Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 6
April 18, 2023
Nine Steps from Fear to Freedom
By Debby GiustiMy first book was released in 2007, the yearthis blog went live. Nine years later, I came up with ninesteps that took me from the fear I felt as a new author to freedom. I wanted to share them with you today.
Pray. In my opinion,everything should begin with prayer. We were a military family and moved everytwo to three years. Each time we changed locations, I prayed for the Lord todirect my steps to what he wanted for my life.
Make adecision to write.I had published a few articles when my children were young, but as they grew, Iset aside my love for writing and volunteered heavily in their schools, in ourchurch and within the military community in which we lived. All the while, theLord gently reminded me about my heart’s desire to write. When we moved to Georgia, Irealized I was running out of time and needed to try my hand at writing again.
Ignorethe negatives.Early on, I purchased Julia Cameron’s book, THE ARTIST’S WAY. Cameron talksabout the negative voice that lives within each of us. It’s the discourager whorears its ugly head all too frequently with caustic rhetoric, such as “Who doyou think you are? You will never be a writer,” or “You’re stupid to expend somuch energy on something in which you will never succeed,” or even, “Get real.You’re too dumb to write.”
I controlled the negative voice by followingCameron’s advice. She says to turn each negative into a positive and write itfive time. When Mr. Negative whispers, “Who are you trying to fool? You’re nota writer,” I countered by writing and rewriting “I am a writer. I am a writer.I am a writer.”
Fictionmirrors life.The characters in our stories have baggage and so do most of us. Screenwritingconsultant Michael Hauge, in his book, WRITING SCREENPLAYS THAT SELL,encourages writers to explore past wounds that shape the way their charactersact. Characters must overcome or heal their brokenness before they can live fullyin the present.
My father was an excellent technical writer,and in my youth, he always corrected my creative attempts, perhaps a bitoverzealously. Growing into adulthood, I never felt my writing measured up tohis standards. Realizing that even my dad would have struggled to create a full-lengthwork of fiction freed me to move forward on my writing journey.
Put Godin control. Soon after receiving “The Call,” I penned “TheWriter’s Prayer.” The Lord provided the words, and I was merely the scribe. Asmany of you know, I give the prayer away at conferences and in mailings, and somany authors have told me how meaningful the prayer has been in their ownlives. “The Writer’s Prayer” sits next to my computer and always helps me focusas I start to write. It also reminds me that the Lord is in charge of mycareer.
We’re notalone.While working on an especially tight deadline in the wee hours of the night, Iwas overcome with fear that creating the next story depended totally on me.Thankfully, I was able to power through that fear and complete the manuscripton time. The truth is that authors have the support and expertise of theireditors, copy editors and marketing and art departments. That entire team isworking together to make the story the best it can be.
It’s common knowledge that writing is asolitary profession. Whether published or pre-pubbed, writers need to surroundthemselves with writing friends, critique partners and blog communities, likeSeekerville, for support, affirmation and encouragement.
Analyzethe process.Once we have a few books under our belts, we might see a pattern in the way wewrite. By understanding our process, we can take comfort, knowing we have faced doubts before and have gone on to accomplish our goals. My husband andchildren remind me that with each book I go through the this-is-the-worst-thing-I’ve-ever-writtenphase, the this-story-will-never-work phase, the I-should-just give-up phase,and how-can-I-call-myself-a-writer phase. Eventually, the story is completed,submitted and, with the help of my wonderful editor, reaches publication.
Noticking time bombs.Our stories have ticking time bombs, but that’s not what we need in life. Instead,we need to set achievable goals and give ourselves adequate time to completeour projects, to learn new craft techniques and to write our books or get ourstories ready for submission. As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neitherwas a writing career.
God’stiming is always perfect. Some years ago, I meditated on the idea of God’s perfect timeand realized He always provided the wherewithal for me to write my stories andmake my deadlines. That realization brought a sense of security. Now even whenI’m short on time or when I’ve overextended my schedule, I trust that the Lordwill provide enough time—His perfect time—for me to complete the work.
What steps have youtaken to overcome fear and achieve your goals?
Wishing you abundant blessings!
Happy writing!
Debby Giusti
AMISH BLAST INVESTIGATION
A June 2023 Release!
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A deadly explosion.
A dangerous search for the truth.
After an explosion rocks Becca Klein’s bakery and kills one of her customers, she teams up with the victim’s son to find justice. Though estranged from his father, Englischer Luke Snyder is compelled to help the Amish woman uncover why his father died. But ruthless killers believe Luke’s father gave Becca something they want, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it. Can Luke keep Becca safe until they discover the truth?
How Do You Manage the Crazy?
Life is busy!
Right now, I'm working on a new proposal, writing under deadline, promoting an upcoming book, and daydreaming about the next. Soon I'll have edits back on one as well. And that's not even including my everyday tasks as wife, mom, friend, and speech-language pathologist. There's a LOT to do!
Thankfully, here in Seekerville, I'm among people who understand the juggling madness.
What are some things you do to manage your time?
For me, here are a few:
1. Prioritize - figuring out what NEEDs to be done first is helpful to me. If I can make some guesses about how long things will take (which is not predictable, I know, but at least a try), I will make a mental list of what needs to happen in what order and then start there.
2. Fast to Slow - Next I'll figure out what can be done rather quickly so I can mark it off my list. Sometimes, the quicker things are the things I enjoy most so then I automatically am more productive at them. I tend to me slower at things I'm not as fond of doing. How about you?
3. Cathy Marie Hake once told me to "write where the fire is". In my priorities, if writing is on the menu and I need to jumpstart my creativity (and efficiency), I'll work on a scene that I'm particularly excited to write. I usually write those faster (and they're usually a romantic scene, a suspenseful scene, a funny scene, or an argument...LOL).
4. Lather on Grace - We can FEEL frenzied when we are really busy and many times that can negatively affect our ability to complete our tasks well. Sometimes, taking a little while to pray and realized God's in control, helps me reset my brain and heart in the right direction. Going for a short walk, taking a brief car ride to see a view, watching a movie with the family...all of these things (and more) can help calm my heart so my creativity and energy is revived for getting tasks done.
I'd love to learn what works for you?
*****************************************************************************
You canlearn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com
April 16, 2023
Should Christian Authors Write for Secular Readers?
Hello, Seekerville! It's good to be here today!
I don't know if this subject is one you've thought about at all, but it's been on my mind for the past several months/years.
The question, short and simple is: As a Christian author, should I write Christian fiction for Christian readers? Or is my call broader than that? Should I be trying to reach non-Christian readers with my stories?
Before we dive into this subject, let’s define a couple terms:
Christian fiction: Fiction that is written from a Christian worldview, includes a Christian spiritual thread, and leaves the reader with a sense of hope rather than doom.
Secular fiction: Fiction that is written from a non-Christian worldview, does not include a Christian spiritual thread (although it may include a spiritual thread from another religion,) and can leave the reader with either a sense of hope or a sense of doom and hopelessness.
Christian author: An author of any genre who is a Christian.
A bit of history
Back in the olden days (like fifty or sixty years ago) readers and authors didn't think too much about worldview. When I was growing up in the 1960's, almost every book that was available through our libraries and bookstores were written from a Christian worldview, whether the author was a Christian or not. Christianity was part of the culture of the United States, Canada, and Europe.
When I went to the library as a child and teen, I could comfortably read any book on the shelves (and I did!) But our culture has changed. By the 1980's we were beginning to move into the post-Christian era that we're in now.
One thing that happened during that shift is that Christian fiction books became a thing.
Do you understand how huge this was? Rather than Christian books being part of the mainstream fiction section in the library (Grace Livingston Hill was shelved with Joanna Lindsey, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers,) they were relegated to their own shelves.
For most readers, this was a good thing. A reader looking for Janette Oke or Beverly Lewis didn't have to sort through the hundreds of non-Christian titles to find them.
But I was, and continue to be bothered by it. Did we create a literary Christian ghetto for ourselves? Did we put up a fence that few non-Christians desired to cross?
Why would a Christian author write for non-Christian readers?
I have two thoughts about this question - -
1) A Christian writes Christian books.
Before I became a Christian, my thinking was upside down. I was an enemy of God and avoided anything that "reeked" of Christianity. Now, keep in mind that back then I thought I was a Christian, just not one of those Christians.
In college and for several years beyond school, I read some pretty awful secular trash - books that were considered to be the classics of the time. Authors you would probably recognize, but they were not Christians, and they didn't write from a Christian worldview.
When God started calling me to Himself, I searched for better books. Hawthorne, Dickens, Stevenson, Christie...I discovered a home in their stories. I reread the books of my childhood: Laura Ingalls Wilder, LM Montgomery, and Maud Hart Lovelace. I started developing a new worldview as I read these authors - a Christian worldview.
When God called me to be a writer, I knew that someday I wanted to write books that wouldn't be found in the Christian fiction section of the library - but that would resound with a Christian worldview.
2) The story needs to be told.
The gospel isn't only for Christians - it's for the world. The dirty, messy, sinful, cruel, lost world.
And the gospel needs to be told in bold ways (I'm thankful for strong preachers!) and in winsome ways - through stories. Romance, mystery, science fiction and fantasy - through all genres.
Conclusion
Some Christian authors are called to write for the Church - to encourage believers and help to strengthen their faith. Other Christian authors are called to write for the World - to introduce them to a Christian worldview in a non-threatening manner, through stories.
Anything a Christian writes will have a Christian worldview – it can’t be any other way.
This is what I'm attempting in my cozy mystery series, The Sweetbrier Inn mysteries. My characters are Christians, they go to church, and they live normal lives (well, as normal as you can get in a cozy mystery.) Somewhere in each book I bring up a moral question and give the Christian answer to it - murder is wrong; vengeance belongs to God; etc. But I try to weave those moral lessons seamlessly into the story. Never preachy. Never obvious.
Books for Christian as well as secular readers.
What do you think?
As a Christian writer, what stories has God called you to write? Is your audience Christian or secular?
And what do you think about my ideas? Agree? Disagree?
Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for an e-copy of my latest release, The Case of the Artist's Mistake. US addresses only, please.
The new art gallery in town is causing quite a stir, and Emma is in the middle of it!The Sweetbrier Inn is filled with guests, and the town is teeming with tourists who have come to celebrate Paragon Days, the official kickoff to the summer tourist season. But even before the festivities start, amateur sleuth Emma Blackwood stumbles upon a dead body. With no visible signs of violence, Deputy Cal determines the death is from natural causes, but Emma isn’t so sure. Why would a seemingly healthy woman drop dead? And what does the picture she was holding have to do with it? If Emma doesn’t solve this puzzle soon, a killer may get away with committing the perfect crime.
Order here!
And coming soon: the third installment in the Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries...
April 15, 2023
Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
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The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio, c. 1602, Sanssouci Picture Gallery,
Potsdam, Germany. [PD-US]
On the evening ofthat first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, calledDidymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later hisdisciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now, Jesus did manyother signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
John 20:19-31
The Seekerville bloggers have been praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below.
Please pray for our country and for an end to the problems that plague us at this current time, such as the increased cost of fuel and food and the rise in crime. Please pray for world peace, for the protection of our military, law enforcement officers and border agents.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support!
God bless you and keep you safe.
May the Lord bless all of us throughout this Easter Season with a new appreciation of His mercy and love.
April 14, 2023
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. **(All winners' emails will receive a response within a week. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, we may not have received it. Please leave a comment in the following Weekend Edition.)
Tuesday: Dana offered advice on Getting Past The Blank Page
Wednesday: Back-to-Basics Ruthy talked about the importance of the Synopsis
Monday: Jan is our hostess
Tuesday: Pepper is our hostess
Wednesday: Debby is our hostess. She'll be sharing tips for the writing life. Be sure to stop by and join in the fun!
Thursday: Winnie is our hostess
AMISH BLAST INVESTIGATION
A June 2023 Release!
A deadly explosion.
A dangerous search for the truth.
After an explosion rocks Becca Klein’s bakery and kills one of her customers, she teams up with the victim’s son to find justice. Though estranged from his father, Englischer Luke Snyder is compelled to help the Amish woman uncover why his father died. But ruthless killers believe Luke’s father gave Becca something they want, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it. Can Luke keep Becca safe until they discover the truth?
Disclaimer: Any blog post that includes an offer of product purchase or service is NOT to be considered an endorsement by Seekerville or any of our authors (please see our Legal page )
Is ClickBank Legit? by Jackie Pearce at The Write Life
Mundane to Magical: Using Cliches, Metaphors and Similes by Janice Hardy at Writers In The Storm
Stop Focusing on Goals: Why Systems Lead to Writing Productivity by Tom Meitner at ProWritingAid
How an Indie Author can Easily Market their Author Brand with Book Brush by Gabrielle Denize Newsom at Book Brush blog
When Travel and Fiction Collide by Eric Goodman at Your First 10,000 Readers
Trend Watch Spring 2023:What's Popular with BookBub Readers by Diane Zhang at BookBub blog
The Real Problem with Passive Voice in Fiction by Janice Hardy at Fiction University
What is Ghostwriting and How to Get Started by Linda Gilden at The Write Conversation
The Readability of Your Writing by Steve Laube
How to Design the Best Book Cover in 8 Simple Steps by Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur
April 11, 2023
Best of Ruthy: BACK TO BASICS: The Synopsis
Family, farm and writing responsibilities are taking a chunk of Ruthy's time for the 2023 calendar year so instead of kicking her to the curb... which we were so very tempted to do... we're tucking in a "Best of Ruthy" post in her spot each month because you know she can be bossy with or without being here. She's not sick... not dying... just juggling like we all do and so grateful to the gals for stepping in to give her this bit of space. And she made us say that part about kicking her to the curb.
BACK TO BASICS: The Synopsis The Seekers are thrilled to see so many new aspiring authors stopping by, chatting about their work and emailing us with questions. They've also requested some guidance on things, so we're going to be offering some BACK TO BASICS posts that help new authors, but can also help those authors on the brink of traditional publication because it's a very competitive business. Anything that gives you the needed polish on your work is a wonderful thing! So below, here's a fresh new look at how to write a synopsis:
I don't know anyone who loves writing a synopsis.
There's a reason for this.
Creative writers tend to abhor technical writing. It's not our groove, our wheelhouse, our thing. So when a proposal requires a synopsis, our palms sweat. Heart rate ramps up. And suddenly the refrigerator needs cleaning, the dog needs walking, and surely the car needs washing. Doesn't it?
We'll do pretty much anything to avoid the synopsis, so today, in the midst of turbulent times, let's do a back-to-basics post about something we may dread but are required to have as part of our arsenal.
What is a synopsis?
It's basically a summation of the story. It must include all pertinent points that the author knows about the story.
How do you start a synopsis?
This may vary from author to author. Here are the opening paragraphs of my synopsis for "A Hopeful Harvest" my January Love Inspired release. Note that I started it with a mini-summation of why this story will work between these protagonists, and absolutely why it shouldn't work. This draws the editor's interest if the plot idea works, and that's your first goal is to draw the editor's or agent's interest.
RUTHY'S OPENING PARAGRAPHS:
Jax McClaren excels at helping people while keeping his distance, but when he stumbles onto Libby Creighton’s life, a perfect storm of opportunities erupts. There was her grandfather, a sick fruit farmer caught in the throes of growing dementia. Jax had seen his Grandma Molly through Alzheimer’s years before. His compassion then guides his moves now.
Libby and her daughter live on a Central Washington orchard, in need of skilled hands and a full harvest. As the heir to a major Washington apple and fruit producer, Jax has that one nailed, too. But most of all there was Libby and her daughter CeeCee. He read the pain of the past in their faces, but he wasn’t planning on fixing that.
He could fix the blown-down barns. And the apple crisis. He had connections she knew nothing about.
But her broken heart was something else again so he was determined to come to their farm, put in a day’s work and go back to his lonely cabin in the hills. In the cabin his bad dreams and sorrowed thoughts did no harm. But as time went on he found it impossible to maintain his distance, and maybe that was the best possibility of all.
So now you have the intro done. Seriously, that's the crucial thing in my thoughts. You don't have much time to snag an editor's or agent's interest, sometimes a page is all you get before they set the work aside. Make the most of that opening page (and your cover letter, but that's a different lesson.)
From the intro I go into a brief backstory for hero and heroine to set up their characterization in the story, then a brief summation of the opening chapters, and then... I make stuff up.
I kind of have to do this because I don't plan scene by scene ahead of time, and 53 books in, I'm okay with that... now if you DO plan scene by scene, then give a brief summation of those scenes. Those scenes should show the action/reaction of hero and heroine, or hero to events. What's moving the story forward? What outside influences (an angry mother, a caustic neighbor, a church that's falling apart, a town on the skids, a storm, a natural disaster, a death, a lost child.... Show a hint of what outside/external conflicts are going to try and wreak havoc with your character's lives.
This is important, even if it's not 100% accurate to what the final story will be, because you need to show the power thrusts that keep the story moving forward. You may have some leeway here as you actually write the story, but the editor or agent needs to see that the story has good bones. Like a house, with a solid frame, a good book needs good bones because the emotions flow through and around those bones.
Then you want the black moment, as best you know it. Why does it all fall apart? Secrets, lies, misunderstandings, outside influences, etc. If this is a suspense or thriller, explain the resolution. Don't hold back. Give spoilers because this isn't a casual reader, this is the person offering the contract or representation.
If there is a faith thread, show how that changes or grows as the story moves forward. You don't have to go into big detail, but this is an important thread for Christian fiction, and can also be a major part of the story's moral.
And then the ending. If it's a happy ending, that's pretty simple. If it's a more literary-style ending with vague resolution, you need to show the character's internal growth, even though you're not necessarily wrapping things up in a neat bow.
Add idea for an epilogue if applicable.
If you're self-pubbing, you don't need to worry about a synopsis, right?
(Ruthy frowns here, because here's the skinny on that...) Honestly, learning to write a solid synopsis helps you to see holes in the story. Editors see that, too, and offer advice on those possible weak spots so you can fix them as you write.
It's like the basics of writing in junior high. There is a difference between the gradients of all right, good, very good and excellent. Seeing the holes in your story is very hard for new writers. It comes with experience, and the only way to gain experience is to keep writing. And that's exactly what the Seekers want you to do. Keep writing.
And keep learning!
And Ruthy has two copies of "A Hopeful Harvest" to give away today, so leave a comment below and she'll toss your name into the Easter candy bowl... Then check our Holy Saturday Weekend Edition to see who won!
USA TODAY bestselling author and somewhat bossy but fun person, Ruth Logan Herne is sequestered like everyone else. Only she's on a pumpkin farm in Western New York where mud is currently ruling the day. Fortunately she knows that warmth is coming and she'll be growing all kinds of things and writing sweet books in the wee smalls of the morning when there is no one to bother her... although that's not a problem at the moment, is it? :) Friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, stop by her website ruthloganherne.com or email Ruthy at loganherne@gmail.com She loves to hear from writers and readers. And she actually answers her own mail!Getting Past the Blank Page
Haveyou ever opened up a fresh document on a computer screen and then simply staredat it, unable to think of a single word to write? Been there, done that.Sometimes, when it’s time to begin a new proposal, I feel like it’s the firstbook I ever wrote. I have no clue how to start.
I’msure many of us have felt this way. Having a deadline puts some pressure onyou. One way or another, you have to get something worth reading to an editorby a certain time. If there’s one thing that makes me cringe, it’s the thought ofmissing a deadline. I recently went through this very process. So how can you jumpstartyour brain to produce those first few chapters or an outline? I’ve made a listof some of the things that help me.
1. Characters:I often start with my characters. I find pictures that fit my image of them andthen I try to figure out some basic facts about them. Age, occupation, biggest fearor challenge, and what is their goal and motivation. Often, this is enough toget me thinking.
2. Freewriting:Sometimes, I will sit at my computer and write whatever comes to mind until Icome up with something that I can work with. It usually takes a good ten orfifteen minutes to get anything, but it helps get the creative juices flowing.
3. Talkingout loud: On beautiful days, I will go for a walk around my yard and talk outthe possible plot twists or events I might use. Sometimes just hearing myself talking about thestory will solidify in my mind what needs to happen.
4. Notecards: I got this idea from a workshop I attended by James Scott Bell. He saidtake a stack of notecards and write down as many ideas as you can of eventsthat might happen in the story as fast as you can. Then go through them andpick out the ones that might work.
5. Brainstormingwith peers: I have a group of writer friends I brainstorm with via Zoom ormessenger. We talk about plot twists and conflicts and anything that needs tobe refined or strengthened. It helps to have others to bounce ideas off of.
Theseare just some of the things I do to help myself when I find I’m stuck whilewriting. What do you do when you have a problem you need to figure out?
Iam giving away one copy of Crime Scene Witness to a commenter.
is the only way to stay alive
When crime scene cleaner Lissa Page discovers a clue at a murder site, she’s attacked and becomes the killer’s new target. Now Deputy US Marshal Micah Bender must protect the single mother from becoming another victim. But with threats coming from every direction, Micah needs to hide Lissa—and the Amish community he left behind might be the answer to keeping his witness safe.
Dana R. Lynn is a bestselling, award winning author of several genresincluding romantic suspense, Amish romance, women’s fiction, romantic mystery andRegency romance who believes in the power of God to touch people throughstories. She met her husband at a wedding in Pennsylvania and told her parentsshe had met her future husband. Nineteen months later, they were married.Today, they live in rural Pennsylvania and are entering the world of emptynesters. She is a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by day and writes storiesof romance and danger at night. Dana is an avid reader, loves cats and thinkschocolate should be a food group. Readers can contact her or sign up to receiveher monthly newsletter at www.danarlynn.com.
April 8, 2023
Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests
THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD
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Resurrection of Christ, Noël Coypel, 1700,
Museum of Fine Arts, Rouen, France. [PD-US]
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in themorning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, andtold them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and cameto the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran fasterthan Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, butdid not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial clothsthere,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in aseparate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
John 20:1-9
HAPPY EASTER!
HE IS RISEN!
ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!
The Seekerville bloggers have been praying for YOU and for our entire blog community throughout Lent. We hope the days leading up to Easter were as spiritually rewarding for you as they were for us.
On this special day of the Lord's Resurrection, we ask abundant blessings upon all of you, dear friends. You remain in our prayers. If you have any special intentions that need additional coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below.
Please pray for our country and for an end to the problems that plague us at this current time, such as the increased cost of fuel and food and the rise in crime. Please pray for world peace, for the protection of our military, law enforcement officers and border agents.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support!
God bless you and keep you safe.
May the Lord bless all of us throughout this Easter Season with a new appreciation of His mercy and love.
April 7, 2023
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. **(All winners' emails will receive a response within a week. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, we may not have received it. Please leave a comment in the following Weekend Edition.)
Monday: Mary-The winner of a signed copy of Forged in Love is Sarah Taylor. the winners of the $10 Amazon gift cards are Ellen and Gena
Wednesday: Mindy gave a glimpse into Book Series Proposals. The winner of an advanced copy of LOVING THE RANCHER'S CHILDREN is... Linda Stringer! Congratulations!
Thursday: Audra attended the Write In The Springs conference and shared what she'd learned
Monday: Jaime Jo is our hostess
Tuesday: Dana is our hostess
Wednesday: A Best of Ruthy post will be featured
AMISH BLAST INVESTIGATION
A June 2023 Release!
A deadly explosion.
A dangerous search for the truth.
After an explosion rocks Becca Klein’s bakery and kills one of her customers, she teams up with the victim’s son to find justice. Though estranged from his father, Englischer Luke Snyder is compelled to help the Amish woman uncover why his father died. But ruthless killers believe Luke’s father gave Becca something they want, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it. Can Luke keep Becca safe until they discover the truth?
Disclaimer: Any blog post that includes an offer of product purchase or service is NOT to be considered an endorsement by Seekerville or any of our authors (please see our Legal page )
Writing Fresh: Laughs, Giggles, and Snorts that Carry Power by Margie Lawson at Writers In The Storm
How to Find Time to Write by Lapping the Couch by Cindy Ervin Huff at ACFW blog
Tackling Deep Issues in Fiction by Liz Bradford at Learn How To Write A Novel
How to Write a Thank You Note (a real one!) by Pamela Hodges at The Write Practice
26 Social Media Tips for Writers by Edie Melson at The Write Conversation
Universal Themes that can be Found in Movies by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
Where Connection Comes From by Donald Maass at Writer UnBoxed
Writing Dialogue Worth Quoting by PeggySue Wells at The Write Conversation
How to Create a Winning Email Sequence by Mark Quadros at MailerLite blog
Where Has Your Day Gone? by Silvia Giltner at ProWritingAid blog
April 5, 2023
Attend A Writers Conference (and Refill Your Creative Well)
I’ve just returned from my first writers conference of the year, Write In The Springs (WITS), hosted by ACFW Colorado Springs chapter. I’ve attended this conference many times over the years and have never been disappointed. This year, the location of the conference was Glen Eyrie Conference Center located close to the Garden of the Gods.
I pinch myself every time I visit Glen Eyrie, it’s a tiny touch of heaven on earth. I mean, who wouldn’t want to explore a nineteenth century castle (they offer guest rooms in the castle, but my budget isn’t in that range), stroll across acres of maintained grounds, snap pictures of a resident herds of mountain goats, a flock of turkeys and the ever-present deer? The location is a definite draw for this conference, but the speakers each year make it a must-go for me.
Glen Eyrie Castle Conference Center
Couple this beautiful setting with the amazing Melanie Dobson as our speaker, and all the attendees enjoyed a day and a half of incredible immersion into the world of fiction writing.
If you’ve been penning word to page for any length of time at all, you’ve probably attended workshops on all the prerequisite topics for successful novel writing. Structure, plotting, setting, etc, right? Since my writing resume extends over decades, I think I have a solid grasp of technique and concept, but I continue to attend conferences and workshops to gain as many new nuggets of wisdom as I can to tuck away in my toolbox.
Melanie Dobson is not only prolific in her writing career, but she also has the gift of presenting mundane topics and making them spring to life. Her enthusiasm is contagious. We spent an afternoon studying characters and characterization and within the first 1/2 hour, I’d already scribbled down more notes on bringing characters to life than I can remember. That same zeal carried through the next day as we tackled questions about what made books and movies successful, how to pull emotion from readers, and leave them wanting your next book.
I must confess, I came to this conference looking for some method of bringing the male protagonist of my current WIP to life. Using a combination of power point, movie clips, book quotes, and her own warm, unique style of presentation, Melanie Dobson shared ideas and techniques for bringing characters alive on the page that had me experiencing V-8 moments again and again. At the end of the afternoon, I no longer had a 2-dimensional character composed of values and traits, but a vivid, 3-dimensional hero who was ready to fight for his ideals, as well as the woman he loves.
As Melanie Dobson reminded us every step of the way, God is in the details. God gifts us stories. We do not have to walk through the writing process alone. God will see us through, if we only let Him.
Pray for your plot. Pray for your characters. Pray for your words. God listens.
Powerful stuff, that.
Melanie Dobson
No conference is all work, right? The fun of attending conferences is meeting new peeps and reuniting with old friends. As we all know, and most prefer, writing is a pretty solitary endeavor. Let’s face it, if we were surrounded by our fellow writers all the time, we’d be talking story, piecing together plots, building the perfect characters, etc, oohing and aahing over all the ideas and never get our stories written.
So, when we get together for a day or a week, we work hard, stretch our brains, incorporate new ideas and techniques. But after the learning is tucked away for the day, free time offers the opportunity to go to the local hangout and enjoy great food.
Friday Night Fun - WITS
When you look at this photo, you’ll see dishes lining one side of the table. The restaurant was busy since it was Friday night and it just so happened that everyone on one side of the table were served first. And then we waited. And waited. Finally the rest of the dishes arrived, but in the meantime we dubbed this photo the “haves and the have nots.”
Roaming around the castle and the grounds, I couldn’t resist seizing a photo op of my own. Have I mentioned that my new series is historical? That visiting a castle segues right into my setting brainstorming? That touching antiquity and breathing in the fragrance of time gone by dusted my imagination with possibilities?
Have you attended any conferences or workshops lately? I’d love to hear about them. Let's talk!
Remember, the ACFW conference will be held August 24 - 27 this year at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch in St. Louis, MO. Talk about a great time to learn, network, and make new friends!!
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Audra Harders
writes "rugged stories with heart" featuring fearless men whohaven't a clue about relationships, rescued by ladies who think they have all the answers. In real life, she's married to her own patient hero, has two adult children, and a very strong-willed Corgi. She began writing right after her second kidlet was born and sold her first book to Love Inspired mere months before that same young adult graduated from high school. Surviving those years in between reminds her God does have a plan for her life...and that He has a tremendous sense of humor. You can visit Audra at:
Website: https://www.audraharders.com
