The Edit Cafe

Staying Connected

2008-07-25T15:55:00.002-04:00

Today has been a great day of reconnecting with my Barbour family. Working from home most of the time has one drawback—not getting to see my coworkers nearly as often. So I really look forward to my days in the office, and today did not disappoint. I came in especially for a company-wide meeting for which our wonderful executive team cooked a delicious breakfast. We periodically have these meetings just to update all employees on any other general Barbour news. Our executive team was happy to report that business is good—that’s what we like to hear! :)

Becky, Susan, and I also met to just chat about new fiction ideas, vent and sympathize over shared editor frustrations, and plan for the upcoming ACFW conference. We can’t believe it’s just eight weeks away! We hope we’ll get to connect with many of you in Minneapolis this year. It’s great that modern technology lets us stay connected from miles away, but it’s even better to interact face-to-face once in awhile.

Now, my in-office day is ending, and I’m headed to Canton’s Balloon Classic Invitational, one of my family's favorite summer events. We’re excited to take Jodi for the first time. Her first word after dada and mama was balloon, so we think it’s appropriate! :)

Happy weekend!

Perspective on God's Reality

2008-07-23T14:20:00.009-04:00

It has been a hard week with the news of two deaths from brain cancer (Kristy Dykes and someone I knew in high school) as well as still not having any major change in my nephew's condition. I've been feeling really physically run down with stress from many areas, lack of exercise, and poor eating habits, but I'm glad to be alive and want to use my life to serve God and leave a legacy.

The 3 people above have left a mark on this world through life, as well as through illness.

As we've read Kristy's blog, starting especially in November, we have been touched by a powerful passion for life and God. Even when the news was grave, we were drawn daily to hear the Dyke family's own words of comfort and hope.

I was Kristy's first fiction editor, but I truly believe her fiction publications would never have reached such a wide audience with such poignancy -- even if she had reached a goal of a million books in print -- like her blog has been able to reach in a few short months. If she had written the story of a woman who knew she was going to die, the fiction story wouldn't have moved us as her real life experience has.

We can't understand how life is cut short in its prime, but is amazing how we can find hope through suffering and rejoice for those we know are now resting safely in Jesus' arms.

So, as I contemplated what to write today, I thought about ICRS events, marketing ideas, book signings, and such, but none of all that hype is worth anything if we don't reach an audience and touch them in such a way as to point them to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.

If we sell a million books that entertain today but are completely forgotten tomorrow, then our efforts were in vain and meaningless in the end. So we have to keep things in perspective, forgetting about sales numbers, marketing spins, getting our name on every blog, and so forth. We have to keep ourselves focused on the only thing that has any meaning and purpose in this life -- Jesus.

People who are anchored in Jesus, putting him first, are those who we can say have had the most impact on who we are today as Christians. Most often their circle of influence was small, but their impact was great as the lives they have touched have in turn affected an even wider circle of people.

The Message from Luke 10 -- Steep Yourself in God-Reality

22-24 He continued this subject with his disciples. "Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

25-28 "Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can't even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don't fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

29-32 "What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

33-34 "Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

How can worrying about sales numbers, fretting over royalty figures, and getting anxious about what reviewers are saying (or not saying) about our work add one day to our lives? Let's us all learn from Kristy how to be content with where we are and what God is doing in our lives today. Let tomorrow -- and all those pesky publishing details -- take care of itself.

The preacher will now return to being an editor.

An Author in Heaven

2008-07-22T08:31:00.002-04:00

Please keep the family of Kristy Dykes in your prayers. She passed away last night after a long battle with brain cancer. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Cravings

2008-07-21T15:54:00.006-04:00

Way back in March, when I flew to Arkansas for a writers' retreat and booksigning weekend, my husband made a request: "Go to a gas station or convenience store and pick me up half a dozen or so Cherry Mashs." The moment the words left his mouth, MY mouth started to water. Um. I had to have one, too. Immediately.

You see, having grown up in the South, we both developed a taste for the confectionery delight known as Cherry Mash. However, we've only been able to find the delectible treat south of the Mason/Dixon line.

So, I scoured the local Gas-n-Go, prepared to clear their Cherry Mash stock. . .to no avail. There were no Cherry Mash treats to be found in town. You can imagine the pout I got when I announced I'd failed in my mission.

A week or two later, a package arrived in my mailbox from Susan May Warren. She had been with me on my Cherry Mash quest, so even though she'd never had the privilege of tasting this treat, when she spied one lone red-and-white package in a Missouri gas station, she bought it and lovingly shipped it off to me.

I did what any good wife would do. I gave the whole Cherry Mash to my salivating husband. And then went off to pout. I've questioned my act of self-sacrifice ever since.

The more I thought about the fact that I couldn't find a Cherry Mash anywhere in Ohio, the more I HAD to have one. As the weeks and months ticked by, my craving grew rather than diminished.

Finally, I broke down and clicked my way through an online scavenger hunt until I found a supplier who could satisfy my fixation--as long as I was willing to pay a "warm weather surcharge" to insure that my candy didn't melt in transit.

Today our box of SIXTY Cherry Mash treats arrived at our door. I promptly savored one (one of these cloying delicacies is plenty, believe me!) before letting my husband in on my splurge and sharing my box of chocolate-covered heaven with him.

Our cravings will be sweetly satisfied for at least a week or so now. (Shush! Don't tell my Jenny Craig consultant what I'm up to. I'll have to treadmill an extra hour a day to work these things off, but it is SO worth it.)

This past week, I submitted my judged entries for the ACFW Genesis contest. Overall, the entries showed promise. However, often the signs of a novice writer were evident. For example, I noted a tendency for pre-published authors to immediately satisfy a reader's craving for information or answers. They front-load the main character's complete family history in the opening chapter. Or introduce the entire cast of characters in the first two pages.

The mystery authors whose books I most love to read will create a craving for information or clues and then intensify those cravings by withholding the answers as long as possible. At just the right moment, when the reader can't stand the temptation any longer, their desire for knowledge is satisfied. Aaahhh. There's nothing sweeter. Not even a Cherry Mash!

Romantic Notions

2008-07-18T12:00:00.006-04:00

If you’re a Heartsong Presents book club member, you’re familiar with Romantic Notions, the newsletter that’s included with each shipment of books. But have you seen the new look of the newsletter? If you haven’t already received it, you’ll soon see that the re-designed, full-color Romantic Notions is fabulous!

Each issue includes an interview with one of our wonderful Heartsong authors, previews of Heartsong books coming soon, and usually a feature about an upcoming full-length title from Barbour. The newsletter also includes a chapter each month of a short story written especially for Romantic Notions. This year’s short story is Minding My Own Business by Janice A. Thompson. In the most recent issue, we’re on chapter six of the story, and it just so happens Janice is also the interviewed author this time! Kelly Eileen Hake’s The Bride Bargain is the featured full-length title. Click on the images for a better look.

Kudos go to Emily Horner and Karen Miller of our marketing team for designing such an attractive newsletter. Romantic Notions is just one of the many good reasons to be a Heartsong Presents club member!

Guest Blogger: Christine Lynxwiler

2008-07-16T09:00:00.007-04:00

Surprise Me!

Thanks to the riding lessons I took while writing Along Came a Cowboy, I’m no longer terrified of horses. But I still have a healthy respect for our equine friends. So when my husband Kevin and our girls decided to go out to our little farm and ride last Saturday, I grabbed the camera instead of a saddle. The first picture I snapped—them riding toward me from a distance—looks so peaceful and serene, doesn’t it? And even in the second picture, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of movement. But in real life, the horses are all trotting. Between pictures, our fifteen-month-old palomino filly bolted from the back of the group and flew past Lady (the horse in the middle that our oldest daughter is riding) in a blur.

As soon as I lowered the camera from taking the second photo, Lady started bucking. It was so unexpected I didn’t even have time to yell. The mare bucked about four times, and though our daughter made a valiant cowgirl attempt to stay on, she landed sitting on the ground with a thud. Thankfully, her daddy’s a chiropractor, so he put her hip back into place and she’s sore, but okay. And yes, she says she’ll definitely ride again. Next time we’ll just put the filly up first.

After fourteen books, I’m finally learning the value of the element of little surprises. When a story starts to feel stale or predictable, I love to shake it up some. Buck someone off. I’m not talking about big plot twists because we all know those are necessary. I’m talking about the small stuff. What happens, for example, if we allow a character to say something they’re thinking instead of making it an internal thought? I remember a scene in Along Came a Cowboy where Jack and Rachel were talking. She was having all these snappy thoughts. But the dialogue itself was a little ho-hum. I revised to let her say a few of those things aloud and things livened up in a hurry!

Surgeon General’s Happily Married Woman’s Warning: Don’t try this same technique (speaking your thoughts aloud) the next time you and your husband are having a disagreement. Not unless you really want to make your dialogue lively!

Chris

Whatever Happened to Monday???

2008-07-15T10:15:00.007-04:00

I woke up this morning with a panicked thought. Monday came and went and I totally forgot to blog. I found myself wholly engrossed in a mystery manuscript, and the thought of it being Monday and my Blogday never entered my mind. That's what happens when I allow a good book to carry me away into another world. I lose all track of time and enter an almost catatonic state where nothing matter but STORY.

Isn't that what we all seek when we open the cover of a fiction book? A story strong enough to wholly and completely transport readers from their present reality into that "other" world?

And just what is that special ingredient(s) that brings about such magic? For me, it starts with a character with whom I can sympathize. They don't necessarily need to possess traits that I can personally relate to, but I need to be able to feel some sense of compassion for their plight. I need to understand why they think and feel as they do and how it is that they react to their circumstances. Yes, a good book, for me, begins and ends with a main character I have grown to care about.

When I think back over the books that have made a lasting impression on me, I recall, first and foremost, the characters. Setting is important. No doubt about it. But it's the people in the book and the impression they make on my life that stick with me long after I've finished the read.

Of course, Scarlett in Gone with the Wind is one of those iconoclastic memorable characters. And Shakespeare's Juliet, faithful unto death, made a profound impact on me as a teenager. Are there characters who impact your thoughts years later?

I'm back to reading as soon as I sign off here. I've got to find out what happens to housewife/mother/amateur sleuth extraordinaire, Trish Cunningham! (Kitty Litter Killer will be available to the mystery book-club subscribers in December. Be watching!)

ACFW, I'll Be Back This Year!

2008-07-11T12:05:00.009-04:00

I missed ACFW last year, but a newborn was a good excuse, right? :) I'm very excited to meet up with everyone again, experience the awesome general sessions and worship time, and just soak in all I can about Christian publishing to help me be a better fiction editor. Getting to check out the Mall of America is a nice perk, too!

ACFW 2006 was my first conference. I was just a few months into my new job as editor for Heartsong Presents and still feeling like quite the rookie. So what amazed me the most was the extreme nervousness I could sense in some of the authors who met with me at appointments. I sat there all jittery myself wondering Why in the world are these folks nervous talking to me of all people? I realize the situation is intimidating, especially for unpublished authors. You’re sitting on one side of the table with your beloved work in your hands trying to articulate why someone should buy it and publish it for all the world to see. I’m one of the people who could help make that happen. Becky and I have discussed how we acquisitions editors have the power to make writers' dreams come true or dash them to pieces. Wow. That’s a power I don’t want to take lightly, nor one I want to let go to my head. In my mind, I’m just a regular “jo” (ha!) trying to do the best she can with the interests and skills and job God has given her. All credit goes to Him for putting me here and making my career dreams come true!

So, if you’re coming to conference and are scheduling an appointment with me, there’s no need to be nervous. I know it’s easier said than done, especially if you’re more of an introverted type of person. But don’t worry about little things like if you fumble your words or have a nervous habit. I do those same things! There’s no reason to be intimidated by me. I’m certainly no better than you, and God loves you and has plans for you just as He does me. If we end up working together on your book for Heartsong Presents, then it’s all a part of His plan. If not, He’s got other things for you.

Go to your appointments with me or any other editor with a confident but humble spirit, knowing that if you’re working for the glory of God and not yourself, He will bless your efforts exactly as He sees fit.

See you in September!

BTW, our trip to Colorado was fantastic! Here are some of my favorite pics!

The Big Ones - ICRS and ACFW

2008-07-09T12:14:00.003-04:00

This week I'm gearing up to be away from the office 4 days next week.

Around March when I was deciding if I needed to attend ICRS (International Christian Retail Show in Orlando) this year, it sounded like a good idea -- be around some author friends, check out the industry, help with Marketing, etc. Now that the trip is almost here it isn't looking as fun. My life is so demanding this summer that I don't need to be away right now. And at ICRS it is a "look your best and be on your best professional behavior" kind of event. I have to try to speak intelligently about our sales and marketing efforts when those aren't really what I focus on in my normal work. It is too distracting of a place to meet with new authors and do much in the way of relaxed brainstorming and such. (In fact, I find authors searching for publishers at this show to be rather annoying.) Long days of standing and walking make me tired already.

But I'm still very much looking forward to the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference this September in Minneapolis.

ACFW has maintained a relaxed, celebratory atmosphere where the editors can be real and enjoy getting to know authors. It is a blessing for me to be at a conference where everyone is speaking the same language -- FICTION. I've made a wealth of friendships and cemented contacts at ACFW conferences. So it is the one event each year that I don't want to miss, both professionally and personally.

I don't know how any serious fiction writer would want to miss this conference.

American Christian Fiction Writers Conference

2008-07-08T14:05:00.007-04:00

Way back in September 2002, long before my days as an acquisitions editor with Barbour Publishing, I traveled to Kansas City, Missouri to attend the very first conference of what was then the American Christian Romance Writers organization--now known as American Christian Fiction Writers or ACFW. I've not missed an ACFW conference since.

At that inaugural conference, I met all four of my crit group partners AND my then-Russia-resident co-author face-to-face for the very first time. Susie Warren and I sat across the table from Editor Tracie Peterson and pitched our historial series proposal with all the accompanying nerves and jitters that characterize novice editor-appointment attendees. (Then, lo and behold, despite our stammering pitch, the project SOLD to Barbour before the next conference rolled around.) By the way, as one who has sat on BOTH sides of that editor/author table now, I know how daunting those appointments can be! Seek me out in Minneapolis if you're in need of a sympathetic ear.

I can mark the milestones in my publishing career by simply glimpsing at my office wall, where various awards and recognitions won at ACFW conferences hang. But by far the greatest ACFW conference take-away value has been the relationships built and strengthened and the memories of special times shared with those I now consider my bestest and closest friends. I can't bear the thought that the day may come when I won't be able to celebrate my September birthday with my ACFW pals.

Follow these links for more information on the American Christian Fiction Writers organization or this year's conference in Minneapolis:

www.acfw.com
www.acfw.com/conference.

Here's me at the very first ACF(R)W Conference in Kansas City 2002, practicing for my current role as Mystery Editor and choking the Brandilyn Collins' look-alike doll:

Whose Grace-Builder are You?

2008-07-07T14:42:00.004-04:00

Please join me in welcoming Cecil Murphey as today's guest blogger. Cec is the author of the "Everybody's a Suspect" three-book series for Heartsong Presents--MYSTERIES and has written or cowritten more than 100 books, including the New York Times' best-seller, 90 Minutes in Heaven. His thoughts on "grace-builders" really gave me cause to stop and think about how my words and actions affect the writers God sends across my path. Thanks, Cec!

"Since you came, Mr. Murphey, our church has lost some of its dignity," Dorothy said as she served me tea from an ornate silver pot resting on a silver tray. And with the next breath she asked, "Milk or sugar, Mr. Murphey?"
"One lump, please," and I reached for the cup.

"We had such—such quiet dignity before you came. I don't want to hurt your feelings in telling you all of this. But…"

I had been the pastor of the church less than four months before she and her two sisters invited me to tea. For the next forty minutes the three of them tried to help me see the error of my ways. They didn't seem interested that we had added new members or that attendance by members had increased. Their concern was the loss of decorum.

Dorothy smiled as she offered me a cookie from a silver plate. "And another thing…" She looked at a pad of paper on which she and her sisters had written a number of items.

As I walked out of the house, depression weighted me down. Their criticism hurt. I sat in my car for several minutes and prayed in deep anguish. By the end of the day, however, I had grasped one significant fact about those three sisters. They were God's grace builders in my life.

Since that I've realized that every church, company, and neighborhood has at least one grace builder. They serve a divine purpose: They teach us invaluable lessons about patience and longsuffering. They force us to grow spiritually. Grace builders drive us to pray more fervently and to scrutinize our motives. Maybe they do more for us than all the sweet, kind, and encouraging people we encounter.

Grace builders: I've known many of them. Like Johnny. He pats me on the back and sounds friendly. He makes everything into a joke so that means I can't get angry—not even when he insults me. Even when he ridicules me. I'm not paranoid; I don't feel persecuted. But I have enough sense to know when a person insults me even though hiding behind jokes and light-hearted humor.

For the past 25 years I've been a full-time writer and I haven't escaped those grace builders. They email to remind me that they discovered a misspelled word on page 197 of my latest book (as if I yearned to know that or could do anything about it once the book is in print). Or one woman said, "You're a decent writer, not as good as _____."

We all have our grace builders. Our occupation doesn't matter. And, as much as I hate to admit it, they make life miserable enough for us that we pray and realize how much we have to depend on God's help. They serve a practical, spiritual function.

I don't like the grace builders in my life. I try to avoid some of them as much as possible. With others, I grit my teeth and face them. When I think of the grace builders at work in my life I have several words to describe them: They're obnoxious, self-centered, opinionated, and demanding. Without them I could accomplish more, and feel better about life and—or could I?

Probably not: They serve a practical purpose: They are God's gifts to make us grow. And we all have them.

Which makes me wonder: Whose grace builder am I?

A Prayer Request

2008-07-03T15:55:00.004-04:00

Please pray for my nephew (age 26).

July 16, he had a motorcycle accident near Lake Wales, FL. His helmet saved his life, but he has been in ICU ever since, dealing with spiking pressure in the brain. They've tried different coma induced therapies. Yesterday they did surgery to open a small part of the skull and removed a blood clot. His situation is still very serious.

We are blessed that both Aaron and his wife (of just 1.5 years) know the Lord and trust His will.

Thanks,
Becky

Guest Blogger: Mary Connealy on BOYS

2008-07-02T16:58:00.004-04:00

A Boy’s Life

I’m the mother of four daughters, no sons. My husband is from a family of seven sons, no daughters. In Petticoat Ranch I felt like I was really writing what I knew. I can bring a lot of authenticity to a novel about a woman with four daughters and a man who’s never been around women.

So it’s time for the sequel, Calico Canyon. What could I do but tell the flip side of the story? Grace Calhoun is a prissy schoolmarm who’s never been around men. She’s forced into a marriage with Daniel Reeves, the father of five sons…her most unruly students. They’re monstrous brats.

Or maybe they’re just boys.

Grace has no idea what boys are supposed to act like, but surely it’s not like these rude, hyperactive, messy little sons she just acquired.

Calico Canyon is written in the same style as Petticoat Ranch but Calico Canyon, though it has suspense elements, is more of a flat out comedy. Those five boys just lent themselves to comedy.

The whole book was tricky because I have no sons. I’ve had exposure to lots of little boys, brothers, classmates, cousins, neighbors, students, nephews. But can I bring honesty to the story?

To bring the authenticity I needed to it I listened a lot to my mother-in-law, Marybelle, the mother of seven sons.

She’s got this great love for her sons but she’s very clear-eyed in her understanding of the behavior of little boys. And Marybelle tells great stories.

I love the story of the time, in response to some article she read, in an effort to make her little sons more sensitive she bought them each a doll. I guess in modern language you might say she was trying to help them get in touch with their feminine side. One of the boys ran the doll around on the floor on its belly making vroom-ing noises. One "rounded up" the doll, found it guilty of heaven knows what and hung it.

You can’t believe the list of stitches and resulting from from fights and dare devil behavior and general mayhem. One son was hanging by his fingertips from the eaves of her house, one went head first through a window, one backed over the other with a tractor, one swung a hoe back to whack a week and smashing the hoe into his brother’s head. The boys all lived but there are lots of stitches and blood in Marybelle’s stories.

She says she can laugh now, but at the time it wasn’t a bit funny. Like the time one started walking home from the movies. The movie wasn’t close to over. It’s a ten mile walk home. He had to walk across a highway. Marybelle was waiting for him and his four big brothers in the coffee shop next door to the movie. He was four.

She thinks boys are different than girls. It’s hard to convince her it’s all nurture and not nature. But really how hard did she try except for the dolls, huh?

I dedicated Calico Canyon to Marybelle Connealy, my mother-in-law and one of my very favorite people on the planet.

So what do you think? Are boys different than girls? How? How much is nature or nurture?
If you have boys and need advice, go ahead and ask. I can’t help you, but I can check with my mother-in-law and get back to you. If you’ve got girl problems, bring it on. I am a master.

2008-06-30T10:36:00.013-04:00

A week ago today, I traversed the streets of Seoul, South Korea, on a shopping expedition with my youngest daughter Courtney. We conversed with street vendors and warehouse merchants on the exact opposite side of the world from our home in Ohio.

Our lives intersected ever so briefly with people who spend their days in a world totally different than our Americana existence. In the shoulder-rubbing-shoulder chaos of that Asian metropolis, we jostled and bumped against hundreds of people on the streets. Or passed by, quite literally, thousands of fellow travelers as we risked life and limb in our numerous taxi rides. For those short moments, we shared life with these strangers.

In the Lord's providence, there have been a few occasions when similar chance encounters developed into lifelong friendships. Pastor Hong, Song-ho is one of those Providential friends. Shortly after we moved to Korea as missionaries in 1989, while in the overwhelming days of language study, my husband prayed for a friend--just one friend in all of Korea who might relieve some of his deep loneliness.

On a whim, after language school one day, we decided to take our family for a hike up the mountain of Keadeyansan outside of the city of Taejon, where we lived. Courtney was just three years old at that time, and her little legs gave out before we'd hiked past the souvenir stands at the base of the trail, so Daddy David hoisted her onto his shoulders.

As we made our way up the mountain, a Korean man approached David and exclaimed in English, "You look like Jesus!" My husband must have looked puzzled, as the man went on to explain, "Jesus is the Great Shepherd and you look like you're carrying a little lamb."

That brief encounter led to an abiding friendship between my husband and the man whom we soon learned was a pastor of a Methodist congregation. Pastor Hong taught David the idiosyncracies of Korean CHURCH language as no one else could (or took the time to try.) It was in Pastor Hong's church that David preached his first sermon in Korean. And the two have shared the ups and downs of life--on both side of the world--ever since.

We were able to share several days of adventure with Pastor Hong during our Korea trip, and he and David picked up their friendship as though they'd never been separated by fifteen years of time and a distance of thousands of miles.(Pastor Hong and David--proving true friends are friends forever!)

As authors, our lives intersect with thousands of readers through the printed page. We may never realize the individuals whose life-paths have crossed our own. There are those special times, however, when God choses to connect our lives with another through a Providential Encounter, which transcends mere happenstance.

Last week, we discussed those nasty negative comments that come our way as authors. Today, I'd like to hear about those special encounters with your readers that spur you on and keep you writing. As I sign off for this week (and continue to recover from jet lag!) let me share a few other photos that capture our reconnections with Korea friends. . .
(Reconnecting with our Korean language teacher and life-long friend, Mrs. Ei, Kyung-Lim)
(Courtney's Foster Mother, Mrs. Ahn, Kee-Young)
(This gentleman owns the small store located next to our Seoul apartment. He still remembers our family well--especially Courtney!)
(A "chance" encounter with elderly rice-farming Korean villagers in the deep countryside near the South China Sea.)
(David preaches in three worship services while good friend, Rev. Shin, Min-Gyu, translates)

Taking Off

2008-06-27T09:08:00.004-04:00

Remember that Colorado trip we had to miss in May? Well, we rebooked our tickets for next week and we’re trying again. So far, we’re all healthy and praying we stay that way. We’re looking forward to some time off with family, just hanging out and playing with our kiddos. We’ll probably take Jodi on her first trip to the zoo!

One of the things I love most about being a mom is experiencing life all over again through Jodi’s eyes and realizing that to her just about everything is new and wonderful and fun. Doug and I could go to the zoo and enjoy looking around, but we certainly wouldn’t say things like “Look at the stripes on that zebra! Does that lion look like a big kitty? Those monkeys are crazy, aren't they?” to each other. But we’ll say them over and over in high-pitched, silly voices to our daughter, just to glimpse the sheer wonder and excitement in her eyes.

As writers, you’re constantly trying to experience and portray life through the eyes of others. And your readers can tell if you “know” your characters well or not. How do you research your characters? What’s the best book about characterization you’ve read? What’s the most difficult character POV you’ve ever written? Post a comment and share with us.

Have a great weekend and upcoming week. I’ll be back to the blog on July 11th.

Blah, Blah Blog Day

2008-06-25T16:25:00.003-04:00

I don't feel like blogging today.

After spending all day in a dark conference room, staring at a Power Point screen, my brain and eyes are tired. I need to go get some fresh air and sunlight.

Today the editors presented the books on our spring 2009 list to the primary staff members from Sales and Marketing. We get to iron out some details on these books now before we create a live catalog, but some of the Sales team will start selling these books right after ICRS.

It keeps us busy always working ahead.

So in light of being short on brain power this afternoon, I've borrowed a list from Robin Lee Hatcher's blog of auto replies that you might see in your email box some day. Honestly, sometimes when I'm feeling email overload, #2 and #4 would be tempting auto replies to use. Just for fun, because I wouldn't delete anything important, of course. [Insert wicked grin.] But for this afternoon, I think I'll just use #9.

1. I am currently out of the office at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get the position. Please be prepared for my mood.
2. You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the office. If I was in, chances are you wouldnʼt have received anything at all.
3. Sorry to have missed you, but Iʼm at the doctorʼs having my brain and heart removed so I can be promoted to our management team.
4. I will be unable to delete all the emails you send me until I return from vacation. Please be patient, and your mail will be deleted in the order it was received.
5. Thank you for your email. Your credit card has been charged $5.99 for the first 10 words and $1.99 for each additional word in your message.
6. The email server is unable to verify your server connection. Your message has not been delivered. Please restart your computer and try sending again.
7. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.
8. Hi, Iʼm thinking about what youʼve just sent me. Please wait by your PC for my response.
9. Iʼve run away to join a different circus.

(And for your viewing pleasure, a random sunrise picture from my yard -- before the leaves were out in full.)

Bad Reaction

2008-06-20T13:34:00.003-04:00

It’s a simply gorgeous first day of summer here in Ohio, so Jodi and I went on a lunchtime walk to the grocery store. I didn’t realize Friday around 11:30AM was such a busy time at our local IGA. The store was packed, so of course we saw some people we know. We ran into a couple that I used to attend church with when I was growing up. It’s been so long since I’ve seen them that they were surprised to see me with a baby of my own. We chatted for a few seconds and then the lady, Malinda, knelt down to say hi to Jodi in her stroller—not to touch her or pinch her cheeks or even say boo, just to offer a friendly hello. Did my daughter respond with the sweet little “Hi!” she has recently learned to say? Um, no. She started screaming. Red-faced, tear-soaked SCREAMING like I have never heard before. You’d have thought Malinda yanked on Jodi’s overabundance of hair! Of course, Malinda felt awful for making Jodi scream, and I felt terrible that Jodi made Malinda feel bad for no apparent reason. We quickly exchanged apologies—midst the screaming—and I raced Jodi down the next aisle hoping to get her distracted. In seconds she was fine and back to her regularly scheduled happy day. Goodness, what a bad reaction! Future unexplainable behavior like that will require some discipline! :)

Do you ever hear from readers who have had bad reactions to your books? Usually readers send fan mail, but I occasionally see some that I’d consider “not-so-much-a-fan” mail. :) If the reader offers constructive criticism, I forward the mail on, but occasionally the comments seem just downright mean and uncalled for and get put in the trash. Very rarely does this happen, but it makes me wonder, do any of you authors ever get really bad responses to your books by email or blog/website comments? Do you ignore them or respond? If you do respond, how? Hopefully you don’t have many, but if you don’t mind sharing, post a comment and tell us (tactfully, of course) about a “not-so-much-a-fan” mail experience.

Guest Blogger: MaryLu Tyndall

2008-06-18T10:09:00.008-04:00

Research Before You Research

A few years ago, my daughter and I embarked on a wild adventure. We headed down to Key West, Florida, to a Pirate Convention that had been heavily advertised over the internet. This of course fit in with the theme of my first three novels about pirates in the 17th century, so I was quite excited. We were expecting the streets of the small island to be filled with pirates, wenches, Spaniards, and British soldiers, sword fighting and firing muskets and doing all kinds of piratey things. What we found was an old vacant fort with crumbling walls and about seven booths set up selling cheap pirate trinkets! What a disappointment. But it gets better.

I had booked a cruise on a Pirate ship around the inlet. We were told that authentic pirates would be manning the schooner and cannons would be fired! What we got was an overcrowded boat with a vulgar crew dressed up like pirates. Beer and wine were passed around to all and as we lumbered around the bay, the crew became more and more inebriated! And me there with my daughter! At one point, a lady decked out in a very salacious pirate dress proceeded to vomit over the side of the boat. The only saving grace was the firing of a couple cannons. After which I said a quick prayer for the drunken crew to sail us safely back to the docks.

Now that I think about it, perhaps the excursion was truly more authentic than I realized! Perhaps a bit too authentic. Here’s a picture of one of the crew trying to decide which way to sail the ship back to shore.

I learned a great deal from that experience. My next research trip was to Charleston, South Carolina, to do research for a trilogy I’m writing now. This time, I got in contact with the Charleston Visitor’s Center where I received a ton of great information about where to stay, events, the best food, and most importantly, the historic tours. I visited Charleston Historical Museum where I set up several walking tours of the historic district.

My best advice to give you is make friends with the tour guide! These people are walking encyclopedias jammed full with all kinds of historic facts. Tell them you’re an author doing research, and they will beam from ear to ear, and tons of fascinating information about their city will pour from their lips faster than you can write it down. In fact, don’t write it down. Bring a tape recorder and a camera, of course. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you can think of. That’s why these tour guides are there, and they are usually thrilled to find someone truly interested in the city they love. You can even invite them to lunch or dinner if you feel comfortable enough doing so and spend some time one on one with them. I guarantee you’ll learn more from them than from any book.

St. Michael’s church – oldest church in Charleston

Unique architecture in Charleston

But don’t just take down facts and snap pictures. An important part of any on-site research is the ambiance of the place—the smells, the feel of the wind on your cheek, the sounds, the weather. Close your eyes and take it all in. Remember it. Every city I’ve ever been to has a “spirit” about it, a feeling, something deeper than what you can see and hear. It’s the voice of all the people who’ve lived there, struggled, fought wars, raised their kids, and died. It’s unique in every place and being able to capture it will greatly enhance your writing.

Happy researching!
MaryLu

(my Web site)

Introducing. . .Ashley Casteel

2008-06-16T14:48:00.002-04:00

Name: Ashley Nuzzi (soon-to-be Casteel)

What is your job title/position at Barbour: Assistant Managing Editor

What are your responsibilities with your assignment: My job mostly entails a lot of reviewing (of proofreading tests, proofreading corrections, typesetting corrections, author corrections, etc). I also send galley copies to proofreaders and authors and retrieve the mail everyday (which is always an adventure :-) ). In mid-July I’ll be in charge of assigning projects to proofreaders too.

Tell us a little bit about when/how you came to work at Barbour: After surviving a series of brutal summer jobs dog-sitting, selling fireworks, painting semi-trucks, and cleaning hotel rooms, I stumbled upon a Writer’s Digest article that made reference to Barbour. Up until that point, I hadn’t realized there was a prominent publishing company in Tuscarawas County, so I jumped at the chance to work here when the opportunity suddenly arose a few weeks before I graduated college. I’ve been working at Barbour for a little over a week now, and my only regret is that I wasn’t able to work here sooner!

What has been the most pleasant surprise in your new job assignment: I definitely love Taco Bell Mondays and Spanish soap opera Thursdays. Everyone here has been so friendly and fun to work with. Even the proofreaders and authors have been really welcoming and open to my arrival. I feel like I’ve been adopted into a big happy family J.

What is your least favorite task among your job responsibilities: I really enjoy everything about my job, but if I had to pick a least-favorite task it would probably have to be reviewing e-proofs. I’m an old-fashioned gal and like seeing all the manual corrections in the margins. Every proofreader has a different style, and that’s fun to pick up on.

Have you had any previous experience in the publishing/writing fields? I gained a lot of experience while I attended Hiram College as an English/Creative Writing major. My junior year, I co-edited a collection of non-fiction essays that was published last December. I also copyedited the student newspaper for three years, and did some online freelance writing on the side. Some of my poems and short stories have been published in a few different literary reviews as well.

What project is consuming your energies this week? Mostly just familiarizing myself with the different processes my job entails. I also received my first in-house assignment for a perpetual calendar last week, so that’s been fun to work on too.

Do you ever find time to read for pleasure? If so, what book/s have you read recently? I love to read just about anything that’s kind of quirky and inventive. My all time favorite author is Jonathan Safran Foer. One of my goals in life is to convince everyone in the world to read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. (Really, you should read it.) I also really enjoyed The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia, and I just finished a great biography on Harper Lee. Right now I’m about a third of the way through Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen, and next on my list is a collection of Odes by Pablo Neruda.

Can you tell us briefly about your family and your life outside of Barbour’s walls? Right now I live at home with my parents, two younger sisters (Gabby and Kathy), and cat (Sylvester), but I’m getting married at the end of June and will be moving into my fiancé’s apartment. Wedding planning has been gradually consuming my life for the past year and a half, but Brett (my awesome fiancé) has been a big help. We’ve been engaged for four years and have been dating for almost eight. Aside from Brett and my job and my family, I also love penguins, cooking, camping, garage sales, and taking lots of photographs.

What church do you attend? I go to West Union Methodist church with Brett and his family. It’s the church Brett grew up in, and I love it because it’s so welcoming and cozy.

Do you have a favorite quote that motivates you these days? Nothing especially motivating, but there’s one quote by Rose Lane Wilder that I like to keep near my writing desk at home: “Writing fiction is an endless and always defeated effort to capture some quality of life without killing it.”

Garage Sales, Anyone?

2008-06-13T13:39:00.003-04:00

Jodi and I were up bright and early this morning and decided to check out garage sales before my workday began. I’d seen a couple of ads on craigslist that sounded great. I’m all about finding good deals on gently used kids’ stuff. We hopped in the car, picked up Nana (my mom), made a quick Dunkin’ Donuts stop (a rare treat!), and then we were off. Sadly, our bargain shopping spree wasn’t as successful as we’d hoped. The sales just didn’t measure up to their ads, or maybe we were beat to the really good stuff by even earlier birds. :) Oh well. Hopefully our exuberance worked off our high-calorie breakfast. And Jodi got to see four different doggies, so she was beyond happy.

Sometimes proposals from unpublished authors are like disappointing sale ads. I read the summary and first three chapters and they sound great, so I request the full manuscript, only to find that the whole book just isn’t what I hoped for. Maybe the quality of writing past chapter 3 is poor, or the plot weakens, or the story really isn’t Heartsong appropriate. Whatever the case, I always feel extra bad rejecting a full manuscript. I’m sure I’ve gotten the author’s hopes up high and that rejection hurts even worse. And unfortunately, I don’t have the time to give a specific critique. But unpublished authors who get asked for full manuscripts should take heart and be glad they even made it to “Round 2.” Be encouraged if your proposal shines brightly enough for an editor to want to see more. You’re obviously doing something right! Just keep learning, writing, and submitting, and don’t give up. And please know that this editor truly feels bad for raising hopes and then dashing them. :(

Who else out there likes to go garage sale-ing? What’s the best deal you’ve ever found?

Here's a picture of Jodi in a baby doll bed that was a garage sale find from Nana. Jodi loves it, though she's clearly not thrilled about being in it. :)

Guest Blogger: Carol Cox on Research

2008-06-11T13:02:00.008-04:00

I have a confession to make. I’m a research junkie. Give me something new to learn about, and I’m a happy camper.

It doesn’t even have to be something work-related to start me following new rabbit trails. Sometimes the pursuit of information does nothing more than satisfy my curiosity. But sometimes I strike creative paydirt. For instance, there’s the time I came across a brief mention of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, along with a comment about it being a pivotal event in American history. My immediate thought was: If this was such a big deal, why hadn’t I ever heard of it?

I typed the name into my search engine, thinking I’d do a quick check on the Internet to see what I’d missed. Little did I know that small step would be the beginning of a journey of discovery that would lead to writing A Bride So Fair and the other titles of the A Fair to Remember series.

Web sites displayed photos that made my jaw drop—a fairgrounds covering more than a square
mile, with hundreds of buildings linked by walks and waterways. Nations from all over the world were represented, and the list of visitors read like a Who’s Who of that era. I felt a familiar tingle, one that told me I needed to set a story in that setting. And to do that, I’d have to learn even more. I rubbed my hands in anticipation at the thought of digging deeper.

Once the Palace of Fine Arts,
the Museum of Science & Industry is
the only building that remains of the fair's White City.

The digging proved fruitful. One site included texts of books from the period. Another showed floor plans for several of the buildings, but the print was too small to make out details. I contacted the woman who maintained the site, and she graciously sent me copies of the plans. Spreading my net further, I purchased several books dating back to the time of the fair. One described the exhibits of each building in great detail. Armed with that information and the floor plans, I was able to explore the buildings in my imagination.

Looking toward the lagoon from the Wooded Island.

An on-site visit came next, and my family traveled with me to Chicago’s Jackson Park, the site of the exposition. All but one of the grand buildings are gone, but I had another research treasure in hand—a map showing their locations in relation to the present-day roads. Soon we were engrossed in recreating the scene as it looked over a century ago.

We felt the warmth of the summer sun bearing down on our heads and savored the breeze blowing inland from Lake Michigan. Everywhere I turned, I drank in local color—details that wouldn’t be found in a guidebook, but the very things that would add realism to my story.

At one-third of the original size, this replica
of the Statue of the Republic is still impressive.

Were the hours spent poring over Web sites and maps, the purchase of books, and a trip halfway across the country a little over the top? Couldn’t I have just described the setting based on reading an article or two? Maybe. But I would never have been able to add the kind of texture and authenticity this kind of deep research allowed me to do. Because of that time and effort, the fair became a character in its own right, and I achieved one of my goals as a writer—to make my readers feel they’re actually experiencing the times and places I write about.

Now I’m on the prowl again. In my travels and while I read, I find myself on the alert, looking for something that will capture my imagination and spark a desire to know more. Something that will become my next research project.

Carol
Author of A Bride so Fair

Travel Ready

2008-06-09T15:54:00.007-04:00

Several months ago now, my husband and I asked our youngest daughter what she wanted for her college graduation gift from us. She answered without hesitation, "I want to take a trip back to Korea!"
You see, we adopted Courtney from South Korea as an infant, and our family served as missionaries in Korea from the time Courtney was three until she was eight years old, but she's not been back since then. So, we closed our eyes at the sight of the ticket prices and booked our flight reservations a couple of months ago. Now, the day of departure is upon us. We leave later this week.
The preparation panic has struck us all full-force. Each of the three of us has a To Do list a mile long. We've learned from experience, the key to a successful trip lies in thorough advanced planning and anticipating unforeseen challenges. I've called the banks, confirmed flights, checked weather reports for Seoul, made extensive packing lists. . .and paid a last-minute visit to the dentist. (As unpleasant as a trip to the dentist may be, I'm certainly glad I was able to see my own dentist rather than endure the drill as a stranger in a strange land--and dentist chair.)
We've put a lot of advance thought and planning into this Korea trip, and I fully expect it to pay off when we reach the Land of the Morning Calm.
David and I took another trip this past weekend. We awoke early Saturday morning with the urge to get on our motorcycle and just go wherever the road took us. No planning. No preparation. Yet, we had a delightful ride through the scenic Ohio River valley.
Sometimes a writer needs to put a lot of research, time, and effort into plotting her story. Sometimes she needs to just let her novel journey carry her along. In the Writer World, we distinguish the two as Plotters versus Seat-of-the-Pants Authors. Which are you? Have you ever tried your hand at the other?
I will be away the next two Mondays, but I PLAN to return with lots of fun stories to share. As they say in Korea, "Tasi Manapshida!" See you again soon!

Strolling through the Cemetery

2008-06-06T09:56:00.004-04:00

It feels like northeast Ohio is waiting in line for a shower in a hot, steamy bathroom. Summer has arrived! When it’s not too awfully sticky, I love taking walks around our town. We have a couple pretty parks nearby, and it’s nice to get to the store, library, and post office on foot if I want. This country girl never thought she’d be happy as a “townie”, but it does have its perks.

We also have a beautiful cemetery right near our house that’s perfect for strolling through. It’s interesting to read the gravestones and wonder what the people’s lives were like. I’m saddened when I see dates that aren’t many years apart, thankful when I see veterans’ graves, and encouraged by epigraphs that point to Jesus.

During my many walks through the cemetery, I’ve often thought what a great place it is for writers to get inspiration. (I hope that doesn’t seem morbid, and I’m sure there are plenty of authors out there who would agree with me!) It’s just brimming with unique names, and the inscriptions and images engraved on the stones often pique my curiosity. What a great way to get a character and story going in your head!

So, have you ever walked through a cemetery and found inspiration for your writing? If you have, leave a comment and tell us about it. If not, try it sometime. I wouldn’t go after dark, though, which is probably why I edit romance, not mystery or suspense! :-)

Give Me the Simple Life. . .Now!

2008-06-04T16:15:00.006-04:00

Publisher's Weekly just released an article covering the fast growing trend in fiction for Amish settings. You should be able to read it here.

When I was interviewed for this article and asked why the reader interest in Amish people, the thing I kept coming back to was the base desire we all seem to have to simplify our lives. Too many of us feel trapped on a spinning wheel of full schedules, money spent before we get our pay checks, clutter of stuff all around us without knowledge of how to organize and reduce it, and loss of a sense of peace. We see a group of people like the Amish, who seem to live close to nature and God, and are curious how they do it. We hope by reading a story about them we can learn some of their secrets to a slower paced lifestyle.

I also think the search for simplicity keeps the prairie romance setting eternally popular. For the length of a book, the reader can shut out the hectic modern world and live through the characters a life where the work was hard but the satisfaction at the end of the day was high, where women didn't worry about bikinis and makeup, where men stuck to their commitments, where God was given higher priority, and so forth.

I love a good prairie romance and the escape into a simpler time that it affords me. It could also explain why I have never gotten into the chick or hen lit style of fiction. I've read Bridget Jones's Diary and a few CBA fiction offerings in the genre, but the fast pace, the character motivations, the materialism, etc. does not provide me a relaxing read. (I don't intend to overlook that many find the lit books fun and entertaining, which is relaxing for them.) Maybe I'm just old fashioned.

I've been reading a non-fiction CBA book about simplifying and going back to living closer to nature, respecting God's creation and our responsibility as caretakers. (I'll have to read it all before I know if I can recommend it to you here.) But I think there is something to be learned from much of the "go green" campaigns out there right now as Americans wake up to realize that having more and bigger stuff is not always better for us spiritually and for our environment. And I for one will not miss the big Hummers on the road.

So how do you find simplicity in your life? Does a certain story setting give you a retreat to simple relaxation? Have you found a key to simplifying your real world lifestyle for a healthier and happier you? Suggestions for finding simplicity are certainly welcomed here.