Becca Whitham's Blog, page 2

Interview with Tracie Peterson

The first time I met Tracie Peterson, she was just the lady who invited me to fill a slot at a writer's retreat back in February, 2011. I went even though I felt like an interloper because everyone else at the retreat was either published or under contract. I called it "The REAL Writers + Me" retreat. (My husband was deployed. What else was I going to do?)You can't imagine how blessed I was to be welcomed into the group like I belonged. It was the first time I saw that authors were real people who just happened to love shaping words into stories. I still cherish the memories and friendships I made that weekend.Then I found out she was THE Tracie Peterson, currently the author of over 100 books!!Tracie was in Virginia back in January. I was able to chauffer her and Kim Woodhouse around to Mt. Vernon and Colonial Williamsburg (right) after their book tour promoting their latest co-authored project: Out of the Ashes.Before putting them on the plane back home, I asked Tracie to be a guest on my blog.Fast Five: Coffee or Tea: Coffee...with lots of cream.Morning person or night owl: Both. I'm flexible like that ( said with a little giggle).Mixed nuts or cashews: CashewsPlanner or go with the flow: PlannerCurling iron or flat iron: Neither. I'm low maintenance (**giggles again**).1. How did you get into writing? I see stories everywhere. I'd look at old houses and wonder who lived in there, or I'd see antiques and wonder who used them. I have some beautiful Haviland china, and I wonder if this was someone's wedding china or if it was a special gift commemorating an event. Stories just jump to life from these kind of wonderings and they have to be told.I love that! When my husband and I are driving across the country on one of our army moves, I always want to turn off the highway and take the side roads because the houses tell much better stories. He doesn't get it.2. When you’re ready to throw in the towel, what motivates you to keep writing? My imagination and creativity pretty much demands that I keep writing. I love what I do!I'm 98% certain that's why I loved the writing retreat you hosted. Even before I started to pursue publication, I made up stories based on nothing more than an item or news story that caught on my imagination like a fly on a spider's web. Most people don't take a small thing and blow it as far out of proportion as I can. But suddenly, at the retreat, I was surrounded by expert "mountain out of molehill" people. It was like coming home!3. What deadline has been the hardest for you to keep? Why? The co-write with Kim Woodhouse for Out of the Ashes last year. She was very, very sick so she was late getting things to me. Then, just as I got the story, I found out that my nephew had suffered a grand mal seizure and probably wasn't going to live. It made it difficult to focus on writing but we got it done. We met our deadline.I'm so sorry you lost your nephew. I read Out of the Ashes and was deeply moved by the heartbreak of the characters. I think the situations you and Kim faced while writing it bled onto the page in a beautiful sacrifice of praise.4. Where has this writing journey taken you that you never expected? I've always known that my writing was going to be a ministry. I think what surprised my was the response of the readers...how God has used the books to touch their lives, draw them closer to Him, even to have some turn to Jesus for salvation. I expected the books to be primarily entertainment even though I knew I was going to have a strong Biblical message and the gospel message. To have those kinds of responses from the readers - to hear how powerfully they've been touched - that's great.5. What have the characters from In Hidden Places taught you as you wrote their story? That it's sometimes hard to see our prejudices and idiosyncrasies that cause us to put up walls between us and others. We are often offensive and appear snobbish or off-putting because of things we were taught as children and never even realize how it's played out in our relationship with others. The characters in my story reminded me of that over and over.What a great lesson. I can't wait to read this latest release!Around here, we're all about "Love. History." I asked Tracie what lesson about love she'd tell her younger self if she could go back in her own history. Her answer reflects the wisdom of someone who's been married for many years. Be sure to sign up for my subscriber newsletter by Tuesday, April 10 to hear what she has to say.In Hidden Placesis the first book in a new three-book series from Tracie. It follows fictional characters in a Wild, Wild West show. (Note: click on the names of the books or picture to link to Amazon for ordering.)Thank you to Tracie for taking the time to chat with us. I hope you can tell from this brief interview what a genuine delight she is.

2018 Spur Award - Best Western Romance Novel

Friday night, I got an email from the editor of The Promise Bridesaying it had won the 2018 Spur Awardfrom the Western Writers of America for "Best Western Romance Novel."To understand why this news had me in tears, I need to take you back a couple months. I've been contemplating giving up writing for a long time now. It's hard work, and changes in the industry have created a mindset that months of sweating over every word should be sold for less than the cost of a three-minute coffee. So disheartening!But I couldn't shake my own advice: When you don't know for certain that God is asking you to change directions, keep going on the path He last called you to walk. I'll spare you the arguments I had with God over this (some of them quite loud), and simply say I've lived long enough to know I always lose. Which is a good thing. A God thing, even.Tuesday, I called my friend and fellow writer, Kim Woodhouse, and cried on her shoulder. Wednesday I texted my friend, Kendra, and asked her to pray for me. Thursday at Bible study, I kept my head down while a guest speaker talked about stepping forward in faith. My heart heated, so I knew the Holy Spirit was at work, but I wanted to ignore it until the speaker said, "Someone in here needs to write a book." A gal from my study looked at me and pointed her finger. Yeah...no getting out of that. So on Friday, as we were closing our crit group meeting with prayer, I asked that God would place little crumbs of encouragement along my path.Four hours later, I got the email about the Spur Award. Do you see now why the new induced immediate tears?Writing is solitary, difficult work. After Gina and I finish writing the last two books in The Montana Brides Series, I'm out of contracts. I'm staring at a big, fat NOTHING on my deadline calendar. I've sent out a proposal but heard nothing back. I'm working on another proposal to send to my agent to see if the recent success of some Revolutionary War time period stories means I can sell the story that was a finalist in the Genesis Contest back in 2012. But nothing is guaranteed, and I like guarantees. I really like them.Before I was published, God asked me to do the work and trust Him with the results. I didn't realize then that it would be an ongoing lesson. Time to pull out my big-girl pen and get to work.

Interview with Kim Vogel Sawyer

I'm so excited to have Kim Vogel Sawyer as my guest today. Kim and I met when she came to speak at a writer's conference in Colorado. I was too nervous to say much to her--after all I wasn't even close to her league!--but somewhere along the way we became friends. My husband and I stayed at the Bed & Breakfast Kim and her husband used to own. I went back to the B&B with a group of authors from Oklahoma. Kim's kindness and gift for hospitality draws you in. Her book are much the same. You can't help but fall in love with the people she creates.Fast Five:1. Coffee or tea? Definitely coffee. I like to add cream, and that works best with coffee.Cream works great with tea, too. Just sayin'.2. Morning person or night owl? I was a night owl in my younger days. That table has turned. Now I like early to bed and early to rise!3. Cashews or mixed nuts? The Hubs and I will fight over the last cashew. LOL! Good to know my hubs and I aren't the only ones who engage in that fight.4. Planner or go-with-the-flow? I like having my ducks in a row, but it isn’t often they behave for me, so I’ve learned to go with the flow. Oh, that's good. I'm going to start saying my ducks won't behave for me from now on!5. Curling iron or flat iron? That depends on my mood of the day!But seriously…1. How did you get into writing? This is kind of a long story, so I’ll give the nutshell version: I always wanted to be a writer (told my kindergarten teacher people would check out my books in libraries someday) and started writing for publication in the early 1980s. Began submitting in the early 1990s, but a series of rejections discouraged me so I quit submitting. But I didn’t stop writing. My health was deteriorating, and my dad was afraid I’d never get to see my dream come true, so in 2001 he took out a significant loan and had 5,000 copies of A SEEKING HEART printed. A copy of that book landed in the hands of an agent, who signed me and began sending out my books. I received my first contract in March of 2005; by November had signed contracts for 10 different books with 3 different publishing lines, and I’ve been writing full-time ever since. I didn't know that your father took out a loan. What a great testament to the power of a father's love. I bet he's still your biggest fan!2. When you’re ready to throw in the towel, what motivates you to keep writing? Deadlines. LOL You know, I can honestly say I’ve never been tempted to flat-out quit. I’ve been discouraged by certain things, but the desire to write to is too deeply imbedded for me to cast it aside. As long as God holds the writing door open, I intend to continue penning stories of faith and hope. And we will keep reading them!3. What deadline has been the hardest for you to keep? Why? Each has had its challenges. Life does go on, and sometimes it gets busy! But probably the hardest was 2007 when a close family member faced a very significant health crisis, was hospitalized for weeks, and I was back and forth every day. Really hard to write about make-believe people when the real-life ones in your world are suffering. 4. Where has this writing journey taken you that you never expected? Oh, wow, the connections with people—other writers, readers, librarians, ladies who attend my speaking events… I always imagined myself in a little cubby hanging out with my make-believe friends; I didn’t realize I’d have the chance to get to know real-life people as a result of these characters who live in my head. Totally cool!5. What have the characters from Beneath a Prairie Moon taught you as you wrote their story? Dear Abigail…oh, such a perfectionist she was. I understood her so well, because I am a recovering perfectionist myself (*ahem*). Seeing her struggle with relationships, so bound up in what she felt she *had* to do to be accepted, opened my eyes anew to the truth that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He loves us where we are—needy, imperfect, broken. If I wasn't already anxious to read your story, this answer would have made me rush out to get a copy. That's a lesson I need to learn over and over and over again. (NOTE: click on the picture to pre-order your copy which releases March 20th.)Around here, we're all about "Love. History." I asked Kim what lesson about love she'd tell her younger self if she could go back in her own history. Her answer applies to more than romantic love. Be sure to sign up for my subscriber newsletter by Friday, March 9 to hear what she has to say.A big thank you to Kim for taking time out of her busy writing schedule to be my guest today. I don't think I ever told her, but my very first heroine was Marta Vogel. She was named for a neighbor and for Kim. And if I ever create a character who loves purple, it will also be in part because of Kim. I hope you'll join me next month when my guest will be Tracie Peterson.In 1966, Kim Vogel Sawyer told her kindergarten teacher that someday people would check out her book in libraries. That little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer's Return. Since then, Kim has watched God expand her dream beyond her childhood imaginings. With almost 50 titles on library shelves and more than a 1.5 million copies of her books in print worldwide, she enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Empty-nesters, Kim and her retired military husband, Don, live in small-town Kansas, the setting for many of Kim’s novels. When she isn't writing, Kim stays active serving in her church's women's and music ministries, traveling with "The Hubs," and spoiling her quiverful of granddarlings. You can learn more about Kim's writing at www.KimVogelSawyer.com.

TRUE Love

A few months ago, I decided on "Love. History." as my author tag line. The other option I seriously considered was "TRUE Love." My purpose in writing fiction is to demonstrate the difference between what popular culture calls love and what real, honest, true love looks like. Because I have chosen to do that using historical settings, I settled on the first tag line. Regardless of setting, I want to portray real love to the best of my ability.Today I was introduced to a new-to-me scientific study on relationships that is going to help me do that better. It's called Attachment Theory. The basic premise is that everyone, no matter their age, needs to attach to someone with strong emotional bonds. Back in the 1930's scientists introduced us to the idea that emotional bonding between infants and mothers was important to child development. According to a man who was at the training I went to today, Nazi scientists - in a test to see what language babies would develop on their own if no one spoke to them - provided for physical needs of babies but banned nurses from speaking to them. These infants turned their faces to the walls and died. (I haven't checked out the veracity of this story, but it is similar to one I heard back in school.)John Bowlby, the Englishman who first postulated the Attachment Theory, was widely ridiculed. Before his theories were proved, people believed that emotional distance and strict adherence to rules would produce strong, self-sufficient adults. Sick children were dropped off at hospitals alone and parents were allowed to visit for an hour a day; wealthy people hired nannies to raise their children. Bowlby was raised in the traditional "uppercrust" manner of visiting with his parents for an hour a day until he was twelve when he was allowed to join the dinner table for dessert only. Soon after, he was sent away to boarding school. Only after other scientists proved the importance of attachment (see Harlow's Monkeys or The Strange Situation), did child-rearing methods in North America change radically.But Bowlby maintained that adults had the same need for attachment. Again, his theory was ridiculed. The general belief was - and still is - that adults needed to grow up into independence and self-sufficiency, and that any dependence on others was weakness or immaturity. Research into adult attachment began just before Bowlby's death in 1990. Phil Shaver and Cindy Hazan, then at the University of Denver, decided to ask men and women about their love relationships to see if they mirrored the same responses and patterns as mothers and children. Short version: they did.I won't go into everything their research found. Instead, I want to focus on one aspect. (If you wish to read more, you can purchase either Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson or Created for Connection by Dr. Sue Johnson with Kenneth Sanderfer which has the same scientific theory but correlates it to scripture). To set the stage for this, I highly encourage you to view The Still Face Experiment video below.When the mother gave her child no emotional response, it reacted by reaching out to beg for attachment, turning away, and screaming. Well folks, I hate to tell you, but we adults are no different. We just do it "better." Or maybe we do it worse. Whichever way you look at it, when we feel insecure in love, it's so uncomfortable we have to do something about it. Below are some short excerpts from Created for Connection, pp. 62-63. The previous pages showed us a fight between "Sarah" and "Tim." Sarah is the screamer; Tim turns away. What I want you to hear is the conversation they had after they recognized that what they were really trying to elicit from their partner during their fights was an answer to the questions "Can I count on you? Do I matter to you? Are you there for me?"Here's Sarah: "I guess I do come on heavy. I do get hostile. I feel so let down. So I confront you to get you to see...what is happening and come back to me. But it just drives you away and into justifying yourself. And I guess I seem pretty dangerous...so you retreat even more. Then I get even more upset."And here's Tim: "You're right. Last night, at that moment, I could not hear your hurt. All I see is your anger at times like that. All I hear is that I have blown it again. Failed again. I just never can get it right. So I guess I just try to put a lid on everything...But do you think I don't know that I'm losing you?"Wow! She's afraid of losing him so she yells to get him to come back to her; he's afraid he's losing her so he tries to put a lid on it. Screaming and withdrawing. They don't work. The only option which does is the scariest of all - reaching out to beg for attachment. Being vulnerable. Telling the person with the greatest power to hurt you what you need so they can stop hurting you.This theory is going to redefine how I think about TRUE Love.

Interview with Kimberley Woodhouse

You know her as a best-selling author. I'm fortunate to call her my dear, dear friend, Kimberley Woodhouse. Kim and I met in Colorado Springs back in the fall of 2010. My husband had just deployed, and she adopted me into her family after our first meeting. Kim has done more to shape me as a writer than anyone else. I know I wouldn't be published today without her help and introductions to people within the Christian publishing world. It's my joy to feature her as a guest here so you can get to know her just a little better.Fast Five:Coffee or tea? Neither – I had kidney surgery and now have to stay away from both! Sad day.Morning person or night owl? Both. I know. That’s weird. But I can do either one.Cashews or mixed nuts? CashewsPlanner or go-with-the-flow? PlannerCurling iron or flat iron? Flat iron.But seriously…How did you get into writing? I started writing when one of my babies was sick and I didn’t know what to do with all the stories and creative energy in my head. A few years later, no one knew I was writing and a friend found some manuscripts. She threatened my life and told me I better do something with my writing. So I wrote my favorite author and asked for advice. Twenty years and umpteen books later, I’m so thankful that someone loved me enough to challenge me to do something out of my “box.”When you’re ready to throw in the towel, what motivates you to keep writing? That this is God’s story. Not mine. They’re ALL His. I need to do my very best for the glory of the Lord. That’s what keeps me motivated.What deadline has been the hardest for you to keep? Why? I had a horrendous health experience in 2017 and over six weeks, I had three major surgeries. I had a deadline a few weeks after that. I was weak and still felt like I had “anesthesia brain” – how on earth was I going to write an inspirational story during that time? The publisher was very gracious about it, but I still got it done. It’s the first story that I actually “worried” about – wondering if it was good enough.Where has this writing journey taken you that you never expected? That’s a fun question. I’d have to say that the majority of my journey has been unexpected. But the biggest thing was being asked to write a non-fiction book on our story. I had focused on learning the craft of fiction and I’d never thought about writing non-fiction. It’s been a huge blessing and I’m very thankful for that surprise. Here's a link to Kim's story, Welcome Home, about her daughter's illness and their experience with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I was a guest in that home many times and can report that the best room in the house was the kitchen...or maybe I just liked it best because Kim is a phenomenal cook!My tagline is “Love. History.” In light of that, if you could go back into your own history and give yourself one piece of advice about love, what would it be?(For Kim's answer, subscribe to my newsletter before January 12, 2018 by visiting either my Homepage or Contact Mepage.)What's next for you? This month, Tracie Peterson and I released the second book in our Heart of Alaska series. It's called Out of the Ashes. We're doing a book tour later this month, so if you live in the Southeast, check out our tour schedule. (To save space here, I'm including the tour schedule in my Subscriber Newsletter.)Next month, The Mayflower Bridereleases. It kicks off a series called The Daughters of the Mayflower. I'll have several more stories in the series, as will many other wonderful authors. The next one from me is called The Patriot Brideand is set to release maybe in August.One of the great things about being in the same critiquing group with Kim is that I get to read these stories before they are published. In fact, the first pre-published story I ever read was No Safe Haven, a story Kim and her daughter, Kayla, wrote together. A big thank you to Kim for taking the time to be interviewed. All of the links provided go directly to her blog. If you haven't already subscribed to her website, you can do so by going here.

An Interview with "Reading is My Superpower" blogger, Carrie Schmidt

Today I'm thrilled to introduce you to my friend and fellow book lover, Carrie Schmidt. Carrie is a blogger extraordinaire over at "Reading is My Superpower."Because she was the first one to ever interview me as an author, I wanted her to be my very first guest here. I even patterned my format after hers, so here are my fast five:1. Coffee or tea?C: Neither! I’m more of a hot chocolate kind of gal

Big Giveaway

 Don't wait to enter to win this amazing bundle of books including my latest novella, Cinderella's Masquerade (bottom row, second to last) which is a sequel to last year's Christmas novella, The Gift of the Matchmaker. Click herefor your chance to win.

WINNER!

Congratulation to Donna Nuce! She won a copy of The Promise Bride signed by both me and Gina. Donna, please use the "Contact Me" page to send me your mailing address so I can get your prize mailed.Gina and I spent the last six days enjoying this view and working on the final two books in this series. We didn't finish everything, but we figured out how to...well, you'll have to buy the books. Let's just say that--while we solved some cliffhangers leftover in book one--we added another to book two which needed a resolution in the final story. I'm using today to type up our notes because my parents are flying in tonight. I'll be showing them some of the sights here and then we're travelling to North Carolina to enjoy some more. Fall is in the air--finally--so I'm hoping to take them on a driving tour to take advantage of the beauty.Off to work I go!

Happy Birthday to ME

What a great year this has been. Tomorrow is my birthday, so I'm celebrating by giving away three copies of The Promise Bridesigned by both Gina Welborn and me. Gina is coming to South Carolina next week so we can brainstorm the final book in the Montana Brides series. We left book two with a twist even WE weren't expecting and have no idea how we are going to pull it off in the final book...but that's part of the fun.One of the things Gina and I agree on is to trust the story. Early on in the process of writing book two, she introduced a character because she had a feeling he was going to be important. He wasn't part of our original story plan but I trusted Gina. Turns out this additional character resolved book two and was a central reason for our unexpected set up for book three. We're trusting God tor reveal how we're supposed to handle this new plot twist as we hash out the story.Because Gina will be here, we'll have a chance to sign copies together. Please go to my "Contact Me" page and leave me a quick message to enter. I'm off for a weekend away with my hubs. I'll be drawing names on October 14 when Gina is here.Until next time,Becca

It's RELEASE DAY!

 So excited to get this into reader's hands starting today!