Lynda Schab: Mind Over Madi!

I've known Lynda Schab for a few years now. She's a delightful writer and person who now has published a fiction book called Mind Over Madi. And I can say I've known her back in the day when she was winning contests before all this fame and fortune. (See certificate above. So, all of you who've asked me if you should enter the ACFW Genesis Contest, see what Lynda did!)

I asked her some questions about writing, gave her some prompts to finish...and as usual, she was an open book. She gives her perspective as she now is writing the next books in the Mind Over Madi series.



What’s your favorite part of writing a book?
Definitely the beginning. Coming up with the concept, planning my opening, thinking of a title. 

When the well runs dry, how do you recharge your creative energy?
Nice follow-up question to the last one. Though I start my books with a bang, I tend to peter out around the half-way point. I find what helps me is taking some time to sit down and plot out the next few chapters. I come up with ways to make my story more interesting, perhaps by throwing a curveball, such as a death, pregnancy, or another unexpected element.

Do you keep regular hours in writing? What’s a typical day when you’re writing?

I wish I could say I am one of those insanely disciplined writers who sinks into my computer chair every morning and doesn't come up for air until I reach a specific word count. But that's not me. I write when I can and try to schedule writing time a few times per week. However, now that I'm on a deadline for book number two in the Madi series, my "typical" day may start to look a little different. I have a feeling I'll need to scrounge up some of that discipline I so desperately need.
The biggest enemy of my writing is….. Time! Not enough of it, that is. Continuing from the previous question, I need to learn how to better organize my time and exercise more discipline.
My best ideas come from or when….. real life.
People I know - personality traits, quirks, habits, looks - provide me with plenty of ideas for characters and plot lines.

I still can’t get the hang of…. comma placement.
Seriously! Fortunately, I have critique partners who are comma Drill Sergeants  and love to keep me in line.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate the accomplishments? Ice cream!

What do you know now in writing that you wish you had known in the beginning?
I know now how to follow my gut and not listen to every piece of advice thrown at me. At first, I tried to follow everyone's suggestions and I ended up making a mess of my story. Of course, it's always good to receive good instruction and input, but no one knows my book like I do. Listening to too much advice can sometimes cause the unique voice to get lost. It's important to stay true to your own personal writing style.

Any advice to the readers who wish to publish a book?
Find a good core group of critique partners who understand your genre. And put on your "patience hat." This is a looong process.

(Crystal's advice...Lynda and I both belong to a fabulous organization called ACFW --join up to find your soul sisters and brothers!)

Any special techniques for building your characters? I don't do any extensive character outlines, but a valuable piece of advice I received is to really get into the mind of my characters. Motivations are huge. Knowing why my characters do what they do is key to creating characters that readers can relate to.

About your book/topic/characters:
Is there anything in your book that intersects with your personal life?

There is a lot of me in my main character, Madi. Insecurity is something I’ve always struggled with. As a child, I was very shy. As a teenager, I was insecure about everything, which resulted in a lot of rebelling and contributed to hundreds of my mom’s migraines, I’m sure. 

As an adult, early in my marriage I experienced some of the insecurities Madi deals with, regarding her husband and his faithfulness. That isn’t something I deal with anymore today, but I still have similar insecurities about what others think of me, as well as doubts about God’s love for me. Other ways I’m like Madi is that we share bad eating habits, a love for coffee, a tendency to waste hours of time playing computer games, and an insane fear of spiders.


What do you want readers to take away from reading Madi’s story?

An understanding of just how infinite God’s love is. That no matter what we’ve done, God will never stop pursuing our hearts or desiring a relationship with us. His mercies are new every morning and His grace covers our weaknesses, our mistakes, our ignorance.

What were your biggest fears concerning your book? How do you feel about speaking about the topic?  

My biggest fear is how I'll deal with the negative reviews. It would be nice if everyone loves my book, but let's be real. Pleasing everyone just isn't likely. It's a vulnerable place to be. But that's okay. Lots of growth comes out of vulnerability.

I have very little experience with public speaking, but I hope to gain more confidence in this area. I'd love to speak to women about overcoming insecurity and truly seeing themselves as the princesses they are.

LYNDA LEE SCHAB got her writing start in greeting cards  (Blue Mountain Arts, Dayspring)  and from there  went on to write  articles and short stories (Mature Living, Christian Home &  School)  and in many places online (including www.Examiner.com and  www.wow-womenonwriting.com), but her passion has always been fiction. 

Mind Over Madi, her debut novel, is near and dear to her heart.  Lynda admits  she has a lot in common with  the character of Madi. Not only are they both  addicted to ice cream, chocolate, and computer games,  they  struggle with the same types of insecurities and continually require a hefty dose of God’s grace.

Lynda works behind the scenes at FaithWriters.com and is a member of ACFW. She is a regular book reviewer for FaithfulReader.com and is the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner and the National Writing Examiner for Examiner.com.  Mind Over Madi  received Runner-up in the 2007 FaithWriters Page Turner contest, was a finalist in the 2007 RWA Get your Stiletto in the Door contest, and won second place in the 2008 ACFW Genesis contest, Chick Lit category. 

Lynda lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in Michigan. 


Mind Over Madi: (Published by OakTara)

Madi McCall admits her husband lacks a little in the romance department, but all in all, he’s been a good husband, a good father. Now, though, she suspects Rich is having an affair with Fawn Witchburn, the mother of one of his fourth-grade students. To say Fawn shows off her “assets” more than should be legally allowed in public is an understatement, and Madi’s insecurities kick into high gear. When, in a heated moment, she asks Rich to leave and he complies, Madi is forced to deal with her issues--issues of love and trust she’s tried so hard to avoid. Issues that trail all the way back to her childhood and make her act like a total moron.
 
Find Lynda Lee Schab:
www.LyndaSchab.com
www.on-the-write-track.blogspot.com
www.Twitter.com/Lyndaschab
Facebook Page

Also stop by When I Was Just a Kid where I interviewed Lynda on her childhood--a fun interview!

Lynda, When She Was Just a Kid, phoning her future!

Update on Lynda! She just signed the contract for two more books this week and is hard at work on book #2, Madily in Love. Stay tuned to Lynda's work.

Here Come the Ohio Brides!

[Ladijo WON OHIO BRIDES by Cara C. Putman! Thanks for all the comments! ]

Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite books to read are historical romances. I love other genres, too, but it's the historical romance I will pick up when I have the choice. Cara C. Putman's books are among my favorites. Cara has a great love of history and this is what makes her books so real and her characters pop out of the pages of our past.

Her many hats include wife, mother, attorney, speaker, college instructor, volunteer with ACFW and now author. And with so much to do you'd think she would toss aside people asking her questions or her many friends--after all, there are only so many hours in a day! But I can count on her when I need help with my own writing, and I trust her judgment. When I first met her through ACFW, I thought I would encourage her in writing, but she ended up being an encouragement to me, too.

Since Cara has three of her past releases coming together in a new book, now is your chance to get all three stories in one book, Ohio Brides. Travel back to WWII and the people involved during that time in America's history in these three historical romances. Cara also agreed to give us a glimpse into her writing life so you can see that below with the answers to my questions.

Ohio Brides by Cara C. Putman

Ohio Brides
by Cara C. Putman
Step into 1940s Ohio when dreams are challenged by a climate of war. Newlyweds, Josie and Art are struggling to begin their life in a new city where war refugees are seeking shelter. Evelyn joins the WAVES to be of assistance, but Mark, an engineer, feels she is a distraction. Kat makes the All-American Girls Professional Softball League, but Jack, a reporter who wasn’t physically qualified to serve his country in war, takes his bitterness out on her. Where are God’s promises of peace and love during World War II?


Crystal: What’s your favorite part of writing a book?

Author Cara C. Putman

Cara: I love discovering the characters and what makes them tick. Then creating the places they live and work and the people they know is a lot of fun, too. Especially when I get to add in all kinds of ready made conflict. Like a mothering assistant who won’t leave the heroine alone.

Crystal: When the well runs dry, how do you recharge your creative energy?

Cara: Pick up a book written by someone who writes at a whole other level than I do. This week it was Lisa Gardner’s latest suspense. Wow! That girl can write a suspense that twists all around. And Dan Walsh’s new book, Deeper Waters. He writes a love story like Nicholas Sparks only better. I can learn much from both of them. 

Crystal: Do you keep regular hours in writing? What’s a typical day when you’re writing?

Cara: I do. When I’m on deadline, I usually write sometime from 9 p.m. to midnight. It’s based more on total words for the day than hours. A typical day is homeschooling the kids in the morning/early afternoon. Shuttling them to activities in the afternoon and evening. And then somehow squeezing in time to write and read. Often that means I’m sitting at the back of the gym with my laptop while my daughter turns flips and handsprings.

Crystal: My writing world would be perfect if only….

Cara: I had a maid and cook. Someone to keep the details of my house up because I can’t let it slide into total chaos. Not when my kids are here 24/7.

Crystal: My best ideas come from or when…..

Cara: Come from reading nonfiction or dreaming and praying for inspiration.

Crystal: What three things can you not write without?

Cara: My trusty laptop, lots of water bottles or other drinks, and a wee bit of peace and lots of support from my family.

Crystal: Any advice to the readers who wish to write a book?

Cara: Join ACFW. If you’re serious about learning the craft and improving, then you have to join ACFW.




Info on Ohio Brides:

Publisher:Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Category:Romance Collections,New Releases
ISBN:9781616261184
Paperback, 368 pages
Price: $7.99

To Get the Ohio Brides Book Click Here

More about Cara C. Putman Click Here

Rooms by James L. Rubart

Rooms
By James L. Rubart
B and H, ISBN 978-0-8054-4888-7, PB, 400 pages, $14.99.



Software genius tycoon Micah Taylor gets a 25-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew, along with a house built for him in the last six months along the Oregon coast. Despite Micah's trauma as a nine-year-old, which occurred on the beach where the house is, he leaves his Seattle business more and more to spend time there. He meets Sarah and Rick there, who both become close friends and who have deep faith, which Micah left behind in college and still resists. The house becomes a healing place for the deep wounds in his soul, and his uncle seems to have built this house based on the places within his soul.

Many people compare this book to The Shack, but it is well-written and  biblically-based sound. Recommend it to men, as well as women and teens. Unique and riveting.

Reviewed by Crystal Laine Miller
Reprinted from Church Libraries, Summer 2010. Used with permission.

I write reviews for Church Libraries Journal, a magazine for church librarians, members of the Evangelical Church Library Association. I'm given 150 words to sum up what I know about the book and what I think about the book. I might add that this book had me thinking a long time after I closed the book and typed my review to be sent off. I certainly will read the next books that James Rubart writes. His speculative genre is long a favorite of mine, as well as his craft being superb. Don't miss this book.


About the book and the author:

About Rooms:
On a rainy spring day in Seattle, young software tycoon Micah Taylor receives a cryptic, twenty-five-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew. It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast that will turn his world inside out.

Suspecting a prank, Micah arrives at Cannon Beach to discover a stunning brand new nine-thousand square foot house. And after meeting Sarah Sabin at a nearby ice cream shop, he has two reasons to visit the beach every weekend.

When bizarre things start happening in the rooms of the home, Micah suspects they have some connection to his enigmatic new friend, Rick, the town mechanic. But Rick will only say the house is spiritual. This unnerves Micah because his faith slipped away like the tide years ago, and he wants to keep it that way.

But as he slowly discovers, the home isn’t just spiritual, it’s a physical manifestation of his soul, which God uses to heal Micah’s darkest wounds and lead him into an astonishing new destiny.

Available in all major bookstores and online. (Check out Jim's books here, more to come.)




About Jim in Jim's Words:

I love God, my wife, my boys, writing, speaking, playing guitar, and golf, in that order. And I dabble in photography.

(Check out his photography on his web sites and blog.)

Jim writes a blog, too! 
Check it out!

Mentors in Writing: Do You Need One?

One of the topics I often hear writers whispering about is finding a writing mentor. And we all are admonished that you can't just grab the arm of someone you'd LIKE to mentor you and say, "Oh, you must! You're a Christian, aren't you?"

Guilting a person into mentoring you doesn't work. (Nor tying her up and throwing her into your car.)Plus, the very person you choose to mentor you is no-doubt a busy person writing her own novels,marketing, etc., or you wouldn't have even noticed her.

So, you pray. "Please, Lord, You know I need someone to mentor me in writing. Send someone today. Make it clear who this person is/persons are."

And let's say someone does want to mentor you! Joy! They offer to read some opening pages, your synopsis or even to sit down and help you plot a course to follow to reach your goals.(They have these "mentor appointments" available this year at the ACFW Conference. And guess what? They are all filled up! Next year!) Maybe this person offers to introduce you to certain people who can help you at conference. (If you are a Christian fiction writer, you must join ACFW. It's the best place to be.)

Check the Conference Details for 2010!

Literary agent Chip MacGregor on The Writers View (You have to request to join this yahoogroup) once set up mentoring groups based on Paul, Barnabas and Timothy in the New Testament. You were labeled either a Paul (mentor,) Barnabas (peer group,) or Timothy (mentee--this doesn't mean your breath was fresh...)Some were in all three categories, and some, just one. He really worked hard on matching people up.The point was to set up a Paul with a Timothy and then put you into a friend group, Barnabas.

I don’t know if any of them worked out because of exactly what Cec Murphey was talking about once, "so many expectations." When you come to a group or a relationship with expectations, because we are human, you can be disappointed. It doesn't always work out, but don't give up hope. I do think it CAN work out and that yes,you may move on, or your mentor may move on, but you will get something out of these liaisons. It's a process. And some day you may become 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.”

Here’s what she says the “mentee’s” part is:
1. Personal responsibility for own growth
2. Look for mentoring in everyday activities and chance encounters.
3. Recognize the mentors around you.
4. Wherever you are, maintain a teachable spirit.

She says to list people who make a difference in your life: (I adjusted it to writing)
1. Teachers from school/conferences/editors/agents
2. Three writer friends
3. Five people who taught you writing
4. A few people who made you feel appreciated or special in writing
5. Five people (writers) whom you enjoy spending time
6. Heroes (Authors) whose stories (writing journeys, as well as what they write)inspire you

These people mentor you.(Jot these people down right now and think about writing them a thank you note or send them chocolate!)

You can also be any of the above at one point or another.

I've found that in ACFW, we have built-in mentors. There are courses, local writers who help you find your path in the chapters and zones, a conference (this year in Indianapolis--are you going?) and any number of opportunities that come on the forums. There are countless blogs with teaching going on, too. I like to haunt various agent blogs and a couple editor blogs, as well as published writer blogs, because there is always a discussion going on about writing in those places.

So, who will I see at ACFW Conference in ten days??? (And will you be my mentor? I'll be yours!)

Check out the ACFW local chapters in your area once you join ACFW, too. Lots of mentoring going on there.

When I Was Just a Kid...Deborah Raney

When I Was Just a Kid...

Deb Raney

First grade was where Deb Raney learned to read, and "Tip and Mitten" stands out in her mind as the book that launched, well, quite a few books! As a farm girl in Kansas, she got inspiration from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series and at 12 decided to try this writing thing for herself. At that point all history seemed to be the same, and she had accidently put an airplane in a story set in the 1700s. It was then that Deb vowed never to write historical fiction again. Thank goodness for us she broke that vow.

[Crystal Editor's note: Do you suppose she missed her calling as a fantasy/sci fi author? Naah. She writes contemporary women's fiction very well!]

Let's take a look at Deb's past and see how that influences the writer that she is today:


Childhood Ambition: I read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books when I was 11 or 12 and from that point on, I dreamed of someday writing a book. But my love for kids kicked in before my writing took off and I also dreamed of raising 12 children. The Lord blessed us with four (which most days seemed like 12) and I’d be hard-pressed to say which “career” I’ve enjoyed the most.




Deb's Family today





Fondest Memory (then): My grandparents were all very special to me and lived nearby for many of my growing up years. I have lots of happy memories involving them. Also, I grew up on a farm and that is a rich resource for great memories, too. The first one that comes to mind is having my Dad storm into the house one day acting like me and my younger siblings were in BIG trouble. In a crabby voice that held the hint of a smile, he demanded, “You kids get out here with a box right now and...take care of the new baby kittens I just found.” We were thrilled! Baby kittens were a highlight of many summers! (I’m sure that memory is close to the surface because our sweet kitty, Biscuit, who wandered onto our property several months ago and never left, just gave birth to four adorable kittens! My sixteen-year-old daughter and I are already sad for the day we’ll have to find them new homes.)

Biscuit and babies (Want a kitten??)

Proudest Moment ( then): I was a terrible klutz—not an athletic bone in my body! But one spring at the country school I attended, I was the hero of the co-ed baseball game. They had me out in right field where I could do the least damage, but a pop fly came staight at me. I put my glove over my head (mostly for protection) and the ball plopped right smack into it to win the game! I was carried away on the shoulders of the older boys, smiling so hard it’s a wonder I didn’t turn inside out. : )

Biggest Challenge as a child or teen:My biggest challenge was asthma. Wheat and hay seemed to be the triggers for my asthma attacks—NOT good things to have to avoid when you’re a little Kansas farm girl! But as I look back on all the things I missed out on because I was stuck in the house trying to breathe, I realize that my mom was always there—reading to me. I think it’s fair to say that I probably wouldn’t have discovered this wonderful career were it not for having asthma, and a mom who shared her love of reading with me.

My First Job:De-tasseling corn! Oh, did I ever hate it! Hot, windy, sweaty, bugs everywhere, scratchy corn leaves. I’m breaking out in hives just thinking about it! But I worked with a fun group of girls, and we each made $100 for a few days of work.

Childhood indulgence:Dairy Queen! One of our favorite things was when Daddy would come in from the field and tell us all to load up in the car because we were going for a drive. We all knew—even though he’d drive for miles in the wrong direction first, just to keep us guessing––that we’d wind up at the local Dairy Queen. We had a 10-cent limit, which would buy a nice-sized cone. Once in a while he’d let us spend 15-cents each and get a malt or a chocolate dipped cone. It was such a secure feeling being locked in the station wagon with my whole family.

Favorite Outfit as a child:Oh, man! Talk about memory lane! I saved my allowance for weeks for a pair of white go-go boots. I wore them with a blue double-knit mini-skirted shift and boy did I think I was hot stuff. LOL!

Favorite Childhood Movie:We didn’t go to the movies very often, and at home we only watched TV on occasional winter Sunday nights. I remember Ed Sullivan and Bonanza in particular. And the smell of fresh-popped popcorn my mom always made for us on those special TV nights.

Favorite Childhood Book:Well, it’s not politically correct to say so now, but my great grandmother used to sit us on her lap and read Little Black Sambo to us over and over again. I’m certain she had NO idea that this fanciful, delightful tale would one day be judged to have racial overtones. We just loved the story of a little boy and his family and some scary tigers who turned into butter for the 169 pancakes Sambo would eat at the end of the book.

Childhood hero:I think my parents have always been my heroes. My mother made being a wife and mom look like the most joyful job in the universe and my dad has always been a man of integrity—someone I could always trust and look up to. They are still my heroes.

From Deb's biography:
After spending two happy decades as an at-home mom to two sons and two daughters, Deborah finally began work on her first novel––a contemporary story––after an intriguing discussion about Alzheimer's disease with her husband, Ken, and their young teenagers. Drawing on her experiences working in a New York nursing home early in her marriage, she crafted a fictional account of one family's struggle with Alzheimer's disease. A VOW TO CHERISH was published by Bethany House Publishers in 1996 and won an Angel Award from Excellence in Media. It has been translated into the Swedish, Danish and Norwegian languages, and is also available in a hardcover large-print edition from Thorndike Press. Steeple Hill Books recently released an update and expanded version of the book.

Here is a list of fiction books Deb has written:

• Remember to Forget-February 2007
  • A Nest of Sparrows - June 2004
  • A Scarlet Cord - June 2003
  • Playing by Heart - August 2003
  
  • After the Rains - September 2002
  • Currier and Ives Christmas - Christmas 2002
  • Beneath a Southern Sky - June 2001
  • A Vow to Cherish:
  August 1999 2nd Release
  January 1996 1st Release (Out of Print)
  • Kindred Bond - May 1998
  • In the Still of Night - February 1997
  
  Storytellers Series
  •The Storytellers Collection - September 2000
  •The Storytellers Collection: Tales From Home - Summer 2001
  
  
  Teatime Stories Series
  • Teatime Stories for Women - Honor Books 2000
  • Teatime Stories for Mothers - River Oak 2001
  But Deb doesn't just write fiction. Here are some of the books she wrote in the nonfiction realm:
  

MORE CHILDREN'S SERMONS TO GO (Abingdon Press 2001)
CHILDREN'S SERMONS TO GO (Abingdon Press 1998)
both written with Deb's sister, Vicky Miller

Contributor to:
INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD (Honor Books 2003)
THE STORYTELLERS' COLLECTION-Tales from Home (Multnomah 2001)
THE STORYTELLERS' COLLECTION-Tales of Faraway Places (Multnomah 2000)
TEATIME STORIES FOR MOTHERS (Honor/River Oak 2001)
TEATIME STORIES FOR WOMEN (Honor Books 2000)

Featured in:
LET GOD SURPRISE YOU by Heather Whitestone McCallum (Zondervan 2003)
BEHIND THE STORIES by Diane Eble (Bethany House 2002)


Also, she blogs regularly with about two dozen other multi-published authors on The Charis Connection as well as at her own blogspot.

She is now at work on her seventeenth novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, the HOLT Medallion, the National Readers' Choice Award and the Silver Angel from Excellence in Media. Deborah's first novel, A VOW TO CHERISH, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title.

A Vow to Cherish will be released again as a new Steeple Hill version in mass market in October, with a sequel to follow in November, also in mass market. Upcoming books include aforementioned sequel, Within This Circle, Steeple Hill, November 2007 (mass market) and a novella, “Finally Home” in the anthology, Missouri Memories, from Barbour to release in December 2007. The next Clayburn novel, Leaving November, (Howard) will come out early in 2008.

In Deb's own words:

My married daughter ––the one who made me a “Mimi” a year ago!––writes a monthly column with me for Crosswalk.com., a great Web magazine devoted to faith, family and community. My husband and I share an August anniversary with Tobi and her husband, Ryan Layton. Each month, Marriage Perspectives explores various aspects of marriage as viewed from the perspectives of a young married woman (Tobi) and an old...er, I mean long married woman (me). We've had such fun writing together, though I'm not sure our husbands are quite so thrilled, since they are featured prominently every month. : )

[Crystal Editor's note: I will be featuring Deb's daughter, Tobi, in this same column, so look for that soon! One of those article titles is Should In-laws be outlawed? ]


Remember to Forget (just released Feb. with Howard Publishing) Deb at ICRS Advance in Indianapolis

[Crystal editor's note: I just reviewed this book for Church Libraries magazine (not yet published.) All I can say at this point is that I give it "two thumbs up!" And I've gotten a little picky after over 500 published book reviews here and there.

Some of Deb's many awards:
• 2003 American Christian Romance Writers Book of the Year
• First Place Blue Boa Award Inspirational Fiction
• A Book of the Year for American Christian Romance Writers
• 2002 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice nominee
• Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence finalist
• Also named one of the Top 20 Fiction books of 2002
in christianbook.com's Fiction Newsletter, Dec. 27, 2002

Go here to see the When I Was Just a Kid interview with her daughter, Tobi Layton.

Deb also serves on the advisory board of American Christian Fiction Writers.