Becky Wade's Blog, page 173

Why NO ONE Should Object to ‘Clean Teen’ Fiction

Just this week I stumbled across a trending article called: “SJW YA Authors Object to ‘Clean Teen’ Fiction.”  Obviously the title caught my attention because my clean teen Lost Princesses series just recently released. So I was rather intrigued to discover that other YA authors are opposed to the kind of YA fiction that I write.

To be honest, I had to google the meaning of SJW. I know I’m
showing my age here, but I’d never heard of SJW. I discovered it stands for “Social
Justice Warrior” which is the term applied in a derogatory manner toward those who
are simply jumping on a current social issue bandwagon because that’s the popular
thing to do or because they’re seeking self-promotion.

Anyway, the article speaks to a current debate over whether to
categorize teen books. For example, some websites now offer a  “Clean Teen” books section, particularly for
parents and teens who don’t want to be exposed to the objectionable and mature
content that is continuing to flood its way into the Young Adult (YA) genre.

Interestingly, the American Library Association (ALA) as well as some YA authors are opposed to such categorizing, likening it to censorship. There was even some mocking of the category “Clean Teen Reads” over on Twitter.

In a culture that touts “tolerance,” such attitudes aren’t so tolerant. And as I thought about the issue, here are a few reasons why everyone (including ALA and MSJ Authors) should not only tolerate but embrace clean novels for our youth:

1. Clean reads respect diversity.

Let’s be very clear. There
are still a large majority of parents (and even teens) who actually like and
prefer clean YA novels that promote modesty and
sexual abstinence including, but not limited to Muslims, Jews, Mormons,
Evangelical Christians, and other people of faith.

To truly have diversity in
literature, we can’t give preference to the social agendas of groups who shout
the loudest while demeaning (and mocking on Twitter!) books that adhere to
traditional values.

2. Clean reads give hope.

You only need to look at the covers of many current YA books to realize how dark and depressing so many of them are. Reading the book blurbs only confirms that.

Some might say that this downward spiral into increasingly
oppressive material is reflective of our teen culture, that authors are merely
giving teens stories they can relate to, stories that represent their struggles
realistically.

However, I can’t help but ask if such stories only
contribute to teenage angst rather than help it? If someone is drowning, do we
jump in the water and wallow with them. Or would we be better off throwing  out a life ring and offering them hope.

While there is a place for realistic stories that portray real issues, perhaps teen literature has gone to the extreme in trying to “meet teens where they’re at” by immersing them all too often in the gritty and often bleak reality of life.

Perhaps it’s time to shift the balance and also gladly offer our teens wholesome reads that inspire and encourage them to rise above their circumstances.

3. Clean reads provide a safe reading haven.

I think we can all agree that the nature of YA fiction has
changed in recent years, delving into increasingly more adult-like content. The
above article cites a spokesperson from Simon & Schuster as saying that
because of the increasing popularity of the YA genre among adults, the content
of YA books has “scooched up toward that adult audience.”

The S&S spokesperson says she hears from many parents that
their kids “already feel so much pressure from the world around them—from
current events, social media, the school environment—that they look to fiction
as a real escape, a place where the stakes can be low and the consequences can
be gentle. I think there are many teen readers out there looking for the
experience that ‘clean teen’ can offer.”

Instead of exposing teens prematurely
to sexual behaviors, vulgarity, and other situations that are more adult-like,
clean reads provide a safe and “real escape” from a turbulent culture.

To find out more about my clean teen novels (especially my newest Lost Princesses series), visit my website here: http://jodyhedlund.com/series/the-lost-princesses/

So what about YOU? What thoughts do you have about the importance of clean teen reads?

Raney Day Trippin’ 2

As I sorted through photos to prepare this second installment, there are just too many things I want to show you to put in one post! So this time, I’ll share a couple of our favorite outings while we’ve been here in the Seattle area at our oldest son’s house. (We’ve been house- and dog-sitting while he’s in Europe for work.)

The first place I want to tell you about is our trip to the stunning Seattle Japanese Garden.

Fall was in full swing at the Seattle Japanese Garden and it literally took our breaths away! Beauty everywhere we turned! I truly think this might be a little bit what heaven looks like!

A few days later, we drove a couple of hours to Mount St. Helens, where a volcanic eruption in May 1980 created something like a mini version of the Grand Canyon in just a few hours. It is incredible how things have grown back since the tragic event almost 40 years ago.

We stopped in the charming town of Castle Rock where there is a visitor center that tells the Mount St. Helens story from a creation point-of-view. We loved our time there as well as having lunch and sight-seeing in the area before driving up to the lookout and museum at the mountain.

As much as we’ve enjoyed the sightseeing, some of our favorite times have just been experiencing life in our son’s neighborhood, attending his church, shopping at new grocery stores (like Trader Joe’s!), and walking Socks each evening.

Our son is home from his travels now, and as you’re reading this, we are on our way home…by way of the Pacific Coast Highway (traveling north to south this time. You might remember that we traveled the PCH south to north in April). Next time I’ll tell you about our trip home.

Socks sure was happy to see his master! The next night Tarl took us out to eat at a wonderful Taiwanese restaurant, Din Tai Fung. We came home to walk Socks one last time. I’m going to miss that dog…and our son, too! (Thankfully, we’ll see him at Christmas.)

My new book released on October 22 (which happened to be Tarl’s birthday!) and our Missouri granddaughters are showing it off since I wasn’t home to get my author copies. It’s exciting to have Chasing Dreams, the second book in the Chandler Sisters Novels series, out into the world. And I’m working hard toward a December 1 deadline to have the third book on my editor’s desk. You can get the book at your favorite bookstore or online here.

Inspired by Scripture

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A True (Humorous) Look at the Writing Process

I wish that the process of writing a book was as serene, latte-filled, and creatively delightful as it seems like it should be! I’m pulling back the curtain today, reader friends, and giving you a glimpse at what’s truly happening in a writer’s mind and heart during the four stages of the process.

Stage 1: Pre-writing

“A new story! It’s so shiny. So sparkly.” “I love these characters!” “I have SO MANY ideas!” “This book’s going to be awesome.” “This hero is hunky!” “The possibilities are limitless!”

later… “Oh, dear. The possibilities really are limitless.

later… “How am I supposed to narrow down these possibilities?” “Jesus take the wheel!”

Stage 2: Writing the First Draft

“I found a great first line and I can’t stop thinking about this story! My fingers are flying across the keyboard. Watch me go!” “My setting is really working for me and I’m understanding who these characters are and why they’re doing what they’re doing.”

later… “Wait. Who are these people?” “Why don’t they just proclaim their love for each other?” “I’m filled with extreme uncertainty every odd moment and I’m cringing every even moment.”

later… “What’s supposed to be happening plot-wise? “Why are these characters doing what they’re doing?” “Just keep going. It’s okay if the first draft is bad.” “Stop hyperventilating.” “Just embrace that it’s bad and get the story down.”

[REACHES OUT TO WRITER FRIENDS TO ENSURE CURRENT STATE OF MENTAL TORTURE IS NORMAL] [RECEIVES CONFIRMATION THAT IT IS]

later… “What was the point of all that pre-writing if it’s no help to me now? Thanks for nothing, pre-writing.”

later… “This hero is not hunky.” “This book is really stupid.” “I’m a fraud! What was I thinking? I can’t write a novel!” “Jesus, take the wheel!”

Stage 3: Rewriting

“Uh oh. It’s no longer okay if this book is bad.” “What is the theme of this book?” “This is the sixteenth time I’ve used that phrase!” “What on earth was I thinking when I wrote this scene?” “Does this make sense?” “Is this believable?” “How can I make this hero hunky?”

later… [SELECT HUGE PORTION OF BOOK] [DELETE] [WRITE HUGE NEW PORTION]

later… “Why is my writing process so inefficient?!” “Every other writer’s process must be superior to my process.”

later… [SELECT HUGE PORTION OF BOOK] [DELETE] [WRITE HUGE NEW PORTION]

[REACHES OUT TO WRITER FRIENDS TO ENSURE CURRENT STATE OF MENTAL TORTURE IS NORMAL] [RECEIVES CONFIRMATION THAT IT IS]

later… “I think my editor is going to send this manuscript back accompanied by two words. START. OVER.”

later… [SELECT HUGE PORTION OF BOOK] [DELETE] [WRITE HUGE NEW PORTION]

later… “My career is over.” “Jesus, take the wheel!”

Stage 4: Publication

“I’m done! I have no idea how it happened, but I’m finally done and I… love this book.” “It’s beautiful, with it’s fancy cover, and formatted pages! I’m so proud!” “I’ve written a wonderful story! I think. Maybe it’s not wonderful. Who cares, because I’m DONE.” “Look, it’s on the shelf at my local Barnes & Noble!”

[TAKE SELFIE WITH BOOK AT BARNES & NOBLE]

later… “The contents of my book have become a traumatic smudge in my brain. Now that I’m firmly lodged in stage #2 of a new manuscript, I hardly remember writing my prior book.”

later… “A book club is asking me to answer the discussion questions at the back of my novel and I don’t know the answers. Which character is a metaphor of Jesus? I have no idea!”

later… “Are any real, live people actually going to buy and read this book?” “Jesus take the wheel!”

And there you have it — the real writing process! Writers, does any of the above ring especially true for you? Readers, we’re very glad that real, live people actually DO buy and read our books. Thank you!

Warning: Writer starting new book

One of the scariest moments for this author is the moment I actually sit down and start writing my next book. This time I’ve done HOURS of thinking, brainstorming, building characters, but the actual writing…it takes time and is scary. Especially when readers have asked where this heroine’s story is. So last night I was brainstorming title ideas with my husband, Colleen Coble, and Rick Acker, when I only have 3500 words written. Gulp!

The face of a writer getting started…There’s a mix of exhilaration and fear. The thought, can I do this again? Or was I done with book 33? Fortunately, I love writing, but there are still times where I get overwhelmed with the blank page. It’s good to remember this and let others know it’s a normal part of creating. 



Here’s some of the prework I did overlaid on top of the text of chapter 2. The top document with the colored column contains a lot of Susan May Warren’s plotting ideas. I learned so MUCH from her again at ACFW this year. Any time I can take a writing class with her, I do. I always come away with tips and strategies I can apply immediately to my writing.



And here’s the clock that makes sure I’m on time…with my writing.

I wrote this line last night as I brainstormed the romance plotline. Me thinks it will find its way into the book. It just feels like Caroline, and why she’s holding back her heart. Sometimes risking a friendship for more feels scary, overwhelming and almost foolish. That’s where she is. What do you think? Good line? Or should I leave it in the outline?

Fall Fun

Hi friends,

Excited to be here with you today. Being a summer, beach girl, this time of year isn’t my favorite. If I can’t be in shorts and flip-flops, normally I’m not a happy camper. However, I’m learning to appreciate all of the seasons God’s created. There’s a rhythm to them and as the Bible says: 

I’ve been going through a wonderful Bible study named Contentment: Seeing God’s Goodness by Megan Hill. It was my gift last month for supporting Truth for Life. I can’t tell you how much impact God has used this study to make in my life. In fact, I LOVE this study so much that I got copies for my daughters and a sweet friend. And,

I’m going to give one away here. Just answer the question at the bottom of this post to be entered. I’ll try the winner’s name on Monday and will post his or her name in the comments section below. 

Working to grow in contentment, I’ve decided to focus on what I love about Fall instead of focusing on what I don’t enjoy—at least for today! Change takes time. 

The top three things I enjoy about Fall:



Outdoor family fun: 

I love corn mazes, hayrides, and apple picking.  

Tasty treats:

Fall brings delicious apples, pears, apple cider, s’mores over bonfires, and a wide array of sweet pumpkin treats. And, no list of tasty treats is complete without mentioning Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. We call it ‘Thanksgiving in a cup.’ 

The Beach In the Fall

The beach is still gorgeous in Fall. We were just there this weekend and the beautiful thing about this time of year at the beach? We practically have it to ourselves. Walking along the sand, skirting the ocean waves puttering out at the shore, is so refreshing. The breeze cool on my skin and the moon large. It’s quite blissful. One of our favorite restaurants here even decorates for the season. 

Reader Question:

Do you decorate for seasons, just holidays, or both? 

Remember I’ll be picking one winner from the comments below for the Contentment Bible Study so be sure to share. 

Look forward to reading your answers! 

Blessings, 

Dani 

Research & Fun: Colonial Style

My last turn to post, I wrote about my experience attending the 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Jane Austen Society of North America.  The conference moves to different cities every year, but this year it was held in historic Williamsburg Virginia, so I knew I wanted to attend.

If you are not aware, Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum representing the once thriving capital of the largest and most influential of the American colonies. Here, the fundamental concepts of the new republic were nurtured under the leadership of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and many others. Williamsburg remained an important city for over eighty years until 1780.  Then, near the end of the Revolutionary War, under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson, the seat of government was moved to the more centrally located city of Richmond. I wanted to give you a quick summary, but I am no expert on U.S. history, so if you’re interested, you can read more about Colonial Williamsburg’s background and restoration here.

I research and write novels set in England, yet I found my visit to Williamsburg interesting and valuable. The historic area includes many restored or re-created buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries—A time period much the same as when Jane Austen lived (1775-1817) and wrote her novels. There is also a definite British feel to the place, which is no wonder since so many English settled there. And I reasoned that visiting its shops and tradespeople would be similar to visiting, say, a milliner, tailor, or shoemaker in an English village.

Shoemaker

Costumed employees work in Williamsburg and skilled craftsmen carry on traditional trades, including a printing shop, book binder, shoemaker, tin maker, silversmith, wigmaker and many more.

Letter-press printing

Other prominent buildings include the Public Gail,
Capitol, Courthouse, Governor’s Palace as well as the still functioning Parish
Church.

Governor’s Palace

Highlights for me were:

Seeing my friend Tammy (from Virginia) who met me in Williamsburg for a day and a half of research and fun.

The print shop: There is a similar shop in An Ivy Hill Christmas (September 2020), so I found watching the printer work helpful.

The blacksmith: When I wrote The Dancing Master, which has a blacksmith as a character, a Williamsburg blacksmith answered questions for me by email, which I really appreciated. I mentioned him in my Author’s Note. He wasn’t working that day, but another blacksmith assured me he still works there and promised to see that he received the signed book I left for him.

The coffee house: Coffee houses were important hubs of society, where men met to read newspapers and discuss politics and more. A costumed reenactor entertained us while we sipped our choice of tea, coffee, or drinking chocolate. Most of us chose the latter and were glad we did. It was thick, chocolatey, and delicious!

The apothecary: Having written The Apothecary’s Daughter, I enjoyed meeting one of Williamsburg’s apothecaries. He obliged by describing remedies and demonstrating his “bleeding” technique.

Tammy and I ate in the King’s Arms Tavern where the costumed waitress served up delicious food (peanut soup!) and interesting historical tidbits as well.

Have you been to Colonial Williamsburg? If not, have
you visited another living history museum?

Sightings

I am thrilled to announce the release of my newest book, Sightings—Discovering
God’s Presence in our Everyday Moments. This
non-fiction devotional is a collection of my thoughts and ponderings as I’ve
learned to look for “God sightings” in the simple moments of life.

One of the most amazing and comforting
promises that Jesus gives us is this: “And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
But in the busyness of our daily lives, in the challenges and surprises we
often face, we don’t always have a sense of Christ’s nearness. We forget to
notice all of the little messages He sends to remind us that He is right beside
us, watching over us, weaving all things together into a glorious tapestry for
our good and for His glory.

Instead of leaving God behind after our Sunday
morning worship or our daily devotions, what if we tried to cultivate that
sense of His presence in our ordinary moments? What if we watched for Him at
home and at work and everywhere we went? This book is a product of my attempt
to do just that. I’m learning to see patterns of His redemption everywhere! And
to see myself as He sees me—precious and worthy of His love. It’s my hope that
readers will learn from Sightings, so that they too, will begin to
notice all of the times and places where Jesus shows up in their everyday lives.

Of course, there’s a story behind this
book. Earlier this year, my publisher in the Netherlands asked if they could create
a devotional from a selection of my blog posts from the past few years. Many of
my Dutch readers can’t easily read my posts in English. I said “Yes!” and went
to work with their editors to add extra material, creating a devotional
entitled “Altijd in God’s Hand” (Always in God’s Hand).

I was so pleased with the final
result that I asked my Digital Marketing Assistant, Christine Bierma, to help
me publish a version of the book in English. The beautiful cover was designed
by Ken Raney at Raney Day Creative (who happens to be author Deb Raney’s
husband). Here is the result of our combined efforts.

Each chapter in this ten-week devotional
includes a daily scripture reading and closing prayer. The Something More
section at the end of each week provides an extra challenge or activity to
encourage readers to dig deeper. Together, I hope these readings will make an
inspiring addition to a daily quiet time with God. Sightings is now available in
print, and pre-sale e-book format will be released on October 29. And if you
would like to be part of my launch team, please use this link to apply: https://forms.gle/CAh1XPsabVMoa4eQ6

Inspired by Scripture

This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashEntertainment.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.

One of My Secrets to Managing Multiple Projects at Once

Okay, so I admit. I sort of thrive on juggling lots of balls
in the air at the same time. No, not literally. I honestly probably couldn’t
juggle one ball alone without dropping it.

But when it comes to my writing work… yes, I juggle a ton of
projects at once. That’s mainly because I’m an Achiever with a capital A. (If
you’ve taken the Enneagram Personality Test, you’d classify me as a three, and
you’d be right).

There are times when I might even describe myself as an
over-achiever. But that’s a story for a different day.

If you were to sit down with me at my desk (aka the dining
room table), you’d see neat stacks not only sitting on the table, but on the
chairs. You’d see lots of notebooks with plot ideas carefully labeled and
binders with research carefully catalogued.  You’d see research books for current and
upcoming stories, manila folders containing the business aspects of being an
author, clipboards with spreadsheets  of schedules,
etc.

Even with all those things keeping my achiever self on
track, there is one thing I rely on more than any other. And that’s my planner.

This past year I used a simple day-timer that my daughter gave me for Christmas. I know. Paper planners are old-fashioned in the digital age. But give me some credit. I gave the digital calendar/planner a try for a while.  I found it’s just not the same as good old paper and pencil. For me, that old adage is really true: out of sight, out of mind. I’m better able to keep track of my to-do lists when they’re sitting right in front of me staring at me than when they’re hidden away on an app on my phone.

So, yes, I have a planner. I divide each day into two
columns. In one I write down the non-writing related things I need to get done
including the day’s cleaning, emails to send, errands to run, and even
exercising.

In the second column I write down all the writing-related
work I plan to accomplish. That includes my daily word count (for a first
draft) as well as how many chapters I need to edit. It helps me to break down
my tasks into bite sizes so that I know exactly how much I need to accomplish
each day. For example, I might need to write 2000 words on one project and edit
3-4 chapters on another. With the checklist keeping me on track, I know how
much I need to do every day in order to get the projects done in a timely
manner.

I try to also add smaller items to my writing to-do list
everyday including things like writing a blog post or working on marketing stuff.

Of course, since I have multiple projects that I independently
publish (in addition to my traditional books), I also have to keep track of all
the things I need to do for each of my indie books.  I use a lot of sticky notes with lists (that I
can move around in my planner). As ideas come up or I remember something I need
to do, I jot those down on the sticky notes for the appropriate books, which
helps me not to forget anything (most of the time!).

In the coming year 2020, I’m trying out “My Brilliant Writing Planner” through Susie May Warren’s My Book Therapy. Already, I’ve got sticky notes plastered throughout it in preparation for the upcoming year! While the planner is on the pricey side, it’s SUPER big and full of awesome-looking planning stuff. I’m looking forward to using it!

So a paper and pencil planner—that’s my simple secret to juggling multiple projects at once.

How about YOU? What helps you juggle all of your projects?