Jen Cudmore's Blog, page 39

All Roads Lead West: A Remington Colt story

If you like westerns, you’ll enjoy this new series by Helping Hands Press and their many authors: The Wells Fargo Express. Volume 3 should be available later this summer.

Wells Fargo History museum

I was thrilled to be asked to participate in this series. I had so much fun learning about the Wells Fargo stagecoach and writing this story! Thanks to all those who participated in helping me find a name for Nelly.

Volume 1: Wells Fargo agents Remington Holt and his assistant Amos Drewery do not expect to be robbed by the infamous Pittman Gang when they are on a stagecoach run between Kansas City and St. Louis. Nor does Remington expect to fall for the most beautiful woman he’s ever met on that same stagecoach. But one thing leads to another and before long, what with gun battles with outlaws, romancing a beautiful lady, and dealing with a conspiracy to overthrow the government of the United States, Remington and Amos have a lot more on their hands than they bargained for. Soon it becomes a question of whether or not either of them can get out of the trouble they’re in alive.

Volume 2: Amidst rumors that the West is trying to break away from the States, Remington Holt and his partner Amos follow a lead to the Washington Territory where they meet a troubled young woman named Nelly. When their investigation crosses with her scheme for revenge, Remington finds Nelly to be a skillful ally. But her involvement also puts her in danger and threatens to expose his investigation. Can he keep her safe and get to the bottom who is involved in the political schemes to split the country?

Want a free copy of Volume 2? Sign up for my email newsletter by the end of June!

 

Raising A Son Who Is Wild at Heart

When is it time for a mom to draw back and start treating her son like a man rather than a little snuggle bunny?

I’ve worked in AWANA Cubbies for a few years now, and it’s such a joy to see the 3 and 4 year olds so excited to come to church. One thing I particularly enjoy is how many moms kiss their sons and shout “I love you” when dropping them off for class.

The change happens slowly over time and is different for every family. I think my son was about ten years old when I forced myself to stop calling him “honey” and “sweetie”, even at home. We discussed how much I was able to touch him in public, and especially no more kisses! A friend of mine was informed by her son that after first grade, she wasn’t allowed to touch him at school, and at fourth grade, she wasn’t allowed to even go near the school!

In his book Wild at Heart, John Eldredge explains how men and women are both made in the image of God, but that males embody His warrior aspect. They are meant to be fierce and protective over those in their care. He writes “Adventure, with all its requisite danger and wildness, is a deeply spiritual longing written into the soul of a man.” I read this book to better understand my husband, and ended up learning how to better parent my son. I decided early on to let my son take risks, to teach him to “brush it off” when he got hurt, to call him “Tiger” rather than “sweetie.”

I know a couple women who never let their sons get dirty, but that goes against what God put in their souls. It’s not enough to let boys be boys – we as moms must treat them as such. Do you just want to raise a nice guy, or do you want your son to fully reach his potential and tap into who he really is inside his soul?

The biggest bit of wisdom I gained from this book was to support the men in my life and let them be wild, to let them slay dragons for me in their own way. When I’m busy, my husband often rescues me by stopping by the store or filling my car with gas. Now that my son is older, I’ve started letting him do things that I can do myself, such as take out the trash, put up a tent when camping, handle electronic devices. I want to teach him to take charge, to stand up and be strong, to never give into fear but to conquer new tasks.

Every boy will grow into a man. It’s mom’s (and dad’s) job to give him opportunities to express the wildness in his heart and teach him to tame it in the right moments. What are you doing to shape your little man?

©Jen Cudmore, 2013

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3 Reasons to Stay Involved in Local Writing Groups

After you’ve signed a contract with an agent and a publisher, why stay involved in local writing groups? I mean, as a newbie, an aspiring author must attend meetings and workshops to develop their craft and learn the business. But after the book comes out, why bother?

I’ve found that staying involved is rewarding because it:

Fosters community: Do you want other writers to buy and promote your book? Then you must also put time and effort into them. It’s the Golden Rule. If you show that you are a giving person, then others will be more likely to give back. I was recently asked to help promote Alaska Book Week and I’m so excited to be a part of a project that will build more interest in local writers. And make new friends!
Builds connections: More opportunities will open to you, not just for your writing career but also for learning experiences. If you’re involved in local events, you’ll meet people who can help you reach your goals or give you tips to do things better. A best-selling author recently contacted me to participate in a campaign to launch a new set of historical romance short stories – an opportunity I never would’ve received had I just sat at home concentrating on my own books.
Keeps you motivated: We’ve all had days where we feel like we’re spinning our hamster wheels and getting no-where. Waiting – for a bite from an agent or publisher, for readers to notice your book and buy it – is tough. We can easily lose sight of why we even wrote it in the first place. I noticed at one point when I got too busy to go to the monthly guild meetings, my spirits sank a bit. Attending a meeting boosted my energy level and made me remember how much I loved writing, that it’s worth the effort.

Staying connected is beneficial to writers in all stages of their careers. Attend meetings with fellow writers. Attend writers conferences, or better yet, volunteer at one. Help with library projects, join a critique group, offer to help language arts programs in schools – it doesn’t matter. Just do something to stay involved!

 

Novel Review: The Girl in the Glass

Title & Author: The Girl in the Glass by Susan Meissner

“When Sophia, Meg, and Nora’s stories intersect, their lives will be indelibly changed as they each answer this question: What if renaissance isn’t just a word? What if that’s what happens when you dare to believe that what is isn’t what has to be?”

Short summary: Meg has always dreamed of visiting Florence with her dad, who promised to take her one day. Unfortunately, the trip keeps being post-poned. When the day finally comes, it’s nothing like Meg had hoped. What she finds in Italy makes her face some unresolved issues from her past.

What I liked about the story: I prefer to read historical stories, and I like how in some of her novels, Susan weaves in bits of history through her the characters’ modern day lives. In this case, she references Nora Orsini, a Medici princess from the 1500′s. I don’t know much about Italy’s history, and I found the details she added very interesting.

What I liked about the writing: Susan is so good at weaving her theme through the novel without actually stating it. I love that her heroines always go on a journey of self-discovery. I also appreciate her subtle approach to giving God the glory in her stories. She rarely mentions church or prayer, and yet I still sense the Lord’s hand. She definitely deserves all the awards she’s won! http://www.susanmeissner.com/

Jen Reveals: Who Does that Character Look Like in Real Life?

I’ve noticed that several authors are creating contests or posting pictures of celebrities to help the reader get a visual image of what a character would actually look like in real life. Several publishers are also making trailers for books, similar to previews for movies.

While I can’t decide if I personally like that or not (it detracts from the workings of a person’s imagination), I can see there are many readers who do! So, I thought, why not give you my ideas on what my own characters would look like? Here is my take on three of the main protagonists from The Lawmen of Clayton County:Athena Creek.

For me, Trace Ingram is Sam Elliot: tall and lean, with a bushy mustache that somehow manages to make him look more handsome. His quiet, no-nonsense demeanor portrayed in several western movies perfectly fits my marshal. Just take out the grey and make him blonde.

When I picture Trace, it’s Sam Elliot I see every time.

Excluding the goofy personality, Curtis Archer reminds me of Kevin James. He’s a husky guy with a big heart, although I admit it’s hard to picture him in a cowboy hat!

photo from zimbio.com

The ladies are more challenging. There isn’t a celebrity that fits Lynette Ellis or Niccola Canalis quite the way I envision them. If we gave Catherine Zeta Jones some tight curls, she would come pretty close.

But so far I haven’t found a celebrity to represent Lynette. Sorry!

I hope these explanations make you enjoy the story a little bit more! Who did you envision as a look-a-like for my characters?

 

 

Why Choosing the Right Story Setting Really Matters

At first, I didn’t think setting was all that important to a story. All a writer needed was to detail the environment around the characters so it touched the readers senses.

I was wrong. In a workshop I took with Dr. Dennis Hensley, I learned that setting creates a mood for a story. There is much more to setting than just describing sights, sounds, and smells. The time and place you choose for your story can impact how interesting the book will be to a reader and how much conflict the characters will encounter along the way.

Sometimes the setting can even become the plot of the book, such as The Swiss Family Robinson. The movie Titantic wouldn’t have impacted viewers as much if it had taken place on just another ship; it was the connection to a real historical event that left a lasting impression.

When speaking with my writing coach about which story to write after I finished the Lawmen series, she encouraged me to really think through the settings before I got started. At my husband’s suggestion, I changed the setting for a medieval series to the Viking age to make it more intriguing. When I discussed the change with some professionals, they all agreed it was a much better choice. (In case you were wondering, I hope to publish the Viking stories in 2014!)

The location and time period can add conflict and depth to a novel, so we must choose wisely!

Review by Kitty: Live Like a Jesus Freak

Title & Author: Live Like a Jesus Freak,  by DCTalk

Short Summary: Through this amazing book, you hear stories about people who given the worst circumstances still stay strong to the Lord even if it meant losing their own life.

What I liked about the content: What I loved about this book is that it has given me a new perspective on how exactly I should live for Christ. I want to be a Jesus Freak. With the help of this book I can be.

What I liked about the writing: It was a well-written book with captivating stories and hard hitting Christian quotes. A major page turner.

Review by: Kitty

Amazon Summary: Spend Today As If It Were Your Last. For those who’ve read Jesus Freaks, this book is the next step. Focusing on life application, the book features practical ideas for putting faith to work, challenging questions for deepening your life, and readings that will help you sustain your passion. Live Like a Jesus Freak defines what it means to believe, pray, worship, study, love, stand, forgive, rejoice, serve, and witness like a true Jesus Freak!

Gateway to the West: The Columbia River

Of the four museums I visited on a recent trip to Astoria, Oregon, the Columbia River Maritime Museum was by far the most interesting.

The entrance of the Columbia River, via my fantastic photography skills.

As a native of the gorge area, I’ve always been fond of “The Great River”. While researching the history for my Lawmen novels, I learned a few unique facts.

The river was first noted by Captain Robert Gray during a journey along the west coast in 1792, although he only traveled a short distance before turning back to the ocean. Technically, the first explorer to find the river was a Spaniard named Bruno de Hector in 1775 but he didn’t go near the bar.
The river flows through 4 mountain ranges.
The mouth of the river is over 4 miles wide.
Due to treacherous sandbars and swirling currents, over 200 ships have wrecked trying to travel up the river. The bar has been labeled “The Graveyard of the Pacific”.

Quote in the front lobby of the museum.

I highly recommend a visit to this facility. I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits and bought a neat book, Columbia River, Gateway to the West, which has a great collection of photos.

What exactly is “character motivation”?

I was at a writers conference when I first heard the term “character motivation.” The visiting author had kindly agreed to look over a few pages of my first Lawmen of Clayton County novel and informed me I should think more about the motivation behind Niccola and Charles. Unclear on the term, I just blinked and we went on, but I thought about it a lot later.

What exactly did that mean?

After months of editing and growing as a writer, it slowly sunk in: I hadn’t clearly defined why the characters were motivated toward their goals. In a novel, there has to be a reason for every action. Why did Niccola and Charles move out west? Why did she stay with him, and why was he so determined to marry her? I didn’t really know at that point, so I pondered these questions for a while.

Later, with the help of my fabulous writing coach, I learned the importance of thinking through all the reasons for my characters’ thoughts, words, and behaviors. I also began to recognize these subtle explanations in the work of authors I admired. After months of practice, inserting little explanations for  my characters’ goals into my stories is becoming easier.

What motivates your characters to behave the way they do?

Chance to win a free copy of my next book!

The conclusion to The Lawmen of Clayton County: Athena Creek will be released on Thursday, June 6th!

Want a chance to win a free copy?

By now, many of you have read the first installment of the series and I hope you’ve enjoyed it. Because of the loyalty I’ve already experienced, I want to give someone a FREE copy of Athena Creek, Volume 2. To be eligible for the drawing, all you have to do is share the link to this particular blog on Facebook or Twitter! I will draw the winning name Thursday at 5pm (Alaska time).

Summary for Athena Creek, Volume 2: In the conclusion to Athena Creek, Trace Ingram has been the marshal for 5 months and still doesn’t have anything specific to pin on Charles McCrae. No one in town is willing to talk about Charles, and with every dead end, Trace doubts more and more that Charles is even a criminal. Lynette’s attempts at helping Trace only land her in more trouble. Niccola, thinking she has a way to escape Charles, convinces Curtis to join her but things don’t go according to plan. When another person is injured, Trace knows he’s out of time – he has to find the truth before someone else is murdered.

In case you haven’t read Volume 1, here’s the Athena Creek Plot Summary: Set in the rugged Oregon Territory of the 1850’s, the first of three fast-paced historical romances features a new marshal who remains determined to uphold the law—despite a feisty young woman who intrigues him. When Lynette Ellis’ hot temper lands her in jail on her first night Athena Creek, she attempts to repair her reputation in town, and with the marshal, Trace Ingram.

The suspense builds as the investigation of three mysterious deaths appears to point to Charles McCrae, the businessman who recruited Trace. Charles usually gets whatever he wants, except for beautiful saloon singer Niccola Canalis, who turned down both his marriage proposals. Niccola, desperate to escape her employer’s clutches, needs a man willing to stand up to Charles. As Trace digs deeper for the truth, he begins to realize just how powerful Charles really is. With the help of Niccola and her bodyguard, he believes he can bring Charles to justice, but then Lynette gets caught in the plot. Can Trace stop Charles before anyone else gets hurt?