Life Sprinkled With Fiction

A Necessary Deception by Laurie Alice Eakes

2011-10-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

Oh la la! Seriously! Laurie Alice Eakes newest novel, A Necessary Deception, is a must read for the reader who likes a little bit of everything wrapped up into one book. There is mystery, danger, romance, revenge, chases, escapes, true love (anyone else feel like they are hearing the first few lines of the movie The Princess Bride?)

But all of those things are involved in this novel about God using people and situations to draw His children to Himself.

Young widow, Lydia Gale, desires to do the right thing – but what is the right thing? When she graciously pays one of her husband’s debts by helping a handsome French prisoner gain parole, it begins a chain reaction of scenes that will change her life forever. Threats, kidnappings, and mysterious exploits shake the foundations of Lydia’s life just as she is trying to calm the typical storms of her sisters’ entrance into Society.

It’s an elegant portrayal of the glamour and extravagance of the London Season with the true corruption of it all underneath the lace and manners. Even the illusive villain follows Eakes imagery of the ‘appearance’ of right – so by the end you’re wondering who is genuine and who is not.

Without a doubt the hero, Christien de Meusse, is a worthy portrayal of the opposite. Someone who should not be trusted, but whom Lydia can trust. And he’s SO tres bon to look at too ;-) My, oh my, what a great bunch of romantic tension between the two.

Laurie Alice Eakes spins a tale that keeps you guessing up until the end. Her historical detail is impeccable and the way she draws the reader into the period snares you into the story so that you cannot escape. With page-turning suspense and delicious romance, this book is a delight to read.

Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

2011-10-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Deeanne Gist’s newest novel, Love on the Line, is definitely a novel worth ringing home about. With rich historical detail, humor, suspense, and enough romantic tension to have all sorts of bells ringing, this story captures the essence of the changes during the turn-of-the century that affected the changing relationships between men and women.

Georgie Gail isn’t a typical Victorian gal. Besides having an occupation outside of the family, she’s strong-willed, smart, and a little eccentric (which is another reason she’s likeable). While she’s busy keeping the phone lines going in Washington County, TX and bird-watching on the side, an unlikely hero slips into her life.

Texas Ranger Lucious Landrum has a score to settle with the notorious train robber, Frank Comer, but the outlaw has evaded all of Lucious’ attempts to catch him. Assigned to go undercover as a telephone repairman, Lucious (aka Luke Palmer) has to work in close quarters with the sassy telephone operator. Sparks of all sorts fly between them igniting romance, humor, and intrigue that ends up shedding light not only on the truth behind Frank Comer, but the truth about what real love means.

From hat-making to sparkin’ to pistol-firing lessons and a little bit of everything else in between, Love on the Line is the perfect call for any romance reader.

There were moments I wanted to laugh out loud – pistol-lessons, luscious…

There were moments my heart squeezed from the tension – tweezers.

There were moments my heart ached for them both – betrayal & siblings

And other moments I wanted to sigh from the tenderness – phone calls, yellow dresses, & ice cream

It’s such a sweet story as only Dee can write. Maid to Match is still my all-time favorite of hers, but Love on the Line will definitely not disappoint. Fabulous & fun story!

Provided by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

2011-09-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

Yet again, Julie Lessman has continued the wonderful O'Connor saga with the undercurrent of second chances, discoveries, and God's grace overlayed with passion. A Heart Revealed gives us a unique glimpse into one of the MALE O'Connor's lives. The first four books have introduced us to the four O'Connor sisters, but where Sean O'Connor is concerned there will be no lack of strongwill tempered with the love of family.

Sean is a confirmed bachelor, a hard-working man, and a time-worn rule keeper. He may be looking for a good time, but definitely not a wife. That's one of the reasons he enjoys the company of Emma Malloy. A woman of grace, gentleness, faith, and beauty like Emma could easily tug at his heart, but Emma's past brings along a safety feature. She's already married.

In fact, Emma is running away from a husband whose abuse forced her from Ireland and into the lives of the O'Connors. As events turn and Emma and Sean's relationship grows, the discovery of something beautiful sparks a conflict of the heart and the spirit of them both.

What happens when Emma's husband comes to find her just as a beautiful realization begins between Sean & Emma?

Find out in Julie Lessman's newest novel, A Heart Revealed, where she brings the power of God's redemption and forgiveness into the lives of the O'Connors. And I must say - the beauty in which Sean portrays in the end is breathtaking. I loved it.

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

2011-09-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of reading Jody Hedlund's latest release, The Doctor's Lady. Of course, it is no surprise that Jody has written a beautiful story, much like her debut novel, The Preacher's Bride. With the same intensity but a new cast and time period, Jody uses her gifts of description, creating emotional tension, and well-placed plotpoints to craft a lovely and compelling story about following the dreams of God's heart.

I will write a lengthier review once I finish the novel, but for now - here is a little about the book:

Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call to the mission field in India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field.

Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs. Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Doctor's Lady, go HERE.

This book was provided courtesy of The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House -a division of Baker Publishing Group

Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer

2011-09-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Anne Mateer creates a lovely story reminiscent of Sarah Plain & Tall in her novel, Wings of a Dream. In Rebecca's search for adventure, she stumbles upon the greatest adventure of all - a romance wrapped in the grace of God, but this package doesn't come wrapped as she expected.

Distracted by a handsome and dashing aviator, and a fleeting hope of the life she thinks she wants, Anne is placed face to face with the life God has chosen for her and a love far beyond her imaginings.

Here is more about the book:

Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family's farm in Oklahoma, and when dashing aviator Arthur Samson promised adventure in the big city, she is quick to believe he's the man she's meant to marry. While she waits for the Great War to end and Arthur to return to her so they can pursue all their plans, her mother's sister falls ill. Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, seeing this chance to be closer to Arthur's training camp as God's approval of her plans.

But the Spanish flue epidemic changes everything. Faced with her aunt's death, Arthur's indecisiveness, and four children who have no one else to care for them, Rebekah is torn between the desire to escape the type of life she's always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Wings of A Dream, go HERE.

Find out more on Anne's website at www.annemateer.com
or visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for more info

This book was provided by The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.

A Writer Needs One

2011-09-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

Some people see talents in us long before we do - and they start dreaming big dreams for us before we even know what to dream.

My daughter found a story today that I wrote when I was 10 years old. On the final page was enscripted "written from Oct4- Oct 7, 1986".

There's something special about that story. Now, it wouldn't sell in today's market. It's not amazingly written, the characters aren't well-developed, and the little illustrations I included...er...well, let's just say they will NOT be hanging in a museum anytime soon- but it was the first story I typed.

You know, on one of those keyboard mechanical devices BEFORE computers ;-)

And this was a special typewriter.
My granny bought it for me that week and told me "A writer needs one of these."
A writer?
She inspired that dream in me before I realized it - and I can honestly say her words (fueled with God's gift) led me to pursue writing.

It's also interesting that my sweet Granny - a lady who had become one of my closest friends- died last year on October 1. This knowledge just encourages me all the more to believe in the dream that my Granny and my parents started dreaming for me over 25 years ago.

And if God blesses me with a small sparkle of the storytelling skills of my Granny, then I'm sure God will use those stories to inspire others.

Computers may have replaced those typewriters, but nothing can replace the faith and love of the people who believe in you most.

I'm honored and thankful for their constant dreaming.

GENESIS NEWS!!

2011-05-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

I just found out on Friday, May 13th that both of my semi-final entries FINALED in the Genesis!
Needless to say I've been over the moon...and still trying to find a place to land.
If you want to check out the whole story, go here.
To learn more about the Genesis and other finalists, go here.

Congrats to all those who finaled and all of those who were brave enough to try!

Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs

2011-03-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

Breathtakingly beautiful, as only Liz Curtis Higgs can write.

If you see Mine Is the Night at your local bookstore, quickly look beyond the fantastic cover (okay, admire the lovely detail and artistry of the cover) and THEN delve into an unbelievable world of God’s grace. It is the long-awaited sequel to Liz Curtis Higgs’ novel Here Burns My Candle.

Into the wilds of Scotland and the turbulence of the English Civil War comes a love story straight from the Bible. Stitched together with amazing characters, gripping suspense, and an engaging plot, Liz brings the beautiful love story of Ruth to the Highlands (or Lowlands) in magnificent detail.

Widow Elizabeth Kerr and her mother-in-law, Marjory, are penniless and considered ‘traitors’ to King George because of their husbands’ Jacobite allegiances. Now seeking food and shelter, they return to Marjory’s hometown of Selkirk and throw themselves at the mercy of Marjory’s poor cousin, Anne.

Marjory, who was once the astute and riche Lady Kerr, is now destitute and empty handed, except for the devotion of Elisabeth. Rejected by the people of the town because of her husband’s choices, and her own former pride, Marjory faces the bitterness in her heart with clear vision. Can God save her? Is He still with her?

Elisabeth, a gifted seamstress, must find a way to stitch together a life for the three women. When news arrives of a wealthy Admiral moving to the neighborhood, Elisabeth offers her services to sew dresses for his maids. Admiral Jack Buchanan is everything Elisabeth’s husband was not: kind, faithful, generous, devoted to his faith – but what does a penniless, foreign widow have to offer a man who has everything? Is her heart even ready to trust itself to the carelessness of another man? Will Jack fall for a woman who has beauty, wealth, and the Crown’s favor?

Get ready for a magnificent story about the mending of three women’s hearts, the compassion one amazing hero, and the faithfulness of a perfect Redeemer.

Mine is the Night is the heart’s desire of everyone who always wanted the story of Ruth to be 300 pages longer The heartache, loss, and elegance are all there. The virtue, uncertainty, fear, bitterness, and beauty are all in place.

Elisabeth is a true, godly heroine.

And Admiral Jack Buchanan?
Well, I just have to say:
MOVE OVER, Mr. Darcy!!!

Jack Buchanan is a rival for any Austen hero. With his generous heart, kindness, and (oh yes) even a sense of humor, he’s the perfect picture of Boaz.

You may think you know the story of Ruth, but I can assure you, you’ve NEVER read it like this.

Thank you, thank you, Liz- for taking your pen and inspiring the rest of us through this story

Meet Pepper

2011-03-10T18:58:00.000-08:00

It's kind of scary entering the 'writing' world, but here I am attempting the near-impossible. It's a good thing to know that "Nothing is impossible with God", but sometimes from a human perspective it can feel...hmm....shall we say 'inconceivable'.

Where would I be without the grace of God, a loving family, chocolate, and a healthy sense of humor? I don't even want to think about it. But for now, I'm going to journey through the writing world and sew aht God wants to do.
Being a mom, speech-language pathologist, pastor's wife, and aspiring author can sound a bit chaotic - and in truth, most days it is, but laughter and a healthy dose of eternal perspective really helps out. Hope you enjoy your visit - and as a famous tomato and cucumber say:

God made you special and he loves you very much. Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber.

Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Patillo

2011-02-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

From the back of the book:

English professor Emma Grant has always done everything just the way her minister father told her she should — a respectable marriage, a teaching job at a good college, and plans for the requisite two children. Life was prodigiously good, as her favorite author Jane Austen might say, until the day Emma finds her husband in bed with another woman.

Suddenly, all her romantic notions a la Austen are exposed for the foolish dreams they are.

Denied tenure in the wake of the scandal and left penniless by the ensuing divorce, Emma packs up what few worldly possessions she has left and heads to England on a quest to find the missing letters of Jane Austen. Locating the elusive letters, however, isn’t as straightforward as Emma hoped. The owner of the letters proves coy about her prize possessions, sending Emma on a series of Austen-related tasks that bring her closer and closer to the truth, but the sudden reappearance of Emma’s first love makes everything more complicated.

In the end, Emma learns that doing the right thing has very little to do with other people’s expectations and everything to do with her own beliefs. Laced with fictional excerpts from the missing letters, Jane Austen Ruined My Life is the story of a woman betrayed who uncovers the deeper meaning of loyalty.

My two cents worth:

This is a quick, snappy, and fun read. I liked the intrigue and the romance involved, but most of the story was about self-acceptance and Jane Austen. Beth Patillo brings some wonderful history, hurt, and typical Austenian wit to produce an enjoyable book for those who don’t take Austen ‘too’ seriously. I’m a committed Austen fan and thought this was a nice commercial in Austen-based literature…but being a bit of a romantic, I was in search of a different ending. Though not my first choice of an ending, at least it is an ending I can live with. If you enjoy chic-lit and Austen, you’ll probably enjoy Beth Patillo’s fun and inspiring novel.

Gingham Mountain by Mary Connealy

2011-02-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

Prepare to be lassoed into a wagonload full of love, laughter, kids and a couple of shocking kisses. Gingham Mountain is another exciting and hilarious addition to Mary Connealy’s Lassoed in Texas series….and like most fun-filled stories it begins with misunderstandings.

Hannah Cartwright must save her little sister from the clutches of the evil Grant Cooper – the rancher who takes in helpless orphans as hired labor on his farm. Unfortunately, to rescue her sister, she has to find a reason for staying in town, so she becomes the new school teacher. In the process, she’s shocked to discover that the villainous Mr. Cooper may be less like her horrible father and more like her handsome prince.

Grant Cooper just wants to get on with his life and enjoy the blessings of being a single dad to a large and eclectic crew of children. The last thing he needs is a bossy and nosy school teacher interfering with his kids and his life….even if she’s intelligent, pretty, and great with children.
Misunderstandings spiral out of control while a scheming seamstress tries to find a way to take Grant’s farm and his heart. Will a few shocking kisses, two giving hearts, and eight children equal the perfect ending?

My two cents worth:

Read it! Anything by Mary Conneally is a RIDE! Gingham Mountain is no exception. Mary's clever way of bringing the male/female banter onto the page is exciting and realistic, not to mention hilarious. Grant Cooper is one of those ‘real men’ who has a heart as big as Texas. He’s incredibly innocent and manly all wrapped up into one…and the unexpected kisses shocked and delighted me as much as it did the characters.

If your after a book to make you smile, warm your heart, and take you to another time and place, I recommend any of the books from the Lassoed in Texas series. You’ll have a smile on your face and suddenly wish your husband owned a stetson

Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

2011-02-19T06:22:00.000-08:00

About the Book:

A Whole Town’s Secrets Held by One Woman…

Could anyone get beyond the secrets of her past?

As a midwife, Tabitha Eckles, the woman at the center of Laurie Alice Eakes’ new book, Lady in the Mist, knows the most intimate secrets of the women and families she cares for. While the women in town are drawn to her warmth and caring ways, the men are wary at best.

In the little town of Seabourne, Virginia where Tabitha Eckles lives, another standoff is brewing. It is 1809 and relations between America and England rest on the edge of a knife, when Tabitha crosses paths on the beach one morning with a man named Dominick Cherrett. He seems to have his own secrets to keep, including why he, a British aristocrat, is on American soil working as an indentured servant.

One chance meeting leads these two secret keepers through a twisted path of kidnappings, death threats, and public disgrace. Can Tabitha trust Dominick? What might he be hiding? And can either of them find true love in a world that seems set against them?

"Featuring a charming hero with a mysterious past and mission, Lady in the Mist brims with tension, intrigue, and romance."--Julie Klassen, bestselling author of The Silent Governess and The Girl in the Gatehouse

My Two Cents:

I’ve never read Laurie Marie Eakes novels before Lady in the Mist, but let me just say that the cover sets you up for a lovely tale. Her descriptions are beautiful and she unearths the setting of colonial America with vivid detail.

Both the hero and the heroine are intricately portrayed and the chemistry between them is believeable, but I especially liked her hero, Dominick. I’m a sucker for tall, dark, and handsome…what can I say?

From the first page, Laurie sets up an intriguing tale that will pull you through the conflict between two countries and two hearts. Heartbreak, suspense, and true love were etched in every chapter. It was a wonderful read.

Available February 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

The LightKeepers Bride by Colleen Coble

2010-11-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

Colleen Coble's newest novel, The LightKeeper's Bride, is a spellbinding, intriguing, and beautiful tale of how tragedy forces two people into getting a second chance.

And I'm a sucker for guys with little babies in their arms anyway - so I was in love by the second chapter :-)
Katie and Will are thrown together by extraordinary circumstances and come to realize that 'all things really do work together for the good of those who love the Lord...even in heartache, suffering, and fear happen along the way.

Here's a glimpse at the story. (It sounds wonderful, doesn't it?)

A thrilling romantic mystery set in the lush Victorian age.

Central Operator Katie Russell's inquisitive ways have just uncovered her parents' plan for her marriage to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster. Her heart is unmoved, but she knows the match will bring her family status and respectability.

Then Katie overhears a phone conversation that makes her uneasy and asks authorities to investigate. But the caller is nowhere to be found. Mysterious connections arise between the caller and a ship lost at sea.

Against propriety, Katie questions the new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson. Then a smallpox epidemic forces their quarantine in his lighthouse. Though of low social status, Will's bravery and kindness remove Katie's suspicion and win her love. Katie and Will together work to solve the mystery of the missing girl and the lost ship as God gives the couple the desire of their hearts.
.

To Life, Laughter, and the Lord

2010-11-22T12:23:00.000-08:00

If it's being a mom running from one busy activity to the next, preparing for the next day of work, or trying to get a manuscript completed by deadline, everybody needs encouragement, hope....and a well-developed funny bone.

Life in Christ is made up of all three. Seriously. This is the heart of my blog, Words Seasoned With Salt.

You'll find:

- Devotionals

- Simple tips on writing and living

- Totally random information
- Book Reviews
-And blog series that bring some of your favorite authors in for the day - usually bearing gifts :-)

For those of you who love to read...or write great fiction, check out my group blog at The Writers Alley.

Ten aspiring writers share their writing journeys by giving information like:

Writing Tips
Author Interviews
Words of Encouragement For Writers
Inspriational Links
Research Information
Marketing

Laughter is good medicine and a spoon full of compassion helps that medicine go down :-) We all need both. Come join the fun, faith, and friendship.

The Preachers Bride by Jody Hedlund

2010-11-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

Breathtaking! That's what I have to say about this book. Taking on the Puritan era and exploding it with danger, faith, and a gripping romance. Both POV characters were written with gripping detail, their own inner struggles surfacing in tangible ways. I was moved to tears over and over again - and aching with poor Elizabeth as her world was turned upside down.

Faith become more than something she 'did', but something she became. It's one of those books that linger in your mind and heart long after you've turned the final page. I LOVE those kinds of books.

Here's a little about the book:

In 1650s England, a young Puritan maiden is on a mission to save the baby of her newly widowed preacher--whether her assistance is wanted or not. Always ready to help those in need, Elizabeth ignores John's protests of her aid. She's even willing to risk her lone marriage prospect to help the little family. Yet Elizabeth's new role as nanny takes a dangerous turn when John's boldness from the pulpit makes him a target of political and religious leaders. As the preacher's enemies become desperate to silence him, they draw Elizabeth into a deadly web of deception. Finding herself in more danger than she ever bargained for, she's more determined than ever to save the child--and man--she's come to love.

Emily's Chance by Sharon Gillenwater

2010-11-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

I’m determined to write a cowboy book someday – especially after reading Sharon Gillenwater’s newest novel, Emily’s Chance. This sweet romance tells a beautiful story about expectations, brokenness, wrong choices, and the redeeming power of God’s love over it all. Although Emily’s progression in the novel is a beautiful ‘capture’ of love and self-acceptance, I really enjoyed what Chance’s character arc too. His honest, and good-ol-boy attitude is charming – but what is truly endearing is his faith. The struggles he has between what he feels and what is the Truth felt ‘real’. I love how Sharon portrays Chance’s nudging Emily’s wounded heart into a relationship she’s petrified to accept.

What's the story about?

ABOUT EMILY’S CHANCE:

Emily Rose may be in the tiny West Texas town of Callahan Crossing for the moment, but it’s just a rung on her ladder to success. Her work at the Callahan Crossing historical society will look good on her ever-growing resume as she attempts to break into the prestigious world of a big city museum curator.

Little does she know cowboy and contractor Chance Callahan has decided that he can convince her to stay–both with the town and with him. As he helps Emily restore the town’s history after a devastating fire, he also helps her uncover her own hidden worth and the value of love.

Available October 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,

a division of Baker Publishing Group.

# Paperback: 352 pages

# Publisher: Revell; Original edition (October 1, 2010)

# Language: English

# ISBN-10: 0800733541

# ISBN-13: 978-0800733544

This book was provided by Baker Publishing - Revell; and happily reviewed by me. :-)

Have A Memorable Memorial Day

2010-05-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

I've posted a link about Memorial Day at The Writers Alley.

If you like to read letters from various centuries, from soldiers and courageous people from all walks of life, check out the post.
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/

BRMCWC - Which Course Would YOU choose?

2010-05-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

So, I've spent my first full day at the Blue Ridge mountains Writers Conference in Black Mountain, NC. Lots of great folks - and funny ones too.
To quote Vonda Skelton's talk tonight - "Writers are a bunch of weird people."
But weird is good :-)

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out which presenter to listen to tomorrow.
What do you think?

Raising the Stakes - with Yvonne Lehman
Begin and End with a Bang - with Suzanne Hadley Gosselin
Why Manuscripts are Rejected - with Alton Gansky

Leave a comment at my blog - http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/
Blessings,

Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference

2010-05-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

In the heart of the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains, a bunch of like-minded individuals are converging on the lovely conference center at Ridgecrest. Why? For the annual Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.

This will be my third year attending, so to keep you in the 'know' of events taking place, I hope to post about what happening and what I'm learning.
Posts should being Monday, May 17 - so make sure the stop in and check - http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

A few of the speakers will be:
Jerry Jenkins
DiAnn Mills
Deborah Raney
Steven James
James Watkins
Ron & Janet Benrey
Alton Gansky
Yvonne Lehman
Vonda Skelton
Michelle Adams
Ramona Richards
Angela Hunt
Nancy Rue
and many more....

A CHANCE to Win Janice Thompson's new book

2010-05-12T20:08:00.001-07:00

Stop by http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/ and leave your email address for a chance to win Janice Thompson's newest book in her Weddings By Bella series - It Had To Be You.

Good luck.

What's on the Blogs!

2010-05-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

The Writers Alley features a great post from Mary today all about Manuscripts and Flannel.
Go check it out at http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/

And on Words Seasoned With Salt I've featured Part 3 of Lessons From the Belly of a Whale.
http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

Plotting From a Panster

2010-05-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm writing about Plotting-
I know, boggles the mind - especially since I'm a Panster.
But check it out at http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/

And don't forget - I have my first interview ever. Follow this link and leave a comment today. http://wp.me/piVls-1mQ

Thanks,

MY FIRST INTERVIEW

2010-05-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

Stop the PRESS!!!!!!!

I am being interviewed for the FIRST time as a Writer!! Romance Writers On the Journey by Keli Gwyn was brave enough to ask me :-)

From the exclamation marks, can you tell I'm excited.

To learn more about me and my writing, check it out at http://wp.me/piVls-1mQ

So much FUN!

Meet Casey Herringshaw

2010-05-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

Casey's introducing herself at The Writers Alley this morning. Stop by and learn about this up and coming author!!
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/

Lessons From the Belly of a Whale

2010-05-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Check out my lastest blog post at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

I hope God never has to go to these extremes to keep me on track.

Monday Post on The Writers Alley

2010-05-03T05:57:00.001-07:00

I'm the guest blogger at the Writers Alley today.
Stop by and learn more about me....
probably more than you want to know.
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/

Blessings,

Pepper

NEW WRITING SITE

2010-04-30T07:16:00.000-07:00

A new group writing blog is coming to a cyberworld near you.

The Writer's Alley

Join five aspiring authors as they travel up the road to publication and discover God's plans along the way.

Filled with writing tips, inspirational notes of encouragement, author interviews, and much more.

Visit - http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/ for Inspirational Tips that are Write Up Your Alley.

The WINNING PHOTO is up

2010-04-29T13:19:00.001-07:00

Check out the winning photo and my new business card templates at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

Vote For the Best Picture

2010-04-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

As I begin to take this writing career more seriously, I've decided I might need some professional looking business cards - so....
I need your help to pick a picture.

Visit my blog, http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/, and cast your vote.
Thanks a bundle!!

ACFW - Genesis Contest

2010-04-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

The newest 'news' about my writing?

Well, I entered the Genesis Contest - American Christian Fiction Writers annual contest.

It's a pretty big deal, and would be a big suprise if I finaled, but what a wonderful surprise.

ACFW is a great place to network with other authors, both published and not, gain information about writing and the markets, and gain some encouragement.

Finalists for the Genesis will be announced in 2-3 weeks.

Here's hoping, but also realizing...
God has a plan and it's my job to trust Him with it.

Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck

2010-04-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

Elle’s living the dream-but is it her dream or his?

There’s one problem with falling head-over-heels in love….falling flat on your face out of love – unless, there’s someone even better waiting to catch you in his arms.

When Elle Garvey quickly agrees to marry handsome and confident Jeremiah Franklin, she gives up her whole heart….and life. She sells her thriving art business, leases her cozy riverfront cottage, and sets her mind to spending her life as a pastor’s wife.

But soon Jeremiah’s attention and priorities start to shine a light on his true personality and Elle seeks advice from God and comfort in the arms of her tenant, widower Heath McCord.

When Elle’s heart stumbles through heartbreak, Heath catches her and shows her what friendship and true love can look like, but will Jeremiah’s reentry break the growing bond between Elle, Heath, and Heath’s young daughter? Will the portrait God is painting of Elle’s life unfold into the masterpiece she’s always dreamed?

If Rachel Hauck’s Sweet Caroline was “chocolate pie sweet’, then Love Starts with Elle adds whipped cream and a cherry. This was a great read: witty, sweet, with both emotional and spiritual depth. Elle is a fun heroine, although I wanted to shake her a few times and say, “Are you completely blind?”. Heath McCord is a wonderful hero: gentle, funny, encouraging, and working through his own pain in a beautiful way. His ‘father moments’ are endearing and real. As for Jeremiah? I would have thrown his cell phone into a pond way before page 252…and probably pushed him in along with it. Wonderful read…highly recommended for a warm your heart romance.

To learn more about Rachel's books, check out her website at http://www.rachelhauck.com/

Welcome To My New Site

2010-04-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

Ready to spice things up with some fun-filled fiction and humorous non-fiction?
Do you like adventure mixed with romance and faith?
What about magical fantasy?
Romantic comedy?
Heart-pumping historicals?

Well, you've come to the right place.

My name is Pepper Basham, I'm an aspiring author, and I write all of the above.

By day, I'm a pastor's wife, mom of five, speech-language pathologist, and college instructor.
By night, (after the housework is somewhat completed), I'm a writer.

Most of my contemporary romances bring the beauty and culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains into play. My historicals span American history from 1620-WWII.

You can check out my personal blog at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

Or visit my group writing blog at http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.com/

Either way, I hope you find loads of useful information to inspire you and make you smile.
Life is busy, but God is good.

Pepper

Sock Basket, Slush Piles, and the Write Match

2010-04-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

I wonder if the ‘slush’ pile on a editors desk is anything like my endless sock basket. You know the one? Twelve hundred white socks that have no apparent match and you wonder if they ever did.

I imagine the slush pile as kind of endless. Which manuscript will be a match for that certain publishing house? Which one will be pulled from the endless mass of white to find a home at the foot of an interested editor?

You know the socks that are easiest to match?
Well in my house, it’s the ones with the color coded ‘HANES’ on the bottom.
Blue for my oldest son,
green for my middle son,
and red for my youngest son.
My oldest daughter has purple,
my youngest daughter – pink.
Big for the adults.
Little for the tiny people.
That’s how I find a match (if I’m every going to find one), so….
It makes me wonder, what ‘colors’ pop out to an editor?
What grips him, or her, to see if your manuscript is a match for their publishing house?

BLUE – Follow the publisher/editors guidelines when submitting the manuscript. Does this editor or publishing house publish the type of book you write?

GREEN – Begin with a bang. Hook them from the first paragraph. If your socks are going to stand out in the pile, color is a definite PLUS – so take those first few sentences and bring them to life. An editor reads thousands of manuscripts and your first sentences need to be gripping enough to keep the editor reading.

RED – Proper grammar and syntax keep the editor/publisher from being pulled out of your story.

PURPLE – Is the right person telling the story? Point of view? Is it deep point of view? Is the reader drawn into your story or your character’s head?

PINK – Your voice. No, you don’t have to sing.
As I write more and more, I’m beginning to understand the phenomenon of the ‘voice of the writer’. It’s a particular ‘tone’ that makes your writing style authentically ‘you’.

BIG – Is the plot interesting? Believable? (I didn’t write possible, there are plenty of plots that are not physically possible (sci fi, fantasy, vampires), but they are written in a way that makes them believable. Is it original and new? If not, does it add a different twist onto an old/familiar plot?

LITTLE – how are your cosmetics in the story? Your descriptions and turns of phrases? Is it a fluid read, with well-placed adjectives and powerful action words? Active voice?

What do I do with the socks that don’t match after about the fifth time trying? They find the bottom of my trashcan. As you and I grow as writers, the ‘colors’ of our black and white print will draw more attention, be more meaningful and well written, and hopefully become the perfect match for just the right agent.

Inspirational note:
We’re all a work in progress. AND – we’re all drowning in the slushpile. What made us stand out to God that he would pull us from the heap? Nothing.
BUT – His son’s love, written in red, wrote a new story on our hearts and we’re bestseller material now. A NEW creation.
When God writes the story for His kids’ lives – they NEVER get a rejection letter J

Blessings,

Pepper

Wildflower Bride by Mary Connealy

2010-04-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

I simply love surprises.
Big suprises are marvelous. You know, that unexpected gift. A secret party. A recovered heirloom. Cool stuff like that. But those don’t happen everyday.

Little surprises happen in the everyday. Like…
Finding a five dollar bill in your pocket.
Or having your husband call you at work and say, “Honey, let’s order takeout tonight.”
Or ‘happening’ upon a 70% off sale.

But for me….
More recently –
It was finding Mary Connealy’s newest book, Wildflower Bride, at Lifeway TWO WEEKS before it’s May 1 release date.
Woohoo! Great surprise.

Of course, the book was wonderful. Which was no surprise. But let me tell you a bit about it.

Simply put – Wade Sawyer is one of Mary Connealy’s best written characters yet…and he’s in a heap of trouble.

He’s in love with a woman who has a penchant for pulling a knife on every man she meets: Abby, a woman raised by the Flathead Indians, who hates the stench of white men, and suddenly finds herself without a home or family.

Wade is a ‘rescuer’ and ever since he met Abby (Glowing Sun) in Mary’s novel, The Husband Tree, he’s felt connected to her. Now, as she’s left alone, Wade wants to take care of her. But who will take care of him, especially since this woman has the strength of a killer and the heart of a warrior.

Abby has very few memories about her white family. Rescued by the Flathead Indians when she was a young girl, Abby identifies herself more with her Indian family than her white one. In fact, she wants very little to do with white men, but Wade Sawyer perplexes her. Strong, yet not harsh, determined but not overbearing, patient, kind, and different than any man she’s ever met, he sneaks behind her well-built defenses before she can slash him to pieces.

Thrust into his world when outlaws destroy her village, Abby tries to find her place between two worlds. As her eyes open to the realization of who she is in Wade’s life as well as in God’s greater plan, she must make a decision. Open up her heart to the hope she sees in Wade’s love, or hold on to her hurts and prejudices from the past.

Bringing in beloved characters from the first two books (Montana Rose and The Husband Tree), Mary weaves a wonderful tale of redemption, the power of forgiveness, and the hope of second chances.

Like I said before, Wade Sawyer is one of Mary’s best heroes so far. We see him as a sympathetic villain in book one of the Montana Marriages series, a growing Christian in book 2, and finally in full bloom as a hero in book three.
His spiritual strength to do the right thing, instead of what he wants to do, is in stark contrast to the man he used to be. No longer ruled by fear, he repeats the verse from Psalms “Who shall I fear?”. It’s a beautiful reminder than nothing in our pasts can deter God’s work in our lives, no fear is too great that He can’t overcome it in us. His strength is perfect.

Beautifully done, Mary.

Find out what’s next from Mary’s computer at http://www.maryconnealy.com/

If you'd like to read my review of Montana Rose check out this link:http://pepperbasham.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/montana-rose-one-more-time/

To read my review of The Husband Tree, click here: http://pepperbasham.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/the-husband-tree-by-mary-connealy/

Wildflower Bride is OUT!!!

2010-04-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

Just so you know, I found Mary Connnealy's newest novel, Wildflower Bride, at Lifeway today. And, of course, being the self-controlled person I am, I purchased it on the spot. yep. I'm on chapter 6, in between fixing supper and giving baths. Only a few pages got wet and only one is smeared with spaghetti sauce.

I'm sure it's a keeper anyway. It's a Connealy Classic. Review coming in a few days!! Woohoo!

To learn more about it, check out Mary's site at www.maryconnealy.com

Winner of The Anonymous Bride

2010-04-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Well, well -
Guess what?

Tina Russo Radcliffe, Seekerville extraordinairre AND newly published AUTHOR, wins The Anonymous Bride by Vicki McDonough.

Congrats, Tina.

A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley

2010-04-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

I’ve just found a new book for my ‘keeper’ shelf…AND a new author to read. Margaret Brownley – and the book is A Lady Like Sarah.

What do you get when you cross an outlaw and a preacher? A heap of trouble, laughter, and, surprisingly, humor.

Sarah Prescott has known the life of being an outlaw since her brothers started robbing stages. Now, because of her compassionate heart, she’s on her way to the hangman’s noose. When she and the marshal escorting her are attacked along the road, Sarah’s left handcuffed to a dying marshal, waiting for death to come long before the noose can finish he job.

Along comes….a hero, in the guise of a preacher. Being quite fond of preachers myself, I was glad to meet Justin Wells. Without a doubt, he is worth the read, and the repartee between the two, sidesplitting.

Add to the confusion a three-month old baby girl, and you have a book that spins with energy, hilarious misunderstandings, beautiful ‘faith moments’, and sweet romance. Sarah is such a transparent heroine and the perfect match for Justin. It was easy to see how he fell in love with her honest, sarcastic, and compassionate personality.

Justin is a wonderful hero. Kind, determined, gentle - with a sense of humor of his own. His tender care of the baby girl and his constant faith in Sarah is breathtaking.

But how on earth can a preacher and an outlaw be together? It’s gonna take a miracle. Especially when Sarah is capture by the law and set to hang. Is there a miracle in store for her, besides the one that has already taken place inside her heart?

Be prepared for a glorious finish, complete with Sarah acquiring about twenty more brothers than she ever thought she’d want.

If you find this book – buy it. I’d offer a giveaway, but I’m keeping mine :-)

Wonderful story, beautiful book, and fantastic characters.

To learn more about Margaret’s books, visit her website: http://www.margaretbrownley.com/

New LOOK

2010-04-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I've revamped my wordpress page and this one. I'm trying to become more professional...scary thought. I can almost hear my husband snickering from the next room.

Since I'll be attending my first ACFW conference AND since this is my third year 'officially' in the 'writing world', there's a need to find my niche - sort of.

What is your niche? Tagline? What sorts of novels do you write?
Stop by and let me know.
Then check out my new look at www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com
I LOVE my tagline :-)

Winter's End by Ruth Logan Herne

2010-04-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

What is one of the best ways to welcome in this lovely spring weather? Read Winter’s End by debut author, Ruth Logan Herne.

Simply put, it is one of the BEST Love Inspired novels I’ve ever read. Grit, humor, romance, and characters that stick to your memory like the scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

This story keeps you guessing about a happy ending all the way to the final chapter.

Filled with wonderful emotion, heartwrenching wounds, and a surprising twist, Winter’s End follows the journey of two souls who will not be complete without facing the unforgiveness and fears of their pasts – and trusting in a Savior who mends broken hearts.

A Bit About the Story:
Kayla Doherty faces her job as a hospice nurse with determination and hope, unfortunately her ‘hope’ doesn’t seem to hold out for Marc DeHollander’s surly personality. Marc sees Kayla’s presence in his life as a tangible sign of his father’s disintegrating health, but both Kayla and Marc need a good dose of a miracle. Not so much in the healing of Marc’s father, but in the healing of their hearts.

Ruthy's personality, complete with her fantastic wit, shines in this book. A definite must-read that will both break and warm your heart.

Check out Ruthy's site at www.ruthloganherne.com

WIN -The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

2010-04-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

Well, who doesn't like a tender-hearted cowboy?

Really.

Vickie McDonough's newest novel, The Anonymous Bride, has one. Luke Davis, and he's in a heap of trouble. This town marshal doesn't have outlaws to find, bank robbers to capture, or some family feud to negotiate...unless we're dealing specificallly with his family of one.

Actually, Luke's trouble comes in the shapely form of three brides, ordered for him by his sneaky cousins. When a contest gets underway to help Luke decide on which woman will be His bride, four entrants pop up in the contest. The three mail-order brides and an anonymous bride.

Rachel Hamilton has never stopped loving Luke - even when a terrible misunderstanding forced her to marry the wrong man. She decides to help the brides become the perfect woman for Luke Davis, all the while wishing she could be that woman. She 's certain Luke can never forgive her for breaking his heart, but Luke's newfound faith asks him to do just that.

This cute story, filled with sweet humor and conniving women, is a fun read. To learn more about her books, visit her website at http://www.vickiemcdonough.com/

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS for a chance to win this book. A name will be drawn by Friday, April 16

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

2010-04-07T09:19:00.001-07:00

Without a doubt, this is the BEST historical novel Siri Mitchell has written to date. And the hero? Completely adorable. What’s even better, is that there is fantastic repartee, dancing, and…humor. Oh my, Siri – this novel is second only to your contemporary novel Kissing Adrien.
So, what’s this story all about?

The novel twirls you away, lost in the middle of pretense, expectations in New York’s Guilded Era, truth, lies, and what a ‘living’ faith looks like. Harry De Vrie sweeps the reader’s heart away with his humor, sincerity, and faith. In the middle of the whirlwind of money, status, and deception, Harry stands out with his honesty and endearingly confused reaction to the social ‘expectations’ of the Age. It goes without saying, that poor Clara Carter’s innocent heart is pulled between two desires: the belief that she MUST marry for status over love & and the realization that God can be personal instead of a distant deity.

Clara is lovable, and sweetly unaware of this 'game of life'. We experience the expectations, heartbreak, and confusion along with her. We learn the steps of an affective snub, how to wave a fan, and spin across the dancefloor with our eyes closed. It's a brilliant, glamorous, and perplexing journey.

There are so many lovely scenes, I will not recount them, but leave curious minds to uncover the treasures in She Walks In Beauty. Be prepared for elegance, extravagance, romance, and enough humorous snubbing to make you fall in love with Harry along with Clara.

The question is – what will Clara choose? A woman in 1891? Does she have a choice?

Siri has a unique way of weaving faith into her novels like a gentle whisper instead of a clanging gong. Hints, faded hues woven throughout scenes, and tiny sprinkles of well-placed dialogue speak to the characters as well as the reader. Wonderfully done. I’m still glowing from the aftermath of the book :-)

If you enjoyed Siri’s novel A Constant Heart, you will adore She Walks In Beauty. Visit Siri’s website to learn more about her books – http://www.sirimitchell.com/

Thanks to Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House for providing this book for my review

Happy Easter - Cups of Christ

2010-04-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone - one day late.
Easter was crazy busy, but absolutely beautiful. What a day of worship and joy.
We are SAVED.

Does it make a difference in your life that Jesus is alive?
How?
What if he never rose from the grave? Would it change the way you are today?

Check out my post on the 3 cups of Christ as www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

Vulnerable Heroes

2010-03-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

Check out the post about Vulnerable Heroes
Have you written one?
Is there a particular hero you liked because he was vulnerable or had some sort of weakness?
Who was it? What was his weakness?

www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

Humor with Heroes

2010-03-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

Check out a post about some of the best humorous heroes.
www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

List your Heroes

2010-03-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

Okay - so heroes are incredibly important - and as writers, we get to meet/create new ones all the time.

Some top hero traits already discussed on my blog - http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/ are:

Nobility

Strength

Tenderness

Courage

Honesty

But which heroes, both literary and cinematic, are at the top of your list? Give me your top three from one or both categories and I'll compile the lists to make our own top 20 (or so)

Top 20 Heroes - see the list

2010-03-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

Check out this list of Top 20 Heroes and then leave behind your own top 5. Come on, it's lots of fun!!
Go visit my blog at www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

Guest on Seekerville

2010-03-10T05:38:00.000-08:00

Hidee all,
I'm the special guest for Seekerville today and talking about editing - of the story and the heart. Stop by and check it out at http://seekerville.blogspot.com.

Love's First Light by Jamie Carie

2010-03-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

Christoph`e, the Count of St. Laurent, has lost his entire family to the blood-soaked French Revolution and must flee to an ancient castle along the southern border of France to survive. But the medieval city of Carcassonne proves more than a hiding place. Here Christoph`e meets the beautiful widow Scarlett, a complex and lionhearted woman suddenly taken by the undercover aristocrat's passion for astronomy and its influence upon his faith. Although their acquaintance begins brightly enough, when the Count learns that Scarlett is related to the man who murdered his family, he turns from love and chooses revenge. Heaven only knows what it might take for Christoph`e to love again, to love his enemy, and to love unconditionally.

My two cents:

Color. Life. Energy. Jamie Carrie’s novel, Love’s First Light is a fast-paced, heartwrenching spill of motion. From the first sentence the story explodes with painful adventure and rushes forward through the lives of these two people: Scarlett and Christophe. Oh my, their first meeting, the attraction and bond between them is almost visible. A radiant pull of emotion. I was overwhelmed, excited, grieved, and nearly breathless by the end of the book.

This is easily my favorite Jamie Carie book so far, although Wind Dancer is a brilliant story – comparable with watching Last of the Mohicans or The Patriot. I love books filled with energy, and Jamie Carie speeds the pace along at electrifying proportions. Now, it is not a book for the faint of heart. Nope. There are some intensely difficult scenes, both emotionally and violently, but nothing out of bounds.

Brilliant and moving. Definitely an author whose books need to fill up the bookshelf.

Learn more about her books at www.jamiecarie.com

Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

2010-02-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Glenbrooke Series

Jessica ran from her past...but can she hide from love?Jessica Morgan wants desperately to forget the past and begin a new life. She chooses a small, peaceful town tucked away in Oregon's Willamette Valley as the place to start over--Glenbrooke. Once there, Jessica conceals her identity from the intriguing personalities she meets--including the compassionate paramedic who desires to protect her and the jealous woman who wants nothing more than to destroy her.

Will Jessica's deceit ruin all hope for the future? Or will she find a deeper peace that allows her to stop hiding the truth from those who love her most of all?

My two cents:

This was a sweet story about a good guy, and a lost girl trying to find her purpose and place in the world. The scenic town of Glenbrooke seems delightful and filled with kind-hearted people. Robin's book is remeniscent (on a smaller scale) of the Mitsford Series by Jan Karon.

It is a slow, easy paced book. Not a lot of adventure or excitement, although there is a little. Conflict is too big either.

Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

2010-02-25T18:13:00.002-08:00

Lady Marjory, the Naomi figure in this story, must be broken so she can be pieced back together in a way that will bring glory to God and Lady Elisabeth must find the strength to choose the unimaginable. Forgive the greatest of betrayals.

Lord Donald is a beautifully crafted, fallen hero and I wish I could have seen more of him. It raises my hopes for the second book and the 'rebirth' of a new hero.

Liz's research of Scotland and her trip there shines in the descriptions and language of the book. If you enjoy a good historical novel, or if you've read Liz's other books, you will fall in love with this story too.

WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK by leaving a comment . A name will be drawn at the end of next week for a winner.

About the Book

Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. Her husband has his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips, while his mother conceals gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. One by one the family’s secrets begin to surface, as bonny Prince Charlie rides into Edinburgh to claim the crown. From award-winning novelist, Liz Curtis Higgs, comes a timeless saga of loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of 18th-century Scotland.

This book was provided by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.

Buy it here at Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/1400070015?tag=thebookreport01&link_code=as3&creativeASIN=1400070015&creative=373489&camp=211189

Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

2010-02-25T18:13:00.001-08:00

Evocative and beautifully written, Liz Curtis Higgs newest novel Here Burns My Candle brings a Scottish spin to the Biblical story of Ruth. Like her previous Highland series, Here Burns My Candle will capture your heart, twist it to the breaking point, and bring you to hope in the end.

Lady Marjory, the Naomi figure in this story, must be broken so she can be pieced back together in a way that will bring glory to God and Lady Elisabeth must find the strength to choose the unimaginable. Forgive the greatest of betrayals.

Lord Donald is a beautifully crafted, fallen hero and I wish I could have seen more of him. It raises my hopes for the second book and the 'rebirth' of a new hero.

About the Book

Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. Her husband has his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips, while his mother conceals gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. One by one the family’s secrets begin to surface, as bonny Prince Charlie rides into Edinburgh to claim the crown. From award-winning novelist, Liz Curtis Higgs, comes a timeless saga of loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of 18th-century Scotland.

This book was provided by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.
Buy it here at Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/1400070015?tag=thebookreport01&link_code=as3&creativeASIN=1400070015&creative=373489&camp=211189

Beneath a Summer Sky by Deb Raney

2010-02-25T18:13:00.000-08:00

About the Book:

BENEATH A SOUTHERN SKY(WaterBrook Press/Random House 2001)

After two years serving as a missionary in a remote area of South America, Daria Camfield has returned to the States to mourn her husband, reportedly killed while providing medical aid to a neighboring Colombian village. At first, Daria finds comfort only in the daughter born to her after Nate’s tragic death. As she begins to heal, she also finds a listening ear and a tender heart in her new boss, veterinarian Colson Hunter. Determined to move forward with life, Daria ignores the still small voice calling her to wait and accepts Cole’s marriage proposal. But after the wedding, Daria’s new dream life turns into a nightmare with the arrival of an unbelievable telegram:“Nathan Camfield found alive. Flying into K.C. Int’l. via Bogota…” Now two men have the right to her daughter, her life, and her love.

Beneath a Southern Sky, winner of the 2002 RITA Award, has a sequel, After the Rains, which continues the story of Natalie Camfield as she grows into a young woman.

My two cents:

You know a book is good when it causes an emotional reaction in the reader. When you cringe with the characters, weep with the heroine, boil inside when the hero feels the urge to hit something. Deb's book is one of those books. Simply put, Beneath a Southern SKy is the heart-rending response to choosing our way instead of God's way. Our choices are not unmendable, though - but when we rush ahead into our decisions, we can find painful surprises twisting through a path we could have avoided.

It's a lovely book by a lovely person and I look forward to reading more by Deb Raney.

This book was provided by WaterBrook and Mutlnomah. To learn more about them visit www.WaterBrookMutlnomah.com

A Kiss to Build a SCENE On with Jamie Carie

2010-02-24T09:48:00.000-08:00

Get ready for fast-paced, breathless energy bursting on each page when you read a book by Jamie Carie.

To get a taste of her electrifying stories, check out her post today on my blog at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/.

Definitely worth the visit and the read!

A Kiss to Build a SCENE on with Denise Hunter

2010-02-18T20:12:00.000-08:00

Stop by my website to find writing tips from romance author, Denise Hunter. She leaves a wonderful list of items needed for a great kissing scene and tempts our romantic tastebuds with a teaser clip from her newest novel, Seaside Letters.

Check it out at www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

A Kiss to Build a SCENE On with Siri Mitchell

2010-02-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

Check out my blog post with guest Siri Mitchell, who shares a kissing excerpt from her novel, The Cubicle Next Door.

www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

A Kiss to Build a SCENE On Lineup

2010-02-05T20:24:00.000-08:00

Next week's kissing crew is up on my blog at www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

Monday - Deeanne Gist
Tuesday- Missy Tippens
Wednesday - Ruth Axtel Morren
Thursday - Siri Mitchell
Friday - Julie Lessman

Stop by, check it out, and read a poem too :-)

A Kiss to Build a Scene On with Mary Connealy

2010-02-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

Stop by my website for a fast-paced, fun, and romantic chat with Mary Connealy about kisses and cowboys on Friday, Feb 5.

www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

A Kiss to Build a SCENE ON - BlogFEST

2010-01-31T12:42:00.000-08:00

Well ladies and gentlemen…
Pucker on up and get ready, it’s time for A Kiss To Build A Dream On Blogfest. For the next three weeks, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, Christian authors are going to share some of their favorite kissing scenes they thought were Novel-Worthy.
So, what makes a Kiss to Build a SCENE On????
Stop in next week for the start of a Beautiful Beginning with:

Deborah Raney

Up and coming author, Melanie Dickerson – Fairytales for Today!

Myra Johnson

Robin Lee Hatcher

Mary Connealy

Come Join the FUN and ROMANCE, starting ...TOMORROW!! Feb 1.

Another MRU example

2010-01-15T17:50:00.001-08:00

After my line edit, I started studying MRUs - Motivation-Reaction Units.
In a previous post, I tried to give an example and basis behind these units, 'created' by Dwight Swain.
Taking his idea and expanding on it - it seems that there's a general hierarchy for a reaction.
Something happens and the character responds:
1. Physically/viscerally (an involuntary reaction)
2. Thought
3. Dialogue
4. Purposeful action

To give another example, I'm going to take a paragraph from my WIP (the one that was edited) and show you the before and after.

Before: (note the underlined area is the area that will be changed in the 'after' portion)

Ashleigh leveled him with a stare. “Insistent? We both know she has the persuasive abilities of a cattle prod.”
Sam sobered. “I wanted to go with you anyway. You shouldn’t travel alone.”
“Women have traveled unescorted many times before.” She waved away his concern with her white-gloved hand and ignored the tremble in her stomach. She wouldn’t be alone if Michael hadn’t abandoned her. “You needn’t feel obligated, Sam. I’ll be fine.”
“Obligated?” He tipped up the rim of his Fedora so she had a clear view of his cerulean eyes.
Her smile responded to his against her best attempts to keep it controlled. Always did. What a bothersome creature he was.
“Ashleigh, we’ve been friends for…hmm…ten years?” He tweaked her nose as he’d done ever since she was a little girl. “Friends take care of each other, little girl.”
Warmth spilled through her at his closeness and a peculiar sort of light-headiness’ swirled just behind her eyes. Seasick already? She’d never been seasick before, but this sudden sense of euphoria combined with hyperventilation had to be a side-effect. She cleared her throat and bent to retrieve one of her small bags from the pier. “Did Grandmama pay for your ticket?”

After:

Sam sobered. "I wanted to go with you anyway. You shouldn't travel alone."
Her stomach trembled (#1), but she ignored it. She would be alone if Michael hadn't abandoned her (#2). "Women have traveled unescorted many times before." (#3) She waved away his concern with her white-gloved hand. (#4) "You needn't feel obligated."
“Obligated?” He tipped up the rim of his Fedora so she had a clear view of his cerulean eyes.
Her smile responded to his against her best attempts to keep it controlled. What a bothersome creature he was.
“Ashleigh, we’ve been friends for…hmm…ten years?” He tweaked her nose as he’d done ever since she was a little girl. “Friends take care of each other, little girl.”
Warmth spilled through her at his closeness and a peculiar sort of light-headiness swirled just behind her eyes, a sudden sense of euphoria combined with hyperventilation.(#1) Seasick already? She’d never been seasick before, but this had to be a side-effect. (#2)
She cleared her throat and bent to retrieve one of her small bags from the pier. (#4)“Did Grandmama pay for your ticket?”(#3)

I hoped this helped. I'm still learning, but thought I'd share.

MRU - small, but dangerous ;-)

2010-01-08T19:25:00.001-08:00

Motivation-Reaction Units and I’m just beginning to learn about them. Pretty cool little tools in the world of writing. And once Camy Tang introduced me to them, I’ve been busily researching and practicing them.

So – what is an MRU, you might ask?
A phrase and technique introduced by Dwight Swain, and Randy Ingerman refers to it as a ‘magic key to compelling fiction.” Wow. Sounds like something I NEED to learn.

Using Motivation-Reaction units in writing is a skill one can learn, and from what I understand, becomes easier over time. It’s kind of like Newton’s law to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, except what’s happening here is a step by step ‘experience’ of action/reaction.

SO – Motivation – something observable happens (as seen from the POV character)
And then
The POV character reacts to that motivation

Motivation
“The waiter placed the three layer chocolate cake on the table in front of Pepper.”
Reaction
Her mouth began to water as the sweet aroma of cocoa and sugar teased her taste buds. One piece wouldn’t hurt. She smiled up at the waiter. “One piece, please…a big one.”
She slid her finger across the icing before the waiter before it clinked into place on the table, and licked the chocolate off with the enthusiasm of a three-year old.

Each scene we write should be filled with motivations and reactions.
Again, motivations are observable, non-emotional sorts of things the POV character sees.

But with a reaction, there are 3 or 4 basic elements to remember as you write. Several different things happen when a person reacts to something.
A feeling always happens first. Fear, joy, shock…it’s the immediate reaction to some sort of situation.
Next comes a physical reflex of some sort. Gasp, laughter, a blush from the toenails up ;-)
Then a planned response – run, hug, hide until the handsome guy leaves the room…you know. ;-)

I like the way Camy Tang put them:
1. Physical (gut, involuntary) reaction
2. Thought
3. Dialogue
4. Purposeful Action

If you reread the reaction I listed above, we can break it down in these 4 points.
Gut reaction – “Her mouth began to water”
Thought – “One piece wouldn’t hurt.”
Dialogue – “One piece please…a big one.”
Purposeful Action – “She slid her finger….”

Randy Ingerman simplifies the four to three, leaving out the ‘thought’ portion (or combining it with feelings)

Now as I re-examine my ms, I look for places where I had a motivation, but no reaction and try to fix them.

As I learn more, I’ll try to share it, but until then you can read about it from Randy Ingerman:
http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/09/24/mrus-lesson-1/

or from Camy Tang’s website:
http://storysensei.blogspot.com/2005/08/smallest-picture-motivation-reaction.html

or here
http://storysensei.blogspot.com/2009/09/q-emotional-reactions.html

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

2010-01-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

Olivia Keene is trapped. Caught with another man’s secret and hiding one of her own, she’s forced into a position as a governess for the mistrusting and ominous Lord Bradley’s two wards. But what begins as a tangle of secrets and mistrust grows into a beautiful bond of love, Olivia and Lord Bradley must weather the storms in both of their families before they can share a future.

Reminiscent of Charlotte Bronte’s classic, Jane Eyre, Julie Klassen weaves a mysterious tale of intrigue, deceit, misunderstandings, hope, and the overwhelming beauty of true love. One of the hallmark points of this book is being noble, whether from noble birth or not. Bloodlines are not as important as choices. Whether living as a lord or a layman, we all have the option to choose grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Those are the qualities that make true gentlemen and ladies.

If you enjoyed Julie’s book, Lady of Milkweed Manor, you’ll be pleased with The Silent Governess. It holds all the wonderful aspects of her other books: mystery, romance, tenderness, treachery, and hope – as well as a hero and a heroine you can root for.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of The Silent Governess, go HERE.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764207075

(This book was provided as a part of the CFBA book review and compliments of Bethany House)

Readers...and being a thoughtful Writer

2010-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

I’m reading through Sol Stein’s book, How to Grow a Novel, and the first chapter begins with the perfect topic:

Readers

Not characters, plot, setting, internal angst, romantic tension…none of those, but at the very source of why books are still popular in the 21st century. Readers.

We write to give the readers an ‘experience’; to take them out of their rocking chairs, couches, beds…or wherever, and guide them – no push them into the skin of someone else. The reason they purchase the book they picked up in the bookstore is because they had an immediate emotional reaction to the first page, or back cover, or somewhere in between.

When we write, we must think about who is reading and be thoughtful to their reading ‘needs’.
My BEST ‘editor’ is my best friend. She isn’t a writer and doesn’t know the roots and twists of characterization and plot – BUT she knows a good story. When I send her a chapter to read, I pay close attention to her comments and question. Why? Because someone else, like her, will be reading my book and I need to be thoughtful to the process of reading. Stein calls it ‘etiquette’, and I think that term sums it up pretty well.

Now – I want to make a mental shift here:

Who are the readers of the Bible?

Well, if we’re Christians, hopefully you and me. God, the Ultimate Author, designed a book that is chock full of all those fringes – characterization, unexpected events, angst, CONFLICT, – but God was thoughtful to his readers.

He speaks in a language we can understand & He told STORIES.

He paints pictures with words – Parables
He gives us adventure, romance, suspense, heartbreak, and terror.
He doesn’t always take us where we want to go – in fact, the Bible is filled with unexpected choices/events and contrasts.

He shows us the lives of real people with real struggles (some larger than life, some simpler), and we see them fall, succeed, respond with superhuman strength and will – because they serve a superhuman God.

Let us take our examples from the Author of our Faith and keep our readers in mind when we write.

Happy New Year - Writing Goals for 2010

2010-01-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

2010 – wow, it looks so weird in print?

A brand new year and many things to ponder. So, what are some of my plans this year?
1. Develop a deeper relationship with Christ through a more consistent prayer life. How do we get to know people? Talking with them. Studying them…well, Christ is the same way. I plan to look at the characterization of Christ in the Book of John and meditate more on my relationship with Him.

2. Focus more on my family – and the education/guidance of my kids.

3. Writing Goals:
Attend ACFW in September & meet the wonderful authors from Seekerville
Enter the Genesis Contest at ACFW
Complete two novels (my WWI historical and a contemp romantic comedy)
Attend BRMCWC – May 2009- and get two critiques on these two novels
Complete two nonfiction articles and submit to magazines
Complete short story and submit to magazines
Enter two more writing contests throughout the year.
Write with more consistency each week -goal- 250 words a week.

I know that weekly writing goal seems low, but as a pastor’s wife, mom of five, and full-time instructor, the goal is do-able.- with God’s help.

To find out more about Seekerville- check out http://seekerville.blogspot.com

To learn more about ACFW, follow this link: www.acfw.com

Happy New Year and God bless.

Recap - 2009

2009-12-30T18:56:00.000-08:00

Wow, 2009 has been a BUSY year. Of course most of my years are busy, but this one has been particularly full and fulfilling.

Here are a few events in my personal writing world:

Completed my contemporary romance, It Had To Be You.

Completed The Journeyman Course for Christian Writers Guild

Attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and submitted my completed novel for critique and into the contest

Won the Award of Excellence in Christian Literature at BRMCWC

Submitted my juvenile fantasy to AMG publishing in August 2009

Received two full requests for my contemp in September 2009

Finalist for The Golden Rose in October

Received my first notification of publication for an article in Momsense for Jan/Feb 2010 (plus my first payment for writing) :-)

Entered three more contests - Linda Howard Award of Excellence; Hook, Line, & Sinker, & GOTCHA.

Started a historical novel and received a request for the first three chapters from Harvest House - so...that might technically go under next year, since I will send the chapters in Jan :-)

Whew, I feel tired after typing all that...and can't believe I did it, either.

It's only by the grace of God that it happens. Besides writing 'for fun', I'm preparing lectures for work and grading papers for loads of college kids. I praise God that I don't require a lot of sleep to function.

One personal thing I want to focus on this new year is relationships: with God, my husband, my family, and friends. As writers, we build believable characters and stories by being involved with other people in the 'real' world. We write from experience and imagination. It takes both.

I don't mean you have to experience 16th century England to write about it - but jealousy, unrequited love, envy...well, those are timeless.

As an inspirational author, I must grow in my relationship with the AUTHOR of my inspiration and allow His influence to spill out into my words.

Happy New Year

Christmas Wishes - Twas the Night Jesus Came

2009-12-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

Twas the night Jesus came and all through the town,
Not a person would guess The Messiah came down.
The earth gave no warning to speak God’s intent
But this magical night I would never forget.

The streets were all busy with strangers from far;
No time to hear singing or see the bright star.
As my young friends and I kept our watch o’er the flock
We had no idea we’d soon get a shock.

When out of the darkness there rose such a light,
I sprang from the hilltop to gaze at the sight.
An angel came shining as bright as noon-day,
More fearsome and brilliant than I’ve words to say.

At first he said, softly, “There’s no need to fear.”
Which I found hard to do since this host first appeared,
But he said, “Be of Joy! I bring you great news!
Your Savior is born, there is no time to lose.”

“This babe wrapped in cloths has no crib for his bed,
But rests his sweet head in a feed-trough instead.”
And then other angels, more than I can know,
Rejoiced through the dark with their songs and their glow.

Like millions of stars dancing down to the earth,
They lifted their voices in praise of his birth-
Singing, “Glory to God.” Through the stillness of night
“and peace to all men,” then they flew out of sight.

It didn’t take long to break out of our shock.
We ran down the hill leaving our field and flock,
And found the sweet baby inside a damp cave,
But could this be Christ – the whole world to save?

The donkeys and horses had left a foul smell.
The straw was all muddy, the manger as well.
But everything was as the angel had said,
A babe wrapped in cloths in a crude manger bed.

Then I know – it was clear. Where else would he be?
The Teacher and Healer to make the blind see.
The Savior who’d carry the sins of us all,
Where else would show love than an old cattle stall?

This baby, The Christ, would clean up all our messes.
He’d take on our curses and give us His blessings.
So as I adored Him, God’s Son, the true Light,
God seemed to be whisp’ring to all a “good night”

GIFTS: One of the hallmark signs that Christmas is here. You see them everywhere. In the department stores under fake trees, adorning windows or doors, even settled quite pleasantly under the decorated trees in our homes.

They can be distracting – especially for the younger population. So distracting that kids quickly forget about the true meaning of Christmas, the greatest ‘gift’ ever given to the world.
This gift didn’t come wrapped in shiny paper with a lovely bow on top.

But it did come wrapped.

In human skin.

God – wrapped in human skin, a gift to the world.

Kissing Day Blogfest scene

2009-12-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

So, the challenge: Write a kissing scene or 'almost' kissing scene for Kissing Day Blogfest! Yeah, you got it. In honor of Mistle Toe.

To learn the official rules, check out A Writer Wannabe at: http://sherrindak.blogspot.com/

I'm not sure I want to put an 'almost' kiss scene. I need closure. Hmm...maybe I'll put one that has a little of both :-)

Here's an excerpt from my novel, It Had to Be You - American in England :-)

Eisley dabbed her eyes and fisted the handkerchief, her voice cloaked with tears.

“You make me feel things…” She pressed her fist over her heart and shook her head, new tears escaping down her cheeks and searing his self-control.

Wes stepped closer, trying his best to take it slow. He should have earned an award for self-control after all the waiting he’d done lately, but she was worth it.

Her lips fell into a pout, a plump, silky-looking pout. God, help me.

“I don’t want to be…vulnerable…or hurt again.”

The pain in her eyes twisted at his heart. Yes, he could take it slow.

He tilted her face up with a gentle touch of his hand. His words formed on a whisper. “Do you think I would hurt you?”

Her gaze lifted, emerald pools of sorrow, and she shook her head in defeat, breaths uneven.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m acting like an idiot. It isn’t as though I should be afraid of you… returning any of these feelings, right? Crazy. You probably have women do this all the time, maybe not in a 15th century tower, but…” She offered an apologetic smile and drew her chin from his hand, tears still waiting in her eyes. “You make a great friend, but for you and me…”

Her laugh sounded a little too much like a sob. She patted his arm and tried to move past him. “It’s ridiculous. I shouldn’t even…I’m so sorry.”

He stopped her escape with a hand to her arm. “Why do you say that, Eisley?” His thumb swept a rebel tear from her cheek and dropped to rest on her shoulder. “I care about you in a very real way.”

She blinked and stepped back, just outside his reach. “As a friend, I know, and you’re a wonderful…”

“No, something much more dear.” He tightened the gap between them with another step.
She stumbled away, her eyes searching his, confused. “But I’m not interested in a weekend romance or even a month long fling. My heart can’t take it and my kids…”

“I’m not looking for that either.” Wes took another step closer.

“What? A few months of a long distance relationship?” She challenged with an angled brow, a hint of fire in those green depths.

She pushed his handkerchief back in his hands. “Maybe a year?” She shook her head and her next backward step placed her against the stone wall. “I’m not that kind of girl.”

His lips threatened to smile. He loved to watch her face come to life when she was angry.

Fascinating, really.

He closed the distance between them, tilting his head to hold her gaze. “I was thinking more like…um…‘til death do us part’.” Brilliant. So much for taking slow.

He rushed ahead. “I’m not asking for a commitment right now, only an awareness of my feelings and my sincere desire to win your heart.”

She firmed her chin and examined him through narrowed eyes. “This isn’t funny.”

It was his turn to feel surprised. “I’m quite serious, I assure you.”

She pressed her body against the wall, her expression moving through a myriad of emotions…doubt and hope vying for success. The poor dear was utterly confused, her lovely lips opening and closing without a word escaping.

He leaned closer, gentling his voice and waiting for her eyes to meet his. “Do you have any reason to doubt my sincerity, Eisley?”

His fingers smoothed a line down her arm and she shivered. Should he dare draw her into his arms now? Was she ready?

“You’ve introduced me to more life and hope this past week than I’ve felt in years. I don’t want to see my future without you in it.”

The wariness in her eyes wavered, so did her lips, and she snatched back the handkerchief. “Is that a line from a movie?”

He pushed a ginger tendril from her damp cheek and shook his head. “This isn’t pretend.”
She lifted both eyebrows in question.He grinned and glanced about the five hundred year old tower room. “Alright, fantastic…but not pretend.”

Hope dawned in her eyes, slow and steady, like a sunrise. She raised her palm to his cheek, warm, soft and trembling a bit. Mint lingered in the air and urged him forward.

Her voice breathed the words in a shaky whisper. “Okay, you are real. I had to check.” She sniffed, her smile growing. “Because I have a very good imagination.”

His lips sought her palm, and her quick intake of breath encouraged him to trail kisses down to her wrist. “I’d like to …um…. court you through letters…and email.”

“Court me?”

“Yes, allow our feelings to grow and develop through time and…” He grimaced. “Distance.”

Eisley swallowed. “And then? When you return to your real world and I return to mine? After you’ve won this single-mum’s heart?”

He captured her hand from his cheek, and braided his fingers through hers. “I plan to make her my bride…if she’ll have me?”

“You’re bride?” She whispered and then a giggle burst from her lips as she wiped tears from her face with the handkerchief. “Why?”

“Why?” His grin broadened. “Because you’re lovely, compassionate, tender-hearted, funny, joyful.” He tweaked a brow. “Did I say lovely?”

Her smile bloomed and drew his attention back to her lips.

She dropped her head, shaking it slowly from side to side. “Talk about crazy. This feels impossible, you know that?”

“God masters in the impossible, right?” He placed his hand on the wall above her head, leaning closer, her face tilting up to his.

“Have you been talking to my mom?”

Her gaze flickered to his lips and back, her shallow breath fanning his chin and sending a whiff of chocolate chip granola. Suddenly the room felt like a sauna.

He edged closer, lowering his hand to cup her cheek, his smile fading, as through hooded eyes he focused on her mouth. The mouth that had been a constant temptation since the day he met her.

Rosemary mingled with mint and chocolate chip in a wonderfully intoxicating way. Who was caught now?

She leaned her head back against the wall, eyes drifted closed and moist lips parted, slightly, in expectation of a kiss. Her breath blended with his, faster…closer.

“Wesley? Eisley? Are you there?”

His lips hovered near enough to feel her mouth stretch into a smile.

Lizzie’s voice drifted up through the stairwell just beyond the locked door.

“Eisley. Christopher Wesley.”

“Hmm, to be continued?” Eisley kinked a brow, her gaze a reflection of the embers in his chest.
He snuck a quick kiss, which only whetted his appetite for more, and growled. “Soon.”

She sighed and stepped toward the door. “It’d better be soon or I won’t believe it happened at all.”

“We can’t have that now, can we?” His arm swept about her waist and pulled her forward his lips covering her surprised ones, tasting their softness and warmth, with a hint of chocolate.

She released a satisfied moan and ran her hands up his arms to link about his neck, her passion matching his own. He drew her closer, lost in her scent and taste, a warmth shuddering through him with a sweet sense of home.

The door clanked from another shake. “Wesley. Eisley.”

Characterization Through the Christmas Story - Passion

2009-12-20T03:25:00.000-08:00

Another echoing theme, from the authors who gave tips on characterization during the month of November, was a characters essence….

His power
Her strength
His desire
Her motivation
What drives him to achieve his goal?
What keeps her awake at night?

I’m going to sum it up as the Passion that plunges your character forward: The core of his strength which forces him to the final page.

All characters must have this passion or motivation, or they’re just names on paper and the story is over. His desire can be the girl. Her motivation can be her family.

In The Christmas Story, Mary is an integral character…our heroine. She has a backstory, a history built on centuries of stories, and she is confronted with a choice. Not an easy choice, either.

She’s going to have a baby, but not by her fiancé.
She’s going to have a baby, and she hasn’t even ‘known’ a man.
She’s been a good little girl, followed the laws, honored her parents….and now….
People might shun her
Joseph probably won’t believe her
There’s a possibility she could be killed
What will her parents say?

But how does Mary respond?

She seemed to understand the beauty of the ‘call”, as if each breath of her life had built her up for this moment.

Into this insignificant little town in Galilee, to this poor teenage girl, God sent an angel…a message…a miracle.

Her passion for God’s glory and her strength to do what will honor Him, shines through in her beautiful song known as the Magnificat, but even before the song Mary does something all Christians must learn to do at some point.

After the angel shares the news of what God’s going to do in her life, here is Mary’s reply. “I am the Lord’s servant…May it be to me as you have said.”
Full submission to the will of God.

Her motivation, her passion, her strength was found in the essence of her faith. God.
She trusted him with her life, her future, other peoples’ responses, Joseph’s reaction…the precarious future. Her motivation to make it to the next scene of her life, was her hope in God and reliance on his faithfulness. Her passion was found in her ready humility and instant gratitude.

Whew, what a character. And she’s much more widely known than Scarlett O’Hara or Elizabeth Bennett.

Bible tip for the Day:

Luke 1:37 – “For nothing is impossible with God.”

As aspiring writers, we wish to see our books in print. The goal may feel unattainable. But the One who inspires Your soul, will give you the talents, opportunities, and strength to persevere when you keep your passion in Him.
Writing Quote for the Day:
“First, find what your character wants…and then follow him.”
- Ray Bradbury

2009-12-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

My kids are a pretty good bunch. Of course, they show their need for a Savior just like everybody else on planet Earth, but for the most part they get along pretty well.....except during certain times of the year.

At the present time, they are behaving like the seagulls off of Finding Nemo. Four little voices (my youngest doesn't talk yet) echo through the house calling "mine, mine, mine'.

Every seasonal commercial entices coveting and draws my children out of their somewhat contentedness into fits of 'I need, I need" or "mine, mine, mine".

Instead of singing "Tis the season to be jolly", I feel like screaming "Tis the season to be greedy?" Hmmm, not quite what I'm praying for....

As an example of this, and very fitting for the season, my daughter brought home a gingerbread house she'd created at school complete with every sugar coated candy imaginable....her very own gingerbread house (my precious). After supper we told her she could have a few pieces of it and she voluntarily offered some to her brothers.

Now, you might be thinking, 'how sweet' (no pun intended), but this is the way she offered it.

"Ben, you can have this one...but you have to ask nicely. Aaron, you can't have any of the chocolate, but you can have this."

After some redirection, she offered in a much nicer way, so Aaron responded just as a thankful child ought to...

"Hey, you gave Ben more than you gave me. I don't want the little one, I want the big one."

For the next ten minutes (maybe less, maybe more), I had a discussion with them about a 'thankful heart' and a 'giving heart'. They seemed to get the idea, for at least the rest of the evening.

Christmas is often called 'a time for giving'. Why? Because the most tremendous example of giving took place in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. God gave His one and only Son, whom he loved, to the cruel world and wrapped him up in flesh. His gift tag might have read:

To: A sinful world

From: Your Heavenly Father

This type of giving can't be matched, but it ought to be inspiring. It should spurn us into acts of giving and not only money, but the greatest gift we have....love.

Romans 13 (which comes right after the chapter where we are encouraged to love everyone, even our enemies), reminds us in verses 8:

"Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another for he who loves his fellowmen has fulfilled the law"

But even more than just keeping the law, we should do it out of a 'thankful heart' because of our greatest gift from Heaven. You want your kids to be thankful for what they receive at Christmas and any other time of year, right? We should show even more gratitude as God's kids, because of the precious gift he sent to us on that night long ago in Bethlehem.

We have unwrapped a love so great, profound, lovely, and secure that nothing else could ever outshine it. We need nothing more under our Christmas trees than this ultimate gift.May we be inspired to give His love to the world around us and may we revel in gratitude for gift beyond our wildest dreams.

Characterization Through the Christmas Story - Backstory

2009-12-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

Throughout the month of November, I’ve featured authors who answered two questions:

Who are your favorite characters you’ve ever written?
What is the behind-the-scenes story of those characters?

Over the next few days and in preparation for some new answers from guest-authors, I’m going to take those answers and sum them up by looking at The Christmas story from the Bible.

Backstory - (http://www.answers.com/topic/backstory)

The experiences of a character or the circumstances of an event that occur before the action or narrative of a literary, cinematic, or dramatic work: At rehearsal, the actors developed backstories for their characters.
A prequel.

All characters in any given book have a history, or events that occurred in their lives before page one. Having a thorough knowledge of the character’s backstory helps authors create a more three-dimensional, therefore believable, character. Their pasts guide their emotional responses, their decisions, and have infinite value on their responses to change as the story progresses.
So, what is the backstory of The Christmas Story?

Well, we have to wander back thousands of years where a sneaky snake met a woman in a garden and twisted God’s words into a scheme that led to the fall of humankind. But even then, in Genesis chapt 3, God promises a Rescuer.

In verse 15, God tells the serpent,
”And I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heel.”

As each book of the Bible progresses, we read story after story of man’s fall and God’s rescue, always pointing to a great Rescuer – one who would return us to our ‘rightness’ with God; one who would annihilate our sins; one who would perfectly obey where Adam failed.

As any young Jewess, Mary heard these stories her entire life and along with her fellow Jews, looked forward to the day when Messiah would set the chaos back into order.

The buildup to this ‘Coming King’ had been foretold for centuries, whispered and announced generation to generation, from Adam to this young woman and her betrothed. He would be a reigning king, a warrior, a suffering servant, the lamb, the lion – Who will be able to stand up to his coming?

Into this story, comes our heroine – Mary, a young woman of virtue, and this backstory shapes the person she is and the decisions she will make. Into this story steps one of our heroes, Joseph, a man of honor, both from the line of King David and both integral pieces of God’s story about The Rescuer.

Bible tip for the day:
“For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

God uses all of our backstories for His ultimate glory. If we are His, he takes our mistakes and triumphs to mold us more and more into His image.

Writing Quote for the day:

“The best way to send information is to wrap it up in a person.” (pretty appropriate for Christmas – don’t you think )

Robert Oppenheimer

The 5 Ps of Writing With Purpose - P.A.L.S

2009-12-01T10:25:00.000-08:00

The world of writing can be a lonely place...er...but for the imaginary friends in one's head, but a good way to stay on the 'write' path without loosing your mind is to have the best critique group around. P.A.L.S.
or
Prayerful. Allies. Loving. Sincere.

What do I mean by this? People

but not just any people, people who are in the trenches with you. The best types of Pals to help you through the waiting game and hardwork of writing meet some pretty fundamental guidelines.

P - Prayerful

Finding people who not only share your passion for writing, but your purpose in Christ, is a jewel among coal; and friends who are willing to pray for you and with you give encouragement of a spiritual nature.

My two closest PALS in my circle of friends are not writers - but readers. They may not know all about protagonists and a three-act structure, but they know about prayer. When my positive perspective fails, my patience is running thin, and I don't have the best words to pray, they'll be my encouragers through their own prayers.

Ephesians 3: 16-18 says, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,"

and

2 Thess 1:11-12
"we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ"

A - Allies

These are people who believe in you and your talents. Who see your potential. Paracletes, who run beside you in the race and urge you to complete it. Surrounding oneself with a crew like this, makes the disappointment of rejection or postponements of a dream, more bearable.

Romans 1:11-12 has something good to say about this:
"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."

This can mean fellow writers, highschool buddies, fellow moms, football teammates...whoever, because their purpose is to fight along side you to see you reach your goals.

L - Loving

Love binds people together - even the most unlikely of characters, but it is also the rock that weathers the storms of life. Surrounding ourselves with people who love us and remind us of their love for us, no matter what happens, keeps our priorities in perspectives. Sometimes, it's the extra push we need to resubmit our manuscript or the word of encouragement heard to sit down and finish the wordcout, or the hopeful voice which says, "it's okay, you'll get more done tomorrow." They exemplify God's love - God's hands and feet in our lives.

2 Corinthians 2:4: "For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you."

S - Sincere

Even if it's hard to hear, the most faithful of friends will tell you the truth, but the truth of a friend is more bearable because of the bond created from the P.A. & L. If you are not open to hearing the truth about your manuscript from a trusted pal, how much more will the sting of rejection be from a complete stranger. Friends help us learn to be teachable and as writers, we HAVE to be. It's a constant learning process.

Because we know our friends love us, are on our side, and share a deepset faith with us, we can take their suggestions and learn from them. Does that mean they're always right? No. But it does mean that most of the time, their hearts are in the right place :-)

Ephesians 4:15-16

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

God sends encouragers our way, people who help us to persevere, who wait with us through the tough times, who pray and praise with us and give us the positive perspective we need, when we’re only seeing the glass as half-empty.

Our Pals can be fellow writers, family, friends, or even a judge from a contest – but they’re out there, and they are all part of God’s big design to keep us on the write path.

God is good, faithful, and ever so gracious to give us the tools – and the people- we need to finish the story He’s written for our lives. From page one, He’s planned the chapters, and though conflict is rife, He’ll see us to our happy ending.

Characterization in The Christmas Story

2009-11-30T12:55:00.000-08:00

Check out my website for some character creation tips taken from The Christmas Story from the Bible.

Using tips accumulated over the past month's guests, I'm summarizing those characterization hints through a look at Mary, Joseph, and the events around the birth of Christ.

Next week, guest authors give us examples of their favorite 'birth of faith' scenes they've ever written. Don't forget to stop by and check it out!

http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh

2009-11-29T18:16:00.001-08:00

Can a gift from the past mend a broken heart?

Ian Collins is an old man without his son. Patrick Collins is a young boy without his father. On his Christmas list are only three items. He wants the army to find his father. He wants to leave his grandfather's house. And he wants the dusty wooden soldier in Grandfather's attic--the one he is forbidden to touch.

Set at Christmastime in 1943, The Unfinished Gift is the engaging story of a family in need of forgiveness. With simple grace, it reminds us of the small things that affect powerful change in our hearts--a young boy's prayers, a shoe box of love letters, and even a half-carved soldier, long forgotten. This nostalgic story of reconciliation will touch your heart.

Available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Get ready for a beautifully crafted story of hope, second chances, and forgiveness. I almost cried three times in the first two chapters. Dan Walsh takes the reader on a story about an embittered old man who has lost sight of true love and of a lonely seven-year old boy who is trying to find hope in the middle of his sorrow. Both characters a beautifully crafted and draw you into the struggles within each of their hearts to try and make sense of hurt in their lives.

The tenderness and transformation of Ian Collins is beautiful, but it takes hitting rock bottom to bring him to the end of himself and his own prejudices. As with any of us, the only true healing and hope comes from the truth of God's love, and what a better example than in the story of Christmas. God gave us a 'finished' gift in sending his son to the world to rescue those who were lost, lonely, embittered, and looking for hope.

A beautiful story.

To read an excerpt of The Unfinished Gift follow the link below:

http://www.revellbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/Excerpt_9780800719241.pdf

The 5 Ps of Writing With Purpose - Patience

2009-11-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

Did anyone else tremble when reading that title?

Patience?

Ugh, one of the most difficult things to do - whether in writing or in living. Waiting.

We're a fast-food and microwave society and the world of writing knowcks against our natures, forcing us to gulp down our hurry up mentality and accept what we cannot change.

We wait to hear from an editor for a full ms request...

We wait to learn of our results in a contest...

We wait to find out if the publishers are interested in putting a binding on those words we wrote through sweat, tears, and massive amounts of chocolate. The CALL!

Of course, we’ve already received the call to be writers, but it might be a long journey to the CALL for publication. Patience may not be easy, but if we mix the first 3 "Ps of Writing " with a healthy dose of #5 (Pals), patience isn’t as inconceivable as it feels.

It’s part of the process of writing and is a humbling requirement for publication…as well as living
Colossians 1: 10-12
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”

He who has called us...

He who has equipped us...

He who created the ingredients necessary to make chocolate...

Is able to bring about change and patience in us. So whether we're glorifying him through publishing or patience, it is well with our souls (mostly) :-)

The Five Ps of Writing With Purpose - Perseverance

2009-11-23T18:42:00.000-08:00

My Granny has a saying – “When life gets tough, pray…and do the next thing.”

Which means we never give up, we forge ahead along this path on which God has set us. Each rejection, each critique, help us to refine our skill and continue to reevaluate how we can best glorify God.

Is this easy? Nope, we become discouraged, maybe a little (or a lot) hurt. We want to throw in the towel...or the computer – but the process, the perseverance, changes us. The process, whether long or short, refines our skills and our perspectives, so we resubmit...and resubmit.

Is God involved in this process? Does He see what's going on?

Sure does...

Romans 5:3-5
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Hebrews 10:35-37
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ”He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith."

He'll use these experiences to refine his plan for our lives and, through the process, we'll become better writers - and better Christians.

So perseverance will combine with P, #4 (next time) to help us cope with the good, the bad, and the crazy of the writing journey. :-)

Writing with 5 Capital Ps 2 - Positive Perspective

2009-11-22T12:34:00.001-08:00

If we take the truths of prayer and praise into consideration, it automatically sets us up for P #2 -

Positive Perspective

In the writing world, publication make take months or years to happen. All your hard work and long hours may never be realized – and so we can feel discouraged, but when all these things start to bring us down, we have to remember our purpose.

We were made for God’s glory...even in our writing.

To keep a positive perspective, Philippians 4: 8-9 gives us thought submission guidelines:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

This doesn’t mean we ignore our hurts and disappointments, but we take the proper perspective in the middle of those disappointments. God is in control, he’s given us a calling, and He’ll provide the talents and energy to fulfill the call.

When thoughts, that do not meet the above guidelines, try to sneak into our minds, it’s important to give them an immediate rejection, and turn to the truth of God’s word. God has a plan for us – and he will complete the plan.

Just as editors don't want junk clogging their desks from being effective working environments, ungodly thoughts clog up our creativity and joy, so our writing and our lives are not as effective. By filling our minds with the truth, and incorporating P #1, we open our hearts to the best type of inspiration - the Holy Spirit's inspiration. :-)

The Five Ps of Writing 1 - Prayer & Praise

2009-11-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

As I journey through this world of writing, God keeps teaching me more and more faith lessons. For me, as any calling, writing has its’ own set of challenges and rewards. The important thing to remember is if God has given the calling, he will give the skills to fulfill it.

Over the next few days, I’ll share the five Ps that I try to focus on for encouragement in my Christian life as well as my writing life.

Prayer & Praise:

Psalm 42: 8 & 11

“By day the LORD directs his love,

at night his song is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.
Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.”

Remembering who we are in the grand scheme of things, helps us gain a new perspective on our situations, and the best way to redirect our thinking is prayer & praise. What do these two simple things teach us?

Prayer reminds us we are not alone, we were created for a divine purpose, and Someone hears our cries and concerns. It places us in right priority. God first – God best & biggest. Now, if we realize God is in control and that nothing happens outside of his power to control, it changes the way we see the daily workings of our lives.

Praise helps our hearts move into right emotions and gets our feelings off of ourselves. Our thankful hearts replace our feelings of insecurities, and help us get things in priority. We realize the great God who loves us, who made us for His glory – directs our paths, even if those paths diverge down trails we never expected. Praise brings our spirits into the right…or write direction no matter which way the road may go.

Psalm 59: 16-17

“But I will sing of your strength,

in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.
O my Strength, I sing praise to you;

you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.”

Audra Harders talks about Who's Got Character

2009-11-17T13:49:00.001-08:00

Visit my site to find out what author, Audra Harders, has to say about character development at www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

If I Really Knew You

2009-11-10T18:32:00.000-08:00

I was at a writer’s conference once and started chatting with the person in line behind me. No surprise there. My dad says I could carry on a conversation with a block wall. It’s a family trait :-)

Anyway, this lady and I had a pleasant conversation about life, family, her writing, my writing. Nothing spectacular. I didn't think anything more of it than a friendly moment in time.

I finished getting my food and sat at a table when one of the other guests touched my arm.
“You looked like you were having a pretty good conversation with Angie Hunt.”
Angie Hunt? Angela Hunt! Award winning author of over one-hundred books!!

So the pleasant little conversation suddenly changed to one of those shocked moments that you write down in your journal to share with all of your posterity and even devote a blog-post to it :-)

Knowing WHO she was, changed the way I saw the situation.It wasn’t just a sweet little moment in my day. It was momentous. Knowing WHO she was made a BIG difference on my perspective.

There’s a familiar story in the Bible about Jesus calming the sea. (And though Angela Hunt loves Jesus, knowing her and knowing HIM are two very different things ;-)

To paraphrase the Gospels, here we go:

The disciples follow Jesus onto a boat and they head out onto the sea. A big storm whips up out of nowhere, so dangerous that the disciples start to freak out. They start crying out for help, and where is Jesus? In the middle of the howling wind, crashing waves, and pelting rain…sleeping!!

The disciples wake him up and say something like, “Don’t you care that we’re all going to die?”So…Jesus tells the storm to hush up. And it does. Then he looks at his disciples and says, “Oh you of little faith. Why are you so afraid?”

Now some Gospels put Jesus’ rebuke before the calming of the storm and some after. Just imagine Jesus waking from his nap to the hurricane-like conditions and screaming through the wind at the disciples. “Why are you afraid?”

I can only imagine the disciples giving him a look like Jesus, have you seen the size of those waves? This is NOT a dream. We're going to DIE!

When Jesus calms the storm with his words, the disciples start to freak out in a very different way, because they suddenly were struck with the truth about WHO Jesus really was. The external storm on the water suddenly flew inside their hearts. Whoa! Jesus' words brought calm to the chaos, as God- The Creator’s- words brought order to the chaos of the universe. Proving that he truly was, who he'd said he was. Spectacular.

So, in one respect, Jesus is saying: If you guys really knew who I was, you’d be able to sleep through a storm too.

There are a few poignant truths in this story.

1. The storm wasn’t a shock to Jesus. He knew it was going to happen and went to sleep anyway.

2. Knowing who Jesus really is, helps us see the storms of life from a new perspective.

Jesus leads us into storms sometimes to refine our faith. So the question is, how do we respond in the middle of the storm? It's easy to view in hindsight, or predict your response in foresight, but what about in the very middle when the hurt, fear, worry, and grief are the greatest?

This was convicting to me, because if I really know Him, worry becomes obsolete and fear melts into a minor obstacle. His peace settles a heart during the most frightening storm or by streams of living water and green pastures. My heart should find rest in either/or.

The great thing is – he wants us to get to know him better, because he wants us to rest in him.

Psalm 62:1 reads: “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.”

Psalm 119:1: Blessed are they that keep his statutes and seek him with all their hearts.”

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

When we know WHO holds us, who loves us, who guides us through the storm – then our perspective on the power of the storm changes and our security in the Maker of the storm overcomes our fear.

May we take this verse to heart and find rest in His promises:

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

Four Tips To Character Creation

2009-11-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

Where do characters come from?

I sometimes wonder where our favorite authors gathered their inspiration for their beloved characters. That’s why I’ve been featuring a series of posts called Who’s Got Character on my website. I wanted to get the ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how memorable characters are made and why we (especially the creators) love them so much.

Not unlike Dr. Frankenstein and his ‘creation’, pieces of our characters can come from a variety of places and sometimes, they get a little out of hand.

So what are some of the basic sources of inspiration?

1. Once Upon A Dream - Some authors actually ‘dream up’ their famous characters, whether from an actual moment of sleep or from a daydream. Somewhere in that mysterious world of imagination, characters emerge and are finally fleshed out through the story.

2. Me, Myself, and I – Almost all characters have some element of the author in them. Since we must feel what we write, many times little bits of our personalities blend in with our creations.

3. Love Your Neighbor – It’s true. Sometimes we borrow character ideas from other people we know. That quirky person who lives down the street, that interesting family member, a cousin with a unique story to tell – some of the most memorable characters evolve from the ‘true’ lives or the ‘what ifs’ from people we’ve met.

4. Across a Crowded Room – Here’s where the ‘what if’ and imagination bond to birth a character. A stranger across the street, a sales-clerk in the grocery store, a character from a movie…people you’ve never met, who may not even be real, but…what if….

If you want to learn more about the stories behind characters, check out Who’s Got Character at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/.

Who's Got Character with Mary Connealy

2009-11-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

Stop by and check out Mary's answers to the questions:

1. who is your favorite hero and heroine?

2. What's the behind-the-scene story of those characters?

http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

Missy Tippens on Who's Got Character

2009-11-03T12:22:00.001-08:00

Check out my website to find out who LoveInspired author, Missy Tippens, names as her favorite characters and why.

http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

Who's Got Character with Denise Hunter

2009-10-30T18:58:00.001-07:00

If you haven't had a chance, stop by and check out Denise Hunter's questions to:

1. Who is your favorite hero or heroine you've ever written and why?

2. What is the behind-the-scenes story behind those characters?

Check it out at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

Who's Got Talent with Denise Hunter

2009-10-29T04:36:00.001-07:00

Cheryl Wyatt is guesting at my website so...

stop by and find out which character she likes the best and why.

www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com

Ruth Axtell Morren - guest

2009-10-26T04:53:00.001-07:00

Ruth Axtell Morren, Regency Author extraordinairre, guests on my website at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

Check out her answers to the questions:

Who are her favorite characters she's ever written?
What are the behind-the-scenes creation of those characters?

Who's Got Character - Lineup

2009-10-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

What a better week to talk about ‘characters’ than the week we dress up as different ones. I am thrilled to announce the ‘line up’ for next weeks’ “Who’s Got Character?”, where your favorite authors tell us their favorite heroes and heroines, AND the ‘behind-the-scenes’ making of those characters?

To whet your creative interests, check out the guests:

Monday, Ruth Axtell Morren -

author of love stories set in history, specifically Regency. Her novels not only inspire the romance between a man and woman, but sprinkle the fingerprints of a Divine love throughout the story. Of all her fascinating characters, who could possibly be her favorites? Move over Mr. Darcy

Tuesday, Julie Lessman

-winner of the Book Of The Year Award at the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Conference in Denver, Julie is a master-craftsman/woman at making the written word breathe with energy, conflict, and tension. Her heroines are powerfully memorable and her heroes are dangerously loveable. Stop by and figure out which ones she loves the most.

Wednesday, Bryan Davis

Known for his colorful detail and powerful imagery, Bryan Davis has won the hearts of adults and children alike with his fantasy serieses Dragons In Our Midst and Oracles of Fire. His writing sense the reader’s senses on hyperdrive into a world of imagination.

Thursday, Cheryl Wyatt
Faster than a F-117 Night Hawk, more powerful than a rotary gun, able to write a novel in 6 weeks, look…at the computer, it’s Cheryl Wyatt. Cheryl’s action-packed stories bring ‘real life’ situations onto the page with warmth, beauty, and humor. She has so many characters to choose from, who will she choose as her favorite and why?

Friday, Denise Hunter

Known for her beautiful crafted love stories of emotional growth, spiritual renewal, and ‘rescue’, Denise combines a wonderful trilogy of faith, humor, and romance to weild a story with memorable value. The rescues that happen on her pages are rescues of the heart. I’m curious who her favorite ‘rescuer’ will be?

And next week - there will be a whole new cast of authors, ready to reveal the secret identities of there favorite characters....so far :-)

Who's Got Character - Starting Monday

2009-10-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited. Ten authors have agreed to share their stories behind their favorite characters.

Their assignment, for those who chose to accept it, was to answer these two questions:

1. Who is their favorite hero & heroine?

2. What is the 'begin the scenes' story that brought about the creation of those characters?

If you are a reader or an author, stop in to find out the fun, inspiring, and heart-warming creation of some of your favorite characters.

Where does the 'secret' inspiration come from for these memorable characters we've grown to love.

Some guest authors will be:

Ruth Axtell Morren
Julie Lessman
Steven James
Bryan Davis
Cheryl Wyatt
Denise Hunter
Scott Pratt
Robin Lee Hatcher
Missy Tippens

and more...

My Prince will come?

2009-10-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

My favorite all-time Disney classic is Sleeping Beauty. I know, it's kind of dated, but who doesn't like that little blue fairy. Her dry sense of humor is great.

Also, who wouldn't like to have some handsome fella sneak up behind your pet owl and start singing "Once upon a Dream". I'm sorry, the pet owl kind of threw me off for a minute.

When writing romance novels, one of the jobs of the author is to bring a 'prince' to readers. For guys, I guess we bring princesses too.

I'm writing about princes write now.

So...what does your prince look like?

This?

or maybe this?

Just kidding ;-)

Princes come in all different shapes and sizes. Just like any true hero, but some qualities are universal for your prince, or hero, in a novel.

Novel heroes, and movie heroes alike, have characteristics which make them heroic. I've listed 6 different things most heroes seem to possess.

1. A hero is strong. This doesn't mean just physically strong, but someone who can rise above their circumstances. An overcomer. A fighter. Even if his physical strength gets low, he can forge ahead with his inner strength of character or motivation.

Hugh Jackman in the movie Australia exudes strength and manliness like any good cowboy should ;-) Tough as nails, hard-working, and determined to try and do what is right (even if it's only right to him), his greatest defining trait is not the heart-stopping episodes of physical exertion, but the strength of character which leads him to rescue children from German bombers in the end of the movie.

2. A hero must be willing to sacrifice. In almost every good book, especially inspirational fiction, there is a defining moment when the hero (and most times heroine too), but make a sacrifice of some sort to end the story. If it is a sacrifice of his/her will, other dreams, pride, whatever...heroes usually show some sort of willingness to give of themselves over and above their 'call'.

Another great man in a hat. Whew. In about any Indiana Jones film, despite all the physical action, Indie always has an opportunity to 'sacrifice' his wants for the care of others. It makes him 'human' and even more likeable than all the fast-pacing stunts and clever humor (though I don't discount humor - it is a very important hero trait).

If he isn't giving up a treasure to save someone's life, he's risking his own life for the sake of other people.

3. A hero is usually a smart fella. He may not be an Albert Einstein smart, but he's able to use his noggin' in ways that make him likeable and support his internal strength. He may need a little help along the way, and may not get all the 'woman-guesses' right, but his abilities to problem-solve, strategize, plan, and seek an end to some sort of dilemma, show is intelligence.

In the movies, National Treasure 1 & 2, not only is Ben Gates a smart guy, but he holds some of the other 2 qualities as well. His cunning and quick-mind, help him solve a national mystery and become fairly wealthy, but also keep him and his friends from dying on several different occassions.

Most movies - even romantic comedies, have heroes who are smart...again, maybe not brilliant, but they can display their particular smarts in one way or another which adds to the story.

4. Heroes have some sort of moral code or inner goodness. This doesn't mean they are angelic. They can be bad boys, but at their heart...or in the end, they become good...or at least choose to do good things. This is especially true in inspirational fiction, where the faith thread weaves through the story.

Rhett Butler is one of the kings of 'bad boys', but even knowing this, we find glimpses of his inner soul shinging through. He rescues Scarlett on several occassions, takes care of others - even slaves, and even helps in the war efforts. He gives...and gives to that flighty Scarlett until he's fed up with her and her flattering green eyes. Why do we like Rhett? If he was all bad, all he'd be was eye-candy, but there's some inner compassion - some highlights of self-sacrifice (like #2) which makes him a hero.

5. Heroes have a weakness. I know, who wants to believe this, right? But to be a realistic hero, he must have a weakness. Hey, Superman had Kryptonite...and Lois Lane ;-) Indiana Jones had snakes...and sometimes greed. There is usually an inner weakness tapped at some point in the movie or story that your hero must overcome.

Mr. Darcy had a propensity toward pride & prejudice. Both weaknesses could have been his undoing, had his attraction for Lizzie not been stronger than them. One of the most likeable things about his character (despite looking quite fetching while in a dripping wet white shirt), is his willingness to admit his weaknesses and strive to overcome them. He becomes more human and his humility is one of the many things that bend Lizzies heart toward him.

6. MOST heroes have a sense of humor. Oh, I LOVE this one. I think ALL heroes need a sense of humor. But lack of humor does not necessarily make-or break your hero. All of the heroes pictured above had a dry, witting sense of humor...even Darcy. Being able to laugh at life, at oneself, or at a situation tends to make a person seem more approachable and likeable.

Whether in Dan in Real Life or Get Smart, funny really makes Steve Carell's characters. Now, your hero doesn't have to be as outrageous as Steve Carrell or Steve Martin, even, but a bit of humor goes a long way.

So whether your heroes wear stetsons and ride mustangs, dress in Regency attire and take part in a country dance, or leap tall buildings with a single bound, the inside workings of most heroes are the same. Memorable heroes...somewhat human heroes. I say 'somewhat' human, because down-deep, we all want our heroes to be a little bit larger than life - not tall-taleish perhaps, but a dusting of fairytale is really nice.

There's a little bit of Prince Charming in every hero - whether bad boy turned good as in Julie Lessman's wonderful novel A Passion Most Pure. (couldn't resist putting this book cover online - I just LOVE looking at Collin's pic)

or

Good boy who stays good as in Mary Connealy's hilarious novel Montana Rose.

Someday your prince will come? Oh yeah, and bringing him to life in print can be one of the most exciting opportunites as a writer. So...now I'm off to write.

New ideas for Heroes

2009-10-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

Seekerville, a blog for writers and those who love the read what writers write, just finished posting a wonderful (and quite comical) post on writing heroes. I know...I know, many of us immediately get a mental picture in our head when we think of heroes. Handsome? Perfect? Strong?

Those are great things - but what about inside?

Who can really say 'no' to Superman, right? Woohoo!

and...

I'm all for 'men in tights' or armor, but heroes for me tend to look more along the lines of this...

So what makes a hero? Especially for writers?

- Of course there are always different likes and dislikes for heroes. Some prefer an Indiana Jones sort of fellow, others want to be swept off their feet by Matthew McConnaughey or rescued by troubled and dark Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (oops, another nice superhero picture there :-)

But as a writer - especially since most romance writers are women, we must be careful to make our men sound like...well...men.

Mary Connealy is a great author at getting inside a man's point of view - making a man sound like a man. Lots of people take this technique differently. Some research temperments, watch loads of movies, read books, or write from experience - as Ruth Logan Herne does (mom of 4 boys, sister of boys, and...of course, her husband is a guy)

Laurie Campbell has a wonderful link of the psychology of creating characters at her site http://www.booklaurie.com/

Seekerville is another place to find lots of info on character creation. http://seekerville.blogspot.com/

Keirsey's four temperments give a list of different temperments to look for to assist in developming characters. And each one would be different if expressed in a male versus female.

http://www.keirsey.com/

Men Are From Mars, Women are From Venus - another funny book to check out or

Florence Littaur's book Personality Plus - http://www.amazon.com/Personality-Plus-Understand-Understanding-Yourself/dp/080075445X is another great resource toward identifying different temperments.

I'll write more about heroes later - but in the mean time - check out this fun post from the Seekerville Diva, Tina Russo - http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2009/10/writing-guy.html

2009-10-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

Romance readers have taken to the soft, romantic style of Maggie Brendan in her runaway-hit debut novel No Place for a Lady. Now, the second book in the series releases with great anticipation, taking readers back to the Big Sky Country of the American frontier—and the life and love that awaits.

The second book in the Heart of the West series, The Jewel of His Heart is set in 1890s Montana. It is here that Juliana calls home when she meets Josh McBride, a handsome, gentle sheepherder. When he discovers a rare kind of sapphire on his property and considers striking out on his own path in the world, he is forced to decide what’s most important to him: the world’s riches or the eternal value of love in a woman whose eyes rival the rarest of gems.

For fans of Lori Wick and Kim Vogel Sawyer, Maggie Brendan’s beautifully woven story captures the rugged, adventurous life on the American frontier—and the quest for love by the pioneers who live there.

This is a sweet romance about two young people who are trying to find their way to each other while struggling through various paths of the world. Josh's kindness and youthful innocense is displayed in all his interactions with Juliana, and the way Maggie Brendan shows his own insecurities is endearing.

Maggie has a lot of similiarities to Janette Oake with her gentle western romance. Though the story is a lovely narrative of heartbreak and true love, I had a difficult time connecting with the characters. I'm not certain why, perhaps it was me, but Juliana's emotional ups and downs were sometimesSometimes she seemed to respond harshly to Josh - unexpectedly and without warning. That kind of tossed me off kilter with the story.

Overall, it was a sweet read and fans of Janette Oake and Lori Wick would enjoy this gentle romance.

News from Pepper's Messy Desk

2009-10-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally did it. At 12:14 Friday night...er...Saturday morning, I sent my completed manuscript to my agent who will then send it to two editors. That’s it! right?

Hmm, in a lot of ways my delirious path to finishing THAT book has ended, for now – but will my pace slow? A little. I’ll try to do dishes more often…even wash clothes. I know, remarkable! My kids and hubby will appreciate it. But…my mind is swirling with hosts of other ideas and imaginary friends who need to meet print.

That’s the world of a writing brain. Constant motion, with a touch of insan…er…giftedness.

Saturday on Seekerville, Ruth Logan Herne posted an excellent reminder about the writing life and perseverence. If you need a boost of confidence, a touching and funny reminder of discovering the push of the writing life, visit the blog. Actually, any Seeker blog will be a boost of confidence to your plight among the masses of daydreamers, ink-dwellers, and Peter Pan mindset people of the world. You’re not alone…even when you are alone.

Okay – only a writer will get the last part.

Under Pressure

2009-10-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

With a writing deadline looming and a Seekerville Book-in-a-Week Challenge, anxiety levels can feel pretty high at the moment. Time doesn't always seem like it's 'on our side'...and actually might appear more closely related to 'the other side'.

Recently a key theme in many of the Seeker posts at http://seekerville.blogspot.com, have focused on writing goals...okay, instead of writing them, some of us may need to just start making some.

One key ingredient to stretching your abilities is to set goals...and then strive to mee them. My goal for the past 2 months has been to complete a novel because two editors have requested it.

My goal next week is to finish as much of a new novel that is humanly possible without starving my children, ignoring my husband (within reason), or neglecting my poor graduate students at the unviersity. In all honesty, as long as everyone has clean socks and underwear, a meal of some sort at some time of day, and mom-created taxi service, the chores can wait too.

Pushing myself over the past two months has been a good thing. I've found all types of little pieces of time I can fill with writing. I've discovered nooks of moments to daydream and realized napkins are still worthy of plotting scenes. Treadmills can be desks in motion, peanut-butter and jelly are not overrated, and children will forgive about anything if you order pizza and invite their friends over.

Pressure may be high, but taking that pressure and wrestling it into an optimistic view changes the weight from overwhelming to motivating.

It's really all about perspective...and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. ;-)

ACFW - A Debut Winner

2009-09-20T04:42:00.000-07:00

The American Christian Fiction Writers Conference was this weekend in Denver, where slews of published authors, aspiring hopefuls, editors, and publishers gather to celebrate the amazing gift of 'story'. Among the awards given is the Book of the Year award.

I am so tickled to announce that my friend, and fantastic author, Julie Lessman won for her Debut novel A Passion Most Pure.

Many wonderful authors finaled in the contests and I'm glad for all of them. What an honor...most importantly, what an honor for the Lord. They have the opportunity to imitate their Master and influence hearts through the craft of storytelling.

There were many different categories, from long historical to young adult...and each had a winner and finalists. Julie won in the 'debut novel' category.

Congrats to all of them and many blessings for their future writing.

And (with my biggest Appalachian yeehaw) Congrats Julie!!!

To learn more about Julie's writing and the Daughters of Boston Series, check out her website at www.julielessman.com

What Ifs and the Write Choice

2009-09-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

I got my second interview for my dream job…or that’s how I’ve described it to my parents. Since beginning my writing ‘dream’ umpteen years ago, they’ve seen my hard work and study, but with few results, and my dad is starting to yell phrases like “Show me the money.”

Well, last month I received a request for a full-manuscript…from two different editors. It’s the next step toward publication. Talk about wow. It’s a testimony to my hard work, a glory to God’s hard work He’s doing in me, and an immediate…fear.

After all, my life is pretty chaotic…mom of five, pastor’s wife, full-time university instructor, church volunteer – worry? Fear?

All the ‘what ifs’ start happening. What if I don’t have time to make the revisions I need to make? What if this is my ONE chance and I blow it? What if I wait too long…how long is too long? What if…what if…what if…

God’s reaction to the what ifs? He calls me to trust him. He reminds me of WHO he is, as the Creator, Father, Lover of my Soul, and whispers words of gentle waiting, hoping, and trusting.

Two great reminders from his Word:

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight

Isaiah 26:3-4
3 You will keep in perfect peace

him whose mind is steadfast,

because he trusts in you.

4 Trust in the LORD forever,

for the LORD, the LORD,

is the Rock eternal.

Focusing on Him instead of on ME and all my ‘what ifs’ changes the way I feel.

So…perspective is rearranged and put back into the appropriate priority.

Do I still struggle with my worries and fears? I’m human. Do I still discipline myself to prepare for this second-interview, this manuscript request? Sure, because He’s called me to do this and He’ll equip me for the task. Does that mean I’ll get published? Hmm, nope. Only God knows the future prospects of that one, but it does mean whatever he chooses to do, I can recognize he loves me and planned this moment for my good and His glory.

My duties? Trust Him and Write….write and Trust Him.

He’s faithful and His plans are perfect.

Saggy in the Middle

2009-09-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

You know you've read one before...you might have written one too. Those novels with promising beginnings, stellar endings, but stale as 6-month old cheerios in the middle. What's going on?

Scenes have to be written in the middle of stories. Humdrum events happen, but how does an author keep up the beat, without skipping a few verses in the song of the story? Donald Maas has an excellent chapter in his book The Fire in Fiction, where he discusses this very thing.

Here are a few highlights:

There are turning POINTS within each scene (even the middle scenes)

1. the way in which things change that everyone can understand

2. the way in which the scene's point-of-view character also changes as a result.

To make these two turning points happen, one must examine the scene (all scenes, not just the flabby middle). Maas writes, "every outer turning oint has an inner counterpart".

It makes sense doesn't it? Changes on the outside equal some sort of chang on the inside, especially when dealing with our emotions and how we respond to others.

A few other points:

Dialogue needs to 'go somewhere'. If we're writing dialogue just to fill the space on a page, then it's the wrong thing to do. Even our dialogue needs to have a goal. What are we trying to convey through it to deepen our understanding of the characters or the story?

Within each scene, we must send our character into it "with a goal." What does my character want?

First and last lines are crucial to your scenes. Grabbers and Cliff hangers. Why should I keep reading? As I've discussed before, first lines set a tone for the rest of the scene or even book.

Middle scenes, like every scene, need to have things in motion - whether physical or emotional. To this Maas adds:

1. Most novels don't have enough big events

2. What makes an event big is not its size but the scope of its effect.

So if your novel is sagging in the middle, here are a few things to think about the tighten up those scenes so the 'fit' into the story better.

Donald Maas' book is a great tool to help guide a writer through thoughtful exercises to improve his/her writing. AND I'm hoping some of his brilliance will rub off by osmosis.

Stein on Writing - Characters

2009-08-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

No, this book is not a new Christian fiction release. It is actually a nonfiction book penned by masterful storyteller and author Sol Stein. His insites to crafting a novel are brilliant and opened my mind to new ways of developing characters in my stories.

Chapter 5 Competing With God: Making Fascinating People not only introduced me to five different ways to characterize, but also gave suggestions on developing more thorough knowledge of my characters.

According to Stein, the five different ways to characterize are:
1. Through physical attributes
2. With clothing or the manner of wearing clothing
3. Through psychological attributes and mannerisms
4. Through actions
5. In dialogue

Later on in the chapter, Stein defines eccentricity as it relates to good characterization. He also suggests ways to 'get to know' your character, like: having a discussion with your character as they 'imaginarily' sit in an armchair across from you (I've done this before, but my characters were usually following me through the house or sitting in the passenger seat of my car); imagine the character as very old and see what they'd be like; or imagined your character has dressed up in kids' clothes....what would he/she look like?

In my WIP, upon revision, my characters have become more 3-dimensional because of some of these techniques...even the secondary figures. How would I feel in a particular sitatuation is one thing - but how they might feel could be something quite different. Knowing them as best you can is the key.

Interviewing with them, placing them in odd situations to determine their responses, writing a few pages of a diary by the character, - are all great ways to discover the inner workings of your characters.

Interview with Mary Connealy

2009-08-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

Check out my website to enjoy the fun and inspiration of Christy-award finalist, Mary Connealy. She's adding her humor and insight today - so come by and join the fun.

Dialogue that Speaks to You

2009-08-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

Being a purebred Southern girl, talking has never been a difficulty for me – however writing about ‘talking’ can be tricky. Writer’s Digest has some great books on dialogue, namely Dialogue by Lewis Turco and Dialogue – Techniques and exercises for crafting effective dialogue by Gloria Kempton. The latter book is helpful in giving various exercises at the end of each chapter to support the info one just finished reading.

Dialogue serves several different purposes:
1. Characterization
2. Moves the story along
3. Creates Tension
4. Sets a mood

As far as Characterization is concerned, Jane Austen was genius. If you’ve ever read any of her writing, you’ll discover that dialogue was as much a part of the character as his/her thoughts. Jane wasn’t prone to describing physical features of her characters, except maybe some ‘fine eyes’ here and ‘handsome features’ there, but she took the meat of the character and allowed the reader to figure him/her out.

For example, in Pride & Prejudice, Mr. Collins is known for rattling on about various things, basically just to hear himself talk. The reader quickly realizes Mr. Collins is a pompous, self-important man…just from his letter. Wow! On the other hand, Darcy and Elizabeth give short, witty replies – and we end of liking them. It reveals characteristics of the one speaking and the ones responding to it. Within the first few pages of Pride and Prejudice, readers have a 'handle' on about six different characters mainly through...dialogue.

Dialogue moves the story along, especially if you feel your getting ‘saggy’ in the middle. It should ALWAYS add to the story, never ending up as a bunch of empty words, and it also can cover lots of information in a short amount of time.

Obviously, dialogue can create tension. Here’s a scene from Julie Lessman’s novel A Passion Denied.

“How dare you, John Brady? I have no choice! My heart is breaking because of you, and if it takes Tom Weston to get over you, then so be it.”
He jumped up. “Beth, forgive me, please, and don’t cry. We can pray about this-“
Disbelief paralyzed her for a painful second. “No! You leave me be. I don’t want any more of your prayers-“
His hand gripped her. “Beth, please, sit with me? Can’t we just talk and work this out?”

This is only a short example, but poignant – it shows the speed dialogue adds to a manuscript.

Here’s another example from Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist.
He walked directly to Essie and snatched the sash she was stitching out of her hands.
“You’re coming with me,” he said.
“What’s happened?”
“I’m sick and tired of playing second fiddle to a bicycle race. I want to go to the soda shop, and I want to go right now.”
She pulled the sash back into her lap. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve got more to do than I can possibly finishe before Saturday arrives. I can no more go to –“
He reached down, pulled her to her feet, then leaned so close he could count her eyelashes. “Put that sash down, Esther Spreckelmeyer.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you bully me. I will not leave my members in their time of need.”
“You wanna make a bet?”

Fast paced…whew – and I didn’t even add any of Julie Lessman’s lip-action.

Finally, dialogue sets a mood. Ddialogue can be set up to create fear in thrillers, sizzle in romances, and care-freeness in comedies.

Below are just a few examples of how first sentences set a mood.
Stand in Groom by Kaye Dacus, “Nothing like running late to make a wonderful first impression.”
Sneak Peek into Steven James’ new book The Knight, “The sad, ripe odor of death seeped from the entrance to the abandoned mine.”
If sentences can set moods, just imagine what an entire scene of dialogue can do.

Talk isn’t cheap, btw. It takes time to craft good dialogue, but it’s worth it. Just remember to ask these questions.
1. What does this say about my characters without ‘saying’ it outloud?
2. Does this dialogue move my story along or is it just a filler phrase?
3. Is there some sort of energy in the dialogue, whether good or bad, to keep me interested in what the characters are saying?
4. Does this dialogue set the sort of mood I want to present?

There are many more tips to writing dialogue, but these are a few to help build a memorable scene.

Three Dimensional Heroes

2009-08-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

In Donald Maas book The Fire in Fiction, he discusses making one-dimensional versus three-dimensional characters. Perfect heroes make for boring characters. Also, to have reader-appeal, characters must have elements of humanity.

This doesn't mean that they neccessarily have to be human. Aslan from C.S. Lewis' series The Chronicles of Narnia is a lion, but because he experiences 'human' emotions and responds in various forms of 'humanness', readers can relate to him.

Gandalf from Tolkien's epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings is an amazing hero, but his humor, grief, and sometimes anger, give him a 'human' quality that most of us can understand and maybe even sympathize with. His helplessness at times is also another trait.

Or what about (yes, dare I write it) Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen created a hero who struggled wiwth his own 'real' personality weaknesses, so (though some people might question it) he could appear authentic. Even Superman has Kryptonite and a sometimes world-altering Messiah-complex :-)

Maas says that heroes need to have a good mix of both strength and humility; faithfulness, fearlessness, and flaws.

Write What You Know...and What You Want to Know

2009-08-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

History is full of authors who stretched the limits of their own knowledge, of those who wrote from their backyard experiences, and those who dreamed worlds into being. So what does it take to make print come to life? A love for writing, practice in the art of creating, and a vivid imagination housed between one’s ears.

Recently I listened to some presenters say “write what you know” – which is a wonderful piece of advice. But ‘what one knows’ may be very different if seen through various lenses.

Sifting through memories, experiences, and yesterday’s local newspaper provided inspiration for authors like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, & Charlotte Bronte. Of Jane Austen’s work, Charlotte Bronte said that it was, “An accurate daguerreotype portrait of a commonplace face…she does her business of delineating the surface of the lives of genteel English people curiously well.” Austen herself said she would write “such pictures of domestic Life in Country Villages as I deal in.” Charlotte Bronte took pieces of her own life to create her suspenseful novel Jane Eyre and Charles Dickens wrote his best novels when they were placed in his hometown of London. They didn’t sneak into the past or jump to the future, and still – their works are brilliant and colorful masterpieces that have withstood the review of time.

Then there are authors who stretch what they ‘know’ into history. Historical fiction writers take trials, emotions, and situations from today and place them into a certain slice of history, weaving details of bygone days through the lives of fictional and nonfictional characters alike. Most historical authors dive into a time period and become experts on the details of that period: the dress, food, speech, and so much more – it becomes what they know. The best historical fiction is written by people who mentally live in another time & place for part of their lives. Philippa Gregory is one of the best-known historical novelists today, but there are many others. Pick the era you want to read and your reading palate will be deliciously satisfied with a variety of literary menu items.

Other historical fiction authors include Erich Maria Remarque, Mark Twain, Mary Renault – and more recent authors like Julie Lessman, Mary Connealy, Siri Mitchell, Bodie & Brock Theone, Francine Rivers, Linore Burkard, and Janette Oake.

Finally there is fiction that soars beyond time and space. A special kind of knowledge invented in the minds of the dreamer, an imagination beyond a box of linear expectations –so to speak. Jules Verne, the science fiction pioneer and mastermind who sent readers Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or journeying To the Center of the Earth, or J.R.R Tolkien who breathed life into Hobbits and swelled the lands of MiddleEarth with his pen, envisioned worlds beyond the natural eye and magic beyond the human touch. Visionaries such as these, continue to capture us or invite us into realms of fairies, giants, and dragons – or aliens, dinosaurs, vampires, and ghosts. Stephen Lawhead, Lloyd Alexander, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, J.K. Rowling, and Rick Riordan, to name very few, offer glimpses into their imaginations and introduce us to memorable beings that physically exist only on paper. Absorbed and inspired into these worlds, the authors transform what they know of human nature, science, and history, and then add a palette of imagination to birth marvelous, believable adventures.

Which type of author are you? The beauty of it is you don’t have to pick just one category, but can blend the today-knowing with the yesterday-knowing and the dream-knowing to build novels that inspire, teach, educate, and entertain. Each good writer holds to this writer’s trinity: What you know, what you WANT to know, and a dream. Bind them together and end in a story.

Concise Writing - You kinda, sorta, know what I mean?

2009-08-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Dictionary of Concise Writing is a 407 page list of dos, don'ts, and subsititutions for words. I appreciate it because I NEED to learn more concise writing, which is difficult for a girl who grew up with Appalachian storytellers and...tall talers too :-)

In my opinion, this dictionary is a helpful resource. Now remember, 'concise' doesn't necessarily mean shorter, it means more direct, succinct, or to the point. This dictionary may seem more appropriate for nonfiction, but the fiction writer can learn a lot from its' definitions too.

In my field of speech-language pathology, I work with individuals who have language disorders and some of those disorders are associated with a traumatic brain injury or stroke. With certain types of traumas, the patient might begin to circumlocute, or 'talk around' a topic. You know like the phrase 'circumnavigate around the globe' reminds you of Christopher Columbus in fourth grade - well circumlocution is when someone doesn't go directly to the point, they talk about things associated with the topic, but NOT the topic.

Concise writing is making each word count. I heard that phrase over and over again when I took the Christian Writers Guild Journeyman course. "Make each word count" - and, as I develop my skills as a writer, I'm learning to value that statement even more.

Below are a list of words in The Dictionary of Concise Writing:

a whole host of - many; numerous

all done (finished) - complete; done; ended; finished; over; past

-Are you all done with your work? verses Are you done with your work?

beverage - drink

first initially, firstly, first of all, first off - first

general consensus- consensus

get in touch with - call; contact; phone; reach; visit

interestingly enough - delete. Interestingly enough, in about 50 percent of the cases involved, the professional offering an opinoin believed abuse had occured. In about 50 percent of the cases involved the professional offering believed abuse had occurred.