Jessica Nelson's Blog, page 15
September 14, 2011
Cool News and Linkage
I had some news and links I wanted to share.
First, one of my best friends ever just recently sold her book to Abram's imprint Amulet!!! Anita is a superb writer who first guest posted here in 2008. You can read Anita's Call Story Here. Woohoo, Anita! I know there are many more sales in your future!
Secondly, one of my amazing critique partners Karla Akins just had a non-fiction book released. She's done a wonderful job with this book. If you homeschool or are Canadian, you may be interested in checking it out Here.
So, E-Readers are becoming more popular.
ACFW is so close! I'm going, are you?
And...my line edits arrived. At first I felt intimidated but as I'm going through them, I'm really enjoying it and finding some great nuggets from the editor (thank you!).
Do you use an e-reader? Are you going to ACFW?
First, one of my best friends ever just recently sold her book to Abram's imprint Amulet!!! Anita is a superb writer who first guest posted here in 2008. You can read Anita's Call Story Here. Woohoo, Anita! I know there are many more sales in your future!
Secondly, one of my amazing critique partners Karla Akins just had a non-fiction book released. She's done a wonderful job with this book. If you homeschool or are Canadian, you may be interested in checking it out Here.So, E-Readers are becoming more popular.
ACFW is so close! I'm going, are you?
And...my line edits arrived. At first I felt intimidated but as I'm going through them, I'm really enjoying it and finding some great nuggets from the editor (thank you!).
Do you use an e-reader? Are you going to ACFW?
September 7, 2011
The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund
They vowed to keep their marriage in name only.
But when the unexpected happens on the grueling journey west . . .
Their carefully constructed partnership will be put to the ultimate test.
Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call to the mission field.
Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field. Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs.
Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.
After finishing Jody's debut The Preacher's Wife, I've been eagerly awaiting her next book.
The Doctor's Lady is newly released and I devoured it. The writing was great and Jody did an amazing job of bringing the characters and setting to life. As a young reader, I used to love reading the historical romances featuring Native Americans and their lifestyle. I found the accounts fascinating.
While I enjoyed the romance in The Doctor's Lady, what I really found myself appreciating (and what served as my biggest hook), ended up being the incredible details Jody incorporated. Things like food, smells, lodging and the dangers found on the trail. I just had to know who would survive the journey and how it would end.
Kudos to Jody for writing a wonderful book based on the true story of the first white women to ever cross into Oregon!!
Jody can be found at her blog, her website, facebook and twitter.
Don't forget to enter her Trailblazer Contest!
So, you now know that I adore western historicals. What time periods do you enjoy? Who is your favorite historical author?
August 31, 2011
Waiting On Line Edits
Right now I'm waiting on line edits for my soon-to-be-pubbed (eeek!!!) book.
I did a set of revisions before contract and a set after, but now the story is being sent to a different line editor. Even though authors from the same line gave me some encouragement about these edits, I'm still nervous.
What will be changed? Will the editor like the story or hate it? Will the editor cross out all my "was"s?
The suspense of not knowing what will happen is driving me to chocolate.
Are you waiting for anything right now? How do you handle the suspense of the unknown? Are you prepared for the changes an editor might ask you to make?
I did a set of revisions before contract and a set after, but now the story is being sent to a different line editor. Even though authors from the same line gave me some encouragement about these edits, I'm still nervous.
What will be changed? Will the editor like the story or hate it? Will the editor cross out all my "was"s?
The suspense of not knowing what will happen is driving me to chocolate.
Are you waiting for anything right now? How do you handle the suspense of the unknown? Are you prepared for the changes an editor might ask you to make?
August 24, 2011
Talking With Readers
One thing I've loved about my new job is talking books with one of my co-workers. She's a big reader who ranges from literary to all things Harlequin. The perspective of someone who reads but doesn't write is fresh for me. Now another co-worker started reading a book and was telling me how mad she was at a male character over how he treated the heroine.
The depth of her immersion in the story was inspiring for me because last week she'd mentioned that the story was confusing at times due to an abundance of characters.
Yet that didn't stop her from rooting for the heroine.
How do I make a story like that? One that, despite its weaknesses, ensares a reader to the end?
There are lots of rules on how to do it, but sometimes I think it comes down to voice.
What was the last book you read that put you in tears or made you mad at a character? Any insight on how the writer did it? Do you talk books with nonwriters?
The depth of her immersion in the story was inspiring for me because last week she'd mentioned that the story was confusing at times due to an abundance of characters.
Yet that didn't stop her from rooting for the heroine.
How do I make a story like that? One that, despite its weaknesses, ensares a reader to the end?
There are lots of rules on how to do it, but sometimes I think it comes down to voice.
What was the last book you read that put you in tears or made you mad at a character? Any insight on how the writer did it? Do you talk books with nonwriters?
August 17, 2011
Use Your Words
Have you ever heard a parent tell their toddler to use their words? That's how I feel about writing. This Song captured me partly because of the lyrics.
Lord, make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors
Who would've thought forever could be severed
by the sharp knife of a short life
The writer uses words to make metaphors that create interesting images. She created a mood with her words, which is so important for us to do in our books.
Do your words evoke the mood you're going for in a particular scene? What about your metaphors? Have you ever heard this song before?
Lord, make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors
Who would've thought forever could be severed
by the sharp knife of a short life
The writer uses words to make metaphors that create interesting images. She created a mood with her words, which is so important for us to do in our books.
Do your words evoke the mood you're going for in a particular scene? What about your metaphors? Have you ever heard this song before?
August 10, 2011
The Next Big Thing
After Harry Potter we knew something else would be big, but what? Then suddenly Twilight appeared and for years captured the imagination of our world.
Now Twilight is approaching the end of its movie run and I can't help but wonder what will be the next big thing.
Do you think the next huge book will be YA? Is there room for anything else to get so big? Is there something big right now that I don't know about yet?
Now Twilight is approaching the end of its movie run and I can't help but wonder what will be the next big thing.
Do you think the next huge book will be YA? Is there room for anything else to get so big? Is there something big right now that I don't know about yet?
August 3, 2011
Why I Think Napoleon Dynamite Rocks
There are a lot of reasons why I love the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
Those who hate it might find this hard to believe, but Napoleon Dynamite is, at heart, about the deep value of relationships and how they can change us. The movie uses Understatement in a major way, which I think makes it slow-paced and boring at the beginning. If you don't finish the movie, it will be hard to like it, imo.
At the beginning of the movie, it's as though the major characters are muffled. Their emotions, their expressions, even the tones of their voices contain little emotion.
This is where Irony comes into play.
Secondary characters at first appear more alive than main ones. But as the story unfolds, as conflicts are introduced and relationships forged, the primary characters become the ones I root for. And by the end of the movie, a very interesting thing happens.
The discovered relationship and connection between the main characters has changed them so deeply that they become real and rounded. Those secondary characters who seemed more relatable at the beginning are actually flat stereotypes.
I also love the element of Surprise (aka freshness). When Napoleon's brother meets the girl he's been talking to on the internet, you're in for a surprise. There's a wonderful freshness in that scene, in how their love transcends the superficiality of culture.
Besides the beasting soundtrack and fantastic use of Irony, Understatement, and Freshness, Napoleon Dynamite is a winner in my house because it takes the everyday blahness of (some people's)life and shows how friendship can change everything.
What did you think of Napoleon Dynamite? Anything to add to this? If you didn't like the movie, why not? What do you think now?
Those who hate it might find this hard to believe, but Napoleon Dynamite is, at heart, about the deep value of relationships and how they can change us. The movie uses Understatement in a major way, which I think makes it slow-paced and boring at the beginning. If you don't finish the movie, it will be hard to like it, imo.
At the beginning of the movie, it's as though the major characters are muffled. Their emotions, their expressions, even the tones of their voices contain little emotion.
This is where Irony comes into play.
Secondary characters at first appear more alive than main ones. But as the story unfolds, as conflicts are introduced and relationships forged, the primary characters become the ones I root for. And by the end of the movie, a very interesting thing happens.
The discovered relationship and connection between the main characters has changed them so deeply that they become real and rounded. Those secondary characters who seemed more relatable at the beginning are actually flat stereotypes.
I also love the element of Surprise (aka freshness). When Napoleon's brother meets the girl he's been talking to on the internet, you're in for a surprise. There's a wonderful freshness in that scene, in how their love transcends the superficiality of culture.
Besides the beasting soundtrack and fantastic use of Irony, Understatement, and Freshness, Napoleon Dynamite is a winner in my house because it takes the everyday blahness of (some people's)life and shows how friendship can change everything.
What did you think of Napoleon Dynamite? Anything to add to this? If you didn't like the movie, why not? What do you think now?
July 21, 2011
Please Pray
Right now I'm driving to Minnesota to see my Grandma. She's been very sick. I'll be offline for the next week, probably.
Please pray for her and for safe travels for me. Thank you!
Please pray for her and for safe travels for me. Thank you!
