The Hope Chest

blogopreneurs

2011-11-28T22:56:00.001-06:00

Just saw a report on the "Momtrepreneurs," Mommy bloggers who are sharing their insights on products and mom "how to's" and making a living at it. I wonder whether there's a place in the blogosphere for "writerpreneurs..."

Fun With Google Maps

2011-11-26T16:42:00.001-06:00

Researching ancient Assyria for a historical novel I'm writing. I had no idea that ancient Nineveh was in the vicinity of the modern city of Mosul, Iraq. Thank you, Google Maps!

More Commonly Confused Words

2011-08-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

On my website, I have a page dedicated to Commonly Confused Words. Finding them in novels I read helps me realize just how often writers don't understand what words mean. They may hear a word and, having no idea how it is spelled, not realize that the wrong spelling totally changes the meaning of the sentence. Whatever they intend to communicate is lost.

A good example is the accolade, shouted as an encouragement, especially in Parliament in days long ago: "Hear, hear!" Written out properly, you can see it means, "Listen, listen!" (Meaning: This person has said something worthwhile with which I agree.) For the past few years, however, I've increasingly seen it written: "Here, here!" as in, "Present, present!" (Pronounced PREZ-ent, not pree-ZENT.) That, as you can see, has quite a different meaning, and renders the encouragement, at least in written form, meaningless. (Implication: The person has said something, and I'm in the same location.)

In a novel I'm currently reading (title and author omitted to protect the innocent, namely me!), I came across a word confusion I hadn't previously encountered. The protagonist discovered flecks of paint in a suspicious place. The author (who writes a very entertaining story, by the way) consistently refers to the flecks of paint as specs. "Specs" is a fairly recent word, being an abbreviation of specifications. The singular is spec, from specification. For writers, on spec is short for on speculation, which means you're writing something hoping an editor will buy it for a magazine. (The opposite of on spec is on assignment.)

What the author meant was that there were specks of paint, tiny little flecks of color that weren't where they were supposed to be. Instead, I thought of the qualities of the paint, not the size.

When we as writers use the wrong word, either through our mistake or (Heaven forbid!) our editor's, we run the risk of losing readers. While this author has not lost me, because the story is in a contemporary setting and it's otherwise so well written, had it been set before the 1960s, I'd have put it aside in a heartbeat. Spec in that case would not only have been a confused word but an anachronism. (See my last post.) Loyal readers are worth their weight in gold, now more than at any other time in history. So many other options are available to potential readers--film, TV, internet, etc.--that we want to do all we can to encourage them to read our stories. Taking the time to find the right word may not seem like much, but words are the tools of our craft. Using them correctly is the mark of a master craftsman.

What are your favorite (or least favorite) confused words?

Tackling Anachronisms

2011-08-17T16:11:00.000-05:00

As a reader, I love entering the past. Letting go of the modern world, losing myself in whatever time frame the book is set--what a delight! I can completely forget the complexities and annoyances of the twenty-first century, unless----
-------SCREECH! CRASH!---------
I'm suddenly catapulted out of the past by an anachronism.

What's an anachronism, you ask? From the Greek ana not and chron time, an anachronism is a reference to some word, object, character or the like that doesn't belong in the story's time-frame. It can be something simple, like referring to the hero's cell phone, when the hero is living in 1977, or having a totally fashion-conscious heroine of an 1880 romance wearing a bustle.

Eliminating anachronisms from writing can be tricky. Half the time they sneak in without our even realizing it. Sometimes our proofreaders don't catch them. The editors can miss them. In fact, we may never know we've used one until the first letters from readers arrive. And readers can be really irate!

Some I've run across lately include using the honorific Ms. in historical novels before the late 1960s and early 1970s, when Ms. first came into more common usage. Finding a heroine referred to as Ms. Smith in a book set in the early 1900s throws me right out of the book. That's not to say I won't go back and read it, anyway, especially if I like the characters and the plot, but it makes it harder for me to let go and enjoy it the way I would if the heroine were Miss Smith before her marriage and Mrs. Jones afterward. (Or whatever the surnames are. You get the point.)

Honorifics should be easy. Something a little trickier is wildlife. I'm currently reading a mystery novel in a series set during the American Civil War (AKA the War Between the States). One of the two main protagonists was in a graveyard when she was startled by a flock of starlings. She wasn't as startled as I was! The first mating pair of European Starlings was brought to the United States by some misguided soul in 1891 or thereabouts, some thirty years after the novel was set. Now if the author had had the protagonist startled by a murder of crows, I wouldn't have put the book aside until I recovered from the experience.

Sometimes anachronisms are the result of our forgetfulness. We simply don't think about whether or not something was available or invented by a certain time, and even doing basic research may not reveal it to us. What can we do about it? Read books that were written in the time period, if available. (Obviously, it's harder to get hold of a novel written in Old Norse or ancient Greek.) Check into wildlife books, flora as well as fauna. (I still smile when I think about the American Robin in the 1960s movie "Mary Poppins." That isn't truly an anachronism, but a related faux pas.) If you can find them, read wildlife books from the time frame in which you are interested. Over time, migration patterns and nesting areas can change. Species that are extinct now may have once been prevalent, like the American Passenger Pigeon.

Technology is another bugbear. Yes, there were clocks in the Middle Ages. No, they did not have minute hands. And forget about second hands! Different parts of the world developed at their own pace. You might find steel swords in one part of the world and iron swords in a neighboring kingdom.

Hey, nobody ever said writing historicals was a walk in the park! It's a challenge, but if you're up to it, you may find it a truly rewarding one.

It isn't always easy to research the past on the internet, but it can be your first stop...on your way to the library!

Continuing the gardening analogy...

2011-06-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I posted about how writing is like gardening. Today, I'm comparing it to yard work.

The road where we live is maintained by the county. That includes sending huge mowing tractors out in late spring to cut down all the weeds. For weeds, read wildflowers, small shrubs, and sapling trees. Unless the people living on the property keep the top part of their property clear of grasses and vines, the county will do it for them, in order to keep down fire danger and enhance road visibility. I understand all that. I really do.

Until last year, I had an understanding with the driver of the tractor responsible for our stretch of frontage. After he basically destroyed everything in his path, I went out and asked him not to do that again, because we want our trees. He left it alone after that, and the trees and wildflowers I'd sown in a moment of madness flourished. Then last year, he must have retired, because I was waked early one morning by the sound of trees being chewed by machinery. New driver. Once I'd mourned over the loss of the mulberry and the rest of the trees, he apologized, and asked repeatedly if I didn't want it to look better. The problem was, his idea of looking better and mine were miles apart!

Having spotted the mowing tractors on the edge of town last weekend, I knew that time had come again. This morning, I went out as early as I could (which was already too late in the day for the heat), and used my little string trimmer to whack a goodly portion of the frontage. Goodbye, pussytoes, Queen Anne's lace, grapevines! Hello bare ground and stubble. I'm still not finished, and I hope to get the rest of it done before they make their way down the road. I'm trying to keep the lilies and small trees.

The way this relates to writing concerns self-editing. That's one thing most of us writers hate to do, since we love our prose the way some people love children or pets. The unhappy truth remains, however, that unless we ruthlessly edit ourselves, the editor at the publishing house who buys our work will do it for us. And, instead of just taking out the grasses & poison ivy, the wildflowers and small trees may get cut as well.

How can we tell the difference between the good writing and the bad? What does a poison ivy paragraph look like? To learn that, you need to read omniverously. Especially read in the field where you want to be published, but don't stop there. Read other genres. Read books on writing by authors you trust. Stay informed about changes in grammar and usage by checking into books like the Chicago Manual of Style. The more you polish your skills, the less work an editor will have to do.

Once you've established a good working relationship with an editor, you may think you can slow down on the self-editing. Sadly, editors don't always stay at the same publishing house. You may be handed to a new editor who doesn't understand your style or get your voice. The more work you do yourself, before the editor sees your manuscript, the less you'll have to do later!

Happy Writing! And try to do your yard work before or after the heat of the day!

Growing Ideas

2011-06-05T22:56:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we try something new and it doesn't seem to work. That happened when I tried to join Networked Blogs back a while. Tonight, I discovered that a few more steps were involved than I previously thought. I'm in the process of verifying the blog, and, once that's done, it ought to be posting on Facebook every time I come up with an idea to blog.

Writing can be like that. You come up with a wonderful idea, but you can't seem to make it work. That has happened to me many times. I think many writers struggle with this problem. What we have to realize is that an idea is not enough to make a good story. The idea is just the starting point. Without hard work, the idea fizzles out, leaving the writer frustrated.

I like to compare writing to gardening. Ideas are like the seeds we plant, hoping a wonderful story will grow. Before we begin to create the story, however, we should prepare the ground: set the stage with characters, places, plotlines. Then we plant our little idea and water it, watching it grow. If we've properly laid the groundwork, it starts becoming a good story. Unless we're careful, however, weeds can invade our story ground. The pernicious weed of Too Many Subplots can choke our story. Going Off On A Tangent can twist our plot out of recognition. The Secondary Character can take over the story, causing unhealthy growth. Like a good gardener, we must recognize the weeds when we see them and root them out. If we protect the plant from weeds and from outside attacks, we should be able to grow a good story!

Happy Gardening! er, Writing!

God of the Empty Tomb

2011-04-23T15:37:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you start a project with few hopes for its success. That's the way it was for me with our church's production of the Easter musical, "God of the Empty Tomb." We listened to the demo CD as I read the score. It seemed less than reverent to us. The singers on the CD all had good voices, but they lacked something, and that made us wonder how we were going to turn this into a production that would please the Lord.

As the choir practiced the songs, I could tell an immediate difference. The CD performers are professionals. We aren't. Despite the general lack of training for most of our choir, we still sound better than the album. As I sought the reasons, one thing became glaringly clear.

We all BELIEVE what we're singing. We've experienced God's love in our lives, even when going through trials and tragedies, and we KNOW He lives.

I don't know how many of the performers on that demo CD are Christians. Maybe a few. Maybe many. I know the stress of performing in a studio. It can be overwhelming. That could be one contributing factor. I hope they all know Him. I pray for any who don't, to come to know Him, to believe the words written in that pageant.

All I know is this: when you have a group of people praying for the Lord to use them for His glory, He will.

How does this relate to writing? Here are some thoughts.

Do you believe what you're writing? If you don't, your readers won't, either.
Are your characters flesh-and-blood people, or pawns you're shoving around a chessboard of plot? While some stories are designed to be plot-driven without much characterization, you still need to make your readers care about the outcome of the story. If they don't feel something for the inhabitants of the planet Xifantiroc, it won't mean anything to them when you destroy it.
Is the ending in doubt? Your readers will wonder whether your hero can win if you've given him setback after setback. Otherwise, they're liable to think something like, "So, he saved the day again. Ho hum." Make them truly believe he may utterly fail. It will make his success all the sweeter.
Is your finished work greater than the sum of the parts? It takes a lot of people to make a successful production. A story's parts must all work together to give reader satisfaction.

Writing a story and putting on a play are a lot alike in many ways. While writing is generally solitary, and a theatrical production just the opposite, the end results are the same. You put in a lot of work, and, if you do it correctly and have the right support, you bring it to a successful conclusion.

Have a blessed Passover and Resurrection Day!

Photo courtesy of and copyright by Kathleen Davis.

Hidden salt

2011-04-19T12:15:00.000-05:00

Good Morning America had a segment on hidden sodium in foods. That got me thinking about hiding things in our writing.

Food manufacturers & restaurants add sodium to the things we eat & drink for a couple of different reasons. One is for flavor, to enhance the taste of something that might otherwise be bland and uninteresting. The other is as a preservative. While too much sodium can lead to heart & kidney problems, too much "salt" in our writing can lead to reader indigestion.

What do I mean by salt in writing? It can be anything, really...

Historical snippets inserted into a novel set back in time to give it a feeling of authenticity
Describing things as your viewpoint character sees them (easy to overdo)
Adding in author worldview
Making note of details, such as what the characters are wearing, driving, reading, etc.

A little salt in writing goes a long way. The salt should never overpower the plot or characterization. It should always be well blended into the story, like a little salt in your muffins. Finding a glob of salt in a muffin is unpleasant. So, too, is an information dump in a story. Stirred in until it's thoroughly mixed, however, where it can't be removed without damaging the story, and your salt will bring out the flavor without harming your reader!

Happy writing!

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-11T13:59:00.000-05:00

The other day, I started a post about spring cleaning. Whether I forgot to click the "save" button, or the window closed prematurely, I don't know. It was unfinished. When I came back and found the blog entry gone, it made me think about other things that disappear.

Time. Whether you are paying it any mind or not, every second that goes by will never come again. You can make good use of time by accomplishing the things you need to do, spending it with family or friends, taking it to get better acquainted with God through reading His love letter, the Bible, using it to regenerate energy by proper rest and nutrition. You can waste it by frittering it away on things that don't matter. Whatever you think about time, our lives consist of only so much of it. What are you doing with yours? I know I'm not doing enough with mine!

Money. Without a plan, money often disappears without a trace or anything to show for it. When you have very little to start with, every cent can matter. Some things are nonnegotiable, such as paying bills, buying food, keeping some sort of roof over your head and enough clothes on your body to be decent. Sometimes it can be difficult to generate enough income to cover your "outgo."

Family & Friends. These, too, can disappear. Whether we offend a friend and lose them, or move to a new place, through neglect, or terminal illness or accident, it's too easy to lose people we value. What can we do to stay in touch with those we love? Is it a waste of time or money? Hardly! Having people we value in our lives, being someone of value to them in return, offers wonderful benefits to all concerned. A good friend can keep you from losing yourself.

So, as I look around at the raft of things I need to do, I'll keep these in mind. Lord willing, I'm spring cleaning with a purpose this year. To discern what is important, and keep that...to dispense with what isn't...

Happy Spring Cleaning, everyone.

How Do You Write When You're Sick?

2011-04-02T19:48:00.000-05:00

If you're me, the answer is probably: "Badly." However, if you have the constraints of a deadline (which I currently do not, though I wish I did!), you have to tough through it somehow. How do I think I'll do when I have to push ahead despite feeling dreadful? Will I

write anyway even though I'm afraid it's complete drivel and hope there's something I can salvage in editing?
not write and feel guilty, knowing I'll have to work extra hard as the deadline approaches?
call my agent or editor and explain and hope they can extend the deadline?
ask for help?

Currently, when I am too sick to work on my main project, I am sometimes still able to work on plotting for an upcoming project. That's what I did today, when the pounding headache & nausea I'd been struggling to believe wasn't the same virus that's been plaguing my mother finally convinced me that it was.

If you're a writer, with or without deadlines, what do you do? Please share your ideas and suggestions with me! Sorry there's no prize for the best post, but I will post a link to your reply on Facebook, so others can share your insight!

Website Update

2011-03-31T12:10:00.002-05:00

After a long hiatus during which I've been writing & editing stories, composing & playing music, and in general trying to survive, I revisited my Hope Chastain website to update the Commonly Confused Words page. It seems almost every time I read a book, I discover yet another word that has been used in place of a similar-sounding (and correct) word. This time it was adverse used in the place of averse, as in "I'm not adverse to that idea." Since adverse means inauspicious, what the author really wanted to say was "I'm not averse to that idea," meaning opposed to or against.

I'm always willing to give writers the benefit of the doubt. After all, it's easy to misuse a word through writing too fast. Fingers flying over the keyboard trying to keep up with the thoughts tumbling from a writer's brain can easily add or subtract letters, changing words and meanings. That's where proofreading comes in.

Proofreading is one of the most difficult of all the arts associated with writing. It's so easy to get caught up in what is said on the page and miss typographical or grammatical errors. My hat is off to all proofreaders everywhere.

Editors can't catch all the mistakes. They get caught up in the story, just as we do. So, writers, it's up to us to catch our own mistakes, so they don't have to!

Happy proofreading, everyone!

2011-01-28T11:51:00.003-06:00

A blank page. Waiting to be filled with ideas, plans, thoughts… Perhaps with words, or sketches, or musical notation… Perhaps instead, mathematical equations, chemical formulas, architectural renderings…

Babies are kind of like blank pages. So much wonder in those little eyes…

As we grow older, all kinds of things get written on our page. Sometimes we do the writing. Often, however, other people write things into our lives that we never would have planned. They scribble on our page, add things we don't want, subtract things we do want—in short, people can make a mess of our pages.

At times, we don't even need other people to mess up our page. We do a fine job of it on our own. Letting things annoy us to the point of snapping at those we love… Deliberately going our own way when someone else's way would be better. Choosing to do something that we know is wrong, because we want to. Insisting on having our way at the expense of others.

Do you ever wish you could erase what's on your page? Or, just click "Delete" and eliminate what's on there? You can try to do better, but those mistakes just won't go away. No one else may see them, but you know they're there.

The good thing is, even though you can't make your mistakes and deliberate willful disobedience to the laws of man and God go away, God can. I'm not talking about a "Get out of jail free" card. Some things we do have consequences. People whom we've hurt may never forgive us. Broken laws can lead to fines, jail time, or even capital punishment. While your body may not be free, your spirit can be.

God planned you before the beginning of time. He is willing and able to rescue you from bondage to things from which you'd rather be free. Jesus is the editor who can turn your page into something beautiful.

Are you ready to have your page edited? Just ask Him. He will.

Computers

2010-08-25T11:11:00.005-05:00

My mother and I were discussing our annual Christmas album this morning. Every year, when we're able, we like to put together an album of public-domain Christmas music for our family and close friends. It's a gift that takes time and thought, not just money. When we first started out, we used recording tape or cassettes, but since I got a recording program for the house computer, we've been using that.

Oddly enough, Wave (.wav) files take up a lot of disk space. MP3 and MP4 files (like the ones playable on an iPod®) are much more compact. Because of the way they compress the sound, however, most digital recording programs don't use them. After a few years of recording Christmas and other sundry music, our hard drive has filled up to the point where I need to delete some files. No deletion, no room for new music (or books, articles, or photos)!

I started going through the files yesterday to see what I could delete. Looking for an empty place to put files I wanted to keep, I couldn't find an available CD-ROM.

When I told Mom about it this morning, it got me to thinking about computers in general. I said something about being glad that God's hard drive never fills up. She suggested that sounded like a blog to her, so here I am!

Just think about it. God has created billions of people over the years, and He knows everything about each one of them from the beginning of time to the end. He has kept track of you from the moment you came into existence. Knows all about the grades you made in school. Knows about your first love...and your second...and your third... Keeps a loving eye on you at all times, even when you're not walking with Him.

God's computer has it all on record. His hard drive never runs out of space. It always has room for more. His computer never crashes. He'll never lose touch with you, even if you deliberately try to lose touch with Him. And why? Because He loves you.

So the next time you're upset because your hard drive is too full, or your computer just crashed, or you can't access a file, remember: God loves you, and He'll help you through it, if you'll let Him.

Book Review: STEADFAST SOLDIER, by Cheryl Wyatt

2010-05-09T12:11:00.003-05:00

When I discovered Cheryl Wyatt was doing a promotional tour for her upcoming June release, STEADFAST SOLDIER, I jumped at the chance to be part of it. Why? Because Cheryl always delivers a great romantic read with characters going through true-to-life situations, enhanced with humor and undergirded with faith. This latest book is a worthy addition to her Wings of Refuge series.

For those of you who may not already be familiar with the series, Wings of Refuge is the story of an elite team of Air Force Pararescue Jumpers. Each of these brave heroes has his own journey to faith and love.

Chance Garrison, a hard case, found faith in an earlier novel. Now he’s found purpose: to help troubled youth at his church in addition to his military job. Having lost his mother not long ago, his heart’s desire is to marry and have children while he’s still young enough to enjoy them. Enter Chloe Callett, a feisty Occupational Therapist assigned to help Chance’s father recover the use of his arm after a massive stroke.

Chloe has emotional scars that don’t show on the surface. Her life’s work, rescuing animals and training them as furry therapists, possesses all her thoughts. She’s not about to let some incredibly hunky Airman derail her from her purpose in life. Or is she?

Set in the town of Refuge, Illinois, STEADFAST SOLDIER will warm your heart. Getting to visit with old friends from the series is another perk. There are some interesting surprises in this book. If you’ve never read any of the PJ novels, this will be a great place to start!

Meaningful Easter...

2010-04-04T11:38:00.007-05:00

This Good Friday, our church put on its first-ever Easter Pageant (at least since I've been there). It was a gigantic undertaking for a not-huge church, and there were times we wondered whether we would pull it off. We should have known better. With all the prayer we had going for us, it had to be a success, and it was.

Despite thunderstorms, the auditorium was packed, and the audience overflowed into the fellowship hall to watch by closed-circuit TV. According to one attendee, they were transported back to ancient Israel. I know I was.

When our minister of music asked me, a month into rehearsals, to take on the part of Jesus' mother Mary, I was honored that he thought I could handle it. I'd missed the previous practices due to Mom's & my getting sick after Christmas and taking a while to recover. When I went online looking for a similar version to the solo, I saw some impressive talent. "The Day He Wore My Crown" is a beautiful, poignant song. How many times have we known that Jesus was crucified in our place, but never stopped to consider that crown of thorns should have been placed on our heads? It gave me real cause to think.

It also gave me a lot of trouble. Once I put myself in Mary's sandals, I couldn't sing it. During Holy Week, we think of Jesus' passion and suffering, but don't often think of the pain his mother endured. I know I hadn't thought about that aspect. I thought about his disciples, his friends, about the Lord Himself, but not about His mother and how she must have recalled Simeon's telling her "a sword will pierce thine own soul also."

It took me a long time just to be able to sing along with the soundtrack. I'd get so far, and then the enormity of the words would hit me, and I'd break down. At last, I got to where I could sing it with the choir backing me up.

Then we practiced the music for the first time with our Jesus singing with us. We sang "Behold the Lamb" as he stood there fastened to the cross in jeans and a t-shirt. For the first time, he spoke the words uttered so long ago in another language: "Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit. It is finished." My musical cue came. I walked downstage, opened my mouth, and burst into tears.

Despite no one's being in costume, the reality of what we were doing pierced my soul. Jesus was crucified for me. He did wear my crown. And He would have done it if I'd been the only sinner ever born. What we represented really did happen in ancient Judea. Jesus really died. Really was buried. Really rose again in a body like we can't imagine on that Sunday morning. Really is coming again to reign for a thousand years before the earth is made new.

I asked for, and received, prayer, and I got through the song, not only that first proper rehearsal, but all the subsequent ones, and our Good Friday presentation. That's not to say I didn't cry. If I hadn't cried, if that song, meaning what it did, hadn't brought me to tears, if I hadn't been so touched by it, neither would anyone else.

So, as Holy Week draws to a close, ask yourself whether you've ever personalized what Jesus did for you. If you haven't, can you think of a better time than now? After all, the present is all we have.

Photo by Kathleen C. Davis, (c) 2010

One thing about being a writer...

2010-02-04T13:41:00.003-06:00

...or a reader...

It gives you an imagination. Or, maybe you have the imagination to start with, and that's why you end up a reader and writer.

Looking out at the snow and ice on our trees, it looked like a famous fictional place. See if you don't agree....

The Ice Storm of 2010

2010-01-29T22:20:00.003-06:00

It all started with freezing rain....that turned to sleet......that turned to snow.......
We had three inches as the sun was going down. Now it's at least seven. We'll try to get more pictures tomorrow, DV.

Comes an Interview

2009-09-27T09:23:00.003-05:00

I've been promising to do an author interview and book giveaway with thriller author Robert Liparulo for some time, but due to time constraints on both our parts, we haven't done one yet. However, stay tuned! In early October, I plan to post the interview, a review of some of his novels, and a chance to win a paperback copy of COMES A HORSEMAN.

October is the perfect time for this. COMES A HORSEMAN is downright terrifying, and establishes Liparulo as one of the premier bestselling thriller authors of this generation.

So stay tuned! Author interview coming soon! In the meantime, if you just can't wait, follow the widget to buy copies of his exciting novels!

Dealing with Distractions

2009-08-19T14:06:00.002-05:00

Are you one of those people who can set a goal, lay out the plans, and then forge ahead, keeping on until you finish? Or are your projects something you start with joy and then, due to one thing or another, keep putting aside and never completing? If the latter is true, distractions may be getting the better of you.

I think the fact that my last post was in early June shows where I am: definitely in the distractible camp. To determine where you stand, I’ve made up the following little test.

You May Be Distractible If:

You’re in the middle of preparing a fancy dinner. The phone rings, you run to answer it, and forget all about dinner until you smell something burning…
You’re on hold with Customer Service when your child runs in carrying a skunk. You shriek, drop the phone, and try to get both child and skunk outdoors without alarming the skunk (unless it’s already too late for that). The first time you remember you were finally about to speak with a live human being on the phone is when you finally make it back to find the phone on the floor making strange noises indicating you should hang up.
You’re in the middle of writing a really great story, when suddenly another story idea pops into your head. You abandon the story you’re writing and start working on the second idea. When (or if) you get back to the first story, you no longer remember where you were going with it, and you’ve lost all your momentum. To quote the old song, “the thrill is gone.”

If you’re a writer, you can probably identify with the last, at least. What can you do about the allure of a new idea? Just give in? Keep on without paying it any mind and risk losing it to that vast wasteland of escaped ideas?

If the idea is quick and ephemeral, write it down before it escapes and then get back to work on your work in progress.
If the idea comes almost completely fleshed out with characters, plotlines, and a sense of urgency, mark your place in the work in progress and make a general outline of where it was headed. Then stop and work on the new idea. (By making notes for the current work, you’ll be able to come back to it later without forgetting where you intended to go next.)

There have been times I’ve had to abandon one story for another and neglected to make notes of where I intended to go next. Some I’ve been able to complete, but some are still languishing in the “I’ll finish it later” pile.

Most important suggestion: pray about it. Ask the Lord whether the new idea is a gift from Him, or a distraction to keep you from finishing what He has you writing now. Let His Spirit speak to yours. Then you’ll know what to do!

Little Things

2009-06-05T17:39:00.003-05:00

I just discovered something about myself this week: I'm really dependent on the Internet and e-mail. Being able to connect with friends and family is very important to me! I found out because my Internet Service Provider went bankrupt.

Now, if I'd been getting my e-mail through the ISP, I'd have known this in time to prevent an interruption of service. However, since we have another e-mail service we preferred to that one, we never checked it. At all.

My point here is that sometimes we need to check on the things we don't think are important. Sometimes little things can affect us in profound ways. I'm not saying that our life was miserable for the four days we were without access to the 'net and our e-mail. I actually got quite a bit of work done that might otherwise have been neglected. However, like the tithes of cumin and mint, we ought to have done that and not left the other undone...

Is there some little thing in your life that you've been neglecting? Something small you may not think is important? If so, pray about it. Maybe it's something that means the world to someone else.

Yourtown Directory

2009-05-14T12:53:00.003-05:00

Whether or not you're planning to write a series, having a phone directory for your characters and the places they shop can be handy for you. Think-about your town's phone book. It will not only have the name and phone number, but also the address, the town (if it covers more than one metropolitan area), and sometimes the zip code. While I don't advocate using something that could be an actual phone number (in case anyone ever gets hold of your directory), the ever-popular prefix 555 can be a substitute that won't get you in hot water with real people.

You may want to divide your character phone directory into categories, just like the real thing: White Pages for home listings, Yellow Pages for businesses, Government Pages for things like City Hall, the Fire Department, Police or Sheriff's Department, etc. You can get as creative as you wish, but you don't have to get elaborate. This is just a guide for you, the writer. I do suggest putting letters in (A, B, C, etc.) for the surnames, and, just like a real phone book, put Surname first, followed by First & Middle names or initials.

I've started one for my small town where I hope to set a series of books. I have all of the above. My "Yellow Pages" aren't yellow, but I did divide the business listings from the personal listings. I scoured my manuscript, and every time I ran across a new name, I listed it in my directory. (That's one neat thing: you don't have to worry about having unlisted characters!) That way, they're there for future reference. I also added surnames for just about every letter in the alphabet, so I have plenty of room to be creative in adding future characters.

While you're in the process of creating your town or city is a great time to start a directory. However, if you already have several books in your series, it isn't too late. It may be a little more time-consuming, adding in the characters and their addresses and phone numbers, but it will help you in the long run.

Happy world-building!

Mothers

2009-05-10T11:09:00.002-05:00

Today is Mother's Day in the United States. I've been thinking a lot about motherhood. It's something I've missed, and that sometimes makes me sad. I've missed a lot of joy. A lot of sorrow, too, I know, but in this life you have to take the bad with the good.

I have a wonderful mother. She's a good friend, not only to me, but to everyone who knows her. She's always been a great example, not only of motherhood, but womanhood in general. She taught me what it means to be a friend, to live my faith, to hold on to what's important... I hoe you have a mom like mine. It's a blessing.

Power

2009-05-05T11:39:00.007-05:00

Our RV is finally back in the place where it belongs. Our cousin helped us get it set up properly, perfectly aligned (probably for the first time in its life), and hooked up to the water & electricity. There was only one thing wrong: no power.

When we moved here, we had the lines set up to run from the old house out to the RV site. Everything worked just fine. After our last trip, however, something was wrong. I checked the power cord, but there was nothing wrong with it. I checked the circuit breakers. Again, they were all in good shape. The fuses looked fine. I decided the problem must be at the source.

When I went over to the house, I opened the breaker box. Sure enough, the breakers had flipped. So, I switched them back on and plugged in a lamp to check. Still nothing!

When I called the electric company, I was sure the problem was with the line. We'd had a horrendous thunderstorm last year that took out our transformer, which they'd replaced. The man who called back checked the line. It was hot. Power was going to the house. It just wasn't doing anything when it got there.

We thought we'd have to hire an electrician to come out and work on it, since I couldn't find the master switch anywhere. I thought I'd have to replace the circuit breakers because something had to be wrong with them. I also knew there had to be a master switch somewhere, because otherwise, it wouldn't be safe to work on the wiring.

Today, some linemen came by. The electric company is going to be replacing the power lines through the valley, and they wanted to let us know about it, besides asking which was the best way to get down to the pole. While they were here, I told them about our problem with the little house, and they agreed to look at it for me. Sure enough, they were able to find the master switch just fine and flip on the power to the inside of the old house and the RV site. I switched on the two newest circuit breakers, and the power was back on! Amazing! After we'd thanked them, they went ahead to check the wiring down the valley.

I went on over to the RV and checked. Sure enough, the lights were on! (I turned them off.) While I was there, it struck me:

What I'd done was a lot like religion.

I checked all the connections.
I made sure all the fuses were good.
I turned on all the appropriate circuit breakers.
Everything should have worked. And there was only one reason why it didn't: no power.

In the same way, we can be doing all the right things, making sure everything is plugged in and turned on, and trying to psych ourselves into having a connection with God or whoever we worship, but without the power to make it happen.

The Creator of the Universe designed things to work in a particular fashion. He planned from the beginning how to correct our lack of judgment and rebellious natures. He decided to become one of us, cramming Himself into a tiny embryo in the womb of a virgin, the "Seed of the Woman." Only by bypassing having a human father could Jesus be born without sin. Sin is in our blood. Science has proven that we get our blood from our father, not our mother. We have our father's blood type. We get our DNA from both sides, so Jesus carried His mother's human DNA, and His Father's divine DNA. In order to rescue us from our impossibly sinful nature, He chose to become human, only sinless, so that He could become the sin-sacrifice for us, cleaning us once and for all in ways other blood sacrifices never could.

Jesus became our power switch, our connection to the Father. Without Him, we can play church and do all the right things where people think we're all right, but there's nothing to back it up. The lamps are all there, they've got lightbulbs, but there's no light. He's our light, and the power for us to shine as He does.

If you're just going through the motions, attending a church or some other form of religious activity and thinking that's all there is, plug into the Power Source today. He's just waiting to supply all your needs, especially to drive the darkness away and bring you into His eternal light.

Characters---How much information is too much?

2009-04-30T17:25:00.004-05:00

This is never an easy question for writers who fall in love with their characters, who turn them into real people in character-driven novels. (Of course, in the plot-driven novel, the characters are sometimes little more than game pieces to be moved about at the author's whim.)

If you're writing the character-driven novel, the temptation will be to put in every single loving detail you've crafted. Before you do, though, ask yourself how important it is for your readers to know that the protagonist only uses peppermint-flavored toothpaste and won't abide spearmint, that he only shops on alternate Thursdays (unless it works into the plot), or that his aunt's second cousin twice removed is flying to Europe (unless the cousin is part of the plot).

The trick with writing, whether it be novels or short stories (but especially in short stories), is to know what to leave out. There's no easy way to know what is too much information, but here's a simple rule of thumb:
If it isn't moving the story forward, it can probably be cut.

Flora & Fauna in Your Novel or Story Setting

2009-04-27T16:14:00.003-05:00

This may be something you take for granted, but if you are writing something set in a different area or historical period, the types of plants and animals in the area can add or detract from your story. You may think you know your setting inside and out, but even if you only refer to another area, you could easily mistake one type of animal or bird for another. (Unless this is a clue in a mystery, say, for example, a character supposedly from South America talking about the emus instead of the rheas and that giving the clue that they're not from there after all.) One Regency author I read a number of years ago gave herself away as an American by refering to a bluejay. England has jays, but they aren't blue.

One thing you can do is get bird & plant guides (from the library or used bookstore if you're strapped for cash). Don't automatically refer to something and think you're right about it. (Remember that scene in "Mary Poppins," where the "robin" is an American Robin, not an English one?!)

If your book has an historical setting, make certain that the birds & animals you put into your book were there at that time. Migration patterns and habitats change. Species become extinct. Checking your facts can keep you from making a blunder that will have readers either laughing or grinding their teeth.

Make your research fun. Challenge yourself. You'll be glad you did!

Orient Yourself

2009-04-26T12:49:00.007-05:00

That handy-dandy, seldom-used-any-more phrase comes from the days when maps had East at the top instead of North. To make sure you were headed in the right direction, you turned east, holding the map, until things lined up. The sport of orienteering, lining things up and finding your way with only a map & compass, takes its name from that time, as well.

What does that have to do with writing, you ask? Well, take this scenario: You've written a book. The hero is driving south on Main Street, and suddenly, coming out from behind a cloud, the sun gets in his eyes, setting directly in front of him. Ummmm... Oops.

Maybe nothing this extreme has ever happened to you, but if you'll take the time to make a map of your book's main location, it won't ever have to! It doesn't have to be anything fancy, or rival the ones on the internet or in atlases. A few simple lines can keep you from having your character go out the door of the department store on First Street, having gone in the same door on Seventh Avenue.

I just "drew" a map of a town I've called Fictionville, using MS Paint. You don't need a computer program, although you could use a mapping program or a drawing program. Sometimes the simplest is the best. Try a pencil & paper, and just give yourself a rough idea where all the buildings in your setting are located. Here's my sample:

Though barely legible, at least it will give you an idea. It doesn't have to be much. No one ever has to see it except you (unless you decide some day to include a map in your books, the way many authors of fictional towns have done, and have it sketched again, either by you or a professional artist). It'll keep you from mentioning the apartments between First & Second Avenue, when they're between Second and Third, or from visiting the library on Fiction Street when it's on Main.

World Building

2009-04-22T10:35:00.003-05:00

When we got one of our older computers (longer ago than I care to remember!), it came with a fun program called "Sim Town." Using this game program, I could build little towns with schools, fire stations, police departments, roads, houses, shops, parks, and all kinds of neat things. I miss having it to play with.

However, as writers, we can invent as many towns and cities as we like. For my NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) book of 2007, I revisited a small town I'd invented for a script back a while and never forgotten. Set in the southeast corner of Arizona, not too far from Benson, Tombstone, etc., it's in an area where we have spent a lot of time, so I was already familiar with the topography, climate, flora & fauna.

So, if you write, what do you do when you're inventing a town? Do you write about something that could fit into the area where you live, or into a place where you've taken lots of vacations? Do you put it someplace impossibly romantic, like Ruritania or Lissenberg, fictional European countries?

Over the next few blog posts, I'm going to recount a little of what I've been doing to help me create continuity, so that when I write more than one book set in the area (I'm already writing another one), I won't make any serious mistakes, like giving the heroine's best friend black hair when she's a blonde, putting the diner across the street from the gas station when it's closer to the hardware store and marshal's office, or forgetting which direction from the main part of town you have to go to reach the school and the airstrip. Hope you enjoy!

Resurrection Sunday

2009-04-12T17:17:00.000-05:00

Have a blessed Resurrection Day!

Questions for Readers

2009-04-09T12:22:00.004-05:00

If you consider yourself a reader, what sort of books do you like to read? What makes you, the reader, satisfied with a book. Here's a little questionnaire to help writers write better, just for you!

Do you read literary fiction, genre fiction, or both?
If you read genre fiction, do you read just one genre or more than one?
What are your favorite genres?
What do you like and/or dislike in a fictional Hero?
What do you like and/or dislike in a fictional heroine?
Are there any plots you especially like in a book? Why?
Are there any plots you especially dislike in a book? Why?
What makes you first pick up a book?
What makes you put a book down without finishing it?

Please feel free to post your answers. I'll look forward to hearing from you!

Ice

2009-01-27T12:48:00.000-06:00

Okay, so the ice is a little hard to see in this tiny picture, but ordinarily you can't see the branches of the trees much when they are leafless. So far, we haven't lost power, for which we're praising God, but some people in town have. It's currently above freezing, but supposed to drop below and be frozen tonight & tomorrow..... Slippery!

Happy New Year?

2009-01-01T13:35:00.002-06:00

2008 went by in a blur. So many things happened that it's hard to keep track. I wrote two books, for one thing. Yes, really. I'm amazed, too.

I'm not going to go into a huge reminiscence about 2008. I'm looking forward to this year. So many possibilities. So many opportunities. A new year in which to get things right.

So what are my hopes for 2009? I hope that you, whoever you are, wherever you are, will find real hope for the future, in the Biblical sense of "steadfast assurance." I hope that you will decide not to let circumstances get in your way or get you down. I hope that you will learn the true meaning of joy, not just happiness. I hope you find your joy in the Lord.

With that said, I wish for you, not an ephemerally "happy" new year, but a blessed one!

November 21st, 1008: Interview with Loreth Anne White and a chance to win MANHUNTER

2008-11-21T10:03:00.003-06:00

http://community.eharlequin.com/content/interview-loreth-anne-white-and-manhunter-giveaway

NaNoWriMo Starts Today...

2008-11-01T11:59:00.002-05:00

...so if you think I've been a bad blogger before (and I have, I freely admit), you may not see me again until December. On the other hand, who knows? I may just pop in here from time to time just to see how you're all doing!

So far today, I have written CHAPTER ONE and one, count 'em, one sentence. Hoping to improve that score before the day is done, DV.

Belatedly: The Winner of JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL is...

2008-11-01T11:35:00.002-05:00

WendyK.
Send your e-mail to Kathy Carlton Willis , WillisWay @ aol. com (close spaces) , with your contact information.
Congratulations! (And sorry to be so late!)

WIN a copy of JESUS TAKES THE WHEEL

2008-10-02T11:20:00.002-05:00

It's not too late to enter to win a copy of Stuart Migdon's wonderful book, JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL. Just leave a post here, and you'll be entered!

Jesus Take The Wheel (Part 4)

2008-09-20T10:50:00.006-05:00

What People Are Saying About Jesus Take the Wheel

Too many people say they have a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ, yet a little probing finds that He is either in the passenger seat, in the back seat, or even in the trunk. Stuart Migdon expounds powerful biblical principles that show that there is only one place for Him to be-at at wheel.
Ray Comfort-Co-Host of The Way Of The Master TV Show-Author of more than 60 Christian Books.

Just like a fast-paced game, our lives are full of events that can quickly steer us off track. Jesus Take the Wheel is the game plan all of us need to get us on the right track with God and keep us there.
Byron Scott- NBA Head Coach- New Orleans Hornets.

About Stuart Migdon

Stuart Migdon was raised in Reformed Judaism. He married and became a father at the age of 18. With no money and no one to help, he quickly determined he had to take control of his own life. He developed a "don't quit" attitude and set out to beat the odds that were already stacking up against him. While working a full time job to support his family, he also managed to graduate college in four years, and to do it with high honors. That same stubborn persistence propelled him to become a CPA and later a successful insurance agent. With a commitment to hard work and excellence, Stuart continued to achieve every goal that he set for his life. However, all the success in the world could not fill the emptiness that was growing within him.

In 1991, things began to change. He came to know Jesus as His Messiah and felt a strong desire to live a life that would really be pleasing to God. A life that he somehow knew was radically different than the one he had been living. With every ounce of his being, he was now determined to live that life.

Since then, Stuart has become an avid student of the Bible. Over the last five years, his thirst for more has led him into a detailed study of God's Word, and specifically the lives of the Bible's two central figures, Jesus and Moses. During this time he also began to realize that what had been driving him in his own study was more than just a personal quest for knowledge, it was actually a calling from the Lord. As a result, he began a new adventure as an author, and in 2008 published his first book,Jesus Take the Wheel: 7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God.

Today, Stuart is a successful Christian businessman and serves as an elder and biblical counselor at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge in New Jersey. Stuart's growing understanding of his own need to let Jesus take the wheel of his life, has equipped him for the many situations he faces in ministry today. In every area, he challenges those he encounters to begin living a transformed life by letting Jesus have His rightful place behind the wheel of their lives.

Stuart and his wife Jeanne have two adult children, Jennifer and Jason, and one grandson.

Stuart Migdon is available for phone visits to your bookclub or Bible study. For information on how to have Stuart speak to your group, e-mail Kathy Carlton Willis with the name of your club or study. E-mail for Bookclub Tour Information

Jesus Take the Wheel (Part 3)

2008-09-19T21:24:00.002-05:00

Here's an excerpt from Jesus Take the Wheel. Enjoy!

DO YOU DESIRE TO BE KING OF THE HILL?

The key to being used by God for His glory is that we give over control and realize all glory and honor goes to God alone. True Humility. The great love of God allows us to see the changes that need to be made in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even the greatest can be humbled.
It's never too late to change as long as He is the one changing us. Most people won't admit that being important matters to them. But if we seek recognition in one way or another, we have revealed through our actions that we desire to be self-important. Here's a five-point test to see just how significant self-importance is to you.

Five Evidences of Desiring Self-Importance

Whenever you do something with the goal of recognition, it's really about your own importance. Let's say you help someone out, and you're looking for acknowledgment of what you've done. Maybe you helped them with general advice, helped them get a job, watched their children, lent them money, bought them a gift, or did some other favor for them. You could even be doing what God instructs all of us to do, comforting the sick, visiting the prisoner, feeding and clothing the poor, or being there for the needy. If you're doing it with the desire to be noticed, even if that's just part of your reason, then you have too much focus on your own importance.
How many times have we heard people talk about a time when they did something for someone else, and the person they did it for wasn't appreciative, didn't say thank you enough, or in some other way didn't show enough gratitude? Doesn't that show that they were doing it for the recognition and not to help someone else? It's hard not to want recognition--we feel like we deserve it. That's the sin nature with which we constantly struggle.
The fight is only won with God at the wheel. In order to do so, you need to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit and relinquish control of your life to Him. When you give to others without looking to feed your own ego but only to see good being done for someone else, your reward is from God, and it far surpasses any reward of recognition you can get from man. Keep in mind that recognition can be good if it comes naturally, but if you do things with the intention or motive of being recognized, you're making yourself too important!
Whenever a good deed is not done because it brings no attention to you, then it is really about your own importance. How about when you assess a certain situation and you decide not to help if you don't get recognition. Perhaps you decide not to give to a good cause because your gift would be anonymous. Or you decide not to help someone unless there are enough people around to see--an audience, so to speak. Some people are notorious for showing up to help at a charitable event only for the recognition, the photo op so to speak. Once the cameras are packed away, they leave. We do the same thing when we choose not to do good deeds when there is no acknowledgement in doing so. If that's your thinking process, it is obvious that recognition is your motivation, and you've put too much significance on your own importance. The recognition may come, but it is your only reward. God will have no part in it.
When you are looking for opportunities to tell people about your accomplishments, it's really all about your own importance. Have you ever been in a situation where you've heard someone telling others about their own accomplishments, their job titles, degrees, money, house, or material possessions, when there's really no need for others to know? Or maybe you've been around someone looking for opportunities to fit these kinds of things into the conversation? It's out of context, and it's a clear sign that they're doing it for recognition, putting too much significance on their own importance.
When you worry about what others think of you, you are too focused on your own importance. If you are constantly worried about what other people think of you and you make decisions based on this concern, you are placing too much significance on your own importance. It could be deciding to go someplace or to be with some people because you think others will look more favorably on you. Or perhaps you stay away from someplace or some people because others would think less of you if you didn't. Self-importance matters to you if you are concerned about the actions you take or the things you say based on what other people might think.
When you admire others based on their possessions or status, then your focus is on your own importance. If it's all about their power or prestige, then you're impressed by the wrong elements--these things do not make a person truly important. If you are impacted by the importance of others, then importance matters way too much to you.
In summary, whenever you attempt to accomplish something with a reason other than for the love of God and the love of others, it is done to demonstrate your own importance, and it gets in the way of God's love. Rather than desiring to be "king of the hill," yield to the King of the Hill. He was victorious over death on a cross on the hill of Mt. Calvary; He will be victorious in transforming our lives as well.

Jesus Take the Wheel (Part 2)

2008-09-19T21:14:00.003-05:00

The practical biblical instruction found in Stuart Migdon's book, Jesus Take the Wheel takes readers on a two-month journey that will literally transform the way they live their lives. Rich insights from the author's own life mixed with wisdom gleaned from the pages of Scripture combines to make reading this book an adventure that will be looked forward to each day. In the face of life's many uncertainties and struggles, the message of real hope that Jesus Take the Wheel brings, is one that will benefit everyone.

Jesus Take the Wheel is a valuable resource for spiritual growth and discipleship. Through applying the biblical principles and truths contained throughout its pages, readers will begin to discover that what has been impossible alone, is very possible with God at the wheel of their lives. Each day's reading is followed by an application aimed at applying the day's biblical truths and principles to the real circumstances of life.

While many in our world today know that they need and want change, they often fail to allow Jesus to have His rightful place in their lives simply because they don't know where to start. In Jesus Take the Wheel, readers are given an easy and practical plan to follow each day that will teach them what they need to do in order to begin letting Jesus be the One in the driver's seat.

To win a copy of this book, leave a comment in the post box or e-mail me at

hope _ chastain [at] yahoo [dot] com (no spaces).

Jesus Take the Wheel

2008-09-17T14:49:00.002-05:00

An Interview with Stuart Migdon

According to your bio, you are a Messianic Jew. Tell us your conversion story.

I was raised in Reformed Judaism, made my Bar Mitzvah at age 13 and was even confirmed in my Reformed Temple, playing the role of God in the class play! When I was 18 my girlfriend Jeanne got pregnant and we got married and had our daughter Jennifer a short time later. Suddenly, in addition to going to college full time I was working 50-60 hours a week to support my family. Money was tight, we were very poor and life was a struggle. I had no time for religion in my life and only focused on finishing college in four years, becoming successful and making a lot of money so I would never have to be poor again. My life was consumed with striving for success and eventually I became physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted. In my quest for success I decided to track down the leading salesman for an insurance company I worked with. I hounded Ron for months to meet with me and he finally agreed. During the meeting he told me many things he did for success but the last thing he told me is that he prayed before each sales appointment. I told him I thought that was strange and because of my answer he reached under his desk and handed me "the book" which he told me was the bible written in fourth grade language for anyone to understand, I took the bible and decided that I was going to read the Old Testament which I did just about every day for three years. I was searching for God and I didn't really even know it. Even though the bible Ron gave me had the New Testament in it I never considered opening it; I was Jewish and Jewish people did not read the New Testament. About three years later at the age of 33 I walked into a meeting with a prospect of mine, looking to sell him some disability insurance. As I walked into Sal's office I noticed a bible on his desk and asked him why it was there. He told me that he was going to be leaving his job as the controller of a very successful company to become a full time minister. I told him that I couldn't believe that he would leave such a good job to do this and I also told him that I had been reading the bible for the last three years. Sal asked me some questions and then he asked me if I could ever believe that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. That was 17 years ago but I can still remember my response word for word. I told Sal that it would be easier to believe that I was a female then to believe that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah! Sal was surprised by my answer and asked me if he could pray for me. I told him no but he insisted. After making him explain exactly what he was going to do and say, I agreed to let him pray for me. Before I left, Sal invited me to his ordination as a minister which was scheduled in a month and to my surprise I agreed to go. I somehow felt drawn to go and I was even looking forward to it. During the service for Sal's ordination, I heard the gospel message for the first time in my life and I felt an irresistible desire to repent of my sins and receive Jesus as my Lord. I left my house that evening to go to the ordination a Jew who knew nothing about Jesus and I came home a Jewish believer in Jesus!

Most people would assume that when you began your relationship with the Messiah that Jesus was automatically in charge of your life. Did you find this to be true, or was it a struggle to keep Jesus in the driver's seat?

In the first few years as a Jewish believer I was fascinated by Messianic prophesy and I studied these prophesies regularly. I really enjoyed reading a prediction about the future coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament and then reading about the fulfillment of this prophesy in the life of Jesus. This study was strengthening my faith which was my daily prayer to God. However, in reading the bible every day I realized that God desired for me to live a certain life for Him and I wanted to learn more about what that life was. Before knowing Jesus I had read many self help books about how to live a successful life but none of the advice made sense to me anymore. Although I was changed by Jesus instantly, I was slowly learning what He required from me, how He wanted me to live for Him. I had lived such a "me" centered life before knowing Jesus, always thinking about how things would affect my life, that there was a lot of changing that needed to take place. I was a control person and so giving Jesus the wheel of my life was a difficult process. Fortunately the bible is filled with examples of how to let Jesus take control of your life and the joy that it brings when you do!

What have you found to be a Christian's biggest obstacle in allowing Jesus to take the wheel?

The biggest obstacle Christians have in letting Jesus take the wheel is pride. We say that we have no pride but our actions speak differently. We think that we can control our lives and when we need God we call out to Him for help. The world around us is so "me" centered that we can easily be indoctrinated into believing the lie that we are good enough and able to be in control. In order to begin to let Jesus take the wheel, we must understand what it means to live in our relationship with God with childlike humility, which is the opposite of pride. That's why the book, Jesus Take The Wheel begins with understanding childlike humility and why it's so important to God and how to live it every day in our relationship with Him.

Are there practical tips you can briefly share that help Christians keep Jesus at the wheel?

The most important thing to do in keeping Jesus at the wheel is to recognize whether He is truly there in the first place. We often think He is at the wheel of our lives but when probed, we find He is either in the back seat or in the trunk. One of the best indications of determining whether Jesus is at the wheel is to take a look at what you worry about. If you are worrying about your children, your job, your finances, your health, your spouse or anything else for that matter, chances are that Jesus is not fully at the wheel. Once you recognize that you need to move over and let Jesus drive, you are ready for the journey necessary to allow Him to remain at the wheel. This comes in changing life patterns and actions to no longer imitate anything of the world around us but instead to imitate Jesus. It's the journey to self denial that leads to total joy in Jesus.

Explain the benefits of trusting God completely.

When a Christian totally trusts the Lord there is a peace in their life that transcends all comprehension. Even through trials and difficulties, through tough times and sorrow there will be an inexplicable joy that only God provides. God never tells us that life will be easy when we truly deny our self, take up our cross daily and follow Him, He instead tells us that it's the best way to live. Why? Because trusting Him provides a childlike dependence on the Creator of the universe and all else seems secondary to a life dedicated to Him. When we live a life totally trusting God, scriptures come alive without doubting and our commitment to God is unwavering. That's why Jesus Take The Wheel focuses on the lives of biblical characters who have trusted God no matter what and what we can learn from them to do the same.

How do you hope to reach Jewish people with the message of this book?

I am a Jewish believer in Jesus. The book, Jesus Take The Wheel is written for the Christian audience who is looking for a closer relationship with God and all the joy that brings. Therefore the book is not specifically designed for Jewish people who do not know the Lord. However my life as a Jew before knowing Jesus is depicted in the book and my new life as a Jewish believer reveals a changed man, only changed by the sacrifice of the Messiah, Jesus Himself. Christians that read this book will be encouraged to tell their Jewish friends about the Jewish Messiah and be able to introduce them to a Jewish believer by recommending they read the book. What's also interesting is that one of the focal biblical characters written about in the book is Moses, the Most revered Jew of all time!

How destructive is pride in the life of a believer? What's the cure?

As I said earlier, pride is the biggest obstacle in letting Jesus take the wheel. Pride is why the Devil rebelled against God and why we do as well. Pride causes us to sin against a holy God. The only cure for pride as a Christian is to live a life of self denial. That's why the book, Jesus Take The Wheel is focused on doing just that. It's easier said than done and Christians need an action plan of how to live their life with no focus on self. It must be a daily plan that uses the scriptures to reveal the ugliness of pride and the beauty of a forgiving God.

How has your experience as a church leader helped to develop the methods used in the book?

As a church leader, I have had many opportunities to listen to the various struggles Christians have in their lives and how they attempt to deal with these struggles. With the responsibility to counsel other Christians comes the obligation to provide the best biblical counseling possible. That comes only as we dig deep into God's Word for the answers of how to live for Him today. I discovered that the only answer of how to do this to learn how to let Jesus take the wheel.

You're a Christian businessman. How do you think other businessmen could benefit from the principles of your book?

I have been a businessman since graduating college. I first started my career as a Certified Public Accountant and then went into the financial planning field, ultimately settling in as an insurance broker. When I first began my career in business I was struggling financially and raising a family. As I faced the many trials and circumstances that businessmen encounter, I started to spiral into striving for success and all that I believed it would bring. The striving ultimately led to physical, emotional, mental and spiritual exhaustion. Many businessmen face the same struggles and will relate to my experiences. After coming to know Jesus, I continued in business but with a different perspective. The more I let Jesus take the wheel the less striving became a part of my life. The book is written from a businessman's perspective and reveals how, as a Christian I deal with the many obstacles that are part of the business world.

So many of us are "control freaks." Does this mean we aren't letting Jesus take charge of our lives?

The short answer is yes. The bible tells us that we must decrease and that Jesus must increase. Jesus must be Lord of our lives and in total control in order for us to truly live as His disciple. Jesus Take The Wheel was written by someone who struggles with wanting to take control of his life but realizes that Jesus must be in full control. So even so called "control freaks" can live a life letting Jesus take the wheel. It takes a commitment to run the race for God but it is well worth it!!!

Belatedly...

2008-08-19T11:50:00.002-05:00

The winner of REFORMING THE POTTER'S CLAY is BeckyC! Congratulations!

Donald James Parker Interview

2008-07-19T12:22:00.002-05:00

Our special guest for today is Donald James Parker, whom you may remember from the interview/blog contest for his novel, All the Voices of the Wind. This week, we’re giving away a copy of Don’s newest book, Reforming the Potter’s Clay. Thanks for joining us, Don!

DJP: Thanks for having me.

HC: What gave you the idea to write Reforming the Potter’s Clay?

DJP: It goes back to why I got back into writing in the first place. I had a dream experience where I felt I was being told to write a book about evolution. In the morning when I fully woke, I asked the Lord, "did you ask me to write a book about evolution?" For perhaps only the second time in my life that small still voice spoke to me as clear as an actual voice with the words "And when you're done with that, I want you to go after Harry Potter and the sexual revolution." Potter's Clay is my attempt to be obedient. As far as the content, I wanted to out Potter JK Rowling. I patterned the story after the Potter books with kids being the heroes and getting into adventures, playing sports, etcetera. I do invoke a lot of humor in my work, not something that seemed to be evident when I read the first three books of the Potter series as research for my book.

HC: I can tell from your writing that you care strongly about the subject matter. It comes across in your characters, as well. What do you most want to get across to your readers?

DJP: The goal in this work is to make people see that the Harry Potter books may seem innocent on the outside, but the attraction to witchcraft is a doorway into the occult. Some people want to argue that point. For some reason a vast number of Christians choose to embrace Potter. After I finished the book, I felt strongly that I needed to add one more sentence to the ending – one directed expressly at Christians. I'm not really giving away the ending, so here is the dialogue: "I simply ask them, if Harry Potter isn't evil, what harm will it cause them to avoid him, anyway. And if Potter is demonic, what harm is it going to do to their Father in Heaven and his kingdom on earth if they embrace Harry?" The way I look at it, life is a journey on a treacherous road. If we keep in the middle of the road, our chances of going off a cliff are diminished. So I preach avoiding even the appearance of evil. Of course, I didn't feel that strongly about Potter until my experience that fateful morning that diverted my life. A lot of church leaders have spoken out about Potter and many non-fiction books have been written on the subject. Some novelists tried to diminish Potter power by writing their own magical stories with Christianity involved. I felt the need to fight Potter with miracles and not magick.

HC: I think this story would make a great film, if you could get around copyright difficulties in mentioning the books that formed the idea for the story. Would you be open to having it made into a film, should the opportunity arise?

DJP: I don't believe there is a copyright issue with mentioning books. Copyrights protect the inside of the book, not discussion concerning the contents. I definitely am interested in getting into the film industry. I've reached a point where I don't think my future lies in the world of books. I am not a very good writer of description. My strength is dialogue, and frankly, that is all I want to write. In the near future, I plan on writing a movie script. I have blue prints for several stories, but it's becoming clear to me that video is much more influential over people than the written word. My goal is not to entertain people, but to change their lives, so the movie route looks like the ticket. Obviously, I can't self publish a movie so there is no guarantee that my work will ever be offered to the public.

HC: Some of us who are with you on the American Christian Fiction Writers book club yahoo boards know that you’ve started a publishing house, Sword of the Spirit Publishing. Please tell us the story behind that, what gave you the idea, how you did it, and whether you’d recommend starting a publishing company to others.

DJP: When I discovered Lulu Publishing, the wheels started turning in my head. At the time I didn't want to abandon the goal of landing a contract with a traditional publisher. However, after a trip to the Mount Hermon conference, it became painfully clear to me that my goals were not consistent with the agents and publishers that I encountered. I could see that even if I found someone who wanted to publish my books, it was very likely they would ask me to tone down my John the Baptist approach. I'm not going to do that, just to be more popular and make more money. How I did it was pretty simple. Anybody can start their own publishing company. With Lulu when you buy their distribution package, you can choose to do so as the owner of the ISBN number, making you the publisher and not Lulu. All of their infrastructure is available at your fingertips for creating the book and distribution it across the internet. Prospering such an organization is a whole different story. This is a very competitive industry, and the chances of SOS flourishing are probably similar to a snowman standing next to the fireplace. If success occurs, it definitely will be a God thing. I wouldn't recommend to anyone to get into the writing game in any capacity, unless God has called you to that ministry.

HC: I noticed at the website, you aren’t yet accepting manuscripts from other writers. Do you have any idea at this time when you will open the door to submissions?

DJP: I have to get all of my current books on the market first. That is just about accomplished as I have five done and two to go. However, let me warn your readers that my goal as a publisher won't fit most writers. I'm not looking for the next great mystery or love story. Other publishers can handle those manuscripts. I'm looking for controversial things which apply the word of God. Jesus said that in the latter days men would not be able to endure sound doctrine. I aim to keep man's feet to the fire to hold fast to the rock and not be led astray by deceptive voices. So my hope is to be seriously looking at other people's work before Christmas.

HC: Thank you so much for joining us on the blog today! We pray that Sword of the Spirit Publishing will be a true success, and that the Lord continues to bless your writing!

To be entered in the drawing to win a copy of Reforming the Potter’s Clay, just leave a comment here or at the other blog, or send an e-mail mentioning this interview to hope _ chastain [at] yahoo [dot] com. (Replace the [attributes] and close up the spaces.)

One Day Till the Fourth of July

2008-07-03T13:25:00.003-05:00

I'm thinking about freedom today. Freedom means so many different things to people. To some, it just means setting off some fireworks on the Fourth of July. To others, it means being able to do anything they want, any time they want, any way they want. Is that really freedom, though, or is it selfishness in disguise?

Let me tell you what I think freedom isn't:

it isn't a license to do whatever you want regardless of the consequences or who gets hurt
it isn't just a slogan
it isn't just for Americans, although it certainly is for us
it isn't to be treated lightly

Freedom is:

a priceless treasure that costs a great deal, in time as well as in the lives of the men and women who fight to protect it
a chance to do the right thing because you want to, not because you have to
a chance to become whatever you have the desire to become
not a right, but a privilege

The ultimate freedom is spiritual freedom, and the chance to live forever. That freedom was purchased on a hill just outside the gates of Jerusalem a couple of thousand years ago. Unlike the freedom of the United States, a person isn't just born into that freedom. You have to choose whether to accept that freedom. It won't cost you anything, but it cost Jesus everything. If you'll let Him, He'll give you a freedom that surpasses anything you've ever known. Just put your trust in Him. Be free this Fourth of July!

Ticked Off

2008-06-23T10:17:00.003-05:00

I just saw a segment about summer bugs, i.e., ticks. In a departure from my usual blog fare, here's a cautionary word about ticks. If you live where there are ticks, or if you have pets, be sure to check every day to make sure you don't come down with some of the scary diseases that can happen after a tick has been attached to you for over twenty-four hours!

So, get those ticks off with tweezers, if you find any, and be on the look-out for red spots that spread. If you have those, get to the doctor for some antibiotics as soon as you can! (Tweezer tip: grab the body of the tick and pull slowly until it comes out. If you pull too fast, you can leave the head inside you.)

Another tip for getting rid of ticks came to me through the internet: liquid soap. I actually had occasion to use this tip last year, and it works. Take liquid soap, put onto a tissue or some cotton, and start rubbing the tick. If it hasn't gone too far in yet, it will come out. This is handy if you can't reach the spot with tweezers (e.g., the middle of your back). I discovered a tick right before our church band gave a concert at another church in the state next door, and the liquid soap trick rescued me!

Suggestion for Summer (and Winter!)

2008-06-21T11:26:00.002-05:00

If you're like me, and I know a lot of you are, you're finding Daylight Saving Time getting longer and longer, and Standard Time getting shorter and shorter. Since I'm not one to like wasting resources, it occurred to me that we need a new time to switch over the batteries in our smoke alarms. After all, switching after eight months and then four months just doesn't make sense, especially in today's economy.

Here's my suggestion: Choose either the Equinoxes or the Solstices to change the batteries. They come six months apart, giving the batteries a chance to be useful and not wasting them. Just be sure to choose one or the other, so that you aren't changing batteries every season.

I'm choosing the solstices, since summer solstice is today in the northern hemisphere, and winter solstice in the southern hemisphere.

It's just a suggestion, but it could be a life-saver. Pass it on!

Do You Blog Every Day?

2008-06-19T13:28:00.003-05:00

It has come to my attention (through reading books on the subject, etc.) that the blogs with the largest readership are the blogs with continuous new content. I've added sidebars with changing info on this and my other web pages (including the ones I manage), but still, the idea of having to write something every day just seems wrong.

It takes blogging out of the realm of the fun and jams it firmly into the domain of work. It turns it into a daily column. Not a work of art, but a work of necessity. And this (most often) without pay, a volunteer position.

How many of us have something interesting to say every single day? And, if we do, how many of us have the chutzpah to post it online, where anybody in the world can read it? If I stopped to think about how many page hits I get, would it make me blog more or less? And does it really matter?

Today's blog is only interesting if you're a blogger, I think. Tomorrow's blog: well, that should be something completely different!

And the winner is~~~

2008-06-16T11:10:00.002-05:00

Cheryl, who posted at another blog.

Remember to check the blog post again for more links to Misty's life coaching information, and thank you for entering!

Interview with Misty Taggart ~~~ WIN a Life Coaching Package!

2008-05-23T13:28:00.009-05:00

Here's a great opportunity for you to win a $75-value Life Coaching package from Hollywood Screenwriter Misty Taggart. Just put a comment here on the blog or e-mail me at hope _ chastain @ yahoo . com (no spaces) by June 14th, and I'll forward your name on to Misty for the drawing!

Hollywood Screenwriter Takes On Real Life

"I thought my life was over."

Hollywood's Dirty Little Secret

by Misty Taggart

I was living my dream. To be a Hollywood writer was everything I had wanted since I was a very young child. There was never a time in my life when I didn't know absolutely what I wanted to do. And there I was, a member of the WGA, a working Hollywood screenwriter. It was glorious. My life was so exciting! Each day was an adventure full of running to studios, pitching stories, writing and rewriting. Location shoots and lunching with Hollywood insiders.

I was so very fortunate to meet William Hanna of Hanna/Barbera fame. He told me he liked my "drive" ... my passion. It reminded him of his own. Bill quickly became my mentor and very good friend. He believed in me and my talent so much that it was this famous and very generous man who made it possible for me to be one of the first women to ever write for animation. Until then, it had been a closed boys club ... and yet, there I was writing dog dialogue for Scooby Doo in my own office at Hanna/Barbera Productions! How incredible it was to be sitting in the many recording sessions with all the big name voice-over talent.

I was so proud as I watched my talented husband, Joe, appearing on Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and Three's Company. Our friends were all in the business. We were surrounded by lights, cameras and action, all the things I had dreamed of and worked so hard to attain. It was an exciting time in my life. The strange thing was, I thought it would go on forever.

But under all the glamour and the fun, if you are in this industry very long you will find Hollywood's dirty little secret. What is that? Well ... Hollywood will not allow you to grow older! They simply won't allow it! They don't say it ... but it is made very clear. Opportunities to pitch stories stop coming your way. Meetings are difficult, if not impossible to get. It is heartbreaking and irreversible. You are on your way out! It is as though the "Hollywood Powers-That-Be" believe a human brain stops working, in any cognitive fashion, when you near the BIG 50! (A testimony to that thinking can be had by simply watching current TV.) I laugh when I think that just perhaps their skewed thinking has come back to bite them in the behind!

When it was clear that my life as a Hollywood Screenwriter was over, I was truly devastated. I felt my whole life finished. Depression and fears set in--stealing any joy I had left. Hollywood had done a good job on me. I bought all of the lies. And those lies almost killed me.

I was convinced my dream had been stolen. I was too old to ever have other dreams or to truly enjoy my life ever again. Going on living that way, wasn't an option.

But I was so very wrong! God simply had new dreams for me in this season of my life. But I didn't come to this discovery easily. It's taken time and the willingness to work with my own Life Coach. No, she didn't do it for me, but she listened to me ... gave me new ways to look at my life. Things I hadn't thought about in my devastated, crisis state. She asked the hard questions and I found answers. It was an amazing process.

Could it be that I was getting excited about life again? Together, my coach and I made a PLAN OF ACTION that fit me perfectly. I began slowly but surely to move toward a new dream.

My life coach shared her knowledge, giving me many incredible and solid life tools to deal head on with my depression and feelings of worthlessness. My faith became stronger and I was empowered to see the possibilities God was offering to me. And, with her encouragement, I had the desire to reach out and grab them! Wasn't this what Bill Hanna had loved about me? My drive! My enthusiasm? I realized I was the only one who had given up on me. God had done His part, as always .. now it took action on my part.

Would I give up on the rest of my life, brokenhearted over the past? Or would I find new vistas to conquer? I had a choice to make and I chose LIFE! I chose TODAY and all of my tomorrows. I looked at my life and all of the many trials and victories. I longed to share that with other women. To let them know they could achieve their dreams. It all became so clear! I began the study necessary for me to become a Certified Christian Life Coach. With my faithful readers, like you, at Ordinary Woman/Extraordinary God, who had been with me for so long, I began my practice.

Now, I want YOU all to experience the POSSIBILITIES for your lives! Don't give up! The definition of life is CHANGE. Helping other women walk through transitions using what I had been through myself became my passion ... My life is once again filled with excitement and I get up each day with true joy. I look forward to the day.

God had not taken dreams away, but given me new ones.This is why I'm so passionate about Life Coaching. I've been where you are! Let's do this together.
Don't you want a Life Coach who has been in those stuck and dark places ... a coach who knows how it feels to be frozen in place by fear and hopelessness? Give it a 4-week try! You will be amazed at what you will accomplish.
See: http://www.ordinarywoman.com/TASTEYOURNEWLIFE.html For more about Misty's Life Coaching, go to:
http://www.possibilitiesbootcamp.com/

GRAND PRIZE DRAWING!

Misty is making this new 1-month Life Coaching experience available to you for free, if you are the grand prize winner of this blog tour drawing. Did I say free? I meant to say FREE! $75 value. Great opportunity. Don't miss out! Leave your comment here to be entered in this great contest.

And for those of you who don't win, here's another freebie for you:
INTRODUCTING MONDAYS WITH MISTY!Start your week off with inspiration & a coaching tip of the week!

Listen as Misty gives 2 - Live 10-min Laser Coaching Sessions. Each Monday! 10am (Pacific) - 11am (MNT) - Noon (Central) - 1pm (Eastern) To join us on this Free call or to receive a Free Laser Session with Misty on the call CLICK HERE to SEND an Email!
You will receive a return email with the Dial-In number and Access Code! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MISTY? CONTACT HER PUBLICIST, KATHY CARLTON WILLIS, TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW OR SPECIAL EVENT.

The Hope Chest: 100,000 Book Challenge for Literacy!

2008-05-17T20:53:00.000-05:00

The Hope Chest: 100,000 Book Challenge for Literacy!: Terra Garden

100,000 Book Challenge for Literacy!

2008-05-10T11:39:00.003-05:00

Love books? Love a challenge? Love a good cause? Have I got a cause for you! Harlequin Enterprises is teaming with The National Center for Family Literacy to donate up to 100,000 books!

The rules are easy. Just sign up for a community ID (it's free!) at eHarlequin.com and start blogging about the books you read. For those of you who'd rather listen to a book than strain your eyes (or for those who need it), even e-books and books on tape/CD/DVD count. Every book you blog about will count toward the community total. Our aim is 100,000 books this year, since we completely blew away our goal of 10,000 books last year! Every book blogged will equal one book that Harlequin Enterprises will donate to NCFL!

When you blog about a book, don't think of it like one of those old book reports from school. You don't have to do a blow-by-blow description of the plot. Just say a few things you liked about it, mention the names of the main characters, and why you recommend (or don't recommend!) the book. The idea is to make people want to read the book, so please don't give away the ending!

One more thing: since this is promoted by Harlequin Enterprises, they ask that at least 50% of the books you read and blog be one of their lines. However, they have plenty of lines from which to choose, including Worldwide Mysteries, for those of you who wouldn't be caught dead reading a romance!

So, please, come join us, and help stamp out illiteracy! Remember, this is a free challenge. Thanks!

They Believe in Me!!!

2008-05-06T19:28:00.004-05:00

I didn't know for certain whether I would qualify for the Romance Writers of America's PRO program, but friends encouraged me to try. Since I had been asked for a synopsis and five chapters, apparently it counted, because this came in the mail this week! I'm so excited! This is one of the nicest things that has happened to me as a writer lately!

Sometimes it can be hard to persevere in the face of rejections, power outages, computer programs that eat our words and misfile our files, people who don't understand us, time constraints, distractions, other things that "have to be done right this minute!", etc., ad infinitum, ad nauseum... It's all too easy to get discouraged, to forget why we do this in the first place. When that happens, we have to remind ourselves: we are WRITERS. Writers write. No matter how hard it gets, somehow, there will always be a story out there waiting for us to tell it.

When you feel as though you've written the last paragraph you can possibly ever write, stop and rest a while. Then start again. You are Writer. Write.

I know I will. Thank you, RWA, for your confidence in me!

Stormy Weather

2008-04-23T19:01:00.003-05:00

If you're a writer who depends on electricity and especially on a computer of some sort, what do you do when the weather gets impossible, as it has been lately in the midsection of the US? Do you

Risk life, limb and hard drive by typing during thunderstorms?
Write in longhand?
Use an old-fashioned manual typewriter (which, incidentally, is usually made of metal and could also conceivably draw lightning)?
Decide that since it's storming, you should do something else, like curl up with a good book?

I've been facing that a lot lately. Spring has arrived, and with it, masses of unsettled weather. So far, I've still managed to work on a manuscript, but only when it isn't storming. When it is, I've

Taken notes in longhand on a future novel
Sorted laundry
Gone through a lot of my To Be Read pile
Cleaned out drawers and sorted clothes

I could go on, but I hear thunder....

Good Friday

2008-03-21T21:11:00.003-05:00

As Romance writers, we often think of love in romantic terms first. Then we might think of parental love, or the love for a pet, or our friends. Every now and again, though, like today, it's good to remember that love has a Source.

Love doesn't exist in a vacuum. Love can't exist in a vacuum. It has to have a reason to exist.

Love is always plural, even when it isn't reciprocated.

Love is risky. Loving someone doesn't always mean they will love you back.

God knew that. Despite everything, and knowing all the risks, He sent His Son to try to love us to Him. Love gave everything, so that we might find Him.

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sin, and not for ours only, but for the sin of the whole world."

This Resurrection Sunday, may you find the Love who gave all on Good Friday.

Tense Agreement

2008-03-18T20:47:00.004-05:00

No, I'm not talking about international peace accords, I'm talking sentences. Prose. Fiction or nonfiction.

I don't know about you, but when I'm reading a story and the author changes tenses in the middle of a sentence, I find it confusing. Does he or she mean the action is happening in the present tense, the past tense, or the future tense? Here are some examples I made up to illustrate what I mean.

Jason thought if he went sailing in the Argo, he may find the Golden Fleece. Okay, is Jason thinking about something he has done, something he's doing now, or something he wants to do in the future? This sentence is inherently confusing, because the first clause is in the past tense, and the second clause is in the present. To avoid ambiguity and confusion, either change the sentence to Jason thinks if he goes sailing in the Argo, he may find the Golden Fleece or Jason thought if he went sailing in the Argo, he might find the Golden Fleece.

Miss Eliza Bennett danced with Mr. Darcy, and later bid him goodnight.
What's wrong with this sentence? Well, bid is present tense. The past tense is the rapidly disappearing bade (pronounced bad). The sentence should read: Miss Eliza Bennett danced with Mr. Darcy, and later bade him goodnight.

If I would have known that in advance, I may not have made that mistake. This sentence has two glaring errors: the may in the second clause, and the If I would have known in the first clause. This is an error I see and hear more all the time. The use of the conditional conjunction If precludes the necessity of writing would have. It should say If I had known that in advance, I might not have made that mistake.

Check in your own writing and see how many sentences you find that don't agree with themselves. It's an easy thing to fix, and your readers will thank you!

And Now: Back to Topic. Comparatives

2008-03-14T13:54:00.005-05:00

Comparatives in English have taken a beating over the last few decades. You probably remember comparatives from school: big, bigger, biggest; small, smaller, smallest. Nowadays, however, even in print, it seems as though anything goes.

We've seen in print lately:

...more angry...

...littler...

...less small...

In honor of all our beloved English teachers, who have had a lot to bear from the entropy of English in the last few decades, here's a list of some common comparatives.

good, better, best (not "more good" or "gooder"; exception: "Put that money where it will do the most good." This isn't really a comparison at all, but could be confused for one.)

angry, angrier, angriest

little, smaller, smallest (or tinier, tiniest; never "littler, littlest;" exception: when the person speaking in dialogue is either uneducated or a child; and you won't want to use it in prose or narrative.

tired, tireder, tiredest

fast, faster, fastest

slow, slower, slowest

nitpicking, more nitpicking, most nitpicking (yep, applies to me and grammar, and, see, there are times when "more" and "most" are used with an adjective! More examples include "monumental," "phenomenal," "fabulous," etc.)

able, abler, ablest (yes, really; the antonyms are "less able" and "least able")

If you have any questions about a particular comparative not listed here, please feel free to inquire!

A few hours left to bid

2008-03-13T12:29:00.001-05:00

The R2D2 glue stick and some of the lace will sell, but you still have a few hours left to bid! Check the links below!

Rewriting the Synopsis

2008-03-11T14:17:00.003-05:00

Did you ever hear the one about "the best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley?" (Robert Burns, and you'll notice the famous title lifted from the line of his poem.)

Version Two of the synopsis was better received by my critique partner than Version One, but she still had plenty of suggestions to make it, and the novel, better. So, it's off to rewrite land to start over.

First things first. My cp advised me to start with a character sketch of the heroine, leaving out nothing important. I had left vital information about her until later in the synopsis, which affected the flow of timing and pacing. By putting everything pertinent about her into the first paragraph, I eliminate the need to mention things later, and the reader (editor) will know that the story is character-driven.

After the heroine, describe the Hero. (Unless you're writing something other than romance...male oriented action/adventure may not even have a heroine.) Everything that makes him who he is should be put on paper right at the beginning.

Then get into the story. Make sure the pacing is right. I had the Hero & Heroine admitting they loved each other on page three of the synopsis, which looks like it's halfway through the book, even though it doesn't happen until the last chapter! My cp's advice was to make it clear that it happens near the end, so that the editor won't think things are going too smoothly for the protagonists.

In addition, my cp had some wonderful suggestions for the story itself. We brainstormed a bit, and now I need to do some rewriting on the novel as well. All in all, it shouldn't take too long to fix, and it will improve the book. That, hopefully, will also improve its chances of selling!

In conclusion: if you're working on a synopsis, make sure you get all the important character information in first, and then leap into the storyline. Make sure you really care about your characters. If you don't care about them, no one else will!

Happy writing!

R2D2 and some black tatted lace...

2008-03-11T14:08:00.006-05:00

No, there's really no connection between the two, except that I have two pieces of lace and a really cute R2D2 glue stick up for sale on eBay. There are only two days left on the auction, and the starting prices are super low (I used to list the lace starting at around $8, but the smaller piece has an opening price of just $1.99; plus, if you order both pieces, the shipping for the second is only 50 cents extra.)

R2D2

35 1/2 inch black tatted lace

39 1/2 inch black tatted lace

Hitting Your Target Market: Taking Aim

2008-03-06T11:40:00.009-06:00

Do you have a target market for your novel? If so, you're ahead of the game. If you're scratching your head and saying, "What's a target market?", read on.

Writing a novel isn't easy, as you may know from experience. However, selling that novel once it's written can be even harder. Getting a book published can be compared to archery. If you just shoot a lot of arrows into the air without aiming at anything, you may hit something, but will it be what you really want to hit?

Just like archery, if you have a target, something at which to aim, you'll come closer to hitting it and getting where you want to be, i.e., published. Market research isn't always easy, though. Where do you begin? How do you find out who is publishing what?

A good start is Writer's Market. They have a new edition every year, and have even started issuing specialty editions dedicated to Novel & Short Story Writing, Children's Writing and Illustrating, and Poetry, among others. In addition, you can join their online website. For as little as $3.99 a month, you will have access to all the latest marketing information, including changes of personnel at publishing houses.

Another good place, if you're looking for a cheaper alternative, is to check into the individual sites of publishing houses. Many of them have guidelines for writers that will tell you how to submit (or whether you can submit without an agent). Browsing their catalogs and reading what they publish is the best way to get a feel for what each house handles. You wouldn't submit a tender inspirational romance to a publisher called Hot & Heavy, Inc., or a western to Future Worlds, Ltd. (Not unless you enjoy wasting postage, time and energy, that is!)

Once you've found your target market, the place where you aim to get published, start reading. If you (like many of us!) can't afford to buy everything they have out, go get a library card (if, by some unlikely chance you don't already have one). If the publisher has more than one line, especially in genre fiction, read at least one book in each line, preferably more. Find the line that reaches out and touches your heart. That should be your target line. Read the dedications by the authors, and the "thank you" pages. If they mention their editor by name, take note. You are seeing what an editor likes by what is published.

If a particular publishing house says they accept only agented works, don't waste their time and yours by sending them anything. You'll only be branding yourself as a novice who hasn't done your homework.

In conclusion, finding your target market may be hard, but it is definitely worthwhile. If your manuscript doesn't quite fit, you may want to consider putting it aside for a while (I know, I can hear you screaming how long it took you to write it---been there) and writing something that is perfect for the line. Once you are published, dig out that manuscript, reread it, polish it, even rewrite it if necessary and ask your editor (who by now should be your friend) to have a look at it. If you're willing to do the work, getting published should become inevitable!

Happy hunting!

Writing a Synopsis

2008-03-01T12:54:00.002-06:00

This morning the Lord gave me the ideas I needed for the synopsis for my novel, Desert Dreamer. I had already written a synopsis for it earlier, when I was using it for Harlequin's American Romance Editor Pitch Challenge. The earlier synopsis was all right, but Margaret Daley, who was kind enough to read it for me, didn't think the "black moment" was black enough. She also thought it depended too much on a third party (the Hero's daughter), rather than the actions and emotions of the Hero and Heroine. She was right!

So, I started over from the beginning. Margaret has an excellent article on synopis writing on her website.

This time, instead of bringing in too many references to peripheral characters, I concentrated on the Heroine and the Hero (in that order), their hopes and dreams, and the conflicts that arise from their differing goals.

Conflict is the meat of any novel. Without it, you just have a "feel good" essay, not a story. The conflict in my story came about because the Hero and Heroine want different things.

I haven't sent my synopsis off to my critique partner yet, but I look forward to hearing her opinion of this one compared to the previous one.

More on Lay and Lie

2008-02-28T11:35:00.005-06:00

One reason there is so much confusion between the verbs to lay and to lie is that their past tenses sound alike. Here's a quick and easy rundown and reference for you to use whenever you need it. Feel free to copy and paste, but if you use it online or in an article or book, please give me credit. Thank you!

INFINITIVE: to lay

Present Indicative Tense

I lay
you lay (thou layest, if you're writing Shakespearean or Biblical English)
he lays, she lays, it lays (he, she or it layeth)
we lay
you lay
they lay

Past Tense

I laid
you laid (thou laidest)
he laid, she laid, it laid (he, she or it laideth)
we laid
you laid
they laid

Past Perfect Tense

I have laid
you have laid (thou hast laid)
he has laid, she has laid, it has laid (he, she or it hath laid)
we have laid
you have laid
they have laid

Past Imperfect Tense

I had laid
you had laid (thou hadest laid--or maybe it's haddest)
he had laid, she had laid, it had laid, (he, she or it hadeth laid)
we had laid
you had laid
they had laid

INFINITIVE: to lie

Present Indicative Tense

I lie
you lie (thou liest)
he lies, she lies, it lies (he, she or it lieth)
we lie
you lie
they lie

Past Tense

I lay (See, this is where the confusion comes in!)
you lay (thou layest)
he lay, she lay, he lay (he, she or it, layeth)
we lay
you lay
they lay

Past Imperfect

I had lain
you had lain (thou hadest lain)
he had lain, she had lain, it had lain (he, she or it hadeth lain)
we had lain
you had lain
they had lain

Past Perfect

I have lain
you have lain (thou hast lain)
he has lain, she has lain, it has lain (he, she or it hath lain)
we have lain
you have lain
they have lain

Notice that these past tenses for to lie do not apply to prevarication, where the variation is on lied.

Hope's Incredibly Nitpicky Editing Techniques for Word, Part One

2008-02-25T15:27:00.007-06:00

Sometimes as we're busy getting the words down in a manuscript, little errors can creep in that we don't notice. Most of the time, Word or whatever processor/program we're using will pick up on it, but sometimes, like at the end of sentences, it will sneak past the built-in grammer checker, too.

The problem: spaces

E.g. This is the first sentence. Between this and the first sentence, there are supposed to be two spaces. However, there are three. Visually, you can hardly tell there's an extra space there, but it's there.
E.g. This is the second sentence. Between "the" and "second" there are two spaces, when there should only be one.

These are minor, but attention to detail can put you ahead of the game with editors, who have to look at enough bad grammar and punctuation without having to deal with a manuscript that doesn't look quite right.

The fix: "Find"

The "find" feature (in Word you press alt-E, F) will allow you to find those extra spaces. Enter two spaces in the "find" box and then click on "find next." It will put a small black rectangle between every sentence. If the rectangle moves on to the next sentence, you have exactly two spaces after the period, question mark, or exclamation point. If, however, the rectangle just moves slightly and stays between those two sentences, you have an extra space. You can eliminate that with either backspace or delete.

The same holds true for extra spaces between words. Most times, the internal grammar checker will underline those in green (in Word), alerting you to the problem, but sometimes it doesn't. This will show you where those mistakes are while you're busy checking to make sure you don't have extra spaces at the end of your sentence.

Another good reason for looking for extra spaces: sometimes you can fit more onto a page and avoid "widows and orphans," as Word calls those pages with a single word or sentence at the top and the rest of the page blank. Think of it as one more way you can line edit more easily. Happy editing!

Regular and Irregular Past Tense

2008-02-20T13:20:00.006-06:00

Verb past tenses are often confused, sometimes thanks in part to their misuse in the media. Does everyone remember the comedy, "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"? How many of you cringed and shouted, "NO! It should be 'Honey, I SHRANK the Kids!'?"

Shrink is actually a regular verb. From present, through past, and past perfect, it is

shrink
shrank
shrunk

Conjugated in the same way, we find

sink
sank
sunk

drink
drank
drunk

clink
clank
clunk

stink
stank
stunk

However, a few other -ink verbs are not regular. That is, it isn't

think
thank
thunk

although it makes perfect sense, and sometimes one encounters "thunk" in dialect or comic writing. The proper conjugation is

think
thought
thought

Similarly, we find

blink
blinked
blinked

wink
winked
winked

and

link
linked
linked

Unless you have delved into verb conjugation while studying another language, you probably don't give verb tenses as much thought as you should. It's easy to get lazy and write in the vernacular. While this is proper in conversation for conveying character (although, in the above film/TV case, a supposedly well-educated scientist should know how to conjugate a verb!), in our descriptions and action beats, we should never let our verbs get the best of us!

Do you have a verb usage question? Feel free to ask in the comment box, or just leave a comment if this series is helpful to you! Thanks!

Pronoun usage

2008-02-19T20:23:00.003-06:00

Today, the sticky problem of pronouns. We all know what they are, and we may think we have a good handle on using them. However, as all too many writers know, sometimes we end up with clinkers like “Joan gave the candy to Bill and I.” I’m writing this entry in Word to cut & paste later, and this time, it actually caught the mistake. You can’t always count on your word processing program to have better grammar than you do.

The problem.

The “I or me” problem usually happens because, as a child, the writer misused “me” in sentences like “Jimmy and me went to the store.” After years of hearing “and I,” the child mistakenly thinks (consciously or subconsciously) that “and me” is never correct. That isn't the case, of course. "And me" is always correct when it is part of the object of the sentence.

Determine which of the following is correct.

Joey and me need some answers.
Joey and I need some answers.
Janet gave Bill and I some coffee.
Janet gave Bill and me some coffee.

The fix.

In order to figure out whether to use "and I" or "and me" in sentences, take out the other party, e.g., Joey and Bill. Since you would never say "Me need some answers" or "Janet gave I some coffee," it's easy to see which ones to use. Your correct sentences are below:

Joey and I need some answers. (I need some answers.)
Janet gave Bill and me some coffee. (Janet gave me some coffee.)

The problem.

Who and whom. I have read some published books where the author was unsure about whether to use who or whom in a sentence, and the editor didn't know, either. While I have no objection to their being misused in conversation (after all, proper usage goes to indicate education levels, and you wouldn't expect someone with a third-grade education to use who and whom properly; unfortunately, in real life, I've heard people with doctorates misuse them!), in prose, it just reflects badly on the author and the editor.

Who did you say was calling?
Whom did you say was calling?

If the sentences above were:

Who was calling?
Whom was calling?

you wouldn't have any trouble picking the right answer, because it's obvious. The two earlier sentences are trickier, because, at a glance, they both look right.

The fix.

In order to determine who or whom, just substitute the proper pronoun for the person who is calling. E.g. the answer to the above question, if keeping to the who/whom subject/object format, comes out like this:

He was calling (or she was calling).
Him (or her) was calling.

That makes the answer easy to see!

In conclusion, just determine whether your pronoun is the subject of the sentence or the object of the verb. The subject will be I, you, (thee), he, she, it, we, you, they. Object pronouns are me, you, (thou), him, her, it, us, you, them. So, It and You remain the same whether they are subjects or objects, while the rest of the pronouns are irregular.

May or Might--find out for sure!

2008-02-18T18:57:00.005-06:00

I've had such a good response from the Commonly Confused Words page on my website that I've decided to tackle a few more little grammar bugbears that can make writing difficult to understand.

Conditionals.
More people seem to have trouble with conditional verb usage than any other form. May and might are used interchangeably. Lay and lie are likewise confused. There are scores of others, but we'll start with these two samples.

The problem:

May or Might: which one should you use? To find out, try them in sentences.

You may have been killed!
You might have been killed!

OK, the response to the second is, "But I wasn't killed. I'm okay."

The response to the first could easily be, "Oh, my goodness! Was I killed?"

In determining which one to use, may or might, first determine the time and intent of the sentence. Is it something that, if it happened, makes the question possible? Does it make sense?

The fix:

When in doubt about whether to use may or might in a sentence, substitute can and could. That translates the above sentences to "You can have been killed" and "You could have been killed." Obviously, unless you're talking to a ghost or a vampire, you wouldn't tell someone that they can have been killed.

The problem:

Lay or Lie: If you've been brought up to believe that to lie is only to prevaricate or tell an untruth, then let me introduce you to a better definition.

I'm going to lay down.
I'm going to lie down.

In the second sentence, I realize you're probably tired and want a nap. In the first sentence, I want to know what you're going to lay down.

The fix:

Again, using synonyms for the words in question can get you out of a sticky situation where the reader may misunderstand you. A synonym for lay down is put. A synonym for lie down is recline.

I'm going to put--- [Famous sample, first line of "Down By the Riverside:" "I'm gonna lay down my burden..."]
I'm going to recline. [I can almost see the recliner now, can't you?]

The problem:

Set and Sit: often confused because they're similar, short, and sound alike.

Set down and rest a spell.
Sit down and rest a spell.

(Yes, I know the examples are Southern. I'm in the South now.)

The fix:

Using synonyms will help you out of the jam. Set=put. Sit=be seated.

Set down that bag of groceries and rest a spell.
Be seated and --- no, I'm sorry, folks just don't often use be seated in conjunction with "rest a spell," but you get the idea.

Check back soon for more commonly confused verbs!

And the Winners are---

2008-02-12T13:12:00.000-06:00

And the winners are: (drumroll please!)

Pammer
Missy T

CONGRATULATIONS! Please e-mail your mailing address to Cheryl at anavim 4 him [at] gmail [dot] com (removing all spaces and replacing [at] with @ and [dot] with . ). Cheryl says you may have your choice of regular or large print, so please be sure to indicate your preference when you write.

Thank you to all of you who participated in this great experiment in blogging! You are what makes blogging fun!

Something Different: a book giveaway, blog interview, book review and guest blog all rolled into one!

2008-01-16T23:11:00.000-06:00

Welcome back to my too-long neglected blog! Some of you may know that my mom fell and broke her hand, which took away all my blogging time. However, I'm back, and with a wonderful combination for you all! I'm going to start it off with the book review of A SOLDIER'S PROMISE, Cheryl's first book for Love Inspired. Exciting news: Cheryl is giving away not one, but two copies of A SOLDIER'S PROMISE, one for each of my blogs, so be sure to enter by either e-mailing me (hope_chastain [at] yahoo.com) or commenting here on this blog or the other blog!

The last thing U.S. Air Force pararescue jumper Joel Montgomery wants to do is return to his home town of Refuge, Illinois, a place that holds nothing but bad memories for him. When the wish of a sick child, Bradley, to meet him, or someone like him, comes into his possession, it takes every ounce of courage he has to go with his team.

When Bradley's teacher, the lovely Amber Stanton, meets Joel, she has no idea of the challenges he faces, or how entwined their lives will become, all because of one little boy in need of a bone marrow transplant, a home, and a lot of love.

Can Joel come to terms with the deep traumas that drove him away from Refuge, or will more hearts be broken? You'll just have to read it and find out.

This is an excellent beginning for a first-time novelist who has been putting her heart into her writing for years. The story is heartwarming as well as full of excitement. Highly recommended.

HC: Hi, Cheryl, and thanks for agreeing to do an unusual combo review/interview/guest blog today!

CW: Thanks, Hope, for featuring me! What an honor to be on your blog today.

HC: Congratulations on being published! I know you struggled a longtime and have been pursuing this wholeheartedly, especially Steeple Hill. What made you choose the Steeple Hill line of inspirationalromances, rather than another publisher?

CW:Thank you for the congrats. I targeted Steeple Hill for many reasons. One being, I love their books and have read them nearly since close to the inception of Steeple Hill. Secondly, in hanging out on the warm, funny community at the Steeple Hill message boards, I saw the heart of the authors there and so longed to be among them. They were so helpful and encouraging at every stage in the journey. I also feel my stories would fit the Steeple Hill readership. I love to read and write romance, and love category romance in particular. Then upon meeting the editors and talking with them, it seemed like a good fit. I loved their vision for their house and how they talked about their authors in such an uplifting manner. Also, Harlequin markets their authors well in my opinion, which makes it easier to build a readership with their house.

HC: What does it feel like to get "The Call?"

CW:Honestly, the feeling is out of this world. It's the kind of super-charged giddy feeling and so surreal that words can't even touch it. There is such relief and excitement. You understand the true meaning of stunned for sure. LOL! It's almost like you can't believe it and hope, really, really hope they haven't called you by mistake. LOL!

HC: Did your editor give you a list of revisions, and if so, how manyand what did it feel like?

CW:My post sale revisions were about two and a half pages of things. A couple paragraphs of general type stuff, then a couple pages of specific stuff where they mention the page and line numbers. There are basically scenes that need stuff taken out and scenes that need to be built up or maybe even added. There are usually character issues to deal with as well as plot...like how I always seem to have Scooby Doo endings. I'm trying to get better about that though. LOL!

HC: What is your working style when you're writing?

CW:Depends on what I'm writing. Research and character charts are relaxed. So is layering. BUT, when I go to do the mess draft, it is INTENSE and I can't stand to be interrupted because it really throws me off. LOL! And synopsis writing makes me very grumpy....but I push through it.

HC: What does your faith mean to you, and how does it affect yourlife, including your writing?

CW:Faith is vitally important to me. God means everything to me, and faith is attached to Him....anything attached to Him is of utmost importance. I consider my writing a gift from Him and one that I can also give back to Him so it's all interconnected. I'm thankful for the ability to make people laugh and cry. LOL! I get great enjoyment out of that. Welll, making them cry in a happy, poignant sense.

HC: Thank you so much for answering all my nosy questions! And now, I turn the blog over to you, on the subject of perseverance in writingand seeking publication.

CW: Thank you Hope! It's been fun!

Thoughts on Perseverance.

One thing I heard consistently while pursuing publication was the "P" word. For those of us who want instant gratification for our efforts, it's not a word or even a concept we like to hear or embrace. I know plenty of authors who've been published a couple of years after starting to write fiction. But I also know some absolutely phenomenal writers, many of them here http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/ who have been pursuing publication for a decade or more. I heard someone in the industry (a publishing professional) say once that it takes 5-8 years on average to be published.

Problem was, I heard this when I'd only been trying for a couple of years. Very disheartening yet it also made me realize a person has to be in this for the long haul. And they have to be serious about pursuing publication. It takes work and lots of it and sometimes it takes way longer than we anticipated. The good thing is, that I think most people who stick with it and don't give up, will eventually be published. And certainly if it is something God has created them to do.

The hope in the waiting is that we have a God who fashions us with hopes and dreams. No, not all of them will come to pass, but I think He is more concerned with the process than the achievement. How we respond in the waiting. Does our integrity hold up? Do we have to battle jealousy when that writer gets a contract who has only been writing for a couple of years, and we've been trying for eight? The road to publication isn't easy for anyone that I'm aware of. It takes git-er-done grit and dependence on God to not let us lose sight of our dreams.

For me, I had to know that God was calling me to this, or I don't think I'd have chosen to persevere. It took way more of my time, way more of my heart, way more money for conferences, etc than I ever dreamed it would. But now those time and money investments have begun to pay off. Not so much that I've FINALLY sold a book, but the reassurance and affirmation from my heavenly father that I've been faithful during the process. There are so many perseverance scriptures in the Bible that are encouraging to study. Persevere in prayer and practice abiding in His presence is the best advice I can offer. When we spend time with Him, He gives us everything we need. He directs us to resources that will enable us to learn all we can about the craft as we keep God first and don't neglect things that are more important than the end product of our perseverance..which for most writers is publication.

I think each writer needs to seek God about their journey. I'm not speaking out against self-publication, or downing those who go that route. But I can't help wonder how many writers sell themselves short by taking that route instead of persevering the traditional route a little bit longer. No matter the route God intends, it is so important for us to take time to listen to God about what He wants from us. What is our part. And then be willing to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes. The only reason people miss out on their "promise land" is if they give up and quit before they reach it. Hang in there. Praying for every person reading this, that God would grace you with the determination and the grit and the perseverance to make it.

Hugs,

Cheryl

NaNoWriMo is Over, and December almost is!

2007-12-17T20:06:00.000-06:00

Where has December gone? Am I the only one who woke up today and realized it's only a week till Christmas? Of course, I've spent the last ten days being really sick with a rotten cold...so maybe I have some excuse.

Somehow or other, I managed to get the Christmas decorations up. And today, I found my favorite Christmas record. That's right: record. Read vinyl... 33 1/3 RPM, monaural..... For some reason, it just never quite seems like Christmas until I play this record. I know that I should transfer it to a CD, especially now that it's seen a few years and has started to stick toward the end... Maybe one of these days I will. I just wonder if it would seem the same if I saved it as a CD, or made it into an MP3...

Still, today, I played my favorite Christmas record. Today, it feels like Christmas. The decorations have been up since the beginning of the month. I've played all kinds of Christmas music on the CD player as well as my own guitar... Is there one special piece of music that says Christmas to you? If there is, I hope you've been playing it. Merry Christmas, and remember the real meaning of the season: God wanted to save us from ourselves, and He had to send Himself to do it!

NaNoWriMo Starts Tomorrow

2007-10-31T20:06:00.000-05:00

NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, starts November 1st. I've never done NaNo before, although I did FAWM (February Album Writing Month) this year for the first time. Since I need to write an album really fast this year for the Harlequin American Romance editor pitch challenge, I took the plunge. At first, I was worried that I'd already written 500 words on the story I intend to write. Then I read what I'd written. Yecccchhhh! Not a problem. I'll scrap that, keep the original idea, and start over from scratch! Actually, it wasn't bad, but it was a first effort, and it shows. The characters and emotions are good. I don't need some of the wording and phrases I had before.

So, it's off to the drawing board tomorrow to create this book from scratch! Look out November. By the grace of God, here I come!

And the Winner Is-----

2007-10-26T13:44:00.001-05:00

Stormi! She will receive a copy of SCARED TO DEATH by Debby Giusti! Congratulations!

Harvest Festival Online!

2007-10-22T21:46:00.000-05:00

Come one, come all to eHarlequin's Steeple Hill Harvest Festival ! For this week only, Monday through Friday, Oct 22 - 26, there will be fun & games, recipes & prizes! Some of your favorite authors will be there to chat with you! Come join the fun! Please remember to say that Hope Chastain sent you! Thanks!

My First Article is Online!

2007-10-11T11:33:00.000-05:00

My first article is online now! (Don got my byline wrong when he posted it, but still...) It's a review of "Ugly Betty." I hope you'll let me know what you think of it!

"Ugly Betty" review

Interview with Debby Giusti

2007-10-05T12:11:00.000-05:00

Today, we’re blessed to have an interview with Debby Guisti. Thank you, Debby, for agreeing to be interviewed! Debby has agreed to give away a copy of her latest book, SCARED TO DEATH, so check the bottom of the blog for details on how to enter.

HC: I've read both your books from Love Inspired Suspense, and love them! When did you first know you wanted to write suspense?

DG: I grew up reading Nancy Drew and have always loved the suspense genre so when I started to write, I wanted to stay with what I enjoyed the most. There's always a puzzle to solve with suspense, and I like the challenge of having to figure out what happened or who the villain is. Hopefully, my readers enjoy that aspect as well.

HC: How long have you been writing?

DG: I published a few articles in magazines when my children were young, but as they grew and needed more of my time, I put my writing on hold. When the children were older we moved to Georgia, and I decided if I didn't get back to writing, I never would. Once again, I turned to magazines, and since I'm a medical technologist, I published numerous articles in ADVANCE FOR ADMINISTRATORS OF THE LABORATORY and served on their editorial advisory board for over twelve years. I also wrote for SOUTHERN LADY MAGAZINE, a lovely Alabama publication. Although I enjoyed the work, my heart's desire was to publish full-length fiction. In 2005, my dream came true when Steeple Hill senior editor Krista Stroever called and asked to buy NOWHERE TO HIDE.

HC: I see that not only are you a military kid, like I am, but you also married into the military. How does that affect your perceptions as a writer?

DG: You're right, Hope. I'm an Army Brat, Army wife, and since my son is in the Army, I'm also an Army mom! In fact, my next book, MIA: MISSING IN ATLANTA (March 2008) is the story of Captain Luke Walker, a war hero, who returns to Atlanta to find the girl he met on R&R. I dedicated the book to my son, the 101st Airborne Division he served with in Iraq and all the brave men and women in uniform who defend our nation. The hero in my debut novel, NOWHERE TO HIDE, also served in the Army so I guess my military ties impact the type of heroes I write. I like take charge men with a can-do attitude.

HC: I love how you integrate your faith into your writing. Even when your characters are at their lowest ebb, faith shines through. Do you find it easier or more difficult writing about characters who have faith versus those who doubt?

DG: My faith is such an important part of who I am, and I've very grateful to be able to openly write about my characters' relationship with the Lord. If one character is stronger in his or her faith, then the other usually struggles accepting God's love. Perhaps something has happened in the heroine's past that causes her to believe the Lord has turned his back on her. Through the hero's example and as the story progresses, her heart begins to open, and by the end of the story, she realizes the Lord's love is unconditional. The character who struggles accepting God into his or her life is always my favorite, probably because I see so many people in real life who have made the same mistake. They've turned their back on God because of problems or difficulties, never realizing that God is exactly who they need when the going gets tough. I always pray for my readers and hope my stories will help someone who might be struggling to accept God back into his or her life. If that happens, then my writing has been a success.

HC: I note with great delight that you have a new book coming out in March 2008. Is it another stand-alone, or are there any characters readers will remember from your previous books?

DG: MIA: MISSING IN ATLANTA is a stand-alone with a new cast of characters. I mentioned Luke Walker, but you'll also meet Sarah Montgomery who's trying to hold together a financially strapped shelter for runaway teens. Bull LeJeune is her larger-than-life assistant, a "bad boy" who turned his life around and now helps troubled youth. Wealthy Atlanta philanthropist Winton Cunningham started the shelter for teens, and he and his Columbian wife Elena are interested in helping South American orphans find homes in the United States. Keisha and Brittany are young women Sarah has rescued from the street, and . . . well, I 'd better stop there so I don't spoil the story for you.

HC: If you had one piece of advice for writers, what would it be?

DG: Finish the book! So many people want to write a book, some people start a book, but very few people actually finish the book. Most folks get stuck in the middle. If you're at that spot, keep pushing until you can type "The End." Then you can say with pride that you've written a book.

HC: Any other thoughts you'd care to share?

DG: My latest news is my Magnolia Medical series scheduled to debut in October 2008 with COUNTDOWN TO DEATH. I'm currently working on that story and a follow-up that's as yet untitled.

Hope, thank you for inviting me to be on your blog and for such great interview questions! I always love to hear from my readers so be sure to email me at debby@debbygiusti.com and visit my web site, www.debbygiusti.com. I blog each Wednesday on www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com and would love to have your readers stop by to say hello. Wishing you all abundant blessings!

HC: Thank you so much for sharing with our readers! May God continue to bless you as you write for Him!

To enter to win a copy of SCARED TO DEATH, leave a message here or at my other blog, or e-mail me @ hope_chastain [at] yahoo.com . Lose the spaces and replace [at] with @ . Thanks for entering!

2007-10-03T17:57:00.000-05:00

My entry in the Flash Microfiction contest didn't win and wasn't one of the runners-up chosen for publication, so I've decided to post it here and on my other blog. It's Speculative Fiction. The word count limit was 100. Comments welcome.

THE ASSIGNMENT
SF by Hope Chastain
98 words

She’d been on this planet too long, that was the problem. Ariel knew the dangers. It was too easy to start thinking like the natives. That way lay death.

When would she be sent for? Her assignment was almost completed. She’d done everything that Headquarters required. Despite the dangers, she had contacted the Ambassadors and even gotten some of the natives to switch allegiance away from their home world to hers.

Pounding on the door startled her. Booted feet kicked it in. Bullets slammed into her. She was falling, falling---- Up, into the Kingdom Light.

Home at last!

Where's the Fire?

2007-09-20T12:05:00.000-05:00

This morning, after my workout, I put my veggie sausage in its little skillet to start cooking. I always put it on before the eggs, because it takes longer to cook. This morning, however, I wasn't paying attention, or I was still too caught up in the morning's activities. When I turned on the egg skillet, I still didn't notice anything was wrong. However, when I put a slice of bread in the toaster, that's when it came to me. My sausage wasn't cooking. I had put it into the skillet, but I'd forgotten to turn on the stove. I remedied that by turning up the heat higher than I normally do.

It made me think, though. Just putting the sausage in the skillet won't cook it. You have to turn on the fire. Church is like that, too. You can go to church all you like, and sit there, and listen, maybe even sing, but unless you have the fire of the Holy Spirit living in you, you just aren't cookin'. Check your heart. See if you have the fire turned on. If not, it's so easy to get turned on to the real power of the Universe. Just ask Yeshua (Jesus) to come into your heart. Then you'll be cookin' for real, and not just sitting there thinking you're on fire when you aren't.

Writing small

2007-09-14T22:46:00.000-05:00

Have you ever written an ultra-short story? I hadn't either, until I discovered the Micro-Fiction Contest held at Residential Aliens. It's quite different from writing a novel, or even a regular short story, which usually run anywhere from 1000 to 10,000 words. In Micr0-Fiction (at least as done by Residential Aliens), your word count limit is 100, not including the title and byline. Talk about writing tight! If you're interested in a quick challenge, give Micro-Fiction a try! The top ten entries will be published in the October issue of the RA site, and the top two will win e-books by Donna Sunblad.

And the Winner Is---

2007-09-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

Jenni Saake! Congratulations!

Due to Circumstances Beyond Our Control---

2007-09-09T15:04:00.000-05:00

...namely, a thunderstorm, we did not draw a name from the hat yesterday. We will draw one tomorrow, so you have until I check the blog tomorrow to enter to win ALL THE VOICES OF THE WIND.

Last Day to Enter

2007-09-07T21:01:00.000-05:00

So far, I have several names in the hat. We'll pick one out tomorrow!

Interview with Donald James Parker

2007-09-01T14:04:00.000-05:00

First, I’d like to thank Donald James Parker for agreeing to be interviewed today! Donald is giving away a copy of his book, so if you'd like to be entered in the drawing, please check the end of the interview for more details. You can visit Don's website for more information!

HC: What first gave you the idea of writing All The Voices of the Wind?

DJP: In September of 2006 I awoke one morning at two o'clock. Partially asleep, I had the feeling that I had experienced a dream or else heard a small still voice tell me to write a book about evolution, a topic I knew almost nothing about. In the morning when I awoke fully, the experience was still vivid in my memory banks. I took it to the Lord in prayer and got a confirmation. So my wheels started churning. If God really was talking to me, I needed to take action. So I started the research (about a month afterward). Within a short time I saw that evolution was certainly a hot topic, and also that there was no way I could write a non-fiction book about it. I think every story has to have a love subplot, so that is where I started. God just seemed to give me the book as I typed, so I never really had much of idea of how the book was going to end up. I didn’t even have a title for it until it was quite a ways along. I prayed about that and came up with All the Voices of the Wind, not understanding at the time the relevance of the wind with the question of evolution. ("Inherit the Wind").

HC: Ah, yes, the story of the Scopes trial.
I love the cover art! I thought it was right on target. I liked how it was love that drew the Hero, Jeremy Masterson, into questioning his belief system. I also liked the relationship between the characters, especially Jeremy, his Dad, and Maria. How much of this is based on personal experience?

DJP: I am jazzed you like the cover. I chose to do a custom photograph to capture the tug of war concept between father and girlfriend. It looks pretty unappealing to me next to all the slick covers I see coming out on most books these days. But I still believe what is between the covers is the most important element. There was basically no personal experience involved in the characters on the surface, but Jeremy is an extension of me, though I never had any of what he has growing up. Maria is my dream girl formulated in my teens and refined over the years.

HC: I can tell that a lot of research went into your book. How long did it take you from the first glimmer of an idea to the finished product?

DJP: Just like a baby – about nine months. I read about fifteen non-fiction books to acquire the knowledge I needed to present the scientific material the kids discuss and use for testimony.

HC: I see that this is book three in a series about the Masterson family. What are the titles of your other books?

DJP: I wrote a novel 27 years ago called The Bulldog Compact. It is about basketball, setting goals and working to achieve those goals, and moral choices. It was never published, but I scanned a copy into the computer, preserving my chances of publishing someday. After finishing Voices, I decided that my hero from BD could be Maria’s father and a series was born. That is book one and is almost ready to send to a publisher. Book two, More Than Dust in the Wind, will be about Maria’s youth and the introduction to evolution, but I have not even started that yet. Book 4, All the Stillness of the Wind, is done and awaiting my decision on where to publish it. Book 5, All the Fury of the Wind is about 70% complete. I will be entering that manuscript in Jerry Jenkin’s Operation First Novel contest -- if I can finish in the next couple of weeks.

HC: We'll be praying with you for that! When will your other books be available?

DJP: Two might be out before Christmas, but I might hold these and wait for a traditional publisher. I was really in a hurry to publish Voices because of the material and the culture war going on, so I self-published. I don’t feel that urgency with these books, so I’m waiting for God’s timing and direction. If there are any agents/publishers who feel God's tug to get involved with my writing, our operators are standing by to take your calls.

HC: The evolution versus intelligent design debate continues to rage in schools across the country. Why do you think the school boards are so adamantly against teaching both sides of the issue?

DJP: Truthfully, I don’t think it is really a schoolboard issue. Several schoolboards have been burned by judicial decisions in Ohio , Kansas , Georgia , Washington , and Pennsylvania . The courts have made it clear that evolution is protected from any challenge because religious overtones are involved even if no reference is made to God as the designer. I think at some point the Supreme Court is going to get involved. My book also highlights this issue and leaves the reader pondering what the future holds. Is evolution a factor in the great tribulation?

HC: Good point. It certainly could be. What do you say to the skeptics who insist that, since there’s no God, macro-evolution must be the source of all origins?

DJP: First of all prove to me that there is no God. They can’t do it. They'd say prove to me there is a God. I can't do it but I can point to the incredible world around us and say, this is evidence of my God. I think my book addresses this issue fairly well. If the God of the Bible does not exist, then some other super intelligence has created us. There is no way complex and intelligent life developed via the methods Charles Darwin proposed.

HC: Did you see the news recently of the discovery of two skulls in Africa , one of which was on the “evolutionary tree” after the other, in the same strata of earth? (Homo habilis and homo erectus.)

DJP: Yes.

HC: I thought it was amusing how the evolutionists scrambled to say something like “perhaps, instead of a tree, human evolution is more like a bush with scrubby branches.”
The latest article from the International Herald Tribune, is here. Bless their hearts, their faith just really won’t be shaken. I wish Christians were as faithful as evolutionary humanists.
What do you think of these latest findings?

DJP: The evolutionists always have a spin on things and make use of assumptions that prove that they are right. Anything they find is always pro[c]claimed to be the missing link which will prove human evolution once and for all. Frankly, I don't pay much attention to these findings because they are all speculative.

HC: To quote a Friend of mine, "Wisdom is justified of her children." Logic has nothing to do with it. As this debate rages on, what are your plans to aid the cause of intelligent design?

DJP: Two of the other books in my series involve evolution heavily. One other touches on it as my hero studies religion with that same fervor he studied evolution. I plan on writing one in the future which leaves out the religious aspect and just focuses on the plight of scientists who speak out against Darwinism and the cloak and dagger stories of those who are working undercover.

HC: I remember a real-life case of a professor a couple of decades ago who discovered evidence of the creation of matter in microcosm in all the rocks he studied. He was blacklisted, even though his discovery did not conflict with the Big Bang theory. However, since he is a Christian, and they knew it, they used that as an excuse to ruin his career. You would have a good basis for writing a novel on the trouble scientists who believe in Intelligent Design are having.

DJP: I’m not sure this will happen. When I leave God out of the story, my writing seems to suffer. I need a Holy Ghost writer. I also am making plans to develop a 45 minute talk on evolution that can be presented in a church service. If Voices could be made into a movie, I'd really like to take that route. Videos have become a great method for educating and motivating people. I think Voices would be an excellent flic for bringing the argument to the masses. Speaking of movies, I'll be writing a guest column at TheChristianPulse.com once a month on the topic of films.

HC: Thank you so much for the opportunity to read your book, and agreeing to appear on my blog! May God bless you as you continue to write for Him!

To enter to win a copy of All the Voices of the Wind, you can leave a comment here, on Hope Chastain, writer's blog, or send an e-mail to me, hope_chastain [at] yahoo.com. As usual, removed the spaces and replace [at] with @.

And the Winner Is-----

2007-09-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

Don. I'll forward your address to Margaret!

Today is the Last Day-----

2007-08-31T17:23:00.000-05:00

---to enter the drawing for Margaret's new book, so hurry and put your name in the hat. It looks great, and if it's anything like the one about the Hero's sister, it will be wonderful!

Interview with Margaret Daley

2007-08-25T13:53:00.001-05:00

Today, we’re blessed with an interview of Margaret Daley. Margaret has agreed to give away a copy of her upcoming book, BURIED SECRETS, so check the bottom of the blog for details.

HC: Thank you, Margaret, for agreeing to be with us and answer some of our questions! When did you first discover you had a gift for writing?

MD: I have always loved to tell stories. I had to learn the writing part. I decided in the late 70s to put one of my stories down on paper. No one will ever see that first attempt, but from it, I was hooked on writing.

HC: Did you always want to write?

MD: No. As a child, I used to make up stories when I played with my paper dolls and other toys.

HC: With your busy teaching schedule, how do you make the time to write?

MD: Someone once said if you really want to do something, you will find a way. I carve out time to write and I am very disciplined (as well as organized) which I think helps. I have had to give up certain things I enjoy doing in order to write however. One is that I don’t get to read as much as I wish I could.

HC: I note with great delight that you have a new book coming out in October. Buried Secrets looks as though it’s a companion piece to Heart of the Amazon. Am I right?

MD: Buried Secrets is about Zach, the twin brother of Kate in Heart of the Amazon. This novel is set in New Mexico. It’s National Treasure meets Indiana Jones.

HC: That's a great visual image. I'm looking forward to it!

How long have you been associated with Steeple Hill?

MD: I sold my first inspirational romance to Steeple Hill in June 2000. My first Love Inspired came out in March 2002 called The Power of Love.

HC: How many of your novels have been published so far?

MD: I recently sold my fifty-second novel.

HC: Wow! I'm seriously impressed! What a wonderful blessing!

What are your top five suggestions for people who can’t help writing and would like to be published? (I was going to say, what are your top five suggestions for people who want to write, but I remembered one writer saying, “Don’t!”)

MD: 1. Read. Read. Read the type of books you want to write. Get familiar with the market.

2. Write. Write. Write if possible every day or as much as possible.

3. Be persistent, even in the face of a rejection. Rejections are part of this business and I certainly have had my fair share. Don’t let them stop you from persuading your dream.

4. Keep working on learning the craft. Even after twenty-seven years, I am learning something new all the time—trying something different to expand my writing.

5. Network with fellow writers and if possible go to conferences. Several of my big breaks have come from going to a conference and meeting a certain editor or hearing about an opportunity from a fellow writer.

HC: How does your spiritual life affect your writing?

MD: Deeply. I find the Hand of God throughout my writing. I couldn’t do it without Him.

HC: Thank you so much for sharing with us. God bless you as you continue to write for His glory!

For a chance to win a copy of BURIED SECRETS, which comes out in October, please either sign this blog, my Hope Chastain, Writer's blog, or send an e-mail to hope_chastain [at] yahoo.com. Lose the spaces and replace the [at] with @.

And the Winner Is-----

2007-08-25T13:35:00.000-05:00

Cheryl Robertson! Congratulations! I'll forward your address to Eva Marie & Linda!

August 22, 2007 - Last Date to Enter Drawing Approaching

2007-08-22T11:22:00.000-05:00

I've decided to draw the name out of the hat to win THE POTLUCK CLUB TAKES THE CAKE this coming Saturday, August 25, 2007. If you haven't entered and it isn't Saturday yet, you still have time!

Interview with Eva Marie Everson and Linda Evans Shepherd

2007-08-16T07:07:00.000-05:00

Today, we have Eva Marie Everson and Linda Evans Shepherd, authors of the Potluck Club series, to share with us. They have generously agreed to provide a free book to whoever wins a drawing on my blogs, so please check the bottom of the interview for details.

First, I’d like to thank you both for agreeing to be interviewed on my blog! I really enjoyed The Potluck Club Takes the Cake, even though I haven’t read the first two books in the series yet.
Who came up with the idea for the Potluck Club?

LES: While at a mountain getaway, I read a novel about friendships and felt disappointed because the book only scratched ‘surface issues.’ It hadn’t shown the love, conflict or reconciliation that makes friendships real.

Later, as my husband was driving our family down the mountain, I decided if I were to write a novel about the friendships of women, I would add those missing ingredients and call it The Potluck Club.

I immediately called Eva. Between dropped calls, I explained my concept and said, “It could be a book about friendships written by real friends.”
“Let’s do it!” she said, and the rest is history.

HC: Eva Marie, you and Linda have each published several books on your own. Do you enjoy writing with a collaborator?

EME: I do! To be honest, this isn't for everyone. Some say that novelists can't write together and the work be equal. But Linda and I developed a system by which the work was split in half. This is not to say there have been no "problems" along the way. But Linda and I agreed from the beginning that the END RESULT was to have a WONDERFUL product, written to God's glory and [wo]man's enjoyment. That means sometimes agreeing to disagree, and talking it out. Other times it means saying, "I love you" and recognizing that nothing gets in the way of our friendship.

HC: How about you, Linda?

LES: It’s been a treat because Eva and I share friendship in the real world as well as a world of fiction. I never know what Eva is going to ‘do’ with the characters I write until I see her chapters and neither does Eva know what I’m going to ‘do’ with the characters she writes. This keeps the drama in our chapters fresh as well as unpredictable. Plus, it’s taught Eva and I how to go deeper into both the art and gift of friendship.

HC: Is it easier or harder than writing a book by yourself?

EME: Harder, for sure. No wait...easier. LOL Actually, it's nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of. But you have to understand that creative people become very protective about that which they create. So, again, it can be tricky and its not for everyone. I enjoy writing with Linda. I can't say I'd like to work with every writer...but I enjoy writing with Linda.

LES: I like writing solo and I also like writing with Eva. But like Eva says, I wouldn’t want to work with every writer. Before we wrote Potluck, Eva and I complied five anthologies with dozens of other writers. Though those books were fun to create, we later joked that it would have been simpler to have written those projects – with just the two of us.

Though that experience, Eva and I learned collaborations can be more complicated than writing alone. We also learned the two of us worked well together. So, if you find a good collaborator who shares your heart, your work ethic and your writing standards, then explore the possibilities.

HC: Do you have any advice for anyone considering collaborating on a novel?

LES: Test drive the collaboration process. Before you write something as complicated as a novel, try writing an article or two together. Also, spell out some agreements. Before Eva and I started our first Potluck Club novel, we spelled out our writing duties, schedule and editing responsibilities.

HC: Did the two of you choose which characters you would write, or did you both write all the characters?

EME: Linda and I went to the beach ( Cocoa Beach , FL ) during a trip Linda made to Florida for another conference. While we watched the waves beat against the shore and basked in the warm glow of the setting sun, we each developed three characters. We just started talking as though we were telling each other about personal friends of ours. I don't even think we wrote anything down...we just talked. We came back to my house that evening and started fleshing them out.

HC: The characters are all very well drawn. They’re real. Even though I hadn’t read the first two books, it didn't take long to get caught up in their lives. What made you decide to write in multiple POV?

LES: Thank you!

Eva and I wanted our six characters to be distinct. We also wanted a way to divide up the writing process. So we each created three characters. When we take turns writing our chapters, we slip into one of our ‘own’ character’s viewpoints.

HC: Is there any hope for further adventures of the Potluck Club?

EME: Why goodness, yes! We have three more books featuring our fearless friends of the potluck! They've formed their own catering company. Beginning next year, look for The Potluck Catering Club's Secret Recipe to be released, with two more books near summer for the next two years.

LES: It’s exciting because I think each new book is better than the last.

HC: One last question: do either or both of you have any new books coming out soon?

EME: I do, yes. I have a book written for Thomas Nelson/Nelson Bibles, currently titled (the working title) Touching the Bible; An Intimate Journey to the Land of God 's Heartbeat. This book is also cowritten, but with my Jewish friend, Miriam Feinberg Vamosh (best selling author from Israel ). Miriam has a Masters Degree in Archeology and Heritage; she led tours for 30 years. If there is a rock in Israel that Miriam doesn't know about, I'd be shocked! She was my guide/interpreter when I was in Israel in 2002 as a journalist. I went back to Israel alone in February of this year so she and I could tour the country--just the two of us--taking photos and journaling as we went along. The book will feature our photography as well as photographs by one of the most gifted photographers I've ever met, Doron Nissim , Miriam's excellent information about the traditional, biblical, or historical elements of each site followed by pages from my journals, which focuses on how the soul is stirred by the site. I'm beyond excited for it to be released, which will be next Spring.

LES: I’m also working on a solo novel entitled Star Bright as well as a couple of nonfiction projects on prayer and lifestyle worship.

HC: Thank you so much for taking the time to share all this with our readers! May God continue to bless you both as you write for Him!

If you're interested in winning a copy of The Potluck Club Takes the Cake, please leave a post here, or send an e-mail to hope_chastain [at] yahoo.com (lose the spaces and replace [at] with @). Be sure to mention that you want to enter this drawing, as I hope to hold one for every interview where the author(s) have one available!

They're FINALLY coming!

2007-08-15T19:04:00.000-05:00

Starting tomorrow, Lord willing, the much-awaited and talked about Blog Tours will finally arrive! *grin* Come back tomorrow for an interview with Eva Marie Everson and Linda Evans Shepherd!

Writing Challenges

2007-07-27T20:35:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you took a writing challenge? Cheryl Wyatt runs them on her Blogspot all the time, a fresh one every month. I'm still working on her challenge, but I just finished the latest writing challenge at eharlequin.com. Could you come up with five hundred words where the heroine dumps the hero (present or not), not once, but twice? The first time, the heroine is a Good Girl. The second time, she's a Bad Girl. You can read my entries here.

Writing challenges are good for you, even if you're working on something else. It makes you stop and think. It gives you a change of pace. Usually, challenges are short, so they don't have to take a lot of time. Plus, the short ones are a good chance to perfect your story-writing skills. If you're a naturally verbose novelist, like I am, it can be a BIG help!

If you haven't tried it yet, give it a shot! What have you got to lose but a little time?

Blog Tours Are Coming!

2007-07-14T23:01:00.000-05:00

Blog Tours are Coming!
Stay tuned for interviews with some favorite authors
plus introductions to new ones!
If you have a Yahoo ID, you can comment on the
version available at http://360.yahoo.com/hope_chastain

or feel free to post here!

Book Blog Tour Coming--- Your Opinions Wanted

2007-06-28T19:07:00.000-05:00

Blog book tours are much like regular book tours, except the authors get to answer questions and don't necessarily get to sign books. However, it's great for them, because it generates more buzz about their upcoming books, and it's great for the readers, because they get to learn something about the book in advance.

So, here's my question to you, my readers: if you could ask the writers who are going to be on my blog one favorite question, what would it be? Please post your questions here. I can't guarantee that I'll use them, but I'm definitely interested in what you'd like to know.

I'm planning to do the first of the blog interviews in the first week of July, so hurry and post your questions, please! Thanks!

Making Time to Write

2007-05-26T13:06:00.000-05:00

Some of the best books on writing and the writing lifestyle suggest that you make time every day to write. They suggest everything from an hour a day minimum to all day once a week, to going by number of pages per day.

While those books have the write, I mean right, idea, sometimes they can be a little unrealistic for those with time constraints to follow. It doesn't allow for emergencies, unexpected company (sometimes that is an emergency!), acts of God, etc.

I agree that it's important to make time to write. However, if you cannot make time every single day, you shouldn't say to yourself, "Oh, I'm not following the suggestion in the book, therefore I'm not a writer." Nonsense. You're a writer if you love to write and do it even occasionally. You're an author if you persevere to the point of publication, which means setting ego aside and taking constructive criticism about your work, making edits, and trying to fit into the buying market.

And, if you can't write more than one sentence a day, make that sentence count!

Best Laid Plans Department

2007-05-21T20:56:00.000-05:00

You know how sometimes you can have the best plans in the world? Plans about how you're going to do this or that, and you feel as though absolutely nothing will ever stop you? And then something comes along that not only stops you, but makes you feel as though you'll never be able to get back on track?

That just happened to me, in case you were wondering why there were no new writing blogs lately. I've even had trouble keeping up with my 10,000 Book Challenge Blog at eharlequin.com. However, I am trying to get back to normal (or whatever passes for normal around here!), and hope to bring you more tales of my writing adventures soon!

Time and Typing

2007-04-19T18:26:00.000-05:00

Of all the things a writer has to do, I think making time to write may be among the hardest. There are so many things in life that can steal time away from writing: reading (a necessary activity for a writer), a day job, eating, sleeping...
I think the important thing is not how many words can you squeeze into a day, but just to write whenever you can. Do your best work, no matter what. And if it's horrible, don't give up. At least you've written something! Remember, even something dreadful might have potential. With editing (your own, please, first!), it could become something wonderful!

Resurrection Day

2007-04-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Resurrection Day!

Book Review: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WRITING AND SELLING THE CHRISTIAN NOVEL by Penelope J. Stokes, Ph.D.

2007-04-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

Since writing Christian fiction is a goal of mine, having passed up the dreaming stage to the point where I'm actually working on it, finding this book at the library was like finding a handhold on a rock face when you're halfway up the mountain.

Dr. Stokes not only edits Christian fiction, she writes it as well, so she gives the reader both viewpoints. She begins with a definition of Christian fiction as accepted by the CBA, i.e., evangelical fiction, mentioning notable authors of fiction whose viewpoint is Christian but may not be evangelical, such as Madeline L'Engle, Richard Kienzle, C. S. Lewis, and others. She continues with an ennumeration of the types of Christian fiction, including romance, prophetic action/adventure (I don't think she labeled it that, exactly!) such as the Left Behind series of Dr. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins and the truly scary and wonderful books of Frank Peretti, Christian fantasy, etc. (It would be easier to write this review if I hadn't had to turn the book in yesterday!)

This book has a nuts and bolts approach to writing. Dr. Stokes dissects the writing process, and shows you how it's done for today's market. She gives the reader insightful techniques to polish and perfect their writing. This book would be useful even for writers of non-Christian fiction.

One extra plus: at the end of the book is a checklist with chapter headings, reiterating the points she made in that chapter, where the reader can analyze his or her motivation for writing, check off plot points, work on characterization, and make sure the book is moving in the direction it started. On a scale of one to ten for useful tools for writers, I'd give this one a ten!

Moving to a New Location

2007-03-30T20:23:00.000-05:00

Moving is never easy, even when it's on-line. However, since I discovered that my former blog location didn't allow comments except from other members of the site, I was already considering it. Then today, I wanted to put a post on a member's site here at blogger and discovered that she wasn't allowing posts from just anyone, so that did it!

It will probably take some time before I'm fully moved in over here. In the meantime, you can find my previous writing blogs at Hope Chastain, writer's blog. As moves go, I think this one won't be so bad.