Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 81

Finding Your Voice

 

There are several aspects of writing for publication that can be unbelievably frustrating. The waiting. The search for the right agent. The submission process. 
And then there's the nebulous feedback you get on your writing. 
Show don't tell. Resist the urge to explain. Your pacing is off. 
One of the most frustrating bits of feedback I received was "You need to find your voice." 
My voice? How do I find my voice when I thought I was using my voice to write all along?
What is 'voice' anyway? VOICE is your unique way of writing. It's your vocabulary, your sentence length, your style choices, your way of creating that are solely yours. Voice is how you tell the difference between Mary Connealy and Ruth Logan Herne's blog posts. It's how you tell the difference between Arthur Conan Doyle and Charlotte Bronte, between A. A. Milne and Stephen King.
You might be thinking, "That's ridiculous. No one would mistake the author of Winnie-the-Pooh and the author Cujo for one another."
You're right, because those authors developed their unique voices to be different from any other author out there.
Did you know that when most people begin to write fiction, especially if they begin writing in earnest as an adult, they often write in a style of the authors who have influenced them. It's a sort of homage to those writers.
For me, the first time I submitted a proposal to an editor, I received the feedback that my writing sounded like Violet Winspear. 
Violet Winspear was a British novelist who wrote for Mills & Boon during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. 
That editor wasn't far off, since one of my favorite authors of all time is Essie Summers, a New Zealand novelist who wrote for Mills & Boon during the 60s, 70s, 80s, and into the 90s. 
When I re-read my first efforts as a novelist, I see the similarities. I was writing in the style of a beloved author, not in my own writing voice.
So how does a writer move from copying an author who influenced them and begin writing their own voice?
1. Read Widely. Rather than focus on just your favorite authors, read widely. Don't bathe your mind in one style or genre, instead sample lots of styles and authors. It's fairly easy to find yourself copying one writer's style, but it's impossible to copy EVERY writer's style.
2. Write. Write Write Write Write Write. I cannot stress this enough. You learn and discover your own writing voice by using it! Write narrative, write dialogue, write description, write action, write, write, write!  As you write, you will flex those voice muscles, letting go of old habits and bents and establishing your particular way of writing. 
3. Edit your writing. Re-read your work. As you read, you'll think "Oh, I should put a line of dialogue about __________ in here." and in a couple of lines, you'll see that you did. Or "I need to drop a hint here as to what the heroine is thinking." and less than half a page later, you read that you have already done that. You will know your own voice as you read.
4. Set a test. Send a critique partner half a dozen writing samples they've never seen before (only one of them yours) and see if they can pick out the one that you wrote.  If they can, you have found your voice! 

Voice is both complicated and simple. But truthfully, you WILL discover your unique voice through writing, reading widely, and editing your work. You won't have found it, and then one day, you will. 
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Have you found your writing voice?
BONUS QUESTION OF THE DAY: What's the most FRUSTRATING piece of writing advice you've gotten? 
The Gentleman Spy has released! 
He only wanted a duchess for a day--but she’s determined to make it a marriage for life

When his father and older brother suddenly pass away, the new Duke of Haverly is saddled with a title he never expected to bear. To thwart the plans of his scheming family, the duke impulsively marries a wallflower. After all, she’s meek and mild; it should be easy to sequester her in the country and get on with his life--as a secret agent for the Crown.

But his bride has other ideas. She’s determined to take her place not only as his duchess but as his wife. As a duchess, she can use her position to help the lowest of society--the women forced into prostitution because they have no skills or hope. Her endeavors are not met favorably in society, nor by her husband who wishes she’d remain in the background as he ordered.

Can the duke succeed in relegating her to the sidelines of his life? When his secrets are threatened with exposure, will his new wife be an asset or a liability?

You can get your copy of The Gentleman Spy HERE!

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she is married to her total opposite and soul mate! 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 at online  https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

Christ Handing the Keys to Saint Peter, Pietro Perugino, 1481-1482, Sistine Chapel. [PD-US]

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Matthew 16:13-20

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 outbreak. Also please pray for calm to be restored to our country and for peace to reign.
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.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com







Monday: Jan Drexler brought us a Back to Basics Post on Show vs Tell.
Tuesday: Guest Louise Gouge shared "Where Story Begins."
Wednesday: Debby Giusti talked about "Unmasking our Characters!" Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat.




Monday:  Erica Vetsch will be bringing a post!
Wednesday:  Cate Nolan will be sharing her knowledge!  Friday: Pam Hillman will be sharing a post!




When our recent guest Shannon Vannatter and her business partner Linda Fulkerson told us about Scrivenings Press, they mentioned upcoming contests. Here are links to more info! They will be holding two contests:
1. The Get Pubbed Contest. For completed manuscripts with a grand prize of publication, paid registration for an annual author retreat, 25-page critique and Amazon gift card. Genre winners will receive critiques and gift card. And all other entries will receive feedback. For rules and guidelines:  https://scriveningspress.com/get-pubbed/ 2. The Novel Starts Contest. For uncompleted manuscripts with grand prize of a video writing course, a critique, an invitation to submit your work, and a gift card. Genre winners will receive a critique and gift card. All others will receive feedback. For rules and guidelines:  https://scriveningspress.com/novel-starts/

More Amish SuspenseFrom USA TODAY bestselling authorDEBBY GIUSTI
Amish Christmas SearchOct 2020An Amish girl’s disappearance is a mystery…and the clues lead straight into danger at Christmas.Convinced her friend didn’t run away as the policebelieve, Lizzie Kauffman searches for the truth—butsomeone will kill to keep it hidden. Now the Amishhousekeeper and her friend Caleb Zook are on therun for their lives. And if they want to find theirmissing friend, Lizzie and Caleb must figure outa way to survive the holiday.
Pre-order HERE!





My 8 Favorite Platforms to Market Your  Books  by LA Sartor at Book Brush Blog
What's A Tag Line? And Why You Need One by James L. Rubart at Learn How To Write A Novel
5 Exercises for Honing Your Story Instincts by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
When It Doesn't Go Quite As Planned by Susan May Warren at Learn How To Write A Novel
Cut To The Chase: Tools For Revisions by Rochelle Melander at Fiction University
The Day I Almost Gave Up Writing by Lucinda Secret McDowell at The Write Conversation

Unmasking Our Characters

By Debby Giusti

Masks Required!

Masks have become the new norm, although I’m sure many of us think they’re a nuisance. Yes, they protect us—somewhat—from the corona virus, but they’re uncomfortable to wear. They cut off airflow and hamper breathing. Carrying on a conversation while wearing them is difficult and reading lips is impossible.

Personally, I like seeing people smile and frequently fail to recognize folks—even good friends—when their faces are covered.

So what does mask wearing have to do with writing?

Remember internal conflict? That’s the fear or flaw or wound our characters have from the past that causes them to hide behind a…?

That’s right! 

A MASK!!!

Since we’re up to our eyeballs in masks, quite literally, during this pandemic, I hope we’ve become more aware of our characters’ plight as they struggle with their imperfections. They worry someone will peer behind their false facades and see the truth they’re trying to hide. Regrettably, many of them have worn masks so long they’ve come to believe their faux identities represent who they truly are.

So what do we writers need to remember as we craft our stories?

First, we have to determine our hero’s wounds or flaws or fears.

Second, we need to identify the various ways he has learned to hide that of which he is most ashamed.

Third, we need to plot our stories to ensure the hero has the courage to remove his mask and embrace his true self. Only then is he able to achieve his external goal, declare his love for the heroine and embrace life to the full!

My debut novel, Scared to Death, featured a single mom who was afraid of water. When the men who killed her husband try to kidnap her young son, she and the boy flee to her aunt’s house. Do you know where the aunt lives? Of course, you do because you’re writers. The aunt lives in a gated island community. In fact, the aunt’s house is a beachfront mansion so the heroine mom, in her attempt to protect her son, has placed herself near the water she fears. I won’t spoil the story for you, but rest assured, the mom has to take off the mask she’s been wearing, admit her fear and then confront it head-on to save her son.

In Amish Safe House, a cop’s wife and small daughter were killed by an escaped criminal he sent to prison. Feeling responsible for their deaths, he handed in his badge and returned to the Amish community he left long ago. The new reclusive life he has created is threatened when a law enforcement friend asks him to shelter a divorced woman and her two children on the run from one of the country’s most vicious gangs. The reason the hero wears a mask includes not only the guilt he carries after his loved ones’ deaths but also hurtful accusations by his authoritative father long ago that the hero has accepted as truth. When the gang closes in, the hero must ignore the memory of his father’s taunts and face his fear of not being able to protect the people he loves.

In Dangerous Amish Inheritance, my heroine sacrificed her own happiness ten years ago to care for her ailing father in hopes of making amends for a mistake she made in her youth. Misfortune haunted her until the beginning of the story when the father of her secret baby returns to Amish Mountain, but the hero carries his own guilt for leaving the woman he loved and the son, now nine years old, who instantly steals his heart. When danger closes in, the hero and heroine must remove their masks and move beyond their past mistakes to keep their son alive.

As you brainstorm your stories, remember to focus on your hero’s wound or flaw or fear. In so doing, you’ll create exciting and intriguing ways for your character to change and grow. Just remember that at the end of the story, the hero has to discard his mask and accept himself as he truly is so he and the heroine can live happily ever after.

Happy writing! Happy reading!

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

www.DebbyGiusti.com

 

Amish Christmas Search

Oct 2020

An Amish girl’s disappearance is a mystery…

and the clues lead straight into danger at Christmas.

Convinced her friend didn’t run away as the police

believe, Lizzie Kauffman searches for the truth—but

someone will kill to keep it hidden. Now the Amish

housekeeper and her friend Caleb Zook are on the

run for their lives. And if they want to find their

missing friend, Lizzie and Caleb must figure out

a way to survive the holiday.

 Pre-order HERE!

Where Story Begins

 by guest blogger and multi-published author Louise Gouge.

People often ask authors how they got started writing and where they get their story ideas. I love to answer both questions because for me they go hand-in-hand.

 Since early childhood, I have seen a story in just about every situation. It’s never taken much to stir my imagination. So one day as I was contemplating my soon-to-be empty nest (I was a stay-at-home mom), I looked out my window and saw a young boy tossing a football with a young man. They were obviously having a great time. As always, the “what if” questions came to mind. What if they are father and son? What if the boy doesn’t know the man is his father? Why doesn’t he know? Who’s the mother? What does the father do for a living? The mother? How does she support her son?

 As with most of my imaginings, this one simmered in my brain for several days until a friend, also a soon-to-be empty nester, and I sat down over lunch to chat about what we would do with all our time after the children left home. I told her about my latest imaginings. She told me to go home and write that story right away. So I did!

 Characters and conflict seemed to flow from my fingers onto…wait for it…an electrictypewriter. Always a poor typist, I threw away a lot of paper, Xed out many lines, and generally made a mess of the manuscript. Did I mention this was in 1985? I hadn’t even heard of word processing computers. Were they a thing back then? Despite my typing struggles, I kept on writing.

 I decided the father was an NFL quarterback, the mother a waitress in a diner. The boy was a twelve-year-old who idolized the man he didn’t know was his father. How would he react when he found out?

 Moving toward finishing the book, I asked all sorts of people for help. A football expert. My doctor. A busy waitress. And always my loving husband, David. Finally the book was finished.

 To make a long story short, I decided to go back to college to make sure I’d done a good job of writing my all-American story. After graduation, I edited the book with what I’d learned and then found a publisher. In 1994, my first novel, Once There Was a Way Back Home, was published by Crossway Books. In 1998, the sequel, The Homecoming, was published by the same company. Over the subsequent years, I have been blessed to have 25 novels published. (Click here to see my booklist.)

 Fast forward to 2017. My beloved David, who supported me all those years, encouraged me to revisit those first two books. He loved the story as much as I do. Because the publisher had long ago reverted the copyrights to me, so I could do as I pleased with them. I dug in and brought them into the twenty-first century. Computers. Cell phones. Digital TV. Alexa! So many things we didn’t have in 1895, all had to be incorporated into the books. What fun!

 So much fun, in fact, that I decided to change the characters’ names and tweak a few of the plot elements. The result? Winning Amber. My amazing daughter-in-law designed a cover, and we were set to go. Winning Amber is now available on Kindle and in print.

 Now you know how I got started writing, and you’ve heard about just one of my inspirations. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I’ll write about the wife of Moby Dick’s Captain Ahab. Oh, wait. I already did that in Ahab’s Bride. Maybe a Jane Austen-inspired series about ladies’ companions? Been there, done that in my Regency Companions series. Maybe a series of westerns about where I used to live in Colorado. Done! Four Stones Ranch! So many inspirations. So many stories to write!

 Oh, and that typewriter? If I had to write my books on it, I think I would have given up a long time ago. I’m still a terrible typist. What would I do without my computer and…wait for it…backspacing and “delete”? Maybe you can relate to that.

 

Winning Amber

Winning is all important to him, in the game…and in love.

 Single mother Amber works hard to raise her son, Noah, on her wages and tips at a small Colorado diner. With medical bills to pay, they both wear secondhand clothes and do without the modern technology Noah’s classmates have. The last thing Amber ever expected was for Noah’s father to show up and preach at her about his newfound religion, especially since Drew didn’t even know Noah existed. Now will the rich and famous NFL quarterback try to take her son away from her? With no one to defend her, is it time for her to run away…again?

 Drew Buxton has always gotten what he wants. Money, girls, a successful career as the NFL’s most popular quarterback, he’s had it all…until a family betrayal and tragedy caused him to rethink his entire life and turn to God. Now he seeks to make amends to the people he’s harmed on his road to success, including the high school classmate who tutored him through his toughest classes. He doesn’t expect her to welcome his visit, nor does he expect the shock of learning he has a son. This changes everything. Now there isn’t anything he won’t do to improve his son’s life, no matter how much Amber resists.

LINK TO FINDING "WINNING AMBER" ON AMAZON: Buy It Here! 

Florida author Louise M. Gouge writes contemporary and historical romance fiction, winning the prestigious IRCA for Hannah Rose (2005) and placing as a finalist four times, and placing the 2012 Laurel Wreath

 

 

Show vs. Tell: Clearing Up the Mystery

 by Jan Drexler

Show, don’t tell.

You’ve heard that advice before, right? If there are rules for writing, this one has to top the list.

But while contest judges and critiquers (and other experienced authors) are fond of tossing this bit of advice our way, we rarely know exactly what it is that they’re talking about. It’s like the advice to “develop your voice.” Why is it so hard to pinpoint what it means?

In my opinion, it’s because “show, don’t tell” is a subjective technique of writing. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, paragraph structure…all of those are objective. I can tell you “A. B. C.” and you understand.

However, some writing techniques are more art than science. More right brain than left.

So, when someone writes on our darling manuscripts, “show, don’t tell,” what do they mean? And how can we fix it? 


Let me give you an example. This excerpt is from my work in progress before I revised it:

I turned my rental car into the driveway of Rose’s Sweetbriar Inn and parked on the cement pad in front of the double garage doors. I got out and inhaled the tangy aroma of pine. Lovely. It reminded me of the time I had spent working in Norway three years ago.

But the Sweetbriar Inn was nothing like the hotel north of Oslo. That one had been made of steel and glass. Very modern. The Sweetbriar was a huge log structure that had been built against the base of the pine-covered hill that rose behind it. Rustic and secluded.

In case you’re wondering, this excerpt is ALL TELLING!

How do I know?

Look at the first sentence: I turned my rental car into the driveway of Rose’s Sweetbriar Inn and parked on the cement pad in front of the double garage doors.

It tells what happens. Emma (the main character) drives her rental car to the Sweetbriar Inn and parks in the driveway.

It’s very simple. Short and sweet. It conveys the action, but no more.

Now look at the rest of the excerpt. Same thing. There is some description, a hint of Emma’s backstory, and I’ve used, let’s see, two of the five senses. Not bad. 
But it could be So. Much. Better.

How? By “showing” instead of “telling.”

Here’s my most recent draft of those two paragraphs:

As soon as I opened the door of my rented sedan, a familiar aroma tugged at my memories. Norway. Spring. Three years ago.

But the inn rising in front of me was nothing like the executive resort north of Oslo. Built into the side of a picturesque fjord, that building had been a steel and glass intrusion among the pines of the pristine Nordic wilderness. Sweetbrier Inn tucked its comfortable log structure into the embrace of the pine covered mountain deep in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Private. Secluded. Safe.

As we compare the two excerpts, we can pick out certain words that scream “telling.” I’ll highlight them:

I turned my rental car into the driveway of Rose’s Sweetbriar Inn and parked on the cement pad in front of the double garage doors. I got out and inhaled the tangy aroma of pine. Lovely. It reminded me of the time I had spent working in Norway three years ago.

But the Sweetbriar Inn was nothing like the hotel north of Oslo. That one had been made of steel and glass. Very modern. The Sweetbriar was a huge log structure that had been built against the base of the pine-covered hill that rose behind it. Rustic and secluded.

Every word I highlighted is a verb. Do you see that? Turned. Parked. Got out. Inhaled. Reminded. Was. Was. Had been built (passive voice – very “telling!”)

I’m not saying we shouldn’t use verbs, but the WAY we use them are key to whether our writing is strong “showing,” or weak “telling.” 



The secret? Trade in your tired, weak verbs for strong and robust ones.

Look at the verbs I used in the second example: Opened. Tugged. Rising. Pasted. Tucked.

Not every verb is a strong one, but we’re not writing purple prose here. We want to use strong verbs, but we want to use them sparingly. We want to make them count. 

Let’s try another excerpt. This one is from "The Roll of the Drums," my October 2019 release from Revell.

Here’s the pre-revisions and edits version:

The hungry horses fought for the grain, Delilah finally shoving Samson aside with bared teeth and thrusting her nose into the bucket.

Before you go on to read the final draft of the sentences, read the first version again. What would you change to make this into a “showing” sentence instead of a “telling” one?

Remember – look for the verbs. How can you make them stronger?

Here’s another hint: When I’m editing sentences like this, I try to picture the scene in my mind. Where are my characters? What is the light like? The odors? What is my character’s state of mind and his focus? 


When I rewrote this scene, I closed my eyes. I put myself in the barn, in Gideon’s place. What was he experiencing?

Samson whickered deep in his throat and extended his jug head toward the wooden scoop. The horse’s nostrils opened wide as he breathed in the scent of the grain before Delilah shoved him aside and reached for the oats with bared teeth.

And another hint. Read the two examples again. In the first one I used the adjective “hungry.” Do you see it in the second example? No. But do we know that the horses are hungry? Yes.

In the first example, I told the reader that the horses were hungry. In the second example I showed the reader their eagerness for the grain, Delilah’s desperation to get to the food before her mate. 




So, how do we take a passage from “telling” to “showing?”

1) Pay attention to the verbs and how we’re using them.

2) Put ourselves in our point of view character’s mind – what are they seeing and experiencing?

3) Watch for adjectives – how can we eliminate telling our readers the adjective and show them instead?

 I hope my brief foray into Show vs. Tell has helped to clear up some of the mystery!

But there's still one more thing - "Telling" has its place in your story, too. In a paragraph that moves your character from point A to point B is one time to use it. A sentence that shows the passage of time is another appropriate place. It's a good idea to re-read a favorite book and see how that author used "showing" and "telling" to their best advantages. Every author has their own way of using these techniques...and that's what gives an author their "voice."

Let's talk!

Writers: Do you have trouble with show vs. tell in your writing?

Readers: Can you tell the difference when you're reading a story?

And a reminder: I have two books coming out in October!

The first is the third installment in my "Amish of Weaver's Creek" series, Softly Blows the Bugle, and is available for pre-order now!

And my Christmas novella from 2019 is being re-released as an e-book only, single title!

Links to pre-order both books are on my website: www.JanDrexler.com!

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

The Woman of Canaan, Michael Angelo Immenraet, 17th century. [PD-US]
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! 
My daughter is tormented by a demon.” 
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. 
Jesus’ disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” 
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.” 
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.” 
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith! 
Let it be done for you as you wish.” 
And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.Matthew 15:21-28


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 outbreak. Also please pray for calm to be restored to our country and for peace to reign.
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.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com









Monday: We welcomed guest Shannon Vannatter to tell us about Scrivenings Press. From their website: "Scrivenings Press LLC is a traditional, royalty-paying publisher of clean fiction. The company was founded in 2020 when owners Linda Fulkerson and Shannon Vannatter purchased the bulk of the backlist from Mantle Rock Publishing as well as the contracts MRP had signed for upcoming books." The winner of a copy of the Love Inspired Western Collection,  Counting on the Cowboy / Her Texas Cowboy  is Glynis!
Wednesday: Ruth Logan Herne was in the house instead of the pumpkin patch and she was chatting straight-up truths about publishing and squaring your shoulders, pulling up your big kid britches and getting on with it. Typical Ruthy.... also typical Ruthy, she's giving away two copies of her newest Guideposts mystery "A Fallen Petal", and the winners are Paula Shreckwise and Karen Sargent!
Friday: Beth shared everything y'all ever wanted to know about blog tours and likely a few things you didn't in Behind the Scenes of a Blog Tour: a JustRead Publicity Tours exclusive sneak peek for Seekerville! Winners of two books from the JustRead stash are kaybee and Sandy!


Monday:  Jan Drexler will be here with a Back to Basics post that attempts to make the most common piece of advice a littler clearer: Show vs. Tell: Clearing Up the Mystery
Tuesday: Louise Gouge comes in on Tuesday to chat about her newest release "Winning Amber" and how to harness inspiration and mold it into a beautiful story! 
Wednesday: Debby Giusti will be talking about writing and the writing journey. Be sure to stop in for a cup of java and a bit of inspiration!  Friday: Ruth Logan Herne shamelessly jumps in to help out on this Friday by promoting the second book of her republished North Country series "Season of Hope" ... And will have an e-copy or two to give away! Stop by and learn a little more about how the publishing industry works and how indie publishing and traditional publishing have learned to work hand in hand... at least some of the time!





If you love Christian fiction--and don't we all--here's an opportunity to win 30 books, including Mindy Obenhaus's latest release, A Father's Promise , and an eReader! Enter HERE. Contest ends Wednesday, August 19th.


More Amish SuspenseFrom USA TODAY bestselling authorDEBBY GIUSTI
Amish Christmas SearchOct 2020An Amish girl’s disappearance is a mystery…and the clues lead straight into danger at Christmas.Convinced her friend didn’t run away as the policebelieve, Lizzie Kauffman searches for the truth—butsomeone will kill to keep it hidden. Now the Amishhousekeeper and her friend Caleb Zook are on therun for their lives. And if they want to find theirmissing friend, Lizzie and Caleb must figure outa way to survive the holiday.
Pre-order HERE!
Ruthy's (Ruth Logan Herne) second North Country book debuts as an indie THIS WEEK! Originally published by Love Inspired as "Made to Order Family" Season of Hope is available for preorder now... with a Friday, 8/21 release date! Amazingly priced at $1.99, Ruthy hopes the lot o' youse will love the series that began it all for her ten short years ago!

PREORDER HERE FOR FRIDAY DELIVERY!!!!

6 Crucial Character Relationships by Laurence MacNaughton at Fiction University
Praying God's Words over Your Words by Julie Lavender at The Write Conversation
4 Ways to Write Sequel Scenes That Grip Readers by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
6 Tricks to Layer on Stakes by September C. Fawkes at Writers Helping Writers
The Challenge of Creating Powerful Settings by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
Sticky Note Thoughts for Plotters and Pantsers by Leigh Cheak at Writers In The Storm
Love, Work, and Office Romance by Angela Ackerman at Jami Gold
Finding the Quirky in the Mundane by David Rawlings at Learn How To Write A Novel
Top 12 Fonts to Use on Book Cover Designs by Chloe Holiday at Book Brush Blog
Developing a Coherent Story by Jael R. Bakari at Jami Gold

Behind the Scenes of a Blog Tour

Whether you’re a repeat customer or interested in partnering with JustRead Publicity Tours, LLC (lovingly referred to as JustRead or JR by those of us who refer to it daily) or simply a curious reader, I hope you’ll enjoy this behind the scenes peek at the planning and execution of one of our many campaigns. If you haven’t met us yet, JustRead provides a variety of publicity services including our example for today, tried and true blog tours. I’ll be referring to “you” as an author below and linking a few examples so if you’re a reader or publisher, it’s time to play pretend!

Hi, author friend! The first step to partnering with JustRead is filling out a Campaign Inquiry Form on our website. Once Carrie has a chance to review your information, she will send you date availability and pricing plus helpful suggestions to best meet the needs you indicate on the form. She’s such a sweetheart, she’ll even hold those dates for you for seven days while the two of you exchange any necessary emails to ensure we are all on the same page. We are big fans of open communication, it generally makes life less stressful.

Note: Clearly specifying your book's genre (Christian fiction or wholesome “clean reads”), subgenre (historical, women’s fiction, romantic suspense, etc.), and ANY content warnings on the campaign inquiry form is critical for a successful campaign. 

(fair warning, I’ll be chasing rabbit trails and dropping little notes throughout this post)

Another note: If we do not have availability within your target timeframe or if we don’t think your book will be well received by our hosts or regular reader base (for whatever reason), we will refer you to another tour company that might better suit your specific needs.

Once you’re ready to go for it, Carrie will add your tour to our calendar, enter all the pertinent information in our task management software, send an invoice request to Annie and (voila!) the countdown to your blog tour begins! Annie will square away all the money math then shoot an email invoice to your inbox but be sure to read it or you’ll miss important things like payment methods and due dates as well as what we need from you and when we need it to make your blog tour a success!

Note: Send a high-resolution image of your cover to Carrie ASAP. This is task #00 for creating your tour and believe me, it feels good to check things off the ol’ to-do list.

When possible, we like to begin reader (or host) sign-ups for tours a couple of months before the start date and since 2020 has been plagued with every shipping delay imaginable, we have pushed that timeframe back even further, especially when print copies are involved (such as certain review or bookstagram tours). To kick-off sign-ups, I (Beth) will use that hi-res cover you already sent to Carrie (go, you!) and book information (from your campaign inquiry form mentioned above or email exchange with Carrie) to create your tour’s banner, host sign-up form (for reader contact information, date availability, post type preferences, etc.), host review link submission form (more about this one a bit later), and a “new tour” graphic. Either Rachel or Carrie will jump in at this point to proofread these forms before we send them out into the world.

   Note: Creating banners is one of my favorite tasks. Sometimes I go through multiple drafts before I’m happy with the outcome (and I often drag Rachel and Carrie into the deliberations). 

Once the forms are double-checked, readers can sign up to be considered for a stop on your tour! My next task will be to spread the word by posting the new tour graphic to our Instagram (you can see them in our highlights) and Facebook stories, sending out a newsletter showcasing the banner of your tour (and other new tours for that two weeks), and featuring your tour banner (with other open tours) on the Current Sign-Ups page of our website during the sign-up period. Near the end of your sign-ups, Carrie (since we’re referring to a blog tour) will make sure we have plenty of qualified hosts for your tour.

Note: If we are short on time or would like to attract more hosts for a specific tour, we also share a “tour alert” graphic post on Instagram and Facebook, highlighting your cover, tour, and book blurb. This summer, our lovely intern Kayla has been tending to our new tour stories and tour alert posts among many other things and we so appreciate her!

Another note: Carrie also assigns our reviewer and “blind date with a book” tours and Rachel assigns our social media tours.

When Carrie is ready to create your tour schedule, she will assign hosts to specific dates for author interview, guest post, review, and/or spotlight posts. She will check each blogger’s provided information including monthly views, preferences, and availability, plus past host performance to determine the best candidates for your tour. Carrie will then send each assigned reader a welcome email with the schedule specifying their assigned date and important reminders. Hosts assigned author interview or guest post spots on the tour have a few days to reply to the welcome email with their questions or topic suggestions and Carrie will email those to you along with any final details we need.

Note: If we have more readers than available spots, readers who are not assigned receive a “thank you for your interest” email. If you opt to include print copies for reviewers, Carrie will also send the mailing list at this time and a SHIP BY date.

Send Carrie your responses for author interview and author guest post spots and final details promptly because the last few weeks before your tour is when we will compile that information for hosts. I will build your blog landing post including giveaway graphic, Rafflecopter form, and linked tour schedule for the JustRead website plus assemble host assets such as post requirements and HTML for WordPress and Blogger. Rachel will proofread those before I send asset emails to the tour hosts and Carrie will email your author interview and guest posts to each assigned host one week before the first day of the tour.

Take a deep breath, it’s the morning of your long-awaited and highly anticipated blog tour organized by JustRead Publicity Tours! Are you excited?! We’re excited!

Note: As day breaks and the dew dries and my children and dog are pulling me in at least 5 different directions at once… I will (eventually) link your tour banner on our home page. However, if you’re an earlier riser and function-er than I am and you just can’t wait to see that post for yourself, simply click on Blog under Campaigns in the menu bar. (ta-dah!)

Your landing post on the JustRead website will go live at midnight EST (automatically be shared in JustRead’s Facebook and Twitter feeds) and that’s also when your giveaway begins! On the first morning, your book cover will be pinned to JustRead’s “Books to Read” Pinterest board and your giveaway graphic will be pinned to a “Book Giveaway” board. Hosts will have their posts published by noon EST (and shared on social media) and Rachel will visit each blog to make sure the post contains the correct information and leave a thank you (yet another task our intern Kayla has excelled in). By the conclusion of the giveaway, hosts will also submit the host review link submission form which Carrie will include along with the tour giveaway winner and link to an anonymous feedback survey in her wrap-up email to you.

Ta-dah! That's how we do it, folks! Did you learn something new? Did I put you to sleep? 

As we draw the curtains on this exclusive sneak peek, we invite you to ask any general questions you may have in the comments below but please direct specific tour requests to the campaign inquiry form mentioned above or you may email me: beth @ justreadtours.com (with no spaces).

Let us know in the comments if you'd like to be entered in a random draw for the winner's choice of two books from the JustRead stash!
JustRead Publicity Tours, LLC is a full-service publicity tour company for published works in the Christian genre or books that are considered a “clean read”. For more information, check out our “About” page to see who we are or jump right into “Authors & Publishers” to learn more about our campaigns.

10 CHOICES WRITERS MAKE EVERY DAY

Publishing has changed. It has changed drastically since I started this journey about 18 years ago, and here's a bit of advice from a gal who has published nearly 60 books: A meteor didn't take the dinosaurs. The inability to adapt did.

If you don't believe me visit the Museum of Natural History in NYC.

Let me give you a brief Ruthy history: I wrote for eight years before getting a contract with Love Inspired. I was approached by Theresa Park (Nicholas Sparks' agent) in year five but she didn't want to talk further if I didn't pull my work from Harlequin/Love Inspired. Ouch! I made mistakes... and stayed writing through them. The publishing climate changed. I stayed writing. Christian publishing houses began to close. I kept writing. I examined markets, tried to mentally predict what would happen next (hahahahaha! Good luck with that, LOL!). I saw that romance was going to a much higher degree of sensuality than I was comfortable with and with that I left RWA (Romance Writers of America). I kept writing. Entering contests. Going to conferences and meeting people when financially possible, and I learned to watch quietly because what gets put on the Internet stays forever on the Internet... Oops! Publishing contracts from Love Inspired kicked off my career: in 2009 they offered three separate contracts and a new page was turned.

I love working with Love Inspired. I love that women with short purse strings can afford these books, and that they're available in Walmarts and pharmacies and grocery stores... where women tend to shop, right? No brainer. But I also like writing bigger, broader books.

I kept writing.

I had 14 novels complete when I was contracted.  My first post-contract agent didn't see them making it anywhere... they didn't fit.

I kept writing.

My next agent echoed those words. They weren't typical Christian fiction, they didn't fit in the box, and because I was so good at category, maybe that's where God intended me to be.

I figured God wanted me to do exactly what I was doing... honing my craft, and working on my mission to give women the strength and grace and tenacity to see how faith builds us up in times of trouble... and I knew those stories might not fit the prescribed CBA "box"... but I knew they were good.

I went indie with those books, hit Amazon bestselling charts and began my hybrid career, not as an "in your face" move because I respect these women. They were right. PUBLISHING RARELY BENDS TO MAKE ROOM FOR NEW STUFF. That's their prerogative, right? Ours is to make our own choices to build our careers. Who knew??? 

And you know what? Rather than fuss and whine (which I've watched happen countless times) about what publishing wants, or the (gasp!) ignominy of writing to market... (shocked face and gasps again!) a strong writer examines the business side of the market, their time, their choices, their goals, and goes from there because, my friends, in case you've forgotten or never knew this, writing is a business.

It is not a hobby if you want it to pay the bills.

You do not have limitless choices when you are under contract.

They are paying you to produce a product, the product they bought... the product they're standing behind, the product they plan to market, the product they hope to sell to a targeted audience/readership just like Fruity Pebbles are normally targeted toward really smart kids because they're delicious!!!! AND.... Kashi Go flakes are marketed toward adults who don't run off an extra 500 calories while sitting at a desk.

As an author, you don't just write the book unless you're going indie.

You may be asked to re-write the book.

You will have revisions. Some of them may not sit right. When this happens, you do the revisions because they bought the book... you're the author, but it is now their book.

You will have edits. Multiple edits. And you don't necessarily get to ignore them although there is some compromise available, especially once you have a track record. But establishing that track record, building a readership, now that's up to you. 

Back to choices, because no matter how many fingers get pointed at the tyranny of publishers, here are the facts: This isn't about them. It comes down to you.

1. You may have to jump through hoops. In day jobs we call that "having a boss".

2. You will have to compromise. 

3. You will have to take advice and adjust your time frames, schedules, focus and deliver the goods in a timely fashion. 

4. You may have to write to market. That means that you may be asked to write books that sell to a prescribed audience/readership. Before you think of this as an insult, consider this: the publisher is paying. That gives them a really firm leg to stand on. If you don't want to write to market, that's okay, too! But it's not an insult to be asked to produce a book that fits a niche. I do both. Category romance and cozy mysteries are great examples of writing to market... and paying the bills! I love being a small business woman who has built a career that pays the bills... But as mentioned above, writing other stories takes a different path.

5. Don't shrink back from proving yourself. Women have been doing that forever. Now is no different. When my indie books took off, I was offered contracts for bigger books from publishers. Yay! But my work and effort came first, and it's often like that. This is not offensive. It's how things go sometimes. The old adage rings true: The harder you work, the luckier you get.

6. Publishing isn't easy and you will make hard choices. One publisher asked one final question before deciding on a contract: Will I still write for Love Inspired? I said yes... and they did not offer the contract. It is a personal decision how much power you're willing to concede and I assess each offer, contract on its own merit and my faith.

7. Your covers aren't always your dream covers... but when readers fall in love with your work, you'll realize that readers don't care as much about covers as they do about authors who touch their hearts.

8. You will have to relinquish a measure of control. Not everyone can do this. Think it over carefully.

9. You will have to deliver manuscripts on a deadline, edits on a deadline, background and art work on a deadline... and take advice from editors, copy editors, sales teams and marketers and follow the rules.

10. Working with other authors isn't always easy. Word to the wise: We are a diverse group, even when we are considered a "stable" of writers. Like horses, we are of many colors and temperaments. We have different talents and goals, but you would be wise not to burn the bridges because it may be a big industry but it is a Very Small Pond. Be nice. Play nice. Or mind your tongue. What you put in print on social media gets seen by many.... take it from one who made some early mistakes and think, think, think before splashing your current angst all over Twitter or Facebook or Instagram. 

I've been honored to help and mentor and advise a lot of aspiring and now published writers... We've been doing Seekerville for fifteen years, so I've watched promising authors crash and burn numerous times because the work and expectation involved isn't a piece of cake. 

I hope that's not you.

But then-- dear author-- that's entirely up to you. 

Indie publishing has opened so many doors and options that didn't exist as a viable option even ten years ago.

Ten years!!!!

To quote Nora Roberts on writers and success: Successful authors aren't always the most talented. They're the ones who didn't quit.

And that bit of truth holds true today, too.

And a double giveaway of this new mystery today!!!!! "A Fallen Petal", book 2 of "Savannah Secrets" from Guideposts Publishing! 

When an acclaimed author announces his next book will be a deep dive into the predecessors of Savannah’s oldest citizen, 104-year-old Harlowe Green becomes very nervous. Harlowe fears that a long-buried family secret might not just tarnish his reputation, but it might also expose his family as criminals. Years ago—almost a century now—he went on a trip north with his parents and little brother, Lawrence. Only three of them returned home, and everyone around Harlowe refused to acknowledge that Lawrence had ever existed. Concerned that time is running out to understand what happened, Harlowe implores Meredith and Julia—fresh off their first case—to help him find the truth. But will their discoveries bring him peace or confirm his worst fears and destroy his family’s good name?

Multi-published, bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne is thrilled to be doing exactly what she loves doing, writing beautiful stories with unforgettable and wonderfully relatable characters while helping to run a pumpkin farm, enjoy a big family, and balance a cake on a plate like Seuss's "Cat in the Hat". :) Her newest mystery has just been released by Guideposts, and she's thrilled to share it with folks today! 

You can email Ruthy at loganherne@gmail.com, friend her on Facebook, visit her website ruthloganherne.com or hang out with the many varied authors here in Seekerville or Yankee Belle Cafe.