Becky Wade's Blog, page 80

The Day I Did Not Kill a Chicken

In 2018, the year I began my flock, I lost half of them (about seven hens) to a terrible virus called Marek’s. Even though they had been vaccinated, my birds began to exhibit signs of the disease–splayed legs, curled toes, drunken walk, etc. I took the first two victims to the vet, where I received the diagnosis and ended up paying about $100 each time to euthanize the birds. I cried, and the vet said she’d never met anyone who cried over a chicken.

After the first two, I realized I couldn’t afford to take every sick bird to the vet, so I looked for easy, humane ways to euthanize suffering hens. I finally settled on carbon dioxide, which you can achieve by settling your bird in an airtight container, adding a chunk of dry ice, and then adding some water and snapping on the lid. The ice produces carbon dioxide, the birds suffocate, and it all takes place without the chicken owner suffering . . . too much.

But after euthanizing several birds in this way, my vet told me it wasn’t really humane–suffocation rarely is. It’s quick, but not quick enough. Oy.

Fortunately, after I lost half my birds, an agent at the state agricultural department told me that the rest of my birds should survive. And every time I’ve hatched chicks since, I vaccinate them against Marek’s on the day of hatching and again ten days later. And I haven’t had a case of Marek’s since . . . until last week.

Sunni, one of my grown hens, displayed the usual symptoms–one leg splayed out back, straight as a ramrod, the other one with curled toes. She couldn’t walk. I put her in a separate pen with food and water and watched her, realizing that if she did have Marek’s–and I was 98 percent sure she did–she could infect my other birds who hadn’t been exposed in 2018 (I don’t exactly trust vaccinations any more).

I went into the house and searched for other ways to humanely kill a chicken. Turns out the preferred method is called “cervical dislocation,” and this is how you do it–you hold the chicken’s legs with one hand, draw her across your body, and take the head and neck with your dominant hand. Then you tilt the head back and turn it, popping the head free of the spine, thus severing the spinal cord. The hen dies instantly, though there is usually some residual flapping and fluttering.

The next morning, Sunni was no better. So, determined to put her out of her misery and keep my other birds safe, I sang, “I am woman, hear me roar” and went outside to be a Responsible Chicken Keeper. I followed the instructions, held her head just so, and twisted. Then I looked into her eyes, expecting to see still, dilated pupils.

Sunni blinked at me. Oops.

So I tried it again. No change, just more blinking.

After about three tries, I gave up. There’s another way to do it–you lay the hen on the ground, place a broom handle just beneath the skull, and pull the head back until it snaps. I tried it, then removed the broom and looked at Sunni. Gasping, she gave me a look that clearly said, “What in the world are you trying to do, kill me?”

Some of my new hatchlings.

Oy. I didn’t have the heart to try again, so I put Sunni back in her special cage and decided that I’d try again the next day–with an axe. Surely I could pull that off, and it was just as humane, though probably one of the hardest methods for a chicken keeper (the proverbial chicken with its head cut off? . . .)

But the next morning, Sunni was up and walking on two legs. And the next morning she was eating and walking and squawking at the girls in the next pen. So the next morning I put her back with the others and now I’m happy to say that she seems fully recovered. So it must not have been Marek’s. No other birds appear sick. Maybe she had simply sprained her ankle . . .

So I still don’t have a foolproof way to euthanize a chicken. But as long as my girls are healthy, I’m good with that.

Inspired by Scripture

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How to Write a Book Review

With two novels releasing within one week of each other (Like the Wind earlier this week and All She Ever Dreamed on Monday, Dec. 5), I’ve been reading a lot of reviews. I’ve become increasingly aware of what makes a good review and what doesn’t. I thought I’d share my opinion.

First, let me say that I write reviews for all the books I read and I post them on Goodreads. I do not claim to always write good reviews. Mine are usually short and pithy. I am not a “professional” reviewer, and I don’t always have the time to do more than toss off one or two sentences. So if you follow me on Goodreads, do as I say below and not as I often do. LOL!

I did take the time to create a rating chart that fully explains what my starred system means, and I include it at the bottom of every review I write. I suspect this often says more than my actual reviews. Here it is:

Robin’s Ratings
5 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4 = Excellent read. Couldn’t put it down. Will recommend to others.
3 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1 = For whatever reason, I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.

Spelling out what I mean when I give a book 3 or 4 or 5 stars helps me, and I hope it helps the readers of my reviews too.

Here’s an example of one of my 5 star reviews. I usually write more if a book earns 5 stars from me. This was for A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman:

Audiobook (narrated by J.K. Simmons):
I’ve heard about this novel for years. It’s been in my Want To Read list on Goodreads since I don’t know when. Why did it take me so long to read it? I laughed and laughed my way through the novel until almost the end. Then I cried and cried, sometimes while laughing at the same time. And J.K. Simmons does a great job of narrating the audiobook. Perfect.

I plan to watch the Swedish movie based on the novel, and I will also see the Tom Hanks movie (A Man Called Otto) when it comes out because I can so see Hanks playing this old curmudgeon with a heart.

Note: There is crude language in the book that some readers might find offensive. Be advised.

Okay, now for the nitty gritty of writing your own reviews.

What a reviewer shouldn’t do.

Please don’t summarize the entire plot, giving away what happens in the book. There is a reason a book blurb teases with a little info and then requires the reader to read the book to find out what happens. 

I’ve read quite a few of this kind of review, and it isn’t helpful to the author or to other readers.

Also, if you don’t like a book, you don’t need to be cruel in order to be honest. Because most of the books I read are because I know the authors or I trust the recommendations of others, I read very few 2 star books (maybe one a year, if that) and I don’t remember what the last 1 star book was. But if I don’t like a book, I usually say something like, “This just wasn’t for me.” And I leave it at that.

What a reviewer should do.A truly good review should have a strong opening line, i.e. “Bring out the tissues, folks.”Then, especially if your review is somewhere other than on a specific book on a site like Goodreads or BookBub, give the author’s name and the title of the book, and perhaps some essential information, i.e. “In Robin Lee Hatcher’s The Forgiving Hour, very real characters are placed in a heartbreakingly painful situation. The theme of this novel is adultery — not just the betrayal but the lasting effects and the need for restoration.”Next comes a summary that should be very short and sweet, one that gives away no more than what the back cover blurb does, i.e. “Twelve years ago, Claire Porter thought her entire life was over when she learned that her husband, Dave, was having an affair with a young college student. Secrets never stay buried long, and only God can help Claire find forgiveness when betrayal comes back to haunt her.”Finally, you want to write your critique, give your praise, make your recommendation. Again, this doesn’t need to be long, i.e. “Every once in a while a book comes along that challenges your thinking, changes your perspective, yet entertains and satisfies you at the same time. The Forgiving Hour is such a book. Hatcher uses her well-honed skills to craft a compelling story of betrayal and forgiveness that will leave readers both emotionally drained and spiritually satisfied. Don’t miss this one.”

Note: The examples used above came from actual reviews and endorsements of The Forgiving Hour, plus a snippet from the blurb.

I hope this post is of help the next time you go to write a review of a book.

~robin

A Dream Come True

The Christy Award is considered the most prestigious award for Christian fiction. Named in honor of Catherine Marshal’s groundbreaking novel, Christy, this award was established in 1999 to acknowledge the value and impact of the novel of faith in contemporary culture.

Christy was published in 1967. An historical novel set in the fictional Appalachian village of Cutter Gap, Tennessee in 1912, the story interweaves threads of faith, romance, and history and was loosely based on the story of the author’s mother who taught impoverished children in the Appalachian region. Christianity Today ranked this novel 27th on a list of 50 books (post-WWII) that had most shaped the mindset of evangelicals. Only five novels made this list, and only Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time placed higher at number 20. Christy was made into a television series as well, and it aired in the mid-1990’s.

Not only did I long to win this award someday because of the excellence it represents, but more personally, because Christy was the first historical novel of faith that I read. I fell in love with this story as a teen-aged girl and fell in love with it all over again as a young adult when the television series released. It truly shaped me as a reader and as a writer.

In 2014, I was honored to have on of my books final in the Historical Romance category. Stealing the Preacher received the nomination, and while I didn’t win that year, I came home with a finalist’s medallion that I proudly display in my office.

Well, eight years later, I received another nomination, this time in the novella category for A Texas Christmas Carol. I was thrilled, as you can imagine, and in great company. Blogging partners Julie Klassen and Angela Hunt have won this award in previous years. Deb Raney and Dani Pettrey have been finalists. Becky Wade and Tamera Alexander have both been inducted into the Christy Hall of Fame for having won four times! This just goes to show how amazing our authors are here at Inspired by Life and Fiction.

I wasn’t able to attend the ceremony in person this year, but I watched a live stream of the event, and when they read the first line of my novella, my heart nearly burst. I won the Christy!

Raela, our marketing director at Bethany House, accepted the award on my behalf. You can see her on the far right, juggling three statuettes. She also accepted on behalf of two of my dear friends, Toni Shiloh and Jocelyn Green.

Who knew that a western retelling of a classic Dickens Christmas story would resonate so well with readers and judges alike. This little story also won the ACFW Carol Award this year and was a finalist for the Holt Medallion.

The story first appeared in the Under the Texas Mistletoe collection, but it has recently re-released as an e-single with a new cover that harkens back to covers from the Dickens era.

Grab a copy for only $3.99!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook

What is your favorite film version of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol?

Muppets, Mickey Mouse, George C. Scott, Bill Murray, Patrick Stewart?

This isn’t a true version, but one of my favorites (especially as a writer) is The Man Who Invented Christmas. It tells the story of how Dickens wrote one of the greatest Christmas classics of all time.

Christmas Blessings, Pay It Forward

Last year, twelve authors joined together for a giveaway that asked only one thing of the entrants. To pay a blessing forward during the Christmas season. It was great fun reading all of the 1200+ comments that were left. A blessing to see how everyone loved the idea and were thinking of ways they could bless others.

Well, we’re back with another Christmas Blessing Giveaway. Twelve authors (Nancy Naigle, Beth Vogt, Tamera Alexander, Deborah Raney, Colleen Coble, Robin Lee Hatcher, Denise Hunter, Julie Lessman, Cara Putman, Becky Wade, Rachel Hauck, and Katherine Reay) are giving away prizes (an ebook plus one special item) to twelve lucky winners.

Again, you don’t have to do anything except promise to pay it forward, blessing someone else this Christmas season. Enter for your chance to win at: https://tinyurl.com/crxesv4

PS Today is the release day for my 87th novel, Like the Wind. Publishers Weekly says, “This sweet tale charms.” Must admit, that makes me happy. I hope you’ll do a little cyber celebration with me.

~robin

Grateful

I hope you all had a wonderful week of Thanksgiving with those you love. Until we moved to Missouri three years ago, we were rarely able to be with our kids for Thanksgiving, since they all lived far away and planned to come home for Christmas. And if we had to choose, we would rather have them for Christmas. But we’re grateful that this year we got to spend the holiday with all but one of our kids and all but five of our grandkids. (Trey’s family is in Texas and they have a baby too small to travel so far quite yet.)

But our oldest son, Tarl, and his new family drove to Missouri to meet Tarl’s sisters for the first time. We had a wonderful few days, and it felt as if Michelle and her daughter had always been part of our family. We are so grateful for the blessing and gift they are to us! We had Thanksgiving at our house, then on Friday we had breakfast at Tavia’s and lunch and supper at Tobi’s. It made for an easy, no-stress holiday to share the meals that way.

Here are just a few photos from our time together:

It was a special, special week, but today, I need to put my nose hard to the grindstone for three weeks. I have two edits that are due before Christmas, the audiobook files for Breath of Heaven to listen to and approve, a podcast to record (with our own Cara Putman and Tamera Alexander), a virtual book club appearance, and a speaking event—all before we head to Arkansas with our daughters’ families to meet up halfway with our Texas sons and their families for an early Christmas!

I pray that you and yours enjoy these weeks leading up to Christmas and that God will bless you with the special joy and peace that comes from resting in His perfect love.

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.

Thankful for Readers + Giveaway

Every year I get the privilege of posting on Thanksgiving. This year I’m on an incredibly tight deadline…and I’m actually quite grateful for that, because last year at this time, I thought my writing career might be over. That was actually a gift because it allowed me (aka required me) to make sure I was actually okay with writing being a good gift who’s time had passed.

I’m also very grateful for every encouraging reader. The ones who buy our books. The ones who leave reviews. The ones who comment on our social media posts and essentially make writing such a rich process. It wouldn’t be worth the hours in front of a keyboard without you.

I’m grateful for my husband and kids who cheerlead me on, even when it means I’m sitting in front of the computer when we’d all rather play games or watch a movie. My in-laws, siblings, and parents are equally as supportive. My dean loves to tell prospective students that I don’t just teach but also write lots of books. My students think it’s kind of cool, too. A few even try my books.

I’m thankful for my husband and kids and the way our family has grown by a son this year.

I’m grateful for our health even as the Flu (A & B because we’re that lucky) has hit a couple of our kids. I’m glad for joyful and celebrating a life time with extended family. God is so very good…when things are easy and when they are hard.

Each of us on this blog would tell you how very much we value you. That’s why we have our Christmas Blessing Giveaway running right now.

I’m also offering a giveaway of three new books. Scroll down to enter. And if you click on the image below, you can go to a post with 15 of my books and novellas that I’ve placed on ebook sale through December 15, as my gift to you.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. And I’m praying you have much to be thankful for this year.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writer & Reader Retreats

Hi friends,

Happy Wednesday! I can’t believe it’s nearly Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend ahead. Last weekend, I hosted a writing retreat for aspiring and newly published writers. It was so much fun.

I knew three of the participants ahead of time, but everyone else was new to me, and most were new to each other. When you have a brand-new group, most who don’t know anyone, you never know how everyone will get along. I worry about anyone feeling left out or people not making friends, but yet again, the entire group meshed amazingly. They even made a Facebook group to stay in touch afterward. Why? I think because we all share the love and frustrations of the writing life.

There’s just something about being with other writers. They understand characters that won’t cooperate and stories that live in our heads and our hearts. Seeing how passionate they are about the stories God has called them to write is so inspiring. I can’t wait until my Spring retreat. I have one spot open, and I’m praying God will send just the right person to join us. I’m so thankful God orchestrates the groups that come. How He knows just who to send. It’s such a blessing see new friendships form, watching ladies stay up late brainstorming and hearing them laugh a lot. Several shared deep wounds during our fellowship time, and I watched God working in their lives. I was so humbled and blessed to be able to spend time with them and encourage them on their writing journey.

I love writing conferences too, but the two are very different from retreats. Conferences are larger with a decent number of faculty. They offer editor and agent appointments, and they provide a great chance to see old friends and make new ones. A writing retreat, on the other hand, typically only has one or two teachers, they are smaller, and there’s a lot of time for learning, laughing and small-group fellowship. Both are wonderful, but they have different purposes.

Another type of retreat are reader retreats. I attended the Fiction Reader Summit in Michigan in May, and it is run to perfection. The speakers were fantastic, and it was such a blessing to attend. Next July, I’ll be one of the authors at the Mississippi River Readers Retreat in Minnesota, and I can’t wait!

It’ll be my first time attending, and I’m so excited. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it. If you’ve never attended a reader retreat, I highly recommend them. Nowhere else can you find a group of people so passionate about stories. It brings readers and authors (who are avid readers too) together. There are panels and lots of time for everyone to interact at meals. I always leave with a full heart.

Reader Question: Have you ever attended a writer’s or reader’s retreat? If so, what did you enjoy best about it? If you haven’t, would you like to someday?

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Dani

Attending the Christy Awards

I recently had the privilege of attending the Christy Awards in Nashville, TN. The Christy Awards honor excellence in Christian Fiction and were named after Catherine Marshall’s classic book, Christy. (Have you read it or seen the television series?)

Finalists in the Historical Romance category

My recent book, Shadows of Swanford Abbey was a finalist in the Historical Romance category. I have won in the past, but it has been several years since one of my books has finalled so I was delighted at the news and pleased to attend the awards. The entire event—from the opening prayer, to the winner’s speeches, to listening to Jan Karon (being honored for her literary contributions)—was a soul-stirring and uplifting experience. (You can listen to the interview with Jan Karon here.)

I also loved chatting with author friends I don’t see often enough and meeting publishing professionals in person who already felt like friends after years of online interactions.

Carrie (Reading is my Superpower), Julie, Jaime Jo Wright, Rachael B. (Bethany House), Jaime’s daughterKristi Ann Hunter, Julie, Todd M. JohnsonRaela S. (Bethany House), Julie, Jamie L. (Penguin Random House)

Shadows of Swanford Abbey didn’t win, but I was pleased to be there to be able to congratulate this year’s finalists. Some of our own Inspired by Life and Fiction authors were also honored at the event:

Karen Witemeyer won another Christy in the Short Form category for her novella, A Texas Christmas Carol (in Under the Texas Mistletoe). How many Christys is that now, Karen?

Becky Wade and author/agent Cynthia Ruchti

And Becky Wade was inducted into the Christy Awards Hall of Fame for winning four Christy Awards. Well done, Becky.

Please join me in congratulating them both! How many of the winning books have you read?