R. Frederick Riddle's Blog, page 64
July 6, 2016
The World That Was an Introduction
Some of you may recognize The World That Was as the series of books I have been writing. I thought it good that I begin a series of blogs (for Wednesdays) that both examined the books and the underlining facts that made them possible.
Today is something of an introduction.
Originally, the words The World That Was were basically a subtitle. Taken from the Bible I meant it to mean the world that existed prior to the Flood. However, as the series has continued it has come to embrace both the world before the Flood and the Old Testament world that existed after the Flood.
One of the purposes of this blog series is to put on display how an author goes about writing a book. You may never write about the Biblical events and people, but you may write about history, our current times, or even our future. But the principles engaged in writing are often the same.
So for starters, how did I arrive at the title of the first book, Perished: The World That Was?
When I decided to write this book it was to include two other books: Refuge: The Genesis Chronicles and Adam’s Chronicles, plus brand new material connecting the two books. So when it came time to choose a title I needed to ask myself some questions.
1st Question: What is the story about? The answer was simple: About the world that existed prior to the Flood including the people who lived in that time.
2nd Question: What is the emphasis of the story? Again the answer was simple: To show God’s creative and preserving hand throughout history, and to show why God had to destroy the world.
Having answered those two questions, I then had to come up with a title. I am not suggesting that you get your title from the same source I used, but you do want it relevant to your story. I came across 2 Peter 3:6: “Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.”
Right there was my Title and Subtitle.
So what is your take-a-way? Actually that is up to you, but I suggest the following principle:
When choosing a title and/or subtitle make it as relevant to the story as possible.
There’s another principle, namely, that you make the title enticing. It should be eye catching and suggestive of the books content. In my title it had the word Perished, which suggests action, danger, and even death. The subtitle The World That Was tells the prospective reader that the story takes place in the past. In addition, since it is connected to the word Perished it indicates it was the world that perished. So, even though the basic story is well known, there is still some mystery associated with the subject.
Was this interesting? Helpful?
Feel free to comment.
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Frederick Riddle is the author of several books. For more information on him visit his Amazon Authors Page .
Filed under: books, Creation, fiction, Noah and the Ark, World that was, Writing Tagged: ancient world, Noah, novels, R. Frederick Riddle, The Ark, world before the flood, World that was
July 4, 2016
FOURTH OF JULY
Normally I blog about writing, but today is the 4th of July. So let me talk about our great country.
Unfortunately for our children it has become fashionable to judge people in the past by the mores of today. This is not only unfortunate but wrong.
The truth is that while many of the men who gathered together to declare our independence were slave holders, they were men who stood tall above their fellow countrymen. They were men to be admired.
These men laid a foundation that not only won our independence, but also led to the creation of our constitution (by some of the same men), which has undergirded this nation through a the War of 1812, Mexican war, Civil War, Spanish-American War, WWI and WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and two wars in Iraq. Plus our current war against terrorism.
We now live in an age when some want us to ignore our constitution calling it outdated. But that document has evolved from a strong basic document to one that has made this country the “land of the free.” It may make change harder to attain, but that is a good thing.
Change for change’s sake is never a good idea. Change needs to be examined and searched out. When change is contemplated it should be compared to our Christian faith. What does the Bible say?
Some people ignorantly and/or foolishly claim that this country was not founded upon Biblical principles. I say ignorantly because they obviously have not searched out the historical facts. Did you know that many of the writers of the constitution were ministers or active laymen in their church? But more than that there are plenty of documents showing the desires and intents of the founders.
I say foolishly because some knowing the truth, deny it. Not only deny it, but pervert it. Today our country is teetering. There are strong voices wooing us to embrace godlessness; to call good that which the Bible calls sin; to call bad that which the Bible calls good; and to follow our lusts no matter who it hurts. Today we have “leaders” who either ignore or twist our nation’s Christian heritage.
There are also the voices of the people. Not all are Christians, but as a whole they yearn for the stability of the past. They want a government that is responsive to their wants and needs; an economy that empowers the people to be inventive and innovative; and a church that sticks by the Word of God. These voices must not be silenced.
On this 4th of July it is my prayer that each of us will do more than simply celebrate in our backyards, our schools, and our streets, but we will reflect upon our godly heritage, the Biblical foundations of our country, and the future direction of our nation. And then do something about it.
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Frederick Riddle is the author of several books. For more information on him visit his Amazon Authors Page.
Filed under: 4th of July, Fourth of July, Our nation's Christian heritage, U.S. constitution, Writing Tagged: 4th of July, celebrate, Fourth of July
June 29, 2016
Profanity in Writing: Is It OK?
Profanity sells!
That is a fact. Which is one of the reasons writers employ it. Some will say they do it because they want their characters to be real. But this argument falls flat when you view real life.
Sure many, not all, people swear. I was a sailor and learned to swear, but that doesn’t mean that all sailors swear (though they have that reputation). But the truth is that even those who do swear usually are mindful of the people around them. It is rare to find someone who swears all the time.
Personally, I don’t like swearing or any kind of profanity in writing. One critic read a recent book review in which I explained my 2 star rating of the book was partly based on the excessive profanity. It was a book that left me feeling dirty, and I don’t think I was able to finish it. In fact, I eventually threw it away.
Back to the critic. He took exception to my condemnation of profanity. Called it absurd and proceeded to attack me personally because of my Christian stand. I replied to that critic that I felt that way about profanity before I ever became a Christian.
This critic had also defended profanity in writing because “most” people swear. This is dubious at best. Perhaps if you are talking about an occasional swear word this might be true. But constant swearing? Kind of depends where you frequent.
The truth of the matter profanity in writing has less to do with creating “real” characters and more to being a crutch. Instead of investing time and effort into creating believable characters some authors opt for profanity and graphic text. These are crutches usually designed to cover poor writing.
The sad part of this is that I have read (or started to read) books that were well written. They had good plot and strong characters. But then they inserted profanity. Ruined the book which ultimately landed in the trash.
If you have been around for awhile you may remember some of the classics of old. Rarely did you see a swear word. Actually the authors often used symbols for swearing, such as “#$@&%*!”. And I am going to say something that may astound you.
Using symbols in place of actual swear words is more effective than the swear words.
Did I really say that? Yes. And here is why.
The writing of fiction, whatever genre you are in, has a primary goal of connecting with the reader. And how does a reader connect with a book? His/her imagination! It is the author’s job to trigger that imagination, to excite it and pull it in. That is why so much emphasis is placed on strong characters and well developed scenes. When describing a scene the author doesn’t get bogged down in details but gives beautiful (or ugly) descriptions that leave it up to the reader to fill in the smaller details. That is why two or more people can read the same words and ‘think’ it described something altogether different.
Same thing with language. Using a symbol actually triggers the reader’s imagination. One reader will supply a word or phrase, while another reader will apply an altogether different meaning. They personalize the text, making it something they are familiar with in their own lives.
Unfortunately there are famous authors who have used profanity in their books. Why? I can’t read their minds, but all to often it is because profanity sells. And that is sad. Especially if they are able to create strong characters without it.
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R. Frederick Riddle is the author of several books. For more information on him visit his Amazon Authors Page.
Filed under: books, fiction, graphic writing, profanity, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged: basics on writing, Using profanity in writing, Writing
June 20, 2016
Virtual Book Tour: What is it?
We have all heard of book tours where you contact a bookstore, library, etc. and arrange to spend approximately four hours (one session) autographing your book that someone buys. Although some say it has lost its effectiveness book tours are still around.
But what are Virtual Book Tours?
In the next few minutes I will give you an overview.
A Virtual Book Tour is:
In a traditional book tour you might spend hours driving from city to city to promote your book. But in a virtual book tour you make “virtual” appearances not at bookstores but on blogs, podcasts, websites and internet radio. These tours may last from 1 to 4 weeks.
It is an excellent way of promoting your book, your name, and your sales. Plus it will help your Amazon rankings.
So Exactly What is a Virtual Tour?
Well, a well-rounded tour can include any or all of the following:
Book giveaways
Book review
Excerpts from your book
Guesting on other blogs
Interviews
Guest appearance on radio
Guest appearance on podcasts
Social media contest
Videos that are posted by blogs
plus more
Remember, the more you include the more interest your audience will have in checking out your tour appearance. And it will be more fun than sitting at a table waiting and hoping for someone to stop by and purchase your book. (One of the drawbacks of traditional book tours is you may sit for hours and none or few people stop by. It can be a real downer. But a virtual tour is not that way.)
You have options not only regarding the ingredients of your tour but who does the booking. Search the internet and you will find a good number of marketing and PR services who offer booking services. I don’t know of any that are free, so find one that fits your budget.
Or DIY – Do It Yourself!
I am not going to cover the various services because I don’t know your needs nearly as well as you know. But I will show you a simple plan not original with me. I drew inspiration from another blogger Chris Robley, however I expanded on it.
Special Note
A virtual book tour is like a traditional book tour in that you are casting a wide net. The wider the net the more likely you will be to land a few fish. But to do this requires that new word: Targeted. In other words, just as a fisherman targets a particular place to do his fishing you need to target where the tour will take place.
That requires research. Visit the potential blogger, podcaster, or reviewer and learn who they are, what kind of books they are interested in promoting, who is their audience, and more. Then when you contact them show them that you understand their needs and their audience needs.
Warning!
Just because you have done the research and properly contacted the people does not mean that they will be interested. Some may not write you back and others may send a “no thank you,” but it would be wrong to take this personally. Chalk it up to a learning experience and don’t remove them from future consideration for your next book. Do embrace the ones who are interested.
Getting Started:
Do Your Research of your targeted book blogs, podcasts, radio programs, etc. Make sure they are interested in literary works and, in particular, your topic. Put these potential visits in a list (some people use a spreadsheet, but use whatever works best for you).
Get to Know Them. Visit and make appropriate comments on blogs, etc. Keep detailed notes on their characteristics (not all are the same).
Book Your Tour. This is very important: Do not use mass emails in seeking to book your tour. Write to each separately keeping your request short, to the point, and respectful. This is a great time to show them that you are familiar with their blog, podcast, etc. And perhaps most important convey to them why you are a perfect fit for their audience.
Prepare! Know your subject.If you can arrange for the questions and answers before your appearance, do so. Most will accommodate you or suggest it themselves because it makes them, as well as you look good.
Stand. If you are talking to someone experts recommend (and I have found it to be true) that you think better when on your feet.
Keep emotions in check! I have done interviews where I felt I really flopped and I have done interviews where I thought I nailed it. The idea here is not to get overly down or up. Once it is done it is done. Move on!
Pray! This is listed last only because it is most important. Pray before, during, and after. If you know Christ as your Savior He is interested in your success – especially if you are doing what He wants you to do. So Pray.
But don’t end there. If you have your own blog write articles about your book. Make use of Social Media and enjoy yourself.
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R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books. For more information on him visit his Amazon Authors Page. Also subscribe to his blog.
Filed under: books, business of writing, Marketing, Virtual Book Tour, Writing Tagged: Author Tools, Knowing your audience, marketing, Virtual Book Tour, Writing, Writing tools
June 18, 2016
Anchor Link Alert
If I had a subtitle for this it would read: The Problem With Anchor Links.
Do you use email marketing? Perhaps you send a newsletter to subscribers. Well this subject could be very important to you!
As you may know I am the editor of Writers World a newsletter devoted to issues concerning writing. I have been noticing a recurring problem with my newsletter for the past several months. I finally asked my email marketing provider MailChimp about it and they looked into the situation. And gave me a disquieting report.
Before I speak further let me explain the situation.
In my newsletter I offer writing tips, reprints of this blog, as well as publishing and marketing tips. In order to make navigation easier for my readers I placed a TOC at the top of the letter. In that TOC I created anchor text that linked to the appropriate title, thus enabling the reader to click on the link and go immediately to the article. Unfortunately it didn’t always work.
Back to the report. Upon investigating the matter MailChimp told me that while anchor links work within the MailChimp environment they may not work within certain email inboxes. Links going to URLS work fine, it is just the TOC links that have a problem.
The problem is that not all email providers are created equal. What that means is that some email providers recognize and use anchor links correctly, others may not. In fact, in one of my email inboxes the link absolutely didn’t work, while another inbox opened a new browser window and loaded the inbox.
Interestingly enough anchor links work in most email inboxes, but not all. But therein lies an additional problem. The subscriber may be using an inbox that is incompatible with the use of anchors.
Moreover, the problem is not just with MailChimp but with any email marketing provider!
What should you do?
In our case we removed the TOC and replaced it with text that informs the subscriber of the newsletter’s content. You may choose to leave it as is.
If you wish to read the report you can do so at: Anchor Report.
Filed under: anchor links, Writing Tagged: anchor links, blog, Newsletter, Writing
June 14, 2016
Book Review: The Knight
Book Title: The Knight
Author: Steven James
Rating: 5 stars
Before I bought this book I was not a big fan of books written in 1st Person. Nor am I in a habit of giving out 5 stars. Still not a great fan, but I did give this book 5 stars. Why? To put it simply, it far exceeded my expectations!
My previous experience with 1st Person novels is that the primary character usually has an ego problem, such as “look at me,” “I did this,” or “I did that.”
But Steven James avoided all the usual pitfalls and wrote a gripping story of mystery that had me from the start. At no time did I feel the character was being egotistical. I was never disappointed in the story.
However I was frustrated. Not because of any error on the author’s part but because he deftly misdirected my thinking and I never figured out the villain until he was revealed. Usually I am pretty good at solving mysteries, but not this time and that was frustrating.
Throughout the book I found myself pulling for Patrick Bowers, an FBI agent, as he tried to discover the killer. His life was in constant danger, a fact that kept me glued to the story. Added to that was his step-daughter he was trying to parent and his love life (he wife had died prior to the events of this book).
I have to say that I was thoroughly entertained and felt this book deserved a 5 star rating.
I was not compensated in any way for writing this review. In fact I purchased it a local bookstore.
Filed under: book review, fiction, Writing Tagged: book review, mystery, Writing
May 30, 2016
IN MEMORY OF
Normally I write on issues affecting writing, but today I want to take the opportunity to speak on the subject of Memorial Day.
All to often people confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day. Veterans Day honors ALL who have SERVED in the military since the founding of our nation. Speaking as a veteran, this is an important day when we honor the living and the dead who have served this nation.
But Memorial Day is not only important but it has special significance. This day honors ALL who have MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE – they gave their lives! So as you enjoy this day, perhaps picnicking or some other family affair, remember the dead that have fallen.
I recently read of a black lady who was angry and would not even honor the Declaration of Independence because it was written by white men, some of whom owned slaves. This is a case of judging the past by today’s morals – always a mistake. But her greater error is that the very freedom that she has to honor or dishonor men and women of the past was gained by the sacrifices – in many cases the sacrifice of life – of white men. Everyone of us owes a debt to the men and women who sacrificed their lives for freedom.
The understanding of what that freedom really means has evolved over time. Sometimes that understanding required violence, as in the case of the Civil War. While it was not fought over the issue of slaves as some believe, it resulted in the freeing of all slaves and redefined freedom as being for all men and women. And it came at a huge cost to mostly white men.
Even that has changed. Now we can celebrate our freedoms because white, black, yellow, and red men and women have given their lives in its defense. And on Memorial Day we need to pause and remember the terrific cost that protecting our nation has exacted.
Although Memorial Day is a National Holiday, I, as a Christian, also remember the men and women of all races and nationalities who have lost their lives because they were Christians. This is still occurring today with no end in sight. Not in the United States to a large degree, although that may be changing, but throughout the world.
But nationally we need to remember that Memorial Day is not just another holiday. The greatness of this country was paid for by the blood of those who have fallen. It should cause us to reflect on the values, yes moral values, that they died for! Moral values that we are losing almost daily. More and more we see people, including our leaders, calling that which is good “evil” and that which is evil “good.” (See Isa. 5:20.)
But we have a God Who can right all wrongs. As Christians we need to follow II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
R. Frederick Riddle is the author of several Christian fiction novels plus other books. He is also co-founder and Vice President of TR Independent Books. He can be reached at information@rfrederickriddle.com.
Filed under: Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Writing Tagged: Freedom, Memorial Day, R. Frederick Riddle, Veterans Day
May 16, 2016
Vacation: Opportunity to Research Book
The idea for this blog came as my wife and I have been planning a vacation. Usually when we think of vacation it is fun and relaxation, but when we think of researching a book it is hard work.
While on the face of it the two are not compatible, they can actually work together. One of the things most vacationers like to do is take pictures, both still and video. And one of the tools used for research is pictures. And there you have the connection.
Almost any genre can be researched when on a vacation. Here in the south there are many vacation spots where we could research geography, history or simply the local flavor of a town. Come to think about it, that’s not just the south, it is anywhere.
For example, one of our favorite vacations was St. Augustine, Florida. This city is loaded with history and geography. The city claims to be the oldest city in America, has a 17th century fort, founded by Ponce De Leon, and so much more history. Plus lots of geography.
When visiting a place like that you want to take a lot of pictures. Not to be filed away in a closet, but as potential story lines or at least background material. And you do this while having a good time!
I don’t know if one of us will some day write a story that takes place in St. Augustine, but we could.
Another source is brochures. These are usually packed with information that can tickle your imagination. Plus, there is the experience itself of walking the streets, visiting the various historical buildings, and seeing the city.
All of these take place on a vacation and are potential research material for future stories.
But, you say, I’m not planning t write on the place we’re going to vacation at. Doesn’t matter. You might change your mind, in which case if you took the pictures and picked up the brochures you have a gold mine of information.
Or you might use the material for some other real or imaginary place!
The simplicity is amazing! You actually do research while enjoying yourself. Instead of hours on the computer you see, feel, and smell the facts that may be just the nugget that fires up your imagination!
So use your vacation as a research tool.
For more information on writing visit T&R Academy.
Filed under: Authors, book research, books, fiction, writers, Writing Tagged: Authors Resources, book research, Researching your book, Vacation, Writing, Writing tools
April 14, 2016
Why I Wrote, Did You Know About Bible History?
I recently published a new book entitled, Did You Know About Bible History? which delves into the history of the Bible. Not its doctrines, but its history from the very beginning.
Why did I write it?
First of all, I wrote the book because of the obvious ignorance that exists about the Bible. I have seen posts on Facebook from people I know, people who are intelligent, people who sincerely want to know the truth, yet they make claims about the Bible that just a little research would have shown to be false.
Another reason for writing the book is new Christians. Somebody visits a church, hears the gospel, and gets saved. Halleluiah! Now what do they do? Well if the church is solid they will begin disciplining the new Christian. And disciplining involves the Bible. Now they must trust something they have never trusted before. Can they trust the Bible?
The final reason is that I believe many, if not all, of this nation’s problems spring from ignorance or misunderstanding of the Bible. Our country was founded with biblical principles, as attested to by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, but you can only understand those principles if you have an understanding of the Bible.
And you are hindered in understanding the Bible if you aren’t sure the book is trustworthy. The purpose of writing this book and the Bible Academy that hopefully will open soon is to enable men and women who sincerely want to know just what are the facts regarding the Bible..
I grew up in a world where the Bible was highly regarded by Christian and non-Christians. You didn’t hear such foolish comments that the Bible is only a bunch of myths. Nor did you hear the drivel that now pours from the lips of liberals undermining and denigrating the Bible.
The time and the need is now. I want to get this book into as many hands as possible. So I priced the book at $3.99, the so-called sweet spot for marketing. But to make it even easier to purchase, I created a coupon that lowers the price to $2.00 – virtually 50% off! The book is available at Smashwords and the coupon is JG39A. But the coupon expires on May 13, 2016.
I am passionate about getting this book out. Our country is on the brink of disaster! The dream that began over 200 years ago may soon evaporate. Case in point, the Bible tells us that the day will come when good will be called bad, and the bad will be called good. Large and famous companies are now threatening North Carolina for basically calling sin, sin. These companies now are calling transgenders “good” but the Bible clearly takes a different course. These companies have taken what they think is the moral high ground and have condemned North Carolina for taking the stance it has taken.
Such ignorance is not new, but is pervading every aspect of society.
As I said earlier, ignorance about the Bible makes all this possible. These executives should be required to study the Bible. That won’t happen. But if people learn the truths about the Bible, maybe they will change course. Some might call this a pipe dream, but I feel that I must try.
So if you want to know more about the history of the Bible and why it can be trusted, I suggest you click on the link to Smashwords and get this book in the format you prefer.
Filed under: Authors, Bible, books, History of the Bible, Truth About the Bible, Writing Tagged: Bible in Today's World, History of Bible, Is Bible a Book of Myths?, Is Bible Trustworthy?, R. Frederick Riddle
March 28, 2016
Some of My Favorite Authors
So you might wonder who and why I saved certain authors’ books. So here is a brief list of my favorite authors.
Jerry Jenkins:
I first became aware of Jenkins through the Left Behind series. Since then I have read several of his books and have always been pleased. In fact, I would say that I have patterned much of my writing after him even though his books largely deal with End Times while mine deal history.
Why do I like his books? First of all he writes about interesting subjects. Secondly, his books involve adventure. Plus, he has the ability to draw readers into the story.
Tim LaHaye:
Like Jenkins I first learned of his writings through the Left Behind series. Again, I enjoy his writing style and the sense of adventure. His books are entertaining. He also has the ability to draw readers into his story.
Irene Hannon:
Her books appeal to men as well as women. At least to this man. While her main character is a woman, it takes her into dangerous situations, often life or death. And the leading man of the story is always someone to admire. I identify more with the leading man, but he plays such a big role in the stories that you identify with both him and the leading character.
Her style is more drama, but it involves just enough action (and danger) to appeal to men.
Davis Bunn:
Bunn bases his books in historical settings. So you have both history and adventure to draw from. Well constructed characters and plots make his books desirable.
As a writer I probably identify with Jerry Jenkins more than any other author, but each of the above have contributed to my own style. I see a book by any of the above and am immediately interested.
Who are your favorite authors?
Filed under: Authors, books, fiction, writers, Writing Tagged: Authors, fiction, Writing
