to work on the first comp.

· Three comps later, I shot them over in an email to Kregel and awaited feedback.

· The next step was a request to combine different elements of two of the designs. On to comp number four!

· Once the author and her agent reviewed the latest version, we had a few more revisions to work through. We waded through a few different hero models until we landed on Mr. Right Cover Model for The Book.(Erica here again. One trend of cover art that I'm not crazy about is the 'headless hero/heroine.' The model who posed for the hero's body that was chosen wasn't quite right to play Daniel, so imagine our struggle er pleasure in perusing photos of handsome fellows until we found the perfect one.)  

· Just a few more tweaks after that to fine-tune the design and we had our final product. Bingo!

 (I am absolutely enthralled by this cover! I love the atmospheric setting, the totally handsome dude, and how it pairs with book one in the series. You can for certain tell they go together!) 

Thank you so much for this insight into cover art creation, Hannah. I am an absolute FAN of your work, and I’m totally in love with the cover you’ve created for book two in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series. I can’t wait to see what you do with book three!

Thanks so much, Erica! Both you, your agent, and Kregel have been a delight to work with in bringing the Millstone of Doubt cover to life. I’m looking forward to book three as well!
Do you have a question for Hannah about cover art design? If so, pop it in the comments below. And let us know what you think of the cover art of Millstone of Doubt!

Hannah's bio: Hannah Linder, represented by Books & Such Literary Management, is a Christian fiction author residing in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Her upcoming Regency romantic suspense novel, Beneath His Silence, will be releasing with Barbour Publishing in November of 2022. She is a two-time 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and an ACFW member. Follow her journey at www.hannahlinderbooks.com.

Also, Hannah is a magna cum laude Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design with affordable prices. Having designed for both traditional publishing houses and award-winning authors, Hannah understands the importance of an attractive book cover and the trends of today’s industry. Her clients have included New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors. Find out more at www.hannahlinderdesigns.com.
Erica's bio: Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/groups/inspirationalregencyreaderswhere she spends way too much time!
AND!!!! Millstone of Doubt is now available for Pre-order! You can use the links below to take you to your preferred online retailer, or call your local indie store and get yours on order today!
Amazon 
Barnes & Noble 
Christianbook