A Pen for Your Thoughts

Character Counts

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:46:00 +0000

When you or I write or read our stories and books, we usually find ourselves responding first to the character who is supposed to give that story its life.

One of our Author Contributors here at A Pen for Your Thoughts, Anne Greene, has a great writing tip that involves the character you decide to write about, and why this is so important to the making of a good story.

Join me, and let's see what Anne has to say.

BECOME YOUR CHARACTER

By Anne Greene

An actor climbs inside the character he portrays to make that character real. In the same way a writer must get inside the character’s head and become that character in order to make him real. A writer must see the created world through the character’s eyes. Some people call this deep point of view. I prefer to call this becoming the character.

To become a written character is more difficult than it sounds. We’re a generation of movie goers. We watch characters doing things on the big screen. We are outside their bodies. Yet we don’t have to be told what their actions mean, the characters show us. But, we are not inside their heads. And that is exactly how many writers portray their characters. From the outside.

But to make a written character real, the writer must show his motivations, emotions, thoughts, decisions, and how he experiences the created world around him. So, how does a good writer accomplish this? Here are a few suggestions.

Basic one: never use the words saw, felt, smelled, heard, thought, said, etc. For instance, rather than saying she smelled smoke, write the smell. Acrid wood smoke coming from the direction of the house, raised the hair on the nape of her neck. Rather than she felt, write what she felt. Chills spidered down her spin. Rather than saying she heard, write the sound coming to her ears. Over the muted roar of traffic, the clear, sweet tone of bells ringing brought a smile to her face. And so on—you get the idea. And, it’s redundant to write the emotion after you have gotten inside the character’s head to experience it.

I personally find getting inside the character rewarding. But I’m still not proficient. Becoming a character isn’t easy. But, once your inside your character you won’t make the mistake of author intrusion (dumping information the author wants the reader to know) because you’re character would never do that. Nor will you be adding unnecessary tags that jerk the reader out of the character’s head. Tags like she said, she thought, etc. that remind the reader they are not actually experiencing the story.

Basic two: Becoming the character adds emotion at the same time the action occurs. Weave in the sights, sounds, scents, fears, thoughts from inside the character and the reader experiences the same reactions as the character. And, of course, when the writer is the character, she will seldom describe her physical looks or mention her own name. A character named Amy would never say-Amy twirled a strand of her honey-blonde hair around her pink-tipped nail. She would more likely say-tapping one finger in a staccato rhythm against the battered desk, she pulled at a strand of her hair.

Basic three: Being inside the character cuts down on unnecessary adverbs. Instead of saying, she shouted angrily, get inside the character. She slapped his lean cheek. “I meant what I said.” Let the character’s body language take the place of adverbs.

So my advice to writers is: BECOME THE CHARACTER.

www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com

Masquerade Marriage

A Texas Christmas Mystery

What do you think of Quiet Deception?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:41:00 +0000

Ann Gaylia Obar, an author you want to meet and read about if you haven't had a chance before.

OakTara has published three of Ann's novels: Singing in Babylon (romance, November, 2010); Quiet Deception (mystery/romance) and Searching for Home (romance, international intrigue), the last two in August, 2011. Distant Thunder (romance) is under contract with OakTara (www.OakTara.com ).

Ann also writes two blogs per month for OakTara’s Bindings column in www.ChristianPost.com (http://blogs.christianpost.com/ bindings)

Ann and her husband enjoy the laid back life on Whidbey Island in Washington State’s Puget Sound. (Watch out for snow and black ice right now, Ann). It’s the background for her current work in progress.

Anxious as I am to learn a little about her newest book?

Quiet Deception is a mystery/romance.

Todd Edwards, much loved son of a widowed pastor, grew up with his friend, Byron White, victim of an abusive father, in the changing culture following World War II. As adults, both settle in as professors at a Christian college and fight demons from the past, Todd from the Viet Nam conflict, Byron from past sins. Then Byron vanishes from his office one snowy evening, and Todd is left with guilt from a last meeting.

Several years later, Kim Frazier, one of Todd’s students, stumbles on the mystery and determines to solve it. She endures an adversarial relationship with Todd, the controlling Dr. Edwards to her, and she notices that he hovers over ancient pieces of paper. Where did they come from? Perhaps he stole them from Dr. Byron White, whose picture in an earlier school annual attracts her with its vulnerability. But ghosts from the past haunt several of her professors, and more than one of her teachers harbored dislike for Byron.

Kim’s discovery of the startling truth leads her to resolve her own doubt-wracked journey into adulthood.

Ann says: I’ve returned to my Tennessee roots for this one. I include an old Tennessee legend that fascinated me. The book is character-driven. Each suspect and protagonist has a dilemma to resolve, most tied in some way with the vanished professor.

JOIN ME IN CHECKING OUT ANN'S EXCERPT FROM QUIET DECEPTION:

[Todd] thrust aside the class lists and decided to search for an article he needed, one he’d written himself on the Soviet Union’s involvement in the Middle East.

Todd remembered putting it in a box in the lower cabinet. The box should be labeled, because he always labeled boxes. Stooping, he opened the doors and grabbed a box. He turned it on the floor, trying to figure out why it had no label.

A chill gripped him as he sat back on his heels and stared. He recognized it now, a carton of books he hadn’t bothered to go through because it didn’t seem as important as Byron’s papers and clothes.

He opened the box and pulled out heavy books. They looked to be a set of encyclopedias. He started to put the books back when he noticed the corner of a paper sticking out from one of them. No, not a paper, but a thin plastic covering, the kind you put over documents for protection.

He flattened the book on the floor and opened it. It was the V book of the encyclopedias. His gaze fell on the topic at the top of the left page. Viet Nam.

A shiver chased down his spine. Byron might as well have been in the room with him. Todd knew, as one senses things beyond reason, that Byron had put these documents in this book for him.

He stopped breathing, then exploded in an exhalation when he saw the note. It was scrawled—not in Byron’s usual neat script; rather written as though in haste—but he knew it for By’s handwriting.

Great excerpt which really gives us a grasp of what to look for. Ann is graciously offering to do a giveaway too.

READ THE EXCERPT ABOVE. WHAT DO YOU READ THERE

THAT GRABS YOUR ATTENTION? DROP US A COMMENT.

WE MIGHT DRAW YOUR NAME.

We all love a DELIGHTFUL TOUCH OF HUMOR, don't we?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:02:00 +0000

Another one of the author contributors here at A Pen for Your Thoughts is Anne K. Albert, whose award winning stories chill the spine, warm the heart and soothe the soul…all with a delightful touch of humor. A member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and married to her high school sweetheart for more than a quarter of a century, it's a given Anne would write mystery (Muriel Reeves Mysteries) and romantic suspense (Piedmont Island Trilogy). When not at the keyboard our friend Anne loves to travel, visit friends and family, and of course, read using ‘Threegio’ her cherished and much beloved Kindle 3G! You can also visit Anne’s website over at www.AnneKAlbert.com/

Anne is sharing with us a great tip on SETTING as she also spends a few minutes telling us about what she writes. Read on.

Setting: More than Scenery

Anne K. Albert

Beginning writers spend considerable time and energy creating believable characters, writing snappy dialogue and developing action packed plots. It’s understandable, therefore, their tendency to ignore setting.

By definition, setting is the locale or period in which the action of a novel takes place. It can be urban, rural, tropical, wintry, foreign, indigenous, and/or everything in between. A sleepy English village on a clear, crisp winter’s day for example, is a profoundly different setting from a bustling Asian city of fifteen million battered by a category five typhoon.

Setting, however, is more than just scenery. It establishes mood. It creates conflict and causes turmoil. It impacts and changes the characters. It can (and should) move the story forward.

Surrounded by majestic Lake Superior, fictional Piedmont Island is in northeastern Minnesota near the Canadian border. It’s tall pines, rugged rock cliffs and panoramic vistas are the perfect backdrop for my Piedmont Island Trilogy series. It’s a small island community where troubles outnumber residents.

DEFENDING GLORY, first in the series, http://www.amazon.com/Defending-Glory-ebook/dp/tags-on-product/B0045JL61E tells the story of a woman who believes unconditionally in the Lord and a man who is convinced there is no master plan, no purpose in life, and most certainly, no merciful God in Heaven.

Suffering from survivor’s guilt and unable to resume his career with the FBI, Mac McKeown moves to northern Minnesota to start over as a general contractor and forget that fateful day that changed everything. When he discovers the body of his nemesis on Glory Palmer’s property, along with a warning for her to leave while she still can and abandon her dream of building a Christian retreat, Mac realizes his past has come back to haunt him and an innocent woman’s life is in grave danger. He vows to keep her safe during construction of the retreat, but can he protect his heart as well?

The tagline for PROTECTING HOPE, book two of the series, also makes good use of its setting: Serene Piedmont Island seems the perfect place for a workaholic accountant to kill five weeks…until she realizes someone’s trying to kill her.

PROTECTING HOPE will be released this spring by Vanilla Heart Publishing. Visit the Piedmont Island Trilogy blog http://piedmont-island-trilogy.blogspot.com for details.

If you are interested in getting your hands on one of Anne's good book, take a few minutes to respond to her great question: Your answers help all of us as writers, know which direction to go next.

Are there settings that appeal to you as a reader? Are there certain locations that you dislike? As a writer, do you have a favorite setting?

Leave that comment to any of the above questions and your name will be entered in our drawing later this week to win an e-copy of Defending Glory.

We look forward to picking one name at random at the end of the contest. Good luck, and as always, happy reading!

Feeling Stimulated Yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:25:00 +0000

It's been a while since we've shared one of our writing tips with you. I know you will enjoy what Sandra Byrd has to say about how a writer uses stimulus and response in her or his writing. Read on and see if it applies to you.

Chekhov's Gun

By Sandra Byrd

For every stimulus, you must have a response.

For every response, you must have a stimulus.

When we write novels, we don't include every word spoken, every action taken, every plan proposed. We include only those elements that either characterize or move the plot forward, or hopefully, both. Therefore, by introducing an element, especially one which is unusual and flags the reader's attention, we are indicating that it is significant. By that, you assure the reader that this element is worthy of their mental tracking. You're promising that there will be a response to that event or item, and that both stimulus and response will be critical to the story.

This is the classic writing rule known as Chekhov’s gun, after Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. He stated, “If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it’s not going to be fired, it shouldn’t be hanging there.” Hanging the rifle is the stimulus. Firing it is the response. Implied, then, is that when it goes off, that will be the stimulus to a following action in the plot. As a corollary, you can’t simply have something happen “out of the blue.” You must have a stimulus before a response or your readers will feel set up, asking themselves, “Where did that come from?”

In my current work in progress, Queen Kateryn Parr responds with anxiety and dread when one of Henry the Eighth’s councilors states publicly that the queen’s religious opinions differ from the king’s approved Six Acts. Because another woman, Anne Askew, was burned at the stake for that very same cause some chapters earlier, we understand, without a word, why Parr is filled with dread. The stimulus - Askew's "illegal" teaching. The response - her public martyrdom. Because the charges brought about a death, the next stimulus is an accusation of the same against the queen. The response - Parr's anxiety. This anxiety becomes the next in the chain, a stimulus, and will demand a response from her.

Think of this like a person on overhead monkey bars. Both hands start out at the same place, but then hand over hand, one after another, pass down the overhead bars, with both hands meeting on each bar before reaching for the next. Stimulus leads to a response, that response leads to the next stimulus, leads to response, till the end of the row. Because the events are all connected, your readers will never ask, "Where did that come from?"

Do you make good use of stimulus and response?

Posted earlier at Christian Writers Guild

Please sign up for my contests at www.sandrabyrd.com . I like to keep in touch!

Angels Watching Over You and Me, My Lord? See what Lisa says

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear about angels? This week I am sharing with you, Lisa Grace, an author who chooses to write about angels in her stories, but in a different and unique way, and with subject matter, I've never before shared about here at my blog.

Let's begin by learning a little about this author.

Lisa Grace lives with her family along the Gulf Coast of Florida. She loves to think she may have entertained angels, and is busy creating windows that open to the supernatural world that surrounds us. During her off time, Lisa enjoys hiking, fishing, boating, and watching nature. That's when she is not volunteering at her church where she works with the teens. Lisa says she uses what she calls the BIC (butt in chair) method to write two thousand words a day. Her mission? To reach unsaved teens with all her young adult novels. To reach adult readers with her other work.

Angel in the Shadows, Book 1 and Angel in the Storm, Book 2 have both been optioned for a major movie by a production company that has worked on five Academy award winners including Fargo, Shakespeare in Love, and It's a Beautiful Life. Elaine P. English, Lisa's entertainment lawyer is at work, writing up the final negotiated changes to the contract. Lisa's most recent book, Angel in the Ice will be released as an eBook late this month. I know you must be as interested as I am to read this upcoming book.
Angel in the Shadows

Fifteen-year-old Megan Laughlin has a gift; or what seems like a curse at times. Megan sees angels and demons. Megan knows her destiny is to protect her friends against dark angels who try to sawy them into situations that can destroy their souls, their lives, and their eternity.
At school she recognizes an uber popular boy, as a demon hell-bent on detroying her and everyone she loves. As Judas spreads horrible rumors and overdoses two of her classmates at a rave, Megan realizes the enormity of his power. While classmates die, Megan, with the help of an angel, Johnny, and a team of friends will face the fight of their lives as they battle Judas.

Megan thinks God hasn't given her any "special" powers, but discovers she has what she needs as she confronts Judas and his seemingly unconquerable power.

Angel in the Storm
Max, Megan’s younger brother, is missing. He’s been sold to human traffickers in New Orleans by the evil angel Judas. Megan is soon arrested and charged with her missing brother’s murder. The only way to clear her name is to find Max. With the help of Johnny, who is a good angel, and her friends, Megan is soon on the run in a desperate attempt to find and rescue Max.

When Judas offers her an impossible choice, how can Megan choose? The battle continues as lives are threatened and lost, not only by the rising waters of a hurricane, but in a climatic confrontation with Judas, and some will not make it out alive...

A COUPLE OF EXCERPTS FROM SOME REVIEWS LISA HAS BEEN RECEIVING

"Lisa Grace is a talented and exciting author. Suspense drips off each page. I look forward to her next work." Gretchen Helgeson
Phoenix, AZ, - Book Reviewer

Lisa Grace creates a supernatural world, where the heroine is 100 percent human - a brilliant alternative to the vampire novels. If this is her first novel - I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for readers. A page turner from start to finish.”Alexis Del Cid, CBS NEWS, KOIN-TV Portland, Oregon

"Ms Grace rocks the originality." Werevampsromance.org
Is this the kind of book that interests you? What do you think about when you read about angels? Do you have a favorite scripture that deals with angels and how God spoke about them in the Old or New Testament?

We want to hear from you. Please leave your email address when you write in. Perhaps I will draw your name and you, too, can be a winner of one of Lisa's books.

What Happens on a Mississippi Night? Ask Daphne. She'll tell you.

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:09:00 +0000

I love to share new authors with you. DM Webb (Daphne) has come to share a little about herself with us as we close out 2011 and move in to 2012. Daphne lives an exciting life! You won't want to miss reading about it as she uses her active lifestyle in the creation of her books. What could be better than that?

DM Webb lives, along with her two sons and a variety of pets, in the beautiful state of Mississippi. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).
Her studies in art and sociology coupled with her many jobs ranging from bookstore clerk to volunteer firefighter/EMR has produced a plethora of ideas for upcoming books. You can find Daphne here:

www.dmwebb.com
http://goldenrosebooks.blogspot.com
http://dmwebb-writebyfaith.blogspot.com

The blurb to her NEWEST book, MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS:

~~Two brothers, one death--the bond of brotherhood faces its greatest challenge against resentment and guilt.~~

Can the love between two brothers eventually win against pain and guilt?
When Firefighter David Boyette’s fiancée perishes in a car fire, he blames his brother, Sgt. Jeremy Boyette, for her death.
Three years later, David returns home with a dark and devastating secret. With the help of family, a woman’s love, and a small child’s devotion, can David overcome insurmountable odds as he and Jeremy face the bitterness that enslaves him?
Together the brothers must decide if the bond of brotherhood is stronger than resentment and hate.

EVERYONE WANTS A CHANCE TO GET A PEEK AT A GOOD NEW BOOK! WHAT BETTER WAY TO TAKE US INTO THE NEW YEAR THAN TO HAVE A GLIMPSE AT DAPHNE'S NEW MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS. CHECK IT OUT WITH ME, AND DROP DAPHNE A LINE HERE AT A PEN FOR YOUR THOUGHTS TO LET US KNOW EITHER WHAT YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THE NEW YEAR OR A COMMENT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT WHAT YOU READ SO FAR. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AND ARE GOING TO DRAW ONE OF YOUR NAMES IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!

Chapter 1

The white gravel drive, with its mailbox reading Dean and Leigh Boyette, wound down to the stately brick Georgian house. David had never driven the familiar ride with such apprehension. He was the prodigal son returning home—minus the guilt.

Rocks crunched beneath the tires as he brought his old, beat-up Chevy truck to a stop. He sat there, hands on the wheel, taking deep breaths. Sweat coated his palms. It had been three years since he last sat in this drive. Letters, phone calls, and e-mails had kept him in touch, but now he was back in Jasper City for good. He was an adult, for crying out loud, and he did not need to be running home like a small child.

The door creaked, testimony of the truck's age, as he opened it and stepped out onto the driveway. His boots, like the truck, had seen better days. So had he.

Old possessions. Old clothes. Old beyond his thirty-five years. Just plain old.

David grabbed his duffel bag from the bed of the truck and trudged the few steps to the front door. He sidestepped the fat tomcat asleep on the porch's step. Fat Tom, big, yellow, and lazy.

"Mornin', Fat Tom," David whispered.

Fat Tom opened one eye in greeting and then rolled over, perfecting cat arrogance.

David cocked his head. The door knocker was new, outlandish, and bulky. Mom's idea. He lifted the clown and let it fall against the metal plating. Yep, that heavy clank would get someone's attention.

So he did it again. And again. And again.

Someone yelled. "Coming!"

The clown went up and then down.

"I said I’m coming!"

Again David lifted the clown and let it plummet.

"Coming!" This time the voice screeched.

The door jerked open, and the woman, plump, beautiful, and smelling of jasmine, screeched again. This time in delight. "David!"

His feet practically left the porch as his mother pulled his tall frame down to her, enveloping him in a strong hug. "Oh my goodness! You said next week, David! Oh my goodness!"

The mantra nearly brought him to tears as she kept him in a bear hug, rocking gently.

"I couldn't wait, Mamma." Her gray streaked hair muffled his voice. "I had to see you."

She finally pulled back. "Oh, I have missed you. You look tired. And shaggy. Look at that hair. You would think it was the 70's again." She pulled at him. "Come in, silly! Go put your stuff up and get to the kitchen. I got to fatten you up again."

David bent to kiss his mother's cheek. "I've missed you, Mamma. And your cooking."

"Your sister will be here in a little while, along with Marty Junior. She will be so surprised to see you."

His mom practically skipped back to the kitchen as David climbed the stairs. Once again the familiar felt strange. Same pictures still hung on the wall. The handrail still wiggled. New rosy carpet covered the floor.

He turned right and stood in front of his bedroom. His dad had painted over the green stripes that he put on the door so long ago. He peered inside. A wave of sadness surged over him.

Same full size bed. Same curtains. Same old furniture. But none of his life before remained. When he left, he had screamed, shouted, hurled curses, and said he would never return. Now his room was a guest room. His things must have been packed away in the attic or the storage building out back–his things that had once occupied the new home that he would have shared with Rebecca, things that David had moved into this room before he left it all behind. He forced a swallow past his dry throat and blocked those thoughts.

The duffel bag bounced once when he threw it on the bed. He sat beside it and buried his head in his hands. Weariness, that old cliché, washed over him and entered his bones.

He was too tired and too empty.

As exhilarated as his mother was to see him, and his father and Darlene probably would be also, he doubted Jeremy would welcome him back. Resentment, borderline hate, still flowed between them.

"Your things are in the attic."

That deep, melodic voice had never changed. It commanded attention and brimmed with affection.

David smiled at his father, who leaned against the door frame. "Hey, Dad."

"Come here, Son." His dad took two long strides and pulled David into a tight embrace. "It's so good to see you home, Son. Let me look at you." His dad held him at arm's length. "You look tired. Beat up."

"I am tired."

"What happened in St. Louis?"

David shook his head. "Nothing, Dad. Nothing at all."

"You needed home." His dad could read him just as well as that well-worn Bible of his.

"Yeah. I needed home."

SOUND INTRIGUING? DROP US A LINE. DON'T FORGET TO TELL US EITHER YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STORY, OR WHAT YOU ARE PLANNING TO DO FOR THE NEW YEAR. DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS.

Discovering the Miraculous

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:40:00 +0000

Join me this Christmas week as we read about the newest book that award-winning author, James L. Rubart has written, and that he is generously offering to share with one of our readers this blessed holiday season. THE CHAIR sounds like the perfect Christmas read.

James L. Rubart is the best-selling, and award winning author of ROOMS, BOOK OF DAYS, and THE CHAIR. During the day he runs Barefoot Marketing, helping authors make more coin of the realm. In his free time he dirt bikes, hikes, water skis and take photos. No, he doesn’t sleep much. He lives with his amazing wife and teenage sons in the Pacific Northwest and still thinks he’s young enough to water ski like a madman. More at www.jameslrubart.com

If someone gave you a chair and said it was made by Jesus Christ, would you believe them?

When an elderly lady shows up in Corin Roscoe's antiques store and gives him a chair she claims was crafted by Jesus, he scoffs. But when a young boy is miraculously healed two days after sitting in the chair, he stops laughing and starts wondering . . . could this chair heal the person whose life Corin destroyed twelve years ago?

As word spreads of the boy's healing, a mega-church pastor is determined to manipulate Corin into turning over the chair. And that mysterious woman who gave him the piece flits in and out of his life like a shadow, insinuating it's Corin’s destiny to guard the chair above everything else. But why?

Desperate, he turns to the one person he can trust, a college history professor who knows more about the legend of the chair than he'll reveal. Corin's life shatters as he searches for the truth about the artifact and the unexplained phenomena surrounding it. What’s more, he's not the only one willing do almost anything to possess the power seemingly connected to the chair.

Excerpt from The Chair

By James L. Rubart

On Tuesday afternoon at five thirty, an elderly lady strode into Corin’s antique store as if she owned it and said, “The next two months of your life will be either heaven or hell.”

The corners of her mouth turned up a fraction. It was almost a smile.

“Excuse me?” Corin Roscoe stared at her over the mound of bills in front of him and stifled a laugh.

White hair, deep smile lines etched into her high cheekbones—she had to be at least mid-seventies. Maybe eighty, but she moved like she was in her forties. She wore a dark tan coat that bounced off her calves as she strolled toward Corin, ice blue eyes full of laughter. She didn’t look crazy.

“I’ve brought you the chair, you see.” She stared at him as if that statement would explain everything.

Corin brushed his dark hair off his forehead and slid off the stool behind his sales counter. “What chair?”

The woman looked around the store like a schoolteacher evaluating a new classroom of students. Her eyes seemed to settle on the pile of precisely stacked books from the 1700s.

“I love books, you know.”

Something about her was familiar. “Do I know you?” He took a step toward the woman.

“No.” Her laugh had a tinge of music in it. “I hardly think so.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a fortune-teller, right? And think a little heaven and a little hell is coming my way. Can’t I just subscribe to your newsletter?”

She drew a circle in the air with her forefinger, cherry red nail polish flashing under the halogen lights of Corin’s antiques store. “Probably an interweaving of the two realms. And I believe you’ll discover the hope of restoration. The final outcome will, of course, be your choice.”

Corin smiled. “You know, people think I’m a little crazy because of what I do for fun, but I don’t think I have anything on you.”

She didn’t react; only stared at him, utter confidence in her eyes.

The lady had a sophisticated air about her in contrast with her odd proclamation. Since opening the store in his late twenties, Corin had entertained seven years of the occasional strange customer, but this lady was more than unusual. Her confidence and striking looks made her words almost believable.

“You need it.”

“I think this is the moment you tell me who you are or I kindly ask you to leave.”

The woman gazed out the windows toward Silva’s Ski Shop across the street. “It is with regret that I cannot do that yet, but be assured eventually I will.” The hint of a smile returned. “Now, I must be going, so if you could help me get the chair inside, I will extend you great appreciation.” She motioned toward the front door of the store. “It isn’t heavy, but we will want to be careful. It is priceless.”

Just outside the door a tan sheet covered what must be the chair the lady referred to.

She stared at Corin, waiting, as if there were a contest going on to see who would drop their eyes first.

“I didn’t order a chair.” Corin opened his palms. “Sorry. And wouldn’t you know it? I’m overstocked with them this month already.” He smiled. “Thanks anyway.”

“Listen to me.” She intertwined her fingers, brought her thumbs up under her chin, and pointed her forefingers at him.

“Okay.” Corin chuckled.

“This is a very special chair.”

“I’m sure it is.” Corin cocked his head and winked.

“Don’t mock me.” Her eyes locked on to his.

Corin took half a step back. If her eyes were lasers, smoke would already be curling skyward above his lifeless body. “My apologies. I’m sure your chair is exceptional, but my warehouse on the east edge of town is full of antique chairs that have collected dust for over six months. There isn’t a big demand for chairs in my store right now.”

Corin studied the lady. The lines carved into her light skin hinted of joy and pain, both in full measure. Her eyes, fire a moment ago, had softened and spoke of compassion and longing. Would it hurt to help her a bit?

“If you have any desks, I’ll take a look at those. I could buy two or three, maybe more depending on their condition. And I can take the chair on consignment if you like. No charge whatsoever to display it.”

She looked at Corin as if observing a small child. “You’ve misunderstood. I am not asking you to buy the chair. I am giving it to you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“You are to have it.” She motioned again toward the door.

“I am?” Corin slid his hands into his jeans and eased toward the woman. “Who made that decision?”

She stared at him and gave a faint smile but didn’t answer.

“And what if I don’t want this gift?”

“You do.” She closed her eyes and bowed her head for a few seconds. What was she doing? Praying? “You will.”

“You seem confident of that.”

“Most certainly. It is a stunning piece.” She looked down, laid a finger on the edge of a nineteenth-century French walnut side table to her right, and drew her finger slowly across the wood. “It was made by the most talented tekton craftsman the world has ever known.”

“And who would that be?”

“You’ll figure it out, Corin.” She looked back up at him, the knowing smile back on her face. “I believe in you.”

Sounds like a great read doesn't it! If you would like to win yourself a copy, please drop Jim a note here. Perhaps you have a miracle you would like to share with all of us?

Don't forget to leave your email address.

This Special Time of Year...with Michelle

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:17:00 +0000

There is so much that is special at this time of year. Actually on every day of the year. But this week we get to hear from Author, Michelle Sutton, whose writing focuses on Healing Hearts - fiction making an impact on real lives...

Michelle is a social worker who has been writing romantic fiction for over seven years and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, as well as an avid book reviewer and blogger on a variety of sites. She founded Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers social networking site which has over 1050 members. Southeastern Arizona is where Michelle calls home. She loves being surrounded by mountains and clean air, which inspires many of her novels. She and her husband are approaching twenty-one years of marriage and their two sons will begin their second year of college in August. She is the author of a dozen novels releasing through Dec 2011 and additional six new titles and two re-releases are scheduled to happen between 2012 and 2014. She presently has three publishers.

What is so special about this Christmas season to you, Michelle?

This time of year I enjoy having my sons come home from college to visit. There are parties to attend, concerts to go to (like The Messiah - an annual tradition,) and people to bless by just hanging out or given them gifts or cards. It's all quite exhausting, really, so I am glad it only comes one time per year. I particularly enjoy getting together with friends, at work, and for church groups to do White Elephant exchanges. They are always a laugh and a half.

When I was a kid we always watched Rudolf, Frosty, Charlie Brown, and The Grinch on television. Now that we haven't watched television for two decades we have gotten a bit out of that tradition, but we do watch (every year) this silly show with muppet-like puppets called "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas."

When the kids were younger we watched the Veggie Tales movie about the Christmas Carol. I don't make cookies, but I don't mind eating them if given to me (and my hips show it, too!) We will go to church if it's on Christmas. We always go to the Christmas Eve services to sing carols and then we go home and open the stockings. In the morning we open the gifts to each other.

My kids have this silly tradition of writing crazy stuff on the packages with the name of who the gift is for. Sometimes it's quite hilarious, actually.

But my favorite thing is probably the Christmas carols we sing at church. It's the only time of year that hymns are sung anymore, and I love hymns. I also love the reading of the Christmas story. A few years I went out singing carols, but that's pretty cold and the older I get the more I appreciate the fires in the fireplace and the cozy atmosphere. The cold - not so much. Every year the traditions alter a bit, but for the most part we stick to the same routine.

When I was a kid our family used to have people from other countries like China and Vietnam over to our house for dinner. Now that we have a nuclear family of our own, we tend to be home bodies and just hang out together and play games. I take time off from work and we just veg out. That's what I love about this time of year most. Having my family together.

SHIRLEY: Thanks so much for sharing that. I can see it all, and it does sound like a very special time, Michelle.

Please tell us now about your newest book.

She longs for physical healing, but God uses someone from a dark time in her past to heal something more important…her heart.

Ten years ago Raquel dumped Scott for an abusive man, only she didn’t know Scott loved her in a romantic way. She thought they were just good friends because Scott never made his feelings known. Ten years later they meet up again, only now she's a widow—emotionally fragile from years of abuse—and in need of a friend she can trust. She is taking care of her aunt who has cancer, but now her own health is failing. Scott never got over Raquel and he worries he will fall in love with her again. Her past rejection causes Scott to guard his heart as he helps her navigate the unwanted changes in her life. Over time he begins to trust her again as she fights discouragement over her diagnosis. He gives Raquel the unconditional love she has always longed for, but will that be enough?

SHIRLEY: This sounds like a great book! I am thrilled you are planning to donate a PDF copy to one of our readers.

Thanks, Michelle, for taking a few minutes out of your Christmas holiday to spend a little time over here at A Pen for Your Thoughts!

May you and your family have an awesome Christmas together around that fireplace...singing those carols...opening your stockings...reading the funny cards on your packages...and sharing in the joy of cookie time.

There's nothing so awesome as when family comes together as one.

For our viewers: Tell us one special thing you'd like to see happen at Christmas time this year, that you haven't seen happen recently. (Be sure to leave your email address. And I will draw the winner's name on Christmas EVE!)

Making Use of her Gift in a Way that will Bless ... Her Greatest Passion

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:50:00 +0000

     Penny Zeller is the author of several books and numerous magazine articles. She is also the author of the blog "A Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author" www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com where she also provides weekly doses of humor, along with movie reviews from a Christian worldview, and interviews with some of her favorite author friends.
     Penny is an active volunteer in her community, devoting her time to assisting and nurturing women and children into a closer relationship with Christ. Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His kingdom.
     Among other books, Penny is the author of McKenzie, Kaydie, and Hailee in her Montana Skies Historical Romance Series and 77 Ways Your Family Can Make a Difference: Ideas and Activities for Serving Others.When she's not writing, Penny enjoys spending time with her family and camping, hiking, canoeing, and playing volleyball.

SDC: It's so great having you here, Penny. You are fast becoming both a well-known and talented writer. Before you tell us about your newest release please fill us in on what inspired you with the book(s) you’ve written up until now.

Penny: Hello Shirley! Thank you so much for having me as your guest. Wow, what a great question…I have written nonfiction and children’s fiction in the past, but my favorite genre to read and write is historical romance. The Lord gave me the opportunity to pen the first book in my Montana Skies Series, McKenzie, while recovering from injuries I sustained in a car accident. I have always wanted to write a novel about a mail-order bride, and from that passion came McKenzie. Kaydie, whose character learns to trust in God for all things, soon followed. I was inspired to write Hailee, the third and final book in the series, when I received a piece of mail about an orphanage. I was eager to write about the experience of a girl who spent time in not only an orphanage, but an orphanage for wayward juveniles. I am humbled that God could use me to impact lives through my books.

SDC: It is humbling, isn't it, but also such a blessing. What kind of response to you receive from readers who have not yet come to know the Lord, or who have been influenced greatly by your writing?

Penny: Regarding your first question: I recently received a phone call from a friend whose grandmother is hospitalized in serious condition. She's an elderly woman (in her 90s) who isn't doing well healthwise and she doesn't know the Lord. Her family has been praying for her and trying for years to witness to her. My friend told me that her grandmother requested the other night that a book be read to her. I was humbled that out of all the books she could have chosen, she requested McKenzie. I pray that something of God's Word that I have written in my book would help to soften this woman's heart toward Jesus and pave the way for her family to again tell her about God's eternal gift for her.

For your second question: I recently heard from a woman who has been caring for her mother who has terminal cancer. Her mother can no longer talk, but receives great comfort just in knowing that her daughter is there. While her daughter remains by her bedside, she told me she read my Montana Skies Series and was greatly blessed by it. “I needed to be able to escape the harsh reality of watching my mother die by escaping to Pine Haven, Montana. Your books allowed me to do that. Thank you.”

It is times like that or when readers write to tell me how my books had an impact on their lives that are such great moments and make it all worthwhile.

SDC: Those are both great testimonies. Thanks! Tell us five things you like that no one might know about and that make you, you.

Penny: Ooh! Fun question!

1. My favorite thing ever is spending time with my family.

2. My favorite food is pizza (make that pepperoni with extra cheese) followed by popcorn.

3. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 7 and I love to sit and daydream about new characters.

4. I met my husband through a prank phone call.

5. I love clothes and have a weakness for cute shoes.

SDC: LOL. I love how you met your husband. That's a story in itself! What question regarding the season of Christmas would you like one of our viewers to answer to help me select the winner? (if the winner resides in the U.S., they will receive a personalized paperback copy; if they reside outside of the U.S., they will receive an ebook copy).

Penny: What is your favorite Christmas tradition and why does it hold special meaning for you?

SDC: As always, Penny, it has been a real pleasure having you here again at A Pen for Your Thoughts. I love it when you come over our way. Let us know where we can find you and your books.

Penny: My books can be found at your favorite bookstore or at any online retailer including

http://www.christianbook.com/montana-skies-series-volumes-1-3/pd/742744?item_code=WW&netp_id=916458&event=ESRCG&view=details and

http://www.amazon.com/Hailee-Montana-Skies-Penny-Zeller/dp/1603742182/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t or

I love to connect with readers -

On my website: www.pennyzeller.com

On my humor blog: www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/pennyzeller

Thank you again, Shirley, for graciously hosting me on your blog. To you and to all of your readers – may you all have a blessed Christmas season!

THANKS SO VERY MUCH! And same to you and your family, Penny.

Readers, please take a few minutes to share with us YOUR favorite Christmas tradition, as Penny asked above.

Lord willing, I will draw YOUR name and you can enjoy Penny's book too.

Here is a little what the book is about. Read on...

For years, orphan Hailee Annigan was just a ragamuffin in the Cincinnati streets, stealing food to keep her two younger brothers fed. Her thievery landed her in a home for delinquent youngsters, where her life was changed, thanks to her teachers. Now, nineteen-year-old Hailee excitedly heads to Montana to be a teacher, yet she's still plagued by her shameful past and the fear of never seeing her brothers again.

Based on his upbringing in high-society Boston, no one would have guessed that Nate Adams would attend seminary and become a church pastor in rugged Montana. Even now, Nate's parents refuse to put aside their own plans for his future and accept his calling.

When their paths converge, an immediate attraction draws Hailee and Nate together, even as the pressures and demands of others pull them apart. Can the unlikely pair come to terms with their pasts and face the future together?

The newly-produced book trailer for Hailee can be seen here http://youtu.be/LEGoM43jtwA

Just around the corner with Lillian...

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:32:00 +0000

With Christmas just around the corner, we are sharing with you, a little about Lillian Duncan, who is looking forward to sharing one of her books with one of you for a Christmas giveaway. If you like suspense romances, you'll definitely want to read about Deception!

Read on...

Lillian Duncan lives in Ohio Amish country with her husband, four parrots, one Jack Russell, and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Whether as a speech-language pathologist, an educator, or as a writer, she believes in the power of words to change lives, especially God’s Word. Lillian believes books can be entertaining without being trashy. She writes the types of books she loves to read, suspense with a touch of romance. Her newest release is PURSUED and her fifth novel, DECEPTION, will be released later this year.

DECEPTION

Twins are supposed to have an unbreakable bond, but Patti and Jamie have serious relationship issues. They haven’t spoken since Jamie ruined Patti’s upcoming nuptials years ago. When a niece she knows nothing about telephones, Patti must unravel the yarn of Jamie’s life and her mysterious disappearance. Detective Carter Caldwell takes his job seriously, and it's his job to keep Patti and her niece safe. But Patti is determined to help find her sister.

As the investigation grows more dangerous, Carter begrudgingly admits the safest place for Patti is at his side. Each step in their journey leads them closer to the truth but pulls them further down a road filled with danger and deception, where each will battle for survival and the lives of countless Americans.

CHECK OUT LILLIAN'S EXCERPT HERE...

Women didn’t leave their purses—for any reason. She’d heard of women running back into burning buildings to get them.

Maybe Jamie was using a different one at the moment, Patti reasoned, trying to reassure herself. Patti opened the Gucci handbag. Just the usual things: a brush, makeup, some gum.

She opened the billfold. Her breath faltered.

Inside were several credit cards and a driver’s license. The license showed the address of the house Patti was sitting in at the moment.

It was Jamie’s current purse.

Patti’s concern moved up several notches from mild anxiety to apprehension.

Why would Jamie walk out of the house without her purse or her child? She stared down at the license, barely able to breathe.

Her heart reached out to Jamie’s. Where are you, sis? Are you in trouble?

Nothing. No answers. No connection with her twin. Tears dripped on the license she still held. It didn’t matter. Patti knew the answer.

Jamie hadn’t left this house willingly.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET IN ON THE CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY, FOLLOW UP ON THE QUESTION FOR YOU TO RESPOND TO FROM LIL

One of my favorite Christmas gifts as a child was a Barbie Doll. My older sister found them before Mom wrapped them. As far as I know, she never knew we took them out and played with them.

What's your favorite Christmas gift from childhood?

You can find Lil at her website and blog:

www.lillianduncan.net and

www.lillianduncan.wordpress.com.

Congratulations to Glenda Parker of Broken Bow, NE

It's All a Matter of "THYME"

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:41:00 +0000

Historical writer and renowned author-contributor of many articles over at Today's Christian Woman and elsewhere, Pamela Meyers is here with us to close out the Thanksgiving holidays and take us into the Christmas season. I'm thrilled to get to know Pam a little better here at the blog. I'm sure you will be too as you learn of her books and background and get a chance to win a copy of one of her books for yourselves. What a great Christmas gift that would be for one of you. Let's meet Pam together.

A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Pamela S. Meyers currently lives in Arlington Heights, Ill. She served on the Operating Board for ACFW 2005-2009, and is president of her local ACFW chapter. Her debut novel Thyme for Love releases November 14, 2011, and her historical that is set in her hometown, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, will release in June 2012. She has published articles in Today’s Christian Woman, Christian Computing, Victory in Grace, and Ancestry. She is also a contributor in the compilation book, His Forever.

SDC: Welcome to A Pen for Your Thoughts, Pam. Before we get going, what would you say your theme scripture is as a writer? One that explains your vision and makes it plain to the readers why you write?

Pam: Wow, that’s a good question. I can’t say that I have one scripture that is a theme. One that jumped out at me as I waited for God to move in my writing was Psalm 37: 3-4 in the New King James Version: Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

God gave me this scripture while I was at a writing conference and feeling very discouraged. The bolded words jumped out at me. It was as if God were saying this is where you are for now, but look back at how I’ve been faithful to you. Let that fill you and at the right time, after you have delighted in Me, I will give you the desires of your heart.

SDC: Oh, I love that. And I can definitely see how God could minister that to you in a special way. Tell us about your publisher now and your experiences in working with them. Please include more about what you have coming out soon.

Pam: OakTara Publishers is a fairly new small press that is co-owned by Ramona Tucker and Jeff Nesbitt. Both have been in the publishing industry for many years. They are growing and can be checked out at their website: www.oaktara.com . I had a unique experience when after my agent, Terry Burns, told me Ramona wanted to contract me for Thyme for Love, I learned she and Terry would both be at the Write to Publish Conference which is held close to my home. I suggested I come over to the conference for lunch and Terry arranged for Ramona and I to meet. She actually gave my contract at that time and I have a photo of me signing it while Ramona looked on.

SDC: How fortunate that was for you. And there again we see God at work in your life! How else do you thread faith, love, and hope along with the reality of life work together in your stories?

Pam: I try to weave the spiritual thread organically into my stories. The last thing I want is for the thread to be seen as contrived or preachy. My characters struggle with faith and trials and like so many of us, they sometimes lash out at God, but learn through the process that God has their best interests at heart and can be trusted to see them through.

SDC: Such a great way to get the message of your story out to the readers. How long did you have to wait before getting published the first time?

Pam: I first had the seed planted in me that I could write for publication by a writing professor when I was in an accelerated adult program to receive my bachelor’s. That was in the mid 90’s. I dabbled at fiction writing, wrote a few published magazine articles, and then in about 2000 began to seriously pursue fiction publication. So it was basically about eleven years.

SDC: Never too long a wait -- never too short. Instead, just the amount of time God saw that was necessary. I'm going to switch gears for a moment, Pam. Right now as I ask this question, I have a candle lit at the corner of my desk, and classical music playing in the background. The scent and sound keeps my creative juices flowing, but I have a difficult time sitting all alone for too long at a time before I have to go say hello to my husband. Does a room or special place or thing play any part in your story writing and how?

Pam: Ever since I contracted I saw a need as never before to have a home office that was functional. I had a small corner of my bedroom set aside with a computer desk and a file cabinet. But I hated sitting there and ended up doing most of my writing on my couch. A couple months ago I decided to turn my dining area into an office and got rid of my large dining table, replacing it with a small drop-leaf. I actually love having more the feel of a office and have been able to develop a stronger work ethic by actually “going to work” every morning and working until late afternoon. I do take a break to exercise and/or run errands about midday.

SDC: How does your family and the ministry with your church correspond with your time to write and do research for writing?

Pam: I am single and both my parents are deceased. So I am not distracted by demands of family, but I have a lot of writer friends and church friends. I am blessed in that way and my friends do respect my writing time and basically “leave me alone” to do it when asked. I’ve been so swamped lately with marketing my new book and editing another book from Summerside Press called Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (my hometown) that will be out in June, that I’ve had to step back from one of the ministries I’m involved in at my church. Hopefully, that’s temporary.

SDC: I'm blessed to hear how your church friends respect your time. So often, people do not realize that writing time is not always an easy process, and it does take a considerable amount of our day. We very much need that to be able to do the work we've been contracted to do. What question would you like one of our viewers to answer to help me select the winner of your newest book coming out?

Pam: What is your favorite genre of fiction to read?

SDC: Thanks so much. Please include your URL and where people can find your books.

Pam: You can read about me at my blog/website: www.pamelasmeyers.com . Right now it’s my blog only, but I am hoping to get material from my website moved over to it soon. Also you can check out my book trailer for Thyme for Love at: http://www.youtube.com/user/writerwoman44?feature=mhee

Thyme for Love can be purchased at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Please note that Amazon is currently stating the book will not ship for 6-9 weeks. This is in error. Amazon does have books We are working to get that corrected. Kindle and Nook editions will be out in a couple weeks.

BE SURE TO DROP IN A COMMENT. LET PAM KNOW WHAT YOUR FAVORITE GENRE OF FICTION IS TO READ. BE SURE TO LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS. I HOPE TO DRAW YOUR NAME IN A FEW DAYS.

Congratulations to Bethany Schweitzer of Columbus, OH. Your book is on its way!

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:48:00 +0000

A Thanksgiving Reflection

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD

Perhaps at no other time during the year do we focus on giving gratitude than on Thanksgiving Day. While giving thanks is appropriate on this traditional national holiday, giving thanks can and should be a part of every single day.

Scripture commands us to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4). This means that the first step to entering God’s presence is to give thanks. The giving of thanks ushers us into the vestibule of Heaven and leads us to the edge of its courts. We then enter the courts of Heaven through praise.

So thanksgiving precedes praise. In a very real sense, it prepares us for praise. Praise, in turn, puts us in the very midst of God’s presence because the Word tells us that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

But it all starts with giving thanks.

Giving thanks, moreover, is essential in nurturing our relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. If you are a parent, you understand how an expression of thanks from your child warms your heart, especially since such expressions may be the exception rather than the rule. You also understand how a complaint from your child disheartens you, leaving you feeling sad and discouraged. So it is with our Heavenly Father. When we thank Him, we warm His heart. When we complain, we hurt Him.

Determine today that you will make the giving of thanks a priority not only in your relationship with God but also in your relationships with others. Let your expressions of gratitude be a balm to the downcast soul and an elixir of life to your own. Most of all, let your thanksgiving be a sweet fragrance rising up continually to our Heavenly Father, filling Him with joy and delight.

Dr. MaryAnn Diorio is a widely published, award-winning author of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Her latest book, You Were Made for Greatness!, is available as an e-book on Amazon, Smashwords, and other Kindle venues. You may contact MaryAnn through her website at www.maryanndiorio.com

Hmm...Indiana Jones meets missionary love? Is that food for thought or an introduction?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:45:00 +0000

It's so much fun to introduce you to debut authors, and this week we have another delightful guest, Debbie Kaufman, who is anxious to tell us all about her debut book, The Doctor's Mission. Follow me, as we step into my blog and meet her together.

Debbie Kaufman has always found a good book to be a great escape. Years ago she failed to heed her mother’s advice when told to get her nose out of a book. Instead, she parlayed her reading addiction into writing award-winning fiction. Originally a Kentucky girl, Debbie now lives in

Georgia

with her own romance hero, her husband of over thirty years. Her first novel is a Love Inspired Historical titled The Doctor’s Mission (Nov. 2011).

SKC: It's wonderful to meet you, Debbie. Now, we are anxious to hear about your new project. Tell us about it.

Debbie: I’m involved in promoting my first published book, The Doctor’s Mission. Love Inspired Historical just released it this month, and it is a missionary romantic adventure set in the jungle of 1918-1920 Liberia, Africa, featuring the cannibal tribes of the time. I describe The Doctor’s Mission as a bit of “Indiana Jones meets missionary love.”

SKC: What keeps you going on days that you don't necessarily feel like writing?

Debbie: On those days that I really don’t want to put myself in front of the computer screen, I’ve usually fallen back on the reward system. I set a goal, and if I make it, I allow myself something I want. For me, that’s usually reading time, something that is at a premium since I published.

However, yesterday I read a review that a reader left me on Amazon for The Doctor’s Mission, and I found a more mature motivation. After all the wonderful things this reader said, she ended with this: “I didn't want this unique journey to end. I keep imagining where the author might take us next time!” Reading that comment made me realize that I had a responsibility and my motivation level is now very high. I can’t afford to let someone down now that I’ve put that first book out there. I may occasionally still need to reward myself in the short term, but now I’ve got my eyes on longer range goals.

SKC: That's a good system, Debbie. Thanks. Starting and ending a book is often the most difficult, for many writers. Describe how you come up with the beginning and end to your story.

Debbie: The beginning usually comes to me like watching a movie. Something sparks an idea, and I see a scene and its setting in strong detail—sights, sounds, feelings, everything. Then the real work begins as I plot out where to go from there.

Because I plot, I pretty much know the ending before I get more than a couple of chapters on the page. Sometimes when I get stuck going forward, I take a big leap and actually write the ending before the middle. I’ve even been known to work backwards from there!

SKC: What do you believe is the KEY to writing a good book?

Debbie: Gosh, Shirley, it’s hard to choose just one thing as the key! There are so many elements to a good book, but since you’re asking for only one, I would say the key is to never take the easy way out. Don’t go for the cliché, the trite, because it cheats the reader. When you’re writing, it’s so easy to want to quit and say something is good enough so that you don’t have to rewrite that page/scene/chapter again. You’ll never get a truly good book by doing taking the easy way.

SKC: How do you create your settings, and do you take advantage of the area that’s around you or do you research and discover new places?

Debbie: I am a total research geek. The Doctor’s Mission is set in 1918 Liberia, Africa. I read countless missionary journals, scholarly texts from a later Harvard expedition, and page-turned my way through anything with photographs from the time to create my jungle setting. May I just say that Google books and the Library of Congress are both my new best friends?

SKC: After you finish your present project what plans do you have?

Debbie: I’m working on a second Liberian missionary romance, and I have a third in mind with the same setting. I’ve already had that “movie moment” for book three and know how it opens. But, for book four, I want to turn to China. I have some actual experience in China since my fourth child was adopted from there and I set up an international adoption program there in the 90’s.

SKC: We appreciate that you are planning to donate a book to one of the readers here at A Pen for Your Thoughts. What would you like to ask our readers today?

Debbie: Shirley, thanks for having me here this week. I’d love your readers to tell us their feelings about a book’s setting: How important is setting to you? Any memorable ones you care to share? If you could choose a setting for a book, where would it be?

SKC: Please let us know where your book can be found and where our readers can learn more about you.

Debbie: You can find my books at www.Harlequin.com , Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Mission-Love-Inspired-Historical/dp/0373828942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321310871&sr=8-1 ),Barnes and Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/doctors-mission-debbie-kaufman/1102081630?ean=9780373828944&itm=1&usri=the%252bdoctor27s%252bmission ), Christian Book Distributors (http://www.christianbook.com/the-doctors-mission-debbie-kaufman/9780373828944/pd/828940?product_redirect=1&Ntt=828940&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP) or any local retailer that carries the line.
For more about me, my books, and missions, visit my website at www.debbiekaufman.com
For an excerpt of The Doctor’s Mission: www.debbiekaufman.com/excerpt

Congratulations to ANN LEE MILLER (ALY LOGAN) of GILBERT ARIZONA. YOU JUST WON THE BOOK!

Mysteries Come in the Most Unusual Places

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:25:00 +0000

While we share a little about the art of writing, and reflections that offer us encouragement here at A Pen for Your Thoughts, we also love to promote other authors with interviews and reviews as well as excerpts from their upcoming books.

In the next few days we look forward to sharing with you more about the Award Winning Author, ANNE GREENE who delights in writing about wounded heroes and gutsy heroines. She writes both historical and suspense novels. After falling in love with several countries and their people, Anne set a number of her books in exotic locations. She and her hero husband, Army Special Forces Colonel Larry Greene, have visited twenty-five countries, including three communist countries.

A visit to Scotland resulted in her newest book release, Masquerade Marriage, published by White Rose Publishing. When Anne is not deployed with her husband, she makes her home in McKinney, Texas. Two of her four children live nearby. The well known Tim LaHaye led her to the Lord when she was twenty-one and Chuck Swindoll is her Pastor.

In 1990, Anne graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Literary Studies from the University of Texas, Dallas. Her highest hope is that her stories transport the reader to an awesome new world and touch hearts to seek a deeper spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus. To learn more of Anne and to view pictures from her extensive travel, visit her at www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com.

Anne's upcoming release is called

A Texas Christmas Mystery.

A lady Coastguardsman searches for a killer. An oil rig troubleshooter accused of murder races to clear his name. The murderer strives to silence them both. As Amber Meredith seeks to arrest Derrick Darbonne, sparks fly. She needs to solve her first case. But the handsome Cajun suspect makes her heart race and her toes tingle. Derrick has worked all his life for his high-paying, adventurous job. When his past threatens his future, will he endanger the woman he loves?

Join me as we get a hint at how the book begins.

CHAPTER ONE

Galveston, Texas

Only one thing scared Derrick Darbonne. He had no fear of fire, hurricane, sabotage, high seas, drunken roughnecks, reckless roustabouts, brawls, or hard work. But losing the job he’d slaved all his life to obtain terrified him.

He’d worked himself up from oaks draped with Spanish moss, murky alligator-filled water, and a tiny cabin on the banks of the bayou with no running water or electricity. He’d finally gotten to where he wanted to be. And now someone was trying to pin a murder on him. Some Christmas present.

Derrick crushed the schematics he’d been scanning and jammed them into his pocket. He braced his legs wide on the steel floor of the oil rig and raised the powerful navigational binoculars. A Coast Guard cutter slashed a white wedge through the sparkling Gulf waters straight toward his oil platform.

His jaw tightened, his spine stiffened, and he swallowed.

Standing beside him, Joe Bridges, the MIC, Man in Charge, swore.

If Derrick had been a swearing man, he would have joined Joe. Instead, he gripped the navigational binoculars tighter. “Third time this week. If I had anything to hide, I’d jump ship.” He smacked his hard hat so thoroughly his ears rang. “Thought so! That guardsman is a female.” Here was a Coastie bearing down on him with the authority to shut down the operation. The men would be out of work just in time for Christmas. What pretense to investigate the murder was the Coast Guard using this time?

Derrick lowered the binoculars and frowned. “She looks familiar.”

“Ever since you arrived for the routine inspection, Cajun, the Coast Guard’s been on our backs.” Scowling, Joe thrust out a hand for the glasses. “Then there was the murder. That’s the reason the big boss’s keeping you out here again, so long.”

“Don’t I know it! I’m looking for a saboteur as well. Probably the same guy.” Derrick slapped the binoculars into Joe’s hand and tried to lighten his foreboding with a jabbing tease. “Now I’ve got to get the Coast Guard environmental crew out of your hair.”

“Rib me, will ya?” Joe repositioned his yellow hard hat over his bald head and shook a work-hardened finger. “I’ll bet you I can get that Coastie to go for me and my shiny head before she goes for you and that Cajun accent of yours. Loser pays a hundred bucks.”

“You want us to distract her with our masculine charm so she won’t sniff out any violations that could shut us down?” Derrick surveyed the rig’s two-hundred-foot deck looking for any OSHA or EPA trouble the Coast Guard might use to give a citation. Sunlight slanted off the metal plates causing enough glare to hurt his eyes. He didn’t like Joe’s plan.

“You got it.” Joe grinned.

Derrick gave a tight smile. He slid his gaze to the roughneck inside the glass-enclosed room, jiggling the joy sticks and pushing the buttons that worked the rig’s floor. The big man hooking a new drill in place beneath the five-hundred-foot drilling tower wore his safety equipment. No problem there.

Derrick flicked his gaze over the new hire, the eighteen year old from Galveston. The kid’s long blond hair straggled from beneath his yellow hard hat. He was bent over washing sludge and mineral oil through sand to clean out the last drop of hydrocarbon before reusing the sand. Kid was a hard worker, already adept at his job. No laws broken. No environmental procedures shortcut.

The rest of the roughnecks and roustabouts worked steadily. None violated safety measures. No oil spills or pipe breaks had occurred. The hole drilled through the sea bottom was clean and not yet exceptionally deep. They should hit oil soon. Joe Bridges had a salty vocabulary, but the boss man ran a tight rig. So why suddenly all the anonymous phone calls about regulation problems? Had to be the murder.

Derrick needed to come up with answers.

“Alamo Oil pays you a hefty salary to make sure things run smooth on all two hundred of its rigs.” Joe’s voice sounded more than a little jealous.

“Don’t I know it.” Derrick ran a hand over the stubble already growing after his close morning shave.

“Alamo doesn’t want to fork out any stiff fines or lose any drill time because of environmental pollution, safety violations, mismanagement, or accidents. So make sure that Coastie’s distracted.” Joe winked. “And don’t mention the murder. We’ve trampled that ground too many times with the Coast Guard already.”

“Right.” Derrick rubbed the back of his neck. An uneasy feeling kept nagging him about the murder. Nothing he could put a handle to, but—too many clues led directly to him. Once the Coast Guard put the puzzle together, they’d come looking for him. He grunted. How had his personal helmet wound up grasped in the dead kid’s hand?

Joe swore loud enough that the crew cleaning sand looked up. He lowered his voice. “That Coastie’s gonna cause trouble. I feel it in my bones.” His eyes, shadowed under his hard hat, looked wary. “We gotta keep her thinking about us, not her job.” He handed the binoculars back.

Derrick frowned. “I think you’re just hard up for a date. You want a girl friend to share Christmas with.”

“Whatever!”

As the Coast Guard cutter pulled alongside their offshore rig, Derrick focused the binoculars on the trim figure in her blue uniform. He’d not seen many women in the Guard, and none that looked so curvy…wow, hotter than a Louisiana mudbug boil. He loved that spicy crawfish dish.

Dread inside his gut heightened. Sweat beaded his forehead. He got tongue-tied around women. “This can’t be good!”

“Yeah. The broad’s probably a—”

“It’s Amber Meredith!” Derrick fumbled the expensive binoculars, made a grab for them, and caught them just before they hit the deck.

SOUNDS GOOD, DOESN'T IT! Anne looks forward to offering a free book to one of our readers. Be sure to share a comment below and leave an email address to get your name added to the basket of potentials winners of this upcoming book! What a great Christmas present that would be! We look forward to hearing from you.

Congratulations to E.A. West of Middletown, INDIANA!

Is it HEY JUDE or HERE'S JUDE?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:32:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to bring Jude Urbanski to you as she shares a little about her writing journey and plans to share some of her talent with you by offering one of her books to some lucky someone.

Jude Urbanski writes both fiction and nonfiction. She weaves stories where heroes and heroines spin tragedy into triumph, always with a faith element involved. Passion for writing has always been a part of her life, but she’s been writing fiction for only the past five years.

SKC: Thanks so much for being here with us, Jude. Where are you from and where did you grow up? Before you tell us more about your work, how would you say your upbringing relates to your writing?

JU My mother was a great story teller and passed on much of my family history in this way. Sitting around the living room and listening to her was a fond childhood memory. My many years spent as a health professional, a Parish Nurse and a lay spiritual counselor bring the healing aspect I use in many of my stories. But, Shirley, I was born in the south and grew up in Indiana. I use the south as a setting for my books quite often.

SKC: How do your get your brain into the creative mode?

JU My daily routine includes rising early (have always done this-not being virtuous), taking my thyroid medicine (ugh), brewing coffee and then having meditation and time in God’s word. Only after this am I ready to write. I listen to Pandora’s internet radio, usually to classical or jazz music, while I write.

SKC: I love listening to the classical music station myself, while I'm writing. What inspires you to keep going?

JU The joy of seeing something I have written in published print. But even more importantly, having someone say they received some hope or thought from the writing.

SKC: Oh, yes, I could put a thumbs up on that one. It is SUCH a joy to hear someone is reading your book and enjoying it at the same time. When did you know writing books would become the passion of your heart and what message do you filter in your stories, if any?

JU Oh, I had started a novel probably 25 years ago, but it was only when I retired, I allowed myself to give my writing its needed time. I so admire young mothers who managed to write! My message I guess is there is always hope and it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

SKC: I couldn't agree more. You are still a fairly new author like I call myself, and probably always will. What do you believe is the KEY to writing a good book so far?

JU Yes, even though I’m on my fourth book, write a regular column and a zillion other little things, still feel a beginner. I never want to quit learning. The KEY though is having a compelling story and writing it well.

SKC: How do you schedule your daily writing time, Jude, so that it does not interfere with your God time and quality time with family?

JU I mentioned I aim for meditation or quiet time before anything else. Of course, I don’t always get it accomplished. You’d think since my husband and I are retired, we’d have all the time in the world, but not so! If you’re not retired, just wait. Or, maybe we just never change our paces. We are both very actively involved in church and community. We have a huge family we still wish to devote time to also. I don’t want my writing to overwhelm and discipline and choices are required to maintain balance.

SKC: After you finish your present projects what plans do you have?

JU I desire to secure an agent and I have some other ideas of books. A few of my family members write or are in the creative arts and I want to be able to help in this area.

SKC: Sounds good. Okay, here is this. Tell me your first thoughts. A reader has come to your door to tell you she has a great story about her life that she would like you to put into a story. What would you tell her?

JU Shirley! Is this a trick question? I’d probably tell her to write it!

SKC: No trick. But I loved your answer. Jude, it's been a pleasure having you here. Let us know what book you would like to share with us. And be sure to include here where readers can come find you or your books.

JU I’m excited about the upcoming release of book one, Joy Restored, in my series, The Chronicles of Chanute Crossing. It will be released in electronic format by Desert Breeze Publishing the middle of November. I loved writing this book! In fact, someone will be the lucky winner from this blog if they comment and leave an email address!

SKC: Thanks so much.

JU: To order the book, go to Desert Breeze Publishing and click on my name or use my blog or website.

http://www.judeurbanski.com/

judeurbanski.blogspot.com

mailto:urbanski4u@aol.com

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-226/Joy-Restored-Jude-Urbanski/Detail.bok

CONGRATULATIONS TO LISA MILLS OF WAKARUSA, INDIANA! YOU WILL HEAR FROM JUDE SOON.

The Right and the Right Way of Things? Is That How it Goes?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:38:00 +0000

October continues to bring us surprises, and articles and features just a little different from the monthly norm here at A Pen for Your Thoughts. We now have another of our author contributor here to share with you about what the average "joe" does with her time. If you, too, are an average "joe," take a few moments with me to chew on Linore Rose Burkard's "take" on time management. Read what she has to share about how a person can get a better handle on that one thing all of us must learn.

Read on and then let us know your thoughts.

Writing and Time Management
By Linore Rose Burkard, Historical Novelist

As writers, we like to think that if we could only fall upon the "right" way to order our time, or organize that book, we'd have a lifelong success plan. For instance, when I wrote my first novel, BEFORE THE SEASON ENDS,
I did it by getting the kids into bed and then sitting up at night working. But the by the time I needed to finish my second book, THE HOUSE IN GROSVENOR SQUARE, the kids weren't as young anymore, and weren't going to bed as early. Writing at night wasn't happening. What gave me success for one book was no longer the "right" way.
Life is like that, isn't it? One year, we can drop a few pounds by going low-carb, when the following year, the
weight won't budge without adding exercise. Things change, schedules change, and it can affect how or when we write. For this reason I've used numerous time-management tools to help me get work done. I've followed methods given by experts such as Brian Tracy, and stream-lined my day with productivity tips from Mike Hyatt. Most of the tools I pick up here or there have proven useful in their way, and for a time, but I have yet to find one that can take the place in overall effectiveness of sheer determination. I speak only for myself,
but the very creativity that makes me a writer is the same force that prevents me from sticking to the same rules, the same schedule every day, no matter how helpful it might have been while I did. When life changes fast, it is really only your determination that can keep you productive through the changes.

Nevertheless, I encourage every writer who has difficulty focusing on a project to experiment with various time-management tools. When you find one that works, use it until it no longer fits with who you are and what you're faced with at the moment.
Some writers find challenges useful. Next month is NaNoWriMo, or, National Novel Writing Month. This is basically an organized writing challenge in which each participant decides their own parameters, and helps many writers kick their creative juices into gear. It's a solid month of meeting a daily writing goal, and it's fast and furious. The very fact of its lasting only one month is what encourages many to get on board and give it a shot.

What about you? Do you follow a hard and fast writing schedule? Do you use time-management tools? And what about NaNoWriMo? Will you be participating?

Leave a comment and let us know what works for you. Lenore plans to select one commenter to get a free copy of her book.

The Recent Buzz?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:32:00 +0000

Every writers' conference is worth its weight in gold in someway or another. If you write or have a yearning in that direction, you only discover how valuable they are if you attend one.

Just heard a scoop from author, K. Dawn Byrd, who just returned from a conference herself. She shared this with those who are interested in this sort of thing, which naturally would include me. I thought you might be curious about what she picked up from this one. Check out the recent buzz about what's on the drawing board for aspiring writers and established authors.

THE RECENT BUZZ?

K. Dawn Byrd

I wanted to share a few tidbits just in case anyone is interested in what's going on the secular market. Young adult is really hot. All five agents requested a young adult manuscript from me. I was told by a Barnes and Noble employee that YA is so hot that they've moved it to the power aisle and expanded from 2 full shelves to 4. Keep in mind, this is the secular market. (I'm not sure if the YA CBA market will expand as much as the ABA market has, but that would be nice.)

The buzz on paranormal is that agents are sick of looking at it and unless an author can offer something totally different, there doesn't appear to be much interest.

Apparently, romantic suspense is still alive and well. I met with one editor while at the conference and was told by other attendees that she wanted to see some of their work, but ONLY if they obtained an agent and had said agent send it to her. She requested my romantic suspense without an agent. The other attendees I chatted with had historicals and Southern Gothic.

I can't even begin to explain how much just being a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) helped me. (Unlike at the ACFW Conferences), no one I ran into at this conference had a one sheet or a sell sheet. They had no idea what they were. The agents and editor I met with were very impressed with my sheets, probably because I was the only one with them! Thank you ACFW for teaching me how to design them.

I had a wonderful time at this conference and everyone was very nice and the southern hospitality wonderful.

K.Dawn Byrd, Author
Queen of Hearts (April 2010) & Killing Time (August 2010)
Mistaken Identity (June 2011) & This Time for Keeps (October 2011)
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/KDawnByrd/Page.bok
BLOG: http://kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com; WEBSITE: www.kdawnbyrd.com

Compelled to Write a Story that Could Change a Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:15:00 +0000

Our newest writing tip comes from LoRee Peery, one of our contributing authors here at A Pen for Your Thoughts, who pours out her heart to show you just how a fiction story can bring impact on your reader. I think you will agree, she knows how to accomplish an important element needed to bring forth life into our story writing.

On Writing a Fictional Memoir

By LoRee Peery

“Write what you know” is often the first advice a writer hears.

My WIP this year has been a fictional memoir, which fits in the genre of women’s fiction. It has not been easy dredging up the memories; what I think I’ve “known” concerning the tons of speculation surrounding the unsolved homicide of my father.

Facing the emotion I’ve buried and resurrected time and again over the years was a challenge at first. I felt stuck, as though I was going around in circles more than once. The fictional characters didn’t seem “real” until I took a couple days to collage the characters and story into a scrapbook. I needed that tactile exercise.

I finally got caught up in creating a story where the characters took over, and the Lord enabled me to see events unfold through the eyes of fiction rather than my emotional memories. Along the journey, God spoke to me through His love letter (the Bible) to His children, and I treasure more than ever the path He has chosen for me.

Writing about the cold case caused me to think about how much truth I can reveal. But who’s truth? The story is my perspective, so it’s my truth. And if any of us has been around for awhile, we’ve realized that whatever we write, or see, is viewed from an individual perspective. It’s the idea that men and women see things differently. Two witnesses to the same accident, or a crime, have separate take-aways from the incident.

I don’t think I can write fiction without injecting something of real life into the story. While writing Moselle’s Insurance, flashes of my first broken heart filtered in. We have a boy with autism in the family, so coming up with Mia’s character in Rainn on My Parade wasn’t difficult. And I witnessed a scene of cruelty between a mother and her little girl in a store, the same as Geneva “saw” in that story.

The fictitious acreage in Sage and Sweetgrass was sparked by some acres that my husband and I once considered buying. I’ve camped in the woods, so coming up with a fear of a bogeyman in the dark, and a make believe cabin for Found in the Woods wasn’t hard either.

For those of us who write nonfiction, we have faulty memories when it comes to the real words spoken through conversation. Our real everyday conversations don’t read very well on the page. Fictitious words, therefore, can be sprinkled into our nonfiction for the purpose of story, through dialogue. So, even when we’re telling what we believe is the truth, we embellish with what’s made up.

My family is extensive. In telling this tale I had to deal with wondering what I dare expose, or whose toes I may step on. Even though it’s presented as fiction, readers who know my family may wonder who is who in real life.

I have peace in the knowledge I have not exposed anyone with intent to harm. I have peace knowing I was compelled to tell this story that changed so many lives. I have peace this challenge was on the path of completing who I am. I have peace in the belief the Lord will choose every one who reads my story. And I have peace in believing the only real, authentic truth of anything we question in life, is known only to God.

I’ll end with a quote from Anne Lamott in bird by bird: “To have written your version is an honorable thing to have done.”

My question for readers is this. Do you have a nagging memory that will not leave you alone? It may be meant for exploration on the page.

c 2011 LoRee Peery

www.loreepeery.com

http://www.whiterosepublishing.com/

675,000 is NOTHING to SNEEZE AT! COME SEE WHY...

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Come say hello to Nena with me!

Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 675,000 books in print. She is a member of ACFW and president of the local chapter. She recently received the Will Rogers Medallion award for western fiction.
Lena loves James, her children, grandchildren, and great grandson. She loves chocolate, cherries, chocolate-covered cherries, and spending time with friends. Travel is always on her horizon. Cruising, Galveston, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Mexico. One day it will be Hawaii and Australia, but probably not at the same time. Helping other authors become published really floats her boat. She has been awarded three Carol Award silver pins and received the American Christian Fiction Writers Mentor of the Year award at their national conference. The high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially her fans. And she loves chocolate, especially dark chocolate.

SKC: I'm so excited to have you with us this week! What book or project would you like to tell us about today?

LND Maggie’s Journey released earlier this month. It is the first book in my McKenna’s Daughters series with Realms. Here’s the back cover copy:

Maggie's Journey
By Lena Nelson Dooley
ISBN 978-1616383589
Realms/Charisma House
October 6, 2011
McKenna's Daughters Series, Book 1

Maggie's Journey grabs you on page one with characters and events that reflect real-life joys and heartaches that change the characters forever. Make room on your "keepers" shelf! —Loree Lough, best-selling author of 80 award-winning books, including From Ashes to Honor.

A girl who’s been lied to her whole life…

Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she was adopted. The daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed both by her real parents and by the ones who raised her.

Maggie desires a place where she belongs. But her mother’s constant criticism and reminders that she doesn't fit the mold of a young woman of their social standing have already created tension in their home. With the discovery of the family secret, all sense of her identity is lost.

When Maggie asks to visit her grandmother in Arkansas, her father agrees on the condition that she take her Aunt Georgia as a chaperone and his young partner, Charles Stanton, as protection on the journey. Will she discover who she really is and, more importantly, what truly matters most in life?

SKC: That sounds intriguing! What inspired you to come up writing in your particular genre?

LND: I love writing historical novels. The research is so much fun, and the stories just leap from my brain onto the computer screen.

SKC: I love doing historicals for the very same reason, Lena. I also loved reading all about you on your website, and I especially enjoyed talking with you at the conference this year. What do you think it takes to write a good book? Do you have any secrets?

LND: Never start writing without spending your time with the Lord. He will put a special spark in your work.

SKC: Amen to that. Do you read other books besides inspirational? If so, how do they help you in your craft? If not, why do you think not?

LND: Only research books. I used to read other novels, but my time is so limited, and I really miss the spiritual thread in the novels.

SKC: Please include a short excerpt of your newest book.

LND:

Margaret Lenora Caine sat in the library of their mansion on Beacon Hill. Because of the view of Puget Sound, which she loved, she had the brocade draperies pulled back to let the early September sunshine bathe the room with warmth. Basking in the bright light, Maggie concentrated on the sketch pad balanced on her lap. After leaning back to get the full effect of the drawing, she reached a finger to smudge the shadows between the folds of the skirt. With a neckline that revealed the shoulders, but still maintained complete modesty, this dress was her best design so far. One she planned to have Mrs. Murdock create in that dreamy, shimmery green material that came in the last shipment from China. Maggie knew silk was usually a summer fabric, but with it woven into a heavier brocade satin, it would be just right for her eighteenth birthday party. And with a few changes to the design, she could have another dress created as well.

Once again, she leaned forward and drew a furbelow around the hem, shading it carefully to show depth. The added weight of the extra fabric would help the skirt maintain its shape, providing a pleasing silhouette at any ball. She pictured herself wearing the beautiful green dress, whirling in the arms of her partner, whoever he was. Maybe someone like Charles Stanton, since she’d admired him for several years, and he was so handsome.

“Margaret, what are you doing?”

The harsh question broke Maggie’s concentration. The charcoal in her hand slipped, slashing an ugly smear across the sketch. She glanced at her mother standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her bosom. Maggie heaved a sigh loud enough to reach the entrance, and her mother’s eyebrows arched so quickly Maggie wanted to laugh…almost, but she didn’t dare add to whatever was bothering Mother now. Her stomach began to churn, a thoroughly
uncomfortable sensation. Lately, everything she did put Mother in a bad mood.

SKC: Ooh, I like it. I'm sure it will draw a crowd your way, Lena. Tell us also about the book you selected to share with one of our viewers. Do you have any particular question you enjoying asking of a reader that helps you to better know what people want?

LND: I’m giving away a free copy of Snowbound Colorado Christmas. This novella collection is set during an actual snowstorm in Denver, Colorado in 1913. I am always glad to hear what readers like about my books.

SKC: Thank you for joining us at A Pen for Your Thoughts.

Please send in your comments about Lena's books or any comments you have about her great excerpt. Be sure to leave an email address for me.

In a few days I will lift a name out of my magic basket! And Snowbound Colorado Christmas just might be yours!

Anyone for a taste of fantasy? Kat knows all about it...

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:19:00 +0000

So just what is disturbing inspirational fantasy? Let's ask Kat, and we will find out.

Kat Heckenbach is a graduate of the University of Tampa, Magna Cum Laude, B.S. in Biology. She spent several years teaching, but never in a traditional classroom–everything from Art to Algebra II—and now homeschools her two children. Her writing spans the gamut from inspirational personal essays to dark and disturbing fantasy and horror, with over forty short fiction and nonfiction credits to her name. Her debut novel, MG fantasy Finding Angel, is available in print and ebook. Enter her world at www.katheckenbach.com and www.findingangel.com .

SKC. Welcome Kat. Before we start talking about you as a writer, let’s discuss who you are away while away from your computer. Tell us a little about you. Who is this lady next door?

KH. I’m a homeschool mom of two kids and married to an engineer. Before the kids came along I was assistant direct of and taught upper-level math at Sylvan Learning Center. And before that, I attended the University of Tampa where I earned a B.S. in Biology. Before that, if you’d known me, you probably wouldn’t believe any of the above. I grew up with plans to be an artist and never have kids.

SKC. Woops! Sounds like a few changes took place. Tell us about your new book

KH. Finding Angel is a middle grade fantasy about a girl named Angel. She was found wandering, with amnesia at the age of six and taken in by a foster family. They love her, and she loves them, but something inside her can’t seem to accept her place there. She is enamored by all things fantasy, and dreams of story book magic being real. Then, at the age of 13, she meets Gregor, who saves her life with magic, and soon learns the truth about who she is and where she’s from—and her role in a prophecy that is directly related to the madman who set her fate in motion.

SKC. A fantasy sounds perfect for that age group, but also a lot of older readers I've spoken to. What was your inspiration for this book?

KH. I’ve always loved fantasy novels, and much like Angel, when I was young I would have loved to find out I was actually from someplace where magic is real. I was naturally drawn to the idea of writing exactly the kind of adventure I would have liked to read about when I was a kid.

SKC. I would have to agree. How long does it take you (on average) to write a book, from first word to putting it in the publisher’s hands?

KH. Well, this is my first book. It took me three months to write the first draft. But it was four years before it was finally published. I spent the years in-between working on my craft, editing and rewriting, and building my credentials. I accumulated over 40 short story credits during that time, both fiction and non-fiction, in online magazines, print magazines, and print anthologies. Many of those stories are actually companion stories to Finding Angel.

SKC. Three months. That's great. I have never been able to say that. It takes me forever. So what’s next for you? Can you talk about what you’re working on now?

KH. The sequel to Finding Angel, of course J. I plan on this being a trilogy, with a fourth book serving as a prequel. I know—how completely fantasy of me to do that :P. I honestly didn’t plan it that way in the beginning, but the story grew as I wrote Finding Angel.

I’m also working on a completely unrelated novel that would qualify as a paranormal thriller.

SKC. I'll be curious to hear about that too! What do you enjoy most about writing? Least?

KH. Most—brainstorming story ideas. That passionate scribbling as the ideas flow. Figuring out how the plot elements will tie together, and who the main character will be.

Least—trying to get myself to write when my muse is being uncooperative.

SKC. Maybe that uncooperative muse is what is wrong with me. Where do you get your ideas?

KH. Honestly, a lot of my short story ideas just plop into my head out of nowhere. Once I’m into a story, though, the ideas for details can come from just about anywhere.

SKC: Thank you for being with us, Kat. And thank you for offering to share one of your books with one of our readers. We enjoyed your visit, and look forward to reading your book.

Is there anything you'd like to ask one of our readers?

KH: In my novel each of the characters has a Talent—a magic ability stronger than all their other magic, such as being able to Transform one natural substance into another, or Controlling the weather, or Angel’s ability to Find objects anywhere in the world. If you could choose a Talent, what would it be?

SKC: Thanks. That's a great question to ask. Be sure to let us know here where we can find you and also where we can locate your books.

KH: My blog: www.katheckenbach.com

Finding Angel site:www.findingangel.com

My Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kat-Heckenbach-Author-and-Artist/125084577483

My books can be found in print and ebook online at

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Angel-Kat-Heckenbach/dp/1927154138/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315400880&sr=1-1)

Barnes & Noble (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Finding-Angel/Kat-Heckenbach/e/9781927154137?itm=1&usri=finding+angel+kat+heckenbach)
Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/84830)

READERS: PLEASE BE SURE TO ADD YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT KAT'S QUESTION (in red, above) AS YOU WRITE IN. AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. THANKS SO MUCH.

Congratulations to Brenda B. Hill of Warner Robins, Georgia. You just won Finding Angel! Watch for it in the mail soon.

Do You Ever Feel Like You are in over Your Head? Talk to Beth.

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:10:00 +0000

Elizabeth Goddard is the award-winning author of seven contemporary romance novels and two novellas, including a romantic mystery, The Camera Never Lies—a 2011 Carol Award winner. Elizabeth is a member of ACFW and has served as a board member in her local RWA chapter. She is a 7^th generation Texan who lives in East Texas with her husband and four children. She and her family recently spent five years in Oregon, which serves as the setting for several of her novels, including Oregon Outback, releasing with Barbour Publishing in Spring 2012.

SKC: Welcome here, Beth. What books or project are you working on now?

BJ I just turned in Oregon Outback, a four-in-one novella collection that releases next Spring. I have a spring deadline for Extreme Maneuvers, my next Love Inspired Suspense, and I'm also working on my third Heartsong in my Redwood Coast series, Hearts in the Mist.
(Here is the blurb of my present book.) Secrets Under The Ice

Casey Wilkes didn’t realize her simple human-interest story would put her life at risk—again. After fleeing her home and journalism job in Portland, she wanted to live under the radar for a while. But when her interviewee starts dodging her questions, her reporter instincts kick in and she finds herself in over her head…

Homeland security agent Jesse Mitchell has been undercover as an ice sculptor for months, trying to infiltrate a smuggling ring. He wants to avoid trouble, and that’s just what Casey brings. Now someone has a target set on Casey. Saving her could blow his cover, but leaving her unprotected endangers him even more—especially his heart.

SKC: What special something inspired you to come up writing for your particular sub-genre? Tell us about the circumstances.

BG I don’t think there was any magic moment that this happened. I’ve always loved suspenseful, action adventure novels, whether reading Bode Thoene’s historical—they always include suspense too—or romance. It’s interesting to see how things have evolved though because I didn’t set up to specifically write romantic suspense.

SKC: I enjoy suspenses too, but I haven't yet given writing one a try. How long had you been writing before you got your first contract?

BG Started writing in 2001, or rather learning the craft as I wrote. I didn’t get the call from JoAnn Simmons (email) until right after the ACFW conference in 2006. I think if I had submitted more that news might have come sooner, but I really didn’t feel confident about my work until that point.

SKC: Every author has learned something during her writing career, whether it's a short one or long one. What advice do you have for other new authors coming into the field of writing?

BG It’s 90 percent persistence, and talent is good too! But seriously, the best thing you can do is get plugged in at a writer’s conference. That has made all the difference in the world for my writing career.

SKC: Sometimes inspirational writers have a hard time being accepted in the outside of CBA. What are your thoughts about inspirational writers writing Crossover Stories?

BG That’s a big can of worms.You sure you want me to open that? The opinions on that topic vary widely. Bottom line, I believe if God calls you to write crossover then that is where you should go. I don’t think anyone would dispute that.

SKC: It all boils down to being obedient to God's will, doesn't it. What is your weakest point of writing and how do you overcome it?

BG I have a hard time getting the story started. I think a good set up makes for a better story in the end, but today’s reader wants to be wowed in the first paragraph. That’s easy to understand, considering our culture. The funny thing is you always hear about the sagging middle—it’s quite the opposite for me. I’m slow to start and I struggle to end but my middle is great. I overcome it by constantly working on it. One big thing is to simply cut out the first five pages, or sometimes even the first chapter.

SKC: I find myelf doing that constantly. My beginnings are the most difficult to get off the ground. Tell us what gets you started on those first five pages of a brand new story.

BG That’s always something I have to mull over and then eventually, I might even go back and rewrite. I enjoy some form of adventure for a good start—that’s how I’m overcoming my weakness lately. For instance, in Oregon Outback—in the first story, my character jumps off a cliff. She’s hang-gliding. Just thinking about how fun that would be gets me pumped for the writing.

SKC: That's what you REALLY call a cliff hanger! What is your best advice to a writer preparing her or his synopses?

BG Just write. Synopses are tough for all of us.

SKC: I haven't found too many authors who enjoy them. That's for certain. After you finish your present project, what plans do you have, Beth?

BG Why my next project, of course. I’m hoping to sell the next two books in series to Love Inspired Suspense. The first book, Extreme Maneuvers is about a Learjet repo man who recovers a plane and discovers the kidnapped daughter of a Colombian drug lord.

SKC: We appreciate that you are willing to donate a book. Please give our readers something to reflect about as a reader, and I will draw the name of the winner from our answers.

BG What is your favorite story setting to read about or write about, if you are an author, and why?

SKC Thank you so much for taking some time with us here at A Pen for Your Thoughts, Beth. It's a pleasure having you here.

You can visit Beth at her website over at http://www.bethgoddard.com/

Don't forget to drop in and share your responses to Beth's question. Be sure to leave your email address if you want to be included in the drawing. I will be drawing that name in a few days.

Congratulations to Lisa Hasz of Lindale, TX. Your book is on its way!

ACFW St Louis Conference Memories...

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:54:00 +0000

It's Already Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas...Maybe?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:24:00 +0000

I found the perfect week to share the awesome Linda Goodnight with you.

Linda Goodnight, a Winner of the CAROL as well as the RITA Award for excellence in fiction has won various other highly acclaimed awards, and her romance novels have been translated into more than a dozen languages. An avid supporter of the charity Stop Child Trafficking Now, this former nurse and teacher enjoys writing fiction that carries a message of hope and light in a sometimes dark world. Linda lives on a small farm/ranch in Oklahoma with her husband and daughter.

SKC: Welcome to A Pen for Your Thoughts, Linda. Tell us about the newest project you are working on now.

LG: I just finished up the final book in my Redemption River Series from Love Inspired. A Feb. 2012 release, the title is THE LAST BRIDGE HOME. Here’s a little blurb:

Vet assistant and pet lover, Jilly Fairmont has been in love with her neighbor, firefighter Zak Ashford since he moved in next door. But the baseball loving Zak thinks of Jilly as his buddy. When a dying woman asks Zak to adopt her three children and his world is turned upside down, Jilly is there for him. Soon, he must choose between a long held dream and the little patchwork family he’s come to love.

SKC: Sounds very interesting! What inspired you to write your Genre and do you plan to venture out from that to anything else, and if so, what?

LG: An avid reader ever since I can remember, my taste in books is wide ranging but always seemed to have some element of romance in them. As I began to write for publication, I realized that I should write what I love to read, so I do! Primarily, my books are contemporary romance, but I also love historical and women’s fiction. In the near future, I’m hoping to venture out into those arenas as well.

SKC: How disciplined are you each day with your writing, and when did you begin to take it seriously?

LG: From the moment I decided to follow my dream in the late 1990’s, I became disciplined about the writing. Today I have the luxury of writing full time so I have more time to “goof off” but when I’m under contract, I set a page goal for each day and stick to it, no matter what else comes along to distract me. The only way to have any kind of success in this business is to be goal oriented and disciplined—even when it’s more fun to do something else!

SKC: That is so true! Let's move to this subject: What is your favorite room in the house and why?

LG: Last fall we built a family room onto one side of our house. The patio doors lead out into the back yard and a big plate glass window looks out toward the barn and pasture. The room is cool and quiet, the view is awesome, and I just love being in there.

SKC: Sounds like a great place, Linda. While you are out there, or wherever you go to do this, how do you come up with the names of your heroes and heroines?

LG: It sounds weird, but my characters usually come with names. When they don’t, I have a hard time deciding. In my October release, THE CHRISTMAS CHLID, the hero is a cynical undercover cop. I struggled with his name and eventually asked my brilliant Facebook followers to make suggestions and then vote on their favorite for a character of his type. They came up with Kade McKendrick and I think they did a great job.

SKC: What do you think is one of the most important things you have learned so far since becoming a published writer?

LG: I have learned so much and continue to learn, but I think I was most surprised to find that writing is a business that requires much more than writing a good book. That was a hard lesson for an introvert!

SDC: I know exactly what you mean. Which is the most difficult for you, the beginning, middle, or the end of the story and why do you think that is?

LG: The middle. Starting books is fun and easy. There’s the initial buzz of excitement over a new project and group of characters who are pushing to have their stories told. The ending is pure joy and usually comes in a rush, too, as all the bits and pieces are wrapped up and brought to a satisfying end. But the middle requires constant effort to keep the tension up, the story flowing, and to provide the kind of twists and turns that keep readers interested. It’s also the point that I, as the author, begin to wonder what made me think I could ever write this book in the first place.

SDC: If you could meet any author in the world who would it be and what would you want to say to them?

LG: Right now, that person would be Debbie Macomber who is going through a very painful time—her beloved son died unexpectedly and tragically. If I met her today, I’d just hug her close and remind her that God holds her—and her son--in the palm of His wonderful, loving hand.

SDC: I understand you have a book to offer one of our visitors? Please fill us in and also let us know where people can find you.

LG: I’m giving away a copy of my brand new, October release, THE CHRISTMAS CHILD to one of your blog readers. Anyone who doesn’t win can pick up a copy at Walmart or anywhere books are sold, including www.amazon.com.

For more information or just to say hello, visit my website and blog at www.lindagoodnight.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you so much for letting me stop by!

Thank you, too, Linda! It was great having you. Now, to our readers. Here is a question for you. Linda's book is called The Christmas Child. What is the first thing you THINK about when you enter into the Christmas SEASON! Write in, and be sure to leave your email address. I look forward to drawing your name to win Linda's book!

Congratulations to Amanda Stephan of Columbia, Tennessee! Be watching for your book.

Which Road are You on Today?

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:50:00 +0000

It's traveling time again for several, who are on their way to St Louis and the ACFW Christian Writers' Conference. Don't know if I'll see you there. But since we are all on the road to somewhere, I think, if you've ever had an inkling to write, or if you already do, and are now thinking of joining some writing contest, I'm sure you'll get a lot out of this great writing tip from our contributing author, Anne K. Albert.

Writing Contests and the Road to Publication

by Anne K. Albert

The road to publication can be a gauntlet of trials, tribulations, road blocks, pot holes and traps. Yet, science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein_bibliography believed a writer need only do five things to achieve success.

(1) You must write

(2) You must finish what you write

(3) You must refrain from rewriting, (except to editorial order)

(4) You must put the work on the market

(5) You must keep the work on the market until it is sold

Heinlein often joked he had no qualms of sharing his “secret” with the so-called competition because most writers lack the self-discipline to complete all five steps of the process.

Years later, Robert Sawyer took the rules one step further with simple math. http://www.sfwriter.com/ow05.htm

If 100 writers decide to follow Heinlein’s rules only 50 will actually do rule #1 and write.

Surprised? How many people do you know who claim that one day they’ll write a book? They need to write it now!

Let’s move onto rule #2. Finish what you write.

Again, only half will achieve that goal, leaving us with 25 of the original 100.

Rule #3 dictates you must refrain from rewriting. How many writers labor on the same manuscript for a decade? I know a few. You probably do as well.

Sawyer claims only 12.5 writers will complete this rule.

Rule #4 is putting your work on the market. Fear of rejection can be paralyzing. Fewer than 6 of the original 100 who began this challenge are brave enough to submit their work.

Rule #5 separates the authors from the writers. Only 3 will persevere and keep their work out in the market until they sell and achieve their goal.

Pretty daunting statistics, but entering writing contests can help. Seriously. They provide a perfect opportunity to follow Heinlein’s five rules. But you can do it in smaller, more manageable chunks.

How?

(1) Contests force you to write.

You must have a story to enter a writing contest. It’s mandatory! This does not mean a complete manuscript. As few as five typed pages will do. Contests requirements vary from 5 to 50 typed pages. Start small. Five to ten pages is doable. Work your way up to ‘meatier’ contests.

(2) Contests require you to finish what you write.

Even if your submission is only five pages in length, those five pages should shine and leave the reader/judge drooling for more. Give them your best five pages.

That means no typos. No spelling mistakes. Not a single reason to pull the reader/judge out of your story. End your entry with a hook that leaves them wanting more. Never make the rookie mistake I did by submitting the first five pages, and ending in the middle of a sentence!

(3) Entering a contest forces you to refrain from rewriting.

While your entry should be free of typos, spelling and grammar mistakes, there comes a time when you just have to stop and let it go because every contest has a specific deadline. This deadline forces you to quit tweaking, editing, revising, and changing. Failure to do so could result in you not only forfeiting your entry fee, but missing an opportunity to get your manuscript read by a published author, an editor or agent.

(4) Entering a contest is like putting your work on the market.

Like agents and editors, contest judges are first and foremost impartial readers. They do not know you or your work. They will either be enthralled by your story…or not so much! What’s super about writing contests is that unlike agents and editors who generally just provide a yea or nay, contest judges will say what they think you did well, as well as how to improve your story.

This provides yet another step of the process, it’s time to take their editorial direction to heart and make the changes that will improve your story.

(5) Entering multiple contests is like keeping your work on the market until it is sold.

Huh? It’s true. On average most writers achieve publication after completing 4 or 5 manuscripts. That’s how a writer learns to write. Trial and error. Word after word.

In the meantime, enter contests. They’re a great opportunity for an unpubbed writer to build writing credits. Winning a contest can move you out of the slush pile and directly onto an editor or agent’s desk.

Happy writing!

www.AnneKAlbert.com

Anne K. Albert writes stories that chill the spine, warm the heart and soothe the soul…all with a delightful touch of humor. Visit her website << http://www.AnneKAlbert.com >>, blog << http://anne-k-albert.blogspot.com >> or on Facebook. << http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anne-K-Albert-Fan-Page/167338756619836?sk=wall >>

By the way. Which road are YOU on today?

Bringing the Best to You

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley Kiger Connolly) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:04:00 +0000

New things are happening at A Pen for Your Thoughts. We like to think up these things, not just to keep us all busy, but because we like to bring the best to you.

I'm pleased to announce, our new resident Book Reviewer is Author Jennifer Slattery, who will be journaling her occasional book reviews of some of the books she's reading from out there in readerville. This month Jennifer is sharing her first review here of Diana Prusik's book, DELIVERY, E-book 212, from Tyndale House Publishers.

What Jennifer has to say.

Delivery

By Diana Prusik

Ebook 212

Tyndale House Publishers

ASIN: B0057ZA0FI

Back Cover:

Livi finds new purpose in her troubled life when she joins her family's small-town florist shop. There, the strong and wacky Wilson's Florist gang monitors the pulse of Mount Helicon, where customers carry stories even the local newspaper does not contain. Tales of birth and death, sickness and sorrow, love and betrayal, and even forgiveness—Livi hears them all. Privy to some of the community's deepest secrets, she sometimes wishes she didn't know so much, especially when news arrives that a dear family friend is dead. Faced with servicing his funeral, she is blasted with painful memories she's struggled for decades to ignore. Soon, guilt and grief over childhood and adult tragedies close in. Instead of turning to loved ones or God for comfort, she leans on alcohol, her long-time clandestine companion—but secrets rarely escape the close-knit flower shop crew, who makes Livi's business its own. Fumbling through life's challenges together, the Wilson gang often delivers more than flowers, yet when Livi needs delivery, can the bonds of faith and friendship dissolve her defenses?

Delivery was one of the better books I’ve read this year, presenting the perfect balance of light-hearted humor and intensity. The characters were unique enough to prevent predictability, without hindering my attachment to them or ability to empathize with them.

Initially, I was drawn to Livi, a confused and hurting young woman struggling to make sense of her world and the loss of her brother. However, by the end of the novel, I’d fallen in love with Jake, a man who embodied true, forever-love.

After the loss of her brother, Livi slips into a world of alcoholism, distrust, and bitterness. For much of the novel, she runs from God and withdraws from the love of her co-workers. Yet, no matter how hard Livi tries to free herself from their love, they remain constant and by her side.

The close-knit atmosphere Diana created in the flower shop most of the story is centered in evoked a warm feeling of nostalgia within me and reminded me of the effectiveness of committed friendship.

I also enjoyed the frequent change of tones throughout the novel. Just when I thought my heart would break, Diana Prusik plunged me into a lighter scene that managed to produce a few authentic laugh-out-loud moments. Then, when I least expected it—Bam!—the intensity changed, and I found myself fighting tears once again.

This novel was one that will stay with me on many levels, reminding me to cherish the relationships I have, refusing to let them go without a fight.

Jennifer Slattery is a novelist, publicist, and freelance writer living in the Midwest with her husband of sixteen years and their thirteen year old daughter. She’s the marketing manager for the literary website, Clash of the Titles and writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the Christian Pulse and Samie Sisters. She’s also written or numerous other publications and websites and has placed in numerous writing contests. You can find out more about her and her writing at her devotional website: Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud (http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com)

If you have also read Delivery, please drop us a comment. We welcome your thoughts about this book too.