Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 63

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: Jan was in the house with a brief look at the Lingo of Fiction. The winner of an audio recording of her most recent release, "Softly Blows the Bugle," is Lee-Ann B. Congratulations, Lee-Ann!
Wednesday: Debby Giusti gave us an overview of the birth of Amish fiction and how the genre grew rapidly after THE SHUNNING, by Beverly Lewis, was published. The winner of Debby's latest LIS, HIDDEN AMISH SECRETS, is Sarah Taylor. Congrats, Sarah! Be sure to submit your address to Seekerville2@gmail.com so Debby can mail the book to you!
Friday: Pam gave us all permission to approach our daily tasks however we see fit with The Isolationist: Tackling Daily Tasks


Monday: Erica 
Wednesday:  Cate Nolan will be here with the next installment of her series on favorite craft books. Drop by to see what the next book is and have a chance to win a copy.  Friday: Stephanie Landsem









Do you love to sink into a cozy spot and escape into a delightful, heartwarming Amish romance, romantic suspense, or novel? Then this giveaway is for you!
📚 13 Amazing Authors & 40 Winners🌟  1 Grand Prize - All 13 eBooks 💗 39 Prizes - 1 ebook each
ENTER BY 5/15/21:https://forms.gle/d3quv3GxcwFhBMsp8*Read the instructions. U.S only please.
Participating Authors:Amy ClipstonAmy GrochowskiCharlotte HubbardDana R. LynnDebby GiustiJanice Kay JohnsonKristen McKanaghLaurel BlountLenora WorthPatricia JohnsRebecca KertzShelley Shepard GraySuzanne Woods Fisher*Prizes are ebooks unless otherwise noted on the form.*Facebook is in no way associated with or endorses this giveaway.
#amishromance #amishfiction #inspirationalromance #giveaway #giveawayalert








5 Design Elements that Can Impact Ad Clicks by LA Sartor at BookBub Blog
The Three P's of Successful Self-Publishing by Kristen Kieffer at Well-Storied
3 Most Common World Building Mistakes and How to Fix Them by Janet Forbes at NaNoWriMo Blog
Where Should Your Marketing Energy Go? by Hallee Bridgeman at Learn How To Write A Novel
Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt 11: The Queen's Shadow Archetypes by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors 
What To Do When a Writer is Discouraged by Henry McLaughlin at The Write Conversation
Harmful Beliefs to Overcome as A Writer at Write To Done
Tips for Writing Your Character's PTSD and Trauma Memories by Lisa Hall-Wilson at Writers Helping Writers
Building a Social Media Plan by Rochelle Melander at Fiction University
Ready For Pushback? by Dan Balow at Steve Laube Agency
5 Simple SEO Technique Tips for Authors by LA Sartor at Book Brush Blog

The Isolationist: Tackling Daily Tasks

by Pam Hillman

The Seekers have been giving all kinds of pep talks, how-tos, craft posts, encouragement, and everything in between this month. As I looked back over the topics at hand, it was hard to come up with something that hasn’t been posted to encourage everyone to try just a bit harder, write a bit longer, and strive to reach their goals every day without fail.

As my date to post neared, I began to ponder what to share. What can I say to encourage someone? What can I tell you that you haven’t heard before?
Long time Seeker Villagers will remember when we served virtual food during every blog post. Well, I'm bringing that metaphor back today, so grab a plate off the sideboard. We’re about to fill it up with all our tasks for the month. I’ll start. Here’s what was on my writing plate this month. Work on a proposal, create a cover and republish a novella. Set up a KDP sale.
What else was on my plate or was added during the month? Bookkeeping duties for three family businesses, and working as the treasurer for ACFW. Oh, and babysitting my sweet grands. This bottleneck of stacked tasks will ease up in a few weeks, but I’ll still get to babysit my little darlings part time while still keeping up with the bread-and-butter of work related tasks.
In addition, my meal planning has been very intentional for the last few months as my husband and I try to eat healthier. Like most anything else, healthy eating doesn’t just happen, it takes some planning.

So far, we have writing, bookkeeping, meal planning, housework, babysitting, and the occasional two-am bovine labor-and-delivery emergency or the sick calf. My elderly mom needs my help more and more these days. And, my sweet Mimi-cat is expecting kittens any day! My plate’s beginning to look like a platter!

If I look at the whole platter at once, I often wonder how I’ll get it all done. Delegation, Dedication, and a Do-or-Die attitude is the answer. Not to mention a lot of prayer. I had to push a small portion of my March goals to the side of the plate. Other things had to be done immediately…the proposal had a hard deadline; the novella a hard deadline; the babies must be fed and changed. And rocked. A lot. That goes without saying! Tax returns on three businesses are due May 17th. Thank the Lord for the extra month!

What I’m trying to say is that sometimes we have to burn the candle at both ends if we want something bad enough. Life isn’t going to stop while we write our novel.

It just isn’t.

Looking at my plate/platter again, I keep thinking (not for the first time) how cool it would be if I was uber organized and could eat a bite of each thing every day, rotating so that I have a nice balanced “meal” of writing 1000 words in the morning, then working an hour on social media, then an hour or two on business, and so on and so on, starting over the next day, keeping all the balls in the air at all times.

But, my days never go that way. Invariably, I get broadsided by fires that have to be put out immediately, or looming deadlines and have to work until the wee hours of the morning to meet them.

Am I just not organized enough? Perhaps. Or perhaps I'm TOO organized, but I fight my own nature because it doesn't fit what's considered normal. Perhaps I work better under pressure, and gobbling one thing at a time on my plate is my work model rather than taking a bite of this, then that, then something else.

What do I mean? As a child, I was notorious for eating one thing at a time. I’d eat all my chicken first, then my bread, then my peas, then I might take a few sips of my tea at the end of the meal. As a teenager, I distinctly remember forcing myself to eat a bite of each thing on my plate and to sip on my drink between bites so that my eating habits wouldn’t look so odd. Apparently, my parents didn’t think it was odd to eat just one thing at a time. I never remember them trying to correct or change me. But someone must have said something to make me become self-conscious.

What does that say about me? Am I destined to gobble my favorite tasks all up before I move on to the next one? Will I never be able to have a balanced, healthy day of doing a little bit of each task so that I feel like I’ve accomplished something in each area that day?

Seriously, folks, I am NOT making this stuff up. As a matter of fact, after I wrote my post, I began to wonder if anyone had done any research on this. Turns out they have. I found an article on the Huffington Post regarding this very phenomenon. I just discovered that I'm an Isolationist , even though I trained myself to eat a bit of everything on my plate, it’s not my nature. Wow, there's a name for that? lol

But get this...
Even more amazing is the description of an Isolationist regarding other areas of a person's life. It’s like these people used ME as their guinea pig for their research. Fascinating!

The Isolationist

Read the entire article here:What Your Eating Habits Reveal About Your PersonalityHuffington Post, 10/08/15

Also, for a more in-depth look at the different eating habits, read this article.
So, if you’re still with me on this wild and crazy zigzag of a post, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. It’s okay to eat one thing at a time. And when possible, it's okay to finish one task before you go on to the next. There’s nothing wrong with spending days working on taxes/ social media/ cooking/ cleaning/ gardening/ day job, etc., and not even looking at your manuscript. But you still have to carve out big chunks of time to write if you want to get it done. I'm not giving you a license to procrastinate! If you're an isolationist, you might very well go dark for four or five days at a time to do nothing except write, especially if the deadline is looming. :)

Having said that, we know that a novel can’t be written in one sitting (aka one meal) before we move on to something else. Apparently my nature is to write in marathon chunks that unfortunately include burning the midnight oil instead of short spurts of 1K every morning, as much as I would love to do that every day. That’s not to say that I can't be more intentional meeting that 1K a day goal. I changed my own eating habits, didn't I? Knowing why and how my brain operates is half the battle.

Are you an isolationist? If so, do you also have a “disciplined and border-line stubborn tendency to complete one task before moving on to another?”

CBA Bestselling author PAM HILLMAN was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove an Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should dream of. www.pamhillman.com

Amish Hearts & Hearths Giveaway!

By Debby Giusti

If you love Amish fiction, be sure to enter the Amish Hearts & Hearths Giveaway, featuring 13 of your favorite authors who write Amish romance. A total of 39 entrants will win an ebook, and one lucky Grand Winner will receive all 13 stories! 

Enter by May 15 at https://forms.gle/d3quv3GxcwFhBMsp8 

Whether you read Amish fiction or not, you may be wondering how the Amish genre that's taken the Christian market by storm got started.

I blame Ada Ranch Buchwalter. Born in 1886, Ada grew up as an Old Order Mennonite. She later rejected the Plain life and was subsequently shunned by her community. The fictionalized story of Ada’s decision to leave her Mennonite sect was the basis for The Shunning, a novel written by her granddaughter, Beverly Lewis. Published in 1997 by Bethany House, The Shunning was an almost overnight success, went on to become a Hallmark movie and, to date, has sold more than a million copies. 

Steve Oates was vice president of marketing for Bethany House at the time, and in an interview with Deborah Kennedy, Oates talked about Bethany House’s initial response to Lewis’s submission. “We thought it was a good, sweet story and that there was potential for it to sell maybe 25,000 in the first year,” he recounts. 


Add another 100,000 sales to his modest assessment of the story’s anticipated success, and you’ll have a more accurate account of the book’s first year marketing history. The Shunning showed publishers how the simple life could capture the hearts of readers who were soon eagerly clamoring for more Amish stories.
Fast forward to 2013 and a Wall Street Journal article by Valerie Weaver-Zercher (“Why Amish Novels are Hot,” June 6, 2013) that highlighted the growth of Amish fiction since that first Lewis novel hit the shelves. 


Weaver-Zercher writes, “In 2003, one new romance novel with an Amish theme was published. This year at least 86 are being released. Five of the top 10 best sellers on a recent list of Christian fiction were Amish titles, and the novels regularly hit mainstream best-seller lists. The top three authors of Amish romance novels— Beverly Lewis, Cindy Woodsmall and Wanda Brunstetter—have sold among them more than 24 million books.” 

I first met fellow Georgian, Cindy Woodsmall, at the Atlanta airport when we were were both en route to an ACFW conference. Her debut novel had recently released, and she shared some of the struggle she had faced on her journey to publication, which she also recounts on her website. When Cindy started submitting, publishers backed away. Beverly Lewis was successful, and they didn’t feel there was room for another author writing Amish stories. In 2005, WaterBrook Multnomah took a chance and offered Cindy a three-book contract. A few months later, Wanda Brunstetter’s first Amish book was released. Cindy’s debut novel hit bookstores the following year and sold out within two weeks.

When books sell, editors take note, and so do writers who quickly jumped aboard the Amish bandwagon as the popularity of bonnet fiction increased.



Some folks speculate that the glut of sexually explicit books has caused so many readers—folks searching for a good story without the sexual sensationalism—to embrace the Amish genre. A perfect storm, so to speak, but in a positive way that accounts for the increased sales.  


That may play into the mix, but to me, the draw seems fairly straightforward. Readers yearn for a connection that features home and hearth. Add faith and a happily ever after and you have some of the reasons for the growing success of Christian fiction. Plop a bonnet—or prayer kapp—on the heads of the heroines of those stories, and you've got a combination that keeps books flying off the shelves.

Do you enjoy Amish fiction? If so, what’s the draw for you? Maybe you haven’t read any stories with a bonnet on the cover. Is there a reason, and if not, are you willing to give Amish fiction a try? Share the names of any Amish books you’ve enjoyed or stories that made you see the Amish in a new light.

Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for HIDDEN AMISH SECRETS. Be sure to enter the Amish Hearts & Heath Giveaway, as well!
Happy writing! Happy reading!

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

www.DebbyGiusti.com

HIDDEN AMISH SECRETS

Her temporary Amish homecoming

could get her killed.

Julianne Graber left her Amish life behind after a family tragedy, but now she’s back to sell the family home— and someone’s dead set on getting rid of her. With her neighbor William Lavy by her side, Julianne must uncover dangerous secrets to make sense of the past and present. Can she find justice for her family—and a future with Will—before the killer hits his target?

 

Order on Amazon!

The Lingo of Storytelling

When I was a young child, just a few weeks before I entered Kindergarten, our family moved from Ohio to Michigan. Being the pest that I was, I was hanging out at our new neighbor’s house one day watching her work in her garden.

She asked me what foods I liked.

I said, “I like cherries, but I don’t like the seeds.”

“Seeds?” She paused in her digging. “You must be from the South. Here in the North, we call them pits.”

That was my first introduction to dialect and how the vocabulary we use depends on where we are and what we’re doing.


A few weeks ago, Mary Coneally brought us a post about the Lingo of Designed Pages – a brief vocabulary of the series of edits we authors enjoy as our stories travel from our computers to published books. You can read that post here: Designed Pages--the Lingo

Today, I’m bringing you a brief introduction to the vocabulary of writing stories. I’ve gleaned these often-used but seldom-defined words from questions posed by newbie writers. Some of these might be familiar to you, but some might not be.

Just for fun, see if you can come up with a definition before reading mine. Keep track of the times we agree, and then share your score in the comments!

1. Protagonist: As the main character in the story, the protagonist is the person that the story is about. Also called the Hero or the Heroine. A romance will have both.

2. Antagonist: The antagonist in the story is the character who is working against the protagonist. The bad guy. Of course, the antagonist doesn’t have to be a guy (think of Cruella D’Ville in 101 Dalmatians) or even a person. It can be a setting, the weather, or even the fallout from a bad decision the protagonist made in the past. The antagonist doesn’t even have to be “bad,” as long as he or she is working against the protagonist’s goals.

3. Secondary Character: This is any character who adds to the characters’ stories without insisting on telling their own. These are the parents, the neighbors, the sidekicks, the grandmotherly woman at church. Secondary characters round out your cast of characters and give your protagonist someone to talk to or to react to. They can also provide a much needed moment of comic relief in a tense scene.

4. Active Voice: This is a grammar term that means that the subject of the sentence is the one doing the action of the verb. Like this: “Sam ate the grasshopper.” The active voice is preferable for modern popular fiction since it tends to keep the reader involved in the action of the story.

5. Passive Voice: Another grammar term. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the one having the action done to him. Like this: “The grasshopper was eaten by Sam.” Quite often, a passive voice sentence will have an understood agent, as in: “The grasshopper was eaten.” The passive voice is out of favor in popular fiction right now, so learn to identify the passive voice and to turn those sentences into active ones.

By the way, does it help to know that Sam is a dog? He'll eat anything that stays still long enough to go into his mouth!

 
6. In media res: This is a Latin term that used to be taught in composition and writing classes. It means “in the middle of things.” We quite often refer to the concept without using the Latin phrase – we all know to start our stories in the middle of the action, right?

7. Three-Act Structure: This is one way to structure a plot. There are others, but this is the one you see most often. It’s intuitive to both the author and the reader and easy to use. What are the three acts? The basics: 1, 2, 3. Beginning, Middle, End. Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy. Until someone adds in a “2A” and a “2B.” Then, if you’re like me, you start thinking in four acts instead of three… But the main point is that there is a structure to your writing that readers can follow.

8. Plot Points: This subject is big enough for its own book – and many authors have written books about Plot Points! But we’re only talking about vocabulary today.

Plot points are the more-or-less evenly spaced turning points within the structure of your story. Depending on the writer, you might have three plot points, or as many as sixteen. I work with five major plot points and two or three minor ones. Every author develops their own method and names for plot points, and some of the names you might hear are “inciting incident,” “call to adventure,” “moment of grace,” “black moment,” “final battle,” etc.

9. Synopsis: This is a summary of the completed story that tells potential agents, editors, and publishers what your story is about. The length varies depending on the guidelines of the entity you’re sending it to, but one thing never varies: always tell the complete story, including the surprise ending.

10. Back Cover Copy: This is a different kind of summary of your story. This is what you write to entice readers to open the book and start reading the story. It should have a great hook and never, ever, give away the ending of the story. I've included an example below in the description of today's giveaway!

This was just a beginning of the vocabulary we need to acquire during our steep learning curve of becoming an author. If you think of any that I missed, be sure to mention them in the comments!

And how did you do on our informal quiz? Let me know what your score was in the comment section, and you’ll be in the drawing for my newest audiobook release, Softly Blows the Bugle!
Don't forget to come "virtually" hungry - it's calving time in the Black Hills and the cowboys have been working all night. The virtual buffet has chuckwagon fare today: sourdough biscuits, strong coffee, steak, and eggs.



Welcome back to the Amish community at Weaver's Creek, where the bonds of family and faith bind up the brokenhearted.
When Elizabeth Kaufman received the news of her husband's death at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, she felt only relief. She determined that she would never be at the mercy of any man again, even if it meant not having a family of her own. Then along came Aaron Zook . . .

Despite the severity of his injuries, Aaron has resolved to move west and leave the pain of the past behind him. He never imagined that the Amish way of life his grandfather had rejected long ago would be so enticing. That, and a certain widow he can't get out of his mind.

Yet, even in a simple community, life has a way of getting complicated. Aaron soon finds that while he may have left the battlefield behind, there is another fight he must win--the one for the heart of the woman he loves.
  

 

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Request

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Jesus Appears to His Desciples, The Life of 
Jesus of Nazareth: eighty pictures, William Hole,
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1906. [PD-US]

The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way,
and how Jesus was made known to them 
in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of baked fish; 
he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”

Luke 24:35-48

 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 the United States--and the world--during this Coronavirus pandemic. Pray for the sick and suffering, for businesses and schools to remain open, for people to be able to work and for our economy to prosper.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and your families 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: Erika Kelly
Wednesday: Ruthy was in top form on Wednesday with a post on working, writing, waiting and then working some more but to take the sting out of her scolding that she likes to refer to as encouragement (big smile here!) she offered two copies of "Patterns of Deception" her newest Guideposts mystery and the winners are Tom Austin, Pat W. and Wendy Newcomb (because Ruthy found another copy!!!!) 
Friday: Renee Ryan stopped by for a visit and discussed some fun tidbits about her upcoming release from Love Inspired, The Sheriff's Promise.  The winner of a copy of her book is Glynis.




Monday:  Jan Drexler will be exploring the Lingo of Storytelling and offering an audiobook giveaway! You can even have fun with a simple quiz. The Seekerville virtual buffet will be open with Western Chuckwagon fare: sourdough biscuits, strong coffee, steak and eggs. It's calving time in the Black Hills!
Wednesday:  Debby Giusti will be sharing her thoughts on writing with a book giveaway! Be sure to stop in and say hello! The coffee will be hot and there will be baked goodies to enjoy.  Friday: Pam Hillman







ON SHELVES NOW! RUTHY'S LATEST LOVE INSPIRED, ALREADY GAINING GREAT REVIEWS! $4.48 at WALMART!!!!!!!
You can't go wrong with this beautifully written story of a prodigal who returns home to help her adoptive mother and her Smoky Mountain hometown after a devastating fire threatens health and homes for so many. You'll laugh... you might cry... and you'll cheer for this Manhattan doctor who realizes that Dorothy's famous line is true: "You never have to go looking beyond your own back yard" when you're looking for that elusive dream because it lies there... right there... within you. Also available at Amazon.com 




Do you love to sink into a cozy spot and escape into a delightful, heartwarming Amish romance, romantic suspense, or novel? Then this giveaway is for you!
📚 13 Amazing Authors & 40 Winners🌟  1 Grand Prize - All 13 eBooks 💗 39 Prizes - 1 ebook each
ENTER BY 5/15/21:https://forms.gle/d3quv3GxcwFhBMsp8*Read the instructions. U.S only please.
Participating Authors:Amy ClipstonAmy GrochowskiCharlotte HubbardDana R. LynnDebby GiustiJanice Kay JohnsonKristen McKanaghLaurel BlountLenora WorthPatricia JohnsRebecca KertzShelley Shepard GraySuzanne Woods Fisher*Prizes are ebooks unless otherwise noted on the form.*Facebook is in no way associated with or endorses this giveaway.
#amishromance #amishfiction #inspirationalromance #giveaway #giveawayalert



The Secret to Writing Commercially Successful Novels by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive

Planting Clues: Red Herrings that Fool but Don't Frustrate Your Readers by Kris Calvin at Readers Digest
What are the Advantages of Having an Agent by Beth Vogt at Learn How To Write A Novel

How to Create an Effective Book Landing Page by Phillipa Nefri Clark at Book Brush Blog
Story Structure: How the Wrap Up Works in a Novel by Janice Hardy at Fiction University
Intentional Habit Tracking by Dan Knowlton at Bullet Journal 
Your Words Can Be More Powerful Than Technology by Laura L. Smith at Steve Laube Agency

Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt. 10: The Hero's Shadow Archetypes by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
5 Tips for Making Successful Children's Books Ads by David Chesson at Book Brush Blog

Special Guest Renee Ryan

 

Thank you, Winnie, for inviting me to join you and your fellow authors at Seekerville. I always enjoy spending time with readers and the incredibly talented women who inspire me daily.

 

I’m especially excited to talk about for upcoming release, a Love Inspired short contemporary romance coming out next month. I wrote The Sheriff’s Promise during the first six weeks of COVID quarantine. It was a wild ride. A story that began as a huge stressor due to its extremely tight deadline turned into a wonderful distraction during some very dark days. To be honest, there is no way I wrote this one on my own. God’s Hand was on this book from the first word I typed to the final sentence.

When I started writing the story, I tried to think of all the things I loved most. I adore animals. They have a way of softening hearts and teaching us unconditional love. I’ve learned a lot about God’s unmatchable grace from my pets. For that reason, and many others, I never grow tired of adding four-legged, furry characters to my books, often in the form of dogs and puppies.

It wasn’t until a sassy alpaca sashayed onto the page (and past my hero’s office window) that I found myself writing entire scenes with an animal actually stealing the show. As creative as Prissy was at finding ways out of her pen, she was even better at wrestling the spotlight from the other characters. I truly fell in love with her. She is one of my favorite secondary characters. I mean, look at that sweet perma-grin.

I’m also a fan of home renovation shows. There’s something about watching an ordinary room transform into a spectacular space that makes me feel both happy and creatively inspired. How easy it would have been to give my heroine the same passion. But, wait. Just like her alpaca, Remy proved difficult. The veterinarian had little interest in remodeling her home, discussing backsplashes or looking at paint swatches. My hero’s nephew, Samson, came through for me. The little boy couldn’t stop redesigning his dream daycare. Well, when he wasn’t playing with puppies or riding his bike. Kid after my own heart.

 

Want to know more about The Sheriff’s Promise? Here’s the blurb: 

He’s looking for help. And she has the perfect arrangement… 

Overworked and overwhelmed, all Sheriff Wyatt Holcomb wants is to be the best guardian to his seven-year-old nephew—and dealing with a runaway alpaca and the animal’s frustrating owner isn’t helping. 

Then veterinarian Remy Evans offers a solution for them both. She’ll watch his rambunctious nephew, Samson, this summer if he’ll fast-track her permit application for a petting zoo. But this temporary solution might just be their chance at forever…

 

I also love giving away free books. Let’s talk favorite things. I love puppies, alpacas and renovation shows. What’s guaranteed to make you smile? Leave a comment with your answer and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a print copy of The Sheriff’s Promise. 

While you’re online, feel free to stop by my website www.reneeryan.com. You can also contact me by email at reneeryanbooks@gmail.com or visit me on my Renee Ryan Facebook page.

Two-time winner of the published Daphne Award for her WWII romantic thrillers, Renee Ryan grew up in a Florida beach town. She received an undergraduate degree in Economics and continued her education on the graduate level at Florida State University, focusing on Religious Studies. She went on to teach high school AP Economics, Political Science, and Latin. 

Renee left teaching to pursue her dream of writing romance fiction. She sold her first book to Dorchester Publishing by winning the inaugural New Historical Voice Contest. She’s since written for several publishers in several sub-genres, including historical fiction, historical romance, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband and a fat cat many have mistaken for a small bear.

Ten Steps of the Successful Author

Okay, there is no mystery in this post, except the one I'm giving away two copies of!!!  My newest Guideposts Mystery from the Savannah Secrets collection "Patterns of Deception"!

No mystery to my advice, whatsoever.

None.

Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nada.

There are, however, layers of potential success, so let's talk about those today because if you go into this business with a full heart and a gentle soul and wide-eyed dreams of becoming the next Karen Kingsbury, J.K. Rowling or John Grisham, you may succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

YAY! 

Or you may miss seventeen very important steps, trip yourself up, fall flat on your face, and crawl away, sobbing like a two-year-old.

But the difference lies in those seventeen steps! (There aren't really seventeen, there could be twelve or eleven or thirty-two, I used seventeen solely for the purpose of syncopation with the word 'steps'. A long, multi-syllable word sounds even better when paired with a short, snappy word. Can you tell I've been teaching fifth graders all year? And yes-- before you ask the obvious-- I am, in fact, smarter than a fifth grader.)

But let's get back to the steps. Did you know that steps, while a basic form of architecture, are not easily achieved via wood/saw/concrete/stones/etc.? 

Level steps are a simplified masterpiece of mathematics. If your angle for the step is slightly off, then the person going up or down feels that "tilt" and compensates. A good step is flat and requires no compensation. A good step needs to be weather-resistant. It needs clean lines, flat planes, and the same degree of "rise" (from step to step) to make it easy to climb and safe.

Listen up, Einstein! Your book has similar needs.

1. TELL ONE STORY (this was my first major mistake, thinking I was brilliant and all that and a bag of chips. You get the drift...) You can add a subplot or reflective story but it is very difficult to tell multiple stories in one book unless you're penning a book of short stories. Focus on the one story, like a spider focuses on the center of her web, then take avenues from that center. 

2. KEEP WRITING (Your first book is probably junk no matter how much it means to you. There are exceptions to this rule. But that's why they're called exceptions, because they are not the norm. Toughen up, finish the book, let some smart folks read it (other writers or contest judges, critique partners) and grow a firm skin because just like not every baby is the cutest (although every baby IS THE BEST EVER) not every book is good. 

3. WRITE MORE BOOKS.

4. TAKE GOOD ADVICE. (You will hear that not all advice about your book is good, and that's true. But having said that, if you have several people tell you it makes no sense for hero to do/say/act like this, then you haven't laid the groundwork for his actions. That's your bad, darlings, so go back and rewrite. If it isn't clear to the reader, it doesn't matter that you meant it to be clear... That means you have to edit/revise to make it clear and sometimes that means going back to page one and re-delineating your hero and/or heroine's reasons for living and/or being a jerk or a wimp or a whiner or a tough gal or whatever it is they are supposed to be. It all begins on page one.)

5. IGNORE SOME ADVICE  This comes with practice and paying attention. I avoid jerks. I ignore them. If someone is inherently negative (and they are as prevalent in publishing, Christian or otherwise, as they are in life) I avoid them and not all negative people appear to be openly negative. You can often recognize them for the excuses they make about, well, most things. Like forever. Decades. When confronted with that advice, it's a consider-the-source moment. And quietly recede. But recognizing these people sometimes takes work on your part. 

6. STAY OFF SOCIAL MEDIA  Social media is a total time-suck. It's up to you, of course, but if you waste your ninety minutes of writing time every day by cruising Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or whatever, that was your choice to squander the time. Not for the good of mankind or your new career. Just... a waste pit of lost opportunity. Focus. Focus. Focus. Like a good fifth grader, you learn to allot your time, not put things off, and stay focused. The reason they teach this diligently in fifth grade is because:

       A. Kids are old enough to comprehend it at age ten.

       B. Kids are old enough to make a conscious choice and deal with consequences.

       C. Kids learn from their mistakes.

7. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY (Here's the dealbreaker for so many wannabe authors. They don't want the real responsibility of writing every day, of making up stories and typing them out, of revisions and edits and marketing and they slip away, sometimes not so quietly, blaming all kinds of folks for all kinds of things and you know what? That's okay... This business is sometimes wonderful and often brutal and there are people who do not long for your success so if you don't personally long for it enough to take the heat, then it's okay to leave the writing kitchen. I mean that. Sincerely.)

8. BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY GIVEN You may not love each opportunity the good Lord puts before you. You may not appreciate what editors have to say, the rewrites and revisions, the phone advice, or the revise and resubmit letters you might receive, but even if it's not what you envisioned, remember that if you're working with a publisher, they call the shots. They want what they want, not necessarily what you want to write. Build a base and stand by that base once built, but don't be afraid to branch out and deliver as requested. You might find out you're not the know-it-all you thought you were. You might-- gasp-- learn something! :) And learning is good.

9. GET UP.  One thing I know about this business and about life is that you will get knocked down. You may want to pout or whine or cry, and that's okay, but let's do the Eleanor Roosevelt thing, okay? Let's go into the bathroom, run the water, and gnash our teeth in there because whiny authors are a pain in the neck... although they are out there and a meany-pants like me just sighs and moves on and refuses (mostly) to engage in their drivel and I will tell you why: because they choose to be that way. You can choose to be that way, too. Or you can pull up your big girl panties, get back on the bike and learn to ride without training wheels because that's what the big kids do... and they don't gnash their terrible teeth, and show their terrible claws and roll their terrible yellow eyes without blinking once in public. Because. Gosh. That's dumb.) 

10. BE GRATEFUL. EVERY SINGLE STINKIN' DAY

CAVEAT: This is the expected Ruthy rant about respecting your country, taking time to appreciate not only your God-given gifts, but each little and big opportunity that comes your way every day. If you woke up? NEW OPPORTUNITIES AWAIT. It's up to you. Consider this your warning that the rant ensues below.

You're welcome! :)

Gratitude should be a no-brainer. 

Unfortunately that is not the current truth.

I look around this great country and I am constantly amazed by whining, lack of industry, laziness, lowered expectations and so many things that seem to fill mainstream media 24/7 today. I look at stories written and I may know that some of that story is actually untrue, but the story is written, edited and published as is because it follows a chosen narrative.... And lately that narrative is to mock, scourge, deride and besmirch our country, the kind of thing that is encouraged when often rich and power-hungry people want things to eventually tip in their favor. Encouraging discouragement in a populace is a very real maneuver, and golly gee whillikers, folks, what have we got to be discouraged about? Depending on your bar of measure, here's my take:

Not much.

We have more material goods than is good for us. We are blessed with opportunity, jobs, income, health and amazing health care, but still we yearn.

Well, we're silly.

We should be like Mary, following that cross. Not whining. Standing strong for the faith we share and the life we have. Standing firm in faith, together.

My "bleeds red/white and blue heart" loves being patriotic. I love this country, this land of opportunity, the options, the choices, the chances we're given to be our best so understandably I cringe when folks go out of their way to bring it down because if you've read history (not Cliff notes, darlings) then you can see the parallels of creating dissent for no other reason than dissent itself and how it affects a nation.

So be grateful. If not for yourself, then your grandparents or great-grandparents who risked life and limb for freedom, not to have it squandered two generations later... but to secure your freedom.

From that spirit of gratitude may come great words! 

Or maybe not.

But at the end of the day you won't feel like a jerk, you'll probably be nicer and maybe less whiny and that right there is a blessing to others. :)

So we bless them by appreciating our blessings. And that's a win for everyone! 

Leave a comment below about pretty much anything and I'll enter your name into the drawing for one of these absolutely wonderful mysteries! 

Multi-published, award-winning and really bossy author Ruth Logan Herne loves chatting up writing with all kinds of folks. She also loves God, her family, country, she bleeds red/white/blue and has been known to say the Pledge of Allegiance on the spur of the moment... and she thinks God is the coolest of the cool.

Friend her on Facebook, email her at loganherne@gmail.com or stop by her website ruthloganherne.com... she'd love to get to know you when she's not growing pumpkins, making wreaths and running a very busy and fun pumpkin farm!

One Thing That Works For Me with guest Erika Kelly: Time With Jesus

 

 Good Monday morning, Seeker villagers! Carrie here to open today's new post in our monthly 'One Thing That Works For Me' series. Actually, let me turn it over to our own Erica Vetsch now, as she has graciously offered to introduce today's guest. Take it away, Erica!

First, an introduction…Erika Kelly…how do I describe such an amazing woman in just a few words? Erika is a sister-in-Christ, walking salt-and-light, generous, kind, funny, wise, seasoned woman who also happens to run a bookstore. I first met Erika when she worked at Christian Book & Gift in Rochester, MN, a family-owned bookstore that has since closed its doors. (Sadness) Then, she was my daughter’s third-grade Sunday School teacher, and finally, she became the manager of Christos Bookstore, a ministry of Autumn Ridge Church. I am always geeked up to visit Christos because I know I’m going to see Erika and I’m going to be blessed. She always has a word of encouragement, of wisdom, or of insight when I come in, and often, she pauses what she is doing (she’s a very busy woman) to pray with me before I leave. And I never leave empty-handed. I am blessed to call her my friend, and I’m so glad she’s sharing with us in the “One Thing That Works For Me” series.

One Thing That Works For me Regarding The Bookstore ...

... one thing = time with Jesus each morning. First thing upon awakening, I open my Bible Scripture app and read the verse for the day, and then, after making my coffee, I sit and journal in my Gratitude Journal. The number of entries is in the 10,000s as I started it years ago. Writing in a gratitude journal helps me frame my attitude for the day. After that, I pull out my Bible and devotionals and read a variety of them, marking the Scripture in my Bible. When God lays a person on my heart, as I read a devotion or Scripture, I intentionally reach out and text them or Facebook message them , and it usually always comes at a “God time” when they needed it most. Also, I have note-cards which I write when God prompts me to reach out to one of His dear ones.

We live in a time, when people need more encouragement ... Godly encouragement ... than ever ... so being a part of Christos, I update our Facebook page daily with items to encourage. Each day I also post uplifting hope-filled messages on my personal Facebook page, and have been asked over the past few years to update the FB page of our local Christian radio station, KFSI. God's Hope Filled Promises need to be sent out and shared with each passing day amid a world that has turned from Him.

Another great benefit of working in a Christian Bookstore, is it has helped me to read at least 2-3 books a month so I can recommend titles and speak from experience. There are so many God-Centered books out there, and if a book does not quote Scripture or refer to God and His Son, Jesus, then we will not carry it in Christos . Our mission at Christos is clear. Everything we think, do, say, read, watch, and listen to, needs to surround our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are all a day closer to Heaven, and Jesus is our Savior and Hope in this world. Our prayer is that others may see Him in us, and as I tell many customers, as they are trying to reach their lost family members and friends - "You may be the only Bible someone reads." Keep the faith dear ones. God knows you by name and all that is on your heart.

My life verse says to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and I won't lean on my own understanding; but in all my ways, I will acknowledge Him and He will direct my paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart,

Erika

Christos Bookcenter
Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10-4
Wednesday 10-5
Saturday 4-7 pm
Sunday 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
on-line shopping available via www.AutumnRidgeChurch.org (click on Christos)
507-252-9090

*photos taken from Christos Bookcenter on Facebook, with permission

Erica V. here again. I can attest that Erika’s servant heart permeates everything she does at Christos. I observed, during the recent pandemic, how her heart for our community and believers everywhere shined. Christos has in-person, in-store shopping, online shopping, curbside delivery, and mailing/shipping options. I love supporting local, and I really love supporting Christos. It’s where I tell my friends to shop for my books! I encourage you to follow Christos on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ChristosBookcenter You will be encouraged and uplifted, and you’ll learn about some God and Scripture-centered books at the same time!

Do you have a local Christian bookstore?
What Bible Verse encourages you? 
If you need prayer, just put the word “Prayer” at the end of your comment. You don’t need to say what you need prayer for. Jesus knows, and He’ll hear.

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

 DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio, c. 1602. [PD-US]

On the evening of that 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, called Didymus, 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 his disciples 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 many other 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 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 the United States--and the world--during this Coronavirus pandemic. Pray for the sick and suffering, for businesses and schools to remain open, for people to be able to work and for our economy to prosper.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and your families and keep you safe.