Sandra Orchard's Blog, page 35
January 31, 2012
The Inspiration behind Novel Ruby Dawn
I've invited Raquel Byrnes to share with us what inspired her to write Ruby Dawn (the book I introduced to you on Monday.Take it away, Raquel...
Of the six children the Lord has blessed me with; four of them are adopted from the foster care system. During that journey to completing our family, I met some incredibly dedicated people and some that weren't so great during the process of adopting.
What I noticed most of all was that a great many of the children become teens and then adults without ever being adopted. I wondered what God would do with someone who had been tossed about in the winds of this system. I know that many come in contact with loving, godly caretakers and workers and that seeds of hope and faith are planted in the hearts of these kids. How might the Lord bring them through this time and what kind of faith grows from trials at such a young age, I wondered.
The story of Ruby and Tom is close to my heart. Two souls who find each other in a dangerous place only to believe they've lost each other after a tragic accident. First loves, feeling that you're alone in your faith, and seeing the amazing work God can do in the life of someone willing to surrender their heart and soul are subjects that really move me as a writer.
I have often found that when we feel most vulnerable and weak the Lord shows us how strong our hearts can be when fortified with faith.
Sometimes you have to trust in God's promises, despite what it looks like at the moment.
–Ruby, age 16, Dresden Detention Center
Ruby Dawn explores the power of faith and the choice to trust God in the face of losing all that we love.
Thanks so much, for sharing with us today, Raquel. Wow, you must be one busy woman raising and homeschooling your brood in addition to carving out time to write.Your Turn: Readers do you have any questions for Raquel?
I'll start...Raquel, when do you find time to write?
January 29, 2012
Ruby Dawn and Forgiveness
I'm excited to share with you today a bit about Ruby Dawn, a new release from Raquel Byrnes, a fellow writer with Hartline Literary Agency.
The book just released so I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how Raquel handled some elements similar to those in my upcoming release. (i.e. forgiveness, a past in youth detention, and a drug sting).
Here's the back cover blurb:
A Painful Past.A former streetkid, Ruby now reaches out to runaways through her medical clinic in the worstpart of the city, but her escalating battle with a gang leader puts that injeopardy. A Love Returns.Cavalier, arisk-taker, charming… Ruby's first love is now on the right side of the law andthe center of a dangerous DEA sting involving her clinic. Tom'sdisappearance ten years ago broke her heart and rattled her faith. As their romance relights, memories of what it costs tolove him flood her with fear.A Desperate Plan.Ruby's battle withthe gang ignites a firestorm of danger, and a pattern of lies from within herown camp emerges. With Tom's life in the balance and her world cast in shadows,can Ruby trust God as she once did…or has she strayed too far, for too long toever return?
So... here's our discussion question for today...
Ruby once believed that God could make incredible changes in people, but when she encounters a dangerous person from her past, her faith is put to the test.
Your Turn: Has someone hurt you in the past returned and asked for forgiveness? Did you find it difficult to open your heart to them again? Is there a scripture verse that spoke to you?
The book just released so I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how Raquel handled some elements similar to those in my upcoming release. (i.e. forgiveness, a past in youth detention, and a drug sting). Here's the back cover blurb:
A Painful Past.A former streetkid, Ruby now reaches out to runaways through her medical clinic in the worstpart of the city, but her escalating battle with a gang leader puts that injeopardy. A Love Returns.Cavalier, arisk-taker, charming… Ruby's first love is now on the right side of the law andthe center of a dangerous DEA sting involving her clinic. Tom'sdisappearance ten years ago broke her heart and rattled her faith. As their romance relights, memories of what it costs tolove him flood her with fear.A Desperate Plan.Ruby's battle withthe gang ignites a firestorm of danger, and a pattern of lies from within herown camp emerges. With Tom's life in the balance and her world cast in shadows,can Ruby trust God as she once did…or has she strayed too far, for too long toever return?
So... here's our discussion question for today...
Ruby once believed that God could make incredible changes in people, but when she encounters a dangerous person from her past, her faith is put to the test.
Your Turn: Has someone hurt you in the past returned and asked for forgiveness? Did you find it difficult to open your heart to them again? Is there a scripture verse that spoke to you?
January 26, 2012
Fun Friday - Five Top Reasons I Love Writing Romantic Suspense
No matter how wonderful your job is, or how long you've dreamed of doing it, sometimes you wonder why you torture yourself day in and day out.
Yes, even writers feel this way. Quite often, actually.
I've created this list for just those kind of days.
1) I love writing romantic suspense because my heroine can zing those pithy comebacks at the hero that I never think of quickly enough in real life.
2) If someone bugs me, I can kill them off. Hee, hee, hee.
3) I can make the hero suffer for his idiocy!
4) I can thwart the bad guy's plan with a flick of my finger.
5) I can knock some sense into the hero and heroine so they'll find their happily ever after.
Your Turn: Why do you like to read (or write)?
Yes, even writers feel this way. Quite often, actually.
I've created this list for just those kind of days.
1) I love writing romantic suspense because my heroine can zing those pithy comebacks at the hero that I never think of quickly enough in real life.
2) If someone bugs me, I can kill them off. Hee, hee, hee.
3) I can make the hero suffer for his idiocy!
4) I can thwart the bad guy's plan with a flick of my finger.
5) I can knock some sense into the hero and heroine so they'll find their happily ever after.
Your Turn: Why do you like to read (or write)?
January 24, 2012
Talking about Real-Life Characters...
As a writer I'm always on the look out for interesting quirks that will make a character come alive on the page. Not so long ago, I met such a quirky character.
It was at a birthday party and she was serving the chocolate cake.
Now you know as well as I do that when there's a choice between chocolate and white cake, the chocolate always disappears more quickly.
Well, not at this birthday party!
This sweet, cheery, smiling woman didn't seem to realize that running her finger along the knife to clear off excess icing and then licking her finger and then using that licked finger to do it again and again was...uh, unappetizing. Oh, who am I kidding?
It was really gross. But too funny!
At one point the woman carried a piece of cake to a chair-bound guest and you never saw so many others swoop in to try to dish up their own piece of cake before she returned!
Your Turn: Any quirky characters in your life?
It was at a birthday party and she was serving the chocolate cake.
Now you know as well as I do that when there's a choice between chocolate and white cake, the chocolate always disappears more quickly.
Well, not at this birthday party!
This sweet, cheery, smiling woman didn't seem to realize that running her finger along the knife to clear off excess icing and then licking her finger and then using that licked finger to do it again and again was...uh, unappetizing. Oh, who am I kidding?
It was really gross. But too funny!
At one point the woman carried a piece of cake to a chair-bound guest and you never saw so many others swoop in to try to dish up their own piece of cake before she returned!
Your Turn: Any quirky characters in your life?
January 22, 2012
Hats Off to a Real Life Character
Last Friday, I wanted to add a new feature to my blog--the ability to reply to comments individually. The feature has been available on Wordpress for awhile, but I'd only just heard that it was on Blogger, too.
Trouble was...I couldn't figure out how to make it happen. That's where this wonderful gal stepped in.
Meet Bonnie Calhoun, the American Christian Fiction Writer's 2011 Mentor of the year, and blogger guru extraordinaire! Not to mention, a woman with the patience of Job. An exchange of 20 emails later--yes, 20!--I finally had what I wanted.
I had to change 4 settings on two different screens. In the process I re-learned how to add the comment section box for clicking things like "interesting" or "funny".
Of course, my dunceness had Bonnie rolling on the floor laughing as she tried to help me!
Thankfully, she persevered.
I shouldn't have been surprised. Bonnie is a dynamo. I don't know how she finds time to write or to run her dressmaking business. She's the publisher of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, president of the Christian Authors Network, director of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, webmaster for Hartline Literary Agency (which happens to be my agent's agency) and the list goes on!
In April, "published author" will be added to the list with the release of her debut novel Cooking the Books: A Sloane Templeton Mystery which promises to be as fun and quirky as the author herself.
Given Bonnie's computer prowess, I wasn't surprised to discover that the heroine of her book is a computer forensics specialist!
All of that to say: Hats off to Bonnie for giving me personalized comments!
What do you say--will you help me test them?
Your Turn: Ask me a question. Please! I'm just dying to test this out :)
Trouble was...I couldn't figure out how to make it happen. That's where this wonderful gal stepped in.
Meet Bonnie Calhoun, the American Christian Fiction Writer's 2011 Mentor of the year, and blogger guru extraordinaire! Not to mention, a woman with the patience of Job. An exchange of 20 emails later--yes, 20!--I finally had what I wanted.
I had to change 4 settings on two different screens. In the process I re-learned how to add the comment section box for clicking things like "interesting" or "funny".
Of course, my dunceness had Bonnie rolling on the floor laughing as she tried to help me!
Thankfully, she persevered.
I shouldn't have been surprised. Bonnie is a dynamo. I don't know how she finds time to write or to run her dressmaking business. She's the publisher of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, president of the Christian Authors Network, director of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, webmaster for Hartline Literary Agency (which happens to be my agent's agency) and the list goes on!
In April, "published author" will be added to the list with the release of her debut novel Cooking the Books: A Sloane Templeton Mystery which promises to be as fun and quirky as the author herself.
Given Bonnie's computer prowess, I wasn't surprised to discover that the heroine of her book is a computer forensics specialist!
All of that to say: Hats off to Bonnie for giving me personalized comments!
What do you say--will you help me test them?
Your Turn: Ask me a question. Please! I'm just dying to test this out :)
January 19, 2012
Fun Friday - The Truth
The truth is I'm cheating. I've been so busy writing Q & As for my upcoming blog tour that I don't have a pithy thought left in my brain for a fun Friday post. So...
I'm sharing a fun post I wrote for Roxanne Rustand's blog back in December.
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
I'm sharing a fun post I wrote for Roxanne Rustand's blog back in December.
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
January 17, 2012
The Truth about Lying ~ Part 2
Before we delve into examples of how my undercover cop hero (or you) might tell if someone is lying, I must warn you that it's not a good idea to tell others about their signs of deception.
An intelligent liar will merely use the information to throw you off the next time. Hmm, now that might be an interesting plot twist!
On to the examples:
1) Frequently pausing before answering questions (
An intelligent liar will merely use the information to throw you off the next time. Hmm, now that might be an interesting plot twist!
On to the examples:
1) Frequently pausing before answering questions (
January 15, 2012
The Truth about Lying
Since the heroes of my Love Inspired Suspense series are undercover cops...
Lying is pretty much part of the job description. Whether they call it misleading, hedging, evading, fabricating, falsifying, distorting, misrepresenting, or spinning the truth, it's all deception.
Since I'm working on a fourth book in the series (fingers crossed), I thought I'd read The Truth about Lying by Stan B.
Lying is pretty much part of the job description. Whether they call it misleading, hedging, evading, fabricating, falsifying, distorting, misrepresenting, or spinning the truth, it's all deception.
Since I'm working on a fourth book in the series (fingers crossed), I thought I'd read The Truth about Lying by Stan B.
January 12, 2012
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...
The Grocery Store.
Yup, earlier this week a writing friend and I did groceries together. What better way to kill two birds with one stone--brainstorm murder and mayhem, and okay, romance, too, AND stock the cupboards.
The trouble began as we were walking into the store, and I told my friend that I could kill her father. [meaning the heroine's father, of course]
My friend stopped dead in her
Yup, earlier this week a writing friend and I did groceries together. What better way to kill two birds with one stone--brainstorm murder and mayhem, and okay, romance, too, AND stock the cupboards.
The trouble began as we were walking into the store, and I told my friend that I could kill her father. [meaning the heroine's father, of course]
My friend stopped dead in her
January 10, 2012
Author Interview - Linda Ford
I had the privilege of meeting fellow Canadian author, Linda Ford, a few years ago at an American Christian Fiction Writers' Conference. Then our paths crossed again in 2010 when her flight to another ACFW conference had a connection in Toronto, and we actually ended up on the same plane one seat in front of the other!
I remember that year well, because it was my first conference as a contracted
I remember that year well, because it was my first conference as a contracted
