Make Me a Story

Best Books of 2012

2012-02-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

by Trina Boice

www.trinaboice.com

While I dream of having one of those cool personal libraries so large that it requires a ladder to reach the top shelves, my husband is in the anti-clutter mode, so I have been selling my old books online, using www.bookscouter.com to find the best prices.

One of the companies that buys back books is Powell's, creator of the "Puddly Awards", their version of the Oscars for books. They ask their readers to determine which titles were their favorites during the previous year. Here are the results for their 2012 awards:

Best Fiction: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Purchase The Help Deluxe Edition here

Best Nonfiction: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Purchase a copy of Unbroken here

Have you read either of those two books? I have to confess that I only had time to see the movie "The Help" but I absolutely loved it. Some of the actresses in the flick are already slated to win an Oscar. What did YOU think of the book? How did it compare to the movie?

How about "Unbroken"? I haven't talked to anyone who has read it. Have you? What did you think? Do I need to carve out some time to read it because it's that good?

If we were the one to decide the book awards, which books would YOU choose to win?

Show Your Love for LDStorymakers!

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Ah, love ... don't you just love love? The month of February is the best month of all for celebrating love ... no, not because of Valentine's Day, silly! It's time for the Show Your Love contest in conjunction with the LDStorymakers Writers Conference!

We've held this contest for the last couple of years, and those who participated will tell you - it was fun and the prizes were well worth it.

So let's break this down a little bit. What's at stake here? What are we playing for?

Prizes: Three lucky people will win seats at a star-studded VIP table for Friday night's dinner. That's right - top-rated agents will be your dinner companions. I recommend watching for parsley between your teeth. You're responsible for getting yourself to and into the conference, and then we'll take care of the rest, because we're good like that.

Other prizes will be announced as they become available.

So, what must you do to enter to win?

Rules:

Blog about the LDStorymakers Writers Conference and link to the conference site. This is worth 5 entries.

Blog about the Show Your Love contest and link back to this post. This is also worth 5 entries.

Become a fan of the LDStorymakers Conference Facebook page and invite 5 friends to become fans. This is worth 1 Entry (limit 5 entries).

Mention the conference and/or the contest on Twitter. Either post the link in your tweet, or use the hashtag #storymakers12. This is worth 1 entry per day, up to 5 per week.

Post the conference attendee badge on your site or blog. This is worth 3 entries. You can get the code for this on the sidebar, to your right. Here's what the badge looks like:

Leave us a comment in this blog's comment trail and tell us everything you've done. You have from now until the stroke of midnight Utah time on February 29th to rack up as many points as you can. You must be a registered attendee of the conference to participate - and if you haven't registered yet, you can do it right here. Attendees and presenters are eligible. We will announce the winner at the beginning of March. If your e-mail isn't accessible through your Blogger profile, please leave it with one of your comments so we can contact you. Winning, and not knowing it, would be pretty rotten.

All right, minions! Get busy! Win the dinner of a lifetime - how many people can say they ate dinner with some top agents? Not many! Be one of them! Show your love, help us spread the word about the conference, and walk away cooler than you were when you walked in!

Retirement Quest, Make Better Decisions by John Hauserman, a Review

2012-01-31T18:44:00.000-08:00

Retirement Quest, Make Better Decisions is a valuable book. I didn’t realize at first that it could be valuable to me because my eyes glazed over as I read the first few chapters. I began to wonder why I had been asked to review it, as it seemed to have been written for the monetarily sophisticated, people already conversant with financial planning. In fact, John Hauserman states in Chapter 5, “This book is intended for mature readers who have already achieved a reasonable level of financial security and responsibility, and for younger people who are in a wealth building mode.”

My eyes unglazed when I hit Chapter 6, though, when Hauserman began explaining the basics of financial instruments, how they work, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. I didn’t know, for example, about bonds and coupon rates, and how one of the primary determinants of a bond’s coupon rate is the creditworthiness of the bond issuer. As Hauserman says, “This is a very significant factor, and responsible money management therefore generally dictates that one not necessarily choose the highest-yielding bond.” Who knew?

The book is full of lots of sound information. Throughout, Hauserman preaches the gospel of diversification—even in your cash holdings. Now, you may think that a cash holding is, well, cash. But you will find that isn’t necessarily so when you read the book. He also stresses the need for discipline and regularly rebalancing, which he explains on page 54.

Hauserman points out that younger people need to step up to shoulder the responsibility for their own retirement, for, by law, ”once the [Social Security] trust fund is exhausted—it is anticipated that this will happen around the year 2030—the benefit formula is to be rewritten based upon the economics of the program at that time. In simple terms, this means that we should expect, if all goes well, that around the year 2030 we will experience a benefit cut of about 50%.”

Hauserman also makes the point that this is a way citizens can not only serve themselves but can serve their country, for the republic’s economic well being is tied to the economic health of its citizens. He quotes John F. Kennedy’s “Ask not what you can do for your Country” speech in this context.

Retirement Quest is a thoughtful book, building on a solid philosophy. The writing is clear, but for someone like me, or for young people in a ‘wealth building mode,’ I would say to start at Chapter 6, read to the end, and then go back and read Chapters 1-5.

Visit John Houserman's web site at: http://retirementquest.com/home.aspx

You can purchase Retirement Quest, Make Better Decisions by clicking here.

Disclaimer: Though a copy of this book was given to me to review, the fact that I received it free had no bearing on the opinions expressed.

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And...be sure you don't miss out on the next recipe, review, scrap of wisdom or pithy thought. Become a follower on this blog by clicking on the Join this Site button on the sidebar. Check out my books behind the Liz's Books tab at the top, or read reviews of my latest book under the Reviews tab.

What's the future of paper books?

2012-01-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

The Amazon Kindle was the company's biggest seller out of all their merchandise this last Christmas. Publishers, authors, and readers are all wondering what the future holds for books actually made out of paper. I seem to think that a true book lover just can't resist the feeling of a real book in hand...that being said, I'm one of the recipients of a Kindle reader from Santa last year...

Jonathan Franzen, the author of Freedom and The Corrections, launched a passionate defense of the printed book—and an attack on e-books—at the recent Hay Festival in Cartagena, Colombia. “The technology I like is the American paperback edition of Freedom I can spill water on it, and it would still work! So it’s pretty good technology,” said Franzen. “And what’s more, it will work great 10 years from now. So no wonder the capitalists hate it. It’s a bad business model.”

Wondering whether nonelectronic print will be around in 50 years, he said he fears that “it’s going to be very hard to make the world work if there’s no permanence like that. That kind of radical contingency is not compatible with a system of justice or responsible self-government.”

So what do YOU think? Will you be reading "real" books in ten years? Do you own an e-book reader? Love them both? Need them both? What would you say to Jonathan Franzen?

Win Prizes and Support Our Authors

2011-12-15T13:26:00.000-08:00

Win a Kindle and a bunch of other prizes by simply "liking", making a comment, or subscribing to some book series this week only at: www.bigworldnetwork.com

Several of our LDStoryMakers authors are featured and have written some terrific books that are avaialable for FREE at that site: Trina Boice, Heather Justesen, Tristi Pinkston, and Jonathan Thompson!

Tell all your friends to come support us and they can win a Kindle too! The Big World Network is a new, cool web site where readers can get books for FREE, listen to the authors read each chapter, and win prizes!

Trina Boice
www.trinaboice.com

What Would A Celebrity Endorsement Do For YOUR Book?

2011-12-09T13:14:00.000-08:00

by Trina Boice
www.trinaboice.com

Getting a famous celebrity to endorse your book could bring huge recognition and sales to your marketing efforts! But what if you don't know any famous movie stars or industry experts personally? No worries! Ask anyway! I've found that those who succeed in life are those who are persistent and brave....that's definitely true for authors too.

Here are some steps to consider while you're working up your courage:

1. Reach for the stars! Do a quick brainstorm of the celebrities or experts in your field and create a Wish List of everyone you would want to endorse your book or project. Think big. Of course, they should actually have something to do with your target audience, platform or subject matter.

2. Do your homework about each famous person on your list so that when you write to them you can mention something specific they did that inspired you.

3. Make it easy for the celebrity to say yes to your request for an endorsement or testimonial by showing them 2-3 quotes you've written ahead of time that they could choose from. Of course, don't offer the same quotes to everyone on your list; personalize them for each celeb. Offer to do a video or written testimonial for them to use on their web site.

4. Don't think of yourself as a little peon. Just be brave and ask! The worst that can happen is they'll say no. Most famous people love recognition and love to be quoted.

I found a cool web site that offers a paid membership access to celebrity contact information at www.contactanycelebrity.com They have all kinds of examples of regular 'ole people like us and how their books, products, and fundraisers earned a LOT more money when they were endorsed by famous people. Check it out! Your new BFF celebrity may be waiting...

Conference Registration is Open!

2011-12-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

It's all so exciting ... the LDStorymakers 2012 Writers Conference is now open for registration. Because of space limitations, we are capping attendance at 450, so please, please register as soon as you are able so you don't miss out. In addition, our agent slots are filling up mega fast, so if you want to do a pitch session, hurry on over!

You can register here, and learn all about Storymakers here.

Learning from NaNoWriMo

2011-11-21T20:58:00.001-08:00

Zig Zigler once said "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."

That has applications in many realms of life, but I think it applies especially to writing. During this National Novel Writing Month, I've realized just how important setting goals is. All of the other 11 months of the year, I just try to write what I can when I can. During November, I have a fixed mark that I'm shooting at and the target is set high. By setting my sights high, I try harder, I find more time, I put more effort into writing and lo and behold, I usually hit and exceed the mark.

The most important I have learned is that having a plan is like laying the track for a train. It takes a while to build, but once it is down, the vehicle can take a lot of cargo a long way quickly.

I'm serious about writing and so in making my writing plan for 2012, I'm going to be thinking of ways of incorporating setting the mark high for all 12 months of the year. I hope that you'll chime in with your two cents. What did you learn from NaNoWriMo, and how has it affected your writing?

-Michael Young, (http://www.writermike.com) author of "The Canticle Kingdom" and "The Last Archangel"

I know you'll appreciate this

2011-11-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

Trina Boice
http://www.trinaboice.com/

This picture made me laugh out loud. Since you're reading this blog, you're the kind of person who will think this is hilarious too.

Bitter Blessings Leaves a Sweet Taste

2011-11-16T13:29:00.001-08:00

(Shirley) Thank you for coming to the cemetery today. Sorry about the rain, but at least we’ve got my big golf umbrella to stand under. I love the sound of rain. One thing I don’t love is reading cliché “conversion stories.” They make me want to gag on my Postum.
“Bitter Blessings” may be classified as a conversion story, but I think it is so much more. For one thing, it’s not sappy. It’s actually more like a delicious mystery, with a compelling twist that I did not see coming. Each character is true to their role, and the protagonist, Megan Randall (did I spell that last name right :o)?) is not a perfectly-picked-on Cinderella.
Thank goodness.
Megan has trials, indeed, with family deaths and trauma handed out to her right and left. She shoulders her load for a long time, but then finally breaks, just as a real human being (like me) might, and has to deal with added regret and sorrow. (Also just like me.)
But hold on! This book is not without its lighter moments. I had to laugh out loud when Megan’s friend, Adam, described some prom dresses he’d seen in a catalogue with a shudder and the words, “There was lace and big bows and poufy skirts.” Having raised six sons, I can just hear the perplexed and dismayed tone in his voice when uttering those words.
Well, well, look who’s coming. If it isn’t Christine Mehring herself. Look out for that headstone, Christine. Here, get under this umbrella with me.
(Christine) Hello, Shirley. I'm so glad you were willing to meet me here today. Most people get a little skeevy when they find out how much I enjoy walking in the cemetery but I think the atmosphere here is just dense with stories, and besides, it's quiet and people tend to leave you alone.
(Shirley) Especially if you're standing in one spot, reading headstones. Hey, I have to wonder, have you ever lost anyone close to you?
(Christine) Only my grandparents, all of whom were dear to me, and very elderly. So far, the rest of my family has been kind enough to stick around.
(Shirley) That is nice of them. Your description was so close to the heart that I’m curious just how this story developed in your wondrous little brain.
(Christine) I just have a slightly overdeveloped imagination. :) Actually, I start stories with what amounts to a couple of snapshots in my head - a beginning scene and an end. Watching my characters get from point A to point Z is what makes everything worthwhile. As the story developed, I realized I wanted to accomplish a couple of things with it. First, I wanted to write LDS YA fiction that would have appealed to me as a teenager. I read a lot as a kid, and I wanted to like LDS fiction, I really did, but I always left it feeling like, well, let's just say that Polly Perfect Protagonist and I didn't have much in common. Second, I wanted to explore how a "typical" LDS family would handle the need to share the gospel in a situation where they couldn't just bear a testimony or offer an invitation to church.
(Shirley) Well, it really worked. From the greenish thumb that sends tendrils through your book, I’m thinking that you probably have a fern at home, or did when you were a child. I loved your description of lying on the floor and looking up through the fern’s branches and feeling transported to another place. Are you quite the gardener?
(Christine) I am an outdoor gardener only. I've actually had my license to own houseplants revoked due to criminal neglect. My mother is the queen of houseplants and the ferns belong to her.
(Shirley) Hey, look, the sun’s coming out. Let me just move this umbrella… oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to dump that water down your neck. It’s almost like going swimming in the waters around French Polynesia, isn’t it? No? How do you know, have you ever been there?
(Christine) I haven't ever been there. My imaginary self is an accomplished sailor who spends at least half of each year blissfully island hopping. Unfortunately, my real self gets seasick in the bathtub. Maybe someday my imaginary self will tie me up, buy a boat, stock the hold with Dramamine and off we'll go. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
(Shirley) How are you at crossing your toes? Oh. Never mind. That makes your eyes cross, too. No matter. It’s so nice to feel the warmth of the sun and the warmth of love that you so skillfully wrote at the end of your novel. I do hope this cemetery doesn’t mean that this is the death of your writing career.
(Christine) I hope not. It certainly isn't the end of writing, or the end of killing characters off. I'm currently working on a murder mystery for the LDS adult market. It deals with a woman who comes back to her small hometown after a long absence just in time for the suspicious death of a person she used to know. I love complicated characters with buckets of motives, secret personal agendas, quirks, conflicts, doubts, and deeply held convictions. Mysteries seem to be my natural home. No matter which genre I choose to work in, there's always going to be a puzzle to solve.
(Shirley) Oh, look, our ride is here. Hm. There’s only one seat left up front. I’ll take it. You go ahead and ride in the back where you can stretch out. Go on, there’s plenty of room, all the coffins have been unloaded. That’s what you get for killing off your protagonist’s families. There you go. Nice and comfy? Good. Let’s go out to eat. What do you say to some good old all American hospital food?
(Christine) Sounds good to me. Can I have your jell-o?

The Whitney Awards - Nominate!

2011-11-14T01:11:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about the Whitney Awards? Pull up a chair and let's chat.

In the national market, you have a ton of prestigious book awards that are presented every year. You've got the Caldecott and the Newbury for children's books, the Edgar for mystery books, the Nebula and the Hugo for sci-fi, etc. The Whitney Awards honor excellence in LDS fiction. Established in 2007 by author Robison Wells, the Whitneys were created to help raise the bar in LDS fiction and showcase all the things that are so amazing about this market. It's been exciting to see how awareness of high-quality LDS books has risen since the awards program was launched.

How does it work? Let's say you've read a book by an LDS author recently that you really enjoyed. You head on over to the Whitney site, click "nominate," and fill out the form. If the book was published in 2011, it is eligible for this year's award. If it was published before ... sorry, too late, so be mindful of publication dates when nominating. The book can be national or LDS, in any genre - just so long as the author is LDS. The nomination goes in to the committee, and if that book gets five nominations, it's considered an official nominee.

All official nominees are read by the Whitney judges, who select the five most outstanding books in each genre. Then the vote goes out to the Whitney Academy, made up of authors, bookstore owners, and other industry professionals. It really is an amazing process, and if you click here, you can learn more about it, and, in fact, explained a whole lot better than I can here.

I really appreciate the Whitney Award program because it gives LDS authors something amazing to shoot for and validation in a field where validation is sometimes hard to get.

I spoke with three of last year's Whitney winners about what it means to them to have received this award for their work.

Julie Wright, winner of Best Romance for her novel Cross My Heart, said, "Receiving the Whitney Award was a huge validation. There have been lots of times I wondered what I was doing trying to be a writer, and lots of times where quitting felt like a good idea. For that one night—that one shining moment, I knew I was where I was supposed to be, and doing what I was supposed to be doing. As I held that award in my hands, I was immensely glad I hadn’t given up."

Stephanie Black, who won Best Mystery/Suspense for her novel Cold as Ice, said, "Being an author involves ups and downs. Book accepted--yay! Bad review--sigh. Great review--yay! Disappointing sales--sigh. And so on. There will always be potholes in the road. But because of the Whitney Awards, I can treasure the knowledge that a group of industry professionals found my work to be good--even award-worthy. That knowledge is incredibly validating."

Annette Lyon, who won Best General Fiction for her novel Band of Sisters, said: "At (and after) the first Whitney Awards gala, I found myself crying like a little girl. I didn't win that night, although I'd been a finalist, but the tears weren't because I didn't get an award. They were because I caught the vision of what the Whitney program could be, and I felt overwhelmed and honored to have had a small part in the inception of something that would, I was sure, become wonderful and historic.

"Ever since Robison Wells first told me about his idea for an awards program--and each year since--I wanted to receive a Whitney of my own, to have my work be considered good enough to be recognized by my peers as the best in its genre. Those at the gala for the 2010 awards (held May 2011) know that I was a pretty much a blubbering mess when my name was read and I received my very own Whitney Award. It now sits atop my writing desk, and I look at it often--whether I'm questioning my ability and needing a shot in the arm or sometimes even when I'm in a great mood. I glance up and smile. That night will always be a significant memory for me. I'm grateful to all those who have and who continue to work for the program---and maybe I'll manage to snag another gorgeous award some day in the future.

"I love that the Whitneys are doing the two things Robison hoped they would: first, to spread the word and bring to light the best fiction by LDS writers, and second, to raise the bar, encouraging LDS writers to get better and better at their craft. I believe that in the five years the Whitneys have existed, the quality of literature in the LDS market in particular has continued to go up, and that is immensely gratifying."

It was completely awesome to be one of the presenters to give Annette her Whitney. L-R: Danyelle Ferguson, my co-presenter; Annette, holding the beautiful award, and me, with my eyes closed, apparently.

Although still somewhat small, the Whitney Awards have grown every year. Now headed by chairperson Josi S. Kilpack, they are heading into their fifth year, with nominations being accepted now for books published in 2011.

Please take a moment to think about the superlative novels you've read this year that were penned by LDS authors, then head over to the Whitney site to nominate them. You can nominate as many books as you like, all on the same form, even. Each and every nomination is tallied by the Whitney committee. You can do your part to bring LDS authors more into the spotlight and celebrate the good literature being created in this market. You have until midnight on December 31st, 2011, to nominate books written in 2011, so be thinking! Time is running out.

A New Way of Reading

2011-11-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

By Trina Boice

www.trinaboice.com

Are you a die-hard page turner? Do you love dog-eared pages and insist on touching actual paper when reading your favorite book or are you a converted fan of the new electronic readers? Perhaps you use both. Now there's another way to read books...

I'm really excited about a new web site called www.bigworldnetwork.com which launches today! They're featuring one of my new books, "How to Stay UP in a DOWN Economy: Saving and Earning Money From Home", but that's not the only reason why I'm excited.

Their goal is to change the way we read books and interact with authors online. On their web site they say "Think of us as a television network, but for literary series written in episodic format." Sixteen books will be featured during this first season. You can choose between either reading each week's episodes or listening to the audio versions.

Each day, two books are spotlighted, offering new episodes to enjoy. Several of my author friends have been selected to participate in this first season's launch, so I know you're going to love their work and become addicted! I highly recommend Steven Booth, Tristi Pinkston, Heather Justesen, and Amanda Meuwissen. I'm excited to get to know the other authors. My episodes will be featured every Wednesday for 12 weeks. It's the only non-fiction book to be chosen for the series!

The audio chapters are also going to be made available on iTunes each day, and they're currently working on developing formats for the iPad and iPhone, so stay tuned! You'll be able to interact with the author, write comments, and offer suggestions. Many of the authors on the site have also been invited to record the audio of each chapter, so you get to meet new writers and hear their actual voices bring their words to life.

As an author, it doesn't matter to me how you read books, only that you do! There is a wonderful world of imagination and knowledge out there to discover! The Big World Network hopes to create a new way of reading books and creating communities for authors and fans. Did I mention that all of this is FREE? Check it out!

Remaining objective in a subjective world

2011-11-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

When I set out to write my book The Hidden Sun, I did so with a message to convey. Though I have my minor in English, there could be books written on all I don't know about writing a book. However, through a lot of help and effort, I was able to get a good, technically clean version of The Hidden Sun released.

Though I can't speak for others, I dare say my desire to write a book was to share something with others. To that end, writing a book becomes a very personal experience, which in turn, you give to the masses to be judged.

As the reviews for my book came in, it became clear readers are extremely subjective. I recall in the movie The Dead Poet's Society a scene that made quite the impact on me. It is as follows:

Basically, someone with a PhD. invented a way to rate if a poem was good or not. The teacher disagrees and has the students rip out that part of the book.
In some of the reviews I've read not only for my book, but others, I believe there are those who rate books in a similar manner. And to that, I say, I feel sorry for them. In my opinion, the written word isn't to be measured with a ruler. To the opposite point of view, I do believe certain rules should be followed as to not alienate or insult your reader.

So, as authors, how do we remain objective about our work when it is "graded" (for lack of a better term) subjectively?

For me, one of the best exercises I did was to look at the reviews and pull out common threads. I share them with you now:

**On the unique names I used in The Hidden Sun:

"[One] thing that I found distracting was the use of strange names. Although very creative and sometimes beautiful, I found that trying to pronounce most of them drew me out of the story and was, at times, frustrating."

"Some of the names took some getting used to. I worked at different pronunciations until I felt comfortable with them."

"Though there are many uncommon names, a few which are hard to pronounce, I was able to stay on task with the storyline without missing a beat."

"I am a big fan of unique names, so seeing so many of them in this book excited me."

**On how long it took people to "get into" the book.

"It took getting through about the first 50 pages for me to be interested, a bit slow of an opening for my tastes."

"I wasn’t really sure what to expect from The Hidden Sun, but it sucked me in from the very beginning."

"The opening scene really humanized [Eliana] and I immediately began to care, even more so as she develops feelings for Rinan, her personal royal guardian."

"The very first thing I noticed while reading The Hidden Sun was that J. Lloyd Morgan knows how to draw in his readers. It didn't take long for me to become emotionally attached to the characters."

"I fell in love with Eliana and Rinan right away."

**On how people defined the book:

"The Hidden Sun is a delicately crafted fairy tale that both adults and young adults will find charming and intriguing."

"This novel's mix of fantasy and romance drew me in and kept me."

"It sounded kind of like a fantasy since it was set in a medieval-style kingdom, but when the book arrived in the mail I found out it wasn't. Even worse, as I started to read it, it began to look like a romance. Ugh."

"This might seem like a fantasy but it isn't, there isn't any magic nor even any fantastical creatures. It might seem like a romance, but it isn't that either, it really isn't too lovey-dovey despite relationships, marriage and family being the prime arena of conflict."

"This was a political intrigue book with interesting and enjoyable characters."

"Even though it didn’t have any magic or dragons or wizards or whatever, it still had that magical spark to it. It was magical without the magic."

**On people's response to the cover:

"The only thing that bugs me about this book is the cover. They should have a created a cover that would entice YA to read it."

"The cover fits in perfectly to the setting of the novel and what I imagine places in it to look like."

"The cover is pretty typical fare for a fantasy novel involving knights and kingdoms."

"It was a clean, wholesome book with a beautiful cover."

From all this, what do I take away from it? While I continue to learn to improve at my craft, I need to stay true to who I am and why I'm writing. If I'm writing just for the praise of others, I'll never be successful.

Start Your Engines!

2011-11-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

Or get out your calendars ... or warm up your typing fingers ... whatever you need to do to get ready for registration for the Storymakers 2012 conference! That's right - registration starts in exactly one month from today, on December 1st, and you will want to be first in line!

The conference will take place May 3rd, 4th, and 5th of 2012 at the Provo Marriott Hotel. The Whitney Awards will take place the evening of the 5th at the same location - you can sign up to attend that as well. Just follow the step-by-step registration form and click the boxes to add the things you'd like to include.

We are so excited about our lineup of special guests for 2012. Our keynote speaker is Kevin J. Anderson, author of over 100 novels with over 200 million books in print in forty languages.

Also joining us are literary agents Holly Root, Molly O'Neill, Kathleen Ortiz, Michelle Wolfson, and Weronika Janczuk - all excited to attend and to meet with you one-on-one for pitch sessions. These slots are going to fill up fast, so I encourage you to register as close to the first day as possible so you don't miss out.

As always, we are planning fun, informative workshops to help you perfect your craft, learn how to market, get the ropes of the business, and most of all, light a fire within you to keep writing no matter what and see your dreams come true.

We're excited for this next year and hope you will be too! In fact, we'll be kicking off our annual "Show Your Love" contest in February for you to help us spread the word about the conference and for you to earn an incredible prize ... which will be announced shortly.

If you'd like to receive information about the conference as it is released, come "like" the conference page on Facebook.

And if you'd like to know more about our special keynote speaker and our amazing literary agents, click here to visit the conference page on the Storymaker website.

Amazon Frightens Publishers

2011-10-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice
www.trinaboice.com

Amazon will soon be competing with the publishing houses that supply it: the company is set to publish 122 books this fall in both physical and e-book form. Amazon has signed deals already with self-help author Tim Ferriss and film director Penny Marshall, and is said to be aggressively targeting top authors.

“Publishers are terrified and don’t know what to do,” says Dennis Loy Johnson of Melville House. Amazon has hired publishing veteran Laurence Kirshbaum to run the operation, which will publish both fiction and nonfiction.

Withholding Information

2011-10-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

This is my latest post from "Suspense Secrets." So, what do you think about this bit of advice from Mosaic Writing?

"Withholding pertinent character information can also build suspense."

The blogger goes on to give examples from the book Skellig by David Almonds, stating the author only reveals a particular character's description (early on in the book) and not his nature or even his name. I haven't read Skellig, so I'll take the blogger's word for it, but this bit of advice sounds intriguing to me. I suppose that's because I've been thinking a lot about beginnings lately, and I've read conflicting advice about initial character development. Some say to describe the MC so the reader is able to connect with him/her before the inciting incident actually happens, and others say to jump right in with the inciting incident and worry about descriptions, etc., later.

In reality, the blogger probably wasn't referring to beginnings at all, and was likely offering another example of stringing the reader along with crumbs of details or even misleading them with red herrings and misinterpreted information. And yet, I'm thinking about it in relation to beginnings. Your thoughts?

Online Support for Writers

2011-10-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice
http://www.trinaboice.com/

Writing can be a lonely task. It can be tricky to motivate yourself, and without proper feedback, it’s hard to know how to improve. Several websites already exist to encourage writers, through classes, workshops, online forums and more. Tomorrow, a new site called LitReactor adds its name to the list.

Created by the team who built Chuck Palahniuk‘s website, which itself has hosted writing classes and more, LitReactor uses a combination of engaging content and smart gaming mechanics to encourage writers to gain both new skills and new trusted friends. Check it out!

Amazon Unites Readers and Authors In a New Way

2011-09-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice

www.trinaboice.com

Imagine being able to talk to the author of a book at the very moment you are reading it. Unless the author is your uncle sitting next to you at Thanksgiving dinner, the scenario seems unlikely. With today's cool technology, however, now it's a reality!

Amazon's new feature @author, allows readers to ask questions directly from their Kindles which are sent to the author's Twitter account, as well as to the writer's home page at Amazon! Amazon's cool new technology is aimed at creating a reader community online, focusing on Kindle titles.

While publishers worry that they will be cut out of the connection, authors are cheering for a chance to improve their brand and build a stronger fan following. If you've ever tried to write to an author through the publisher's contact information, you know that messages and questions to authors rarely get passed on. Now the relationship can be more intimate and even instant. Some publishers are still furious that anyone can sell their independent books online and make a fortune without their help. Amazon is truly changing the publishing industry.

John Locke (not the bald guy from "Lost", but a businessman who started writing Kindle novels and is the first author to sell more than a million ebooks online), recently signed an unusual contract with Simon & Schuster, which allows him to continue selling his ebooks while the publisher handles marketing and sales of the print versions. This unique deal is a perfect example of how the balance of power in the traditional publishing world has shifted, creating a need for both authors and publishers to adapt to new changes.

The @author feature is an expansion of Amazon's social-networking-style program for Kindle which invites readers to "follow" other readers and see which books they like and have commented on. Amazon is hoping that readers will answer questions for the authors as well and create a virtual hang-out on their site. Technology continues to bring together readers and authors in new ways. Any time more people are reading and talking about books is always a good thing!

Protecting Authors' Rights

2011-09-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

Trina Boice
www.trinaboice.com

After a hard-fought battle to ensure the protection of American authors and publishers from extortionate foreign libel judgments, one New York-based scholar and researcher has secured the passage of the first law to achieve unanimous Congressional support this term.

Initated and promoted by Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, the Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage Act (SPEECH Act) protects Americans from the enforcement of foreign libel judgments that do not meet American standards of constitutional protection for freedom of speech.

Faced with an internationally-publicized suit against her by a notorious libel tourist in 2004, Dr. Ehrenfeld was the first author to stand up against the phenomenon of libel tourism, a practice by which foreign libel plaintiffs sue American authors and publishers abroad solely in the attempt to suppress free speech in the United States.

Dr. Ehrenfeld’s initial efforts resulted in the passage of protective legislation in New York and in six other states, and have now reached her ultimate goal of extending those protections nationally. Thanks Dr. Ehrenfeld!

Interesting Contrast in Literary News

2011-08-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice
http://www.trinaboice.com/

Charles Dickens

I thought the following news reports this weekend about what's happening in the literary world were interesting. Are they a sign of what our culture has become or simply an odd juxtaposition of contrasting news stories?

For example, one news report stated that while Charles Dickens might have written that he wanted no “monument, memorial, or testimonial whatsoever” to be erected in his name, the UK‘s first ever statue of the great author is nonetheless set to be created next year to mark the bicentenary of his birth. Do you think he'll be rolling over in his grave or slightly pleased?

Designed by sculptor Martin Jennings, known for his bronzes of John Betjeman in St Pancras and of Philip Larkin in Hull, the statue will be placed in Guildhall Square in Portsmouth, the town of Dickens’s birth.

Another report that I found amusing said that a group of Franciscan friars furious at the theft of bibles from their church in Florence several days ago have taken the unusual step of praying for the thief to be struck down by diarrhea. Friars at the 15th century church of San Salvatore al Monte, which was a favorite of Michelangelo, were irritated when a rare and expensive bible disappeared from the lectern, and they flew off the handle when a replacement bible donated by a worshipper also went missing and within a few hours.

And finally, the concise Oxford English Dictionary (OED) just released its newest updates, The Daily Mirror reported. They include the word made famous by Sasha Baron Cohen‘s “Borat“: Mankini, as well as jeggings (leggings that look like jeans) and sexting (sending sexual text messages). Now would Charles Dickens being rolling over in his grave?

Engaging Readers in Your Writing

2011-08-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice
www.trinaboice.com

One of the things I love about writing books is that I get to meet other authors. I especially love getting to know creative fiction authors who think outside of the box. Many of my non-fiction books have become best-sellers, but writing engaging fiction seems way too hard to me.

A good author friend of mine, Steve Booth, has just started a new project that is really imaginative and engages readers in a new way. He's inviting readers to participate in a story as it unfolds online at: http://www.stevenmbooth.com/?page_id=201&cpage=1

Here is what he had to say on his latest blog post as he explains the project:
"Over the last several months, we have been working on a new way to present fantasy material on the web. Of course, there have been many excellent examples of storytelling – eBooks, multi-path stories, even full-blown, immersive role-paying games.

These all fall short, however, when it comes to one thing — engaging readers in the creative (and sometimes challenging) process of writing a story from scratch. What we thought would be very cool, interesting for all, and also instructive, is to actually create, under the watchful eye of an author, a short story, interactively, over a period of several weeks, and to let everyone have a chance to contribute and make suggestions about how it should go. In short — you get to do the fun stuff, and I have to do the work. We call it an ‘eStory’.

Each new iteration of the eStory will consist of two or more parallel story tracks, based on the suggestions and selections made by all those that wish to contribute. Thus, although I have a pretty good idea of where our tale will lead, it is in a very real sense ‘organic’ – how we get to our destination has not yet been determined.

SO… if you’re curious, if you’ve ever wondered how folks come up with these fantastical characters and worlds, please join us on our adventure. We’re calling it ‘The Legend of Talimar’. In addition, it will be possible for anyone to comment, critique, ask questions, and suggest alternative paths that might be interesting to follow.

After everyone has a chance to respond, we will create at least two, or perhaps more alternative paths for the story to take, like the waters in a stream parting around a rock. Later on, the two paths will rejoin the main plot of the story, but in the interim, new and interesting things will be revealed; things no one had suspected; things I never considered, perhaps!

After a number of installments (we're thinking like 10-12), we'll conclude the tale with a really cool climax and finale, and we'll provide some special secrets for those who also want to continue with the follow-on volume, Dark Talisman."

Go support my buddy and check out his fun project at:
http://www.stevenmbooth.com/?page_id=201&cpage=1

How To Write A Bestselling Book

2011-08-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice
http://www.trinaboice.com/

I recently attended an awesome webinar, hosted by bestselling author, Arielle Ford, and marketing guru, Mike Koenigs. Together, they talked about why some authors make it big, while so many other authors fail.

You can hear part of their discussion at: http://tinyurl.com/3p2q5cc

Because Arielle has worked all aspects of the industry (author, literary agent, publisher), she's definitely worth listening to. She talked about what publishers and agents really look for and what successful authors always do first. Do you want to know what that is?

The biggest take-away for me was to create a book with the end in mind or, in other words, start with the marketing first before you even begin to write. Publishers are looking for an author with a platform. A platform includes your "hook" and why your material is better than anyone else's, but also includes your fan base and how you can prove to a publisher that you already have "x" number of adoring fans who will buy your book the minute it hits store shelves. While we authors love to think our writing is all about the craft, publishing houses are more interested in the saleability of our work. Being an author also means having a head for business.

So here's a tip....begin branding yourself even if you haven't started writing that Great American Novel yet. Create a platform and name for yourself that will get people talking even before your book comes out. Publishers are looking to authors more and more to participate in the marketing process. Long gone are the days when an author handed over a manuscript and the publisher did all the rest of the work to bring the book to market. There is much an author can do to increase the success rate of her book.

Check out the following video to hear more about what Arielle has learned from her many successful years in the industry: http://tinyurl.com/3p2q5cc

Who Will Be the Next J.K. Rowling?

2011-07-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice
http://www.trinaboice.com/

I was out of town last weekend when Harry Potter opened in theaters, but I'm VERY excited to finally see the final installment of the wizardry masterpiece tonight! It's been a thrill to watch the characters and even the actors grow up right before our eyes. I'm a little hesitant, however. Will it live up to my expectations? Will I feel a satisfying closure or be left wanting? Have you seen it yet? What did you think? Who will be the next J.K Rowling of our day?

A dear friend of mine, whose first book will hit stores soon, shared his thoughts with me. His name is Steve Booth. www.stevenmbooth.com He has the talent to be an inspiring author and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everyone loves him as much as I do. He told me "It’s hard to over-estimate the impact of Harry Potter, both the book and the incredibly successful films. I personally believe that J.K. Rowling single-handedly redefined the meaning of the Young Adult Fiction universe. She was one of my initial inspirations in becoming an author, and several of her characters were the genesis for players in my book, Dark Talisman."

He felt the same anxious excitement about watching the final movie and said "It was, therefore, with a good deal of trepidation that I attended the final episode of the film series in my local IMAX theater last night. I was not disappointed. Although I felt the ending lacked a certain definity, I left the theater with a feeling of both closure and completeness. Frankly, I wish that the quality of production and depth of acting in this, the final installment in the series, had been more evident in previous offerings, but I found it a highly enjoyable excursion, nonetheless."

So, we are left with the obvious question – now what? What new adventures are on the horizon? Where is the next, Great New Author. I hope that someone will step into the fray, for I think, given the state of the world, that we all desperately need another Harry to walk with us through the difficult times ahead; to make us believe, if for only a short time, that magic could possibly exist in the world; that there is something wonderful around the next corner, or between the train platforms.

Genealogy Quote of the Week – Madeleine L'Engle

2011-07-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Genealogy Quote of the Week – Madeleine L'Engle

What Celebrities Are Writing About Now

2011-07-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

by Trina Boice
http://www.trinaboice.com/

Arnold Schwarzenegger was bragging that he was about to sign the biggest book deal of all time a month before the news broke in May that he fathered a love child with his housekeeper. But after the scandal, it’s Maria Shriver’s book that publishers are chasing, sources say.

#1 NYT bestselling author James Patterson’s next 26 books, including 4 new series for young readers, with 13 titles each for Michael Pietsch at Little, Brown, and Megan Tingley at Little, Brown Children’s, for publication through the end of 2014, by Robert Barnett at Williams & Connolly.

NYT bestselling historical thriller writer Matthew Pearl’s The Bookaneer, about a literary spy and bounty hunter in the 1890s who sets off on a quest to the Samoan Islands to wrest a manuscript from a dying Robert Louis Stevenson, moving to Ann Godoff at the Penguin Press, in a two-book deal, by Suzanne Gluck at William Morris Endeavor, and to Stuart Williams at Random House UK, by Cathryn Summerhayes at William Morris Endeavor.

Rock music legend from The Band, Robbie Robertson’s untitled picture book biography, written by his son Sebastian Robertson, focused on his early years growing up in Canada spending time at Six Nation Indian Reservation, and, later, living and working in America, joining Ronnie Hawkins ’s band as a guitarist at 16, sold to Christy Ottaviano of Christy Ottaviano Books, for publication for Spring 2013, by Ryan Harbage at the Fischer-Harbage Agency.

Jim Collins‘ Great By Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite them All, co-authored with management professor Morten Hansen, asking why some companies thrive in uncertainty and even chaos, based on nine years of research, enumerating the principles for building a great enterprise in unpredictable, tumultuous, and fast-moving times, also to be released in ebook form for the first time (with Collins’ four previous bestselling books now being released as e-books from July through September), sold to Hollis Heimbouch at Harper Business, for publication on October 11, 2011.

When does YOUR next book come out?

Quick Book News

2011-06-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

By Trina Boice
http://www.boicebox.com/

Less than two months after Glenn Beck and Fox News agreed to part ways, the conservative talk-show host has reached a new deal with publisher Simon and Schuster that includes the launch of a new imprint. Mercury Ink will release fiction and non-fiction titles.

Borders bookstores may have a savior. The private-equity firm Gores Group is in discussions to buy more than half of the bankrupt bookseller in a deal that would keep the business running. Borders has been soliciting offers since it filed for bankruptcy in February. Gores, which buys stakes in distressed companies and tries to rehabilitate them, isn’t the only bidder on the horizon, though the other potential buyers haven’t been named. Interest in Borders has picked up since Liberty Media’s recent bid for Barnes and Noble.

Science fiction writer Orson Scott Card is fighting with his talent managers over alleged commissions due from the film and web adaptations of Ender’s Game. A movie version of Ender’s Game has been long anticipated by sci-fi fans. The 1985 novel garnered many prizes, including the Hugo and Nebula awards, and is now regarded as a classic of the science fiction canon.

How to Write a Great Book Quickly

2011-05-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

By Trina Boice

http://www.boicebox.com/

Are you working on a book? If so, check out this short video with tips for writing a good book quickly:
http://www.yourquantumleap.com/bookwritingtips.htm

In his webinar, Steve Harrison, expert book promoter and author coach, shares seven tips that'll help you easily break through the roadblocks that stop you from getting your book out now including:

* The single most important concept which separates a great book (and great selling book!) from a poor book.

* How you can emulate other successful writers to create your own bestseller.

* The biggest mistakes authors make in the writing process that really slow them down.

* The one, simple, easy and FAST technique which you can use TODAY to write your book.

* The one personality trait, shared by many authors, which really sabotages them.

In addition to his Quantum Leap program, Steve Harrison also publishes the Radio-TV Interview Report, which has become a bible for talk-show hosts and producers looking for interesting people to interview. Growing out of the industry contacts he’s built up through the Report is Steve’s annual National Publicity Summit, where writers can brush shoulders with many of the gatekeepers in the talk-show industry.

I discovered Steve Harrison several months ago and really love his teleseminars. Great material for authors!
Check him out!

By the way, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all of you wonderful moms out there who inspire our writing dreams! We love you!

Trina

How to save BIG on your taxes as an AUTHOR!

2011-04-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

By Trina Boice

http://www.sisterthrifty.com/

Death and taxes…kind of the same thing, right? Does the mere thought of tax time send you into a panic attack? It’s that time of year again! Ugh.

Tax time can mean a nightmare of headaches, wasted time and huge accountant bills. It is estimated that the average American works 4 months just to pay off federal and state taxes owed each year. How can we possibly get ahead? The rich seem to get richer and the poor seem to get poorer. Why is that? Well, one thing the rich do that the poor don't is know how to take advantage of every legal, ethical and moral tax deduction available to them.

Real estate is one way to accumulate tax deductions. Another terrific tool that allows you take deductions is having a home business of some kind. Whether it's selling Avon or designing craft items for local fairs or WRITING BOOKS, having a home office can save you BIG on tax day. Most small business owners are often concerned about tax deductions because they are not really sure of what items or expenses can legally be deducted and what constitutes a real business. The IRS expectations are that anyone claiming expenses from a business is truly operating, on a profit level, a business.

There are certain standards that the IRS uses to determine what is a legitimate business or not, and any self-employed person intending on taking itemized deductions will want to be within those standards. Once legitimacy is determined, then entrepreneurs will be pleased to know that most work from home individuals never take the full reductions possible. Adequate record keeping and good professional help should aid in working with taxes.

Many of the things you are currently paying for in your home business could be legitimate tax deductions:
• Your computer
• Your internet connection
• Your long distance and cell phone service
• A percentage of your rent or mortgage if you have a home office for your Multi-Pure work
* The initial investment costs to start your business
• Office equipment and furniture
• Conferences, classes, continuing education
* Vacations
• Car, mileage, maintenance
* Restaurants and dining
* Entertainment expenses
* Airfare, travel expenses

Items that can NOT be deducted are:
* Clothing
* Gym memberships
* Gifts over $25

I suggest you talk with a tax professional before taking any tax deductions, of course. Having a home business could save you thousands of dollars this year alone! I found some software designed specifically for network marketers called “MLM Tax Helper.” It just might be what you need so you can spend less time worrying about your taxes and more time sharing your business message with others! Check it out at: http://tinyurl.com/4sdry8b

I also spoke with H&R Block, who graciously offered a $25 discount for our blog subscribers! You can print out your coupon here: http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae253/pamelamiller/Multi-Pure1upcoupon1-1-1.jpg

Just remember to keep good records and consult with a tax professional. Another great resource is http://www.irs.gov/ Good luck this week!

CENTSerely,

Sister Thrifty a/k/a Trina Boice

http://www.sisterthrifty.com/

http://www.boicebox.com/

I've Already Blogged About Hotdogs and Shower Filters...now what?

2011-03-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

By Trina Boice
http://www.boicebox.com/

So, you've joined the ranks of bloggers on the Internet! Great! You quickly wrote about everything you were passionate about and now you're starting to draw a blank, eh?

Some days the ideas and words flow quite easily, but then there are the days when you just can't think of anything original or worthwhile to say. Don't force it. The most important thing about blogging is to be authentic.

Sometimes you just need a little inspiration to get you started. I recently discovered a cool tool that does just that.

Brian Proctor, the son of Bob Proctor (The Secret) was interested in receiving inspirational quotes and stories that would set the tone for each day. He created a free auto-sending email service (before it was common to do so) with an inspirational quote Monday through Thursday and a story on Fridays.

When you sign up for his free emails you'll receive plenty of inspiring ideas that can quickly get your own creative juices flowing. Enjoy!

To start receiving great blog ideas, click on this little box:

Book Autopsies

2011-03-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

By Trina Boice

http://www.boicebox.com/

I just discovered the coolest book art and wanted to share it with you. Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, Brian Dettmer carves one page at a time. He's known as "The Book Surgeon", layering pieces of old, thick books into magical masterpieces. Nothing is relocated or implanted, only removed to showcase a new "look" at the original book.

Dettmer manipulates the pages and spines to form the shape of his sculptures. He also folds, bends, rolls, and stacks multiple books to create completely original sculptural forms.

"My work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book’s internal elements exactly where they have been since their original conception," he says.

"The richness and depth of the book is universally respected yet often undiscovered as the monopoly of the form and relevance of the information fades over time. The book’s intended function has decreased and the form remains linear in a non-linear world. By altering physical forms of information and shifting preconceived functions, new and unexpected roles emerge."

Dettmer is originally from Chicago, where he studied at Columbia College. He currently lives and works in Atlanta, GA. To see more of his creative love for books, check out his solo art gallery show at http://packergallery.com/dettmer2/index.php I don't know about you, but it makes me want to write thicker books.

Congratulations!

2011-03-05T17:05:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our Show Your Love Contest winners: Maria Hoagland, Rachelle Christensen, Dierdra Eden-Coppel, and Berin Stephens.

Maria Hoagland is our grand prize winner. She will receive a 30 page manuscript review by Sara Megibow, along with a reserved seat at the 8th Annual LDStorymakers writers conference for Friday night dinner. The other winners each receive a seat at the table as well.

Again, congratulations!

Book Review: The Upside of Down by Rebecca Talley

2011-02-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

"Hmmm," the doctor muttered.
Natalie wrinkled her forehead, almost afraid to ask, and said, "What does that mean?"
"You do know you're pregnant, right?"
Her breath caught in her throat. "Excuse me?"
"You're pregnant."
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. "I'm what?"

Natalie Drake certainly has her hands full raising a large family, dealing with her difficult mother, and maintaining a relationship with her rebellious teenager. Just when things seem to be going smoothly, she finds out another unexpected surprise--she's going to have a baby. Faced with so many challenges, Natalie must learn to trust in a plan that isn't what she imagined and discover that every situation has an upside.

Rebecca Talley once again carefully crafts together a touching and heartfelt story that is sure to inspire you. With true-to-life characters and situations, The Upside of Down will reignite your faith and remind you of the importance of family.

I enjoyed this book on a number of levels. First, in seeing the daily interactions - and struggles - Natalie has with her children. Oh, I can so relate. I've had similar experiences in my own home where it just seems like every child is into their own brand of trouble and I've wanted to run screaming out the front door. Natalie handles it all better than I would, but she's not perfect, which makes her all the more likeable.

I appreciated watching Natalie's growth as she came to understand that even when we feel strong and capable, we still need to rely on the Lord for everything, and that it's through Him that we gain our real strength.

And I was very touched as Natalie learns of the final challenge she is to encounter in the book, that of learning that her new little child has Down syndrome. This is not the main focus of the book, but it certainly does pack an emotional punch as we read of the medical challenges they go through just in getting the baby diagnosed. The author's own little son has Down syndrome, and she speaks of the topic in a sensitive, knowledgeable way.

In the end, we come away from the story knowing more than we knew before, feeling our hearts touched, and feeling more strongly the power that God has to take our lives and make them something beautiful.

You can purchase The Upside of Down as a paperback or on Kindle. You can also swing by Rebecca Talley's blog and get to know her a little better.

Show Your Love

2011-02-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Ah February—the month of love. Why is it the month of love? Because if it wasn't the month of love, it would be the month of hate. We hate the snow, we hate the lingering holiday bills, and we hate the groundhog for seeing his shadow. So it's a good thing we have Valentine's day, reminding us that all you need is love.

Speaking of Love, the LDStorymakers is once again holding the Show Your Love contest throughout the month of February. The rules are simple, and the prizes are . . . well, let's just say you'll love them.

They are as follows:

On Friday, three lucky winners will receive a reserved seat at the 8^th Annual LDStorymakers Writers Conference for Friday night dinner. Also seated at the table will be:

Literary Agent Sarah Crowe

Author Larry Brooks

Senior Editor Marcia Markland

Author James Dashner

Becca Stumpf

And one lucky grand prize winner will receive a

30 page manuscript review by Sara Megibow.

So how do you win these fabulous prizes? Like so:

Blog about the LDStorymakers Writers Conference and link to the conference site. This is worth 5 entries.
Blog about the Show Your Love contest and link back to this post. This is also worth 5 entries.
Become a fan of the LDStorymakers Conference Facebook page and invite 5 friends to become fans. This is worth 1 Entry (limit 5 entries).
Mention the conference and/or the contest on Twitter. Either post the link in your tweet, or use the hashtag #storymakers. This is worth 1 entry per day, up to 5 per week.
Post a conference attendee badge on your blog or website. This is worth 3 entries. The badge code is as follows:

<a href="http://ldstorymakers.com/conference_2011.php"><img src="http://ldstorymakers.com/attendeebadge.jpg" alt="LDStorymakers" /></a>

Help spread the word. Tell us in the comments what you've done, and tally your points. We're using the honor system, which means you tell us, and then we double check to make sure you're being honorable.

You can earn points all through the month of February. The contest closes on February 28^th, 2011. We'll announce the winner at the beginning of March. You must be a registered attendee of the 2011 LDStorymakers Writers Conference to win. Both Attendees are presenters are eligible. If you're not registered, what are you waiting for? You can do so here.

Win a free CD!

2011-01-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

by Trina Boice

www.boicebox.com

I'm the Entertainment News Editor at BellaOnline.com and I'm offering a fun contest there that I wanted you to know about!

While living in Atlanta for 15 years, I became a big fan of Ray Charles’ famous song “Georgia on my Mind.” Concord Records recently released his newest collection entitled Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters , an incredible collection of newly discovered Ray Charles recordings. The hit album was produced by John Burk, who gave us Genius Loves Company, Charles’ 2004 Grammy award winning last album.

After sifting through four decades worth of Ray Charles’ unreleased material, John Burk explains “We have so much respect for Ray, and now being the guardians of his legacy, we didn’t want to release anything substandard. In the end, I think what we have here is on par with some of his greatest works.” And it is.

Although Ray Charles Robinson died in 2004, the world gets to continue to enjoy his great music, thanks to technology. The “sonically enhanced” material creates cool tracks, smooth background vocals from Eric Benet and Keb’ Mo’ guitar licks. If you love Ray’s cool blues, soulful gospel and warm country sounds, you’re going to get a kick out this new album.

In addition to the tracks culled from R.P.M. International, the set also includes a surprise from the Sony vaults – a stirring rendition of Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me, Lord?” a gospel flavored duet with Johnny Cash produced by Billy Sherrill in Nashville, recorded in 1981. This one-of-a-kind pearl has gone unheard by the public until now. Contrary to correspondence between Charles and Cash anticipating the release of the song on CBS, the track never saw the light of day for three decades for reasons that remain unknown. Cash takes the lead vocal, while Charles hangs back slightly and delivers hefty backup vocals and equally compelling piano lines. “Ray’s presence in the song helps to establish a sort of marriage between gospel, Christian and country music – the kind of thing Ray was so uniquely good at,” says Burk.

A great American Jazz legend, Ray’s newest CD includes high energy music that gets you moving, as well as romantic ballads that will make you sway and laugh, such as in the song when he questions why he’s still talking to a particular woman when he could be doing something else with her, if ya know what I mean.

His spirit is alive and well in this album, a reminder that Ray was truly an American treasure. “The rhythmic and improvisational things Ray did with his vocals were incredibly influential to generations of singers in all genres of music,” says Burk. “And he would always get inside the meaning of a lyric and make the listener believe every word, as if he were describing his own experiences. His vocals carried incredible emotion and intensity, even on demo tapes. That’s how Ray approached his music; I don’t think he knew any other way to do it.”

Ray would have turned 80 this year, so I thought it would be fitting to hold a contest in his honor, awarding the winner a copy of this outstanding CD.

To enter the contest, simply answer the 5 questions in the Bella Online forum at:

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/653051#Post653051

Be the first to respond correctly and you win! The free CD is being provided by Concord Records.

Free song: http://raycharles.com/2010/09/21/download-a-free-song-from-rare-genius-and-enter-to-win-an-11-cd-ray-charles-catalog/
All people who download are entered to win an 11 CD catalog and a travel itinerary owned by Ray Charles and used on his 1998 tour.

VIDEO: Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters - Episode 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7zeXfNPtOI

Ray Charles Store Buy Link: http://bit.ly/c5BYmt includes special packages

Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.to/bP9MVF

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T11:45:00.000-08:00

by Marsha Ward

What a lot of experiences we've all had this past year! New books, new technology, new babies, new adventures. A lot of the same lies ahead of us, and much more. Each new year brings challenges, satisfactions, and griefs. This is life.

I want to encourage you to find new things to enjoy in 2011. I'd like you to find one new author to read and follow, and one new book genre to explore. If you like mysteries, check out historical novels. If you like romance, check out Westerns. Expand your horizons.

Write a note of appreciation to your favorite author. Find a way to deliver it. Are they on Facebook? LinkedIn? Blogspot? Wordpress? Twitter? Reach out and discover. If they aren't updated on technology, send it to their publisher or agent.

May you all have a blessed and prosperous New Year!

Wishing for an eReader this Christmas?

2010-11-30T20:21:00.000-08:00

By Trina Boice
www.boicebox.com

E-readers are on every book-lover's wish list this Christmas, and probably on yours too. The prices are getting so much more reasonable these days too. Here is a quick comparison guide in case it's on your shopping list this year. If you're the avid reader in the family, then print out this blog post and leave it where your loved ones will see it and get the hint.

What are your choices?
* Amazon's Kindle 2 or DX
* Barnes & Noble Nook
* Borders' Kobo eReader
* Sony's Reader Pocket, Daily, or Touch Edition
* Apple's iPad
* Kogan Technologies eBook Reader
* Spring Design Alex eReader
* Skiff Reader

Things to look for:
* Battery life: 20,000-30,000 page turns
* Software that allows you to purchase from your favorite bookstore
* Comfortable hold
* Can be registered as an Adobe Digital Edition reader
* Decent photo viewer
* Memory card slots for additional storage
* Bookmark feature
* Can navigate through the index and pages easily
* Displays a pdf layout larger than 6 inches
* Comes with free ebooks
* Headphone jack
* Protective cover
* Decent price!
* Wireless
* Size of display

Which one do I want for Christmas? Whichever one ends up under my tree! Otherwise, I'll end up with this one:

Here's a great site I found with some pretty thorough reviews: www.ereaderleader.com/reviews/
Don't worry if you missed Cyber Monday; there are plenty of great deals still out there. Good luck!

Book Review: "True Miracles with Genealogy" by Anne Bradshaw

2010-11-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

In the Old Testament, book of Malachi, 4:5-6, we read:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

We are seeing this prophecy fulfilled as every day, men and women all over the world are feeling compelled to seek out their ancestors and compile their family histories. It doesn't seem to matter what religious affiliation the searcher belongs to - the yearning to know where one came from is the same.

Author and avid genealogist Anne Bradshaw addresses this yearning in her new book, "True Miracles with Genealogy: Help from Beyond the Veil." A compilation of stories submitted by people all over the country and around the world, this book speaks to the heart of every genealogist and all those who have ever felt a stirring from the other side, a knowledge that we are not alone when our loved ones pass on, but we are still connected through those family ties.

In this book you'll read stories of people who found their ancestors in the most miraculous ways. A chance phone call, stumbling upon an old, nearly buried tombstone in a cemetery, the urging to look just one more time - these events yielded not only names and dates, but newfound love of the journey for the researcher, and feelings of eternal connections.

Whether you've been doing your family history for years, or have just started, or just enjoy reading about the process, you'll find something to delight and inspire you in this remarkable work.

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes. This did not influence my thoughts in any way.

Book Review: "The Fourth Nephite" by Jeffrey S. Savage

2010-11-03T14:59:00.001-07:00

In Jeffrey S. Savage's new book, "The Fourth Nephite," we meet Kaleo Steele, who's in a jam. He's the star of his high school's football team, but his seminary teacher just caught him with a bunch of his friends, holding a beer can. He hadn't taken a sip, but his teacher is duty bound to report him, and he won't get to play in the big game. Kaleo is more than frustrated by this turn of events - he's the star. He should be in that game. But Brother Mortensen, his seminary teacher, has other plans, and sends Kaleo on a quest that will be more mind-blowing than anything Kaleo could have ever imagined.

Sent back in time to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith, Kaleo begins to understand that the stories he hears in seminary aren't just mumbo-jumbo, but real events in the lives of real people. As he comes to care for the Prophet, he's stunned to learn of a plot to steal the gold plates from Joseph Smith, and he must decide how to act. Oh, and there's a girl. Of course there has to be a girl, or there's not really a story ...

Jeff Savage is a remarkably talented author who has the ability to reach out and grab his readers, whether it be through his tech thrillers, his think pieces, his fantasy novels (written under the name J. Scott Savage) and now in this LDS Young Adult adventure. He knows what his readers want, and he knows how to give it to them. This results in highly addictive storytelling, and in the case of "The Fourth Nephite," you or your teen reader will also learn about the era of Joseph Smith while you read.

If you're looking for an exciting, clean, faith-promoting book that will take you on a thrilling journey, well, you just found it.

I was provided with an ARC of this novel for review purposes, but that didn't influence my review. Jeff influenced my review by writing a dang good book.

Making Friends Monday

2010-10-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Tristi Pinkston for having me on her blog for Making Friends Monday. Here is some info about her, including how to get to her own blog.

Tristi Pinkston has been blogging since 2006. On her main blog, (http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com) she covers everything from writing tips and the life of a published author to kid funnies, spiritual thoughts, and embarrassing moments. She also has a weight loss blog, one for writing challenges, another for her fictional characters … and she lost count of how many others she has. You can find the links for them on her sidebar.

Tristi is the author of five published novels and a whole kit ‘n caboodle of unpublished novels. Right now she’s focusing on cozy mysteries, although she has written historical fiction in the past and plans to write more in that genre. She works as a freelance editor and a virtual book tour coordinator. She loves taking long naps, being charmingly annoying, and watching good movies. She’s a Mormon, a homeschooler, a Cubmaster, and most of the time, a headless chicken.

USA BOOK NEWS ANNOUNCES WINNERS AND FINALISTS OF THE “BEST BOOKS 2010” AWARDS

2010-10-26T04:42:00.000-07:00

Mainstream & Independent Titles Score Top Honors in the 7th Annual “Best Books” Awards

LOS ANGELES – USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE “BEST BOOKS 2010” AWARDS (BBA) on October 26, 2010. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 140 categories covering print and audio books. Awards were presented for titles published in 2010 and late 2009.

Trail of Storms by Marsha Ward (iUniverse) was named the Finalist in the Western Fiction category.

USABookNews.com is an online publication providing coverage for books from mainstream and independent publishers to the world online community.

Finding Your Theme

2010-10-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

by Marsha Ward

Several   years ago, I had a wonderful week in cool Prescott, Arizona, where I   attended the Hassayampa Institute for Creative Writing at Yavapai   College. In the friendly atmosphere created by the limited enrollment   and the nurturing faculty and staff, I got to know many fine folks, and   did revisions on work that had been mired in mud for a long while. The   intensive writing workshop helped me focus on aspects of my writing  that  I had neglected. I had a chance to reach deep within myself to  find  emotions and conflicts that needed to be present in my characters  to  make them real.

The most important thing I found, though, was my theme, my reason for writing. I'd agonized over this issue for years. Why DID I write? I knew I felt compelled to do so, but did not know the underlying motivation.

It   took me by surprise, when I was asked a single question, that the   answer I gave was my theme, my motivation. The question was, "What do   you want to share with the world through your writing?" I was blown away   when my answer provided me with the purpose I'd been seeking to   identify for such a long time.

I said, "I write to help people find hope amidst their trials, to learn to overcome, not just to wallow in misery."

Now   you may think that doesn't apply to a novelist's work, that it's more   suited to an essayist or a self-help guru. However, as I look back over   my books, I think it fits nicely into what I have written. My  principal  characters pick themselves up in various ways and go forward  with their  lives. They illustrate how personal attributes and growth  can help a  person persevere.

I was very glad to have found my theme at long last. However, I don't go into every writing session thinking, How can I make my characters toe the mark and hold to the theme?   I build my characters' attributes, motivations, and conflicts  carefully  and then let their actions come forth. Because I do this  legwork out of  my value system, the theme will be there, in one form or  another, when I  have finished.

How do you find what you want to write about? Maybe the same question I was asked will help you isolate your theme, too.

2010-09-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

It’s in the Details

While my first book, “A Question of Trust,” was in the first stages on my computer, my brother-in-law, Larry, read a chapter. In the chapter my protagonist Stacey Willis is at a cattle auction in Burley, Idaho. Larry said, “Carole your story is really good, but I you need to go to an auction.” I thought I had been to one, but the one I went to was not a cattle auction. He volunteered to go with me, so we met at the auction. It was an eye-opening experience. Seeing, hearing, and smelling the sights and sounds of authentic cowboys and ranchers in action completely changed the chapter. The re-write was so much better. Stacey accidentally bought a pig. It was something I could see her doing and the chapter continues to be one of my favorite that I’ve written.
As writers we are told to write what we know. But for most of us what we know really limits our stories, so learning from others and doing research is a great way to expand the possibilities. Still, don’t rely on a Google search or a wikipedia article. There’s nothing like experience or at least talking with experts. Experts are all around us. If your character flips burgers, talk to someone who does that—they are the expert. In that same book, Stacey is professional photographer, so I had photographer friend read the manuscript. “Professionals don’t snap pictures—they shoot.” I had messed that word up a few times. It was a small and easy change, but one that would have shown me as someone who didn’t know what she was talking about, had I not had a photographer read the story first.
My newest book, Sun Tunnels and Secrets,just like my other two, is set in Grouse Creek, Utah. For me to make a story come to life, it’s important to get the setting real. I lived in Grouse Creek for six years, my husband is from there, but even with that, I’ve gotten some of the directions wrong. I failed to have my husband read it before publishing and I’m directionally challenged. It won’t matter to 99% of my readers, so I’ll have to apologize to the few who will notice the mistakes. Recently I had a conversation with a man who recently retired from police work. He was in charge of the entire Cache County Jail. I asked him, if I could ask him some questions for a book I was writing. He said, “please do and tell your friends to talk to me because I hate reading books when authors ignore proper procedure.” After talking to him for ten minutes, I realized I had many details wrong in my current writing project. It takes time to get the details right, but it will make the difference in writing that sings or falls flat.

Counting Words

2010-08-25T04:05:00.000-07:00

by Marsha Ward

As I drown in slip-sliding paper falling toward me and my fingers on the keyboard (most of which I could shred, once I extract the odd computer disk, wedding announcement, and hardback book from the pile), it occurs to me that I could share how I keep track of my word count as I write.

Now understand, this can be as complex or as simple as I want to make it. I can use the Excel chart my friend J. Scott Savage sent me several years ago that nags me incessantly, or I can add and subtract words as I write and edit, or I can keep a simple running tally at the beginning and the end of my writing day. I kind of like the simple style nowadays, so I'll tell you how that last thing works.

I love the 9.5 inch by 6 inch one-subject notebooks for this task. They're not so big as to be in the way, and not so small as to disappear amidst the rubble on my desk. I open it up and draw three equally-spaced lines down the page. This gives me two sections of columns to fill up.

In the left-most column, at the top, I put the date. I can put anything else in the nature of notes in that column, like the times I start and end, the scene or chapter I'm working on, and how many hours I work. I see I have a notation saying slippery elm bark and chamomile tea. Ha! I know what scene that one was!

The second column is where I put the beginning word count opposite the date. If I'm starting fresh, this is zero. If I want to, I can add the word count when I do a save, when I get up for lunch, or what-not (I usually only put down the last three digits, or hundreds). The last figure I put in that column is the final word count of the day, unless I want to do a total of words written underneath it. I finish the day with a horizontal line drawn under all the notes for the day, in both columns.

The other section of two columns is for when I get to the bottom of the page. You knew that, right?

How do you find your word count at the beginning and end of the writing period?

If you're in Word, look for a menu item called Word Count. It might be in the Tools menu. That's where I'd look first, because that's where it is in my ancient Word 2003. Before you click it, highlight all your text. Then click Word Count, and you'll have a rough estimate of your words. I say "rough," because it will count every asterisk (*) and Chapter Heading, but it's good enough for starters. Do this again when you quit for the day, and you have the second count.

Or, you can use the software program I now use, yWriter5, which tells me at the bottom of the main window how many words I write that day, along with the total of words in the project. I put those numbers in my notebook at start and end of day.

yWriter5 and its antecedents were written by novelist and computer programmer Simon Haynes of Australia. He couldn't find a writing software that suited his needs, so he wrote it. He updates it quite often, sometimes to meet suggestions of users, but it's a lean program written to use few resources of your machine. It even runs off a flash drive, so it's highly portable.

You can find yWriter5 at http://www.spacejock.com (Hal Spacejock is the hero of Simon's futuristic sci-fi series). There are several other useful programs to be found there, as well as a link to the new how-to wiki created by the folks in the next paragraph.

This software is free, not only no-cost, but free of nasty surprises like virii, Trojan horses, and other malware. There's an active community of users in a Google group who support each other. The old hands answer the questions of the newbies, and Simon occasionally pops in, too.

Can you tell I like yWriter5? Let's see how many converts I can make. Let's see, |||...

Knowledge is power...and free!

2010-08-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

By Trina Boice
http://www.boicebox.com/

Can you believe it’s BACK TO SCHOOL time already? While some parents are celebrating the idea of a quiet, clean house during school hours, others are sad to leave behind the carefree fun of summer spent with their children. My kids think I’m crazy because I absolutely love the smell and anticipation of opening up a new textbook.

Parents who are just a bit envious of their children’s opportunity to learn new things at school, I have a goldmine of resources for you! The following web sites include thousands of video lectures from some of the world’s top scholars! Knowledge nirvana! And they’re all FREE!

One of my favorite quotes, and one worth teaching your children, is:
“The more you read, the more you know.
The more you know, the smarter you grow.
The smarter you grow, the stronger your voice
When speaking your mind or making your choice!”

Enjoy!

http://academicearth.org/

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/av/index.htm

http://worldlibrary.net/Collections.htm

http://freevideolectures.com/
http://videolectures.net/
http://lecturefox.com/
http://www.ted.com/
http://ocw.nd.edu/
Courses include detailed lecture notes, a calendar of teading assigned for each class and a description of major assignments.

http://ocw.tufts.edu/
Offers student-made documentaries about social issues as well as a list of weekly readings.

http://itunes.stanford.edu/
Professors Martin Evans and Marsh McCall lecture on great works by Virgil to Voltaire.
http://itunes.berkeley.edu/
Berkeley's lectures online

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/
Alternate site of Berkeley's lectures.

http://scholarspot.com/

http://www.varsitynotes.com/
http://www.learnerstv.com/

If anyone is interested in Entrepreneurship and learning more about what it takes to own or run a business, I highly recommend the Standford eCorner ( http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1554 ) or the Harvard business school ( http://www.hbs.edu/entrepreneurs/ ) podcasts. Both are great resources that provide outstanding insight into running your own business. Others include:

http://oedb.org/library/features/236-open-courseware-collections
http://www.careervoyages.gov/education-videos.cfm
http://www.sba.gov/tools/audiovideo/deliveringsuccess/index.html
http://www.sba.gov/training/index.html
http://www.sba.gov/tools/audiovideo/Podcasts/index.html

http://www.openculture.com/2007/07/freeonlinecourses.html
www.videomd.com/featured_videos.aspx
http://freesciencelectures.com/
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
http://education.usgs.gov/common/video_animation.htm
http://www.nachi.org/advancedcourses.htm
http://education-portal.com/video_library/index.html
http://www.serve.org/nche/ibt/aw_video.php
www.practisinc.com/interactive/patient-education-videos.php
http://scholarspot.com/
http://www.varsitynotes.com/
http://www.learnerstv.com/
http://www.stumbleupon.com/
http://www.ovguide.com/education.html

CENTSerely,
Sister Thrifty a/k/a Trina Boice
http://www.sisterthrifty.com/

Inspirational Quotes

2010-07-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

The next time you write, yet feel uninspired, nervous, or discouraged, remember these great words of advice:

E.L. Doctorow:
"Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader—not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon."

Leonard S. Bernstein:
"Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time…The wait is simply too long."

Sidney Sheldon:
"Usually, when people get to the end of a chapter, they close the book and go to sleep. I deliberately write my books so when the reader gets to the end of a chapter, he or she must turn one more page. When people tell me I've kept them up all night, I feel like I've succeeded!"

Tom Stoppard:
"Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little..."

Meg Cabot:
“Write the kind of story you would like to read. People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either.”

Thomas Wolfe:
“What I had to face, the very bitter lesson that everyone who wants to write has got to learn, was that a thing may in itself be the finest piece of writing one has ever done, and yet have absolutely no place in the manuscript one hopes to publish.”

Ray Bradbury:
"You fail only if you stop writing."

Jack London:
"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."

Beth Mende Conny:
"Whether or not you get a single word on paper, the sun will rise, the earth will spin, the universe will expand. Writing is forever and always a choice—your choice."

Josh Billings:
"The great art of writing is knowing when to stop."

Thanks to Karlene Browning at LibrisPro for rounding up these amazing quotes!

Book Review: The Silence of God by Gale Sears

2010-07-14T08:25:00.001-07:00

When I was fifteen, I had the incredible experience of being able to go to Russia with a group of other teens on a tour designed to teach Russian teens about free enterprise. While there, we toured some of the huge cathedrals and learned the history of religion in the country, how many of the churches were destroyed or turned from their original purpose. Our tour guide explained how some of the churches were still operational as such, but not all. I was saddened to look upon these beautiful buildings, designed to glorify God, but instead, reduced to mere pieces of incredible architecture.

"The Silence of God" by Gale Sears very much speaks to this theme. Going back to 988 A.D. and the introduction of Christianity to Russia by Prince Vladimir and moving forward in time to the Revolution in the early 1900s, we see how important religion is to the lives and emotional well-being of these people who have been placed in some of life's most difficult circumstances. We meet the Lindlof family, the first LDS family in Russia, and follow them as they try to adhere to the tenets of their faith in the midst of harsh adversity, including time spent in Siberia. We learn of the Bolshevik theology and are shown the leaders of this movement in a more human light than we ordinarily view them. We are shown friendship and the power it has to preserve life.

Of necessity, Sears fictionalized many aspects of the Lindlof's story, while the basic structure is factual. It's impossible to know everything a person thought, said, or did when looking back at them through the lens of time. Sears did a remarkable job of keeping the tone of the country consistent through word choice and the structure of her dialogue.

I did wish that some sections had been fleshed out. This book could have been easily twice its length and I would have stayed with it until the last word on the page - the events depicted are fascinating and some were only given a mention where a full page or even a chapter would have done it more justice. That said, I give "The Silence of God" two big thumbs up and highly recommend it.

A free copy of the book was received for my review. This gift did not influence my thoughts in any way.

Who Is the Boss?

2010-06-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

WORK is necessary for a writer to become successful.

No DUH!

But have you ever heard this before:

writers hate to write,

but love to have written?

I’m not saying this applies to you or me, but there are some writers for whom this does apply. They are writers who struggle with being their own boss. They let every little distraction take them away from their work. You’ve heard the excuses: the house is dirty, weeds are in the garden, kids need my attention, husband keeps interrupting, I just don’t have time to write, and on and on it goes. Some of these are good excuses. I've used them myself, so I understand. Really I do!

But what some writers forget is...

they are the boss of their writing careers.

It is up to them to set the pace.

It is up to them to get the product finished.

And it is up to them to see their dreams come true…or not.

Are you going to dream about being a writer?

Or are you going to work at becoming an author?

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A WRITER?

2010-06-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

The only person who can answer that is YOU! But before you answer let’s go over a few things. You don’t want to make a snap decision.
To be a writer you must feel! Wait a minute…that was too easy. Everyone has feelings. But can everyone infuse their characters with emotion? Stories are made up of characters full of bubbling emotion that reaches out and draws readers into their world. You as the writer must feel to infuse your characters with emotion. To be successful you have to be excited about writing.

Sometimes it is dog-gone hard to be excited about writing because writing is not for sissies. Nope! There are going to be days of rejections, days when you feel as though your writer’s group stabbed your story to death, and days of bad reviews. But hang on because if you have a passion for writing that will see you through tough days. And look at it this way, you’re feeling and this is good for your writing. Bottle up all those emotions and apply them to your characters. Though, don’t forget to be honest.

What do I mean by that? Don’t fake emotions. Let your inner-self show in your writing. Your readers can spot a fake a mile away. Simply put, don’t write what you don’t believe. Be yourself.

In the same vein, you may idolize Mary Higgins Clark, but you can’t write like her. You might be able to pull it off for a little while, but the true writer will come through and the fraud will be discovered. Only Mary can write like Mary. Only you can write your story. But you’ve got to want it badly enough to hone your craft.

To hone your craft you’ve got to WRITE!!! EVERY DAY!!!

So in a nutshell if you can feel, be excited, be honest, and hone your craft you just might have what it take to be a writer.

I’m sure there’s something I’ve missed. What would you add to this list?

2010 LDStorymakers Conference Recap

2010-05-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know the conference was 3 weeks ago, and it could be argued that the "Recap Momentum" has dwindled by this time. I could pretend that I waited on purpose to fire up the enthusiasm once again, but this is, if nothing, an honest blog. The truth is that it's taken me 3 weeks to figure out how to make a powerpoint into a decent video on YouTube. So let's have the appropriate Oooos and Ahhhhs for my newly acquired technical brilliance.

It's okay, I'll wait...

Thank you. Back to the recap.

The 2010 LDStorymakers Writers Conference dawned bright and early (extremely early for those doing bootcamp). The halls were filled with yawning attendees and staff, but the anticipation was still palpable. After bootcamp the conference proper started with food, laughs, a music video, and sufficient inspiration to kick off the next two fun-filled days.

I was stopped several times during the conference with people requesting that we make the Becoming Legendary presentation available. I aim to please, so for the first time on the internet, here is the 2010 LDStorymakers Becoming Legendary Presentation.

**Please note: 1) Due to sleep deprivation, the quote at the end is by Jennifer Laugran, not Laughlin (I'll fix it when I can) and 2) It is set to the song "Fly Away" by Jennifer Thomas, who was generous enough to let us use it. Please visit her site for more great music: www.jenniferthomasmusic.com.**

Things ran smoothly, and there was more than enough information, friends, and writerly atmosphere for all. The keynote address by Dave Wolverton/Farland had us all ready to dive back into our writing, and we had a great time learning from and associating with our visiting agents & editors. Just so you know, both agents were impressed with the conference and the friendly atmosphere. They were also impressed with the fresh ideas they heard and expressed a desire to be invited again in the future. (Yea!)

If you'd like to relive some moments of the conference, visit the 2010 Conference Highlights page for photos, links to videos, a list of First Chapter Contest Winners, and to find out the 2009 Whitney Awards winners. There is also a page devoted to links of blogs about the conference from our attendees (you might even be on the list). We also have dozens upon dozens of photos from our photographer, but we would love to have any that you took and want to share. (Instructions are on the page.)

All in all we had a fantabulous conference, and want to thank all those who attended! Dates for the 2011 conference will be posted at the beginning of June, and look for more information as time goes on.

Your Story People

2010-05-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

For the month of May, I thought for the writing tips we'd discuss your story people--your characters.

Creating characters to people your story can be a bit intimidating. You don't want stick figures numbly walking through your plot just doing what you want them to do. Don't get me wrong you need control, but there's a trick to it. And it has to do with characterization and building believable characters readers will see as three-dimensional. They can't be all good, nor can they be all bad.

There are specific points to cover while creating a character, and we'll talk about one each week:

* breathing life into your characters
* giving your characters knowledge
* making your characters appealing
* controlling your characters.

Today we'll tackle breathing life into your characters.

In life no two people are alike, so it should be with your characters. All of the characters in your book should have a life of their own. They walk differently, talk differently, and think differently. It's the differences that set characters apart. You need to make certain that when a particular character is on stage that your reader will know who he/she is. To do this you must:

1. give your character a commanding presence
2. make sure his/her presence fits the role
3. determine whether your character complements other characters
4. give your character appropriate identifiers that fit him/her.

Giving your character a commanding presence means to give them a trait to be remembered. i.e. busybody, shy, outgoing, rude, fun-loving, etc.

Making sure your character's presence fits the role means to make sure you don't have a main character who is rude and suddenly he becomes very thoughtful with no motivation.

Determining whether your main character complements other characters means to make sure the commanding presence of your characters aren't the same. You shouldn't have four shy characters. Remember contrast makes characters memorable.

Giving your characters appropriate identifiers means to have their actions fit them. i.e. a shy character may hide her face behind a lock of hair, bite her lip, or chew her fingernails.

Can you think of other ways to breath life into your characters?

I'm sure I've only scratched the surface.

2009 WHITNEY AWARDS ANNOUNCED

2010-05-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Whitney Awards Committee announced the recipients of the 2009 Whitney Awards on Saturday, April 24, 2010 during its glittering gala at the Provo Marriott in Provo, Utah.

Robison Wells, president and founder of The Whitney Awards, began the evening speaking of the significance of LDS fiction and the efforts of the Whitney Awards Committee to help elevate and inspire quality writing. He reminded the audience of Elder Orson F. Whitney’s statement in 1888: “…a pure and powerful literature can only proceed from a pure and powerful people.”

David Wolverton received the "Outstanding Achievement Award" in honor of his lifelong efforts to support budding writers. In his typical smiling manner, he reminded the audience he still stood ready to teach any student who had questions about the writing process. As a testament to Wolverton's writing prowess, he also received the “Novel of the Year” award for his book In the Company of Angels, a self-published novel. He spoke of being woken one night by a dream of handcart survivors pleading that their story be told.

David Wolverton. Photo: Green Hills Photography.

Elder Gerald N. Lund, a former member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" in recognition of his books, including The Work and the Glory series. His 1983 book, The Alliance, is considered to have helped open the doorway to acceptance of LDS fiction.

Elder Gerald N. Lund. Photo: Green Hills Photography.

In an astonishing announcement, two authors tied for “Best Novel by a New Author:” Riley Noehren (Gravity vs. The Girl) and Dan Wells (I Am Not a Serial Killer). Noehren mentioned her amazement at receiving the award, as her book was not “LDS-themed.” She was “humbled.” Wells spoke of the surprise some have that an LDS author would write horror. But he continued, “My book is about a kid trying to do the right thing and trying to overcome the natural man.”

Upon receiving the honor of “Best Romance” for her book Counting the Cost, Liz Adair mentioned with great emotion her uncle who died before his baptism. She dedicated the award to him.

Stephanie Black’s Methods of Madness received the “Best Mystery/Suspense” award. She wrote it with “99% perspiration and 1% inspiration” and felt awe that a book so difficult to write could win this award.

The “Best Youth Fiction” award went to Carol Lynch Williams for The Chosen One. Her driving force in writing this book about polygamists was to show readers that “Mormons and polygamists aren’t the same.”

John Brown and his Servant of a Dark God received the “Best Speculative Fiction” award. He was unable to attend the awards ceremony.

The “Best Historical Novel” award went to G.G. Vandagriff. She mentioned her forty years’ effort in writing The Last Waltz. She asked her husband to stand in recognition of his support during the twenty-five year illness that coincided with writing the manuscript. She emphasized the Savior’s redemptive powers in her healing that allowed the book to be brought forth and published.

Jamie Ford received “Best General Fiction” for her book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Ford was unable to attend the gala.

The Whitney Awards Committee recognized the authors below as finalists in the following categories:

BEST ROMANCE
Counting the Cost, by Liz Adair
Illuminations of the Heart, by Joyce DiPastena
All the Stars in Heaven, by Michele Paige Holmes
Santa Maybe, by Aubrey Mace
Previously Engaged, by Elodia Strain

BEST MYSTERY/SUSPENSE
Lockdown, by Traci Hunter Abramson
Methods of Madness, by Stephanie Black
Murder by the Book, by Betsy Brannon Green
Lemon Tart, by Josi Kilpack
Altered State, by Gregg Luke

BEST YOUTH FICTION
Princess of the Midnight Ball, by Jessica Day George
Fablehaven IV: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, by Brandon Mull
My Fair Godmother, by Janette Rallison
Bright Blue Miracle, by Becca Wilhite
The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams

BEST SPECULATIVE
Servants of a Dark God, by John Brown
The Maze Runner, by James Dashner
Wings, by Aprilynn Pike
Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson
I Am Not a Serial Killer, by Dan Wells

BEST HISTORICAL
Tribunal, by Sandra Grey
The Undaunted, by Gerald Lund
Alma, by H.B. Moore
The Last Waltz, by G.G. Vandagriff
In the Company of Angels, by David Farland

BEST GENERAL FICTION
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford
No Going Back, by Jonathan Langford
Gravity vs. The Girl, by Riley Noehren
The Route, by Gale Sears
Eyes Like Mine, by Julie Wright

The presenters announcing the awards were (in order of appearance): Sarah Eden, Sheila Staley, Shanda Cottam, Hillary Parkin, Dan Wells, Marsha Ward, Tristi Pinkston, Marion Jensen, Jaime Theler, Julie Coulter Bellon, Crystal Liechty, Kirk Shaw, Lisa Mangum, Annette Lyon, David West, Rachelle Christensen, and Robison Wells.

Opening and closing prayers were given by Stephanie Black and John Ferguson.

Finalists for the Whitney Awards were announced February 5, 2010. Anyone may purchase a ticket to attend the annual Whitney Awards gala. To nominate a book published in 2010 for next year’s awards, and for more information, visit the Whitney Awards nomination page.

Carole Thayne Warburton's Notes from LDStorymaker Conference

2010-04-29T18:32:00.001-07:00

Marion Jensen alias Matthew Buckley needs to write for television--the guy is a comic genius--total deadpan with killer jokes. He did the welcome and introduction.
Next I attended Laura Rennart's--How to Ace the Audition. She said to have an elevator pitch memorized focusing on Who? What? Where? and Why should I care? What is the unusual detail that sets your story apart? Get at the HEART! The elevator pitch is something that you can tell someone about your book in under three minutes. She was great. FOLLOW SUBMISSION GUIDELINES and do your research. Don't send a thriller to someone who doesn't publish thrillers.

Next I attended Josi Kilpack's session on getting the most from booksignings and launching parties. I've been friends and an admirer of Josi for about six years. I've attended several of her awesome book launch parties and hope to do the same thing when my next book comes out. Which I hope will be before I die. Everyone keeps asking me and well that's all I can tell you for sure. Anyway Josi sends out about 350 postcards even to those who couldn't possibly come to the party, but it's a way of creating an event with your book and letting everyone know where they can get one. In other words don't forget to include online ordering information. Make sure that you know what else is going on in the community and to not schedule the party at the same time. Josi does her launch parties at a local independent bookstore in her community.

Then I attended Jeff Savage's session on villains. Jeff is one of the best presenters that I know. He is professional. He is courteous. He is generous with advice. And most important he is funny. The main thing I learned is that I need a more menacing and clear villain in my work in progress. But that the villain has to be believable and basically like the hero--they should have clear motives.

By this time on Friday 4:00--I was really tired. Still recovering from the lingering effects of pneumonia, I was drifting a bit during Stephanie Black's session on techniques for mystery/suspense writers, but she is really good also. Stephanie's book just took the Whitney for the best suspense of 2009. I haven't read it yet, but it looks really creepy doesn't it? I learned that she loves Jack Bickham, so I've resolved to read what he has to say. One of my favorite quotes from her session is "Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water." Kurt Vonnegut.

The keynote speaker for Friday night was David Wolverton/David Farland highly successful writer and teacher. They honored him with a lifetime achievement award Saturday night at the Whitneys. At our dinner table I sat by some friends, Anne Bradshaw, Jolynne Lyon and Amber Smith. We discussed how much better the food was at this conference than one we'd been to that was not a storymaker conference, but I won't mention any names.

Saturday: One of my wip (works in progess) is to write the story of a friend of mine who has had a very interesting life so I attended a session by Mary Greathouse on writing memoirs. She has a lot of great sites to go to and good information. It was geared more to those who want to write family histories, but I still found it helpful.

Sarah Eden: A storymaker whom I've never met--we're a very large group now--was hilarious. My goodness she has a lot of energy. She is not a fan of the old time greats, like Charles Dickens, at least in how they have pages and pages of description that isn't necessary to the story. She showed us how detail could be used to show character and so forth. How details should be appropriate for the character, to use and example she put up a scene where two guys are working out in the gym and discussing their outfits and the periwinkle walls. She had contests to have the group fix the passage. One changed the gender, one change their sexual orientation, and one changed the wording, but kept the scene. It was fun and telling.

Stacey Anderson: "The Santa Letters" has done a tremendously good job at self-promotion and taught us how to do the same. Lots of what she does, I realized I'm just not cut out for. I have a hard time putting myself out there. But there were things I could do and I tried to focus on those. One good idea was to send out News releases to the media-- not press releases. She worked for a newspaper and knows that most press releases get tossed. Look for ways your story can be made into news. She sent her book to some influential people--like Laura Bush and got a personal letter back from her. She could do that because her book related to drunk driving. Mine--well they are suspense. I'd have to come up with another angle. Many of my friends and I help each other with blog tours and social networking. Those are things I can do.

Ok, by this time I really wanted to go home. I still wanted to visit a bit more with my mother in Orem, but at 2:00 I had an important meeting with the senior editor Kirk Shaw at Covenant--my publisher. I'd never met him before so of course was just a bit nervous since I wanted to pitch my next book to him, well as luck would have it, he sat down in the open chair next to me at lunch. This made the meeting with him easy and worthwhile. He gave me lots of encouragement and some good ideas on how to get this next book published. It's a mystery set in Yellowstone National Park.

By now I was late to the final workshop I would be attending, Dave Wolverton's. He gave great advice on making our books more successful--one was to strike an emotional cord. People love books that will make them laugh and make them cry. Another was to broaden your audience. He told us how he made a character with a German name who had a Japanese heart. The book was very successful in Germany and in Japan. I was so tired though, I ended up leaving early, saying goodbye to a few friends out in the foyer and I was on my way back home--geared and ready to WRITE!

I love to write and am happy to feel like I'm getting back in the game.

WHAT IS YOUR BRAND?

2010-04-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

What does branding have to do with writing?

Y’all know what branding cattle means. A rancher marks his livestock with a brand so everyone knows that animal is his.

And so, how do writers brand what they write? Well, it doesn't involve branding irons. Every time a writer writes she/he is branding the book so readers will know who wrote it. Their writing stands for something. Think about it…what do you think when you hear the names J.K. Rowlings, Stephanie Meyer, or Mary Higgins Clark? You think of their stories and the impressions made. You know that if you go into a store and ask for a J.K. Rowlings book, you’re going to receive a magical story where one scrawny kid with limited powers will overcome evil. For Stephanie Meyers you’ll get good vampires helping a mortal girl develop courage. And Mary Higgins Clark will put ordinary people in life-threatening situations, but good will survive.

These authors have branded their names with their writing. But what if they choose to write in another genre? Does the brand still stick? Usually it does because branding has to do with more than wizards and vampires. It has to do with the author’s voice.

To show you what I mean, I’ll pick on myself. I’ve written several books that are inspirational fiction. The Forgotten Warrior was about a young woman with a black belt in karate who was going through a very bad time in her life. Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse she was thrown back in time to Helaman and the stripling warriors. As the story develops the protagonist learns that faith builds courage.

My next book was An Angel on Main Street. No time travel here. The story is about an eleven-year-old boy who gets in "noble" trouble with the law. As the sheriff escorts the boy home, they come upon part of a nativity in the center of town. No one knows whose is building the scene. He tells his sick, little sister about the nativity and that no one knows who is building it. She tells him angels are and when the baby Jesus comes he’ll make her better. The book follows the boy as he tries to find the nativity builder to bring the baby Jesus to his little sister. He learns that miracles do happen.

These are two very different stories, but they are both branding my name. How is that? Both stories are inspirational fiction and there’s my writing voice.

I have another YA time travel coming out in August, but I’ve also submitted a romantic suspense novel to my publisher. AND the thread that keeps them in common is, you’ve got it: writer’s voice, inspirational fiction, and my name. When someone sees my name they will know what will be in the book.

So how do you go about developing your brand? Focus on, what your writing says. What are the common themes in your work? What is it that will make readers ask for your books by using your name? Once you've answered those questions, go for it and write your best book.

The End=The Choice

2010-04-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we discussed the beginning of a book and how to start your story with change that comes into your character’s life. Last week was about the middle of your story and how your character needs to climb the story mountain. So this week we'll focus on the end of your story, the climatic scene and what needs to take place.

Your protagonist has been doing her/his best throughout your story sometimes chasing red-herrings, but always trying to stay on course, and fighting to find the solution to the problem that threatens her happiness. The climatic scene then has to present your protagonist with a choice.

Yes, there have been many choices made all through the story, but this choice is THE CHOICE. This choice tests your character’s soul. This choice is the biggest deal of the entire book, the choice that will make or break your story.

Your character has to make a decision that shows her true SELF not only to the other characters in the book, but to those faithful readers who have followed your protagonist through hundreds of pages, read every chance they had, and lost sleep worried for her. You owe them. So what about this choice? Let’s break it down.

The choice is:

Pivotal to the story
Demands action
Once made cannot be undone

All through your story your protagonist has been waging a war against danger and now the climax needs to deliver. The battle is nearly over and your hero must do the ultimate task to win. Will she be steadfast holding to truths she reveres as sacred or will she fold? It’s up to you.

Don’t be afraid to let your character suffer just before this final decision. Remember the saying--it’s always darkest before the dawn--it applies here. This is also a great place to balance emotion with action. Help your reader feel your character's pain. This moment should also be the big reveal, where all the secret facts are put before your character. So there’s going to be a lot of feeling.

A word of warning: the climatic scene and how your character acts must be believable and logical. Make sure you’ve laid the foundation so that the climax gives the reader fulfillment.

If you’re writing a series you don’t have to fulfill all the expectations of your reader. Think of the Harry Potter series. At the end of book one “he who must not be named” was still at large, but do give your reader a wind down.

The end should also have a quick wrap up. All issues have been resolved and everyone lives “happily-ever after.” This should be short, sweet and fulfilling.

Now, not all stories have a “happy-ever-after”. I remember reading a book where the ending was very sad. Some readers like that. Some authors like that, too. And there’s nothing wrong with it. You have to decide what kind of story you want to be known for and go for it. Just remember that with everything you write you’re branding your name. Branding your name…a good subject to talk about next week.

So I’ve told you what I thought about the climax, what do you think? What else is needed in the climatic scene of a book?

Climbing the Story Mountain

2010-04-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Last week for the writing tip we talked about the beginning of a book and that a story should start with change that will alter the hero’s life. He/she will never be the same. Now we’re going to talk about the middle of your book.

For me, as I’m thinking of a story, I’ve always felt that if I have the beginning and ending in mind I can start writing, and that the middle will take care of itself. But that is not to say that the middle is not important or needs crafting. The middle takes your hero/herione on a hike up a story mountian to the climax. Each scene MUST build tension, develop even more change, infuse complications, and keep the hero/herione focused upon reaching his/her goal, which is the top of the mountain and the climax of your book. So let’s break it down with a do and don’t list.

Do:

Build tension
Add complications
Demand action

Don’t:

Delay—belay
Add unbeatable odds
Rehash

Let’s talk about the do list. Your story is building, one scene at a time and a misstep could make your hero fall off his story mountain. Plus, with each step forward your hero comes upon complications. These complications have him make either a good or bad decision, but he’s always moving forward which builds tension. Complications demand action from the hero to overcome. What the hero decides to do with each complication adds another layer to the story and can provide important information that he will use to help win the climax or reach the mountain peak.

Now let’s focus on the don’t side of the middle. You’ll notice that with delay I added belay. If you delay your story with unnecessary information, such as having your hero stray from the path of reaching his goal to solve his problems, you belay progress and your story dies. Belay means to stop or quit, but it also means obtaining a hold during mountain climbing. The hero can't get stuck as he climbs his story mountain. Don’t belay the story with unnecessary holds (information). This happens in many ways for instance, you’ve come across some wonderful research that you want to include in your story, so you add it and then all of a sudden you don’t know what to do next. If you find yourself in this situation it’s because you’ve belayed your hero and taken him in a direction he doesn’t want to go. Some call this writer’s block, which is really a story roadblock because you’ve taken a detour off your story mountain. Always be on the alert for this malady.

Another problem is having unbeatable odds without an equalizer. Always make sure your hero has something that will give him strength as he faces his foe. Think of David and Goliath. Goliath was a mighty foe, but David had an equalizer…his sling.

The next don’t is rehash. I’ve been guilty of this and it’s easy to fall into this habit. Because I read one chapter at a time at my writer’s group I fell into the habit of rehashing the story within each chapter. I did this so my fellow writers would know what was going on. DON’T do this. Your reader is very savvy and has stayed up into the wee hours of the night reading your book. If you rehash the reader will grow weary, think your hero is stupid, and wonder if the writer has Alzheimer’s. Never underestimate your readers. They have memories, they have been keeping score, and they are anxious to see what happens next, not rehash the past.

There you have it. Always remember each scene needs to build toward the climax! Everything the hero thinks, says, and does moves the hero farther up his story mountain.

What are some tips you’ve found that helps in writing the middle of a story?

Secrets of a Good Chapter One

2010-03-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, you've decided you're finally going to sit down and write a book. You've always wanted to do it, but now you're actually going to type the words...Chapter One. You know what you want to say, but you're just not certain where to start.

How about...In the beginning...? Wait a minute that has already been done. So, what about...It was the best of times. It was the worst of times...? Used already. Then there's the good old standby...It was a dark and stormy night... Okay, so I was only teasing, but my point is your beginning needs to be orignal. Not something from a book you've read before, nor a quote from a movie. Of course, you already know this. But while we're on the subject avoid cliches as much as possible. That said, let's move on and discuss the secrets of a good chapter one.

The first secret is start your book at the point where change comes into your character's life. This change can be many things: a stranger, a murder, a missing person, an illness, a new love and etc. But whatever the change is, it should affect the protagonist's status quo. It can be good or bad, but whatever it is life will never be the same for your protagonist. The second secret, this change will affect your character's everyday life, so you have to also set up his/her world. Before your story started your protagonist had a life and you need to show us a glimpse of it. A tricky thing to do, but if done just right you'll evoke empathy in your readers and make them want to follow your character to see how he/she will handle this "change" through the book. And please don't forget to show how the protagonist feels.

A couple of weeks ago in my writer's group one of my friends said, "Kathi's a head person." I wasn't sure what she meant by that, so I asked her. She said, "You're always telling us to write our character's inner thoughts." I thought about that for a while, and she's right. I do like to know what's going on in the main character's mind because that shores up motivation for their actions, plus builds on emotions--emotions of not only the character's, but the readers as well.

After you show a glimpse of your character's everyday life and the change that has happened you need to apply the third secret, the continuing result of the change. This will carry through to the end of your book.

To show you how these secrets work I'll give you an example: your protagonist is a thirty-six-year-old waitress, who has always dreamed of owning her own bakery, but she's in a dead-end job with no prospects of saving enough money (this is her world, her everyday life). One day her friend tells her of a cake decorating contest and the winner will receive $20,000 (enter the change). But there's an entry fee, and she'll have to take time off work. If her boss were to learn of her plans, he'd make sure she worked a double shift on the day of the contest (danger and conflict). She starts saving (continuing result). Notice we added danger and conflict. Does that remind you of another writing tip from a few weeks ago: want, tension and outcome? It should. They are all working together in chapter one and helping you set up your story.

There now, you have some of the secrets of a good chapter one.

Do you know other secrets to a good chapter one? Please feel free to share them, and I'll add them to the list.

Finding Characters on the Bus

2010-03-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

by Rebecca Talley

My super cool husband recently took me to Hawaii for a second honeymoon and it was awesome. I loved every minute of it. Hawaii is gorgeous and the best part, besides the ocean, snorkeling, surfing, food, luau, and sea turtles, was that there was no snow. No snow in sight. just warm, perfect weather.

My husband decided he wanted to see (and bodysurf in) the big waves on the north shore of Oahu. Since we were ataying in Waikiki and didn't have a rental car (you can walk to anything in Waikiki), this decision entailed riding a bus to the other side of the island (for $2.25 you can ride a city bus all over the island).

Though it took a long time, almost 2 hours to get there, the ride was a goldmine--at least for me. I have never seen so many characters assembled in one place. I wished I'd had my notebook to write down all the details of the people I saw. (I live in rural CO and never, ever ride public transportation). Who knew such colorful people rode a city bus?

There was the 70-something woman in a short mini skirt and high heels, carrying a dog in a little cage thing. She had long red hair and lots of jewelry. I imagined she was trying to recapture her youth, trying to look young and beautiful because the man in her life left her because of her aging body.

Then a 20-something local guy decided to befriend us. His coarse language made my ears turn red, but he was full of great information. He told us all about where not to go in Hawaii. I imagined he was a surfer, looking to avoid the responsibilities of life, just wanting to find that perfect wave.

Another woman with dark hair tied up in a ponytail, told us she'd moved to the island a year ago. I noticed that she as well as the other local guy had a speech pattern that included "yeah" after most of their sentences. I imagined she came to Hawaii looking for peace and to get away from the pressures of her job as a prosecuting attorney in Los Angeles.

The most colorful of them all was a skinny Hawaiian guy with long, matted black hair that stuck up on top of his head. He had wild eyes and dark, dirty hands. He didn't say anything, but he pantomined fishing and then gathering the fish, I assume, into his net. He pawed at the air, close enough to me that it made me uncomfortable. I imagined that he'd taken one two many drugs and his brain was fried and he was reliving, in his damaged brain, a time when his grandfather took him fishing.

The next time you get stuck on creating a character, consider riding the public bus or train. You may see people who become characters in your next book. And, don't forget your notebook!

Elements of a Story

2010-03-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

What makes a good story?

Think about this for a while, don’t answer right off. While you’re pondering think about the stories you have loved. You know, the ones that instantly pop into your mind whenever anyone asks you “what’s your favorite book?” What is it about that story that you admire? Is it the protagonist, the circumstance, the purpose, the adversary, or the catastrophe that appealed to you? There’s a pretty good chance that it was all of those things because a good story juggles all five:

Protagonist
Circumstance
Purpose
Adversary
Catastrophe

It would be rather blah to just have a story about a character living in perfect circumstances and never wanting anything, never overcoming something and never living through a crisis of some type. What’s the point?

As writers our job is to tell the best story possible and to do that we use all five story elements. Yep, all of them.To get you going, see if you can write a paragraph that explains your story using all the story elements.

For example I’ll use my book, The Forgotten Warrior.

Sydney Morgan (protagonist), a sixteen-year-old girl with a black belt in karate,
learns (circumstance) her mother has cancer and is forced to tolerate her absentee father (adversary) who comes back into her life. She can’t forgive him for leaving, plus she’s worried (purpose) about her mother and little sister and has to take care of them. Just when she thought things could not get worse, Syd is given a clear stone that sends her back in time (catastrophe). Syd’s desperate to find her way back home.

Of course, there’s much more to the story such as she meets Tarik, a stripling warrior, and falls in love. She also meets Chief Captain Heleman, who asks her to train the stripling warriors to fight. But through everything that happens to Sydney, the five elements are the pulse that beats throughout her story: protagonist, circumstance, purpose, adversary and catastrophe.

You’re probably thinking that was easy for me because my story is already written. Okay, let’s plot a brand new story using the five elements.

Protagonist – Jesse, a sixteen-year-old girl,
Circumstance – has no idea who her parents are. She’s lived in one foster home after another.
Purpose - Jesse wants to belong to a family. The Davenports’ are her last chance. They do volunteer work at an assisted living center and take Jesse with them.
Adversary – As Jesse listens to an elderly woman trying to recall a memory, Jesse is suddenly thrown into the scene in the elderly woman’s mind.
Catastrophe – A shadowy figure threatens to kill Jesse if she intrudes on the woman’s memories again.

Okay, this is a story I’m toying with right now. I have a basic idea and know where I want to end up. Story elements help reinforce and flesh out the character’s inner and outer conflict, which will continue throughout the entire book until the very end.

Do you think using these story elements will help you as you write your book?

Let me know what you think, and give it a try.

Oh, It's Only An Ebook . . .

2010-03-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

I've always considered myself a reasonable, pretty low key person. I enjoy life, I enjoy my family, and . . . I enjoy writing. As an author, I've had some neat experiences. I have books published by traditional publishers, I've self-published, and I've released books in the now-popular ebook form. I have enjoyed each and every avenue and have learned much.
That being said, I had a comment addressed to me a week ago that really got my creative dander up.

I just released a romance novella ebook. It's one I've rewritten a couple of times over the past few years, and because of life and other projects, it took me a while to get it just the I wanted it.
Oh, I was proud of it when I finished and I was excited to finally release it to my millions of fans (in my mind, at least) hoping the story would touch some romantics out there.
I started advertising and marketing it, talking to many people about it. One day I had a lady say to me:
"Hey, I'm so excited to read your new book! Where can I get it?"
I replied, "You can order the ebook from my website, then either read it on your computer or print it up and stick it in a folder."
"You mean it's not published?" she asked.
"Yes, it's published," I replied. "I published it. I wrote it, I set it up, and you can buy it. I'd say that means it's published."
Her expression changed and she said, "Oh, but it's only an ebook."

Now, because I'm as meek as a lamb (people who know me think otherwise) I bit my tongue and let the comment slide. I smiled, or rather, I winced, and swallowed the bitter bile her words produced.
Only an ebook? Only an ebook, she says! This is my baby being cast aside! Saying it is only an ebook is like saying, "Oh, your child only came in second," or " Oh, your ring is only a cubic zirconia," or "Your child only got a B+ while mine got an A." It's like saying, "Your son is only a scout while my son is an eagle scout," or "Your pearls are only imitations," or "You only have hair extensions, mine is real."

Come on! Why is an author of an ebook not taken as seriously as an author of a printed, published book? I love ebooks. I buy them all the time. There are some great authors out there who make their work available through ebooks. And they are making money! So my new book is an ebook. So what? Does that rank me lower on the totem pole of the writing world?
Absolutely not!
Writing is an amazing job. and whether your book is traditionally published, self-published, or self-published as an ebook, seeing the finished product is very satisfying. You spend countless hours working on a writing project. You write, you learn, you write, and you learn some more. Being an author is an ever-learning profession. There isn't an author out there who can honestly say his or her writing is perfection and there is nothing more they need to learn. Every author should be taken seriously. Every author should take their writing seriously.
And every reader should take every form of book seriously (unless, of course, it's marketed with a crayon-drawn cover, hole punched, and twisty-tied together.)

If you are a writer, everything you write is of value. Never stop learning and growing, and never, ever, ever give up. You can go as far as you want to go. And even if you never reach best seller status, just know that you have something important to say, and by saying it and putting it out there for the world to read, you have indeed reached your own personal best.

From Disaster to Dilemma to Decision—How to Gain Control?

2010-03-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Recap of last week:

Three parts of conflict—want, tension and outcome.

Want: what does your character want.

Tension: how badly does he/she want it.
Outcome: should be a surprise (disaster) but could be pleasant depending upon where you are in your story.

So you’ve had the drama with a scene full of conflict ending with a disaster. What do you do between scenes of conflict? There needs to be something there, some kind of down time where your character can catch his/her breath and so can your reader. Always keep in mind that your reader has been through the grinder right along with your character, and they both need time to take stock of the situation. As your character thinks about what he/she should do next, so will your readers. They want to follow your character through the transition between conflicts. But there’s more going on here because transition is where you will control the path your character takes.

What will you do? Or, to put it another way, what will your character logically do? Always remember there is a process and it must be logical or you’ll lose your readers.

What follows disaster? Dilemma. Your character needs to regroup. To help with this, think about the five phases of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Will a character experience all five? It depends on your character and the disaster in his/her life. There very well could be denial and a good dose of anger. Bargaining may take the form of reasoning. I would caution against too much depression, but by all means if the situation calls for it show sadness. And then, at the end of all this . . . acceptance and a decision to act.

During this transition time always make sure the story is progressing down the path you need it to go. If you pave the path correctly the disaster, dilemma and decision will be logical and a path your reader is willing to follow right along with your character. How about an example of all this so you can see it in action?

We’ll use the example from a few weeks ago when we discussed “the push”. We had a man in his late thirties, who had just broken up with his girlfriend. His girlfriend leaving him is his disaster. Next he’ll go through some of the steps of grief, as he walks through his workdays in a haze. He experiences a good dose of dilemma for he is angry with his ex for leaving and sad that his dream of a family has vanished with her. On his lunch break he decides to go to the park. He sees kids on a swing, a boy with a dog and a woman with a stroller. Deciding to take a look at the baby, he stops the woman with the stroller.

NOW we’re leaving the transition and going into a scene. See if you recognize want, tension, and outcome (three parts of conflict). He gazes down on a beautiful sleeping infant. As he chats with the woman, he notices her beautiful dark, chocolate-colored eyes, her easygoing nature and her low, sexy voice. In their conversation, he learns she is the baby’s nanny. (Suddenly his “want” awakens.) The clock on the courthouse tower bongs. She immediately excuses herself saying she has an appointment and leaves. (Here comes tension and outcome in one big swoop.) (Another transition appears as he leaves the disaster.) He has no way of getting in touch with her (sadness), so he decides (decision to act) to go to the park every day at the same time in hopes of meeting her again.

Did you see the pattern of control, conflict, control? Can you have conflict, control, conflict? Sure. Once you understand this concept of conflict and control it will become second nature to you as you learn to think, live and breath through your characters as they travel through your story.

Next week let’s talk about the elements of a story.

May your writing muse be with you. ;0)

English Mishaps

2010-03-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

by Marsha Ward

Agent Nathan Bransford had a blog post earlier this month about malaprop/mispronunciation/homonym errors. The comments are hilarious. Well, maybe not intentionally, but prolly because they point out errors that our so bad!

Some of the favorite, or should I say least favorite, errors the commentors see other's make in using the English language are using loose when a person means lose, choose/chose, lie/lay, their/they're/there, peeked/peaked/piqued, your/you're, and breathe/breath.

Also mentioned were the misuse of apostrophes, which drives me wild. A local sign acrost from my public library made me crazy until it was repainted due to weathering: "Condo's for lease". Condo's WHAT? Condo's bedrooms? Kitchens? Living rooms? Its enough to make a writer cry.

Note: my misuses of English in the above section are intentional. I know the difference between probably/prolly, are/our, other's/others, acrost/across, and it's/its. Really, I do!

Since I saw Nathan's blog on usage errors in English, I've been noticing and writing down egregious examples of such erroneous usage in printed work:

Shutter used in place of shudder, dribble used in place of drivel, diary used instead of dairy, viscous instead of vicious, hurtling instead of hurling, pummeling instead of plummeting ("pummeling through the sky"!), and whicker (an animal sound) used where the word should have been wicker (a type of furniture).

Some of these examples should never have made it past a competent editor.

Another thing that bothers me is weird use of common idioms like saying "doggie doggie world" instead of "dog-eat-dog world," doing something "on accident" instead of "by accident," and using "one in the same" in place of "one and the same." It's like hearing fingernails screeching down a chalkboard.

Then there was the email I received a week ago from an actual e-book vendor who should have known better: "The Oscar's aired this week and we have alot of the Academy award winner's movie tie-in eBooks featured at . . ."

Gahhhhh!

Building Characters Carefully

2010-03-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

You might have many books about writing on your shelves at home. But here is one you may want to consider picking up the next time you go to your health food store . . .

[Wait. A health food store? Yep. You heard me correctly.]

I found this thick gem of a book while working on my doctorate in health. It's called, Homeopathic Psychology: Personality Profiles of the Major Constitutional Remedies. This thick textbook explores REAL major personality types.

Why would the emphasis on "real" be important for fiction authors? For this very reason: to make your book change from being a two-dimensional story with little black letters on an off white-colored page, to a three-dimensional world with characters in trouble, you must know how to construct characters that breathe, that are truthful to the human condition. To do that, you need to understand REAL human behavior.

It is one thing to study a book on writing and learn a few pieces about constructing a character. It's quite another thing to write in truthful manner about human trials and challenges, whether fictional or not. Which brings me back to this great psychology book I feel should be on the shelves of every fiction writer.

Dr. Philip M. Bailey spends 409 pages exploring the truth of human personality, giving 35 distinct characteristic types culled from years of research. When I first discovered this book, I was struck with the potency it contains for fiction writers to write truthfully about the human condition.

For example, one of those 35-personality styles that Dr. Bailey explores is medically called Natrum Muriaticum; it is a personality type that refuses to deal with emotional pain. Did you know that Natrum Muriaticums go far beyond the typical "can't cry," far beyond simple introverts, or those who avoid intimate relationships? Dr. Bailey elaborates that Natrum Muriaticum's pathology typically originates years prior to adulthood. Abandonment figures into their approach, but not just simple abandonment. No, Natrums experienced abandonment on top of deep sensitivities previously present as a child. Natrums generally had parents who provided physical means, but were not nurturers. Natrums typically have additional buried grief which leads to carved out feelings of intense loneliness. These feelings generally manifest later in adulthood as rebelliousness, recklessness, clinginess, or even a strong need to control.

Can you see how understanding the depth of human psychology, with all its various facets, can help you create a story world that is authentic and not predictable?

As we write the worlds that our characters inhabit, knowing "them" on a deeper level will help us to write true to human nature and the conditions that lead us to who and where we are. It is as we wield truthfulness that our readers subconsciously sense the poignancy of truth in our stories, no matter how far out the setting. It is then that our stories become classics, because they speak to the deepest of our human experiences.

Another personality type Dr. Baily refers to is Lycopodium. This is a personality style, according to Dr. Baily, which manifests bravado more so than any other personality. He describes, though, the source of this particular kind of bravado: anxiety. Hmmm, who would have "thunk" it?

The funnest treat this book offers for creative fiction writers is the description of physical appearance that typically attends each personality style. It's a bit astonishing at the research that has gone into this book. For example, Lycopodiums typically have "gaseous distension of the abdomen, as well as distended veins and haemorrhoids [sic]" (see page 113). Yikes. But how helpful to have these kinds of specifics as you are "peopling" your story world!

Years of study went into the writing of Homeopathic Psychology: Personality Profiles of the Major Constitutional Remedies. See if you can't find your own volume. It holds endless and fascinating possibilities for the next story you write.

Three Parts of Conflict

2010-03-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

Last week we discussed time and your protagonist. I promised that today we would talk about conflict. Does each and every scene need it?

Yes, every scene should have conflict.

I break conflict into three parts:

Want
Tension
Outcome

Want—what does your protagonist want? Could be any number of things: a kiss, a baby, a new job, safety, a million dollars and etc. The list could go on and on.

Tension—has to do with how intensely your protagonist wants.

Outcome—should be a surprise: shocking, tragic, or pleasant.

Want, tension, and outcome create conflict.

If your protagonist is running for his/her life, he/she wants to live. Tension builds as want intensifies and skyrockets when you throw in a nasty villain hot on the trail. Plainly you can see want and tension. Outcome depends upon you, the author, and where you’re at in the book. Also what genre you’re writing. What about a novel that doesn’t have a lot of action? Where’s the conflict?

Okay, let’s take a look at a scene that seems devoid of conflict:

a woman sitting in a doctor’s office.

Not much going on to the naked eye. Let’s stir in some want:

Joy, and her husband, Les, have wanted a child for years.

Blend in tension:

A year to the day, Joy had started fertility treatments, and finally six months ago she and Les found out they were expecting a baby. Everything was fine until Joy realized she hadn’t felt the baby kick for several days. She called the doctor in a panic, hoping she would say nothing was wrong, but instead, she told Joy to come right in. After the examination, the doctor told Joy to wait in her office while she ran some tests. Needing something to do with her hands, Joy looks at a magazine, but sees nothing because her mind is too busy with worry. She checks her watch, but the time hasn’t changed. She should have called Les and told him what’s going on, but she doesn’t know. What would she tell him? The grim-faced doctor enters the room, sitting down at her desk. She looks squarely in Joy’s eyes and says…

Now depending upon where your story is—the beginning, middle or end—you will have different outcomes. If this is the beginning or middle you’ll want a good hook, something shocking or tragic. Depending upon the genre you’re writing for, you could even have the ending shocking, but if it’s a feel-good story you’ll want something pleasant.

I’ll let you finish this tale. What kind of outcome is Joy going to have? It’s up to you.

We’ve talked a lot about conflict and I’ve barely touched the surface, but I think you have the general idea. Conflict is want, tension, and outcome.

Next Wednesday we’re going to talk about the partner of conflict and that is control.

Just what you always wanted, control of the situation. ;0)

Time and Your Protagonist

2010-03-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed how time is handled in novels? It’s very interesting how a minute can last for two or three pages and a span of years can be covered in a sentence. What gives? How does an author choose which moments to dwell on and which ones to skim over?

Time is something we all know. There are twenty-four hours in a day, seven days in a week, and four weeks in a month. Part of the time you’re asleep and part of the time you’re awake. Those waking hours are filled with pretty mundane stuff. We exercise, eat, shower, go to work, come home, watch TV, read a book, go to bed and then the next day we do it all over again. These are the “comb-your-hair” moments in our lives, moments that everyone has but they are boring and no one wants to read about them. So, how does a writer pick which scenes to draw out and which ones to skim over?

A writer picks the emotional moments to dwell on, times of the heart. This can be warm-fuzzy moments; or it can be heart-thumping, on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments. Albert Einstein once said, “When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute, and it’s longer than an hour.”

To apply this to your writing, take a look at the following moment--
A nurse places an infant wrapped in a soft, velour blanket into the waiting arms of a joyful new momma, who is ready to take her new little one home from the hospital. The proud papa stands beside mother and child, love beaming from his eyes as he takes in the scene he thought he’d never experience. He had no idea how powerful the love of being a parent could be until now.

That’s a soft, warm-fuzzy moment full of emotion. You weren’t sure who the main character was until feelings came into play, the feelings of the father. This scene could go much slower as the father sets his eyes on that perfect child, describing each detail and how the infant looks like his wife, or his mother. This is a time to slow the scene down and focus on what’s in Papa’s heart.

Let’s try the heart-thumping, on-the-edge-of-your-seat moment--

A nurse comes into the hospital room with no baby in her arms. George notices a concerned look on her face, but says nothing to his wife, Marsha. The nurse asks if Marsha noticed the baby having trouble breathing at her last feeding. Shock pales Marsha’s face as she tries to think. She shakes her head and looks to George; her eyes framed with fear. As George takes Marsha’s hand, the nurse explains to the couple that their baby girl is having respiratory problems and a specialist has been called to examine her. They should know more soon. With that, the nurse leaves. The room spins as George fights the nausea churning his stomach. Marsha bursts into tears. George cradles her in his arms as he fears their dream of a family is in danger.

Okay, so we’ve put George on the stove, haven’t we? His minutes will be hours as he waits to learn what is happening to his child. He’s not having the usual “comb-your-hair” day. He is full of fear worried about the fate of his child. It doesn’t matter that he got out of bed that morning and had a bowl of oatmeal before going to the hospital. No, the moment to write about is this moment that is full of emotion.

In the first scene the emotion was different. Emotional moments--whether they are soft, warm and fuzzy or heart-thumping, on-the-edge-of-your-seat--are the times to write about through your protagonist’s feelings.

Now, should every scene be filled with tension and conflict? We’ll discuss this next Wednesday.

May your writing muse be with you…

And the winners are...

2010-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Show Your Love for the Storymakers Contest ended Sunday night, and so that means it's time to announce the winners!

But before we get to that, a few stats. We had great participation in the contest, with 398 entries. And that meant that I had to change my method of picking the winner. No way was I going to cut out 398 little pieces of paper and write names on them. *feeling faint at the thought* So what I did was give every entry its own number on a list. Then I used random.org to pick two random numbers between 1 and 398.

Not only to prove that I was as fair as fair can be in choosing the winners, but also to show off this cool little trick I just learned involving screen shots, here are the two winning entry numbers from random.org.

(Perhaps I'm not very good at screen shots yet.)

The two winners are the names that coincide with entry #250 and entry #353. And those are...

Congratulations to Daron Fraley and Wendy Swore!!!

Writing Group Essentials by Carole Thayne Warburton

2010-03-01T20:09:00.000-08:00

About a decade ago, I didn't know I was capable of writing a whole novel.The idea of keeping a story going for 300 pages seemed impossible. I knew I could write. I'd always had teachers commend my writing. I loved writing stories even when I was eight years old. I owe some credit to a third grade teacher who had us write creative stories and then mimeographed the pages and gave them to us. Ever since that first publishing experience I was hooked! It was my goal to get published again. After going back to school and getting a degree in English, I hoped to continue on with my development and so we formed a writing group. For our first meeting,I wrote a short, short story without an ending. I essentially had three interesting characters, a great setting, and a good premise and from there my first novel, "A Question of Trust" was born. Since then I've published a 2nd book and written three more that I hope will someday find a home. I owe most of my writing success to my writing groups.
Here's a few guidelines: 1. Take your writing group day seriously. This means to plan on having something to share each time. Your group can only handle so many times, of "I didn't write anything this time."
2. Whether you meet once a month, twice, or every week, try very hard to make it to most of your meetings. Put it on the calendar and plan around it.
3. Keep the group small enough that you can each share your writing and discuss it. I belong to two Critique groups, both with 3 to 5 members. You each need at least 30 minutes to share and discuss.
4. Plan on catching up with the latest news, but don't let this dominate your discussion. If you need to use a timer.
5. Don't let one person dominate. If it's you--cool it next time.
6. When critiquing always give more positive comments then negative ones. Most of us learn more from what we are doing right, than what we are doing wrong. Don't just make up a suggestion if you don't really think it. Bad advice is not better than no advice.
7. Be generous. If you know of good resources, contests, workshops, publication options, then share with the group.
8. Share in each others joys and sorrows. In one of my groups when I'd been rejected yet another time, the group had a little sympathy tea for me. It made me feel better to know they cared. When I got my first book published, I took my first group out to breakfast to celebrate. When someone get's published--be genuinely happy for them. Your time will come!
9. You can get over-grouped. In other words, if you go to so many writing groups that you are having trouble finding the time to write, then it may be time to cut back.
10. If you haven't found a group to join, then start your own.

The Sauntering Society

2010-02-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

By Trina Boice
http://www.boicebox.com/

I remember the first time I learned of Henry David Thoreau and read his famous "Walden." I had just graduated from college and was recovering from a car accident, stuck in bed with hours upon hours to read. I was intrigued with his quest to discover the greater meaning of life and I admired his commitment to simplify his life by living off the land in quiet contemplation. He built a tiny 1 room "house" where he LIVED for 1 year, 1 month, 1 week, and 1 day. If I weren't so addicted to ice cream and movies I would do the same.

I tried to imagine myself next to him on his adventure and wondered if I'd even be able to withstand the solitude. I wondered if I would be creative enough to keep myself entertained and inspired or if my brain would start to hurt after the first day of attempting prolonged deep thought.

Some consider Thoreau to have been a hermit, although he sauntered into town and visited with friends every few days. Now that my days are filled with never-ending tasks and sounds, I envy Thoreau's stillness. Oh, to have time to sit and think in perfect silence! Unexpectedly this past autumn, I found myself in beautiful Concord, sauntering around Waldon! A business trip took me to Boson, only a stone's throw from Thoreau's beloved pond. It was almost dusk, but my husband and I were determined to saunter.

Markers indicate the location where Thoreau's "home" stood, overlooking the pond he made immortal with his words. For a brief moment in time, life was simple. We walked and walked, taking in every breath of crisp, Fall air.

Ducks swam by. The wind kissed our chilled cheeks. The fallen leaves crunched under our feet. It was perfect.

According to my family's pedigree chart, Ralph Waldo Emmerson and I are related. Until I visited Concord, I never realized that the Waldon property was actually owned by Ralph Waldo Emmerson's father. I suddenly felt an even greater connection to this place. Ralph and Henry were not only contemporaries, but good friends who shared a love for this very spot on earth. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of Thoreau's home when Emmerson came to visit him! Both inspiring writers found comfort and wisdom in nature and stillness...a reminder to me to turn off the TV and free my mind on a long walk outside.

Thoreau says it best..."So we saunter toward the Holy Land; till one day the sun shall shine more brightly than ever he has done, shall perchance shine into our minds and hearts, and light up our whole lives with a great awakening light, so warm and serene and golden as on a bank-side in autumn."

The Character of Your Protagonist

2010-02-24T15:35:00.000-08:00

We discussed the “push” last Wednesday and that what is relevant to your protagonist pushes your story down the path you want to go. Now let’s talk about your protagonist.

This goes beyond what your protagonist looks like, his favorite food, or where he lives. This is about the character of your protagonist. Just who is your protagonist? Do you know him/her inside and out? If not, it is imperative that you do.

Have you ever read a book and the protagonist does something that doesn’t make sense? Sometimes in a weak attempt to write fully fleshed-out characters, some writers will have the protagonist do something totally uncharacteristic, thinking this makes him/her three dimensional. Some writers defend what they’ve done by saying they didn’t want their protagonist to be stereotypical. These are flawed arguments. What is the problem? There’s been a disjoint in logic. A path has not be built to show:

how the protagonist’s mind works
how the protagonist feels
why the protagonist acts
and what the protagonist says.

If you know all of these traits about your protagonist and can smoothly write them in your novel, you will have a fully-fleshed out character and you'll know exactly how your protagonist will react in any given circumstance. AND you will have built the path making your protagonist think, feel, act and say things that are relevant to him/her.The relevant push is key to achieving this.

For instance, if your character is tenderhearted, you will know that when she sees an injured dog at the side of the road, she’s going to stop. The injured dog is relevant to her and is the push that calls her to action. So, what if your character is self-absorbed? That character wouldn’t stop for the dog. The animal isn’t relevant. Easy, right? Well, not so fast. What if your tenderhearted character didn't stop? That would become confusing for your readers. If your tenderhearted character sees the dog, but does nothing. Logic is broken. Doubt will creep into your reader’s mind.

However, if you build a path as to why your tenderhearted character sees the hurt dog but doesn't stop, such as she’s driving her injured child to the hospital and it breaks her heart not to help the animal in need, but her child comes first, well then you’re on track again. Build a path keeping in mind how your protagonist thinks, feels, acts, and what he/she will say and your writing will shine.Show the workings of your character’s mind by the actions he/she takes, by the inner thoughts rolling around in his/her mind and by the words he/she says.

So here's a question to mull over...can a tenderhearted character also be self-absorbed? And if so, how do you write this character?

Writing tip: If your protagonist’s actions are confusing clarify! If clarification is impossible, leave out the action.

Writing challenge: Always try to show your protagonist’s true self by an action he/she has to take in chapter one. The key word here is “show.” Don’t tell us the main character is loved by every one show us.

Book Review: Women of Virtue by Jodi Marie Robinson

2010-02-24T15:13:00.000-08:00

Recently, the Young Women of the Church added a new value to the seven they’ve had since my days in the program—virtue. I had the privilege of attending the general conference session devoted to the young women this last April, along with my daughter. We were both very inspired by the presentation. I was touched at the way our leaders are so inspired and know what we need, when we need it. What trait could we possibly need more at this time than virtue?

As we drove home, I talked to my daughter about virtue. I wanted her to understand every aspect of it. We talked about sexual purity. We talked about keeping our thoughts clean and attuned to the Spirit. We talked about the way our clothing, our hair styles, and the music we listen to detract or add to the Spirit in our lives. My daughter shared her feeling that she wants to live a life of virtue so she can have the Spirit in her life always, and I recommitted myself to the same goal.

Only a short time later, I received a copy of “Women of Virtue” in the mail. This was a welcome addition to my “to-read” list, as it covers the topic that had been on my mind so much over the previous week.

The author, Jodi Marie Robinson, starts out with the premise that “true beauty is felt more than it is seen.” I hadn’t really thought about it—beauty and virtue going together? But that is exactly the message of the book. It is our virtue that makes us beautiful, and it’s the only kind of beauty that counts.

As we go through the book, we read countless quotes from our modern day prophets who affirm the role of women in today’s world and their earnest desire that we not succumb to society’s idea of what makes a beautiful woman. They plead with us to remain strong, yet spiritually sensitive. They urge us to influence others with our righteous examples. They remind us that the fates of our families lie in our hands, and that we can be the determining factor as to whether our children go into the world prepared or not. Virtuous women are truly beautiful, and this book is a powerful reminder of that.

If you are looking for a Mother’s Day, birthday, or just-because gift for that woman in your life who may or may not know how beautiful she really is, grab a copy of “Women of Virtue.” You’ll make her day.

(This book was published in 2009 by Cedar Fort.)

Flow

2010-02-04T20:20:00.001-08:00

There is an instinct that writers develop after gaining some writing experience for how the rhythm of their sentences flow. Have you ever read a manuscript that seemed choppy...or worse, so long winded that the whole thing felt like one never-ending pile of mush? I have. And they were my own manuscripts.

At first I had no idea how to fix the problem, but after I got a little practice under my belt I realized that the length of my sentences had to be varied. They couldn't all be short or long, and they couldn't all have the same rhythm when they were read aloud. Like music, the language had to be interesting, broken apart by differing speeds,rhythms, and pauses.

Try reading your manuscript out loud to yourself. Does it sound short and choppy? Are all the sentences the same length? Try to vary the length of the sentences in each paragraph until they sound like they flow well when read aloud. Sometimes of course you may purposefully shorten or lengthen a few sentences in a row in order to create tension or another type of mood.

In any case, paying attention to the flow of your language will make your writing much more professional and enjoyable to read. After awhile, you will start to vary your sentence lengths automatically without even having to think about it.

Kersten Campbell
"Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother"
www.kerstencampbell.com

Show Your Love for the Storymakers Contest

2010-02-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

February is the month of LOVE, which makes it the perfect time for us to share our love with our wonderful conference attendees, and the perfect time for you to show your love for the 2010 LDStorymakers Writers Conference, April 23rd & 24th at the Provo Marriott. So, we'd like to announce the first ever Show Your Love for the Storymakers Contest!

*applause*

Everyone loves winning things, right? And you, lucky blog reader, can win something very cool with this contest.

Sorry, not an iPad.

It's something better (or something that we actually *can* give away, at least). Two--yes, two--lucky winners of the Show Your Love for the Storymakers Contest will receive a reserved seat at the 7th Annual LDStorymakers Writers Conference for Friday night dinner and entertainment at a special table with:

Shaun Barrowes

Musician for Friday night entertainment, and top 48 contestant on American Idol season 7.

www.shaunbarrowes.blogspot.com

http://www.myspace.com/shaunbarrowes

James Dashner
Author of The Maze Runner and The 13th Reality Series.

www.jamesdashner.blogspot.com

Jessica Day George
Author of Dragon Slippers; Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow; Dragon Flight; Princess of the Midnight Ball; and Dragon Spear.
www.jessicadaygeorge.com

Krista Marino

Editor for Young Adult and Middle Grade books for Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. Recent books she's edited include The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series by Michael Scott, Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, and The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

David Wolverton/Farland
Author of several books, including the Runelords series, and writing instructor of authors like Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Brandon Mull.
www.davidfarland.net

To enter, all you have to do is help us spread the word. There are several ways to get your name in the Awesome Bowl of Opportunity (or the bowl I will draw the winner's name from). All you have to do is:

Blog about the LDStorymakers Writers Conference & link to the conference info. site at http://www.ldstorymakers.com/conference_2010.php. (worth 5 entries)

Blog about the Show Your Love for the Storymakers Contest and link back to this post. (worth 5 entries)

Become a fan of the 2010 LDStorymakers Conference on Facebook and invite 4 friends to become fans. (1 entry)

Mention the conference and/or the contest on Twitter. Either post the link to your tweet in the comments or use the hashtag #storymaker10. (1 entry per mention/day, up to 5 per week)

Post a Conference Attendee badge on your blog or website. (1 entry) Here is what the badge looks like:

And here is the code to use (just copy and paste):

Tell us in the comments which things you've done, so that we can give you the right number of entries. Don't forget to include links (for blogs, tweets, and where you post the conference badge) and make sure that we know your real name. The winners will be announced on this blog Tuesday, March 2nd and will also be notified by email.

RULES: The contest closes 11:59 p.m. MST on Feb. 28th. You must be a registered attendee of the 2010 LDStorymakers Writers Conference to win. Attendees and presenters are eligible. You can find out details about the conference here, including a tentative class/workshop schedule. You can register here.

Finding the Time

2010-01-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

Many people ask authors how they find the time to write. The truth is, most authors don't have time to write. They have to make time. There is always something that is sacrificed. For me this has been sleep. I used to get up at 4am and write for an hour or two before the kids got up. After a couple of weeks though, I cracked and started yelling at everybody in sight and so my husband said I couldn't do that any more. Then I discovered a secret. If you put first things first, such as family and the gospel, the Lord actually gives you extra time to write.

This has happened to me so many times. I will do everything I am supposed to for my family and my calling, and though it should be impossible, the Lord gives me some extra time in my day to write. And not only that...I write better than I do when I'm trying to force writing time into my day at the expense of what's important. I love this! It just goes to show how miracles and faith really work. And my quality of life is so much better when I enjoy what's most important in life. To me it is a personal miracle that shows how much the Lord loves us all.

Kersten Campbell
"Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother"
www.kerstencampbell.com

Setting My Writing Goals for 2010

2010-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to spend five years as Director of Education at a Sylvan Learning Center. During that time, I not only took care of all the administrative work, but I also often got the chance to teach at the table. Because I never had more than three students, those hours were most enjoyable.

One of the courses we offered was a Study Skills Program, and one of the components of that course was goal setting. I learned a lot from teaching about goals, and it was interesting to see the successes of the students who were willing to implement this component into their scholastic lives.

That was a lot of years ago, but four things about setting goals have stuck with me:

1. Goals need to be achievable.

2. Goals need to be measureable.

3. Long range goals need to be able to be broken down into short-term and intermediate-term goals, which in turn must be achievable and measureable.

4. Goals need to be written down and posted where they will be visible to the goal-setter constantly.

In our family we often tell the goal-setting story about my mother. On January 1, 1977, while on a self-improvement kick, Mom declared that she would read six uplifting religious books during the year. An avid reader, she read at least a book a week, but it was mostly fiction.

When the year was over, Mom had read nary a religious book. On January 1, 1978, she announced that this year, she was going to adjust her goal: she would read twelve uplifting, self-improvement books.

So much for being achievable.

With the four goal setting rules in mind, I’m writing down and posting my writing goals for 2010.

1. Blog at least once a week on Liz Sez and at least once a month on Make Me a Story, LDStorymaker’s writing-oriented blog.

2. Complete a new novel this year. This goal is broken down into these shorter-term goals.

A. Have the book completely blocked by January 31.

B. Have a detailed outline by February 28.

C. Have chapter thumbnails finished by March 31.

D. Write one complete chapter per week during April, May, June, July and August

E. After the manuscript sits for two months, re-write and edit during November.

Okay, folks. I think these goals are realistic and achievable, though it will take organization on my part.

The goals are printed in 48-point font and taped to the closet door in my office. If it works, by year's end I'll have a publisher-ready romance/intrigue.

I'm looking forward to it!

"All the Stars in Heaven" by Michele Paige Holmes, Reviewed by Tristi Pinkston

2010-01-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

Michele Paige Holmes burst on to the LDS fiction scene like a meteor shower with the release of her first novel, “Counting Stars,” which won a Whitney Award at the 2008 gala. Now she dazzles us with another book that is equally as good. “All the Stars in Heaven” takes Jay, a character from the first novel, and shows us what happens to him afterward.

Jay’s had a rough life. The woman he loved chose to marry someone else, he’s grown up thinking that his mother’s death was his fault, and he spent quite a long time addicted to drugs. Now he’s clean and attending law school, determined to put his life together and become the man he wants to be.

Sarah was raised by a domineering father who controlled her every move. Now that she’s in college, he sends a bodyguard with her to classes and doesn’t allow her any freedom at all. Her only escape is through music. While playing the piano on campus one day, she meets Jay, who is drawn to her composition. She finds Jay intriguing and wants to learn more about him, but her bodyguard puts the kibosh on the relationship before it even has a chance to start.

Just what will Sarah’s father do to keep her safe, and why does he feel this paranoid need to protect her? Why is Jay so determined to rescue her from her past? These questions, and the answers to them, create a story that is riveting, unique, and powerful. I sense another Whitney …

(This book was published in 2009 by Covenant Communications.)

Promoting "Clean" Books & a Contest

2010-01-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

Note: For the sake of this post, "clean" = Cow, and "unclean" = Pig.

In the past few weeks, I've seen several promotions/discussions on the web related to Cow reads. I am so grateful for that--pardon the word--"exposure," because as someone who loves to read a book that doesn't make me blush or at worst, shut it because it's way too Pig, even though I like the story, I sometimes feel alone in the world. Where, oh where are all the readers and writers of Cow books? Can't we join forces? Make a mark in the world that says Cows are best?

I know we can. In fact, writing Cow books is one of the things groups like LDS Storymakers do very well. I am truly grateful to be part of them. But guess what? We're not alone. I've recently joined a "Clean Romance" group on Goodreads, and we're holding a celebration contest right now to commemorate reaching our 200 member goal. Hear that? 200 members! Cow readers ARE NOT alone. And for that matter, I think there just might be more Cows and less Pigs in the world than we think. All we have to do is find them, support them, and help them know they're not the only Cows, either. Here are the contest details as I posted them on The Write Blocks:

We have just reached 200 members on our Clean Romance Group on Goodreads.com! To celebrate, we are having a drawing. More than 18 books have been put up as prizes--MISSING included--and all you have to do to enter is to become a member of the group. (A Goodreads membership is required, however, but it's free!) To be part of the giveaway, enter/join the Clean Romance Group (under the group--Books/Literature, then Romance) by January 10, 2010. The festivities will begin on January 11. See ya there!

Yes, one of the reasons I put up this post was I wanted to let you know about the Clean Reads contest, but what I mostly want to do is reiterate this truth: Cows, and those who seek Cows, are out there. As a writer trying to market my work, I've often felt crippled by the fact that I write Cow books. All the world loves Pigs, I thought, and Pigs won't accept Cows. I'm doomed to failure. But I was wrong. I know that now. And I celebrate.

Book Review - The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters by Frank L. Cole

2010-01-02T10:43:00.001-08:00

"The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters" is the first offering from middle-grade novelist Frank L. Cole.

Hashbrown Winters is a boy with a problem. He didn't mean for it to happen, but he accidentally sort of squished the pet roach belonging to the school bully with his prize marble, and now that bully wants revenge. The only way for Hashbrown to gain safety is to seek out the school's mafia boss and beg for protection. He ultimately succeeds, but the way is left clear for a sequel, which will be released next week.

The story is geared to the younger reader, but is filled with hyperbole I think is best understood and appreciated by adults, so parents and children might enjoy reading the book together. The plots and schemes are rather clever and the book is definitely unique in its presentation.

I did have one slight issue - but I offer it with the understanding that I am not this book's target audience. Rather than being a middle-school-aged boy, I am a thirty-three-year-old woman, and so my perspective will be a bit different. But I wasn't really in to all the potty humor contained in the book. It was just over the top for me. But that being said, I know that some readers will find it hilarious. Personally, I best enjoyed the segments of wry humor that were not potty-related.

(This book was released in 2009 by Bonneville Books.)

Note: I received this book as a gift from the author in exchange for a review.

"Altared Plans" by Rebecca Cornish Talley, Reviewed by Tristi Pinkston

2010-01-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

"Altared Plans"is the second book by LDS author Rebecca Cornish Talley and is the story of Caitlyn Moore, a young woman who is getting married in the temple. She's been in love with Justin since high school and knows she'll be the happiest woman alive, married to him. But when she gets to the temple and realizes she forgot her veil, it seems like a bad omen of things to come. Sure enough, Justin's parents arrive and break the news - he's not coming. He decided to return to the place where he served his mission and seek out a girl he met while he was there.

Caitlyn is devastated and decides she'll never fall in love again. It just hurts too much. But when she arrives back at BYU and is asked to serve as the "mom" for her single young adult family home evening group, it seems that fate has other ideas when she meets Travis, the group's "dad." Before long, she finds herself softening toward him ... and then he breaks her heart, too.

This book takes an interesting journey as we see Caitlyn at the start, a little self-absorbed and naive, learn and grow as she experiences trials and makes new friends. We see her learn to expand her horizons and the way she views the world until at the end, when we know she is ready to give her heart away. Talley's magic is in her dialogue - some of the narrative was a little stiff, but the dialogue was clever and I enjoyed the banter between the characters. This young adult novel will help strengthen your testimony of the importance of waiting for the right guy, and then making sure to marry him in the right place once you've found him.

(This book was published in 2009 by Bonneville Books.)

The Best Writing Gift

2009-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

One thing I have always loved to write is church talks. I don't even give them in church. I just write them. Richard G. Scott once called this type of thing..storing up treasures of knowledge. Writing down the sacred things I've learned helps me to organize the thoughts and principles of the gospel in a way that is more concrete than just thinking about them in my head. I like to keep them in a special journal, saving them for a future date to give to my children. They're my own little "Plates of Brass". I write those sacred things in the hopes that someday they will be of value to my children. I believe it helps me in my secular writing endeavors as well. Being able to record things in a meaningful way helps me to put more heart into my other writing, and it helps me learn to touch and inspire others with my writing at a deeper level.

Someday I will pass these treasures of knowledge on to my children. And I believe it will be the most important writing I've ever done.

Kersten Campbell
"Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother"
www.kerstencampbell.com

"Eyes Like Mine" by Julie Wright, Reviewed by Tristi Pinkston

2009-12-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

"Eyes Like Mine" is the new offering from best-selling author Julie Wright.

From the backliner:

William has been missing for two days. And even though the rest of the wagon company has decided they must continue on to Zion, Constance Brown refuses to go any further until she finds her husband. All she can think about is the last time she saw him—he lovingly touched her face and then sang their baby girl to sleep. Will that memory be all Constance has to hold on to?

In a future time and place, Liz King is a teenager struggling with her identity in the modern world. The embarrassment she feels because of her parents’ divorce and her family’s newfound financial problems turns to bitterness.

Through an inexplicable twist of fate, Constance and Liz are brought face to face. Liz recognizes Constance’s name from her mother’s endless lectures on their family history, and she also recognizes her eyes—they are exactly like her own. Were these distant relatives brought together in order to help each other?

Will Constance be able to return to her own life and find William, and will Liz be able to keep from telling Constance how her story ends? In this irresistible novel filled with gripping adventure and heartfelt emotion, two young women from drastically different times and settings learn that the challenges life holds for them are not so different after all.

Time travel with pioneers makes me nervous. The possibilities for triteness are so great, the chances for missteps are so many ... in fact, I've only ever seen it done well, twice. The first was in Willard Boyd Gardner's "Race Against Time." And the other?

In "Eyes Like Mine."

I love Julie Wright, not only as a phenomenal writer but as a good friend. She has a way of bringing light into a room whenever she steps into it, and that's what her writing does, too. You open a book by Julie and that light surrounds you until you're done reading. I found her story intriguing and compelling. The solution didn't come about quite as the characters hoped - they had to work a little harder for it, and I liked that. I appreciated the way she wove history and genealogy and modern-day trials into one cohesive tale. And you betcha, I can't wait for her next book.

(This book was published by Covenant Communications in 2009.)

"How Do You Know You're a Writer?" by Michele Ashman Bell

2009-12-14T10:51:00.000-08:00

Writers are strange and bizarre people. I've been doing some research to figure out the qualities writer's possess and decided to share my checklist with you. Feel free to add or even debate any of the qualities listed. That's what writers do . . . question and re-write.

1. Imagination. Truth is stranger than fiction, but an author knows how to take a nugget of truth or inspiration, and spend months turning it into a story. Ideas are the seeds, but imagination is what makes them grow.

2. Observation. People ask me where I get my ideas from. I tell them . . . everywhere! A writer is continually watching people and gleaning ideas from things they see, hear and read. I also tell people to be careful what they tell me, it might end up in one of my books!

3. Discipline. Don't think that writers are always so full of inspiration that they can hardly wait to write. Sometimes it's pure heck and frustration to sit and write. The key though is to do it regularly, whether you feel inspired or not. Sticking to a writing schedule is crucial for a writer.

4. Perseverance. He who gives up, loses. It's not about talent, it's not about luck, it's about hard work and never giving up. Plain and simple.

5. A love of words. Finding the right way to say what's in your heart is truly magic. Nothing brings more joy to a writer than to read something you've written and think, "I don't even remember writing that," or be surprised that it's actually pretty good! (Wish that happened more often.) Writing till you say it just the right way, to express the action or emotion is pure bliss!

6. Passion. It's important that you feel passionate about your project, whatever it may be. Your goal is to share what's in your heart because when you do, the reader feels it in his heart. This is probably the most magical part of writing.

7. Humility. Writers are always trying to learn and grow and improve their craft. We also spend a great deal of time doing rewrites and revisions. Believe me, this will keep you humble.

8. Having a finger on the pulse of what's going on in the world. The luxury of writing for the sake of writing doesn't really exist, for the most part. Writers have to be aware of market trends, hot sellers, shifts in readers interest, etc . . . Write what's in your heart, but make sure there's a market for it.

9. Thick skin. You will never, ever please everyone. Some people will love your work. Some will hate it. Don't take it personal.

10. You can't not write. Whether I ever got published or not, I would always write. It's how my brain works. It's what I do.

Feel free to share your thoughts and feelings. I can take it.

Having Hope by Terri Ferran - reviewed by Tristi Pinkston

2009-12-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

"Having Hope" is LDS author Terri Ferran's latest novel and is the sequel to "Finding Faith," which I reviewed here.

Kit Matthews has been waiting for her missionary for the last two years. During that time, she has grown in her own knowledge of the gospel and feels more comfortable with the whole Mormon culture that had her so baffled when she first moved to Utah. When Adam comes home, she hopes a proposal will come her way, but she's completely surprised to find her heart turning another direction - she is presented with the opportunity to go to Romania for a few months to help in the orphanages there. Herself an orphan who was adopted into a loving family, she feels the need to help these Romanian children in any way she can.

Of course, Adam will miss her while she's gone, but he understands this is something she needs to do. However, the distance between them physically soon puts distance between them emotionally as Kit receives e-mails from Adam's sister that a new girl has moved in on Adam's free time and seems to be pegging herself a spot in his family that used to be Kit's. As Kit falls more in love with the orphans she serves, she realizes there might be a place for her in Romania, and if a handsome medical student just happens to go along with the package, would that be so bad?

I appreciated this look into the Romanian orphanages and the trials these institutions face, with little operating money and so many children to care for. I was also pleased to see another installment in Kit's story. She's a character you think about long after the book has come to an end.

(This book was published in 2009 by Bonneville Books.)

"Instead of Waiting for 'the Dream,' Here's How to Make that Dream Happen" by Michele Ashman Bell

2009-12-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

It hasn't happened yet. Every night I go to bed and think, "Will I have the dream tonight? The one where I wake up and have a brilliant idea that becomes a best-selling novel series that turns into box office hits starring hunky male leads and smolderingly beautiful female leads?"

Yeah, right.

I may be a fiction author but I do live in the real world. These "success" stories are far and few between. Yes, they do happen, no question about it. But until you have that career-boosting dream, there are a few things you can do to make it happen the good old fashioned way, with hard work and imagination.

So, what exactly goes into a best-selling novel?

I've researched this question and have come up with a few ideas. Please feel free to add more. Believe me, I'm open to all the help I can get.

#1: Plot should be the driving force of your story. Characters and background are secondary. A good plot will pull the reader in and not let go of them until the last word of the last page.

#2: Have passion for your characters. Write characters that readers can love, at their best or at their worst. Make them human, give them flaws, let them show their humorous side as well as their neurotic side. They will be irresistible to readers.

#3: Find a way to appeal to the reader's wildest dreams and fantasies. People read to escape. If your character is dull and boring and they do ordinary things, readers are going to be disappointed. Write about the impossible that becomes possible. Let the reader escape into the wonderful world you've created.

#4: Keep the tension high all the way to the end. Make the reader crazy if you have to. Readers actually want to bite off all their nails, hold their breath, groan in agony and stay up all night reading. Hold them off, clear to the end, then . . . . give them the ultimate, satisfying ending.

#5: Have your background information so believable it becomes a character. When you decide on a setting for your story don't forget to look at what's right in front of your nose. You may be able to use material from your own life or surroundings that will add a deep level of authenticity that only you can offer.

#6: Use the details of place and time as tools to create your characters. Make characters an extension of their world; how they dress, how they speak, what they eat and all other ways they interact with their surroundings. Books become magical when the reader believes that characters and their world are real.

#7: Be unique. Everyone one of us comes to the table with a set of experiences, interests and abilities. Taking advantage of our own personal uniqueness will allow us to write stories that no one else can write. Embrace it. You really do have qualities that will set your story apart from everyone else's.

Perhaps what we can learn from this is that we don't really need a dream. Maybe where we get our ideas isn't as important as what we do when we get an idea. We really can make magic happen.

Be Still

2009-11-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

For the last few months my creativity has been alarmingly low. I haven’t come up with any new book ideas. I haven’t worked on any of the active projects I already have. I’d do just about anything to avoid writing. That’s not me. I felt as if I’d lost a crucial part of myself, but I couldn’t figure out how to get it back.

Finally, in a fit of waving the white flag I started going back through some of my favorite writing books, trying to figure out what I needed to do to get it together. I think I found the answer in one simple phrase I ran across.

Stop reading.

Now, that can’t be right, can it? How could an author advise another author to stop reading? Isn’t that supposed to be “read everything you can get your hands on?”

Well, yes and no. The author’s point was you can’t expect to find your own voice, your own words and magic, when your head is full of everybody elses. When you are actively writing, he suggests putting other books aside so yours has more room to grow.

That got me thinking about my own life. Like most writers, I’m an avid reader. I read constantly, but it’s more than that. I keep a stack of books by my bed, on the kitchen table, by the couch, and one in my purse. I listen to audio books in the car, while I clean house and while I take my morning walk. On any given day I can be “reading” as many as 7 different books. Was it any wonder, then, that I didn’t have room for my own words?

Then, I really started thinking. Was it just the books? No. I couldn’t remember a time in months that I hadn’t been multitasking and filling my time with “stuff” of all sorts. All very important “stuff” to be sure, but I know myself better than that. I need quiet time to myself, yet it’s always the first thing to go and the first thing I’ll feel guilty about when I let myself take it. But, that stillness, that quiet and peace are the very core of my creativity.

We live in such a crazy world. There will always be more to do, more to say, more to think, more to read, more to write than we could possibly squeeze in. Yet we continue to try. We know we want to write. We scramble for those few free moments. We learn to write with the kids coming to blows in the next room. And, we drain our creative wells, then wonder what happened.

Remember, part of nurturing the creative gift that God has given you is not only the act of writing, but respecting where the creativity comes from. Take time to be still. The next time you have a few moments, stop yourself from running directly to the computer. Step back and find some peace first. Get rid of the rest of the worries and concerns and other books you’re reading. Take a moment to read and ponder a scripture. Pray. Meditate. Do yoga. Take a shower. Yes, staring out the window at nothing is a very important part of the writing process.

Bring your mind back to a state of harmony and peace. Be still and let your creativity know it is welcomed and valued. Then go to your computer and do what your heart longs to do with joy rather than dread.