Becky Wade's Blog, page 126
June 1, 2021
Fishing for sharks . . . and men
Last week Joe and I got away to Sarasota, Florida with some dear friends and went deep-sea fishing. Talk about fun!
The first day we fished for shark and the second day for yellow fin, amber jack, and barracuda. Though we didn’t catch a ton of fish, three of us caught sharks the first day!
Joe with a blacknose reef shark
I caught a blacknose reef shark too and kidded Joe that, proportionally, considering body weight and mass of both person and fish, mine was bigger. Not that I’m competitive…Joe and I usually practice “catch and release,” but Captain Brian took these bad boys home to eat. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten shark, have you? I’ve had swordfish and squid and octopus, etc… And my favorite seafood by far is broiled scallops and shrimp. But I’ve never had shark that I can recall. Captain Brian says it’s very tasty!
Me and Joe on the boat #humidityhair My sweet (& snarky) friend Kim was the only one who caught a barracuda, bless her. I’m so proud of her! Those things are fascinating to watch swim around the boat. Very territorial. And those teeth! Kim and Jerry have been fishing with Captain Brian for 30+ years!
Kim with her barracuda (that is officially smaller than the one her husband Jerry caught years earlier, but again, if we’re measuring proportionally then… : } )
Look at those teeth!While walking around one afternoon we saw “Unconditional Surrender,” the huge statue of a sailor kissing a nurse that’s located in Bayfront Park between O’Leary’s Tiki Bar and Grill and Marina Jack.
To get the proper size of this statue, note the guy standing on the right. This thing is HUGE!As reported by Sarasota’s news, “Unconditional Surrender is one of a series of computer-generated sculptures by artist Seward Johnson, the grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I, the co-founder of Johnson & Johnson. The aluminum statue resembles a 1945 photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, V–J day in Times Square. The statue, which first came to Sarasota as a temporary exhibit in 2005, was bought by Jack Curran and donated to the city in his wife’s memory.”
“Unconditional Surrender” from the back
Close up of “Unconditional Surrender” in Sarasota, FLIt was a quick trip. But the time together, the laughter (oh how we laughed), the delicious food—and the fishing—were all wonderful and timely blessings that I’m so grateful for. Now I’m holed up for the next three weeks finishing my next book. My first contemporary that will release next year from Focus on the Family.
And now, fishing for men . . .
If you haven’t seen The Chosen yet, or perhaps haven’t started season 2, do it today!!! The Chosen is the first multi-season TV show about the life of Christ as seen through the eyes of those who knew him best. Watch the trailer for Season 2.
How to watch? Get the FREE APP HERE.
So tell me… Do you love to fish? Have you ever been deep-sea fishing? Or eaten shark? What’s your favorite seafood?Blessings on this first day of June! Gracious, where is the year going?!
Tammy
May 30, 2021
Inspired by Scripture
This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.
May 28, 2021
The Care & Feeding of Authors + a Gift for You
I’m currently deep in my deadline cave because my next book is due to my publisher on Tuesday! Three of my friends (who also happen to be avid readers and supporters of Christian fiction) have come to my rescue with this fun post. Joy, Crissy, and Amy give a lot of encouragement to authors and know this subject matter well!
I’ll be gifting three of you with audiobooks of my new release, Let It Be Me. Check out the details on that below! -Becky
What we’ve learned about the care and feeding of authors:They can be easily distracted (and have a lot going on in the book world) so it’s best to focus on one thing at a time.
They need reassurance… regularly.
They need prayer… even more regularly than they need reassurance.They need to laugh. This is especially true if they have a tendency to put their characters through the wringer. Things can get a bit tense. *Suspense writers may require an extra dose of laughter.They need a safe place where they can let off steam and be themselves.
They need to know that you care more about them than their book so ask how they’re doing, rather than how the book is going. Warning: If “I’m fine,” is the answer, we can assure you that all is not fine. You better call in reinforcements!They will need distraction at times… other times they will need a task master.
They should be approached cautiously during deadline. If you have to approach, it’s best to present chocolate. 
They all love Starbucks so send them an occasional gift card to help support their habit and give them their daily caffeine boost. Added benefit: It will help them “people.”They need friends who will celebrate with them. Just finished that first draft? Celebrate it! Just finished line edits? Celebrate it! Book just released into the world? Celebrate it! Just named that character who refused every suggestion they presented? Celebrate it! 
I have three audiobooks of Let It Be Me to give as gifts to readers to express how much I appreciate you. Simply enter via the form below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Before you go, take a moment to connect with Joy, Crissy, and Amy! You’ll be glad you did. 
All three of them: Instagram
May 27, 2021
The Post We Wrote Together
I’m sitting here… a bit blank. So I’ve asked my 10 year old for a topic for today’s post. We’ll see how this goes.
He’s not exactly cooperating.
Ah, now he is. (BTW, isn’t his smolder the cutest?)
The topic: TEETH.
Really? Of all words he could choose? Teeth?
So he has a really loose tooth. That probably led to the word choice.
I don’t know about you, but one of the most stressful places I go is the dentist. If someone could invent a way to make a drill silent, he or she would be an instant billionaire. After all, the noise gets magnified because the tool is used inside our heads! That is so wrong. Yet necessary.
Have you watched Cast Away with Tom Hanks? The scene I cannot watch to this day is the one where he has to take out his tooth. By. Himself! I could not. I cannot. I will not. I shudder even thinking about that short scene.
You would think as an extrovert, that the being alone on an island for days, months, years, would be the worst part. No. It’s the tooth removal. Hands down. No question.
This is why I watch Marvel movies. Wait, that doesn’t make sense either.
Sometimes (when teeth aren’t being knocked out) it’s nice to sink into a story. Scratch that. It’s always nice to sink into a story. These are three books I’m excited about.
I LOVED The Heart’s Charge by our own Karen Witemeyer. Karen and I will chat about it on Tuesday, June 1st, at 8:30 p.m. EST over on my Facebook page, if you’d like to join us. I loved The Heart’s Charge and the way it featured two of Hanger’s Horsemen. Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks find themselves in the middle of a mystery regarding missing children… or are they? No one seems to realize there are missing children. While they try to unwind what’s really happening, Mark is confronted by the one who got away. Could this be his second chance at love? Jonah finds a woman who doesn’t need a man. That indendepence tugs him to her. Overall, this book is a lovely blend of romance, mystery, and history. I loved it!
I’m looking forward to reading On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright and The Shell Collector by Nancy Naigle. Talk about very different styles of books! On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor is a gothic tale that spans two times in one house. Jaime’s won numerous awards for her gothic novels, and I can’t wait to dig into this one. I love her books so much, I purchased a copy to giveaway below. Then Nancy’s novel, The Shell Collector, is about starting over after tragedy and the grace to move on into love and hope. I’m so intrigued by the way the shells are used in the story. So far I’ve read the why she wrote it and can’t wait to get into the rest of it. I’ll never forget introducing her to the agent who sold this book for her. It’s her heart’s story, and a story that needed to be written.
By the way, Tuesday Lynn Austin and I discussed her June 8th release Chasing Shadows. You can join our conversation on YouTube here. It was so fun to talk about the Netherlands, bicycles, her most interesting research experience, and more. And don’t forget you can catch up on all of them as podcasts here.
What books are you looking forward to reading this holiday weekend?
May 25, 2021
An Hour at a Used Book Sale
Hi Friends,
Happy Wednesday. I have a special treat for you. My friend and fellow author, Jill Kemerer, is guest-posting today. I’m always excited to read her fun-filled posts.
~Dani
One of my favorite things to do as a kid was buying used books. In the summer, we’d go to flea markets and garage sales, and I’d always spend any money I had on books. I tended to gravitate to the boxes marked ten cents or a quarter. The best sign was always the Fill a Bag for “X”. An entire bag of books for a dollar or two? Yes!
It’s been a long time since I’ve been to flea market or garage sale, so when one of our local libraries—Way Public Library—in Perrysburg, Ohio, sent out a newsletter mentioning their ongoing used book sale located in the basement, I took note. And when I saw they offered two sizes of bags for two low prices?
I was in!
Last Friday I finished work early and headed out. When I arrived at the library, I went straight to the basement and debated what size bag to grab. The small for five bucks? Or the large for $12.50? The small didn’t seem all that little, so I went with that one. I could always upgrade, right?
The instant I entered the room with its shelves and tables full of used books, I was lost in the best possible way. Typically, I buy books at our local Barnes & Noble, a grocery store, or I order them online.
I was the only shopper downstairs, so I slowly studied the spines in all the nonfiction sections, skimmed the hardcover books jammed together on one of the tables, and perused the paperbacks.
There was a really good selection of inspirational novels. It was fun seeing so many books I’d read over the years.
I’m not an impulse shopper, so I began to stack all the strong maybes. When I reached the cookbook section, I kept my hands tucked in my pockets. I don’t have room for many cookbooks, so I try not to buy them! And as tempted as I was to buy a few new-to-me workout DVDs, I knew I had plenty.
After checking the fiction paperbacks twice, I reviewed my stack to narrow down my selection. When I placed them all in the small bag, I was shocked to see I still had room!
It took about three minutes to remedy that. Soon I was on my way back upstairs to pay. Five dollars later, I carried my books outside and made my way to my car, feeling light and happy and like a twelve-year-old at the flea market once more.
On Saturday, I made my first reading selection, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Since the weather was amazing, I sat outside and began to read. And I did something I used to do all the time as a kid but rarely have time for now.
I finished the book in one sitting.
It was exactly what I needed. An hour at a used book sale. A five-dollar bag of old books. And a Saturday reading a novel straight through. I’ll be smiling for a week!
Do you ever go to used book sales? Or do you prefer to buy them new?
Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. She hopes to encourage readers through her books the way so many books have encouraged her. Jill’s essentials include coffee, caramels, a stack of books, her mini-doxie, and long walks outdoors. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two almost-grown children. For more information, visit her website, jillkemerer.com.
The Most Fragrant Time of the Year
Just a short but definitely sweet post today, in honor of my favorite springtime flower and my favorite fragrance in the world: Lily of the Valley.
I look forward to these dainty beauties blossoming every year, and then gather stems of the fair bells to perfume my office. Sadly, the flowers don’t last long, but are wonderfully fragrant while they do.
“The Lily of the Valley,” original lyrics by Charles Fry, arranged and adapted by other musicians over the years and published in most hymnals.I would far rather have two or three lilies of the valley gathered for me by a person I like, than the most expensive bouquet that could be bought!”
—Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters
What about you—do you love lilies of the valley, too? What is your favorite aroma?
May 24, 2021
A Movie Recommendation
Ken and I celebrated my birthday early this past weekend and my choice was going to see the movie FINDING YOU, based on a novel by writer friend Jenny B. Jones.
I absolutely loved this movie and I’m so excited for Jenny! I can’t recommend it more highly! The faith message might not be as strong as it is in Jenny’s novel, but it is wonderfully, subtly there. This is a sweet, clean romance. Even though the film is secular, there’s very little that’s offensive—a couple of very mild (what might be considered by some) curse words—but such wonderfully positive messages throughout. I think teenagers especially will love this story. But it’s a great date movie too.
You can watch the trailer here by clicking on the image below:
Have you seen FINDING YOU yet? What is the best movie you’ve seen recently?
May 23, 2021
Inspired by Scripture
This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.
May 21, 2021
The Inspiration Behind Stories
One of the most often asked questions writers get during interviews is: What is the inspiration for your story?
Okay, so maybe I’m an anomaly. Maybe other authors don’t get asked that question. But I ALWAYS do!
To be honest, it’s not an easy question to answer. Truly, most of my stories come from somewhere deep inside my brain, and they don’t have a whole lot of outside inspiration that I can pinpoint. Usually, it’s a lifetime hodgepodge of thoughts, images, experiences that all converge and somehow come out onto the page.
So, for my upcoming release Come Back to Me, as I’ve been delving into marketing and publicity opportunities presented by my publisher, you can probably guess what the number one question is: What is your inspiration for writing a time-crossing novel?
Of course I can’t say: My crazy and very wild imagination.
Instead I have to go deeper and sound much more put together! So here’s the answer I’ve come up with:
When we think of time traveling, usually we think of going back in time machines (like in the recent show Timeless). Or we think of fast cars (like in the old movies Back to the Future). Often we imagine stone-hedges (like in Outlander). Such methods take the body entirely out of the present and plop it down into the past.
But what about a time-crossing that isn’t quite so obvious? Where bodies aren’t disappearing?
In crafting my new release, Come Back to Me, I wanted to create a story where time crossing could sound at least partly believable.
In doing research, I read accounts of people waking up from their comas and describing having very realistic dreams while in their comatose states, dreams that almost felt as if they were living an alternate life.
I also did quite a bit of research into ancient holy water, once believed to cure diseases and give realistic visions. The holy water was sold in medieval times to pilgrims in small a small flask known as an ampulla. There are many recorded healings and visions from such holy water. Some are even written in the stained glass Miracle Windows in Canterbury Cathedral.
After all that research, I decided to merge the concepts of a coma and holy water as my “vehicle” for transporting people into the past became. The characters in my story drink a small amount of holy water which then puts them in a coma. While in the coma, they cross over to the Middle Ages in a quest to find more of the holy water.
Of course, having a body in two eras created some hurdles to work through during the writing and editing. But overall, when readers put the book down at the end, my hope is that they’ll come away wondering, like the characters, if crossing into the past was just a realistic dream or if it truly happened.
There you have it, my inspiration in a nutshell! Comas and holy water. And a whole lot of imagination!
And in case you missed this great deal, snatch up a preorder while copies last! I’ve already been hearing from readers who have received their preorder copies EARLY! https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/260801
How about YOU? Are you ever interested in the inspiration behind an author’s story? What story has most sparked your curiosity lately?
May 20, 2021
Damsels on Railroad Tracks
No western romance trope is more cheesy or more famous than the old Damsel on the Railroad Tracks trope. Which is why when my research for my upcoming book, The Heart’s Charge, revealed a railroad bridge as the main entrance to Kingsland, TX, I knew I had to include a scene with my hero and heroine on this bridge. I removed the melodrama, of course. There is no mustachioed villain cackling in the background as the train barrels toward them. And no one is actually tied to the tracks. My heroine doesn’t even scream for help. Though our hero is still called upon to rush in to make a daring rescue.
So how did this trope get started and how has it endured so long in tongue-and-cheek fashion?
Most people credit the damsel on the tracks to the melodramas of silent movies. However, the first time it appeared with significant impact was on stage in an 1867 play called Under the Gaslight by Augustin Daly. By 1868, the trope reportedly could be found in five different London plays all running at the same time, and remained a theatre staple for decades. But here’s the kicker. In the original story, it is a man who has been tied to the railroad tracks and a woman who rescues him!
This trope became so popular in the theatre, that even though there are no original silent movies that use this plot in a serious fashion, several used it for comedic effect. The most notable of these spoofs was a Keystone Komedy called Barney Oldfield’s Race for a Life from 1913. Note the top hat and impressive mustache on the villain. Those become staples of the trope.
Some of you will probably remember watching the classic cartoon The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, either when it aired in the 1960’s or in reruns in the 1970’s like I did. This was a silly spoof that used over-the-top villains to hilarious effect. One of the main characters on the show was the dim-witted yet heroic Mountie named Dudley Do-Right. His nemesis Snidely Whiplash wore a top hat, sported a curvy mustache, and had a tendency to tie damsels to railroad tracks. Hence the trope was preserved for a new generation.
[image error]In 1969, Ray Stevens released a song called Along Came Jones which reached #27 on the billboard charts. My husband and I are big oldies fans, so we love this silly song and have even shared it with our kids – successfully perpetuating the trope into the future.
Do you remember any of these songs or shows?Besides the top hat and mustache, what are other villain elements that have become cliché over time?
