Jen Cudmore's Blog, page 38

The Trick To Finding An Agent

As a volunteer for the conference committee, over the years I’ve had the opportunity to meet several agents. I’ve also queried my share of agents.

I found one interesting preference they all had in common when it comes to looking at manuscripts: they all were more likely to read a proposal if they had met the writer.

So what does that mean for writers? If means you must get away from your desk and out into the world so you can mingle and network! Where must you go? Workshops and conferences! You don’t have to go with the intent of pitching your story (although you should always have a 30-second pitch ready). I only pitched my Lawmen series to one agent and he wasn’t interested in signing me.

Your intent should be to learn from those who have been in the business for a while. Then when you send your query, you can open with a line that says “I met you ___________” or “I attended your workshop on ___________”. This immediately catches their eye. One agent told me he reads every query he gets that opens with a sentence like these and makes them his priority.

So why does meeting agents matter? Because it shows you’re willing to work hard and persevere. It also means you’re willing to learn by attending writing classes. Sometimes they remember you and sometimes they don’t. What they care about is that you’re making an effort to be a better writer.

Meeting them doesn’t mean they’ll decide to sign you; it means you have a much better chance of getting their attention, which is hard to do when they receive hundreds of requests in a week.

I met my agent at a writers conference. I never attended any of his classes, nor did I try to pitch my story to him. After ending up at his table by chance during lunch one day, we had a brief conversation about Alaska and that was that.

Until I finished my novel four months later and I decided maybe he’d be interested in hearing about it. I signed a contract with him a few days later.

So what’s the trick to finding an agent? Get out and meet some agents so that when you’re ready to pitch your story, you have a greater chance of getting noticed.

 

If You Want Me To

“The pathway is broken and the signs are unclear

And I don’t know the reasons why you brought me here.

But just because You love me the way that You do

I’m gonna walk through the valley if you want me to.

Cause I’m not who I was when I took my first step

And I’m clinging to the promise You’re not through with me yet.

So if all of these trials bring me closer to You

Then I will go through the fire if you want me to.”

It may not be the way I would have chosen

When You lead me through a world that’s not my home

But You never said it would be easy

You only said I’ll never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me

And I’m all by myself

And I can’t hear You answer my cries for help

I’ll remember the sufferin’ Your love put You through

And I will walk through the darkness

If You want me to.”

I believe God allows trials in our lives to strengthen us, and it’s our choice how we respond. If we do our best to hang in there and run the race so as to win the prize, then we’ll reach the reward when God says the time is right.

My family has been through some trials over the past few years and I’ve never sought God so much in my entire life. Many people believed my marriage and my family wouldn’t be able to handle the strain, and yet by His grace we are now stronger than ever.

This year God is starting to bring the blessings to fruition, with my books being published, my husband’s recent promotion, and so much more. Yet I never want to forget where He brought me from. He taught me a great many things, but most importantly, how to pray.

I once heard an interview with Ginny Owens talking about how difficult it was to find a job because she’s blind. The words to her song were as if I wrote them myself and have been my prayer for several years. To hear her sing it, click here.

“When I cross over Jordan, I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna shout!

I’m gonna look into Your eyes and see You never let me down.

So lead me on the pathway that leads me home to You.

I’ll walk through the valley if You want me to.”

 

 

What Does It Mean To Be A Woman Of Grace?

One of the best movies ever made has got to be Courageous, a film about a group of men who resolve to become better fathers. The opening scene where the man nearly dies trying to save his child gives me chills every time I see it!

After watching the movie, I discovered a book that coincides with the theme of resolving to live for what matters most. And they also made one for women! I was so impressed by the teachings in the movie that I knew I had to give The Resolution for Women a shot.

The section that affected me the most was the chapter on living with grace. What did that mean? I knew the definition of grace is undeserved favor or kindness, so how exactly does a person live it?

I created a list for myself. A woman of grace, “in order to protect and preserve relationships”:

realizes that because she is in charge of the “spiritual climate” of the home, she must foster a positive atmosphere where anyone who enters feels welcome
facilitates peace at all times by letting the little things go rather than complaining or pointing out errors
allows others to be authentic and doesn’t keep track of their mistakes
quickly and easily passes out compliments and blessings to those around her, whether they deserve it or not
doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone or seek validation from others
doesn’t have to always be right or have the last word
prefers peace, restoration, and reconciliation to discord and argument, and thus will choose to simply say “OK”
applies realistic expectations and doesn’t seek to have her own needs met, but rather to meet the needs of others
nurtures and encourages her family, allowing them freedom to flourish in the personalities God has given them

I want so much to be a woman of grace. With the help of my Creator, who has so often bestowed grace on me, I know I’ll get there. I hope you’ll join me in trying to put these attitudes into practice.

First, You Must Be A Good Reader

To be a good writer, you must first be a good reader.

I don’t recall where I first learned this tip, but I’ve heard several professionals indicate the importance of studying the work of other authors. This gives us a frame of reference for what works well and what readers are looking for in a great novel.

When I first started writing, I dissected some of my favorite novels, trying to wrap my head around why the sentence and paragraph structure worked so well. Over time I’ve begun to understand the magic of word and sentence placement, although it’s much easier to identify great prose than to create it! And not just with sentences, but the strategic use of  bits of backstory, points of reference for a particular character, creative ways of describing people, settings, and emotions.

Now I can’t read a novel without a pencil nearby. Many times during a good story I find myself halting to underline a sentence or passage with spectacular phrasing. Sometimes I’m in such awe that I can’t believe I could ever write something so impressive!

Here are some of my favorites:

DiAnne Mills’ western novel Leather and Lace: “Beneath a snow-dusted, wide-brimmed hat pulled down tightly over his eyes glared a face as dismal as nature’s call to the winter night. Ice clung to his amber-colored mustache and beard.”


MaryLu Tyndal’s pirate novel The Red Siren: “The bowsprit of the brigatine bowed in obedience as it plunged over the white-capped swells.”


Sandra Byrd’s Tudor novel To Die For: “The metal teeth lifted high enough for the oarsmen to row us into the Tower’s maw, called Traitor’s Gate. This beast never ate its fill and, like all beasts of prey, ate only flesh.”

What are some of your favorite sections from a novel?

Review by Destiney: In A Heartbeat

Title:   In a Heartbeat

Author: Loretta Ellsworth

Short summary: In a Heartbeat is about two young girls name Amelia and Eagan. Amelia needs a heart transplant and is on the waiting list for two month before she gets the call that a heart is available for her. Eagan and Amelia don’t know each other but Eagan has a heart for Amelia; however in return Eagan needs help.

What I like about the story: I found this book interesting because the two girls didn’t know each other yet they become connected and have to help each other. I like that the book was very detailed when talking about scenes or people.

What I liked about the writing: I like how the chapters switched between the two girls to see how they were handling their current situations. I think this is good for the readers because we won’t get bored just reading about one person chapter after chapter.

Reviewed by Destiney, age 12

Fort Vancouver

Although I learned the local history in grade school, when I started writing the Lawmen of Clayton County stories, I had to refresh my memory. The most distinguished entity in the history of the Pacific Northwest is Fort Vancouver.

The Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Vancouver in 1825. Only four years earlier, the company had merged with a competitor, furthering the British reach across America. Seeking to establish a new headquarters along the Columbia River, they decided on a plot of land only 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Dr. John McLoughlin partnered with George Simpson, the governor of the company’s Northern Department, to build the fort, which became operational in early March. Dr. McLoughlin, later dubbed the “Father of Oregon”, oversaw the workings of the fort for 20 years.

Furs were the center of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s operations for many years. Photo courtesy of National Park Service.

Although originally opened for the purpose of the company’s fur trade enterprise, the fort soon became a hub for international travelers as well as a haven for many pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail. Over the years they grew crops and orchards, raised livestock, and traded with the Chinook Indians. They established sawmills, flour mills, and dairies.

Currently Fort Vancouver is a historical site. According to the City of Vancouver’s website, the fort also boasts the “oldest living apple tree in Pacific Northwest” which was planted in 1826!

While I didn’t write any scenes in Fort Vancouver, I do reference it a few times in my writing. As the biggest, most influential establishment in the area, I knew some of my characters needed to have firsthand dealings there. You’ll have to read the stories to find out more!

How Do You Respond to Offense?

When a friend of mine mentioned we should read The Bait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense, I figured it would be a quick read. After all, I’m not the type of person who holds grudges.

Ha! Little did I know there were many issues I’d brushed under the rug.

In this book, John Bevere explains that offense is the biggest tool the enemy uses to cripple Christians. Jesus stated in Luke 17:1 that it’s :”impossible that no offense should come.” Bevere points out “It’s not a question of opportunity to be offended but what your response will be.”

When someone hurts us we have a choice: we can grow angry and bitter, or we can let it go. It’s so easy to hold onto injury because, after all, we didn’t deserve to be treated that way, did we? Bevere states that “hurt people become more and more self-seeking and self-contained.”

As I worked through this book, I learned that I tend to hold onto offenses and become unloving towards those who injured me. One of the best aspects of this book is the workbook in the back because it forces the reader to get personal and to seek God for freedom from offense.

Over the past 6 months God has showed me people who I hadn’t forgiven: a neighbor who judged me as being a liberal parent, a boy who said something despicable to my son, a classmate from church who for years hasn’t bothered to acknowledge me. These are such little things! The whole process has been quite humbling.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to live in true freedom. Are you willing to choose not to be offended?

Guest: Murray Pura – A Touched Life

Murray Pura is a best-selling author of multiple titles. For more information, visit his website www.murraypura.com

When I do research for historical fiction one of the first things that strikes me is how much everyone has suffered down through the ages. That we no sooner cure the world’s ills – like leprosy or TB or polio or the Black Death – only to have other ills take their place – lung cancer, obesity, dementia – or see the old ills return with a vengeance. Wars have not lessened, or rape, or violent crimes, or the death of children by the dozens, the hundreds, and the millions. Always leaving in their wake those who experience the loss and who grieve. And many who find the strength to get up and keep going and not only keep going but do great things, important things, powerful things, things that bless.

Not everyone can get up again and do that. For some the suffering is so great they simply shut down. They may go through the motions for the next 10 or 20 or 30 years but they’re not really there anymore. They expect nothing, hope for nothing, believe in nothing. Life is over.

For others, most I would guess, the energy returns, the focus returns, they carry on with their lives, even if they still bleed a little inside every day for the rest of their lives. They do good things for their family and friends, even for strangers, do good work at the office or store or company, and are good and kind to their neighbors.

Then there is the touched life, the truly touched life. I find them in my research now and then. I see them in the world around me now and then. People whose hearts and souls have been absolutely flattened, who have lost pretty much all there is to lose without losing their own lives, people you’d expect to lie down and never get up again or to wander off and never be seen again. Yet somehow a miracle happens – not only do they recover, not only do they get back to blessing family and friends and neighbors, they go farther than they ever have before because of what they’ve suffered, not in spite of it. They turn their suffering into heroic acts, they turn it into enormous courage, they create great films, great books, great music, great legislation, great inventions. They will tell you their suffering showed them the way, opened the door, motivated them, inspired them, challenged them, fired them up to change a broken world.

It is always moving and astounding when I uncover these lives. Sometimes their stories are well known, other times no one has ever heard of them before. It doesn’t matter because once a decent writer gets their hands on the material they can give the story to the world and by so doing breathe new life into millions.

I call it a touched life. A miraculous life. Touched by God and angels even if some of them might not believe in God and angels. To overcome suffering and loss and devastation is one thing. To become much more than you ever were before, to be made anew and made better by that suffering and loss and devastation is something else again. I wish for more such lives for the world around us. The suffering will always be there. I pray the touched lives may always be there as well.

Review by Kayla: Girl Power

Title & Author: Girl Power by Melody Carlson

Short Summary: This volume includes 2 stories. Girl Power is when 4 sixth grade girls are being bullied, they are brought together and become friends. Then they fix up their trailer park. In Mystery bus, they are given a bus to fix up. Then Morgan, Amy, and Charlie leave and Emily finds out everything and solves the mystery about the bus.

What I liked about the story: I like how they tell the story from all the characters view points. I also enjoy a nice mystery now and then.

What I liked about the writing: I think it was smart to make Amy, the youngest, know/use words that lots of people don’t use. Then she explains the word.

Review by Kayla, 10 years old

 

 

Review by Nate: Merlin’s Blade

Title & Author: Merlin’s Blade by Robert Treskillard

Short Summary: When a Druid Stone kills a high monk, the safety and Christianity of Merlin’s village is threatened. The druids claim the stone has the power of Belornos, a Celtic god of the underworld, and use it to commit people to the Druidow. But when the king is killed in the process, can poor blind Merlin destroy the stone and save his village?

What I liked about the story:  I normally don’t like stories that bounce between characters but this book kept me hooked with the constant action and mystery. The plot wove in every direction imaginable.

What I liked about the writing: I liked the writing because it had locations, slang, history, and detailed research.

Review by Nate, 13 years old