Stars in the Night by Cara C. Putman

A Word From Cara:

I graduated from high school at sixteen, college at 20, and completed my law degree when I was 27.

My writing journey started in 2005 when I decided to write my first novel. Now I have eleven books published with more on the way.

People say I've accomplished a lot and that I must have life by the proverbial tail. Hardly! I grew up as a home schooled kid when home schoolers were misunderstood and oddities.

I struggle with balancing my writing and law career, plus being a good mom and wife.

I often fear people won't like my books.I've walked through the deep pain of miscarriage.Really, I'm just like you – I don't have it all together and have gone through tough times. But in His strength, I've discovered a strength I never knew I had. A strength I want you to discover, too.

In the end I'm just an ordinary mom who has seen God do some wonderful things as I've been obedient to step into the calling He's led me into.

 

Stars in the Night Background

Stars in the Night was an idea that had begun to percolate in my mind. I’d written two World War II series and was actively looking for my next setting. My husband, a huge World War II history buff, and I were kicking ideas around, and I’d decided Hollywood was probably the next place for me. I’d gone to the library and gotten a stack of research books when I got the call. An editor I knew but had never worked with wanted to know if I might be interested in a new line they were starting. As we talked, I got so excited. And then she emailed me their guidelines, which listed that Hollywood was a location they were interested in setting books.

Only God could have known ahead of time. But because I followed His prompting I was ready to run with an idea. Stars in the Night is the result.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hollywood 1942. When attorney Audra Schaeffer's sister disappears, Audra flies to Hollywood to find her.


Any day Audra might have been flattered by the friendly overtures of Robert Garfield, a real-life movie star. But on the flight from Indianapolis to Hollywood, Audra can think of little else than finding her missing sister. When Audra arrives in the city of glitz and glamour, and stars, and learns her rising starlet sister has been murdered, all thoughts of romance fly away.

Determined to bring the killer to justice, Audra takes a job with the second Hollywood Victory Caravan.

Together with Robert Garfield and other stars, she crisscrosses the southern United States in a campaign to sell war bonds. When two other women are found dead on the train, Audra knows the deaths are tied to that of her sister.

Could the killer be the man with whom she's falling in love?

If you'd like to read an excerpt of Chapter 1 of Stars In The Night, go HERE.

Contest: Lots of opportunities to win and great prizes, and the grand prize contains some of Cara's favorite classic movies as well as all of her WWII novels: Launch Contest!

YOU MUST GO TO THIS BLOG TO ENTER THE CONTEST! DO NOT LEAVE COMMENTS HERE! (Hurry as contest ends July 31st,2010.)

I Write Like....

Try submitting a few paragraphs of your WIP to this site. It gives you an idea of your style.I found out that my writing is like Mark Twain. LOL.

I write like
Mark Twain

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Stars in the Night by Cara C. Putman

My friend Cara Putman has written some books that are on my favorites list, but this new book is my very favorite that she's written. She found her sweet spot with this book. Now she's having this great contest to kick off the debut of Stars in the Night--Hollywood glamour and style all tucked into the prize basket.

The grand prize consists of several DVDs of her favorite classic movies, popcorn, cracker jacks, a signed copy of Stars in the Night. If she reaches over 200 entries, a copy of each of her other six World War II based romances will be included. These DVDs are special because they include some of her favorite movies of all time. Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story are great romantic comedies, both with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart joins them in Philadelphia Story. Just last week, she rewatched one of her favorite musicals: Singing in the Rain, which you'll also find in these collections along with Easter Parade and Meet Me in St. Louis. And then you can't do better for dramas than Casablanca and Mrs. Miniver. For the final set, she's adding Frank Capra's collection. You'll have hours of wonderful classics to watch.

Five first prizes: a copy of all her WWII books: that means winners receive a copy of Stars in the Night, Canteen Dreams, Sandhill Dreams, Captive Dreams, A Promise Kept, A Promise Born, and A Promise Forged. That's plenty of World War II era romances and romantic suspense to fill your summer with reading.

Five second prizes: a signed copy of Stars in the Night.

So how do you enter?

I'm so glad you asked. There are many ways you can enter for a chance at one of these great packages.

• Help spread the word about Stars in the Night and the contest through facebook, myspace, shoutlife, and twitter.
• Mention the contest and Stars in the Night on your blog
• Ask your library to order Stars in the Night and any other of my books.
• Go into your local bookstores and take a photo of Stars in the Night on the shelf if it’s there or ask the bookstore to order it. If it is there, take a photo and email it to Cara at cara at caraputman dot com.
• Post links to order Stars in the Night at CBD, Amazon, or B&N on your blog or social network and let her know you've done that.
• Also, once you've read Stars, post a review on CBD, Amazon, or B&N and let me know you've done that.
  Each time you do one of the above items, come back to her blog and leave a comment. That will be your entry. So you have the possibility of entering eight to eleven times.
  
  

The contest ends July 31st.

Journey to the Seasons of the Tallgrass by Deborah Vogts

 Today I have a special guest, Deborah Vogts, who is the author of Seasons of the Tallgrass series from Zondervan.  Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas where they raise and train American Quarter Horses. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, Deborah developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.


Journey to the Seasons of the Tallgrass 

by Deborah Vogt
 In April 2008, I received “the phone call” from my agent, Rachelle Gardner, that Zondervan had made an offer on the Seasons of the Tallgrass, a contemporary romance series set in the Flint Hills of Kansas—a place I dearly love. My long-held dream had finally arrived—my prayers had been answered. But the story didn’t begin there…it began many years ago when I attended Emporia State University and took a summer course called Flint Hills Folklore.

 Along with classroom study, we took field trips into the heart of the Flint Hills and visited with old-time ranchers, schoolmarms and post-mistresses. It was such a delightful experience, especially our drives into the pastures. We would get on these back roads and drive over pasture guards into the open range. We would travel for miles without seeing another car or even an electric line—just pure, native prairie. That summer, I fell in love with the Flint Hills and it has stayed with me all this time, finally culminating in the contemporary romance series, the Seasons of the Tallgrass.

 My first book, Snow Melts in Spring, begins when a horse is terribly injured. Right off, I had to know technical terminology and had to create a scene that was accurate and believable. To get it right, I contacted a handful of veterinarians, asked them a bunch of detailed questions all the way down to possible accident scenarios, which would create the type of injuries required for the story. I even shadowed one small animal vet for a day in order to get a feel for what a "day in the life" might look like for my character who was also a vet.

My hero in this book is an NFL quarterback, so I also had to know something about football. For this research, I went to the children's section of the library and checked out an armload of books. I also watched a lot of football games on television and asked my football-loving friends and family hundreds of questions--all so I could write two or three scenes with authenticity.

On one of my many road trips into the Flint Hills, my husband and I stayed at the Clover Cliff Ranch, a Bed & Breakfast owned by Jim and Joan Donahue. This place became the basis for the McCray's Lightning M Ranch.






 For Seeds of Summer, which released the end of May, I learned about the Miss Rodeo America competition because my main character, Natalie Adams is a former Miss Rodeo Kansas and first runner up Miss Rodeo America. My research for this story included visiting with those at the Miss Rodeo America headquarters, as well as interviewing and questioning the current MRA at that time, Miss Amy Wilson, Miss Rodeo America 2008.






The highlight of this research occurred when I met and visited Amy at her home in Colby, KS. Amy was a joy to work with and is such a lovely person. My visit to her home was an unexpected blessing, as she shared some special moments from her time as Miss Rodeo Kansas and then as Miss Rodeo America.

I learned that Miss Rodeo America has a host of sponsors who shower their queen with lovely gifts, some of which include: a wardrobe of Wrangler Jeans, Justin Boots, Bailey Hats, fully tooled Court’s Saddle with custom Miss Rodeo America conchos and an official Miss Rodeo America trophy buckle from Montana Silversmiths. Accompanying the perpetual Miss Rodeo America tiara made by Landstrom’s Original Black Hills Gold Creations, Amy was given a wardrobe of matching jewelry. These items, along with other prizes were presented to her throughout her reign.

To see some pictures of these items, please visit my blog post HERE.

Crystal again:
I love this series and invite you to pick up both books so far. You won't be disappointed. I loved hearing how Deborah went about gathering her research, as well as seeing how she was inspired to develop these stories.




Seeds of Summer by Deborah Vogts
Zondervan, ISBN 978-0-310-29276-0, Christian Romance, $10.99.


When opposites attract, sparks fly--like an electrical malfunction. That's what happens when former rodeo queen Natalie Adams meets the new pastor in Diamond Falls. A heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope.

Spanning the Seasons of the Tallgrass, each story in this series reveals the struggle of the people who live there and the dreams they have for the land until they come full-circle in a never-ending cycle, just as man comes full-circle in his understanding of God.


Visit Deborah at her web site: http://deborahvogts.com
Or her Country at Heart blog: http://deborahvogts.blogspot.com 

Getting Started

I spoke to a group of high school students about writing a while back. They were very polite and listened, but I'm sure what I told them was overwhelming. It usually is when you first start thinking about writing for publication. So much to learn. So much information. Sometimes you have to hear the same things several times before it becomes a part of you.

I wish that every writer who wanted to be published could be published. That is not reality. Every person who wishes to be a writer, however, can be a writer. And you can find readers. You start with an idea--maybe something from your past, maybe something that happened, or maybe just something that intrigues you. Sometimes it takes years for a story to get published, but one thing is certain--you have to serve an apprenticeship and learn and you. must. write. And whether you are someone who has 75 books published, or are just publishing your first book, or are still trying to find that place where readers will read your words--all writers have to learn and start somewhere and must continue to learn.

The students asked some great questions. In doing so, I hope that they learned a little about themselves. The first question was "How did you get started?" Ask this question of authors and writers, and some answers will be the same, and some different.

I like to say that I started off my writing journey in my freshman year of high school. I published a poem that year and seeing my own byline was a rush. I wrote volumes in journals over the course of my high school years. Then, I got on the newspaper staff as sports editor and art editor in my senior year and really dug in. Those articles were sent in to Ball State University and I won a journalism scholarship.

"Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere," so says Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird. She describes what her father tells her brother who has a rough start when trying to get going on a school project about birds. "Just take it bird by bird," her father, also a writer, told him. "Do one bird, then do the next." Writing is like that.

I stuttered along in the years following college doing newsletters for service organizations, curriculum material in my teaching and taking a course here and there in writing while raising my four boys. Then, when I was 40 years old, I took a professional writing class at Taylor University in Ft.Wayne, Indiana. That is really where I got my start. Dr. Dennis E. Hensley pushed us to publish. Early on in the class, when I barely knew him, we were on a break in the hall and he walked right into my "personal" space to speak with me.

"I hate you," he said. I think he scowled.

"Really?" I didn't know what to make of this, but I'd heard he was a Vietnam War vet and it crossed my mind that this could get ugly, but as a competition trapshooter and one who had faced off with many a nemesis, I knew I could hold my own.

"Why," and I laughed for punctuation, "do you hate me, Dr. Hensley?" I made a point to not move away from him.

And then he passionately proceeded to tell me what I had done to him, the reader of my story, to evoke such an extreme distaste for what I'd written. In that moment I knew he cared about what I had written and wanted it to be better. It was personal. It was personal to him, the reader. It was personal to me, the writer. And between us we needed to come to an understanding. That is what writing is--a communication between the author and the reader. It is just the two of you in that space--that very personal space.

Someone on a writers' list said she had written eight manuscripts but had never sent one out. If you write, it demands to be read. And yes, it can be painful to hear what a reader has to say. It can be tough to understand what you should write and what you should leave out.But if you are a writer, you must start and you persist.

My favorite quote on this:

"You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist."

- Isaac Asimov

If you write, tell me how you got started. 

Bring Your Emotions to Your Reading and Writing

What kind of emotion does this cover show? 

Stars in the Night by Cara C. Putman

Let's do a little exercise. I like making lists. List your favorite fiction stories. For our purposes here try listing the top 3 books you've read so far this year. Next to the title, write down the genre. Then, brainstorm about it. What did you like about the book? The main character? The theme?Write down the emotions you felt as you read the book? Happy? Sadness? Anger? Fear? Think about the overall mood of the book.

Now let's move just a little further to bring this all to your own writing. Make two columns--Negative and Positive. On each side list people who fit into each category from your own life--find relatives, nemesis or friend, teachers, a boss, co-worker, classmate, someone in the service industry or restaurants/stores, judge in a writing contest--anyone that once evoked a strong reaction in you. Why did you feel that way about that person? What made the experience negative? What made it positive? Here's the tricky part--even if you felt sad/angry/upset about that person--was it really a negative experience, or did it turn positive once you unpacked it?

A friend of mine says she keeps a writer's journal. It's totally private and she uses it to get herself to think about what she really wants to write about. You could even do a password-protected journal on your computer. Anyone else out there who does this?

Give us the name of one book you've read this year (nonfiction or fiction) which really caused you to react. What was so powerful about it and what emotions did you feel while reading it?

Finding Purpose

Changes, we've got changes.

And change is sometimes hard, but I'm listening.

I have not streamlined enough, but I'm getting there. And I'm refocusing THIS blog. Tell me what you think! This blog will be all about Christian books, Christian writing, what I've learned as I evaluated authors,  about other authors, agents and editors, publishing companies and YOU.

I've moved "me" to this site. 

I'm still working on that site.

More to come.

Why Should I Blog?

 I started this blog because Terry Whalin suggested I should have one. The only thing I really knew about was the publishing industry at that time, parenting, teaching, and growing up. It wasn't a focus and I just wrote about it all (except parenting.)  I sort of came by the back door and like a Ninja.

Lee Warren then gave me advice about blogging. I'm a writer first and blogging really is for those with a writer's heart. I was doing When I Was Just a Kid interviews (the first one was Mary Connealy!) Those went to a blog specifically focused on those interviews.

I had such good comments from readers yesterday that I'm going to take each one and organize a little better according to those comments.

Last night I had a dream that was writing related. (DiAnn Mills was in it. LOL.) What happened in the dream makes me realize I feel I need to be better "dressed" for the public.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions and I'll be trying out some things in the coming weeks. Come by and I'd love to feature each of you, too. One of the things I'd like to do is show writers on their writing journey.

Need a Makeover? Me, Too

I have been featured for a blog makeover over at the Blogging Bistro by Laura Christianson. If you are a blogger, I suggest reading this blog for her great tips on many topics on internet presence.You can even submit your blog for a free makeover, or hire her for in-depth consultation.

She had fabulous tips for me and I will be implementing them. In the mean time I could use a little help from my current readers. Why do you come here? What's in it for you? What would like reading here? What do you need from me?

If you have comments or suggestions, do feel free to comment either here or on Laura's blog. If you are chosen for one of Laura's great evaluations, then let me know and I'll come look, too.

Write with a Grateful Heart

Lately I've heard a lot of gnashing of teeth (that sound is grating!)--Genesis scores came back. The whining begins as scores scald those who didn't final. Surely the judges made mistakes and have no idea what they were doing! (Eliminate exclamation marks--minus 3 points.) Well, yeah, those judges are human, imagine that. You could be right, or not. Even editors at big houses make mistakes. How could God allow such a trial in YOUR LIFE? 

Published authors get rejected every day. Just because they published one book doesn't mean that an editor will take on the next book. Some of the most famous authors got rejections early and maybe even later. So, since you are ready to give up writing (really?) and you're deeming your judges unfit for humanity (yeah, I've heard some of the talk,) I thought I'd share with you a few rejections.

Tom Clancy wrote these highly technical military novels. Who wants to read that? Evidently, no one, according to most publishers. He finally got published with a small military press. It had a dismal run.No one had ever heard of The Hunt for Red October. He probably didn't even get a book signing on a nuclear submarine.

Then, our president, Ronald Reagan, was shot and landed in the hospital with a serious, life-threatening injury. To assure the people, Reagan would walk out on a balcony each day and talk with the press. One day he stuck his thumb in a book he was reading and walked out. Of course, the press wanted to know what that book was. Yes, it was Tom Clancy's book and Reagan gave it a thumbs-up (he may have lost his place) and the rest, as we like to say, is history. Soon, not only were his books picked up by a large publisher, a bestseller, and we didn't even have to read the book--it was a movie.

Judy Blume tried repeatedly to get a piece published in Highlights for Children magazine before her bestselling YA books were published. The award-winning and bestselling author of numerous novels became quite discouraged. For two years she got nothing but rejections. Judy has reportedly said that she still can't look at Highlights for Children magazine without "wincing." (So, yes, it still stings, years and bestsellers later.)



e.e. cummings, the famous poet, borrowed money from his mother to publish his own book of poetry. On the dedication page he had a poem he called "No Thanks" shaped like a funeral urn. It listed almost every publisher who turned him down. I'm not sure I'd advocate self-publishing, but today we have some good options to consider and self-publishing isn't the stigma as in the past. e.e. cummings had good stuff. Make sure yours is well done before going that route (and hire a good editor because a good editor can make a story shine.)


Jo Rowling (or otherwise known as J.K. Rowling) was rejected by everyone before a small press called Bloomsbury took on her, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone book. They only accepted it because the publisher's 8-year-old daughter read it (she would be the acquisitions reader--be careful whom you trash) and thought it was great.


Steve Laube once told a story about picking up a small book on a bookstore sales table, giving it the once over, and putting it back with the words, "It'll never sell." It was by Bruce Wilkinson and called, The Prayer of Jabez, not much later #1 on the NY Times Bestseller list. As Steve said, "Who knew?"



Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness wasn't a bestseller until Amy Grant mentioned it in one of her performances.Years later people are still talking about that book and it continues to sell.



What's your story you're going to tell when you publish your first book? What story do you have to tell right now if you did publish? Very few have a cakewalk into publishing their first book. Most have battle scars and rejections and some even didn't make it to the final round in the Genesis.


So, what do you do? Ye, who are brokenhearted?


Continue to write. If God put it into your heart to write, write. Obedience even in the face of rejections and poor critique comments means that He's not finished with shaping you, or your audience isn't ready yet. Learn what you're doing wrong, and find what you do right, and just write.



Find encouragers because we all face discouragement. I like to read 1 Kings 18-19 about Elijah when I'm discouraged. A little Brook of Cherith time and asking God to show me in His "gentle whisper" that He's still there helps me to pull up my bootstraps and get tough. You can ask each one of our published authors here in Indiana ACFW for their story, too. Sometimes it helps to know others are out there and will cheer when you do publish.



Ask God to direct your path. Proverbs 3: 4,5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." 'Nuff said.



Now, go out there and write your thank you notes, if you haven't done so yet (,be nice!) to those Genesis judges (or the coordinators or whomever gave you feedback.) Who knows? Judges have long memories (they're only human) and could be your biggest cheerleader some day.If you are humble and have a thankful heart, God recognizes this. It's tough to be a writer. Everyone watches how you take criticism. (Including God and oh, yeah, agents and editors and first round judges.)

When an editor or agent asks one of those first round judges how you took criticism, what will he say about you?

When I Was Just a Kid: DiAnn Mills

What was DiAnn Mills like when she was just a kid? Go over to When I Was Just a Kid and read the new Kid Interview on DiAnn there!

Also, be sure to check out this award-winning and 2010 Christy nominee's latest books.


Breach of Trust

A Woman Called Sage

Almost Forever by Deborah Raney

ALMOST FOREVER (newest novel by author Deborah Raney)

A Hanover Falls Novel from Howard/Simon &Schuster

Unearthing a lost memory may cause her to lose everything she holds dear. but could it also set her free?

Volunteer Bryn Hennesey was there at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter the night five heroic firefighters died at the scene. Among them was her husband, Adam.

Now a terrifying absence of memory has her wondering if she might, in some way, be responsible. Garrett Edmonds' wife, Molly, was the only female firefighter to perish in the blaze. He was supposed to protect the woman he loved.now she's the one who's died a hero. How can he go on in the face of such unbearable loss? And what started the fire that destroyed the dreams and futures of so many? Investigators are stumped. But someone knows the answer...

Deborah Raney books always captivate me! Almost Forever is a beautifully written and enthralling read. It made my heart sing, dance, cry, and turn more than a few flips!

~CindyWoodsmall, New York Times best-selling author

As a fan of the very talented Deborah Raney, I expected a great read and I got it in the richly emotional Almost Forever, a story of faith, forgiveness and redemption.  It began with a gripping scene and proceeded to hold me enthralled to the end.  Don't miss this one!

~Karen Young, author of Missing Max and Blood Bayou

DEBORAH RANEY is at work on her 20th novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. Her first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Almost Forever, first in her new Hanover Falls Novels series, will release in May from Howard/Simon & Schuster. Deb and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy small-town life in Kansas. They are new empty nesters with four grown children and two precious grandsons, all of whom live much too far away.

Visit Deb on the web at www.deborahraney.com

Order her books here: http://snipurl.com/raneybooks

I love Deb Raney and her books. She's a first class, truly nice person who happens to write novels I love to read. 

Go here to read Deb's interview with me on When I Was Just a Kid blogspot.

Ancora Imparo. Are you?

Here's young Crystal analyzing even back then....

Supposedly Michaelangelo, when he was 87, said, "Ancora Imparo" which means "I am still learning." Whether he said this or not, his works left behind show us that he, indeed, was able to create new things, learning as he went, even up until the end. It is an inspiring story and a nice phrase to adopt no matter how old we are. I certainly needed that phrase and encouragement this week.

My husband often says that he has the mind of the beginner. I would like to think that I have the mind of a beginner, but boy, howdy, it is awful frustrating sometimes to start all over again. Mostly, in our culture, we see this as something to be frowned upon or to be "stupid." To go back to the drawing board when we've worked so hard on something can be devastating. But I like seeing new things and I do like hearing about something new and interesting. I have learned new things with each thing I write, so hopefully, I am always learning with joy. (Not always. Sometimes I grimace in the process.)

When someone points me to a new link or tells of a new way to do something, or I discover a new book that keeps me up all night to read "one more page," these are things I receive with glee. I am not always good at having this attitude of having the mind of a beginner for every aspect, but I try.  If you can live one more day, finding something new to attempt, or something to learn, it is worth it.

I don't know your circumstances or if you struggle  with thoughts of being worthless. (I sometimes do.) Since having read these words of Michaelangelo, again, I have thought that to see the world with the "mind of a beginner" may be just the thing to grasp and hold on to--to humbly learn and accept the new information. To not see "starting over" as some sort of awful disaster. God may have a better plan.

I think of what Albert Einstein said, "If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called Research." And we all know that scientists,explorers, and artists, writers and the great composers--all of them didn't always know what they were doing, but they sought to continue and explore, to keep on, keeping on.

I especially want you to keep this in mind when you get a rejection or get those rewrites or if you're getting your Genesis entry back. Don't get discouraged. (Or give yourself a day or two with ice cream to get your second wind. Phew.) Strap on that helmet and get ready for the next step in your life long journey. And don't forget to reach out to your writing buddies along the way.

(I'm reaching out today as I needed this pep talk. Feel free to encourage! :) )

~Crystal Laine Miller

Your Momma Loves You

I made this for my mother when I was in elementary school. We used these paint-filled tubes with roller balls on the end. I was just learning to do cursive and wrote my signature in that way. She framed it and hung it on the wall for years. When she died, I found it in a keepsake box. She had all kinds of things from me in that box--cards I'd made, poems I'd written for her, photos, newspaper clippings, my hospital bracelet from when I was born. I never once doubted that she loved me. I never once thought "is she proud of me?" because I was surrounded by her admiration and encouragement and concern every moment that she lived.

Because I was separated from her until I was 4, I grew to realize early what a great gift God gave me in allowing me to be raised by her. Sometimes I would lie in bed at night after she'd heard my prayers and said goodnight, and  I'd beg God to keep her safe and alive because I desperately wanted her to always be there for me. (I think she begged God to keep me and my brother alive, too.)

Even though she's now been gone for 13 years in April, it still sometimes strikes me odd that I can't pick up the phone and tell her about my day, what is happening here, about the unusual wildlife in my woods, like the night we heard the "woman scream like she was being murdered!" I would've liked to discuss with her what it could have been. Bobcat?? Owl? Cougar?? What was that?? I'd like to share with her a really good book that I know she would enjoy. I miss her prayers for me. There are times I think, "there's no one praying for me!" and I panic.It happens in the middle of the night when I know I've been forgotten by the entire world, except if she had been alive, she wouldn't have forgotten me.

The greatest joy for my mother was BEING a MOTHER. So when we said "happy mother's day!" to her, it already was, as was every single day from the time I was born.

Not every person had the joy of having a mother like mine.How would it be to have a mother who hated being a mother? Who not only treated you badly, but did things to make your life miserable and leave horrible messes for your life? Who hated the day you were born? Or worse, didn't care what happened to you?

If your mom wasn't someone who loved you, right now, pretend my mother was your mother. Pretend that she wrapped your day in prayers and tucked you in at night with kisses and stories. Someday when you go to heaven and you're looking around for people to greet you, I guarantee you that my mother will hold you and hug you, so very grateful you were born. If you're reading this and you didn't have a mother who was good to you, I'm praying for you today. I'm praying that you feel that security of knowing someone is praying for you.

And if you had a mother who loved you, thank God for her life because He Who loves you most put you in such a privileged place. I thank God every day for my mother because when I became a mother, I understood her in a way that comes from suddenly standing in her shoes. I got a glimpse of what it must be like for God to love us, too. He gave Jesus to a mother, because He knew, too, just what it was like.

If you're reading this, I am praying for you and thankful you were born.

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 .