Melissa Tagg

Proverbs 31. Yup. Going There.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

This is a field. Totally kind of relevant to the post.
Photo credit: stock.xchng

So, my coworker Denise—who is above all, fabulously fun to work with—told the funniest story in the office yesterday. She made a great meal for her husband the night before and in an attempt to pay her a compliment, her husband said, “Denise, you are a Psalm 31 wife.”

Now, the verbal typo is funny, BUT it’s even funnier when you actually read Psalm 31. Here’s a snippet:

Because of all my enemies,
    I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
I am forgotten as though I were dead;
    I have become like broken pottery.
For I hear many whispering,
    “Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.

Actually later in the chapter it talks about being strong and hoping in the Lord…much happier. But still, I’m pretty sure my coworker’s husband did not mean to call her an object of dread to all her friends or insinuate that she has enemies plotting to take her life.

Awesome story, yeah?

But it kicked off a brief discussion about Proverbs 31 in our office.

And here’s where I make a confession: Sometimes I have slight issues with how Proverbs 31 is read and applied by some. As if it’s a checklist women need to fulfill in order to be the perfect, godly woman…(Definitely not talking about Denise and her husband here, by the way.)

Realize this is just me and I am in no way a Biblical scholar…but it seems to me that we’re taking that chapter out of context when we look at it as a to-do list to fulfill…or be found lacking and imperfect.

Here’s the thing: The perfect woman doesn’t exist. And I don’t think this chapter in Proverbs is meant to pressure women into being proper Martha Stewarts by fulfilling Every. Single. Quality. listed. Because that would have all sorts of isolating implications. Consider:

The woman who works a full-time job and can’t “get up while it is still night” to cook for her family.
A physically handicapped woman who can’t do her work “vigorously,” or whose arms “aren’t strong for her tasks.
The woman whose children stray, reject her and don’t “call her blessed.”
The woman who can’t afford to buy property out of her earnings.

More than anything, when we read Proverbs 31 as if it's a comprehensive list of must-do’s—whether as women placing demands on ourselves or men looking for the ideal wife—in a way we're relegating ourselves to a life of striving to have it all together.

And look, the idea of having an organized, successful home and work life, juggling it all and doing well, that's great. But at the end of the day, I don’t think God wants me coming to him with only a bunch of womanly strengths and successes to offer…

But also my weaknesses.

My messes.

My willingness humble myself and say I CAN’T DO IT ALL!

And that’s when he says, “Melissa, I’ve got this. I don’t need your Proverbs 31 awesomeness or lack thereof. I need your heart. I need your trust.”

It makes me think of these verses in Romans 5, which I love, especially as they’re paraphrased in The Message:

"By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise." [emphasis mine]

Wide open spaces. Don't you love that?

And when I look at Proverbs 31 through the lens of "wide open spaces of God's grace and glory," it's suddenly freeing.

Because it's no longer a binding checklist...but a field of opportunities. A wide open space where there's room for all kinds of women with different personalities, strengths, and talents.

And it's no longer about me striving for comprehensive perfection...but about trusting God to help me find my place within that Proverbs 31 ideal, to be the person He created me to be. Someone discovering the doors He's thrown open and walking confidently through them.

Okay, what are your thoughts on the Proverbs 31 chapter? Are my "it's not a checklist" ideas off base? I'd love to hear what you think.

p.s. One of my coworkers pointed to Proverbs 31:25 during our discussion and I don't think I've ever really camped out on that verse before. But it's so great!

She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future.

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Becky Wade

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:33:00 +0000

Yup, Tag(g)lines is back today after a two-week break during which I wrote frantically. Like, Cookie Monster eating cookies frantically. Come to think of it, I also ate a few cookies. So the analogy works on multiple levels.

Okay, we have the oh-so-wonderful Becky Wade here today! Becky's book, My Stubborn Heart, which released around this time last year is up for a RITA. Yay!

And her latest book, Undeniably Yours, just came out this month. People, it is a FABULOUS read. True story: I finished reading Undeniably Yours while on a recent trip to Savannah. And I may or may not have gotten a little upset with an airline attendant who decided to start our flight boarding right when I was reaching the "black moment" of the story. Rude. Just kidding...mostly.

Once you've had a chance to read the Q&A with Becky, be sure to check out the details of a LitFuse contest for a Kindle Fire giveaway down below. ALSO, Becky is doing a Book Banter chat on the Bethany House Facebook page tonight at 7 p.m. CST. Stop by for a chance to win a copy of her new book!

p.s. And just to clarify, in the intro video when I say I was happy that I "didn't have to get dressed" all last week, please be assured...I was, in fact, attired. Flannel pants. T-shirt. M'kay? And now, here we go with the interview...

1) Undeniably Yours is fabulous and romantic and sweet (and has one of the cutest covers ever). Can you give us a peek at what sparked this story?

I wanted to write a rich girl/poor boy romance. Many, many years ago I read some Regency-era romances with this sort of premise and the dynamic between the hero and heroine was so effective that it stuck with me over time. There's just something wonderfully juicy about a common-born hero who loves, deeply loves, a woman he perceives to be far above him.

Since I wanted to write a modern-day Texas setting, I made my heroine an oil heiress. She was raised by her nanny, attended a private girl's school, and lives in a ranch/mansion. I made my hero the manager of her Thoroughbred racehorse farm. He was raised in a very ordinary, simple, small town Texas sort of way. He's a cowboy through and through.

The reader, of course, can see, despite the hero's lack of great wealth, status, or education, that he's perfect for the heroine. All the trappings don't matter because he's trustworthy and true. The fun in writing this sort of love story is that it inevitably takes the hero a good long while to understand this truth about himself.

2) Let's talk about Bo. Because...what girl wouldn't want to talk about Bo? :) But seriously, he's a great character who definitely earns the title "hero."

As I told you recently, Melissa, I think I have a hero hangover after writing Bo Porter. There was just something about him. He was so faithful, so masculine, so humble. But I think the clincher for me was that he loved Meg with such fierce depth of emotion. He didn't just love her. He really, sacrificially, unswervingly LOVED her.

Does he share any traits with real-life heroes in your life?

When my husband finished reading Undeniably Yours he confidently declared that he and Bo share many similarities. I burst out laughing.

Now ladies, you must understand. My laughter didn't hurt my husband’s feelings. His natural confidence in himself is towering.

The truth is that each of my heroes, just like each of my female characters, do share a few traits with people I know in the real world. The two qualities Bo shares with my husband:

1) My husband is always telling me I look great (even when I most certainly don't).

2) My husband's nearness also calms my anxiety.

3) Meg is an heiress. I'm not going lie...at one point in reading Undeniably Yours, I started thinking of what I'd do with that kind of money. LOL! But like Meg, do you have any special causes you'd love to support if you suddenly came into a fortune?

I had great fun writing a super-wealthy heroine! It was wonderful to live in her shoes... or her Louboutins, as the case may be. If I came into a fortune I'd love to give to my home church and also to Compassion International, which supports and educates children around the globe. My husband and I sponsored a girl in Indonesia through Compassion from the age of four right up through her graduation from the program.

(And just for fun, what's one frivolous thing you'd spend your theoretical mullah on?)

A vacation house! Since I'm dreaming, I'd buy a beach house in Laguna, California. My family and extended family could spend time there relaxing, playing board games, lying on the sand, taking walks through the canyons, reading.

4) What's one takeaway you hope readers walk away with after reading Undeniably Yours?

The assurance that God DOES have a plan for them. Even when you and I are riddled with worry and when we can't see His purposes -- He's there. He's with us through the doubt. And in His time and in His way, He'll reveal His intentions to us.

5) This has become my new favorite question for author Q&As: If Undeniably Yours had a soundtrack, what are a few songs that would make the list?

Love You More by Perrin Lamb is the song featured in the book trailer for Undeniably Yours and I think it's a great fit. Romantic and modern!

Because the novel is set in Texas and the hero's a cowboy, I reference quite a bit of Country music in the book. If Tomorrow Never Comes by Garth Brooks would suit the Texas setting and also Bo's feelings for Meg.

These three all speak powerfully to the faith story in Undeniably Yours:

Always by Kristian Stanfill

Praise You In This Stormby Casting Crowns

You Are I Am by MercyMe

6) And lastly, can you give us a glimpse at what you're working on next?

I'm working on Bo's brother's story! Ty Porter is a World Champion bull rider. He thinks he has it all; fame, money, career success. What he's about to discover is that his life is far emptier than he'd dreamed, because he has a daughter he knows nothing about.

Thank you, Melissa, for interviewing me here on your blog. I'm honored that you invited me to stop by.

All right, readers, if you were an heiress like Meg in Undeniably Yours, what's one thing you'd spend the money on?

*****

Becky Wademakes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband, three children, and one adoring (and adored) cavalier spaniel. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, has been named a finalist for an INSPY Award and for Romance Writers of America's RITA Award. Her new contemporary romance, Undeniably Yours, is available now!

Connect with Becky:

www.beckywade.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorbeckywade

Twitter: twitter.com/beckywadewriter

Pinterest: pinterest.com/beckywadewriter/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5298259.Becky_Wade

Details of the LitFuse giveaway:

Currenly, Litfuse Publicity is running a giveaway for a Kindle Fire!
Enter Today - 5/11 - 5/29!

Why there's no guest post today...and what's coming up around here.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 01 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

With Rachel Hauck. Proof that we really did hang out...
...even if we didn't get the guest video ready for today. Haha!

Okay, so for the first time in many a Wednesday, we have no special guest today. I had actually scheduled fabulous author Rachel Hauck and we had brilliant plans to film a video interview this past weekend while we were both in Savannah with the MBT team. It was going to be grand!

The MBT team's early book launch celebration included
cake and plastic toolsets and oh-so-sweet cards.
Also, I have no idea why I'm so hunched over
in this photo!

But then we got a little too busy site-seeing (Savannah is so rich in history and a ton of fun!) and taking walks along the beach and talking stories and MBT business. Oh, and celebrating Rachel’s birthday (which is actually in December) and my book launch (which is in September). The team totally surprised me with that one. I was so confused when I walked in and they started singing and I saw all the decorations. So. Much. Fun.

Anyhow, all this to say, the video interview didn’t happen. But this works out just fine as we’ve rescheduled for May 29, at which time we'll chat about Rachel's new release, Once Upon a Prince.

And in the meantime, I’m playing guest blogger myself with a guest post over at Beth Vogt’s blog. Beth is one of my favorite writers, a wonderful friend and someone I look up to in so many ways. She invited me to join her “When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan” series.

To which I said, what? Life always goes according to my plans. Ha. Not so much. I hope you’ll stop by and check out the post…and also check out Beth’s latest book, Catch a Falling Star.

Break time

I will be taking a short blogging break in the next two weeks. I’m “going dark” to rewrite and revise my second book because an author’s gotta do what an author’s gotta do in order to, well, keep being an author. :)

I’m really excited about this second book and the way the story has shaped up. It’s completely different than what I first envisioned…which is part of what makes the process so fun. And it features one of my favorite characters from Made to Last.

So again, it’s break time for now, but I’ll be back again with a fun guest on May 15--the wonderful Becky Wade! Until then, have a wonderful first two weeks of May.

Just for fun

So, in this candy store in Savannah I saw huge bags of "Magic Mushroom Popcorn" ...which apparently is exclusive? What is this? I'm so confused? If it would've fit in my suitcase I just might've purchased some.

Can anyone tell me what Magic Mushroom Popcorn is? (I'll be really bummed if I found out Magic Mushroom is just a brand name.)

Hello, Leviticus.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Today I'm in Savannah hanging out with the rockin' My Book Therapy (MBT) core team. I say rockin' with no bias at all, of course.

But seriously, I love this team. If you're a fiction writer, MBT is THE place you need to be for craft and coaching community.

In the meantime, I'm guest blogging over at Jenny Hale's blog. About...Leviticus. And a chapter that particularly impacted me. And which, as you will read, had me going vegetarian for a day...

I hope you'll stop by!

Why I love men.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Okay, so today’s post is not my usual devo-ish Friday post. But it’s been in the back of my head a long time. So I figured I'd finally let it out.

Since we're talking about men today, here are some of my favorite men... :)

I have to bite my tongue sometimes when I hear people talking about romance in fiction. I get that it’s not everybody’s fave. And that’s totally okay.

But I get a little prickly when I hear people stereotype romance in fiction as…unrealistic.

For the record: I realize there is some incredibly, lazily and stupidly unrealistic stuff out there. I really do. I think we could all come up with examples of books or movies where the romance is shallow or solely centered on sex. And yeah, a lot of the romantic comedy Hollywood puts out today is not romance at its best.

But I’m talking a little more generally here.

And the thing I've heard over and over when people are ranting about romance in fiction (particularly Christians, interestingly enough) is that the heroes of romantic stories create unrealistic expectations for today’s women.

To which I always want to say:

A) Dude, give women a little more credit.

B) And seriously…give men a TON more credit!

First of all, I think soooo many writers do amazingly wonderful jobs of creating flawed heroes who are in no way perfect. And this isn’t new. Look at Jane Austen’s heroes. All of them have pitfalls. All of them are wonderfully flawed. Darcy, one of the most beloved heroes of all time, is prideful and quick to judge. He’s awkward in social situations and even manages to insult Lizzie right in the middle of proposing. Yeah. Not so perfect.

But honestly, the faultiness of the “it’s so unrealistic” complaint isn’t even what irks me most. What annoys me most is the way calling literary heroes “unrealistic” sells short today’s men. Seriously, it makes me offended on behalf of the truly cool men I know.

Men like my dad who works so hard and sacrifices for his family. He is faithful and loving and kind, and I cannot tell you how many times as a kid I thought to myself (and still do), “I have the best dad in the world.” He measures up to any hero in any book.

And then there’s my grandpa who has instilled such a deep legacy of faith in his family. He is funny and inventive and so incredibly supportive.

And there's Mike Redig, my high school youth group leader whose voice I still hear in my head saying, “finish well.” Or the pastor of the church I grew up in who passed away a few years ago, but whose final sermon I will never forget.

I think of my brother out pursuing his dream in New Jersey or my brother-in-law who's a great husband, dad and even graphic novel writer. I think of the men in the ministry I work for, including my supervisor, and how much they invest in both our staff and the homeless residents we serve. I think of male friends from college who I see making a difference in their families and communities today.

If we take the time to look, we can find men with heroic qualities in our everyday lives. In fact, I'd even suggest that if women can't see great qualities in real life guys...then the problem may not be with the men...*

And, look, here’s the thing: Storytellers often need to stick our heroes into slightly more dramatic situations than what happens in everyday life. That’s because we’re trying to write riveting stories. We’re trying to keep readers engaged. We need good hooks to get an editor’s—and later a reader’s—attention.

But just because the plot situations may seem elevated, I don’t believe the characters themselves are. In fact, all my favorite characteristics about the men in my own book, Made to Last, were inspired by the qualities I see in men around me.

In other words, when I’m weaving romance into my stories…I’m not writing about the way I wish men were. But about the way I believe they are. So many of them.

I like men.**

And I don’t like hearing people assume men today can’t live up to the men in my or others’ stories. Because it’s just not true.

There. I think I feel better now.

*****

All right, readers, anyone want to challenge me on this? Or if you agree, who are the real life heroes in your life? What qualities do they share with your favorite literary heroes?

*I realize these couple statements can sound flippant to women who have been abused or in any way victimized by men in their life. Please know I'm not speaking to that audience here...but instead to the romance skeptics among us "worried" about women and our expectations. :)
**Well, most of them anyway. I've never been a big fan of dictators.

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Rachel McMillan

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Sometimes in life you meet someone online or in person or wherever and you think to yourself, "Why in the world did I not know you fifteen years ago when I was the only I girl I knew who who was kind of in love with a fictional Scottish doctor? Why?"

Hehehe...that person would be Rachel McMillan. Rachel is a wonderful writer and has become a fun online friend...and when we discovered a shared love of Dr. MacNeill from the book (and later TV series) Christy, well, that sealed the friendship deal.

In fact, Rachel's whole post today is about the awesomeness of Dr. MacNeill. See why I'm excited about this? If you've not read--or seen--Christy, I have a few words of advice for you: A) Read Rachel's post. B) Get thee a copy of the book. And C) If you really need a good dose of the good doctor, consider yourself invited to my place for a viewing of the TV show...during which I may or may not practice my fledgling Scottish accent. :)

p.s. I meant to record the intro video in a Scottish accent today but then I decided against humiliating myself...'cause, you know, every once in awhile I like to protect my dignity.

Five Reasons why Neil MacNeill is the Greatest Hero in the History of Christian Fiction

Reader’s Digest 1967, Neil and Christy

dance at Ruby Mae’s wedding

1.) He’s Super Doctor: Neil gives up a prosperous and distinguished career as a city doctor at the edge of medical research to stay in the Appalachian mountains in Cutter Gap. The nights are long and arduous, the superstition of the locals precedes and sometimes inhibits his medical practice; but he cannot imagine being happy anywhere else:

“I knew what I had to do.”, he tells Christy, “The call of the mountains and my own people was too strong to deny. I knew how desperately they needed a doctor back in these hills and coves. Personal ambition didn’t matter really.”

2.) He rides a horse: Move over Prince Charming, you aren’t the only guy who can sweep a girl off her feet and gallop off into the sunset (or, in this case, the Cutter Gap Mission):

“As Charlie moved into a free-swinging easy- gait and the cool morning air flowed past my face, I began to feel better, no longer exhausted, just comfortably drowsy, as though I could sleep forever... One part of me wanted to relax against the Doctor; the other part of me resisted vigorously.”

3.) He has a RUSTIC CABIN: Girls, MacNeill is a man’s man. He wears plaid. He hunts and fishes. He has this cool Gaelic family motto: ...Tha mo chas air ceann mo naimhdean: which literally means “my foot is on the head of my enemies” So strong and warrior-like. Those MacNeill’s weren’t wimps. As Neil says “ the Highland Scots were not exactly drawing-room dandies” He’s a Scotsman.

4.) He can DANCE: “The doctor was surprisingly nimble. I had never done much square dancing, so did not know all the intricate figures. But by whispered instruction and skillful leading, he was steering me with scarcely a step missed by either of us.”

from the 1990’s CBS series

5.) The Joy of The Children Was in His voice: Christy may harbour feelings for David Grantland, the third in their love triangle; but it is ultimately Dr. MacNeill who wins her heart. While David’s stern reactions to her creative ideas for health and reform in the mountain regions deflate her zeal; the doctor encourages and nurtures her passion and resolve.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Neil MacNeill’s function in the story is how he strengthens Christy’s faith and conviction. When challenged by the doctor and his initially agnostic views, she is inspired to confront her own faith and decide what she believes. Even when she is not with him, their banter and arguments resonate:

“Now I knew how to answer the doctor’s question. Call this what you might… God...Father...Starter-Force, it was personal all right. It thrust deep into me. It pulled and it insisted that life was precious.”

Indeed, the doctor is so important to Christy’s spiritual, emotional and physical welfare that the last line of the book, in my opinion one of the most beautiful lines in all of literature, is centered on him.

Several readers, upon finishing the story modeled after Catherine’s mother Leonora Whitaker Wood are surprised, and sometimes desolated, to learn that Leonora married Reverend John Ambrose Wood and there was no doctor in sight. Why, then, would Marshall create a hero who steals Christy’s heart and secures her future at the end?

I like to think that Doctor MacNeill is a bit of a hybrid of Marshall’s own doubts (though by no means agnostic, she wrestled openly with God in moments of despair) as well as a dash of the qualities possessed by her charming, intelligent and illustrious Scottish husband, Peter Marshall. This fact breathes slightly into the fiction when meted against Marshall’s biography and I choose to see it as a bit of the kernel which drove the novel into full-force.

Ladies, if you’re looking for a contemporary author who delves into MacNeill territory, please consider reading The Frontiersman’s Daughter by Christy award finalist Laura Frantz. The moment I met Ian in that book I knew that Neil MacNeill had a fictional kindred spirit.

*****

Rachel McMillan blogs at a Fair Substitute for Heaven. She recently completed her first historical romance novel and is represented by William K. Jensen Agency. She traveled to Scotland for the first time last year to listen to the acc….umm….to study the history. She’s spent a lot of time waiting for a real life Neil MacNeill to show up.

Note from Melissa: I totally agree with Rachel about Laura Frantz's book. Ian was sooo similar to Dr. MacNeill. Also, Joanne Bischof's wonderful Cadence of Grace series is set in the Appalachian Mountains and has such a Christy feel to it.

Readers, your turn to talk! Who is your favorite literary hero? Have you read and/or watched Christy? If you have, who do you like better: Reverend Grantland or Dr. MacNeill? Please know that if you answer Grantland, we will still be friends but I may seriously question your taste.

Because I'm hanging out with Ollie...

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

...I'm disappearing from the blogosphere for a couple days. No blog post today (unless this counts) or Monday. But I'll be back on Wednesday with a waaaay fun special guest who is writing about one of the greatest literary heroes of all time. (Nope, not Darcy...)

In case you're new around these parts, Ollie is my adorable nephew. He was born in June 2010 with multiple heart defects and Down syndrome. He is the poster child for awesomeness AND he's the inspiration for an upcoming graphic novel called METAPHASE.

(Check out this article a Kansas newspaper did on METAPHASE and Ollie's family!)

Although I won't be around these parts until next Wednesday, it's probably a safe bet photos of Ollie will be popping up on Facebook in the next couple days. :) Have a great weekend!

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Agent Amanda Luedeke

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Fun stuff today! We've got literary agent Amanda Luedeke hanging out here today with a Q&A about her new book, The Extroverted Writer.

Amanda's pretty much the coolest agent ever. She also has really great taste in clients. Which I may or may not be saying because I happen to be one of her clients... :)

But seriously, Amanda is awesome at what she does. And she knows her stuff when it comes to marketing and author platform. If there's anyone to listen to, it's her! So here we go...

1) So, we're talking about your book today—The Extroverted Writer. I love the title. How'd you land on it?

I first got the idea because I've heard so many writers say "I'm an introvert! I can't market!" But thanks to the Internet, that excuse is no longer valid. I mean with online promotions, you can sit at home in your pajamas, sipping tea, while interacting online, and you can have as big of a impact as if you were speaking to tens of thousands of people. Plus, the Internet allows introverts the chance to think through responses and take their time with things. It's just not as immediate as the face-to-face, which is what scares most introverts.

So all this to say, because my book focuses on online promotions, I wanted to communicate that it's a tool for helping introverts become extroverts and for helping extroverts become even better at what they do. Plus, it's the title that I got the best feedback on :)

2) What prompted you to write The Extroverted Writer?

I come from a marketing background, so I've quickly found that what I have to say on the matter causes people to perk up and listen! So, I've been blogging every Thursday on marketing at chipmacgregor.com, and it's been a great experience. But the blog is difficult to search and I quickly started seeing repeated questions and such. So, I figured if I put together a book, my readers and those I meet while on the road would have the reference tool they desire!

The book is a compilation of blog posts, but each post has been smoothed out and expanded. Plus, there's lots of new content in there, too. I did that to make sure it was a worthwhile investment for writers.

3) Who's one of your coolest clients ever? HA...just kidding...thought I'd sneak that in there...but seriously, you pulled all the pieces of this book together and published it as an ebook. Was there anything surprising or extra challenging or eye-opening about that process?

Haha! Oh, Melissa. You know you're one of my 40 favorite clients. ;)

I've done a lot of ebooks on behalf of our clients (check out www.playlistfiction.com, for example). So it wasn't too surprising in terms of the process. I mean I'm pretty visionary in that regard, and had no trouble with my cover or with the content or the angle.

But I'd say the marketing process has been eye-opening. Because it's an ebook, I have lots of flexibility with when I market it. But for the authors who are tied to a specific release day, and they then need to make the biggest impact in that small window of time…let's just say I totally feel for them. With this book, I'm able to choose when I'm going to focus on marketing, but most authors don't have that luxury. And the worst part is there's nothing to be done about it. It's the nature of the business.

So all the more reason to have everything in place for launch…all the more reason to figure out online marketing.

4) I think a lot of non-writers would be surprised at the amount of time and thought authors put into the marketing side of their careers. The need for authors to market is a somewhat new-ish thing in the past couple decades, right?...do you think that gradual shift is a good thing? Are there pros to authors spending time on marketing other than, obviously, selling books?

Yes, it's really a new thing, and I think it has to do with volume and availability. We're publishing more books than ever, so it takes that much more for each book to get noticed…and the publisher can't do it all. I think it's unfortunate that many publishers rely on more old school methods (such as ads), and I also think it's unfortunate that there is so much pressure put on authors who, at their core, are typically introverts. So for those reasons alone, I do think it's unfortunate, and I'm sad that I can't just tell my authors to go into seclusion and work on the next masterpiece.

But the pros that we see include these crazy book fads that hit like never before. The 50 Shades fad is a great example of that. Never before in publishing have we seen something take off so fast and so crazily. Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games are also examples of books seeing lots and lots and lots of sales. I'm not quite sure this happened much before marketing and promotions became a standard expectation.

So I guess you could argue there's more opportunity now. There's more room to make money and sell a bunch of books. But yes, it's a huge commitment, and it's not one that every author can make, sadly.

5) Many of this blog's readers are writers, but for the ones who aren't...how can readers help market their favorite writers' books?

There are lots of things you can do (and I expect you all to do these for Melissa's book MADE TO LAST!). Writing reviews for Amazon, B&N, and Goodreads is one. Another is to tell your friends about the books and authors you love! I think most of us read a book and then it just kind of gets set aside. But if you really love something, tell others.

Lastly, it always helps to buy books from your local indie store. Now I LOVE shopping at Amazon, so I get that this can be tricky. But indie stores have limited shelf space. If they get requests for an author they don't typically shelve, then they're more likely to carry that author's books! Which translates into lots of opportunities to impress those who go to bookstores to browse.

*****

Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform . You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

More about The Extroverted Writer: Literary agent Amanda Luedeke uses her background in corporate marketing to show readers that even if you’re an introvert you can have a great online author following by tapping into the reader-packed world of social media. From ideas to tips to absolute musts, THE EXTROVERTED WRITER builds on Amanda’s successful “Thursdays with Amanda” blog posts on ChipMacGregor.com. This easy-to-read guide breaks down the most popular social media sites and online options to give YOU the tools you need to be effective when engaging with your readers.

All right, readers, question time: Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Why I may not be able to see the next Muppets movie.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

So this weekend I was moaning about how much easier blogging is during an election cycle. There is literally always something to blog about during elections. Like:

1) What candidates are really saying during debates.
2) How I can wash a sink full of dishes faster than Herman Cain's slow smile at the end of the funniest and most flabbergasting campaign commercial ever.
3) How every candidate has a Muppet doppleganger.

Well, that got me thinking about Muppets...

Which got me thinking about the next Muppets movie...

Which got me googling Muppets movie news...

And I come to find out Tom Hiddleston is in the next Muppets movie. Tom Hiddleston as in Loki from Thor. As in eeriest (but also kinda the coolest) villain EVER!!

I know, he looks so nice here. But as soon as he gets jealous of his brother AND realizes he's a descendent of the Frost Giants, um, well...he gets a little mean.

And now I'm scared I won't be able to bring myself to watch the new Muppets movie next year. Because I'm afraid of Loki. This is distressing.

But hey, it gave me a blog topic...and it's not even election season!

Ready, set, go: What villain scares you most?

p.s. I realize this is kind of a failure of a blog post, but I'm in the midst of reviewing galleys for Made to Last and racing through rewrites of book two. So this is the best I've got today. But on the upside, literary agent Amanda Luedeke is Wednesday's special guest! And that's going to be fun. :)

When to make up your mind about people.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

So a friend and I were talking about old movies this week…which is pretty normal if you know me. I mean, if we’re friends for more than five minutes, probably at some point in the next five we’ll talk about the merits of studio-era Hollywood. Didn’t always treat their actors so well, but man, they made good movies.

And anyway, I was reminded of my favorite quote from pretty much any movie ever. It’s from The Philadelphia Story. Tracy Lord aka Katherine Hepburn aka Melissa’s favorite actress says the line and she’s talking to Mike Connor aka Jimmy Stewart aka brilliance-in-the-flesh. It’s a simple line:

The time to make up your mind about people is never.

They’re talking about whether or not Mike is an intellectual snob (he kinda is) and the quote is just one in a hundred that makes dialogue in this film fabulous. But that one line always, always stands out to me. Maybe because I don’t care for the thought of people making their mind up about me…boxing me in or deciding I’m beyond changing.

But I was thinking about it again this week at work. I’m part of the development team for a homeless nonprofit and one of the things we talk about pretty frequently is the public’s preconceived notion of what “homeless” really looks like. And because of my job, it’s ridiculously easy for me to get on a soap box (can we talk sometimes about why we call it a soap box?) on the subject of not assuming there’s one look or one cause or even one solution to the issue of homelessness…and how it’s not a good idea to “make up your mind” about a man or woman who is homeless.

And yet, how easy is it for me to make up my mind about the other people I encounter every day?*

Which is a sad thing. Because making up my mind that a person is [insert negative trait] often overlooks backstory and usually totally disregards the very real possibility of change. And maybe even more than that, it ignores the radical ability God has to do big things in us…to dissolve our weaknesses and smooth out the prickly pieces of our personalities.

I mean, really, He’s the only one who has the right to make His mind up about anyone. Because He’s the only one who already sees today the people we’re going to become tomorrow…and the next day…and the next.

The truly crazy thing: His love doesn’t change from yesterday to today to tomorrow, whether we change or not.

So if I'm going to make up my mind about anything, let it be about learning to love like that.

Serious question: your thoughts on that quote? Fun question: your favorite movie quote?

*And I’m talking in a negative way here. Because of course there’s a flip side. It’s never wrong to make up our minds that the people around us are created, valued and loved by God…

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Cynthia Ruchti

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Yay, today author Cynthia Ruchti is hanging out at Tag(g)lines. I met Cynthia last year at the ACFW Conference and had the opportunity to gush in person to her about her book They Almost Always Come Home.

Cynthia's latest book, When the Morning Glory Blooms, just released and I'm itching to read it. She has such a wonderful writing voice!

And her post today is so very relevant, whether you're a writer or not...about how learning the stories of those around us changes everything...

What's Behind it All?

Gruff exterior. Hollow eyes. Communicates poorly. Perpetually grumpy. What’s the story behind that character?

As a creator of imaginary characters for novels and composite but very real characters for non-fiction, I’m learning about myself and about humanity as I write.

I wonder if my Sociology professor in college would have held his students’ attention better if he’d turned us all into novelists rather than droning about stats and handing out obtuse essay tests.

Carefully observing the characters who people our own life stories tells us there has to be more under the surface—a reason she cringes when someone stands too close, a background to his rebellion against every form of authority, meaning behind her insatiable appetite for dangerous relationships…

In my recent release—When the Morning Glory Blooms—I needed a dad figure radically different from my own. My father was emotionally present. I needed to create a character who was inexplicably emotionally absent. My father found countless ways to show how much he loved his kids. This character needed to search but seem to never find a way. Yet, he had to be a good man at his core.

I started the book, fleshing out the character of Ornell, not knowing his whole story. In my heart, I knew there had to be a reason for his gruff exterior, his hollowness, his inability to communicate with more than grunts and clipped demands that his daughter realize time was ticking. He’d give her two more months before she was on her own.

Maybe only another writer will understand this, but I forced myself to reserve judgment about him until the rest of his story came to light. When the layers unfolded, my heart broke for this precious man. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him everything was going to be okay. I wanted to tell him how proud I was for how strong he’d been, and for the new ways he was blasting out of his comfort zone to do the right thing.

In the beginning, I didn’t know his whole story. Discovering it changed my attitude toward him, this imaginary character.

What would happen if I’d apply that concept to the sour-faced check-out clerk at Walgreen’s? Or the teacher who demands impossible things from a student I care about? Or the woman sitting next to me in church who clings to her screaming baby as if it’s a security blanket rather than taking that child to the well-lit, fully-staffed, environmentally friendly church nursery?

What if I assumed a many-layered story pressed from the inside against what I see on the outside? How would that alter my approach to the people around me? Would it eventually lead to a moment when they would trust me enough to give me a glimpse into their background and change us both?

What about you, reader? Has your approach to someone around you changed since you learned the rest of his or her story?

*****

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, speaking for women’s events and retreats, writers’ events and retreats, nonfiction books and devotionals, drawing from 33 years of on-air radio ministry. In 2013, she will have a total of six books on the shelves, with more to come in 2014. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren. Her recent release—When the Morning Glory Blooms—earned a top rating of 4.5 Stars from RT Reviews plus a Top Pick. Publishers Weekly said this about the book: “Times may change, but condemnation and judgment are constants. Yet each woman dares to hope in the power of grace, and to believe in the One who redeems all things.

Yes, that song is in my iTunes.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Remember tapes?!?! Photo credit: stock.xchng

So this weekend I hung out in Chicago...such good times. And on the way home, I'm blaring the tunes to keep myself awake when "Hey Ya" by OutKast comes on. And I do the exact same thing I do every time this song comes on...

Cringe at the fact that I own the song.
And that I like it so much.
And turn up the volume.

It's one of those songs I'd feel a little sheepish about if someone got ahold of my iPhone and checked out my iTunes song list. Which led me to come up with the top five most embarrassing songs on my iTunes:

1) We Are Never Getting Back Together...Taylor Swift.
Truth is, I own her entire Red album. Truth is, I really like it. Truth is, I was as surprised as anyone.

2) Candle in the Wind (Goodbye, England's Rose)...Elton John
And yes, it still sorta makes me cry.

3) Where Ya At?...Shaquille O'Neal
No, that's not a typo. I'm totally serious about Shaq. Sometimes we forget in addition to starring in quality movies like Kazaam, the basketball player was also a musician.

4) U Smile...Justin Bieber
I generally try to console myself with this one because it's the only Bieber song I know or own.

5) The Call...Backstreet Boys.
I mean, it's bad enough that it's Backstreet Boys, right? But then you remember the entire song is about a guy calling his girlfriend and lying to her and you realize something has gone incredibly wrong in your head 'cause man, it's still just so catchy!

Okay, confession time: What's the most embarrassing song you love?

Authenticity Cary Grant-style.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Possibly my favorite Cary Grant role: David in Bringing Up Baby. Although I might like him even better in His Girl Friday. But who can forget The Philadelphia Story? Or Charade? Or That Touch of Mink? Or...fine, I'll stop.

The truth is, I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to old movies. And by "kind of" I mean "really" and by "old" I mean generally black and white or that fakey technicolor.

Yeah, that old. I'm a little bothered when people call, say, Free Willy old. (But then, I'm a little bothered by Free Willy in general.)

But yes, so we're clear, that old. I have a couple bookshelves full of books about all my favorite movies and actors and actresses. My favoritest of faves: Cary Grant.

I love him. I do. He was classy and witty and romantic. And in a few of his really early movies, he even performs some gymnastics. (He actually came from a circus background. No joke.) And, hello, his real name was Archibald Leach. You just have to totally admire a guy who manages to rise above a moniker like that!

So anyway, in a little of my nerdy reading recently I came across a quote from Cary Grant that stood out to me:

I've often been accused by critics of being myself onscreen. But being oneself is more difficult than you'd suppose.

First thought in my head after I read it: I wonder if Clark Gable felt the same.

Second thought: Yup.

Another quote is similar:

I can't portray Bing Crosby, I'm Cary Grant. I'm myself in that role. The most difficult thing is to be yourself--especially when you know it's going to be seen immediately by 300 million people.

Might've been decades ago, but don't we have the same issue today?

I do think we live in a time when authenticity and sincerity can be harder and harder to pursue...mostly because it's so ridiculously easy to be whatever and whoever we want online. Being who we are--not in a popular "be who we be" self-expression way, but in a genuine "this is my heart" sort of way--it's just like Cary Grant said: more difficult than you'd suppose.

But not impossible.

And as I was thinking about this topic this week, I found myself parsing through all kinds of after-school special sorts of thoughts to land on this:

If I really take God at His word that I'm wonderfully made, that He has crafted me into a masterpiece, that He's chosen me*...

If I really believe all that...

Then being sincere, being authentic, being me in front of three people or 300 million...it's not going to feel out of reach. Fact is, really embracing who we are in Christ brings a refreshingly new comfort level and attainability to that whole "being ourselves" thing.**

Those are my thoughts anyway, but what do you think?

Do you ever struggle to be genuine or authentic, either online, on stage or wherever? How do you think embracing who you are in Christ impacts that? And just for fun, what's your favorite Cary Grant movie?***

*Psalm 139:14, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 1:4
**Incidentally, the spiritual thread running through my debut novel Made to Last is all about identity...how we define ourselves, being who really we are in front of people or even TV screens versus who we wish we were...or weren't...or...oh I hope you'll read the book!
***If you don't have a favorite Cary Grant movie because you've never seen one, consider yourself officially invited to my place for a Cary Grant marathon. Trust me, it's necessary.

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Beth Pensinger

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

I'm really not sure when I discovered Beth Pensinger's blog. I know it was more than a year ago and I know the first time I saw her website, I decided it was one of the coolest looking sites I'd seen. Still is. She is a fabulously fun writer and blogger...and I love her sense of humor.

So when I heard Beth would be releasing her book Let Me Fall under her own publishing company, I knew I wanted to help promote it however I could. And I'm thrilled to have Beth here today answering questions!

Now I already apologized to Beth for today's lack of intro video like what I'd normally do for a Wednesday guest. My persnickety webcam and out-of-control schedule combined forces to derail my video efforts this week. But I'm totally going to make up for it with a giveaway! Leave a comment below for a chance to win Beth's book. I will use a random number generator to determine the winner next Tuesday, April 9, and will then contact the winner to see whether you'd prefer a hard copy or e-book.

I'd love to hear about why you decided to write Let Me Fall...

The short answer? :) I feel like God told me to. And I’m pretty sure this is how He made the decision to assign me the job:

He’s sitting at His minimalist desk—the same idea He gave to an Ikea designer—flipping through my life chart.

“Hmmm. She’s timid, awkward, and passed high school English. Looks like the perfect fit.”

You started your own publishing company...which is way cool. Can you describe that process?

Challenging and insane. Deciding to start the company was the easiest part.

Some of the best words of encouragement I received in the writing process were found in a rejection letter from a literary agent. She affirmed my writing ability but went on to say that my book’s concept and structure (I mix allegory with non-fiction) was “so different they thought publishers would have a hard time knowing what to do with it.”

I knew if I had difficulty explaining the genre as the author, she was probably right. So why waste time trying to convince anyone? Self-publishing was my only other option. It didn’t take long for me to become dissatisfied with the companies I was researching.

And since my husband is entrepreneurial-minded, it wasn’t hard to convince him to start from scratch with our own company. Come to think of it, I think he was the first one to suggest it.

What has been the most exhilarating part of writing and/or publishing Let Me Fall?

Falling in love with God. Hands down.

What do you hope readers gain from your book?

For readers who don’t yet have a relationship with Jesus Christ, I hope my book makes them want to experience their own love story with Him. For readers who already do, I hope they’re encouraged and emboldened to fall even more deeply in love with Him—no matter what shape their journey takes. But at the very least, I hope readers are entertained and got in a good laugh or two.

And just because we've had some fun with this question in past weeks, if you had to create a soundtrack for your book, can you name a few songs that would make the list?

I am excited that you asked, because I seriously wish I could’ve made a soundtrack for it! Here are a few of my top choices:

Ikes Mood I, by Visioneers

You Would Love Me Too, JJ Heller

Hole Hearted, Extreme

Ghostwriter, RJD2

That New Car Smell, Michael Giacchino

*****

Beth Pensinger is an awkward, semi-colon abusing nobody who smiles too much. She is the author of four—make that four and a half—journals and untold scores of napkin-notes. She lives near Myrtle Beach, SC with her husband, dog, and human-hating chameleon. Visit with her at www.bethpensinger.com, where she blogs about dirty microwaves, infertility, and the fine qualities of Faramir of Gondor.

Book Blurb:

Let Me Fall is the love story between God and His dimwitted daughter. I’m the dimwit in case you were wondering.

As a grown woman, it pains me to admit that the catalyst for this story was my obsession with Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga, and the despair immediately following my reading it. If my despair were merely of the lighthearted, “oh darn I chipped a nail” variety, you wouldn’t be reading this book description. But it wasn’t, and you are. As in most tales of woe, I hit rock-bottom, which meant all my nails got chipped. Fearing the savage state of my cuticles as well as my heart, I finally called out to Father God for help. Spoiler Alert: He showed up with a spiritual defibrillator.

Let Me Fall is where my literal world figuratively collides with God as He shows me more of who I am and who He is. My story isn’t a formula for falling in love with God. But I would be thrilled if it is a catalyst for others to do the same.

Readers, have you ever felt led by God to take on a big challenge? Have you thought much about a book's genre? And, be honest, have you read Twilight? : )

Be sure to leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of Let Me Fall: the love story between God and His dimwitted daughter.

The cross.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

How does a person, a writer even, find the right words for Good Friday?

Or do we even need words?

Because, really, the cross says it all.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you.
Photo credit: stock.xchng

*****

p.s. I will be taking an Easter holiday mini-blog break on Monday. I hope you have a blessed Easter, celebrating Christ's Resurrection! See you back here on Wednesday with a guest post from a fabulous debut author.

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Ian Acheson

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

It's kind of a monumental day here at Tag(g)lines...we have our first international guest! Author Ian Acheson comes to us from down under...i.e. Australia! How exciting is that? The only thing that would make today's post better would be if I had a video of all Ian's answers so we could hear his accent. :)

Ian is the author of Angelguard, a Frank Peretti-esque story of spiritual warfare and intense action. It's the first in a trilogy and has been endorsed by the likes of Mike Dellosso, Ronie Kendig and Dineen Miller...so you KNOW it's gonna be good!

AND you've got a chance to win an autographed copy today. Woohoo! Just leave a comment below to enter. You've got until next Tuesday at 5 p.m. CST.

Thanks a bunch for being here today, Ian. I’m sure my readers would like to know a little about you before we start discussing your new novel, Angelguard.

Melissa, I’ve lived in Sydney, Australia for all of my almost 50 years. I’m happily married to a wonderful lady, Fiona, and we have two young men as sons: Dan is 20 and Jake 17. I’ve worked in the Corporate world for the past 25 or so years and am now a strategy consultant.

I know this is silly, but any mention of Australia always makes me want to watch the movie Man from Snowy River. LOL! But tell me, what leads a strategy consultant to write novels?

I’ve been entranced by stories since I was very little boy after my eldest sister shared her version of the “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” to my two brothers and I. She was so good at it I genuinely believed there was some trapdoor at the back of her wardrobe to some wonderful new place.

I’ve been an avid reader all of my life and wrote my stories as a kid. Not a lot happened for 20 or so years and then eleven years ago I had one of those “God-moments” where He relit a fire in my heart to start writing again. So that was the start of my long journey to writing Angelguard. I share more about this journey on my blog over at ianacheson.com.

Wow, 11 years is a long time to persist with the one story. How’d you keep going for so long?

Two things have really kept me going. The many “readers” from various publishing houses who reviewed the early drafts were always very encouraging. “It’s good, but…” Perhaps in my naïve way I took that to mean the story had legs.

Even though I put the story away for four or five years, I still believed one day these characters I’d created would see the light of day. I’m generally an optimist, so that also helped me. Through a series of events, it was clear God wanted me to pick this story up. I’m not a believer in coincidences. The series of “God-moments” that I outline in a series of posts on my blog nudged me to work on it again. The key for me was that God highlighted Angelguard was His story and He had invited me to write it. Which is kinda cool, especially knowing we have the Creator of the universe as our Executive Editor.

Two things I love about that story: How God urged you back to your story after some time away, but also how you listened and obeyed. Very cool. So tell us a little about Angelguard.

Angelguardreveals the timeless supernatural war that continues unabated and how it interconnects with our physical world. In bringing the warring angels and demons to the forefront of a rollicking tale that crosses the globe, I wanted to highlight the ferocity of this conflict. The physical story focuses on three survivors of separate acts of terrorism that occur within weeks of each other.

Um, that sounds a-ma-zing. What messages do you hope people will take away from Angelguard?

Two key messages. Firstly, there is a spiritual battle going on around us. The Bible talks a lot about it but we often choose to pay it lip service. The second message is the power of prayer. Prayer moves heaven and if we don’t pray, things may not happen. I believe God wants to use us to help Him do His work. Prayer and obedience are keys to fulfilling our role.

Angelguard, published by Lion Fiction of the UK (distributed by Kregel Publications in USA and Canada), is now available at the major online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com. Ian would love it if you asked your local retailer to stock it. :)

Check out the exciting trailer for Angelguard that Ian’s son, Dan and his friend, produced.

You can keep in touch with Ian at:

Website: http://ianacheson.com/

Twitter: @achesonian

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ianachesonauthor

Readers, don't forget to leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a signed copy of Angelguard. And also answer this very easy question: Which place in Australia would you like to visit and why?

A Graphic Novel Inspired by Super Ollie

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Artwork by artist Kelly Williams for METAPHASE, a graphic novel written by Chip Reece.

Anyone who's been around Tag(g)lines for any amount of time knows I'm crazy about my adorable nephew Oliver.

Ollie was born in 2010 with Down Syndrome and two congenital heart defects. Within his first 24 hours, he was life flighted to Children's Mercy in Kansas City where he spent over seven months. Ollie has survived three open heart surgeries. And he is...

Amazing.
A total miracle.
The cutest and happiest little guy ever.
A superhero.

And now his dad, Chip Reece--my brother-in-law and a long-time comic book fan--is writing a graphic novel inspired by Ollie and other little heroes with Down Syndrome. Chip has teamed up with artist Kelly Williams to create METAPHASE...which is releasing soon from Alterna Comics.

You can read a press release about it here.
And become a fan of the METAPHASE facebook page here.

Super Ollie

Chip started telling me about his graphic novel idea several months ago and the storyteller in me got sooo excited.

But the aunt in me, well, she was just--and stil is--completely over the moon. Ollie has inspired so many people in his life so far. He has inspired me in more ways than I've got room to list here.

And it was extra special that the press release and announcement about METAPHASE went out last week on World Down Syndrome Day. I'm excited to see how Chip's work will not only provide an entertaining read, but also promote Down Syndrome awareness and education. It's a cause close to my heart.

So I hope you'll join me in my crazy excitement about Chip's upcoming graphic novel!

Cover art concept by artist Kelly Williams

More about METAPHASE:

What happens when a son's quest for power leads to the destruction of his father, the world's strongest superhero? METAPHASE is a graphic novel about Ollie, a boy with Down Syndrome who just wants to be "super" too. If it wasn't hard enough sizing himself up with the most average of human strength, Ollie has grown up with a front row seat to the upper extreme of the physical spectrum! Incredibly, an opportunity may exist that could get him the power he desires...

Powers, Inc. is a company looking for volunteers to test their controversial and experimental chromosome treatment. This process promises to give super powers to anyone who wants them...or so it seems. As with any scheme that sounds too good to be true, there are sinister motives...ones that directly involve destroying the greatest superhero of all time, Ollie's dad!

More about Chip:

Chip has been an active supporter of the comic book community through his work as a writer, interviewer, and admin through the website StashMyComics.com. The majority of that support has been through his weekly column, Crowd Funding Flash, a feature that spotlights crowd funding comic book projects using sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. It's through his work on this front that he met artist Kelly Williams via his talents on the successfully crowd funded graphic novel, THE CABINET. You can find Chip actively promoting other projects on Twitter (@ChipReece).

A digital ten-page preview of METAPHASE will be available soon from Alterna Comics.

Questions for readers: Have you ever read a graphic novel? Who is a special "superhero" in your life? What causes are close to your heart?

And be sure to become a fan of the METAPHASE facebook page!

Fried on a Friday.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Sleepy Sloth
This is one of my favorite photos I've ever taken, and I'm sure I've posted it on here before.
But it is exactly how I want to spend my weekend--completely konked out. :)

It’s been…a week.

And today I’ve got…nothing.

It’s true. So many weeks it gets to Thursday and the perfect blog topic for Friday falls in my lap.* But this week, I’m mentally drained. The Energizer Bunny in me has momentarily lost her alkaline…and probably her drum too...

But maybe that’s okay. Maybe it’s okay to simply sigh and say, “Thank you, Lord, for weekends!”

*****

Addendum: So I wrote the top portion of this blog, but then worried it sounded a little too Debbie Downer-y...which is silly, because I'm not blue. Just tired. :)

So I googled “Bible verses about rest” and just loved the first one that popped up:

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

~Exodus 33:14

So may God’s presence go with us all into this weekend. And may we get all the rest we need.

Are you doing anything fun this weekend?

*Let's not talk about how some people are so much more organized than I am and prepare their posts much further in advance. :)

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Katie Ganshert is back!

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

You know who rocks? Author Katie Ganshert! And you what rocks? The fact that she's here today answering fun questions about her second novel, Wishing on Willows...

...which, by the way, is fab-u-lous. I was a Katie Ganshert fan from the first page of her first book, so heading into her second story, I knew I was in for a treat. Wishing on Willows is a beautiful story of second chances. Did I cry? Yes.

And because I just have to pass on the story-love (and possibly the tears, too, since it's just that touching of a story), we're doing a giveaway today! I have an extra ARC of Wishing on Willows. So leave a comment below to enter. You've got until next Tuesday at 5 p.m. CST to enter. Take it away, Katie!

1) First of all, I adored both your debut, Wildflowers from Winter, and now Wishing on Willows. I thought I'd ask, which of the main characters--Bethany from your first book or Robin from your second--is most like you? Was either one easier/harder to write?

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed both of the stories! I'm definitely much more like Robin than Bethany. Robin is a warm personality who will be your best friend right away if you want, whereas Bethany is more reserved. It takes time before she's going to dive deep and get personal. Strangely though, I think Bethany was easier to write. Maybe it has to do with that saying, "Opposites attract."

2) I asked this question to author Regina Jennings last week and thought it was fun, so I thought I'd ask you too. If you were to create a soundtrack for Wishing on Willows, what are a few songs that would make the list?

The first three that come to mind are Blessings by Laura Story, The Hurt and the Healer by Mercy Me, and Remind me Who I Am by Jason Gray. That last one is for my hero. When I first heard The Hurt and the Healer on the radio, I was like, "Oh my word! This is Robin!" Google the lyrics. For real.

3) Okay, throwdown time: Who would win an arm wrestling match? Evan from your first book or Ian from your second? :) And a followup, do you ever find it a challenge to write from a guy's perspective? How do you meet that challenge?

Hands down, Evan. Don't get me wrong, Ian is no weakling. But Evan's a farmer. He's used to the heavy-liftin'. Plus he wears flannel, which adds to his manliness. And we all know you like sexy farmers in flannel, right Melissa? ;-)

(Note from Melissa: Um yes. LOL! I mean, let's be honest, flannel is pretty much the key to my heart.)

As far as writing from a guy's perspective....is it weird if I say I don't struggle with it? Is it even weirder if I say that sometimes, I think my voice seems to flow better whenever I'm writing from a dude's perspective? Let's not psychoanalyze that too much, m'kay?

4) You've shared online about you and your husband's journey with international adoption. I love hearing updates and news about your fundraiser. I've especially loved hearing how you both knew this was something God was laying on your hearts. I think a lot people at different times in life have this "I want to make a difference" moment or feeling and we don't always know how to respond to that desire. What advice would you have for people thinking and praying about what they can do?

Oh wow, tough question! Hmmm....

I guess my advice would be four-fold:

Get on your knees and pray. Not just once or twice. But every day, multiple times a day. Really seek guidance from the Lord.
Do your research. Sometimes, the things we do to help actually hurt. A couple great resources are Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton and Orphan Justice by Johnny Carr.
Watch this video by Eric Ludy and prepare to be convicted.
Be moved. I don't just mean be moved in your heart. I mean actually move. Do something. Put feet to your faith. All the intentions and passion in the world means nothing without follow-through.

*****

Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the Midwest, where she writes stories about finding faith and falling in love. When she’s not busy plotting her next novel, she enjoys watching movies with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends over bagels. She and her husband are in the process of adopting from the Congo. You can find her online at her blog and on Facebook.

Readers, if you had to pick a song to represent you or a particular season in your life, what song would you pick? Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win an ARC of Wishing on Willows!

An all-important question: Darrin or Anthony

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

I know, I know, I'm asking you to make a c-r-a-z-y decision on a Monday morning. And I'll be honest, I'm asking solely for my own purposes. I've referenced both these TV shows and their leading men in my current book and I'm wondering, are people even going to know what I'm talking about?

The TV shows: Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie.

The men: Darrin Stephens or Anthony Nelson?

Dick York as the first Darrin. He later
left the show due to back problems and was replaced
by Dick Sargent.

Larry Hagman as Tony Nelson.
He's an astronaut.
Automatic cool points

I'm firmly in the Tony Nelson camp, myself. First of all, the show creators were way more creative with Tony's character. He works for NASA. Can you get cooler than that? Darrin...he's an ad exec. Nothing wrong with that, but nothing all that exciting either.

Next, their sidekicks. Darrin's boss Larry is his main sidekick. But Tony has friend and fellow astronaut Roger Healey who's a load of ridiculous fun.

But most all, Darrin drives me crazy because he always expects wife/witch Samantha to quell her magic. He wants her to be...normal.

Tony, on the other hand, while often a bundle of nerves because of the trouble Jeannie aka genie gets him into, isn't above asking her to do the blinking thing. I like that he likes that she's a genie, even gets a kick out of her antics.

Like I said, important question. So which leading man--or TV show--gets your vote? And if you're not up on your classic TV, um, you may need to rethink your priorities. :)

Decisions on decisions.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Ever felt tripped up by choices? I have. Like, this week. Like, too many decisions staring me in the face at once...to the point that I freaked out a little trying to choose what to wear to work the other day. I might've ended up wearing a sweater I usually wear to bed. Pretty sure no one noticed...pretty sure.

But then I read a verse like this. And I remember, I don't have to make decisions on my own. Truth is, trying to make the decisions on my own is ~~a little~~ a lot ridiculous. Because there's Someone bigger and wiser and all sorts of smarter than me here to help.

So one decision just made itself: No more deciding things on my own. :)

What's one of your favorite decision-making verses?

Source: theflourishingabode.com via Lorelei on Pinterest

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Regina Jennings

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Behold, the return of the video intro! For any Tag(g)lines newbies, each week on Wednesday I try to do ~~amazingly profound~~ slightly quirky videos introducing the day's guest. But my internet service provider has not cooperated lately. Finally, though, things are back in order. I'm sure you're as relieved as I am. :)

Our guest today is author Regina Jennings. Regina's first book was released from Bethany House last year--Sixty Acres and a Bride. I adored it, everything from the cover to the characters to the story. Her latest book is Love in the Balance. It just released and again, love, love, love!

We decided to have a little Q and A fun today. Hope you enjoy!

1) Okay, we'll start with a normal-ish question, but get random later. So to start with, what inspired or sparked the idea for Love in the Balance?

Two things really…one was a re-reading of The Scarlet Letter and the other was working in my church’s youth department.

Now, before parents get worried about what kind of activity is going on in the youth department, let me clarify. The Scarlet Letter is about the burden of unconfessed sin, which is a theme explored in Love in the Balance. Working in the youth group brought to mind how clumsy our attempts are to make things right and how much pressure we put on people to project an acceptable image. We’re all pursuing holiness while trying to look good at the same time, but sometimes the two conflict.

2) If you could hang out for a day with any of your characters--either from Love in the Balance or Sixty Acres--who would you choose? And why?

I’d love to sit down to a meal with Molly Lovelace and Anne Tillerton. Molly has a quick wit and chats easily, which would be good since Anne doesn’t talk much. But I’d hope that Anne would do something to embarrass Molly before the day ended. They’d both be good for some laughs.

3) Let's say there's a soundtrack for Love in the Balance...what are a few songs that would make the list?

I love this question! And just so you can enjoy some of the songs that distracted…I mean inspired me…I’ll include YouTube links to the videos or performances.

Rolling in the Deep by Adele...listen here.

Cry Me a River the Michael Buble version...listen here.

At this Moment – Billy Vera...listen here.

4) Now let's pretend (we're doing lots of pretending today apparently) that you're going to hang out for a week back in the time period in which Love in the Balance is set. What would you miss most from this century? :)

The availability of books, of course. Lockhart, Texas, has a beautiful library, but it wasn’t built until a few years after Molly’s story. I can’t imagine not being able to read something new whenever I wanted.

I’d also suffer withdrawal from processed sugar and chocolate. If my dessert choices were limited to what I can bake, I’d be in a sorry state.

5) Just for fun, who are some of your favorite authors? I always love to hear who other writers are reading...especially if it introduces me to someone new!

Choices, choices. I know you are familiar with Siri Mitchell, Mary Connealy and Lynn Austin so I’ll tell you about some authors that might have slipped your notice.

Donis Casey’s Alafair Tucker Mysteries are superb. I loved Jeff Shaara’s Revolutionary War epics and can’t wait to read his Civil War books. And one of my all-time favorite books is These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner. Every historical fiction reader should put that one on her TBR pile.

6) On a more serious note, what do you hope readers take away from Love in the Balance?

If readers respond to this book the same way I did, it might cause them to examine what memories and judgments we associate with people. A moment in time, one bad decision can affect what you think of a person for the rest of their lives. After putting Molly’s story on paper, I’m deliberately trying to change that tendency in myself.

*****

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children. Visit Regina's website at www.reginajennings.com.

Question for you readers...if you were going to hang out back in history, say in the 1800s, what would you miss most from this century?

A working break.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Hey friends! I'm talking a little blogging break just for the day as I finish up a three-day writing sprint. It's sort of like an Olympic sprint minus the short shorts and well, the running...but plus a ton of caffeine, my favorite pajamas and quality time with my laptop. Somewhere Usain Bolt is wishing his sprints were half as exciting.

See you back here on Wednesday with a fun Q&A from awesome author Regina Jennings!

Zombies and humans and love.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 06:00:00 +0000

So on Monday I posted a reviewish blog on the movie Warm Bodies...which I loved...which is, yes, a zombie movie. And also a rom-com...one of the best in years, in my Roger Eberty opinion.

I noted in that post all the things I loved about this movie--the humor, the romance, the story--but it's the metaphor of the movie that stuck with me the longest.

ALERT: Plot-wise I'm not going to divulge anything in today's blog you couldn't already figure out by watching the trailer for the movie. BUT if you haven't seen it and you plan to, I'll totally still be your friend if you quit reading now.

So anyway, I mentioned on Monday that there is a palpable sense of longing all through Warm Bodies. R, the main zombie in the film, wants to be different. He's tired of being lost and lonely and unable to express himself. And we see him gradually change throughout the movie as he befriends Julie.

And like the trailer says, soon their relationship starts impacting all the zombies. (Again, that's pretty clear from the trailer, so I'm not playing spoiler queen.)

The spiritual metaphor in Warm Bodies is clear (and wonderfully unpretentious!)--love and its ability to bring "zombies" to life. As a Christian, I believe God's love is what truly makes us alive. It's what flips that spiritual switch in our souls--from dead to undead. (Author Clay Morgan has a fabulous book on this--Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Reborn.)

Here's the cool thing, though--and this didn't hit me until a few days after seeing the movie: It's not just the corpses who come alive in Warm Bodies.

It's the humans, too, the ones whose hearts are already beating at the beginning of the movie.

When the movie opens, the humans we're introduced to--Julie and her friends--they're living a kind of worn down existence. They're walled up in a city, caught in a pattern of hiding and remembering what life used to be like with temporary spurts of zombie-killing. Julie, especially, is less than convinced of the purpose in her life.

But when R befriends her and later, when she agrees to help him, she goes through a transformation of her own. It's internal--her eyes and skin don't change--but it's just as poignant. By befriending and learning to love the formerly unlovable, she comes alive in a new way. She finds new purpose...and a hope that life can be different.

And I can't stop thinking, what if that's us?

If we know Christ, perhaps we're not living as zombies anymore...but are we sometimes living like the humans in Warm Bodies? Dispassionate, unconvinced of our purpose, sometimes even caught in destructive patterns? Sometimes just...blah.

And what if combatting those spiritually listless seasons is as simple as actively, even sacrificially, loving others? Maybe, especially, loving the people the world has labeled unlovable?

In fact, to take the metaphor further, I think as Christians it can be tempting to live like the humans in Warm Bodies--insulated from the deadness around us, only emerging long enough to fight with a culture we don't always like.

Maybe that's going too far, and I certainly don't want to stereotype...but it's something to think about. Because a walled-in life might be safe, but it's not abundant. It's not living out "Go ye into all the world and make disciples." It's not loving the way Christ loved.

In the end, it all comes back to love, doesn't it? God's love breathing life into us...that love actively and intentionally extended through us to others...and in turn, making all of us more fully alive.*

So tell me, what do you think? Does the metaphor work for you? How do we actively love each other?

*And here is where I really, really want to talk about the closing scenes of Warm Bodies and how the imagery is just so perfect for everything I've just rambled about. But I'm still attempting the spoiler-free thing. So, just go see the movie, okay? :)

Welcome Mat Wednesday: Mary Connealy

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Tagg) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Once again, I'm ultra-apologetic about the lack of usual intro video today. Video-related internet woes continue...and even if I had time to fight with my sloooow internet, I'm having a bad hair day, so...really, it's better this way.

Okay, how excited am I to welcome Mary Connealy to Tag(g)lines today? Over-the-top, that's how. I love Mary's books, her sense of humor...her cowboy heroes. :)

And Mary has generously offered to give away a copy of her new release, Swept Away! Just leave a comment below to enter. You've got 'til next Tuesday at 5 p.m. CST. Enjoy the Q&A and comment away!

How did you know you wanted to be a writer, have you always had the desire or did it come later?

The strange pastime of sitting behind a computer makin’ stuff up … well, who knows where that comes from. And who knows why I started it, really. What was I thinking???
I wrote my first story, a romance novel I can barely remember, when I was about twelve. I have no idea what happened to it.

When I was a young wife I wrote a lot of odd short ‘slice of life’ stories that I still have and should always keep just to remind me that I have improved. My girls’ baby books are just covered with writing, I preferred writing to pictures. It’s just so natural to me to express myself with the written word.

Also if you were not a writer what would you like to be?

Well, I loved being a stay-at-home mom. Of course the kids are gone and my husband’s pretty self-sufficient so I suppose I’d be at home dusting (yeesh). I’m a GED Instructor for my day job.

When I was a kid I remember (we lived way, WAY out in the country) the first time I ever saw overpasses on highways in the big city (Omaha) I loved those roads. I remember thinking there was so much that went into them, the structure being strong enough, the slope of the road on curves, the on and off ramps going left to get right sometimes but not other times. I remember thinking, “If I build roads like this, it would last. If the civilization collapses, someday my roads would be the only thing left.” It made me think of Ancient Rome and the Appian Way and the Coliseum. I would have liked that.

What is your favorite thing about books? The escape, the meeting of new characters, or maybe the fact that your imagination gets to stretch a little?

I guess you mean writing here, not reading. I really don't think of writing as something I do. Instead, I think of being a writer as something I AM. Does that make sense?

To be a writer, yes you need to work hard learning the craft. I've studied, I've taken classes, I've sent my work out to contests to get critiqued and I've held up through rejection after rejection. But all of that is something anyone can do.

What not everyone can do is stand to sit by yourself for hour after hour, day after day, for years….makin' stuff up. Having imaginary conversations. Typing, alone, with minimal interaction with REAL people. I think that's a temperament you're either born with or not. And anyone who isn't born with it, shouldn't feel bad. It's not a very normal way to conduct your life, really. But I seem to have it and I can't seem to stop even if I wanted to. So I'm a writer. And there's NO WAY OUT!

Is there a certain theme or genre that you have yet to write in that you would like to use someday?

I wrote for ten years before I got my first book published. And I wasn't just writing for fun. I was submitting manuscripts. Getting rejected. Revising and searching for publishers and agents. In those years there came a time when I just thought, "If no one's going to publish my books I'm just going to write to entertain myself."

And I did. I wrote almost every genre you can imagine. Mostly romances but I wrote historical and contemporary, cop dramas, westerns, action/adventure, thrillers and even a gothic. And I just had so much fun doing that. The book that finally hit was a western and it sold well and they wanted more and I had more, plenty more all written. I had twenty finished books on my computer at the end of those ten years and I've now sold eleven of them and hope to someday sell them all. But the western romances are really popular and I love writing them and will keep writing them as long as someone wants to read them.

I love reading Regency romance and have never written one of those. But it's a really complex era with so many rules and such knowledgeable readers that notice if you flaunt the rules. So I've never tackled one of those. But I'd like to someday.

What was your motivation for writing Swept Away?

I got the idea for writing Swept Away while researching Andersonville Prison, a terrible prison camp during the Civil War. I just found the place so awful and there were these men, Union Soldiers, who were given the job of keeping peace inside the prison, so they were watching over the other Union Soldiers, some of whom were grateful but others considered them traitors working for the Confederacy.

So I got to wondering what kind of bond that would create between those men, and then I moved it out of the war and had one of them had his ranch stolen and his father killed and all his Andersonville Prison buddies come running to help. That's the background of the story and the seed I needed to start Swept Away growing.

*****

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist. She is the author of Swept Away, book #1 of the Trouble in Texas series, also the bestselling Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep, Over the Edge, and Lassoed in Texas Trilogy, Montana Marriages Trilogy and Sophie's Daughters Trilogy. Mary is married to a Nebraska rancher and has four grown daughters and two spectacular grandchildren.

Keep in touch with Mary:

Seekerville blog

Petticoats & Pistols blog

Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a signed copy of Swept Away.

And right now, this very instant, Out of Control, the first book of The Kincaid Brides series, is FREE as an ebook. Buy it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbook.com or where ever fine free ebooks are sold.

Melissa Tagg

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Zombies and humans and love.

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