Christy Awards: See Anything You Want to Read?

   

 Each year the Christy Award Nominees are announced and then later in the year there will be the announcement of the winners of each category. It is prestigious for Christian novelists to be nominated, let alone to win. I congratulate each nominee and look forward to seeing the winners on June 26.



ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The Christy Advisory Board is pleased to announce nominees in nine categories for the 2010 Christy Awards honoring Christian fiction. The Christy Awards will be conferred in advance of the International Christian Retailing Show at a ceremony at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel, Sat., June 26, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. Author and entrepreneur Lisa Samson, a two-time Christy Award winner and seven-time nominee, will present the keynote address.

Tickets to the event are $30. For more information about the awards reception and to make reservations (beginning Apr. 30), visit the Christy Award website at http://www.christyawards.com.

The 2010 Christy Award nominees are:

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

• Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills • Tyndale House Publishers
• How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group
• Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus • Barbour Publishing

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS

• Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson • Thomas Nelson
• The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
• Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth • Zondervan

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE

• June Bug by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers
• The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson
• Veiled Freedom by Jeanette Windle • Tyndale House Publishers

FIRST NOVEL

• The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry • Moody Publishers
• Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent • Tyndale House Publishers
• Scared by Tom Davis • David C. Cook

HISTORICAL

• A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
• Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group
• The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey • Revell Books: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

HISTORICAL ROMANCE†

• Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group
• A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group
• The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander • Thomas Nelson
• The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group

SUSPENSE

• Intervention by Terri Blackstock • Zondervan
• Lost Mission by Athol Dickson • Howard Books: a Division of Simon & Schuster
• The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

VISIONARY

• By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson • Marcher Lord Press
• The Enclave by Karen Hancock • Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group
• Valley of the Shadow by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers

YOUNG ADULT

• Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma • Thomas Nelson
• The Blue Umbrella by Mike Mason • David C. Cook
• North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

†Historical Fiction includes four nominees due to a tie in scoring.

View this press release as a PDF: http://ajast.com/ChristyNomineesPR2010.pdf

When I Was a Little Girl

I think my grandmother made this dress. Notice the rick-rack. I have always had trouble with my hair! I'm not sure, but I'm about 2 here, I think. It was taken in Tennessee. (Hohenwald--ever hear of it?? LOL) If nothing else, I look happy, despite everything.







My childhood was a little mixed up. When I was not even a year old, my mother went to stay for the next couple years in a TB hospital as she battled for her life. She ended up losing all but one lobe of one lung, but still managed to make it home and raise me. Since my dad was a long haul semi-truck driver, there really wasn't anyone to take care of me during the years she was in the hospital. So, my only living grandparents, Roy and Pauline, took me in, which was quite a job since they still had two tweens at home and worked full time. The good news for them was that they did desperately love me, and they had a lot of family close by.

My aunt ended up babysitting me quite a lot and I think my married Aunt Sue sometimes took me home with her to give them a break. My grandfather, who owned a logging business, took me with him to chop wood--he even carried my diapers and bottles with him! ( I survived probably by my own sick mother's prayers. She had lived with her in-laws for several years and also during the time my dad was in the military.) Everyone just did the best that they could and loved me just as I was.

Whatever our circumstances, all of that wadded up past comes with us when we grow up. I am independent and quite stubborn. There are stories galore from all sorts of people who came up against my strong will when I was small. Even my poor mother, still weak from her surgeries and getting over her illness, did not get a break from my willfulness when she first got me back. But what helped me most was my own mother's determination and strong will to live and endless prayers, as well as my own survival techniques I developed as someone so young without a solid home life. I was confused as to who my "mama and daddy" were because my grandparents had me call them mama and daddy. They really didn't expect my mother to live.

Anyway, this week as I am working on my core and finding the deep truths in my own writing, I think everyone needs to find time to dig out those truths buried in our pasts. I really love the When I Was Just a Kid interviews. What were you like as a child? How does that connect to the writer you are today? If anyone would like to do an interview on my When I Was Just a Kid blog, do leave a comment with your email for me to contact you. Even if you haven't published, it might help connect the dots for you as you discover your own writing voice.

Let's find the truths about our own writing together.

Results of "Openings" and What Do We Know?

I forgot to include Abigail by Jill Eileen Smith on the first lines vote yesterday:

"'Rumor has it David is in the area not far from here. If you but say the word, Father, we could leave Simon for good and join him. I hear he has women and children in his company now. Mother and Talya and Abigail would not be out of place.'"







Poll is over and Abigail and By Darkness Hid tied. I'm used to reading more than one book at a time. Right now I have a stack of books about the Amish on my desk and that is occupying my brain, too. Some days I think I'll just purge every book, every manuscript from my presence and give it all up. But then as I'm sorting through, I pick up a book I haven't read yet, read those first five pages and alas, I'm absorbed for awhile and forget what I intended to do.

Here is By Darkness Hid again:
By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson (Blood of Kings Book 1):
"Achan stumbled through the darkness toward the barn. The morning cold sent shivers through his threadbare orange tunic."

It depends on what genre you enjoy reading if you would pick either of these books, I realize. Any deciding votes between the two today? :)

I drew a name from the entries in the posts of this week's series. It was Susan R.so do contact me, Susan, to give me your address. I know you have my email.

My oldest son is an artist and web designer. Some while back I asked him to design my web site and I was all ready to launch my manuscript, my web site, my new blog. Then, he questioned my passion for the direction I was going (he has been around me a long time...) and he said my story wasn't "me." My wheels fell off and I just sat in the middle of the road like a deer in the headlights (or maybe I'm a run-over groundhog...) His gift with his clients is finding the essence of the owner of the site. I was too scattered. Ok. He did make a comment that my blog is boring and too busy. Ouch. But I still haven't figured out what to do with it. Aren't people like this? Messes of arteries and veins and clumps of tissue and hair? We have to step away to see the whole picture.

I am scattered in my interests and even with what I read. (Obviously by looking at the books on the poll, you can see that.) I encourage everyone I can. So I went back to my manuscripts and tried sorting them out. I have a direction now, but I still would like to encourage writers--all levels, all genres. This particular blog will always be a "book"/author place.

As I regroup this week I'll be listening to what you all (the readers here) are interested in. My goal is to visit in some way each one of you. This blog isn't about me. It's about you.

See you in a few days! I'm finishing up some manuscript evaluations and will be back to tackle more stuff. Feel free to either email me your thoughts or post them here.

Tired of Rejection? Well, Here's a Start

Susan Reinhardt, a professional writer and novelist over at Christian Writer/Reader Connection, brought up a great point on one of the comments this week.

"One thing I noticed about some of your first line examples: adverbs and unusual dialogue tags. These are things I've been taught to avoid. If you have an opportunity, can you address this?

It's true! They tell us, don't use those adverbs/adjectives as that will get you rejected. What? So how do some of these published authors get away with THAT? Most of the examples we saw are from established authors. (Not debut authors.) There is always an exception to every rule.

Noah Lukeman has a whole chapter about adjectives/adverbs in his book, The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile.He talks about overuse and how you do not want to pepper your manuscript with them. He says just cut them. But he also says to replace common ones with unusual ones. Get ones that draw attention. Strengthen your nouns and verbs. Or substitute a comparison, analogy or metaphor.

Mary Connealy is one of my favorite authors and here are some openings of her books:

Montana Rose: "Cassie wanted to scream, Put down that shovel!"

Petticoat Ranch: "Sophie heard God in every explosion of thunder as she listened to the awesome power of the approaching storm."

Petticoat Ranch was one of her early books. Montana Rose is one of her recent releases. Can you see a difference in the openings?

This is from Gingham Mountain: "Martha had an iron rod where most people had a backbone."

She sure can tell a story and she pulls me in every time, even though I think Montana Rose is one of her finest (in my opinon,) I still love the early books, too. 

Not many people voted on my poll over to the right, so let's look at the openings to those books.Can you choose a book to read from these openings?

By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson (Blood of Kings Book 1):
"Achan stumbled through the darkness toward the barn. The morning cold sent shivers through his threadbare orange tunic."

Missing Max by Karen Young:
" They say people have a premonition about calamity before it strikes. But Jane Madison felt only irritation when her cell phone rang as she waited in the Mardi Gras crowd to order shrimp po' boys."

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell:
"'Get dressed, Clara. In your visiting costume. We are going out.' My aunt's words were at once both commanding and precise--as precise as her posture: a series of ninety-degree angles, seated upon one of my bedroom chairs."

Almost Forever by Deborah Raney:
"Bryn drew the queen of diamonds from the stack of playing cards on the wobbly table between her and Charlie Branson. The grizzled Vietnam vet eyed her from his wheelchair as she discarded an ace."

A Woman Called Sage by DiAnn Mills:
"Life didn't get any better than having the love of a good man and his baby kicking against her ribs. Add a summer breeze to cool the heart of a southern Colorado sun and a bed of soft green grass tickling her feet, and Sage felt a slice of heaven had come to earth."


Lukeman points out these things that could draw a rejection:
1. A weak opening hook.
2. Overuse of adjectives and adverbs.
3. Flat or forced metaphors or similes.
4. Melodramatic, commonplace or confusing dialogue.
5. Uneven pacing and lack of progression.

So, Susan's question does deserve our attention. While openings are only one portion of the entire manuscript, you usually only get one shot at the first few pages to attract attention. Here's the another thing we didn't talk about--sometimes the opening which caught the agent/editor's eye to start will get changed before it's published. (Yeah, it happens.)

All this isn't written in stone, but seeing many openings of published books shows you how it has been done by those who are published. When you pick up a book in the bookstore, Steve Laube, a bookstore manager-turned-editor-turned agent, says you only have a scant few seconds to capture that reader before he puts down your book and picks up the next one. There is something to writing that opening paragraph. Once you've written your book, go back and look over your opening with fresh eyes before sending it out. Get Lukeman's book and work on his exercises. Run your opening past a few people who know nothing about your book to test it.

Are you trying to pick your next book to read? Throw out a few sentences to let us pick! Or if you want to entice us to read your favorite new release, throw us the opening sentence.

Tomorrow I'll draw a name from the commentators this week and buy that person a copy of The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile. And of course, I'll be wanting to know your opening line of your current WIP once you practice using it.

Thanks so much to everyone who commented this week. I really enjoyed reading those openings.

What the Wind Picked Up: Proof that a Single Idea Can Launch a Thousand Stories

This week on my own blog we've talked about openings to your novel and how even the first line can set tone, mood, hooking the reader into buying your book. Just go to Amazon.com and you can find books for sale there where they allow you to read the first chapter for free.(And sometimes authors themselves offer the free chapter on their websites and on guest blogs.) That's smart marketing.

If you fail to capture your reader in that first chapter, then no sale. Your first reader will be that editor (or his assistant,) so it better hook fast. All beginning and experienced authors understand this. And all fight to get that hooking first line into fertile waters for a big reel-in.

We could argue that many people so spend much time on the first three chapters, they then forget to polish up the rest of the story. True that. It happens. But unless your first lines hook, well, end of the story, anyway.

A few years ago a bunch of writers who call themselves Chi Libris decided to write a collection of stories to demonstrate how different writers can take a single idea and weave just as many unique stories. But they also show another concept in these stories and that is how they can take a single line, "The wind was picking up," and go from there hooking readers with their second line, and the first paragraph.


Here's a sampling from that book from authors you may be familiar with (and who invariably kept in their own brand and voice.)
(What the Wind Picked Up: Proof That a Single Idea Can Launch a Thousands Stories from the Novelists of ChiLibris, iUniverse, ISBN 0-595-34113-6. $13.95.)

Each story starts with the same line, "The wind was picking up."

1. "Dog huddled closer to the building, shivering, empty belly aching. The concrete surface offered little shelter from the biting wind." (Burl's Gift by Karen Ball.)

2. "Garth Himmelfarb headed right into it. This was his first night out on a new exercise regimen--brisk walk around the mall, then home--but he was already feeling fatigue." (Hero by James Scott Bell)

3. "We were in the mouth of the Severn River, sailing east toward the Chesapeake Bay at a frightening speed, tilted to the right at a twenty-degree angle. I loosened the the dinghy's mainsheet, but the little sailboat continued to dig its leeward rail into the water." (The Dubious Dinghy by Ron and Janet Benrey)

4. "Judge Hiram T. Young leaned toward the diminutive woman in the witness stand. 'You shot your husband because the wind was picking up?'" (Reinventing Love by Stephen Bly)

5. "Or so it seemed. Palms swayed gently in the virtual breeze. Simulated waves washed upon silicon sand, cut by Higgins' landing craft and the Japanese battleship Hiei. Overhead, Zeroes tangled with Corsairs, while 'Val' dive bombers rained 500-pound death on U.S. troops diving for dubious coved of the bamboo huts of Guadalcanal." (Cyberspace Savior by Jefferson Scott)

This is a great exercise. Choose one of the genres above (or your favorite genre) and craft an opening starting with "The wind was picking up." Note above how the author created mood, pace, even genre in just a line or two. Think about themes, and how each author expresses so much in just their first paragraph.

Don't be afraid to share your first lines here in this exercise. What would YOU do if you were given an assignment like this? These were short stories, but the same thing happens with a long story, too--even nonfiction pieces must have that lead, that hook, that opening line which pulls you to read the next paragraph, sink $15.00 into yet another book, turn the page even though you're supposed to be meeting with your honey at that restaurant.

At the end of this book the authors gave advice on maintaining a writing career and a valuable lesson learned. The price of the book is worth that. If you do pick up this book (and I think it's still for sale,) or you already have it, try jotting some notes on each story,  underlining elements of each story, circling genre word choices, and make note of the themes.

So is anyone willing to share how he would write an opening using the first sentence, "The wind was picking up," ??? I'd love to see what you'd do.

Bonus: What genre would you write it in?

Opening fast or slow? Mood?

More first lines today. First, choose a genre. Does that make a difference in cadence, mood? It should. Expectations come with genre and with individual established authors.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
    "At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed through the cracks of  my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room, making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzzz that hummed along my skin." 

A Light in the Window by Jan Karon
      "Serious thinking and crossing the street, he once said, shouldn’t be attempted simultaneously."

Home to Harmony by Phillip Gulley
    "When I was in the second grade,my teacher, Miss Maxwell, read from the The Harmony Herald that one in every four children lived in China."

Sassy Cinderella and the Valiant Vigilante by Sharon Dunn
    "Jesus, chocolate, and a mocha with the steam rising from it. Jesus, chocolate, and a mocha with the steam rising from it."

Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
      "My mother did not tell me they were coming. "

Daughter of Prophecy by Miles Owens
    Prologue: "Now you can push, m'lady, Drysi the midwife announced in weary triumph."
    Chapter 1: "Her home was a ruin."

The Loop by Nicholas Evans
     "The scent of slaughter, some believe, can linger in a place for years."

Twin Targets by Marta Perry
(There's a prologue, but this is chapter one.)
    "The woman's body lay on the cold, dirty concrete floor of the garage, a few feet from her car."

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl with April Henry
"'Come on, Jalapeno!' Katie Converse jerked the dog's leash."

In James Scott Bell's The Art of War for Writers, he says to give the action first and then the setting descriptions if you're going for page-turning "momentum." If you need to slow the pace, then open with the setting description.

This book does the second opening:
    "The spring of the year is always beautiful in the mountains of North Carolina, and I hated to think this would be my last to see the blooming of the dogwood trees and the greening of the slopes."
(Land Sakes by Margaret Graham)

What is the pace of your book? Genre? These things do make a difference. Also, whose POV do you open with? You may end up going back to write your opening AFTER you've written your book. Considering all the things that set the tone and get your reader into the book, you may want to consider how the book's first impression brings your reader to the story.

Assignment to share with us: Pick a genre (your favorite is nice) and look at the opening. (You can share it with us.) What is the pace? Fast or slow? Does it open with action or a description? Does this match the genre and the entire pace of the book? What is the mood?

(Yesterday's offer for those who comment still holds today. If you live outside the U.S., I'm sorry that I will have to only offer the free 5-page read. If you comment every day, that counts as extra entries!)

First Lines-First Five Pages Mania

 Are the first five pages, the prologue, the first sentence, really all that important?

I'm finishing up judging entries in a writing contest this week and it has become apparent to me just how important it is to hook your reader from the beginning. It's disturbing to me how many prologues there are in the entries I've received. By the way, even your prologue should hook the reader. That connection must be made between the prologue and the beginning of the story. When I'm more confused than settled into the story by a prologue--lose it. It better be a sterling prologue or forget it. My first clue is when I'm skimming the prologue to get to the story. Sigh.

I can't talk about first lines and the first five pages without mentioning Noah Lukeman's The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile.  It's a book to have in your writer's library so if you don't have it, get it. (Simon & Schuster/Fireside, $13.00 ISBN 0-684-85743-X) Weak openings can doom a writer from the git-go. This book includes exercises at the end of each chapter so you can even work on what he's saying about getting your hook established early on. His book doesn't just focus on fiction, but also nonfiction. He's talking about basic elements in good writing.

So, today I want you to dig out those novels or nonfiction books that just blew you away. What was the first line, the first paragraph? Make a file on your computer of your favorite books and their first lines. What hooks you, may not hook me, but at the very least we can see just what helps to grab us. If you're a book nut like me, you always have a book within reach of your computer. Grab one of those books right now. Open to the first page. What does it say? Ok, writer's dream now--did you keep reading for a few more pages and get distracted? If not, what do you think happened?

All week I want to concentrate on this topic. If you're really brave, give us the first paragraph or first line of your WIP. (Work-in-progress) Think about whether you want to disclose this (you may not want to right here, and that could be wise.) But I'd love to hear what your favorite books of all time are,and what you've read this year that captured you, and what books you just couldn't get into because you couldn't get past the first chapter. Did you ever read a book that you persisted in reading that didn't get you until later?

Ok, while I am not a fan of prologues, one really got me this year. I read The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-7642-0707-5) for Church Libraries magazine. (My review is not published yet so I can't share that here.)

Here's her first line from her prologue:

"For years, I could not recall the day without a smoldering coal of remorse burning within me."

Chapter One then starts 12 years later, so I have a frame of reference of how that prologue fits with the story. The prologue enhances the story and in fact grabs me, making me want to hear the rest of the story. The story didn't disappoint me, and I read, read, read. Chapter one starts like this:

"Heart pounding with fear and regret, Olivia Keene ran as though hellhounds were on her heels. As though her very life depended upon her escape."

This is a Regency Historical Romance set in 1815 England. Knowing the setting also helps in finding that reference for the reader to dig further. In some cases I do not have that option unless I've been provided this.The cover, the cover copy also helps to pull me to a story, so it's not always just the words that we have to depend upon with a book, but an editor or an agent have little else, so the words have to stand without all the "dressing."

Ok, today's assignment: Pick up a book on your desk and open to the first chapter. Give us the first sentence. Have you read this book yet? If so, did you like the book? Did the first page get you from the beginning? If you haven't read the book yet are you anxious to read further?

And to sweeten the pot, I'll give away a copy of Noah Lukeman's book on Saturday, chosen from those of you who comment all week. If you already have the book, I'll read your first five pages of your WIP and give you my judgment (which is actually worth more than the book because I charge more than the book is worth.) 

Leave your nameATispDOTcom so I can contact you if you're chosen.

Nicole O'Dell Cares about Tween Girls

Nicole O'Dell writes interactive books for tween girls with Barbour Publishing. Today, not only would I like to share her latest books released, but a little about Nicole, as well. She is an amazing person. If you have a tween girl or know one, do check out her books, web sites and connect with her blog.

Her books are written specifically for tween girls faced with difficult decisions and lots of peer pressure. Books three and four in the new Scenarios series, Magna and Making Waves by Nicole O’Dell, released in this month (April 2010.) Lessons of right and wrong are put to the test when readers use their own decision making abilities in an eye-opening but safe way. Each book follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s the reader’s turn to choose.

In Magna, Molly Jacobs isn’t sure what she should do: Should she follow through with stealing some clothes for her friends from Magna—the trendy girls’ clothing store where she works? Or should she do what she knows is right, even if it means losing her newfound popularly?

Making Waves finds Kate Walker on the swim team where she becomes obsessed with practice and the upcoming championship. What will Kate do when she’s faced with pressure from her teammates to take an illegal substance that will help her swim multiple events in their championship meet? Tween readers make the choices in these interactive stories and discover how the consequences change Molly’s and Kate’s lives. Both books include a contract and prayer at the end to remind the reader of the importance of making godly decisions.

Now let's learn about the author!

Nicole O'Dell

Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself?


A: I have six kids ranging in age from 18 all way down to my toddler triplets. I work from home with all of my kiddos underfoot, which presents challenges of its own but has also been a huge blessing. I’m also a returning college student and the youth leader at my church.


Q: When did you discover your love for writing?

A: When I was in fourth grade, I entered a district-wide literary contest. I had to take a blank, white, hardcover book and write a story with illustrations to fill it. My book, The Girl on the Runaway Pogo-Stick, took first place. It was printed and placed in the school libraries in my district. I was hooked from that moment.

I remember the process of writing that book. I was sitting on my bedroom floor (with green, shag carpeting, of course) leaning against the side of my bed. As I was writing about the girl bouncing her way through town, passing all of the businesses and waving hello to various townspeople, I realized that she'd need to pass them in reverse order on the way home. Something in me clicked, and I realized that things like that didn't just happen by accident in books; someone did it on purpose. Suddenly, I wanted to be that person—the one who made things happen and told the story.

Q: How did you break in to the publishing world?

A: It took me a long time to actually attempt any kind of formal publishing. I mainly took classes and wrote for myself through those many years. Finally, a few years ago, I dabbled with a few queries for some ideas that I now see were never going to work—and they didn't. But, once I had an idea that I couldn't let go of (Scenarios) and a far better understanding of how the industry works, I gave it a real try. I actually only sent out one query for the Scenarios series. That query eventually led to a two-book contract, and then another one…now we’re releasing books three and four, with five and six already written and slated for release Spring, 2011.

Q: What has drawn you to writing for the YA market?

A: Fear! Seriously.

When I was a young girl, my mom was my hero. I really believed that she could do anything and that she knew everything. Somehow, when I entered my early teen years, that all changed. I became angry and really gave her a hard time. I regret much of those years now that I see the truth of them. My mom is now my very best friend. I wish I had known then what I know now and had some kind of grasp on just how temporary all of that angst and confusion really was.

Ever since I had my daughters, I have feared those years. My parenting has really been shaped by my desire to avoid as much of that destruction as possible. My heart’s desire is to reach hormonal, confused, pre-teen girls, and to protect them from themselves, and their families from the confusion that can ensue as the girls face those life changes.


Q: Tell us a little about your novels.

A: In the Scenarios series, each main character is faced with many choices and moral dilemmas. Eventually, they find that their choices have led them into a situation that requires them to make a very difficult and potentially life-altering moral decision. When the story has fully unfolded, and the main character arrives at that moment of truth, the reader makes the big decision for her and then turns to the corresponding section in the book where the resulting circumstances unfold.

This format places the responsibility for those decisions squarely on the reader’s shoulders, in hopes that she will learn from her personal experience as she lives it through the eyes of the book's character. She will learn the importance of good decisions as well as the truth about forgiveness and grace. Even when poor choices are made, the redemptive power of Christ is evident as forgiveness is sought, offered and received.


A: How can we find you on the web?

A: www.nicoleodell.com and www.scenariosforgirls.com will both take you to my home base. There you’ll find info about my books, upcoming events, media options, book reviews, etc. You’ll also find a link to my blog where there’s something for everyone. I blog on a set schedule. Monday is always a message to parents. Tuesday is the Girl Talk advice column in which my two daughters and I answer a reader’s question or dilemma. Wednesday is always a post about writing or books. Thursday is a devotion or thought-provoking post of some kind, and Friday is for fun.

Check out the giveaways! I’ve always got books, gift cards and some kind of novelty item being offered.  You can enter by filling out the contact form on the website. Drawings are held at the end of each month.


Q: What are your goals for the future?

A: More than anything, I hope to grow this ministry for teen girls. I have a real passion for them and for the mother/daughter relationship as it approaches and weathers the teen years. I believe that our enemy seeks to destroy the family, and one of the ways he does that is by affecting teenagers through temptations and emotions that they aren’t ready to face. It seems that mothers and daughters often have the most difficult time during those years. On the horizon, I have speaking events and outreaches where I intend to bring a message of hope and promise to women and girls who are facing those difficult years.


Q: If someone would like to book you for an author event or a speaking engagement, how can they reach you?

A: They can contact me through my website: www.nicoleodell.com or email me directly at nicoleodellATgmailDOTcom. This is one of my great passions, so I truly do hope to hear from you!

Q: Lastly, how can we meet you? Where can we come see you?

A: You can find out all about my upcoming events at my Web site www.nicoleodell.com. There is an upcoming events page that is updated daily, as needed.

I hope you do take the time to come on out and meet me at one of my events!

Nicole's latest books:
Magna by Nicole O’Dell. April 2010. $7.97. 192 pages.
ISBN 978-1-60260-844-3.
Find Magna online at NetGalley at this link: http://bit.ly/aUtg7i .

Making Waves by Nicole O’Dell. April 2010. $7.97. 192 pages.
ISBN 978-1-60260-845-0.
Find Making Waves online at NetGalley at this link: http://bit.ly/cyPMTE .

Is It Worth Going On?

So many hard things to deal with in life. So many disappointments, grief and heartache combined, make us feel sometimes that we can't go on--that we can barely breathe.

I've been digging into my ancestors. It started as just to find some background for my own writing. Then, it got personal, and I'm trying to sort it all out. What is God calling me to write? After that, a tragedy happened in our community where a woman was shot to death by her estranged husband and then he killed himself. I knew her. My boys worked with her. I talked over colleges and careers with her and her daughter. It reminded me of the many times I came close to being killed in much the same manner as she was, but for some reason it never happened. Bullets flew by my head, but never touched me. Night after night of endless talking my tortured father from committing suicide and taking us with him. It was a time of my life full of pain and suffering emotionally, but I lived. I survived. I'd go to church and school afterwards, smile and not talk about it. This woman did not get that chance. I have no answers for that.

In times of grief and suffering we often question if we can go on. The opposition and obstacles are great; we are unsure of survival. Is it worth the risk? Life is like that. It is full of risk but not everyone takes it. Everyone has a life with these same questions and risks, and we often question if we can go on knowing what we do, but also not knowing.

This is from a conversation between Sam and Frodo in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien:

Frodo Baggins: I can't do this Sam.

Sam Gamgee: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding on to Sam?

Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

       
Whatever you are fighting for, keep fighting. Whatever has you in the grip of that despair or struggle, it's worth going on. Rest if you must. Take a deep breath. Clear your head.  You are holding on. Don't give up. Never give up until God calls you Home.

Crystal Warren Miller

Tribute to Nancy J. Ring (By Marti Suddarth, SALT Sister)

One week ago today, Nancy J. Ring took the path Home and went to meet Her Lord and Savior. She was a part of many circles, but she was also a part of our circle, which started off as a writers' critique group, Struggling Artists of Literary Talent (SALT.) We bonded as sisters in so many ways, and now we are heartbroken that we can no longer be a part of her life, nor she a part of ours in this life, except for the wonderful memories we have--but yet, we are eternally connected as we are also sisters in Christ Jesus. We will see her again. One way we are honoring her is by writing how she became a part of us. This is by SALTy sister, Marti Suddarth.
------------------------------

I didn’t know Nancy Ring when she was in high school - we lived in different states and attended school in different decades – but when I think about Nancy, I always think of her senior picture.She’s wearing purple, her favorite color, and looking over her shoulder at the viewer.Even though she’s only seventeen-or-eighteen-years-old, she looks so determined.It’s not just youthful enthusiasm, that naive belief in one’s own invincibility that so many high school seniors feel.There is an inner strength in her eyes, a confidence that comes from knowing Who is in charge, Who is guiding, Who is taking care of her. 

Nancy and I were both members of SALT – Struggling Artists of Literary Talent, a small group of writers who provided support in the form of critiques, information, advice, shoulders, and most importantly, prayer.   In the eleven or so years our group has been together, we’ve gone from fellow writer-wannabees to published authors and close friends.In that time, I’ve repeatedly been amazed by Nancy’s wisdom.I shouldn’t have been.It was apparent in her eyes.How could someone “so young” –ack! Who wants to be described that way? – be so wise? Yet her advice was always spot on.She was the grounded person I wish I was.It’s hard to imagine that she benefited much from my friendship, but I gained so much from hers.“Nancy” means “grace.”She was appropriately named.

This is not to say Nancy was an all business-fuddy-duddy!  (The truly wise know the importance of having fun, too!)She collected teddy bears and played with her cat, Katerina.Nancy loved looking for rainbows, and every spring, she eagerly reported her first lilac sighting.  Nancy loved lilacs.

 

Katerina, whose antics entertained us all

Toward the end of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled, "Skin of Evil," the crew members attend a memorial service for security chief Tasha Yar, who has died in the line of duty.  After the service, Data, an android who wishes to be more human, questions Captain Picard about the service.  He  asks, “I find my thoughts are not for Tasha, but for myself. I keep thinking, how empty it will be without her presence. Did I miss the point?"  (Star Trek:  The Next Generation:  "Skin of Evil," original air date: 25 April 1988)Captain Picard responds that Data understood perfectly.

I imagine Nancy (and a several of our mutual friends) laughing right now.I managed to write a Star Trek reference into HER memorial. 

Well, I understand Data’s quandary.I am sad for all the things that Nancy will miss, all the experiences she wanted but didn’t have.But at the same time, when I think of Nancy and imagine that senior picture, I can’t help thinking about how we’ll miss her – the stories she would have written, the joys that she always shared, and her friendship. 

I can’t help thinking about how empty we will be without her.  

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Marti Kramer Suddarth is a computer and first grade teacher in southeastern Indiana.She is the author of Ping Pong Words and 30 More Children's Sermons (CSS Publishing,) and author/composer of "Broadcasting Christmas" and "Mini-Musicals for Special Days" (Contemporary Drama Service.)Marti is currently writing readers' theater scripts that coordinate with first grade social studies and science curriculum, and she "secretly" fantasizes about writing a cozy-murder mystery.

Nancy J. Ring (Tribute by LeAnne Martin, SALT Sister)

(This continues the tributes that SALT (Struggling Artists of Literary Talent) Sisters have written about our SALTy sister, Nancy J. Ring, who died on March 13, 2010. This one is from LeAnne Benfield Martin )

When I first met Nancy Ring in person, she came to Atlanta for a retreat at my house with our writers’ group, SALT, in July 2004. We had been online friends for over ten years so it was good to finally, actually, meet her. A counselor by profession and gifting, Nancy had been a good friend with wise and timely advice during the tough time in my life a few years before. Now, she was thrilled that I had met and was falling in love with a godly man who, we hoped, might be the one God had chosen for me. (Of course, she and the other SALTies wanted to know all about him before they could give their full approval.)

Nancy brought gifts to the retreat for us: sleek Cross pens engraved with “SALT Sisters”; Bath & Body Works smell-goodies; and a small stuffed bear from her own collection for my little girl. Her generous heart was one thing that made her so special.

A good writer, Nancy had several articles published. One, entitled “Because Mom Said I Could,” appeared in Tapestry magazine last October. It was a wonderful tribute to her mother’s tireless and faithful support. Nancy also wrote thoughtful, reflective posts for her blog. Her writing invited readers to think about the deeper things of life. She posted lots of quotations, something she and I both loved, and we occasionally sent especially good ones to each other. She was also my accountability partner, and for a time, we emailed weekly reports of the writing we had done and hoped to do.

Like me, Nancy adored beauty. All winter in Chicago, she dealt with bitter cold and snow and long, dark days. She looked forward to spring and the first hint of lilacs blooming. When she emailed SALT to say that she had seen and smelled her first lilac blossom of the season, I could hear the joy and relief in her words.

Inside her cozy home, she created beautiful art books of intricate folds and gorgeous papers, with a well-chosen word here, a little detail there. When she finished, she sometimes gave those beauties of heart and hand to friends who she knew would appreciate them.

 

Nancy at LeAnne's house at the first SALT retreat

A few months after her diagnosis, SALT sister Wendy and I went to see her in Chicago. We stayed in a hotel downtown so we could do the town like tourists. Nancy told us that her chemo, which she took every night after dinner, made her queasy, but she had discovered that a small piece or two of dark chocolate would settle her stomach. I celebrated that discovery with a few pieces myself and thanked God that her quality of life seemed intact despite the cancer.

One day, Nancy and I went to Chicago’s famous art museum. We meandered through many of the galleries, lingering with the Impressionists. We chose our favorite paintings and discussed why we liked them so much. At lunch in the noisy, crowded cafe, we talked about art and beauty and writing and SALT. It was a short visit to Chicago, but one I'm so glad I made.

Last June Nancy, Wendy, and I converged on the home of fellow SALT member, Paula, in beautiful Alaska. Even though Nancy was ill then, she seemed to enjoy the trip to the fullest. Like the rest of us, she drank in the beauty of that wild land and took countless photos of the landscape. She wanted to see and do everything and didn’t let anything stop her. I remember one time on a cold, drizzly day, she stood looking at the water below and the mountains behind it while the rest of us huddled inside the car. She told us she wanted to build a house on that spot one day. Later that afternoon, she and I stood together under my umbrella and marvelled at a glacier on the side of the road. Wendy took a photo of us, me looking at the glacier, Nancy smiling at the camera.

 

Nancy and LeAnne at a glacier in Alaska and her ever-present humor

When she became so sick last December, she wasn’t able to keep in touch with SALT by email or even talk on the phone much. I missed her. I missed her love for beauty and creativity. I missed her emails about the crazy antics of her gorgeous kitty Katerina. I wished we could sit around the table with our other SALTy sisters and share our stories, our writing, our lives. And of course our chocolate. She was never far from my thoughts and prayers. Even though I couldn’t be with her during the last few months of her short life, I know that our Lord and Savior was with her, comforting her and reminding her how very much she was loved.

And now that she is gone, how very much she will be missed. We find comfort in the hope we have in Jesus because we know that we will see her again someday. See you soon, dear friend!

(Nancy Talks About Her Art on her blog )


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LeAnne Benfield Martin is a freelance writer and speaker, wife and mom. She loves beauty, art, books, bookstores, writing, her family, her friends, her dogs, chocolate, and more. Whenever she has a piece of chocolate, she will think of Nancy and her SALTy sisters. Whenever she thinks of Nancy, she will think of Jesus, too, and will look forward to seeing them both someday.



http://christiansinthearts.blogspot.com
http://beautyandthebeholder.blogspot.com

Nancy J. Ring (Tribute by Teena M. Stewart, SALT sister)

In the next couple days I've asked my SALT (Struggling Artists of Literary Talent) Sisters to write a few words about our good friend, Nancy, who died on Saturday, March 13, 2010. (Read yesterday's post to learn more about this remarkable writer.) We already miss her so much on our writers' Yahoogroup. Please welcome our founder, Teena M. Stewart, as my guest today.Teena is also the artist who created Nancy's logo which appears on her blog.

By Teena M. Stewart

When I think of Nancy I visualize a butterfly—a periwinkle blue butterfly, to be specific.  Periwinkle blue was Nancy’s favorite color and the butterfly--it symbolizes what she became.

When she first joined  SALT, our online writer’s group, she was very young,  years younger than the rest of us. She shared a fantasy story that one group member fondly refers to as a Care Bear type of story.  It was innocent and whimsical. Nancy had dreams of being published writer and she worked hard to perfect her craft—taking clues and suggestions from some of her published, older SALT sisters.

The odds were stacked against her, but she’d been fighter all her life. Born with spinal bifida, she endured countless operations.   I met her face-to-face several years ago at Mt. Hermon Writer’s conference.  Young, and fresh-faced, her pale complexion and ruddy cheeks seemed to radiate a girl-next-door freshness.  She was a determined young lady who didn’t let the hilly terrain of the location stand the way of getting to classes, even if it meant using her crutches uphill.

She could take on the best of them. She was a fighter. She had to be.

She fought to advocate for the clients she worked with in social services. She fought to make her way to  the city bus in order to get to work in the frigid, snow-laden  Illinois winters.  She gritted her teeth and determined she would be a published writer while juggling full-time work and many other responsibilities. Before long she had several articles published. She dug in her heels and went for her master’s and we cheered her on, celebrating the triumph with a gift basket of goodies and a bespectacled Teddy Bear.  For years she dreamed of having a place of her own, and she went without in order to set aside enough money to make a down payment.  Before you knew it she had  conquered that hill too and moved into her long-dreamed of condo.

When she learned she had cancer, she clenched her teeth, rolled up her sleeves, and prepared for the fight of her life.  This was a fight, however, sheer willpower could not win.  It seemed at long last she had been defeated…But a closer look reveals it is not what it appears to be. Just as the caterpillar spins her cocoon until it surrounds her and she lies dormant inside, to all appearances dead,  Nancy too had to die.  And just as the caterpillar emerges after fighting a battle to be free of its fragile shell…Nancy too has emerged triumphant.  In the time I knew her she was being transformed. Now she emerges, colorful, elegant, and delicate, a remarkable and beautiful creature.

Here’s to you my Periwinkle Butterfly. Fly away home…

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Teena Stewart is a published author and artist. She and her husband, Jeff, operate Java Journey a Christian coffee shop ministry (http://www.javajourney.org.)  Her most recent book is Successful Small Groups from Concept to Practice.  For more info about Teena visit http://www.serendipitini.com. You are welcome to email her with questions or comments at smartwords@embarqmail.

Nancy J. Ring: Exploring the Path Home

Anchors,Signposts and Wanderings

Forks, bends, detours, scenery, and fellow travelers I've discovered while Exploring the Path Home.

This is what you'll find on freelance writer and community mental health counselor Nancy J. Ring's blog. That, and a whole lot of wisdom and truths that just leave you breathless. I am having a tough time telling you just one post to read, so let's just say that you should read the whole thing including quotes, favorites, and  things. Nancy found the ultimate path Home on March 13, 2010.

A native Chicagoan, she graduated with a Master’s in Community Counseling  and held her Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certification. She worked with adults who have severe and persistent mental illness, so she knows a lot about how it can be tough to find the path home. She worked at the same place for nearly 10 years and loves that her work focuses on helping people achieve their vocational goals, as well as working on emotional health and well being. Besides work she also volunteered in her church and worked on setting up a food pantry.

When asked about how all of this affected her writing she said,"Helping people become who they are meant to be is a theme that runs through my writing, my counseling, and my ministry."

I know I gain many insights into myself and my own writing from Nancy and her blog and I will miss her so much in our group where we shared so much. She is in a great place now and wouldn't want to come back, so someday I will go to her and that comforts me somehow. She has been a writing buddy in my Struggling Artists of Literary Talent (SALT) for many years, so I love her as a sister, and my fellow SALT sisters are suffering today along with me. We got together over 10 years ago to critique each others' writing, but we bonded as sisters and cared about and prayed about every aspect of our lives. She was the youngest of the group, but seemed wise beyond her years.

Nancy wrote nonfiction articles for women, adults, and teens on all kinds of inspirational, Christian living topics. She's  also written Sunday School curriculum for her church and award-winning grants for her vocational program at work.

Her blog started as a way to get back into writing after she had finished graduate school.
Nancy said, "It’s helped me find my voice, connect with other writers, and helped me identify writing topics I might not have otherwise considered."

Sometime back I interviewed Nancy for my blog, When I Was Just a Kid. I think it's appropriate to share that interview again. I want to celebrate her life, which was lived to the fullest. Amen.

Childhood Ambition: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a doctor, a gymnast, a scientist, and an artist. Sadly, I wasn’t very good at any of these things. When I discovered how much math was required to be a scientist or doctor, I ditched those goals right away.

I still like gymnastics and art, and I’m still not good at either one of them.

Fondest Memory: Ok, I’m having trouble coming up with one stand-out memory. I think it’s mostly the little memories that I’m fond of. Our family Christmas traditions, getting ice cream or Gene & Jude’s hot dogs when me & my brother had good report cards, and having my aunt’s family over for brunch after church on Sunday. I’m sure there’s more extraordinary memories, but these are the ones I recall at the moment.


Proudest Moment :A lot of my proudest moments seem to be related to academics. I guess I’m a nerd. When I was in 7^th &  8^th grade, I won 3^rd place in a spelling bee. At the time I was disappointed that I didn’t place better, but I’m proud of that now. I was also a finalist in a regional story writing contest. I’d been interested in writing ever since I’d read The Hobbit back in 3^rd grade, but this was the first time I received real, genuine, encouraging feedback about my writing. Even though I was only a finalist, I was proud of this at the time. Go figure.

Biggest Challenge as a Child or Teen: Most people would think my biggest challenge was growing up with a disability. Spina Bifida has always been a part of my life. I’ve never known life to be any different, and being disabled is only an issue when it’s an issue. Snow on the ground creates an unpleasant experience, but it’s hardly the biggest challenge I’ve ever encountered. The quadratic formula, now that’s a challenge. Does anyone know why we needed to learn that thing anyway?


My First Job: My first job was as a telemarketer for a basement waterproofing company. Cold calling at the age of 14. Despite the fact that most of the calls were rejections, we had fun in the office. Our boss was young himself & would do all sorts of goofy tricks to try to keep our spirits up. He taught me to think outside of the box when you need to address a problem. And if that doesn’t work, go next door to the Hostess shop and buy everyone Twinkies.

Childhood Indulgence: As a kid I was always asking to stay up late to read “just one more chapter.” Also, when my dad was working overnights as a paramedic, on Fridays Mom & I would get pizza and a movie. I looked forward to those nights all week.

Favorite Outfit as a Child: Well, there’s the tea bag Halloween costume my mom made me out of pillowcases. (No, I do not have a picture). I also had a mint green Easter dress I loved when I was about 5 or 6 years old. It had pink ribbon, and lace, and a layered, pleated skirt. I loved that dress.

Favorite Childhood Movie: I loved The Muppet Movie. I still do. Kermit the Frog is wonderful.

Favorite Childhood Book: I read all the time when I was a kid. My mom would buy me chapter books at the beginning of a shopping trip to keep me quiet and by the time she finished shopping I was always asking for another one to sustain me over the car ride home. So while it’s hard to pick just one book, I’d have to say my favorite is The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. This was the book that made me decide I wanted to be a writer. I remember reading the opening paragraphs and trying to figure out what the magic stuff among the words was, what made those words do what they did.

Favorite Childhood Activity: Well, there was reading, of course. And playing on the swings. I still loved to do that. The neighbors across the street had a swing set, but we never did. When my parents did some renovating in the backyard I lobbied for a swing set. Instead, they put up a 2-car garage. My beloved lilac bush was also sacrificed in favor of this ugly, mustard yellow & brown monstrosity. Mom would say that it was “her” lilac bush, but it’s not like she lobbied to save it from the invasion of the garage.

Childhood Hero: I think my favorite childhood hero would have to be Jim Henson. I mentioned this at work the other day, and several of my clients laughed at me. I just think the guy was a creative genius. Kermit the Frog & I seemed to understand each other, and that was very important to me at times when I was growing up.

Favorite Childhood Ritual: Well, there’s the pizza & movie nights with Mom that I mentioned. At Christmas, our family would also hold auctions, where the kids would get to bid on dime store items. For some reason, that was almost as exciting as opening presents. I think I liked knowing that it was something special about how our family celebrated the holidays; something other families didn’t do.

Sample of Nancy's Writing Expertise:
"The Need to Be Needed," reprinted for Ministry in Motion
She has also written for Discipleship Journal, Young Salvationist, Christian Standard, The Christian Communicator, and other publications.

Nancy says about her development as a writer, weaving in all aspects of her life and her philosophy behind it:
"Both my jobs (writing & counseling) are driven by a passion for communication. I’ve also recently discovered the art of making handmade books. I’m very interested in how making books can be used in a therapeutic manner. I think handmade books can be a great bridge between my interests in writing and counseling."

 

Here's a rainbow from her balcony in Chicago that God hung just for her.

Anchors, Signposts, &  Wanderings


Here's a few of Nancy's favorite things from our photo album:

Bears (these are real bears in fellow SALT sister Paula's yard in Alaska, but she also had a collection of stuffed bears!)

 

Nancy was able to adopt a gorgeous gray velvet cat whom she named Katerina. Her tales of Kat's adventures kept us entertained!

 

Nancy was very creative and was able to sell some art. This is a "star book" she created.

 

This one above is entitled, "She wondered if her eggs would hatch" and has "faith, hope, love" on the eggs. Nancy definitely hatched those three eggs in her own life.She had a delightful sense of humor and whimsy that came through everything she did.

 
This is Nika, her dog who went on before her. Maybe even now she is running with Nika in heaven. It's a heartwarming thought for me.

Nancy loved periwinkle, bears, her Katerina the Kat, lilacs, JRR Tolkien and The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings, Kermit the Frog, purple, Levenger pens, Alaska, moose, writing, making art and art books, butterflies and rainbows, as well as her friends and family. A fascinating person, full of warmth and wisdom and whimsical dry humor, I will miss her but am reminded of her each time I encounter any of these things.

And a quote from Nancy:


 "Well, as Kermit the Frog would say,'Time's fun when you're having flies.'”

Missing you, Nancy J. Ring
January 21, 1974-March 13, 2010

More on Finding Your Voice

Someone asked me to give examples of "voice." In 2005 the writers' group, Chi Libris, published a book called What the Wind Picked Up. The point was to show how you could take a single beginning sentence and how each author would come up with their own unique story. In doing so each author spoke in their own unique voice, too.

The authors were (with some writing advice within the book:)

Karen Ball
James Scott Bell
Ron and Janet Benrey
Stephen Bly
Janet Chester Bly
Mindy Starns Clark
DeAnna Julie Dodson
Doris Elaine Fell
Linda Hall
Veronica Heley
Roxanne Henke
Angela Hunt
Clay Jacobson
Yvonne Lehman
Gail Gaymer Martin
Cindy Martinusen
Nancy Moser
Donita K. Paul
Gayle Roper
Jefferson Scott (Jeff Gerke)
Robert Whitlow


They all started with this line:
"The wind was picking up."

Each story was about 6 pages long.  (If you use a formula that would probably be about 1250-1500 words, but maybe up to 2000 words.)

So if you were given this assignment, what would you come up with? Try this exercise. You have to make all the same decisions that you do for a long story--genre, characters, plot, setting, conflict, etc.

Let me know if you try this. Also, maybe it will be the start of finding where you need to be. You'll be using your own experiences, your interests, your humor or drama, your mood, YOUR STYLE and most importantly YOUR VOICE. Do not write more than 6 pages, but try to at least write 1000 words. Remember, this is a short story. If you really get going and develop it into a full length book, let me know that. You don't have to share your story, just let me know if you tried it and what you discovered about your voice.

I'll try to come up with a quiz on voice in the meantime.

Hoosier Ink and A Writer's Voice

Over on Hoosier Ink, the Indiana ACFW blog, I'm writing a little about a writer's voice today. It starts like this:

 One of my all-time favorite authors is Mark Twain. He speaks a language I recognize, relish and actually "feel" in my soul. I grew up on the river, and still live near a river as an adult. So when he says something like this:

"The face of the river, in time, became a wonderful book . . . which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it had uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day."
Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

...I hear it with my whole heart, as if it were my own heartbeat.  There are some authors who do that for me.

Then I go on to ask these questions:


Do you have insights on voice?
Do you have questions about your voice?
Whose voice (an author) do you feel is close to your voice?
Which author would you WANT to have a voice like? 

One of the exercises I've done is to list my favorite authors/books. What are your favorite books? What kind of a voice do these books have? I've thought a lot about this but always come to an impasse--my reading is all over the place! My journey has taken me from one side of the wilderness to the other (or universe!)

Share some of your favorite books with us. Do you think you have a voice anywhere near your favorite authors?

Discovery on the Journey

It's true that as we go along we discover new things about ourselves, as well as finding out about wherever we are.

I'm getting ready to speak on Saturday. I've done this many times before on various topics. I taught elementary students for 10 years, Sunday school and have led Bible studies. I thought about just pulling out something I'd talked about before, but this group is special to me. I decided to dig around in my past and into my scads of published and unpublished writing. And I found something that I wrote years ago, but never sold. I think it just didn't have a good hook, but it fits the topic I am to address on Saturday. So, while I worked on what I will say, I got to thinking about that pile of writing I have. Wow. I've written a lot. And I've helped a lot of others get published. But for my own writing, I tend to just toss it off and not bring it on the journey.

I think it's time to look at the journey and see how where I've been in the past might help on today's road. When I started this blog at the urging of a friend, encourager and mentor, Terry Whalin, I had to pick a blog address and it became Christian Book Scout. That is the one thread in my life I continue to pull. It's who I am at my core, though at the time I was just trying to just pick anything. (I didn't even post anything on this blog for a whole year!) I thought several times that I would quit this blog, but I had started the blog to find my voice. That's all it was supposed to be. A voice-finder. Not a journey.

But I'm a scout, and I do scout out--talent, writers, stories, books, hearts, authors, dreamers, helps and in that search, I give you a look, too. I never realized that before now.

So, expect me to delve deeper into that aspect of myself. Scouting out the stories in the writing universe.Right here. With me.

Where are you on your journey today?

Answers to Quiz Me

Answers To Quiz:


1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends: Boxing.

2. North American landmark constantly moving backward: Niagara Falls - The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.

3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons: Asparagus and rhubarb. (I never thought of rhubarb as a vegetable, but I guess it is!)

4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry.

5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season . When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.

6. Three English words beginning with ‘dw’: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle.

7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.

8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh: Lettuce. (The exception to this is that my mother-in-law makes "wilted lettuce" where she cooks it with bacon grease.)

9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S': Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

Quiz Me

A friend sent me these questions and I have to admit that some of them were challenging. See if you can answer them and then I'll post the answers tomorrow. Maybe knowing these will help you if you're caught in Cash Cab in NYC.

1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons . All other vegetables must be replanted every year.What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar.Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

Rainy Day Games: Fun with the Animals of Noah's Ark by Andy McGuire

Rainy Day Games: Fun with the Animals of Noah's Ark by Andy McGuire


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I used this book as part of my convocation about writing and authors for an elementary school. Andy McGuire not only wrote the copy in this delightful book, but did the hilarious illustrations. The students in grades 1-6 all loved it! They laughed at the words and illustrations. They appreciated, as well, Andy's own story about his childhood and how he got started in drawing as an elementary student. It was inspirational for them. I interviewed McGuire on my blog < When I Was Just a Kid so I was able to help them see that they could start their writing now.

While this perspective on the animals of Noah's Ark was contemporary and for fun, it was personal and just plain fun. This is a book I've given for gifts over and over, and I will keep on my shelf if I ever get grandkids! (LOL)

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Finding a Mentor/Being a Mentor

Betty Southard in her book, The Mentor Quest said about mentor myths:
“Even the title ‘mentor’ often scares away a potential mentor or seeker. It implies lessons, structure, discipline, accountability, and maybe most discouraging, time…we don’t really want to spend a lot of time working on growth.”

A couple days ago someone who once was very important in my life and spiritual growth made a comment to me. It brought back not only memories of how she influenced my own growth, but how much I adopted her style into my own mentoring of others. I had been going along wondering just what my next step should be, realizing how bored and uninspired I've been lately, and along came Bev--at just the right time--to awaken me to remembering what God called ME to do. I remembered some of my goals in writing at that point. I had contemplated writing in directions that wasn't really me, and just her one encouraging comment made a huge impact on me. Those are what I call God-moments!

I hear a lot of people question just how do you find your mentors--and how do you recognize them or get them to mentor you? Here's a few tips I've learned.

Recognize your own responsibility for your growth.
I realized that I'd gotten lazy in my growth, stagnating, floating on my back. I needed to quit thinking of what could've been and get on with it.

Look for mentoring in everyday activities and chance encounters.
Sometimes a person mentors you without them being aware of it. You don't have to bother them, just absorb the moment. This happens a lot for me when I read countless blogs I'm fond of dropping in on.Recognize the mentors around you. Wherever you are, keep a teachable spirit. People who read my blog teach me so much, as well. I'm often encouraged by the comments left here.


Southard says to list people who make a difference in your life. ( I adjusted it to writing, too.)

Here's a list to consider:
1. Teachers from school/conferences/editors/agents/Bible studies.

2. Three writer friends/friends

3. Five people who taught you writing/(or taught you whatever you wish to be mentored in)

4. A few people who made you feel appreciated or special (in writing, if it applies)

5. Five people (writers)with whom you enjoy spending time

6. Heroes (Authors) whose stories (writing journeys) inspire you.

These people mentor you. Maybe it is a conscious thing or maybe not. But becoming aware of those mentors and mentoring moments, can only add to your growth.

You can also be any of the above at one point or another, can't you? I know I have been, and I feel a great responsibility to respond at times, just like my mentor, Bev, did for me this week (though she wasn't even aware she had mentored me so much.) It's a scary thing to think someone is watching you, admiring the way you deal with issues (in whatever field you wish for a mentor) because we all know we are only human. Ultimately, if you are a Christian, we should keep our eyes on our Ultimate Mentor--Jesus. But God also places people in our lives either directly or indirectly to help us to grow.

So, can you tell us about one mentor in your life? How did that person come into your life?