A Rainy Day Writer In the Evergreen State

Agent Query Tips

2012-02-10T18:30:00.001-08:00

I am 67 pages away from my latest round of revisions on Dark Waters, and so obviously I'm thinking queries. Well, lets be honest. I've been thinking queries since I finished my first rough draft on my very first manuscript a couple years ago. And I've written some queries too. I don't even know how many. But this time I'm REALLY thinking queries. After this round of revisions (I think it's my 4th or 5th round), I have to go back and do a search for "was" and "ly" words to kill them. And then one more read through to make sure the story sparkles. That means I'm really close to ready.

With that in mind, I saw this and wanted to share it with you...my blog-world friends. Why? Because she says something about query writing that I've never heard or read before. I'll give you a hint. It has to do with your first 30 pages. Okay, see for yourself.

Ice Storm

2012-02-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

I just got home from busyness and I need to throw myself back into revisions, but seeing as I just came back from filing my taxes and checked that box off, I am now staring at the next line down on my list of "Things To Do In Order". Yes, they have to be done in order. What's next on my list you ask?

Buying a home.

I know, I know. Pretty big box to check. That would be why I stared and then ran to my laptop to show you pictures of our recent ice storm. :)

Look. They're so pretty...

I have many more pictures (much more beautiful than these) on my camera and as soon as I can find the thingy to download them, I'll post those too. As you can assume, we were without power for four days and the roads were hideous. But man was it gorgeous! The days and nights were blanketed by a pristine silence and as the branches broke from the forest of trees behind my house, cracking noises echoed through the woods. Definitely an experience to remember.

Okay, time to go tackle that box. I'm off to find a Realtor!

Waiting On Wednesday

2012-02-07T21:23:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's our chance to scream to the world how excited we are to get our hands on an upcoming book.

Now, this book I'm about to show you is one that I am literally jumping up and down for. I have had to stop myself on numerous occasions from emailing the author and gushing over how much I love her for writing this book. And I haven't even read it yet! It just sounds SO GOOD! Check it out:

It's expected to hit the shelves June 12, 2012

Good Reads Summery:

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Non-Crappy Writing Groups

2012-02-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not blogging about writing groups, but I'm telling you about a guy who did. In fact, he created a funny video blog about writers groups using stuffed animals. Yup. You'll have to see it to believe it. Just a forewarning though, there are two "cuss words" toward the end. So if that sort of thing offends you, then...

Go here to see animals reenact different types of writers groups. :)

Agent Judged Contest

2012-01-30T11:26:00.000-08:00

It's now open. I've had it on my calendar for a while and find myself unable to enter because I'm not ready yet. :(

But maybe you can! Good luck!

Oh, yeah, you'll want to know what it is. So, you give your first 100 words of your completed novel and a one sentence log-line. An agent will be judging and well...You know what that means!

Go here to check it out.

Look Here and then Go There

2012-01-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

We interrupt today's probably not so important announcement on this blog to send you to another blog. I know, I am AMAZING at marketing myself.

I've just finished critiquing my best friend's 365 pages of manuscript, and so lessons of editing are swirling around in my head. When they decide to actually attach to some sort of words or concise statements, I'll share them.

In the meantime, I HAVE to share this link with you. When I saw that this blog, Cupid's Connection, is about bringing agents and writers together in all that is lovely and true, I had to click the "follow" icon.

But wait...There's more!

This particular post, or shall I say contest, is a compilation of treasures for aspiring writers like ourselves. The Cupid's Connection blog had writers send in their queries and first 250 words of their finished manuscripts. Everyday, two agents read these submissions and were allowed to request only one full per day. They could also request partials. On some of these queries, the agents seemed to climb over one another, gripping at the edges of these amazing queries in hopes of scoring the manuscripts these little three paragraphed babies represented.

But wait...There's more!

The treasure I speak of is not so much in watching the agents grapple one another, but more so that we get to SEE said queries. Yes, we get to read the queries and pay close attention to the ones who were requested and even closer (think hawk eye) attention to those who were fought over.

So this right here is the post listing the winners and you can click on the queries at the right of the screen in that long list of numbers. Enjoy! And hey, after you read them, come back and tell me which you preferred. I'm curious. :)

Secrets of Getting Published by Bestselling Author Jayne Ann Krentz

2012-01-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

As I write this, my mind is floating in my head, not exactly sure where or why or...

Basically, I've been editing.

And because I like doing things the hard way, I decided to pick Dark Waters up again and re-edit it after my critique partner gave me a copy of her full manuscript for me to critique. So I'm rearranging the chapters of my WIP, which seems the hardest phase of editing, while critiquing my friend's manuscript and thanking the snowflakes for school closures so that I can put my homework off just a little bit longer.

Yah, my brain's feeling a little mushy lately.

Okay, but that's not my point. (Here I go getting off track. See what I mean?)

On Saturday I got to attend a writing workshop taught by Jayne Ann Krentz, author of many New York Times bestsellers. The topic? Five Secrets to Selling Your Story.

Wanna know what they are?

#1) VOICE: Like every person has an accent, every writer has a voice. You don't hear it, but everyone else does. Discover your voice and hone it.

#2) CORE STORY: What sociological, theoretical themes do you find yourself using in each story you craft? That's your core story. Realize what it is and you can take it almost anywhere in the genres.

#3) KNOW THE MARKET: Read widely in the genres that compel you and find the sub-genre that fits your core story best.

#4) PROPOSAL: Keep the query short and to the point, making sure it's as tight and neat as possible. When writing the synopsis, it should only be one page and read like the back cover (or the flap) of a book, but with the ending.

#5) ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA: She highly recommends joining this group, saying that we will learn more in six months with them than six years on our own. They offer a newsletter, monthly chapter meetings, and annual conferences. I actually did look them up and my local chapter is meeting in February for an all day editing workshop, so yah, I think I'd learn a ton.

And while I enjoyed receiving this advice, Jayne's words weren't what I walked away remembering about her, but rather her confidence. When I asked her about critique groups, she said she's not a supporter of them because what one person may love, someone else will hate and you shouldn't change your story according to their preferences. When I asked her at what point in my editing will I know my manuscript is polished enough to submit, she answered when my gut tells me so. When I have polished enough to know that I like it, and I think it's ready. She also warned me not to over polish it and remove my voice from the pages.

See what I'm saying? Awesome.

Am I completely gung-ho again and absolutely hopeful that I'll one day be a published author? Nope. Did I leave the workshop on a writing high? Nah. But I did walk out with a signed copy of Jayne's newest book and a reverberating reality that's still unwinding in my mind: In the end, my story is about what I want it to be, what I like to write about, and no amount of advice and critiquing should take that away from me.

BUT WILL IT EVER PAY OFF?

2012-01-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

At this very moment (well obviously I'm on the computer right now, but you get the point) I'm revising my second manuscript, waiting on rejections from my first manuscript, editing my best friends manuscript and wondering WILL IT EVER PAY OFF?

I began writing my first ms in 2009 and it's 2012. I've pretty much given up on that first one (for now) and decided to go full steam ahead, concentrating on number two with my hubby sweetly (gung-ho fashion) backing me. And I look around at all my writer friends who are in the same boat. Who are working tirelessly to achieve the dream of not simply finishing a story, but signing that coveted publishing contract. And I wonder, will it ever pay off? For them? For me?

Then today someone on Facebook mentioned a YA book tour and I jumped over the internet superhighway to check it out. That's when I clicked on the authors' websites and read their bios. When I went way back on their blog history to the days when they were just like me, just like us. To the days when they ran to blog world to tell their friends that an agent requested a partial, a full, was planning to call and sent the contract next day air. I also read the posts when they too wondered if it would ever pay off.

But you know what was really cool? The way they supported each other in the aspiring phase and then celebrated together in the accomplished phase. That's why I want to make more blog world friends. That's why I want to know where you're at in your manuscripts and how those submissions are going. Because when our time comes (and it will), I want to support and celebrate you too.

Submitting and Publishing Tips

2012-01-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

I was doing some research today and stumbled across this list of the steps that you can take to publication. Of course the exact route can be unique to each person, but the gist of it can be similar.

Check it out and tell me what number you're currently on. I'm on 12, although I skipped 2, 6, and 9. So, as I comb the internet today for upcoming conferences (I was already doing that when I found this list), I plan on fulfilling those steps as well.

Submitting and Publishing Tips List

Monsters POV

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Found this pic online, love it.

Is your main character sticky sweet? Innocently lovely? Or devoutly devious?

Writing a "not nice" protagonist is a difficult thing to do. In my first manuscript, my main character was nice and innocent. My beta readers loved her. In my second manuscript though, my main character was a human hating/hunting mermaid. The feedback was not so sweet. They liked the story and the sisters' character depth, and even fell for the love interest, but had serious issues with the protagonist herself.

I had to step back and so some thinking. Try to learn how to write from the monsters POV while causing the reader to care about said monster because we all know that if the readers could care less for the protagonist, than they aren't going to finish the book.

Honestly, I did consider changing her completely and instead creating a loving dinned maiden, but it just wouldn't fit my mermaid mythology and therefore wouldn't feel real enough for me.

After months of reflection and frustration, I think I figured it out...possibly. I cut the human bashing out of the beginning of the book and added a few tender personal qualities. Now I haven't had any beta readers experience this new version so I can't say for sure that this tactic works. I'm looking forward to finding out though.

Basically, I think it's like in real life. When you meet someone, if you see their good side first and begin to invest in them and their friendship, then when they slowly reveal the not-so-perfect-side, you can handle it better, understand their reasons and still love them unconditionally. Same goes for introducing your main character to the readers. Start with the positives and slowly unwrap the rest.

What are your thoughts? What type of person would you say your protagonist is and what difficulties have you come up against in creating such a personality?

Mermaid Books to Read in 2012!

2011-12-31T14:30:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I am LOVING blog-hoping today! All those lists of great books read in 2011, resolutions for 2012, and soon-to-be-read-books of 2012 can get a girl giddy.

My resolution is too simple to have a whole blog post dedicated to it: work harder than ever before on Dark Waters until it's beautifully polished and unable to be put down by my beta readers. This means combing through books on editing and ultimately dedicating myself to honing my skill of the craft. *You can read the premise for Dark Waters by clicking on My Writing page*

I told you it was simple and short. So this post is dedicated to more than resolutions. But books too! Woohoo!

These are the amazing-looking mermaid books I can't wait to start reading in 2012. Most are by debut authors which is more than a little exciting!

Here's my version of the most anticipated mermaid books of 2012:

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of merpeople obsessed with killing Jason Hancock, the man they blame for their mother’s death. To lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the lake, the mermaids charge Calder with the task of seducing the man’s daughter, seventeen-year-old Lily Hancock. “Get close to the daughter,” they tell him, “and you’ll get close to the family. Get close to the family, and you’ll get close to the man. Get him out on the water. We’ll take care of the rest.”

But Calder screws everything up by falling in love. Now he’s in the unenviable position of trying to love the girl while simultaneously plotting her father’s murder. Suffice it to say, his sisters aren’t pleased with his effort, and Calder’s running out of time (and excuses).

Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king.

When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all.

In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.

When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

Young Adult fans of Mermaids, Selkies, Sirens and Gorgons will love this tale of the sacrifice one makes for genuine love. Love that could be lost at any moment to the ever-changing tides.

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

She wanted her life to change... he wanted his to stay the same.

Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them.

Ashlyn is about to discover what she'd thought to be true her whole life, wasn't, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.

When fourteen-year-old Luce is assaulted on the cliffs near an Alaskan village, she expects to die when she tumbles into the icy water below. Instead, she transforms into a mermaid. Luce is thrilled with her new life—until she discovers the catch.

Gemma Fisher lives an ordinary life in the quiet seaside town of Capri, where she shares a close bond with her sister Harper and a budding attraction with her gorgeous neighbor Alex. But everything changes when three stunningly beautiful girls arrive in Capri and seem to cast a spell the whole town. After a chance encounter with them, Gemma wakes up alone on the beach with no memory of what happened…and a sneaking suspicion that they somehow bespelled her. Now Gemma has a host of new powers she can’t control or understand. She’s growing more beautiful every day, and she has a strange effect on men that makes them unable to resist her—especially when she sings. But she’s also overwhelmed by strange cravings that feel all wrong, and she begins to suspect the girls have a dark side that goes beyond anything she ever knew existed. The girls, she discovers, are sirens—and now she’s about to enter a strange new world brimming with dark beauty…and unimaginable secrets.

When Adrianne comes face-to-face with the mermaid of Windwaithe Island, of whom she has heard terrible stories all her life, she is convinced the mermaid means to take her younger sister. Adrianne, fierce-willed and courageous, is determined to protect her sister from the mermaid, and her family from starvation. However, the mermaid continues to haunt Adrianne in her dreams and with her song.

Yet, when the islanders find out about Adrianne's encounters with the mermaid she is scorned, for this small and superstitious community believes the mermaid will bring devastation to the island if Adrianne does not give herself to the sea.

A powerful and lyrical story of one girl who must choose between having everything and having those she loves.

Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.
Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.
Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?

What do you think? Are any of these going on your TBR list? Which books are you excited about reading in 2012?

My Personality Flaw

2011-12-28T22:30:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, I had this character flaw, only at the time I hadn't realized it was a flaw. See, I often found myself judging people. Now, I know what you'r thinking, that judging is a normal human thing. And I would completely agree with you except that I took it a step (or more) farther than most.

I pigeon-holed folks.

Basically, I would compile a list of their character traits in my mind and then find the best "personality hole" to stuff them in, forevermore equating everything they did and said as a person from that "personality hole". In time my thoughts sounded a bit like this: "oh he's making _______ mistake because he's _______ type of person." See? Gross huh?

A while ago I noticed this about myself and worked hard to ignore that nagging voice in my mind that yearned to pigeon-hole others. I got pretty good at silencing that voice too. Until about a two years ago. Yah, that's when it all changed. That's when someone openly pigeon-holed me. More than a someone, but a whole group of someones who I mistakenly thought were close family friends.

Of-course they were all wrong in their assumptions, but it taught me a huge lesson and completely silenced that judgmental voice within me to the point of non-existent. I didn't even have to fight it.

Last night I had a dream, and it's something I've been doing a lot. See, lately I've been kind of stuck with Dark Waters, my WIP. I've edited it a few times, had critique partners scour it and beta readers enjoy it, but I just don't feel like it's ready. I had prayed recently for help, for direction, so I'm not shocked that about once or twice a week I get a dream with a puzzle piece answer to my questions. In my dream was a particularly irritating man who despite my best efforts, I couldn't get along with. Finally, in my dream, I ended up getting so fed up with him that I placed him in a pigeon-hole as a way to explain his behavior.

When I woke up, I immediately understood the point of that dream. You know how "they" say to write what you know? Well, we know this transcends into personalities too, but I had been too afraid to touch the particularly irritating people in my life. To use pieces of their personalities. I think one of the points of the dream was to use those people, to not shy away from the abrasive, frustrating characters in my life as far as using them in my fiction because it's normal and natural to have those types of people so my protagonist should also experience those types.

Secondly, when writing, it's okay to pigeon-hole. In fact, that makes for a more rounded character. I've been so against judging others that I have completely failed at judging my own characters! God made me, He has every right to judge me. I created my characters and I have every right to judge them too! I need to know that they do this and that because their this type of person.

I realize this eye-opening stuff is probably obvious to most, but it's a pretty big deal to me so I wanted to pass it along just in case it can be helpful to someone else. What do you think? Do you make it a habit to judge your characters?

Character Creation with Author Sarah Sundin

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

Wow, do I have a ton going on this weekend! My Mother-In-law flies in tomorrow morning which will begin a flurry-filled week of delicious restaurants, Christmas shopping and lots of chat time. But, before I get to insane house cleaning, I'd like to close this week with our last interview installment with Sarah Sundin.

Today she's sharing a little bit about her books, and how she came up with her diverse characters. So lets get to it. :)

Have you always written WW2 fiction?

I actually started off writing contemporary romance. Icompleted two and had an idea for turning them into a seven-book series. Theidea for my first World War II book, ADistant Melody, sprang out of that second book. After a year of researchand writing, I realized I had to write a trilogy. Right now, World War II seemsto be where my “voice” is at, and I have plenty of ideas for more books, soI’ll stick with it. And I love the era.

The Wings of Glory Series is a compilation of three booksthat follow the three Novak brothers in their separate tours of duty duringWorld War II. Did any of the brothers’ (Walter, Jack, or Raymond) charactertraits come from the men in your life? If so, which traits?

Living with a husband and two sons gives me lots oftestosterone material to work with. The brotherly teasing and rivalry I showedwith the Novak boys happens in my house all the time. My daughter—stuck in themiddle—gets in plenty of shots of her own. But all three Novak boys are theirown selves, completely fictional and products of my imagination. Though mydragon-loving youngest son is convinced I used a recurring dragon motif in Blue Skies Tomorrow just because of him.I didn’t, but he does not believe me.

In writing the ladies who ended up being the love interestsof the Novak brothers, which female character do you think you’d get along bestwith in real life? Why?

I’ve often wondered that myself. While temperamentally I’mmost like Allie Miller in A DistantMelody—we’re both people-pleasing introverts—in real life, the women I tendto be closest to are blunt-talking extroverts, more like Ruth Doherty in A Memory Between Us. And to tell you thetruth, I’d admire Helen Carlisle from BlueSkies Tomorrow, but I’d probably keep my distance out of fear that she’dtalk me into serving on some committee.

Each of your main characters has a personal struggle and afault they are trying to deal with. What would you say is the hardest part inbalancing a character’s good with their bad while keeping them likable to thereader?

You used the key word in your question—balance. Think aboutthe people you like in real life—lots of good traits you adore, a few quirksthat annoy you, and some deep things inside that they’re struggling with—sins,pain, shame, fears. The best characters have this too. In moderation, flawsmake characters more likable because we relate better to imperfect people thanto supposedly perfect people. However, in your characters, make sure the goodqualities really shine and that she shows growth in her flawed areas. Thatgives the reader hope that she can change too.

For those of you who enjoy historical fiction, I highly suggest the Wings of Glory Series. Everyone who I've loaned my copies to (or bought for friends/family as gifts) have just loved these stories. And not only does Sarah write well, she's about as sweet as they come as far as fellow authors go. When I first met her online, she was doing a blog tour for her first book, A Distant Melody. Seeing as she wrote WWII fiction, and I was in the process of also writing a story from that era, I sought her out. Then she did something I didn't expect; she reached back. And not in the be-my-blog-follower-sort of way. She has helped and encouraged me in so many faucets of writing and I can't wait to one day meet her face-to-face and buy her a cup of coffee. Until then though, I'll continue to read her books and pick her brain.

Editing Tips From Published Author Sarah Sundin

2011-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Wednesday!

It's day two of my interview with Sarah Sundin, and today we're talking about editing.

Just a recap, Sarah is the author of a series of three books following the Novak brothers through romance and war during WWII.

She has also just signed a contract for another three book series with Revell about flight nurses during the war. I can't wait to get my hands on those too!

Okay, lets jump in!

Again, thanks for joining us and sharing your insight, Sarah.

What's your method for revision?

The process is getting more streamlined for me over time. With myfirst books, I did about five levels of revision—plot & character, scene,line, and copy edits, and then a final proofread. Now I do a content edit(combining plot, character, and scene issues), a copy edit, and a finalproofread. But the principle is the same—I start with the big picture and workmy way down to the micro level.

How many times did you revise your manuscript before anagent/editor picked it up?

My first novel went through the five main editsI listed above. Since I had five years of rejection letters, I tended to do afull rewrite about once a year. I’m guessing that book went through at leastten full edits.

How perfect(grammar wise) does your story have to be before submitting?

As perfect as possible. Editors and agents areflooded with good stories and are often looking for a reason to say no andclear off their desks. Don’t give them an easy excuse with typos andgrammatical mistakes. But as in all things, don’t obsess. Some mistakes couldbe the kiss of death (“there/they’re/their,” “your/you’re,” etc.), but a fewmisplaced commas shouldn’t kill you. That said, get a good style manual, suchas the Chicago Manual of Style, and learn how to use it. Someday, your editorwill love you for your clean manuscript.

Are Beta readers necessary in your opinion?

I think so. I’m often surprised how many ways a sentence can beread, or how a character trait I find endearing may grate on people’s nerves. Ihave five trusted friends who are serious writers or published authors who readmy chapters for critique—and I read their work too. I’m also a firm believer inwriters groups.

Thanks so much for stopping by and don't forget to return on Friday when I'll be asking Sarah questions about her books and her character development in particular.

What about you? Do you have a method for revision? Do you use Beta readers?

Teaser Tuesdays

2011-12-12T21:12:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"Esmerine raked her fingers through her hair, checking that her beads were still in place before she returned to the main room for hugs and congratulations."

"She knew the routine from when Dosia had become a siren, and although she blushed and said humble things, she was secretly pleased to have a little piece of the attention Dosia had gotten for so long."

~ Page 13 of Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks so much for stopping by!

Ask a Published Author: Sarah Sundin

2011-12-11T18:00:00.001-08:00

It's Monday, and as promised, I am interviewing Sarah Sundin! I've combined your questions with mine to pick an authors brain and hopefully learn a thing or two about writing a great novel, getting an agent, singing a publishing contract, and everything in between. Well, probably not everything. :)

I'll be posting every other day this week and I'll try to keep each day of answers on a similar type of topic.

Sarah Sundin is the author of the Wings of Glory Series, a three book series following the three Novak brothers in their service to their country during WWII. Recently, she signed another three book deal with Revell for a series about flight nurses during WWII.

Welcome Sarah! Now, lets get started.

When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

January 6, 2000. How’s that for exact? Although Ialways read voraciously, I didn’t consider a writing career. Instead I chose apractical career in pharmacy which allowed me to work on-call and stay homewith our three children. Then in 2000, I had a dream with such intriguingcharacters that I felt compelled to write their story. That first novel willnever be published, nor should it, but it got me started.

I know your journey to becoming an author was arelatively winding one. Can you give us a brief description of what that roadlooked like for you?

Brief description? Try. Fail. Repeat. A slightly lessbrief description? My first two bad novels got mestarted. I began attending a critique group and writers’ conferences andreading books on writing craft. In 2003 I first submitted A Distant Melody at Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference. Ireceived good feedback from authors, editors, and agents—and began accumulatinga stack of “good” rejection letters. They liked my writing, my story, and mycharacters—however, historicals weren’t selling. I often felt discouraged, butthe Lord made it obvious that He wanted me to finish the trilogy, so I keptplugging away. Then at Mount Hermon in 2008, everyone wanted historicals. Andthere I was with my trilogy close to complete. I submitted to Vicki Crumpton atRevell and was offered a three-book contract later that year.

Wow, your story can remind us that perseverance is key. Speaking of perseverance, how many query letters did you send out before the first call oroffer?

About twenty. Most were submissions at writers’ conferences ratherthan mail or email query letters. In addition, I probably made three times asmany pitches at writers’ conferences to editors or agents who weren’tinterested.

Thank you so much for stopping by and giving us a peak into your road to publication! I look forward to our Wednesday discussion: editing!

What do you think blog-world friends? Did any of her answers inspire you? Surprise you?

Ask A Published Author

2011-12-08T21:55:00.001-08:00

Hello and happy Friday!

Last month I shared my plans for interviewing a published author here on my blog and asking her questions about writing, finding an agent, becoming published and all that fun stuff we can't seem to get enough of. I also opened the floor for somewhat of an open mic night -blog style. And many of you asked away.

Beginning Monday she will be answering these very interesting questions of ours and will continue to do so throughout the week. If you asked a question, check back next week to read her answer. And if you didn't ask any questions, stop by anyway and see what this three-already-published-books-and-just-signed-a-contract-for-three-more-published-author has to say. For starters she'd probably tell me that last sentence was super fragmented. :)

So, I look forward to seeing you, my blog world friends, next week!

Animal-Type Companions

2011-12-05T22:39:00.001-08:00

I feel like checking in and saying hello because it's been SOOOOO long.

Today, I just really want to talk about dogs...

I love dogs. In the past I assumed most writers had some sort of love for animals. And it doesn't even have to be animals, but rather pets. A pet? Anything? But every...single...time..I post something about pets it's like blogger crickets crawl onto my page and play me a sad serenade. And I don't get it. Every writer I know has a beloved pet who lays near them as they write, or chews their desk leg or sprawls across their laptop.

Lets start talking about those creatures of ours! Because they're just so darn cute and obnoxious sometimes with personalities all their own. Don't you think?

Now I completely get that some people are simply not pet people. Two out of my three sisters prefer a pet-free home. I respect that, and if you want to comment on why the fluffy fur balls get your skin crawling, feel free.

But if you do have an animal-type companion, tell me about him/her.

As I've posted, I have a little white fluffy dog who probably detests the laptop because she's a lap dog who must sit beside me rather than on me half the time. And at this very moment *squee* I am watching two other dogs and am in heaven, posting videos and pictures to Facebook continuously. That probably also explains the whole "let talk about pets" thing I've written here.

In fact, as my husband left for work today, he made it a point to look me straight in the face and with his serious eyes, tell me "The big dog is not allowed on the bed. He's an outside dog. He's dirty."

But the big dog is so cute!

It's share time. Tell me about your animal-type companion.

Molly

Funny Thanksgiving Pictures!

2011-11-24T09:54:00.001-08:00

Hi Blog World! Are you enjoying the scents wafting from the kitchen right about now? Well, today I think I'll get to the point and let the funny pictures flow. :)

But first, what is something that happened, came into your life, something you decided, etc. this past year that you are thankful for?

Me? Oh, *fans face* I'm honored you'd ask. This year I moved home to WA. After living the last seven years away due to military orders, we are finally back in the evergreen state. Finally smelling the fresh rain-scented air. Surrounded by more trees than I can count, with different shades of green, and even tons of moss which is beautiful in it's own right! I spent the summer hiking in the forests, playing in the natural waterfalls, and even sliding down one of the small ones. I've gotten to babysit my nieces and nephews who barely knew me before I moved home and now allow me to actually care for them! I've taken my girls to the rink I used to skate at as a young girl and also taken them down to the water front in Tacoma where my marine biology class in high school used to study. And today? Today after seven years of celebrating Thanksgiving with other people's families, we get to celebrate it with my own, my parents, my sisters, my nieces and nephews.

So, while there are tons of other amazing things that have happened this past year, this, moving to WA, is the biggest life event to transpire in the last year in which I am overly, abundantly grateful for. Now, tell me about yours?

And to that I say... BRING ON THE FUNNY PICTURES!

DARK YA BLOGFEST: MUSIC & MOVIE FUN

2011-11-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

Today I'm participating in the Dark YA blogfest and our topic is movie fun. We pick a dark YA novel and add the actors to play the characters. Since Hunger Games already has these things, or most of them, I decided to post the actors I see playing the roles of Dark Waters, my book. :) Woohoo! This is gonna be fun!

Allura's Sisters:

Arlana

Cara

Celine

Femina Mari from other Shoal's:

Vanessa. Allura is in charge of providing for Vanessa's Pledging ceremony.

Miyu. She's been a Provider for years. She's Allura's trainer, preparing her for the ceremony.

You wanna see some more? Okay, so David is a Allura's love interest. Well, first he's her food interest. ;) Anyways... I can't find a pic that resembles him. He's a Greek-looking teenage guy. Difficult to find that picture online. To me, he looks like my hubby. :) But, here's a taste:

Hehehehe. Hey, she talks about his neck a lot! ;)

David's bike

How about a little more?

Deadman Island. Near the San Juan Islands

Hummel Lake. An actual lake on the island Allura lives on.

Lagoon on San Juan Island, WA where Allura lives

I wish I could add more, like the rest of the Femina Mari, um, well, lets say from the waist down and hope that doesn't sound bad. But I think I'll save that for a later post. :)

Smearing Finger Paint, Creating Art

2011-11-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

This past June I was playing around on Goodreads (something I do often) and ran across a book set to be published in August. After reading the synopsis and the one and only review posted from an ARC reader, I knew I had to have this book.

When I started reading Plain Fear: Forsaken by Leanna Ellis, I was immediately entranced. I loved this book. What's weird is that I can't tell you why exactly. Very few books do I "love" and when I do feel that way, I usually can pinpoint precisely what did "it" for me.

I went back to Goodreads and now there's plenty of reviews, so I read a bunch of them, hoping the words of others could help me realize what pulled me into this story. Most either loved it, or hated it.

Interesting. Does this story somehow cause an unintentional emotional response from the reader making them either grasp it tightly or lash out? That would make sense then that I'd have an emotional response rather than a logical one.

What Leanna Ellis did in mixing the genres of this book was bold; probably something I'd be afraid to do. She intermingled two major sellers in fiction right now: Amish and vampires. And not just the two types of stories, but two different markets as well. Most Amish novels are sold in the Christian market and most vampire novels are sold in the general market. Then, she added lots of the Amish beliefs, mixed with a secular character who swears lightly, has a somewhat dirty mind, drinks, and investigates bloody murder scenes. After reading this book I can tell why this story isn't published as a Christian novel, but with it's many religious threads, I'm wondering how it's doing in the secular market.

See what I'm saying? It's like someone painted two different colored circles, side-by-side, with wet, gooey finger paint and Ellis dragged her thumb from one to the other, smearing the circles and creating a whole new color.

Yes, I liked the heroine and the hero, heck I think I liked the villain, Jacob, most of all. And yes her plotting worked and pushed the story forward. Her mythology on vampires was well told and made sense. But those aren't the reasons I loved this story.

It's simple.

I loved the color Ellis created.

Flash Fiction Time

2011-11-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

So, I completely forgot that I'm supposed to blog today. I am apart of the Dark YA Blogfest during the month of November and this Wednesday we are to write a 500 word flash fiction piece inspired by this picture below. Although it's a little less than 500 words, here's my piece. Hope you enjoy.

Bodies of teenage girls my age scurried around, chaotically chattingwith squeals of over-excitement and fake laughter.

Maybe the giggles were real, I couldn’t tell.

But then again, how could I differentiate between fake andgenuine sentiments when they refused to allow me into their circle, theircliques? When they made it a point to keep me at arm’s length and allow me nocloser?

It’s not like it was my first time coming to youth group. Iwasn’t the new girl. Although if I had been, they’d have introduced themselves,asked a few impersonal questions to fulfill their duty of being welcoming andthen found the first opportunity to abandon me and join their friends.

No, I was worse. I was the girl who attended youth groupregularly and didn’t fit in. The girl who refused to pretend to be perfect andinstead was viewed as some sort of sinner, as though living and breathing,being a human, didn’t make me a sinner, but saying I was, did.

I had tried to reach out in the past, tried to make friendshere, but for some reason I repelled my peers in this setting. And after awhile, when rejection is inevitable, trying becomes foolish.

I scanned the room, noticing the trendy clothes and similarlyworn hair styles; none matching my own. As a dark-haired girl made her way tothe snack table, my gaze shifted to the large, picture window and staredoutside at the barren trees as they swayed in the winter wind.

Suddenly, I realized my reality: I was all alone in a crowd,pushed to exist on the outside. And while on the outside, no matter how fiercelythe frigid wind wiped at my hair and tore at my thin, white dress of vulnerability, no one wouldnotice. No one would care.

A single tear streamed down my cheek. I wiped it away,covering my eyes to shield myself from further ridicule. I wanted to run awayand never come back.

But while the palms of my hands hid the world from my view,a brilliant light radiated through the spaces between my fingers. I blinked atthe intense brightness and rubbed my eyes as they worked to adjust to the illumination.The wind ceased and the light ignited, cutting itself through the clouds andwarming my body from the inside out. I couldn’t help but turn my chin upward,accepting the warmth willingly and thankfully.

The light filled me, comforting me with a true reality; theonly one that mattered. Though my surroundings appeared to be cold, I was not.Though I appeared to be alone among a crowd, I was not. And though it seemed Ishould conform to what others wanted of me, I did not. I had an audience of one.The only One that mattered and He loved me just the way I was.

Famous Author Rejections: Four Letter Word?

2011-11-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Today I'm thinking: REJECTION

Lets talk about it, shall we? Or do you consider it a four-letter word, not to be uttered?

I've been thinking about this word because it's time to create another list of agents for my next round of queries for Dark Waters. And, as I've explained before, I totally expect more rejections because that's the nature of the beast.

My story is about Water Women, only they don't call themselves that because they've been around longer than the English language. They call themselves Femina Mari, which means Sea Women in Latin. Today, these creatures are viewed as sweet, innocent, shy young ladies. But that's not how I see them. I see them as almost the female counterpart to vampires.

In modern and older stories of vampires, the men are usually the focus. They are the strong ones, powerful and alluring. The women vampires are usually their accessories. So in my world, Femina Mari are the strong, powerful, alluring beings. In the depths of their souls, they are predators and not singing maidens.

I can understand then, that it's going to have to be the right agent who picks up my query and wants to know more. The right agent who is willing to take what she's grown up knowing about these creatures and throw it out the window. Because of that, I will get plenty of rejections before I get a request. But when I do get the request, I know that the agent requesting my manuscript will be completely behind the story.

This led me to Google. I wanted to see what other, more popular published authors had to say about rejection.Check out what I found.

"For two years I received nothing but rejections." ~ Judy Blume 

"I sent out around fifteen queries." ~ Stephenie Meyer

"In the end, I received 60 rejections for The Help. But letter number 61 was the one that accepted me. After my five years of writing and three and a half years of rejection, an agent named Susan Ramer took pity on me." ~ Kathryn Stockett

"The agency sent Rowling’s 200-page script to 12 publishers, all of whom, to their eternal regret, turned down the book." ~ The J.K. Rowling Story by Stephen McGinty

"I started sending novels out and it took years of rejection but I had nothing to lose. It went on for about three years until I got an agent and she managed to sell something...I have a giant U.S. postal bag with rejection letters in my New York apartment, under the bed. I can't even lift it. There's certain editors who are still in town whose names are in it. It's not like I am ever going to refuse to work with them again but I like to remember who they are. Some of them were really, really mean -- unnecessarily." ~ Meg Cabot

"When my first short story was out, it was six years and 40 rejections before it sold." ~ Mary Higgins Clark

Do these quotes give you hope or a sense of frustration? If you're a published author, how many rejections did you receive before the phone call?

Friday Book Finds

2011-11-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hi there. Happy Friday!

Over on Should Be Reading, they're sharing the interesting books they've found during this past week. This week, I HAD to throw my find into the ring/spotlight/whatever.

Ordinarily I'm not the type to run out and buy a book from one person's recommendation. Shoot, I'm the type who reads a book from the library, and THEN once I think it's amazing I buy it and every book after that by the author/ in the series. Not this book.

I am, in a way, over vampire books, but I still love vampire mythology, always have and always will. It's just so many vampire books all seem the same. Not this book.

I was browsing through GoodReads and saw someone's review of an Amish vampire story. AMISH VAMPIRES!!! Now, I've always said I'd never read an Amish novel, but I've found myself happily eating my words. As though I've sworn off cake and someone showed me the chocolate-chocolate layered cake from Cosco and not only did I eat it, but left not a crumb on my plate! The only difference is that I'm willing to share this book. :)

Here's the blurb:

"Not Death, But Love."
Pain choked off anymore words. She grabbed the cold stone marker for support, splayed her hands across its front as a sob wrenched free from her chest.
Although she knows that the Amish way is to move on from grief, on to a new season, Hannah cannot move on from Jacob, who was taken too soon.
Jacob's brother Levi also cannot move on-his love for Hannah burns just as strong as ever. But he knows how much Hannah loved his brother, and the event that took Jacob from them.
And it's a secret he must take to his grave.
So when a mysterious stranger comes to their community, he too carries a secret; one that will force Hannah to choose between light and dark, between the one she wants to love and a new yearning she fears to embrace.

Here's the thing, I don't think this blurb gives it justice and I'll tell you why. You learn soon in the story that this "mysterious stranger" is Jacob. No, that's not a spoiler cause you already know this when you start reading the book. So basically, Hannah's heart is still broken from loosing Jacob, and then he shows up, but with vampire abilities to lure her, persuade her, etc. As the reader you know who he is, but Hannah doesn't because he doesn't allow her to see the truth at first. So she has the luring, handsome vampire love of her life, or his brother who is also handsome, but a human man who wants to protect her and keep her from the darkness of the vampire world. Oh, and in this story, vampires are not good, they're evil.

Again, AMISH VAMPIRES. Of course I bought the book as soon as I read that one review! Anyways, I read it this week and therefore it fits into my Friday finds and I want to spread the word that it's a good read. :)

I also stumbled across this book this week, but have yet to read it or order it.

I LOVE DARK YA Blogfest

2011-11-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

Yay! I'm able to type again! In slow motion and short increments, but still, it doesn't send shooting pains through my hand and wrist! Of course I'm still afraid to lift anything heavy, scrub and those sorts of actions with my right hand, but in time those too will become possible. And if you're wondering, I sprained my right wrist while moving more household goods this past weekend which resulted in a wrist brace and absolutely no movement allowed from my right hand.

But, today I'm here to talk about dark YA fiction. It's actually the theme of a month long blog fest I'm involved in. Today we're sharing what our favorite dark YA novel is.

Here's the embarrassing thing: I don't have one.

Now, I realize dark can mean different things to different people, but in my world dark is more pain, agony, violence and all around hurt than most stories involve. Of course more violence in YA still doesn't come close to average violence in some adult novels. And pain, agony and hurt doesn't necessarily involve foul play, but just honest, real, deeply realistic emotions.

And yes, I love the idea of dark YA novels, but I can honestly say that I haven't read enough to actually have a favorite. I can pretend to be well versed in the sub-genre and pop out a few titles. Hunger Games hands down.

In all reality though, the reason why I wrote a dark YA novel is because I hadn't seen many where the main character, the teen girl, was also the monster. Where she was the one preying on humans rather than the main character being the girlfriend of the angsty predator or fighting the mean, nasty enemy. To me, when the story is from the monster's point of view, it's considered dark.

So, instead of listing the few dark YA novels I've read, I'd like you to tell me the ones you've read so that I can add them to my TBR list. In fact, should I share with you the one at the top of my list? Sure! Lets share! So you tell me yours (even if you haven't read them yet). I can't wait to see what you suggest!


By Anne Davies

I'm not sure how 'dark' this one will be, but the cover and blurb suggest it'll fit nicely in that category. :)

MIA: ME

2011-10-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

I realize that I've been Missing In Action for a little while now. It's not that I've had nothing to blog about pertaining to writing, because boy do I. No, nothing wonderful like a contract with an editor that I'm not allowed to share with others until the ink dries. :(

I am sitting at my table. Yes, MY table. I haven't sat at this table in eight months. That's how long my things have been in storage. It's enough to jump up and down about, don't you agree?! There's been many more changes too, but none of them have to do with writing. Wait. One. Well, if you don't count the lovely form rejection letters flowing in for Dark Waters.

My dream agent for New Hope got back to me about the manuscript she's been reading of mine. It was a very sweet, and personal letter and I don't really want to share it or my reaction to it until I have time to slow down and explain things. And maybe add a couple smart, funny one-liners. ;) After moving boxes and furniture for the last few days, nothing smart, or funny's coming out of this exhausted girly.

So, I miss you and reading your thoughts, but I promise to be back soon. After the dust from the tops of my long-time stored boxes clears, I'll breathe a breath of fresh leather couch air and get to reading and typing again.

What have you been up to in the last few weeks?

I was also in a wedding while I was MIA. Here's me celebrating at the reception.

Asipring Authors Want To Know!

2011-10-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

I am preparing an interview with a friend of mine who was a debut author last year and already has three published books on bookstore shelves. She recently signed a book deal for another three books, and is obviously on a roll!

So, I say... let's pick her brain!

I know I have plenty of questions for her on the process of editing the manuscript, queries, getting an agent and becoming published, but I'd love to hear your questions as well. Leave them in the comments and I'll work them into the interview I'm preparing for her. She's very personable and open and loves to encourage aspiring authors so ask away!

Rejection Letter #1

2011-10-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

Today I opened my email and low and behold, the first response to my query for Dark Waters. From the title of this post, you can pretty much guess what it said.

Now, this isn't my first rejection letter. I got two with New Hope before an agent asked for a full. Then she told me to change something and to let her know when I was done. I did, and she has the rewritten full again right now. But for Dark Waters, this is my first rejection.

And if you've ever sent out queries, you know that most will be rejected. But, there's this ball of burning hope that pushes you to click the 'send' button. Although you know you'll get a rejection, the actual reading part still stings. And I'm not saying I assume I'll be rejected because my book stinks or anything. I actually really believe in it. I'm just saying odds are it will be rejected. We've all read the countless stories of bestselling authors who were rejected numerous times.

So when I opened and read what this particular agent had to say about my book, my heart dropped. See, all the other rejections I'd received were simple, short sentences that this project wasn't right for them etc. But not this rejection. This one said that the agent didn't see my book selling in today's market. That's when I freaked out a little: texted my best friend for a little moral support, texted my hubby to whine, etc.

Then I did some research and found out that that this is the agent's form rejection letter. Whew. It wasn't personal. Which I know, it never is, but when you're feeling this vulnerable, lets be honest, it's always personal.

Now I'm back to querying. That was my plan for today anyway. I have more agents on my list. :)

Tell me, what type of rejection letter to you fear the most? Have you received one?

PITCH CONTEST WITH AGENT MANDY HUBBARD

2011-10-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

A mock cover I created.

Hello, I just entered my latest book in a pitch contest with literary agent Mandy Hubbard.

Here's what I wrote:

As abilities to lure and hunt men begin to surface within Allura, continuing an age-old tradition within her Shoal of Sea Women, she finds herself strangely drawn to David, the new boy in town. While her body tells her that he’s nothing more than prey, her heart vehemently disagrees, leaving her forced to make a painful decision: obey her Shoal, or save David’s life.

Head on over there to enter your finished manuscript if it's YA or MG! And while you're there, read the other pitches entered.

And by the way. Mandy Hubbard has also written a few books, one in particular, Ripple, I've reviewed here.

Found online. Reminds me of my story.

QUERIES

2011-09-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Queries. What first comes to your mind when you read the word? Does it automatically give you cold feet?

Right now? To me? When I see the word I wonder if I should send more out. And then I wonder if the ones I did email were any good.

On Tuesday night I emailed three queries for Dark Waters to literary agents. Then, yesterday, I sent out one more.

I had written my query and rewritten it and edited it and reedited it. Then I sent it to my two critique partners. One told me it was great and to just change one mis-written word. The other suggested a possible sentence change but said she thought it was also great. I did change what she suggested and liked it better. Then I sat on it. I worried it wasn't perfect enough. My husband said I was procrastinating.

He was right.

So, I sent them out. I had a list of eight literary agents, but some are closed to queries. :(
I wonder if I should just wait on the four, or send out some more?

What about you? Have you had any experience in sending out queries? How many did you send at once?

NORTHWEST BOOKFEST!

2011-09-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited. A bit ago, I compiled a list of my favorite literary agents. Near their names on the document I pasted the website address where their submission guidelines are explained. So, Tuesday night, as I started to send out my queries for Dark Waters, I went to those submission guidelines and in doing so I ran across an even that is not only happening in my neck of the woods, but it's happening this Saturday!

The Northwest Bookfest! I've been to one Book Festival in Abilene, TX when I lived there and I had a great time. They had a little workshop taught by two local authors. Then in their convention room sat tables and tables of Texas authors selling and signing their books.

Now, the population for Abilene is around 120,000. The population for Seattle (not including the many cities around it) is around 563,000 people. There are plenty of authors in my area. Seattle is about art. When you visit Seattle, it's everywhere you look. From the buildings to the most beautiful and original form of art: nature.

So I am definitely going and can't wait to see the turn out of this event. Plus, I forgot to mention, there will be writing workshops ALL DAY LONG. There's a schedule. And they're tailored to different genres and needs. Yah, pretty stoked.

Oh, and it's free. If you live in the area, check it out. This Saturday.

This is just a few of some of the YA authors on the list to be there:


Margaret Stohl


Richelle Mead


Melissa Marr


Melissa de la Cruz


Heather Davis

Breaking Rules

2011-09-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading The Hunger Games. I've been meaning to read this book since everyone started talking about it, which was a while ago. But, when I heard they were making the movie, I knew it had to be brought to the top of the TBR pile.

See, I made this mistake of not reading the book before seeing the movie with Twilight, and now I will forever picture Bella Swan as Kirsten Stewart, despite myself. My MIL read and recommended the whole Twilight series before the movie even started showing previews, but I said I was too busy.

Well no more! Off track.

My point though has nothing to do with Twilight. Sorry, I just get going when I'm focused on Twilight and before you know it I'm seeing buff, tan guys in the woods and pale, angsty men in the huge evergreen tree on my property.

But, seriously, The Hunger Games is AMAZING so far! And is it just me, or are there some "writing rules" broken in this book? I mean, I'm not even half-way into the story so maybe I'm wrong, but did you notice some rule breaking when you read it? And same thing with Twilight: rule breaking.

I know I've read that it's okay to break some writing rules if you know you're breaking them and if it works. And it got me to thinking. Aren't some of the best books full or broken rules? And then, are not some of the worst ones also riddled with the smashing of writing rules? It amazes me how much this craft is just that: a craft. An art form. And also, how the books that I've read that have kept completely and very closely to the "rules" are usually mediocre, or average.

I guess it's like a coloring page, since we're talking art here. :) If you look at a coloring and it was done perfectly in the lines, it's pretty. If the little artist (or in my case adult artist cause I still like to color in Little Mermaid coloring books) chooses to to color lightly in some areas and darker in others for that contrast, then we say it's very pretty. But, when the little artist finds a way to color outside the lines and still manages to bring it all together, we say WOW.

I think to some degree it's the same for writing stories.

So what do you say? Do you color in the lines, or try to find a way to respect the lines while creating your own?


My nails & hands are stained from picking blackberries all the time. But they're just to yummy!


Completed. Awaiting response from agent who requested full.

Completed. Working on synopsis.

A Burning Question

2011-09-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

I had to add a picture of my dog because she's cute and right next to me

I have a burning question for you. Can I put off working on my synopsis and just start querying?

See, my first time hearing back from an agent on my New Hope book query was three hours after I had sent it. She asked for the full... and the synopsis. So this time around, I wanted to have the query, the manuscript and the synopsis perfected before I even sent out the queries.

But, synopsis' are just so irritatingly difficult.

And I really want to send out my queries.

I combed through the websites and submission guidelines of the agents I plan on querying, and not one said to query once a synopsis is completed. They just said the manuscript and query should be in tip-top shape.

So, what about you? Have you heard anything about this synopsis thing? Are you planning on having one done when you query?

My Maniac Tendencies

2011-09-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

So, on Sunday I heard back from my critique partner about the last few chapters of my WIP. Two words: HOORAY and OUCH. If you've ever had an in depth critique partner, you totally know what I mean. She seems to really like my writing and the story, but the biggest issue she found, what she got completely hung up on, was the last chapter. It had some major flaws.

Yes, that's code for: My kids were home when I wrote that last chapter.

Further meaning that I tried to write this emotional scene with a litany of interruptions.

Lesson learned.

So as you can guess, all day Sunday I was thrilled by her encouraging words while stewing over the "issues" she found. And then yesterday I drove myself crazy with "what if" and "how will I" questions. I literally had knots in my back!

Why do we as writers stress out like this? One day we think we have something great, something readers will love and then the next day we want torch it all?

I know you guys do this too. I read your blogs. ;)

Is being crazy-emotional about a word document just something that comes with the personality of a writer? I'm thinking so. Did the authors of the past throw their typewriters in the trash bin only to gently retrieve it hours later with love and affection? I wouldn't doubt it.

By the way, I think I fixed the problems she found, and am hoping it's great. And I think I want to do another blog post in a few days about how fantastic critique partners are because her reaction to the story as a reader, and then her advice as a critique partner have been absolutely invaluable.

But for now, tell me about your maniac tendencies as they pertain to writing. Ever throw your laptop in the trash?

The LAST TWO Sentences of My Book

2011-09-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

I just now sent the last three chapters of Dark Waters to my wonderful critique partner, Charlotte. I am done writing Dark Waters, and pretty soon, I'll be done editing it too. At least for now. Hopefully I'll get an agent and an editor who will no doubt tear some things up. :)

You wanna read the very last two sentences? Charlotte, don't look: SPOILERS. ;)

I giggled as my mouth hovered below his. “I guess I can tell them that the predator learned she couldn’t live without her prey.”

So, now I'm off to work on the query. I've already written it, but when it comes to queries, I'm a perfectionist. I only have one shot and less than one page to explain who Allura is and why her story is so special. That to me means lots of fine-tooth-combing. When it's ready to send out, I'll post it here on my blog for everyone to see.

Then, after the query, before I send it out, I need to write the synopsis.

I can't wait to send out the queries!

I found this picture online and love it. Thought I'd show you too. :)

MUSIC

2011-09-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to be heading out the door to go have dinner with my best friend, but I just had to announce that I am done editing my book. Well, in a way. See, with this one I wrote the whole thing except for the last chapter. I wanted to go through the book, editing, and then write the last chapter afterward to make sure I tie up every loose string. Or at least those that need to be tied. ;) My wonderful critique partner, Charlotte, is working her way through the book, so when she sends me her notes on the chapters she has, of course I'll be making those changes. But, mostly I'm done.

I realize I've had tons of coffee and therefore probably don't make much sense right now. I'm okay with that.

But, I wanted to post about music. I wonder what movie soundtrack best explains the piece of your story you're writing right now? These are mine. In writing the last part of the book I've been listening to two soundtracks: New Moon and Romeo & Juliet.

How about you?

YA Road Trip: Adult Characters to YA

2011-09-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hello! This one is a little late, but I had riding-on-the-back-of-a-motorcycle-with-a-cute-boy writing to do. I'm in the editing process and after an amazing date and evening motorcycle ride with my hubby last night, I decided to put Allura on the back of a bike too, clutching onto David. Yah, she liked it.

Anywho...

It's Road Trip Wednesday over on YA Highway and today they asked:

This Week's Topic:
What non-YA character would you love to see star in a YA book as themselves? It took me maybe a few seconds before I had my answer. The answer to everything. If you asked me what my favorite show ever is, this would be the answer. If you asked me my favorite vampire story, this would be it. If you asked me which amazing show was canceled and totally didn't deserve to be, I'd answer MOONLIGHT.

Beth Turner from Moonlight as herself in a YA story, would be great. Moonlight is about a vampire who works as a P.I. When Beth Turner was a little girl, she was kidnapped by a crazy vampire lady and Mick (the vampire P.I) saved her. Now she's an adult woman and a journalist who through an article comes into contact with Mick. Sparks fly between them throughout the show and flashbacks of Mick saving her come until she realizes why she's so drawn to him. Her story as a teenager who is drawn to vampires but doesn't know why would be pretty fun. :)

So what do you think? If you could see an adult character as a teenager in a story, who would it be?

On Finding Critique Partners

2011-09-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

I have one more chapter to write of Dark Waters and I'm finished writing it. I'm currently going through the first phase of editing and expect to be done with that next week sometime.

But, as it's all coming together beautifully, I'd really like to get input from other writers. I had a couple critique partners with my last novel, New Hope, and they were absolutely invaluable. However, because Dark Waters is in a completely different genre (not Christian market and it's YA) I find myself with only one critique partner. She is my best friend who also writes and she's loving the story so far, but I found last time that more than one opinion was a smart idea.

So, to my writer friends in the blog world, where does a YA paranormal writer go to connect with other YA paranormal writers willing to be critique partners? Thanks in advance for your input!

My First Ever Blogger Awards.

2011-08-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT! I RECEIVED A BLOGGER AWARD! And apparently it was worth the wait because not only was one award given to me but...THREE!

*fans face to keep from fainting*

And Melanie Stanford is the lovely lady who gave me all three!

Here are the first two:

AND

Here are the Rules for these two:
~ Thank and Link to the person who nominates you
~ Share Seven Random facts about yourself
~ Pass the award to five more blogger friends
~ Contact and congratulate the blogs nominated

7 Random Facts About Me

1) My favorite color is purple

2) I have this huge fasination with mermaids. I collect figurines, art, anything mermaid. And the darker the better. I have this whole world of theirs in my mind and I'm pretty particular about it. :)

3) I am a Twihard. There. I said it. And...

4) Seeing as I'm a Twihard, and I love all things mermaid, my sister and I play with each others pictures on Face in the Hole and according to the pictures, I've swam with a tail in the ocean and stood between Edward and Jacob's argument, with a smile.

5) I am horrible at cracking raw eggs. I seem to always get shell in the bowl and I end up having to ask my ten year old daughter to crack them for me.

6) I adore dogs! And my phone is full of pictures I've taken of my dogs. When I can, I love getting my grubby clothes on and rolling around in the dirt with them.

7) And the last one is, that I have been certified in three different professions. 1- Optician. 2- Childbirth Educator. 3- Birthing Doula. Hopefully I can use my experience in these very different professions when writing future books.

The last and in no way least award I received today is the:

The Rules on this one are:

1. Show your appreciation to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your top five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the camaraderie of the most supportive people on the internet—other writers.
5. And best of all—have bloggity fun and spread the love.

Here are the five friends I'm passing the Versatile Blogger and the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award to:

Here are the five friend I'm passing the Liebster Blog Award to:

Sweet Venom 2 Title Hunt!

2011-08-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome scavenger hunters! The letter is A

Today I'm taking part in a blog scavenger hunt for Tera Lynn Childs! As you probably know, I loved her previous books, especially her Fins Are Forever series and I'm happy to tell you that she has another being released in just one week: Sweet Venom. Of course, it's the first in a series and she's written the second book for the Sweet Venom series, but hasn't released the name yet.

That's where I come in. :)

Tera Lynn Childs has a list on her blog today of the blogs in which the letters of the second book are hidden. Once you've found the letters and put them together to form the title, you enter your guess on her blog.

What did I hear you say? What are the prizes?

So glad you asked. Five (5) winners will get a signed copy of Sweet Venom, and the grand prize winner will also get a $50 gift card to the bookstore of their choice. I don't know about you, but I think that's some sweet goodies.

So head on over to her blog here. And remember, the letter you found on my blog is A

Teaser Tuesday!

2011-08-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

It's Teaser Tuesday over at Should Be Reading and anyone can play. Here's what you do:

Grab whatever your currently reading.

Open to any random page.

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other participants (and myself) can add the book to their T.B.R. Lists if they like your teasers!

So, here's mine. I'm reading a few books right now, but this one was nearest to me, and why get up when I don't have to? ;)

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

"As she came slowly awake, Una's chest felt as though it had been burned hollow, and her eyes stung. An overwhelming sense of nightmare surrounded her." Page 185 in Heartless

The description:

The Dragon King Seeks His Princess--
Who Dares to Stop Him?

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon marry. She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror.

Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.

A Tale of Goldstone Wood
Timeless Fantasy That Will Keep You Spellbound

Now you try it. I'm curious who's reading what and how you're liking it so far. :)

YA Road Trip: Writers Block

2011-08-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

This Week's Topic:
How do you beat writer's block?
Do you go for a jog? Read a book? Go to a movie? Come on, share your secret - we're dying to know!

The view from a walk with my family

A published author told me once that sometimes you have to pull yourself away from your work to gain a fresh, new perspective. So, when I hit writers block and no matter how hard I try I can't seem to get my way around it, I pull myself away. I live life, go hiking, work out, play with my family, do daily chores, read great books. Usually, when I least expect it POP the idea I had been searching for to push the story ahead comes to me.

And if that doesn't work, or I don't want to wait...

I have a brainstorming session with my best friend who also writes. :) If I'm really lucky, our brainstorming is amidst tall fir trees and waterfalls on an awesome hike.

Hiking with my Rayna

New Schedules?

2011-08-22T04:35:00.000-07:00

From my visits to Facebook, I've noticed that the season of summer is ending and the season of school and schedules is fast approaching. Me too. My girls begin school next week and for the first time since I started writing, I will have both, I said both, my kids in full time elementary school. That either means I'm going to have a super clean house or lots of words written, and we can all guess which is more likely.

Sorry Mr. Cleaner.

That got me to thinking. It's time to construct a daily writing schedule. I still have to make sure dinner is cooked and clothes are washed, so how much time in my day will I spend doing those things and how much time will I give to writing? And will I write every weekday now?

See, I think it's best for me and my writing if I create a schedule. I know I'll be going to a weekly Bible study meeting and that I'd like to help out in my girls' classes, and already having a set schedule will hopefully make planning these other tasks easier. Not to mention it'd keep me on track. Keep me focused on maintaining my schedule rather than wasting my days away on Facebook. No, though seriously, if I'm not writing I'm doing something else, some other form of busy work and we all know how quickly busy work can replace creating-a-book work.

This leads me to my question for you. What will your fall your schedule look like? Are there any new elements added or taken away compared to last year's fall schedule?

RIPPLE by Mandy Hubbard

2011-08-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I was searching the internet for new and soon-to-be-released YA books when I stumbled upon Ripple by Mandy Hubbard. It was one of the soon-to-be-released and once I read the story description, I started counting down the days till I could hold it in my hot little hands.

Then that glorious day came and as I studied the front cover, I noticed that there were scales on the back of the main character's calves! No Tail? Immediately I knew this mermaid book would not be like the others. So, imagine my delight when I opened the book and on the very first page she explains her first love and then that he was also her first victim!

HOOKED!

Here's the description from Amazon:

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

I naturally gravitate toward mermaid novels, and this one hooked me from page one because it's a different take on the whole mermaid tale. One in which mermaids are not sweet, innocent maidens. I liked how Mandy Hubbard broke some of the normal assumptions of mermaids such as giving her mermaid legs, and other twists you'll have to read the book to learn about.

If you like paranormal, urban fantasy or just mermaid stories, you should check this book out. Lets just say I never found myself wanting to put the book down. And the end seems to wrap everything up beautifully, but from the author's website, it looks like she's doing another, making this a two part series. So I'm interested to see where she takes the second book.

Plus, the author, Mandy Hubbard is from the Pacific Northwest which is my neck of the woods (literally, lots of fir trees). And the fact that she sets the story in Oregon just puts the cherry on top for me. :)

Have you heard of this book or read it? What did you think?

WooHoo! I Found Allura's Hometown!

2011-08-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

I am just SO EXCITED. My fingers tips are itching to tap those lettered keys until the cows come home. No, literally the neighbors cows got let out. ;)

No, the agent hasn't called yet, that's not why I'm exited. Although, if she were to call I think I'd be jumping up and down and therefore unable to type so the itching fingers thing wouldn't be an issue.

I have been writing my Dark Water novel and am almost to the end. It's time to write the climax and then finish it with a bang. The problem is that when I first started this manuscript I already had a hometown for my character in mind. It was a town I visited as a kid here in Washington that I fell in love with. And since I'm writing a YA I had researched the local high school colors, what their varsity jackets look like, etc. But, as I've been writing this story, I've noticed the town doesn't fit with what she see's, with what's going on around her. Not good. And I slowed on my writing because if she's seeing something different than what that particular town has to offer, how does she explain her surroundings? So, I set out to find a new town. And yes it is important to me that it be a real town here in Washington state.

I should probably share why I am so determined to place my story in a real town in a real state. See, I believe part of what made the Twilight books so easy to fall into, so easy to believe Bella's story was real, was that they take place in a real town. The ferns and moss she describes make the reader feel like they're there. The reader can see that Forks is real, and the high school looks almost the same as she described it, among other attributes of the town, so the reader can almost feel as though that fictional story is real. That it could very well be real. To me that makes you want to live the story a little bit more and I want that feeling for my readers.

So, I was chatting with my mom complaining that I can't find the right town with exactly the right characteristics that isn't an Indian reservation because my character wouldn't be allowed to live on a reservation and she threw out the name of a town she thought fit the description I gave her of what I needed. I went on google and ran hours worth of searches on the local high school, scenery, etc. YAY! I found my town! I found Allura's town.

I know this is nothing major, but to me, it's a big deal.

How about you? How much time and effort do you put in creating just the right setting in your story?

My WIP 59,097 so far

Request For Full!

2011-08-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to share with all of my blog world friends that the agent I've been waiting on pins and needles for has emailed me and asked for my full. I guess she liked my synopsis and partial. :) GOOD!

I have a few posts about my roller coaster ride of requests and rejections, but basically in a nut shell, I queried this agent because I want her more than any other agent. Within a few hours, she emailed me back and requested my full. I very excitedly sent it to her and three months later I received another email from her. While she really liked my writing style, pacing, plot and story line, she felt my main character needed depth. She also said that that is a common mistake for first time authors and that she thinks I have potential and she'd like to see my future work.

So, I got to it. And for the next nine or so months I rewrote my manuscript to really make my main character Eva, a living, breathing person. When I was done, I sent her an email that I was finished. She requested the partial and synopsis. Then I waited. I waited three months and I just knew that if she liked it she would have contacted me by now.

When I saw her name in my inbox my heart dropped. I just knew it was a rejection letter. I begrudgingly opened the email and to my surprise she requested the full! Woohoo!!!

Here's to hoping for that phone call! :)

Novel/Film Blogfest!

2011-08-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

Over at Scribble and Edit, Madeleine has asked us a fun question for today's blogfest.

How many works of fiction have you seen BOTH the film/TV drama and read the original book, play or comic story?

Here's my list. I'm wincing because it's pretty short in my opinion.

Twilight

New Moon

Eclipse

Breaking Dawn (soon) :)

Vampire Diaries

True Blood

Anne of Green Gables

The Notebook

The Five People You Meet In Heaven

So, what's your list look like?

Copycat?

2011-07-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I picked up a book that I've been waiting for since I heard it was going to be published. And as soon as I could, I had it in my hot little hands. When I got home, I sat on my comfy couch and opened it in anticipation for a great read.

I read quickly through the first chapter, noticing a couple similarities between this story and my own WIP. Then I hit the second chapter. This book has more than a couple similarities! The creature in this book, although very different physically and emotionally, is the same type of mythical creature as mine. She enjoys the same type of surroundings and has the same weakness'.

The fact that this book and my own are so much alike doesn't anger me in any way, but it is a little disheartening. When I began my book, the spin I put on the creature I chose to write about had not yet been done, and that excited me to be able to tell a completely different story about her kind. I guess I'm just hoping that when my book is published, it wont be grouped with another title. That it won't look like I copied another book or appear not to be unique in it's own right.

Have you ever done this? Read a book that looked much like your own? And what did you do? Did you stop writing it or figure that the differences far outweighed the similarities?

What Disney Movie Made You Cry?

2011-07-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

What Disney animated movie made you cry?

And what about it brought the water works?

For me, I think almost all of them have made me cry at some point or another, but one that brought that tightness to my chest and a lump in my throat was Tangled. Watching her work so hard, encounter so many obstacles and push through them even though she really didn't know how, all to experience a dream of hers. When she finally got to the water and watched in amazement the lights floating overhead, that grabbed my heart and tugged.

Road Trip Wednesday: Who's Your Favorite

2011-07-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

YA Highway is hosting a road trip today and I happened to stumble across it. If you'd like to "stumble" across it, here's the link.

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

So, here's the question:

Who are your favorite literary villains/antagonists, and why?

First off, while I think of my answer and slush through the many villains/antagonists in my mind who have tricked me into liking them and then made me want to spit fire at them, I'll tell you the kind of villains that really scream EVIL. The tricky ones. The ones who make you, as a reader, not sure if you love them or hate them. The ones who confuse you just enough to cause you to be indecisive about who they really are and then BAM they've gone and done a dastardly deed when you just thought you were beginning to trust them.

My Favorite literary villains/antagonists are:

CAMERON BRIEL (Cam) from Fallen by Lauren Kate

And

DAMON SALVATORE from Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith

Both confused me as I read, watching their characters in my mind show strength, resilience, craftiness and hints of what could look like love. Then, the curtain was lifted and in one hugely selfish deed, I got to see them for who they really are: Villains! To me, that's a true villain, one you don't even see coming!

What about you? Who's your favorite villain?

MY WIP 48,253 words so far

What Would You Ask A MERMAID?

2011-07-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

I thought of a question today while doing dishes which seems to be the time I think of these things.

If you had the opportunity to chat with a mermaid,

what would you ask her?

MY CAR ACCIDENT

2011-07-07T15:47:00.000-07:00

This is looking in one direction. My Brother In Law took this pic before we left, as they were pulling the car parts from the road and cleaning up the mess.

So, I keep wanting to blog, but whenever I try to write it, nothing comes out. The novel I'm writing is coming along beautifully, and although writing about Allura's life feels pretty easy, writing about my own life is posing a challenge with roadblocks at every turn. I decided that maybe if I share with you why I haven't been posting in oh, say, two weeks or so, then I can move past that experience in my mind and enjoy pushing out blog posts like I used to.

A couple of week ago, my husband and I were driving home from a date in our SUV. It was around midnight and the country roads were empty. We were going about 55mph (speed limit) as we drove through an intersection; our light was green. I had been looking at my hubby as he drove, we were chatting, when all of a sudden I saw headlights barreling toward us, on my husbands side of the car.

I screamed something (I don't remember what I said) and Hubby hit the gas to get us out of the path of the oncoming car. In less than seconds, the car slammed into my hubby's side of our SUV. Then, directly after the crashing noise and squealing of the impact (which were scary in themselves), her car pushed under ours and we started to roll. I grabbed the dashboard and screamed something again. I remember thinking we were going to die. I've seen rolled SUV's and they don't look as though people got out alive. My hubby later told me that at this point, he looked over at me and saw the ground out of my window. That's when he said a quick prayer for my safety and cranked the steering wheel as hard as he could into the direction the vehicle was rolling. Apparently, that saved us. I just remember starting to roll and then the SUV slamming down hard onto the ground with all four tires. That was a huge jolt. Our truck kept on moving of course, but stopped right before we ran into a fence along the side of the road.

My hubby asked if I was okay, and then tried to put the truck in park, to which the truck protested with nasty screeching and a sound that reminded me of someone shaking a box of metal tools. He took the key out of the ignition instead. When he tried to open his drivers side door, it wouldn't budge, so I got out and he crawled over my seat.

My body trembled badly, and for some reason (shock) I felt the need to find the Blue-tooth earpiece that had come out of the center console, and out of it's case during the crash. Yah, my crazy self just stood there, searching under my seat for that Blue-tooth and once I found it I had a tough time with my shaky self trying to put it back in it's little hard plastic case. I've never even used the stupid thing! :)

Once the all-of-a-sudden precious earpiece was safe in it's home, I turned to see the damage. About a quarter of a football field away (maybe more) a little green car sat at the corner edge of the intersection frighteningly close to the light pole. It's front end looked naked, no hood, no bumper, no fenders, the tire folded in underneath the car. But what I saw behind the light pole broke my heart. A young mother stood, sobbing while she clutched her screaming baby tightly and stared at her naked car.

I don't remember walking over to her, but somehow I did because I found myself hugging her, comforting her. She apologized profusely, explaining that she had only turned for a moment to check on her crying baby in the backseat; she didn't see the red light.

I remember watching the first police car show up because I remember thinking how strange that those lights and siren, breaking through the dark calm of night were for us. However, I don't remember when the firetruck, ambulance, other cop cars and tow truck arrived. There were bright lights flashing and uniformed people running around everywhere. It was the type of scene that you pass on the road and want to pray for the drivers involved because odds are they're in the hospital or worse.

I also remember how awful the smell was. Car fluids were leaking everywhere, and broken glass littered the intersection. I think the scent was a mixture of car fluids, deployed airbags, and rubber from deflated tires.

After giving statements, insurance info and drivers licenses to the police officer, the ambulance checked my hubby's arm (when the door pushed in, it hit his arm) and the girl who hit us was looked over also. It felt like I stood with the girl for over an hour before the tow truck driver took our truck, and my brother-in-law picked us up and took us home.

All in all, everyone walked away from the accident. The girl and I suffered concussions, my hubby's arm was pretty banged up, and the girl who hit us had glass embedded in random areas of her body, but we were all safe. It left both the girl and I pretty shaken up mentally, so in the days after the accident there was plenty of crying and an inability to truly understand all of the why's surrounding the wreck.

I will tell you that this whole experience has given me a new understanding for those involved in collisions, how incredibly traumatic it can be and life altering. So much so that I'd like to allow this new found lesson to cross into one of my books one day.

Have you ever been involved in a car accident? If so, how has it changed you?

My WIP 42,112 words so far

MC Blogfest -I'm Asking My Main Character A Few Questions

2011-06-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm taking part in the MC Blogfest hosted by Elizabeth Mueller today. She asks three questions of our main characters and I'd love to ask my MC character what her answers are. To check it out for yourself, follow the link bellow.

This is good timing too seeing as last week I posted on character depth as well. :) Ah, don't things seem to work just a little easier in blog world? Okay, let me go grab Allura and ask her these three questions. I'll be right back...

Wait, before I get her, I should let you in on a few idiosyncrasies of hers. First, she isn't human and although she appears to look just like one, she really hates them. In fact, she see's humans as the reason she's forced to live on land and only go for a "swim" under the cover of night. Being that she lives on land, it's important she and her sisters not stick out at their high school so she has even more anger toward humans because she has to pretend to be someone she's not. This is why if you were to see Allura or her sisters in the halls at school and you said "Hi", you would get the cold shoulder coupled with no response and then you'd think they were stuck-up snobs. But she's not.

And, if balancing the tightrope of pretending to be something she's not while proudly clinging to the thing she is isn't difficult enough, she just met David. She can't figure out why (against her better judgment) she's so incredibly drawn to him in an inhuman/human way. Because...her kind destroys men.

Okay, let me go get her.

Blog friends, meet Allura.

Question 1: What is your greatest fear? Ha. You'd think it would be to be found out, but really I'm more afraid of my Aunt's reaction to me being found out. Making them angry would be a mistake. I think I also worry that when it comes time to decide if I want to do the responsible thing and live on land to continue our kind or selfishly live in the sea and never return, I'll make the wrong decision. I know my sisters are counting on me -we're stronger and more protected in numbers- but I really hate being fake all the time. Oh, and there's the David thing, although I'm trying to just trust my instincts on that one. I still don't know if I like him because the urge to hunt and destroy men has blossomed a little earlier in me than my sisters or if, gulp, I actually am falling for a human guy. Ah, I hope it's the first reason.

Question 2: What is your biggest accomplishment? Probably surviving in a house where I don't really belong. Each of my sisters -we call each other sisters but really we aren't blood related- has a mother to look after them, to love them. Those are my aunts. But, since my mother died, I have nobody. I mean, my aunts take care of me in a providing-a-roof-over-my-head-and-clothes sort of way, but I don't get the advice and care my sisters get. I don't know though, lately, since my aunts noticed I may be emerging as the Provider of our group, they've been treating me a little different. Still not the same as having a mother.

Question 3: What is your biggest regret? My Mom dying. David tells me it's not my fault, and my aunts wont talk about it much except to say it was caused by a human man so I need to keep away from humans, especially humans of the male persuasion. But, as much as I hear that it had nothing to do with me, I can't argue with the facts: she died shortly after I was born. So, I don't know my exact role in it, but I regret her dying. Are we done now?

So, I have to ask my blog readers: Have you thought about these three question for your MC?

My WIP 30,426 words down

Lets Learn From Stephenie Meyer

2011-06-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

So, today I got the opportunity to sit and glance over the newest book in the Twilight family, The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer.

Now, I'm a Twilight fan through and through. But, even if you're not, there's something to say about this book. She has an in-depth look into every character in her four books! And I mean IN DEPTH! You know where each vampire was born, the year, when they were changed, why, by whom, who their friends are, what they look like, etc. And the main supporting characters even have their own back story. What life was like for them, how they saw the world, what their family dynamics were, what they did for a living. I mean, I could just go on and on.

So, this got me to thinking. I haven't read the whole book, so I don't know if it talks about how much of this character back story she had planned before putting this book together, but if she did have it all planned, it makes sense as to why so many readers feel as though they are a part of the story, in how they attach themselves to the characters so well. So lets assume for a moment that all this character back story was something she had thought of while writing the Twilight series, to help make the characters more real.

Wow, just thinking about that, assuming it, causes my mind to form a "to do" list a few pages long. Yes, I have character sheets for my main characters, but nothing like this book outlines. NOTHING. And being that Stephenie Meyer has millions of satisfied readers, I should take notice of her strategy of building character depth. And not just on the main characters, but the supporting characters as well!

I'm currently working on a YA novel that has it's own twist of the paranormal. And while I have each of the main and supporting characters' personalities, ways of thinking, and physical traits in my mind, I don't have an in depth look at why they think the way they do and what pieces of their pasts have made them who they are. And you know what? I can't wait to get started on the adventure of answering those questions!

So, tell me: How much, and in which way, have you outlined your characters and added depth to them?

Constructive Criticism: Judges Feedback

2011-06-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

So a couple days ago I went to my email inbox and saw something from the Frasier contest. Cool. I opened it and was glad to see they'd sent me the judge's feedback. All in all I had the input of four judges and each had their own page, word document. Of course the first page I opened happened to be the harshest, because that's how life can be. But, no, it was like tearing the band-aid from a hairy arm and I'm glad the first was the worst.

I went on to read the three others' and the smile on my face continued to grow. One of the judges stated that it was gripping and rated it as ready for publication which gave me hope.

I loved the constructive criticism I received too; there was one piece of advice in particular that I found helpful and I wanted to share it with my blog friends. Now, know that this isn't the easiest thing for me to do. I'm sharing my manuscript weakness' for all to read and that in itself scares me a little. But the advice is so helpful that I can't not share it! So, with a deep gulp, here it is:

"Phrases like I saw, I noticed, etc signifies telling. For example:

I noticed the older passengers helping the younger ones.

To make the sentence more active, just say Older passengers helped younger ones. Or you could be more specific and show one passenger help a younger passenger with a specific activity.

Showing and active sentences create a much stronger, powerful scene."

Now, I've heard it a thousand times, "show not tell!", and I've tried to do just that, but this judge actually gave me an example which brought it to a whole new level. I will definitely be hunting for those hints of telling rather than showing and eradicating them pronto!

As I re-read the feedback over and over again, I'll continue to post the advice I find particularly helpful. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on this judges show not tell advice?

Great Article

2011-06-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

This isn't so much a blog post rather it's just me sharing a great article with my blog-world friends. It's about how the author of the bestseller book, The Help, continued to push after 60 rejection letters, some being very harsh. I thought I'd share. :)

http://www.more.com/kathryn-stockett-help-best-seller

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Pie!

2011-06-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

Last week my sister and her hubby went to CA for business and ended up visiting family while they were there. Now, you all know that everyone living in CA owns a house about a block away from the beach, surfs, wears halter tops no matter their age (and support), and grows lemon trees in their backyards right?

Okay, maybe not all at the same time, but I'm sure everyone living in CA has at least one of those attributes. Sure of it...

So, my sister brought back a bag of big, beautiful lemons.When life gives you lemons, you make... lemon-aid. I love lemon-aid. But then my mom suggested Lemon Meringue pie. Okay. Admittedly it was a little more difficult than the original idea of lemon-aid seeing as I even had to make the pie crust from scratch, but hey, the results were delicious!

That got me to thinking...

How have you made Lemon Meringue pie from lemons recently?

26,405 words

Frasier Bronze Medal Award Winner!

2011-06-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received an email from the Frasier contest I'd entered back in March.

I heard about the Frasier contest online through a group I belong to. They judge your synopsis with the first 1500 words of your manuscript for all types of attributes that make up a good story. The winner would be announced at the ACFW conference in front of many agents and editors. Score. I figured if I won, I'd have my foot in the door, and if I lost I'd still receive helpful feedback on my submission.

I'd never entered a writing contest before so I figured I'd give it a shot. Which brings me back to the email in my inbox yesterday.

The email explained the process of judging. All of the contestants pieces were reviewed by two different judges. The top 10% were then sent on to the second round of judging. Those 10% were then whittled down to six contestants. Those six were the finalists and the winner will be announced at the conference in September.

They were happy to inform me that although I didn't final, I did make it to the second round of judging, so I am a Frasier Bronze Medal Award Winner. She said my writing showed solid writing craft.

Now, when I first read the news, I wondered if I should be excited or upset. After reading all about this contest and talking to other authors though, I'm excited! Not only will my name be mentioned at the conference awards ceremony, and on the conference pamphlet, but I'll be receiving feedback from the judges. I can't wait for the feedback! No, literally, I can't wait! I've already emailed asking when I get my feedback. :)

I want to be the best writer I can be, and I'd like to know what kept my work from being among the finals so I can fix it. I also realize that not being a finalist doesn't necessarily mean there was much wrong with it. It could just mean the judges didn't prefer first person narrative, etc. Either way, there's always room for improvement and I can't wait to do it!

So, I wanted to announce to everyone in blog land that I placed in my first ever writing contest! WOOHOO!

Fight the Unknown-Adding DEPTH to Your Character

2011-05-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

I realize there's no 'right way' to write and I love hearing how differently we all come up with a story. So, why not chat about that a bit? How we do what we do.

Take character development for example. This area is where the agent said I most lacked. She also said this area is very commonly difficult for new writers. Whew, I'm not alone. So, when I received that feedback from her, I decided my writing was most weak in that area and needed a little strength training. I went on a chase for the perfect formula for character development and found that every writer uses methods unique to themselves. That didn't mean I couldn't glean from what worked for them though, so after much blog-reading and trial and error, I've come to find my own way in this personality-seeking, story-making world.

First, each character has their own character work up sheet in a file on my laptop. I found a list of questions to ask your character on a published authors blog, weeded out a few questions that couldn't pertain to my character, and then answered the rest. My main character in my finished manuscript is Eva, so in her file I have the long list of questions answered by her. And when I say answered by her I mean I sat alone in a room with quiet music playing, closed my eyes and imagined what she'd say to the questions; this wasn't a one time discussion either, sometimes these chats took place over coffee or chocolate. Once I had my questions answered, I went online to find images of her different attributes, copy and pasted them to her character file and wrote next to them how each picture pertained to her. So, for example, in her file you'll see drawings of the particular style of dress she wore (she was poor so she only had a winter dress and a summer dress). You'll see pictures of her hairstyle, the hat she always wore, her nurses uniform and her coat. Also in her file you'll see her favorite tree, color and painting, as well as read why she thinks she's dumb and why she's embarrassed of her father and how guilty she feels about that now that they are an ocean and many Nazi soldiers away from each other.

As the story is unfolding beneath my finger tips, I added pieces of who she was to her file. I noticed she had a thing for smells, so that little bit of info went into her file partly to remind me of that personality trait of hers and partly to remind me to weave that trait throughout the story.

Right now I'm working on a YA novel that I'm calling Dark Waters and only a little over 16,000 words into it so I'm finding myself referring to the protagonists file quite often to add more bits and pieces about her that she's revealed to me in telling her story. I think it's pretty fun!

Here's the Question: How do you create character depth in your story?

My W.I.P. Status :)

16,131words

Superhighway of Questions

2011-05-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

As you know, I've finished writing a complete historical novel (New Hope) and am awaiting correspondence from the literary agent who has requested a partial. I've already began writing New Hope's sequel but decided to put that on hold until I hear back from the agent.

What now? I've posted before on the agonizing experience of waiting; the feeling that my brain is a super highway of 'Back to the Future' floating cars labeled with questions like "Did she get it?", "Has she read it?", "Is she going to email me a rejection letter or call me with good news?". But there's more to this waiting period than simply waiting. If the many questions in my mind regarding the agent are floating, futuristic cars, than these cars are passing floating, futuristic billboards with neon lights flashing at me with questions like, "Should I finish the sequel or start a new series?" and, "If I start a new series should I stay in the same genre?".

See, I've got tons of book ideas. The problem, or the possible problem is that they aren't all the same genre. I have Christian, general market, YA paranormal, and historical ideas to name a few. ;) Can I start another series while I wait even if it's completely different than the genre I'm trying to get published?

And one more question: are all my questions giving you a headache? No, seriously though, what would you do in this situation?

Retirement Home for Cats & Dogs

2011-04-07T18:08:00.000-07:00

Recently my family moved to Washington state and we are staying with my parents on acres of gorgeous plants and towering Evergreen trees. It's enough to make any writer smile.

A lot has changed in the seven years since I last lived in WA, but something particularly noticeable to me is the three older animals now residing on my parents property. When I left they were full of energy, sprinting past trees and digging up bones. Now they walk a little slower and their muzzles are sprinkled with gray and white.

I've lovingly named the property the Retirement Home for Cats and Dogs. Of course we still have a few young animals to liven the place up, but it's the older, more mature pets that make me want to sit on the porch and enjoy the warming sunbeams with them. Gone are the issues of chewing and potty training; now we deal with blindness, hard of hearing, hip problems, and sadly even an inoperable tumor.

Regardless of health problems though, there's just something special about older pets. Maybe it's that spark of life in their eyes despite the cataracts, or how they insist on doing what they enjoy (sniffing around the property) even though they have a bad hip. They live life differently; they appreciate the loving affection of their owner in a deeper way and realize that pouncing on visitors isn't always necessary.

There's a lot to be said for "retirement age" pets, and a lot that they can teach us if we're willing to slow down, lend them a lap, and rub their ears while we listen.

Here's The Question:
Tell me about your older pet. What's his/her name? How old is she/he? And tell me something unique about him/her.

I Sent It!

2011-03-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

In May I sent my full manuscript to an agent who had requested it. In August she responded with a very sweet and helpful email. She told me that she liked the story; it was well-plotted and entertaining. The problem, and her decision to decline representing it came from the fact that that characters lacked depth. She said they felt emotionally distant. She was right.

Thankfully, at the end of her email she mentioned that she'd be happy to take another look at my work at some point. Now, from what other authors have told me, the fact that an agent didn't send me a form rejection letter was a big deal; the fact that she told me what needed to be changed was an even bigger deal, and the fact that she offered to take a look at it in the future was a huge deal! I didn't view her response as a rejection (well, lets be honest, I did until two published authors educated me on the matter). I saw her response as a push to do better. Maybe even a test to see if I was the type of author who would recoil in anger and mutter to myself of how great my writing was and that no one understood. Maybe she wanted to know if I'd take her advice under consideration and work on fixing the issues she found. Either way, I listened to her as well as the published authors.

In October I emailed her to let her know how thankful I was to her positive and helpful response and then I asked her a simple question. I wondered if she'd prefer that I query her again once the rewrite was complete, or just shoot her an email letting her know. Again, she responded. The answer? Email her when I completed it.

Yesterday, I sent that email. Today I wait.

Here's The Question:

Have you had any sort of correspondence with a literary agent? If so, how did it go? If not, what are your aspirations/ fears when it comes to literary agents?

Ode to Friends

2011-03-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

I adore the blessing of close friends. I love how once-in-a-while (in some cases once-in-a-lifetime) a super special person takes a genuine interest in who you are and loves you for what they see -the bad and the good.

Over the course of years your two paths intertwine and although you live very separate lives, you feel like you're climbing the same mountain together. You encourage each other to push on -to focus on the leafy, vibrant greenery rather than the sharp, menacing rocks.

When you're tired and need a break your dear friend accompanies you to the nearest waterfall where the two of you stand at the edge and look down to see where you both began while marveling at how far you've come together. She shows you a different view -from up top, the rocks are smoothed by the water of time, and now you can appreciate how the brown and gray stones make the bushes that much greener.

Of course, you both know soon it'll be time to leave the waterfall and continue your journey up the mountain, but it's during those waterfall breaks together when you can truly fall in love with the climb.

Why this love song to friendship? I guess I'm standing at the edge of a waterfall right now with my best friend and wondering how I got so lucky.

Goodbye My Favorite Library

2011-02-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm going to start this post with a fact; I'm moving. No, not to a new house across town, but to a familiar state a bit north from here. Washington. It's my home state, and where all my family reside so to say I'm thrilled is an understatement. Maybe in the future I'll write a post on why we're moving, but today I wanted to write about the library here. I know, I know, this isn't the first time I've written about it. I don't even think it's the second time. I just love the Farmington library and will miss the place so much!

I think the library has been my favorite building in this town. How many of you feel at ease near rows of shelves of books? I do. In fact, I always have two full bookshelves in my bedroom because of the relaxation they bring. The feeling of gently allowing my fingers to flow from book spine to book spine calms me in a weird way. I can't explain it.

When we were between homes, living with friends, I could take my girls to the library to sit and read stories together of far off places and familiar cartoon characters. Then we ended up renting a house directly down the street from the library which meant that at least once a week, the girls and I pursued the many familiar and colorful rows the library had to offer.

No matter what difficulty we were facing, or how often it felt like things had been turned upside down on us without our permission, the library welcomed us with serene continuity. When it felt like everything was changing for the worse, the library stayed the same.

Now, I realize it's just a building with paid government employees, but what makes it so special is that this government building is not only huge and beautiful, but filled to the brim with books. Amazing, colorful, calming, story-filled books. And because of that fact, I'll miss this government building very much.

What's your favorite book-filled building?

Done, but is it Complete?

2011-02-08T16:51:00.000-08:00

I'm Done. I've finished. But is it complete?

Last May I queried an agent that I really wanted to represent me. She replied by asking for the manuscript. Three months later, in August, she emailed me to tell me that I needws to add depth to my character. I freaked out for a few weeks, and then eventually emailed her back and asked if she wanted me to let her know when the rewrite was done. She said "Yes". That in itself was a reason to jump up and down!

Fast forward to today.

I'm done. Today I finished the rewrite, but I can't take a sigh of relief yet. My critique partner read up to chapter 9 (page 50) and then had to care for a sick family member. Thankfully her family member is doing much better, but she's found herself busier than she'd expected and unsure if she can finish critiquing my manuscript. I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and email the agent that I'm done, or if I should wait until I can have someone critique the whole manuscript.

Nevertheless it feels great to be finished, except that I miss Eva (my main character) already. :( That's okay, she'll be back in the sequel.

Here's the question: What would you do? Let agent know it's done or wait for a second opinion?

Resolution to Have Resolve

2011-01-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

It's January -the month of resolutions. I personally love January's. To me the month itself says "fresh start". And who doesn't love a fresh new beginning?

Now, I was going ask what your New Year's Resolutions were, but that question is kind of old and the theme today is new. Also, my friend tells me that she doesn't tell others of her resolutions because she may not be able to keep them. Which made me think.

Out of your whole, potentially long list of resolutions, which one do you know will happen in 2011? Without a doubt you know, that you'll either stick to it, or make it happen, or it's just going to happen because is has to. Tell me that one. That one resolution that doesn't have the option of not happening.

Okay, I'll go first. I want to say that I will most certainly get an agent this year. I want to say that, but I'm not gutsy enough. I know that no matter how hard I try, an agent isn't guaranteed. So, I'll move onto my next resolution. Yes, this one I can decide to follow and make happen. This one rests solely on my shoulders. Here it is, I WILL loose my chocolate editing weight. You see, editing is painful, and chocolate helped ease the thousands of little pricks as I deleted favorite scenes and explanations. Unfortunately, it took more than a few sweet treats to ward off the evil edit monster and although my book is successfully whittled down to about 95,000 words, I'm feeling (and seeing) the effects. I don't have a goal weight, just the goal to fit back into my jeans comfortably.

So, what's yours? Tell me the one resolution that you know WILL happen in 2011!

The Shower

2010-12-07T16:45:00.001-08:00

Shower.

What pictures or thoughts from that one little word, conjure up in your mind? To new mother's maybe solitude and peace? To a child, possibly frustration over an unnecessary and unwanted nightly routine?

To me, when I think of a shower, four different images, four different experiences pop into my mind.

Why four you ask?

Because in the last four months, my family has been moving and transitioning and I have lived in four different homes and therefore showered in four different showers. Granted, they all got the job done -they spouted warm water from above my head in an effort to cleanse me, but each had it's own unique quirks.

The shower I now have, one that I plan on having for a while, is wonderful. The water pressure is strong, and the droplets fall in streams (unlike one shower head that pushed the water out in a painful spray). My current shower has seats in it, seats! And is larger than the cramped quarters of the past.

I know this is a silly topic, but it's rarely discussed and incredibly important. And, I just enjoy my shower now that I had to tell someone. Or lots of people.

So, tell me about your shower. What do you like about it? What do you wish you could change? What have you already changed? Do you prefer glass doors or curtains? These are all important things you know. :) Inquiring minds want to know!

Writing Buddies

2010-09-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Yeah! It's Friday! Okay, I just had to get that out.

So, I am getting more into the world of blogging and have noticed something: themes. It's popular for writers to blog on a particular topic, or theme on a selected day each week. For instance, I have seen one blog where the writer asks a completely random question every Friday. Smart isn't it? Well, as much as I'd like to steal her idea, I won't.

Instead, I've decided to brainstorm until I too had a fun Friday theme. Surprisingly, the idea came to me quickly. Want to hear it?

ANIMALS!!!!

See, most writers seem to have a pet of some kind. One that they blog about and post pictures of. In every instance, I've noticed these animals are more than pets, they are our writing buddies. I'll kick off this first Friday blogging about my writing buddy. I'll then add my email address and hope that you will send me a picture of your writing buddy and tell me their quirks or how they impact your writing -something along those lines. When I post about your little (or big) buddy, I'll also add your blog address to the post.

Okay, so this is Squeakers. She's five years old, and my writing buddy. She's tried laying on the bed near me when I write, but it never seems to work out (I think she gets jealous that the computer rests on my lap and not her) and after trying many different positions, she's found her perfect place -under my bed. When she see's me grab my laptop and head to my room, she runs ahead of me and waits beside the corner of the bed. The moment I sit down, she scurries under my bed, directly under where I'm sitting. In fact, she's there now. :) I have a blue pillow there for her to rest on, but she usually prefers to be completely under the bed. If I get up to fill my coffee cup, she follows me, and then does the whole waiting-by-the-corner-of-the-bed routine all over again. I took this picture today, although I had to coax her to stick her head out from under the dust ruffle so the world could see her.

Tell me about your writing buddy. Send emails to rachelpudelek@gmail.com and don't forget to add a picture and your blog website. Also, if you don't write, tell me about your reading buddy, hiking buddy, swimming buddy, etc. I can't wait to meet all your buddies!

Always Learning

2010-09-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Picture this: in the pile of yesterday's mail was a bubble wrap package from Bethany House Publishing -the largest Christian publishing house in the U.S.

Now, before you begin sending me letters of congratulations, read on.

Yes, there was a book in the package, but not my book.

So, there's this word out there that I learned recently: influencer. Every heard of it? Well, it was a new one to me when Karen Witemeyer asked if I wanted to be one. After she explained it to me and I actually understood the term, I wholeheartedly agreed. If you are like me, and have never heard of an influencer before, it's someone who reviews an author's new titles. The author gives your name and address to the publishing house, and shortly before the book is available to the public, they mail the book to you. You quickly read it, and review it. You can tell folks about it on your blog, on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. Pretty cool, huh?

Yesterday, in the bubble wrap Bethany House Publishing package, I received Karen's new book Head In The Clouds. The cover is beautiful! This will be the first book I'm reading as an influencer -hopefully the first of many.

Seeing as this blog is about everything writing/publishing, I thought I'd share this little tidbit as it became known to me. Oh, and to say that seeing a package from a publishing house escalated my excitement to get my manuscript rewrite done and hopefully published!

Here's The Question:
Have you ever been an influencer? If so, for which book/author?

Three Simple Questions

2010-09-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

As you know, I've been expanding my view of character development these last few weeks. I've gone from the mindset of 'how hard can it be?' to 'this is impossible' and finally resting on 'I can do this'. Although, to be perfectly honest, there were a lot more variations of 'this is impossible' before I landed on the decision that I could do it.

I was going to list the methods that I tried and failed at, but I decided that even though they didn't work for me, they may still work for others. In fact, they probably will work for others -I'm just weird is all.

I guess you could say I felt tossed by the waves of character understanding in all the finding-out-what-makes-my-character-tick-stuff.

Then, like a ship caught out at sea, I saw something illuminate the dark waters and land became visible.

I was poking around www.mybooktherapy.com where low and behold, like a beacon of much needed light to a weary sailor in need of a lighthouse, I saw an article on 'The Easy Way To Create Characters'. At first I assumed it was like all the others -difficult to do, without the positive results. But boy was I wrong!

In the beginning of the article she states that this method is painless, and is more like drinking coffee while chatting with friends than actual work. So true.

She asks three questions of your character and voila, you're done. No, really. Remember, I'm the one who has a tough time getting what I know about my characters onto paper in the form of personality sheets? But, I just sat and answered the three easy questions, and in the process, I truly met my three main characters. I asked them what their greatest fear was. What their greatest dream was. And what they valued most. Yeah, that simple.

Of-course if you're going to try this method you should head over to the web-page where she explains how to use this information. And if you do read her instructions and give it a shot, let me know how it worked for you. I'm excited to hear if it helped anyone else the way it's helped me.

I'd better go though, Eva, Harry and Ester are still here and they aren't done chatting. Now, where did I put my coffee?

Oh, here's the web-page:

http://www.mybooktherapy.com/index2.php/articles/listen-to-me-the-easy-way-to-create-characters/

What's Your Favorite?

2010-09-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

I've heard enough debate on the subject of mythological creatures to last me a lifetime -which ones are considered acceptable and which aren't.

Regardless of the sometimes passionate arguments, I happen to love stories about them and in fact have a favorite creature of my own.

What is your favorite mythological creature and why? Was it your favorite since hearing childhood stories about it or has it become a more recent fascination? Do you wish there were more fictional books about your favorite creature?

I'm really interested in your answers! I'll share my favorite and why in the comments with the other answers. :)

Easier = Less Frustrating

2010-09-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

I am now in week two of rewriting and I will say it is getting easier. Well, to be honest it was confusing, then crystal clear, then frustrating, then even more frustrating, and now less frustrating. Less frustrating is easier isn't it? Let's just say it is.

I have gotten a ton of advice, which I asked for, so I am very thankful. And I'm sifting through it to see what works for me and what doesn't.

After my initial confusion, I thought I'd learn more about my protagonist -sit down and have a chat with her, and then add her answers into the book. That was the crystal clear view I mentioned. When I tried the simple little add in's, and instead found myself changing parts of the book that had nothing to do with her character, I got frustrated. Then, when others agreed I needed to change some aspects of the book and not just add in bits of the main character to give her depth, I got even more frustrated. I thought I was done writing this book. I was working on the sequel.

Low and behold, as of yesterday, I'm having fun changing some things around. Another author mentioned that I need to make my first chapter as strong as possible, and this rewrite is enabling me to do just that. I'm enjoying switching things around and watching them come alive and so in that aspect, it's getting easier.

This is still SO much work and I hope it will all be worth it one day. Until that day though, I'll be typing away, hoping it'll get easier at some point. :)

Here's The Question:
What are you struggling with right now and are you fighting the urge to quit?

Moving On...

2010-08-31T09:52:00.001-07:00

Okay, I've thought about the rejection letter and I am going to update my blog. Should I quote a piece of what Ms. Agent wrote me? Yeah, I should.

"Thanks so much for sending me NEW HOPE. I really enjoyed the story; it's well-plotted and entertaining. Unfortunately, I don't think the book grabs the emotions as much as it should. The characters feel emotionally distant. This is a common flaw with early manuscripts and I'm sure with continued work you'll master the technique. I'd be happy to take another look at your work at some point. I wish you the best as you continue down the road to publication!"

This is an amazing rejection letter. Now I really want this agent. Her sweet respect and encouragement make me just want her to sign me! I've listened to other author's opinions about what she meant, and I think I have an understanding. And guess what? She's SO right. I went back and read my first chapter. It's gripping and pulls you in, but you don't know what Eva is feeling. I show the story and in some ways I explain who she is as a result of her circumstances (being Jewish in Nazi occupied Germany), but I don't explain who SHE is as a person -outside of her circumstances and current life situation. What is her favorite color? Her favorite food? What does she do for fun? To relax? To vent?

As a doula, when I would interview a pregnant mommy so that I could know how to best help her during labor, I asked her pages and pages of personal questions. Where do you hold tension? What do you do to release the tension? Do you have areas on your body that you can't stand being touched? Do you like your head, feet, back rubbed? Which one would you prefer? And on and on. Does it matter that the mom may watch TV when she wants to relax? Not really. Not while she's in labor it doesn't because she wont be watching TV, but it tells me a little about her and how she unwinds so that I know that she prefers to work through her discomfort by being distracted rather than focusing on it. The answers the mommy gives me sheds light onto other areas of her life because as humans, our likes and dislikes are connected to how we perceive things and in turn to our reactions.

Yet, I didn't ask Eva (my main character) what her favorite color was!

Here's what I did to rectify my mistake. I joined A.C.F.W. and found a few character sheets with tons of questions to ask of my character. Right now, I'm working on filling them out and already I am seeing more layers to Eva, which is exciting. I added bits and pieces of her to the first chapter, but I'm sure I'll add more. I can't wait to really make her a person in my story. I had a friend read my manuscript a while ago and she said she loved it because she really felt like she was watching Eva's life unfold through a window. At the time I thought that was huge, but now I see I don't want my readers to watch it through a window. I want them to watch it through HER eyes. Through a deep connection with Eva. I hope I am able to make that happen.

Here's The Question: Have you done a character questionnaire for your main character? How do you add depth to your characters? If you're a reader, what in the story makes you feel connected to the characters?

MS Rejection. Any advice?

2010-08-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

On my last post I wrote that although I have not arrived in Writersville, I'm on the road that will take me there. Something I experienced today definitely made that fact very clear to me. It was an email from Ms. Agent.

I knew I didn't want to receive an email. I wanted a phone call. But, it was an email I got and it said what one would expect -she passed on my manuscript. Here's the thing though, and I wonder what you authors think this really means. She said that she really enjoyed the story. That it was well plotted and entertaining. However, the book doesn't grab the emotions as much as it should because the characters feel distant. She believes I will master the technique with continued work and would like to see my work again at some point.

I wonder if my characters are distant because the story is told in first person narrative or they are just distant. Should I change the first person narration?

My friend asked me how I feel, and at this point I'm not sure. I don't want to throw the story/manuscript out. Ms. Agent really liked the story. I think right now I am wondering what to do to make it worthy of publication. I wonder if I should start on fixing it right away or wait a while. I recently learned a new character building technique for authors. Now my mind is working on how to incorporate what I learned into my characters and if that's even possible. I'm not sure how to make them 'less distant'. Especially in first person narrative when the reader only really knows what the protagonist is thinking and no one else. I am very disappointed of-course, but nothing more than that and lots of thinking at this point.

Any advice?

Figuring It Out On My Own

2010-08-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

The other day with my ancient (by today's standards) G.P.S. and smart phone in tow, I did a little poking around my new town. I've decided I love this place based on one determining factor -I didn't get lost. Now, I assume you're wondering how I could get lost with a G.P.S. Believe me, it's not only possible but probable.

When I first moved to Texas my drivers side door pocket was stuffed with printed Map Quest directions and a laminated map of Abilene. Not to mention the permanent placement of the G.P.S. on my front passenger seat and I still found myself calling my husband to tell me how to get home. There were times when I couldn't get a hold of him and had to find my own way by trial and error. And I think that's when I really started to learn my way around town.

Isn't that a lot like writing? When you first begin in the new town of Writersville you can't seem to make a correct turn to save your life. You know where you want to go. You have an idea of what what it's supposed to look like. But for the life of you, you can't figure out how to get there. Oh people are more than willing to offer advice and direction, but that only makes you feel more lost and frusterated over the fact that you just can't seem to get your bearings.

I've learned something though. Sometimes you just have to muddle your way through and get lost a few times before you find the route you prefer to take. Before you realize the way they did it isn't necessarily the way you should do it.

Trust me, I don't think I've arrived at my destination in Writersville, but at least now I am confident that the road I'm on -my preferred route- will lead me there.

Oh, I thought it only fitting to include the pictures I took of the journey's destination. It was the library. Isn't it beautiful? The second picture is one row (of many) in the children's area. There was also a teen room and an adult area. Ah, I think I'll be spending a lot of time there!

Here's the Question:
How long have you lived in your current town and do you still get lost?

I Moved!

2010-08-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

Before I begin, I must warn you -this post has nothing to do with writing. Alright, you've been warned, we can proceed.

I can now add a new state to the list of places I've lived.
Okay. So, here's the list:

~California
~Oregon
~Washington
~Germany
~Texas

My new home state? New Mexico. I've driven through plenty of times, but this time is different. This time I stayed and I'm glad I did. I love living around types of natural beauty that are unique to a certain area or state and meeting people from backgrounds different from my own. I think it helps a person to write better -to tap into a larger array of characters when they have lived and experienced more than what's in their own comfort zone. Wait, look, this IS about writing! Leave it to me!

Seriously though, I feel like a blessed woman. When I moved to Texas it was a huge culture shock, but the two years I spent there taught me a lot. I saw a culture hinged upon family and values. I also saw more flat land and big skies than I thought existed!

Now that I'm in yet a new state, I can't wait to learn and see what all New Mexico has to offer and I can't help but wonder if I'll use the area, it's history, or it's people into one of my books.

Are you wondering about the pictures up top? I couldn't help myself. Yes, I did an unsafe thing -I took pictures while driving. (Guilty sigh) I thought the comparison was hilarious. Oh, and I should mention that that U-Haul you see in both pictures, yeah that was my view the WHOLE trip. My hubby was pulling it.

Here's the question:
Can you guess what I was comparing? Notice any differences between the two state pictures?

RESTING

2010-07-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

I'm waiting. Waiting for 'the call'.

Ms. Agent told me to give her eight weeks to read my manuscript. The last week of July/ first week of August, is the eight week mark.

I've heard of other new authors who wait anxiously for 'the call'. Don't get me wrong, I dream of her telling me she wants to represent me, but anxiety? No. My friend asked me if I constantly check my email for a response from Ms. Agent, and I told her I don't want an email, I want a phone call. An email would be a rejection letter.

Why am I not freaking out, it being only a couple weeks away from the end of July? I've had two kids. Okay, yes, I see how that may need further explanation. See, many say writing a book is like having a baby. It takes time and effort and tons of emotions. You work hard, pushing ideas and words from your very core until one day, sitting in front of you is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind manuscript.

I understand that if finishing the manuscript is like giving birth than my analogy is working backwards, but stick with me. I see waiting for 'the call' as waiting to go into labor. Now, yes I've only actually gone into labor twice (I have two kids) but as a doula, I've seen and counsoled many women going into labor. The one sentence every new soon-to-be mom has said two weeks prior to her due date is, "I just want to meet my baby." They want the baby out.

They want to see the fruition of all the time they put into being pregnant. All those leg cramps at 2am, and unwanted pounds gained. You know what I tell them? "Enjoy the rest while you have it." Which leads to why I am not fretting, and wearing down a circle in the carpet around my phone. I am enjoying the rest. I know (from hearing others) that the big work starts after 'the call'.

Just like after having a newborn, the demands are placed on the author in the way of edits, and deadlines. And just like being a new mother, I'll gladly accept the demands head on. But, for now, I am two weeks away from my due date and I am resting. While I enjoy the freedom of writing foot loose and pressure free!

Here's the Question:
What are you waiting for right now?

Free Flow vs Outline

2010-06-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

How do you write? Is the question a bit too general? I agree.

If you are currently writing, or have ever written a book, what does the process look like for you? More specifically, do you just write or do you use an outline?

On my first manuscript I just wrote as the story unfolded in my head. I had a rough, simple outline, but nothing more than a long paragraph written about the plot. While I was finishing that first manuscript, I ran across a well known author's website where she'd said she always used outlines when writing. So, from what I gathered, she'd create a chapter by chapter outline and then write the book. That sounded very intriguing and I decided to try that in a future manuscript.

I started writing my second manuscript without an outline, and about 10,000 words into it, I am beginning to entertain the whole outline idea again.

So Here's the Question:
Do you, or have you used an outline? And if so, what does it look like? How in depth do you go?

Summer Writing Schedule?

2010-06-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

Summer brings new schedules. Most include laying by the pool, sleeping in, and vacations. If you write though, summer brings with it the necessity of figuring out a new 'writing schedule'.

During the school year I write while my kids are in school. Now, I am working on a new time to write. And I don't mean writing with interruptions between each sentence from sweet little ones who want food, permission to watch TV, etc.

No, I am looking for some good, condensed, deep story time. I've told myself I'll wake up early to write in a quiet house with coffee cup in hand. However, since making that decision I've had a sinus infection which demands as much sleep as possible. Good times.

These thoughts got me thinking; how are your writing schedules changing over the summer? Or are you taking the summer off? I'm interested in knowing how others do this. Thanks for your input!

What is Edgy Christian Fiction?

2010-06-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

Ask me what an edgy hair cut is, and I'll tell you it's something with lots of color and spikes. A style that would cause most people on the street to do a double take because it is so very unique.

Ask me what an edgy dog is, and I'll explain it's a very nervous canine that either licks compulsively, barks a ton, or jumps on you. Or all three.

Now ask me what an edgy Christian fiction book is and I'll give you a blank stare. Not sure. I have my guesses, but I can't be certain. Is it a book that the author would classify as Christian but with subject matter that pushes the envelope? Because I've read Christian fiction with pretty heavy subject matter and I don't know that Francine Rivers would call her books 'edgy'. She doesn't use strong cuss words, or vulgar explanations when writing about abortion, prostitution, etc. So, is she not 'edgy' because she chooses to respect her readers by not graphically explaining sinful actions in great detail? Or is she considered 'edgy' and I just don't know?

Tell me, what is 'edgy' to you when it concerns Christian fiction? I have my pre-concieved ideas, but nothing in cement. Is it that a book discusses the more difficult subjects that aren't all love and sunshine? Or is it when a book closely resembles secular fiction in the language used, with a Christian over-all theme?

Book Exam

2010-06-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

The first book that I want to examine is Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers. Ms. Rivers is a well respected and wonderful writer. She's also incredible popular within the Christian fiction category which makes this the perfect book to examine. Although I will enjoy reading debut author's books this summer, I will not examine them on my blog.

So, lets get started shall we? Again, this is not a review at all. Only an avenue of learning the craft of writing a little better. I don't know about you, but I can ALWAYS learn!

Leota's Garden is 448 pages, or 163,091 words long.

I loved how most of the book is from Grandma Leota's (84 yr old woman) point of view. What an unusual main character! By writing one of her main character's to be at such a mature age, she was able to mix history and contemporary in one book. What could have been a dry back-story is now tales of days gone by, the brighter days of her youth. As the reader I was able to not only learn a little history but see life through an elderly persons point of view which added to the story, made it believable and I felt invested. Isn't that what we want our readers to feel?

The beginning of the book automatically pulls you into the story with a conflict and a necessary decision that one of the main characters is forced to make. However, once that choice is made, the body of the book falls flat with lots of introspective thinking and not any real action. You see the main characters mature and grow as individuals, but there is no action until the very end.
I suppose you can make the arguments between characters as pieces of action, but they result in nothing more than continued anger.

The last few chapters of the book are packed with emotions, decisions and arguments that result in changed hearts and changed lives. The ending was very clean and packaged beautifully. As the reader, I felt like all the loose strings were tied up and the bow was securely in place. Each main character is not only changed, but Francine Rivers shows how they changed by their new decisions and lifestyle rather than just saying they've changed their thinking and leaving it at that.

One of the main points I learned from reading this book is ACTION. It's necessary if you want to keep your reader from putting the book down. And not just action, but action that boasts results of some kind.

Also, too much introspective thinking can muddle up the story rather than make it clearer. On the other hand, some is needed in learning how the character thinks so that when you want to show change, the amount of change is better understood because you know how the character 'used' to think.

Lastly, I learned to take the time to package the ending securely and completely. Tie up any loose strings by showing the change in the characters, not telling about it. To allow some space for this when watching my word count. She didn't save the last two pages to tell how they've changed. She used the last few chapters to explain their metamorphose in character which made me as the reader feel like I got the full story and wasn't 'jipped' at the end.

Here's the Question:
If you've read this book, what have you learned from it?

Go Ahead And Pick It Apart, It's Okay

2010-06-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

I started this blog to explain step-by-step the process of writing and (hopefully) publication. Currently I am in the 'waiting' stage and am completely okay with this stage truth be told. I'm working on a second book and reading great novels. It's the life! :)

Although I'm enjoying a little down time, I'd like to keep the posts coming on this blog. What to write, what to write?

While driving today, I was thinking about a book I'm almost done reading. I picked it apart, but not in a bad way. I tore it piece by piece: how was the character development? Why? Was there enough action or any? Which character did I relate with the most? Who did I root for and why? Was it predictable? Was there a climax in the story? Questions like these. Then it hit me, I should share these thoughts on the books I read. Not as a review. In fact I don't know that I plan on stating whether I liked the book or not, but it's fun to look at a book and see what we can learn from it and apply to our own writing.

I would love for you to chime in on each book I write about if you've also read it. The next book I write about will be Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers.

Here's the Question:
What are some of the things you look for when reading a book?

Manuscript Format

2010-06-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

When I set out to host a blog about writing I wanted it to focus on the process. Step by step a writer takes to the world of publishing. With that said, I took another step today. A baby step I'm sure, but a step none-the-less.

Today I mailed my manuscript to the agent who requested it. It was a moment for me.

So what format do they want in a manuscript? I'm glad you asked because I did a TON of research and am happy to share what I found. First and foremost they want it to appear professional. What constitutes as professional? Yeah, I wondered the same thing.

~ A cover letter. This looks somewhat like the query as far as what info. sits at the upper left portion of the paper (name, address, phone, email). But the body is nothing like the query. Make sure you write the agents name: Dear Ms. so and so. I read that some writers make general copies of the cover letter -not good. Basically this is a short letter reminding them who you are and that they asked to see your manuscript, synopsis, partial -whatever they asked for. You want to include the word count, genre, and a short bio of yourself. Also, thank them for asking for it, because you're pretty appreciative they're giving you a chance, aren't you? I placed my cover letter on top of everything. As soon as she opens the box she'll see the cover letter and know who this 'Rachel Pudelek' woman is and what she wrote.

~ A cover page. This page sits atop the manuscript. In the upper left hand corner you have written your name and email address. Now, some sites say to also include your phone number and mailing address. I think this really depends on the agent. Mine asked for my email address to accompany it. At the bottom left you place the number of words that make up your manuscript. They say to round it to the nearest 500 or 1000. In the center of the page you have in bold, all caps your Title. Under that is your byline which is not in all caps, but still bold.

~ The manuscript. I was shocked to learn this needs to be in single pages. WOW. That's a lot of pages! But I completely understand. These poor agents are reading all day everyday. Having ink leak through the page to the other side would be frustrating to try to read around with tired eyes. It also needs to be double spaced. The title, your name, and page number should be at the top of each page in a header. I have mine at the top right of each page. It looks likes this:
New Hope/R. Pudelek. And of course the page number.
Now, to the question of how far down the page to place the beginning of each chapter, I found different answers. I checked the agents site and saw no exact guidelines on this so I went ahead and put the chapter name centered and 4" down on a new page. Make sure to have the chapter name in bold, all caps. If you have the year or something right below the chapter title, that needs to be bold too but not all caps. Mine looks like this:

1. THE WANTING
Spring of 1944

I would suggest adding these little changes to your W.I.P. if you haven't already. It helps to have that done when you are finished writing. One less thing to change during editing. I think I'll share on synopsis' also, but another day perhaps.

Here's the question:
If you are working on a manuscript, have you done these things or are you waiting until editing time? If you aren't a writer, did you ever imagine such detail goes into everything submitted by an author? What is the most interesting detail do you think?

Cold Feet Turned HOT

2010-05-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

I hate to say it, but I got cold feet. So much so they were stuck in a tub of ice water bordering on frozen block status.

As you can tell by the date on my past blogs, I finished my manuscript months ago. Yet, have you noticed I also finished editing a while ago? Sure, I sent out two queries -to agents who I knew weren't looking for my type of work- and received two rejections. Duh. Double duh. But then I sat on my manuscript. As though I believed for some reason I was a momma hen and sitting on it would bring it to full maturity.

My husband continually urged me to send out more queries, and this time to agents who actually represented my type of work. Still I sat. A published author read my first three chapters and told me it was ready to submit. Still I sat.

Then one day -last Saturday to be exact- I went to a book signing. Seeing a debut author enjoying her book launch party gave me exactly what I needed; the courage to stand up. Which is exactly what I did today.

Praying before I even sat down to the computer, I went through my query one last time and submitted it to three different agents. I made sure to research each agent in depth and personalize each query. Once they were sent I also began to tweak my synopsis (and I ended up completely trashing it and starting again).

From learning about the three agents I queried, I knew that if they liked my query they may ask for a synopsis and a partial. If they liked that they would ask for a full. Of course each agent had slightly different ways of explaining this, but generally this was the process they explained.

About three hours or so after submitting the queries I noticed I had an email. Would you believe it was one of the agents requesting a full?!

Now my feet are so hot they are dancing and so are my fingers! Dancing across my lap top keyboard in an effort to finish the five to seven page synopsis she requested to accompany my manuscript!

Here's the question:
Ah, my mind is still spinning. I don't think I can think of a question! :)

Karen Witemeyer's Book Signing

2010-05-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

I recently blogged about the fantasy and fear of book signings so I figured I'd keep the dream alive with a success story.

Months ago I met Karen Witemeyer at a local writer's guild meeting. She had just returned from a trip where she toured Bethany House to see the many steps a book took before hitting the store shelves. She was absolutely excited to say the least and I enjoyed hearing all she wanted to share.

After our first meeting we began talking and it was then (months ago) that I marked on my calendar- May 22, 2010: Karen Witemeyer's book signing. Today is that day. It also happens to be the first time I have ever in my life attended a book signing.

What did I encounter? I can tell you it wasn't a sad and lonely Karen twiddling her thumbs with piles of unsold books surrounding her. Nope. Karen was happily chatting with readers. Not a line down the block mind you, but a steady stream of people. She sat at a beautifully decorated long table that not only was covered in a lovely table cloth and lace, but also bits and pieces of her character's life- sewing supplies.

At a smaller table were three gift baskets and various other decorations, staying perfectly in stride with the book and time period. On the third table were refreshments. Each of these tables had people around them mingling, a copy of A Tailor Made Bride in hand. I was impressed by her attention to detail and how well it seemed to all come together. Oh, and I did I mention this particular book signing was held at a museum specializing in the frontier days. Perfect.

Here's the question:
Which book signings have you been to? What about the event left an impression on you? If you have yet to attend a book signing, which author's would you love to experience?

Book Signings

2010-05-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

Book Signings: Every aspiring author dreams of the day when they sit at a table full of their published books while readers line up in anticipation to buy their very own copy, have it signed with a personal message, and meet the person responsible for authoring such an amazing piece of work.

Is this merely a dream? No, not for well known authors like Francine Rivers and Stephanie Meyer. For the rest of us, yes this is only a dream. Sorry to burst bubbles. It's true though. Yes, we will sit at a table surrounded by our published work. And yes, we'll sign them for readers. However when we begin to envision lines out the door and around the building, that part is pure fantasy. Or so I'm told.

I've chatted with newly published authors who tell me many book stores are even hesitant to host a book signing because it doesn't generate much of a rise in book sales. I for one was shocked to learn such dream-dashing news. For some reason I envisioned myself sitting at a beautifully decorated table in a key area of a very large, very popular book store. I admit I hoped for a line, but knew it wasn't probable. Not on my first book at least. So, now that I know the truth, the reality of book signings do I still dream of one? You bet I do!

Call me crazy but there is just something about the idea of signing books that were once an idea trapped in my imagination. Something exciting about chatting with readers who enjoy either the time period of my book, or Christian fiction in general. Yes, I now have the fear of sitting alone at a tiny, undecorated table off in the corner of a small obscure bookstore twiddling my fingers while browsing customers sneak a glance my way wondering who the heck I am. Or worse yet, a customer thinking I am an employee on a break and asking me where to find the bathroom. But gosh darn it, it seems a right of passage to spend a few hours with pen in hand ready and eager to place my signature on the inside cover of a book with my name on it while bonding with fellow readers. So, when that time comes, you can count me in!

Here's the question:
Have you ever attended or hosted a book signing? What was your experience?

P.S. Someone showed me this video. It confirms it friends. :) Funny to watch.

I Sent It!

2010-05-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

I did it. After much prayer and editing, I sent my query and first chapter to a woman I would call my dream agent. I tried to make it as neat as possible.

I have had numerous readers and a published author critique my book. Based on my own editing and many of their suggestions the ms has morphed into (hopefully) an agent ready ms.

Here's the question:
When have you worked hard on a goal only to freeze up when it came time to act on your hard work?

Back to Square One.

2010-04-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

They say writing the first chapter is the hardest part of writing a novel. For me it was easy. That may be why it's so boring. So, for the second time I am going to write the first chapter and something tells me this time it WILL be the hardest chapter to write!

A month ago I gave the first three chapters of my book to a few people to read and each person commented on how much they loved the second chapter but no one mention the first. That's when the inkling set in that the first may have issues.

When I edited my book I did a lot of cutting and reshaping and thought I'd made the first chapter pretty readable, as far as first chapters go. I mean I still need to explain the setting and get to know the character right? So what if it's a little boring. A content-filled first chapter that leans on the bland side is normal. Or so I thought.

I started thinking about some of the books that I have read recently with great first chapters. They pulled me in from the beginning. Not so much with character details and back story but current, relevant story telling. Then I read the submissions guidelines of an agent I would be thrilled to have represent me and she requests the first five to ten pages of the ms. Lovely. My first chapter is the weakest five pages in my book! So, with those two very stark realities staring me in the face, I have decided to re-work my first chapter.

And here I was hoping for the 'Stephani Meyer' route to book publishing: write for six months, send out queries, and get accepted. That's okay though. Realistically that's not me. I am a perfectionist and I tend to tweak and brush over all that I do with a fine toothed comb. Apparently more than once. :)

Here's the question: When you write a letter to someone do you edit it before pushing the send button?

Bonus Question: How many times is the phrase 'first chapter' mentioned in this blog? :)

A New (incredibly simple) Discovery

2010-04-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

Big events in life change you. That's a no-brainer. But is writing a book a big event? One that isn't yet published? I would say getting published would be a big event for sure. Regardless of whether or not simply writing a whole novel is a big event, it has tweaked the way I view books so it's definitely changed me.

When I read books in the past I was SUPER picky. I could spot a problem in every novel. Not so much with the punctuation or grammar, but the story-telling. And in a way that's a good thing. I saw what not to do. However in some cases I realize now I was picking at another writer's writing style. And no book is going to be absolutely perfect in every way.

I know this all sounds very obvious but I only truly realized this recently. I was reading a book and although I liked most of the story-telling, I found faults with it's description of things in the story. I wondered to myself why, if I thought this was a great story, would I find fault? And the answer hit me. Different writing style. DUH! This author by no means gave too much description (because lets face it, there is such a thing) but merely more description that I would give. Does that make it wrong? No. Does it make that story any less fun to read? No. It only makes it different than mine and isn't that great? We WANT different writing styles. If every book was written the same, who would want to read anymore?

So I say MORE POWER TO THE DIFFERENT WRITING STYLES! The more the merrier!

Here's the question: When you read a book that isn't your own do you sit back and enjoy the story or find yourself critiquing it?

Published

2010-04-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Months ago, when I was in the middle of writing my book, I wrote an article on marketing and sent it to C.A.P.P.A. (Childbirth and Postpartum Association) for their quarterly magazine. They emailed me back thanking me for my submission and assuring me that when they publish it, they will let me know. Then, nothing.

Yesterday the news came. My article will be in their next quarterly!

So exciting! I can add it to my bio on my query. But here's what's even cooler-

When I wrote my last query there was something about it that I didn't like. I think I mentioned this fact in another post. After prayer and waiting on the Lord, an amazing query for my book was written. So why not send it? It wasn't time. My dream agent suggests sending the first five pages of the manuscript with the query and I am triple checking the manuscript so that she see's my best work.

However as I waited and tweaked the manuscript, a very important piece of the bio made itself available; I am published. God's timing is perfect. I didn't rush this time, and it paid off. Now I have a much better shot at landing my dream agent. I'll keep you posted!

Here's the question: In regards to writing, what was the first piece you had published?

Rejection #2

2010-03-31T21:50:00.000-07:00

The title says it all, right?

When I submitted a snail mail query to the big literary agency in NY I also submitted to another agency online. The query at that time was pretty low quality in my personal opinion. I don't blame the rejections really.

But my point is, I sent it to them and today received an email back from the online submission. I was surprised to even receive a reply to be honest. On their submission guidelines it clearly states that they only represent published authors. But, I had to try.

Here's the exciting part; on the rejection letter they stated that my concept for the book was very interesting. That's one step forward. So great concept, but crappy query probably, oh and the fact that I am not already published.

I have an agent in mind that I REALLY want. I just finished re-writing the query, so hopefully this time my reply will be that the concept is interesting and the query is amazing and they want to sign me. Let hope right?

Here's the question: So far, how many rejections do you have under your belt?

Rejection

2010-03-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

As I am blogging about the road of writing and hopefully being published, it seems only right to mention the rocks and bumps along the way.

Today I received my first rejection letter. I have only sent one query via snail mail so the moment I saw the SASE in my mailbox I knew what it was. In fact after I mailed the query out two and a half weeks ago I did some more research on this particular literary agent. Although Writers Market says he accepts 'Spiritual' fiction, I could not find one Christian novel that he represented. Right then and there I figured he wouldn't represent me either.

There are two literary agents whom I found and prefer. Lets say that so far they are at the top of my list. Both women. Both represent plenty of Christian fiction. They ask for more than a query; a synopsis and first three chapters as well, so tomorrow I will work on the synopsis and then mail the queries to the two agents by the end of the day.

I always wondered what it would feel like; to receive a rejection letter, but oddly it wasn't as upsetting as I assumed. Maybe because it was my first? Maybe because it wasn't my top pick agent? Who knows, except that there will be many more. :)

Here's the question: What was your very first rejection letter? Was it a letter or email?