Friday Round-Up - #223

Karen Lange, guest posts at Lessons from the Homestead (Carol Alexander). In addition to sharing a little-known holiday for writers, she gives suggestions on how to encourage children to write.

Writers & Readers: Do you encourage the children in your life to express themselves through writing? What are some of the methods you use to capture their imagination?

Have a blessed weekend!

Translating Reading to Fine Writing

As writers, we're admonished to read excellent books in our genre. Many post about how they analyze an author's style, plot, characters, and setting. As a Seat-of-the-Pants writer, this comes about as naturally as standing on my head.

So, how do I translate what I'm reading into principles I can integrate into my writing?

1) I read the story for pure enjoyment. If it grabs me and takes me on a breathtaking ride, I go with it.

2) After I finish, I evaluate how the book affected me. Did I keep getting pulled out of the story or was I engaged the entire time? Did the author create characters that were sympathetic or did I want to slap them silly? Was the ending satisfying or did it leave me feeling cheated?

3) When I narrow down the aspects of the book I liked and the ones I found unsatisfactory, I ask myself, "how did she/he do it?" Did the author make all those historical references a natural part of the story or did they pound me over the head with facts? What techniques did the author use to evoke an emotional response in me, the reader?

4) I then compare the methods against my WIP. I'll re-read sections and see if they're effective or need more work.

5) If I were reading my book, would I want to have a sequel or be disappointed at the end?

Writers: How do you translate what you read into tips for your own writing?

Readers: What makes a book go from so-so to so awesome?

Blogger Burnout Spa

My friend, Karen Lange, and I were discussing the need for a blogging break via email. She used a phrase something like, "blog burnout spa." Well, my brain did a flip and tossed out some interesting ideas of what amenities that spa might offer.

1.  Chocolate. Writing or not, this is a necessity.

2.  By day, I'd walk through an indoor tropical paradise. Birds and butterflies would swoop and hover among the orchids, waterlilies, ponds, and palm trees.

3.  At night, a cozy fire and couch would give me a place to read my Bible, journal, and talk with the Lord.

4.  A princess-and-the-pea canopy bed would await me, piled high with pillows and luxurious linens. Of course, they'd be various shades of purple.

5. No spa getaway would be complete without the company of good friends. Tea, delicate confections, and laughter would erase the tensions of daily life.

Items to be checked at the door:

1.  Computers
2.  Cell Phones
3.  TV's
4.  Newspapers
5.  Manuscripts and red pens

I'll be taking a break for the Thanksgiving Weekend. See you on Monday, 10/26/12. 

What's your idea of a blog burnout spa?

Friday Round-Up - #222

James L. Rubart is one of my favorite authors. Recently, he guest posted at Novel Rocket, and shared where he gets ideas for his books.

Writers: Have you figured out where your ideas come from? Please share.

Readers: Do you have story ideas that you'd wish an author would put into a book? Please share.

Have a blessed weekend!

Do Less, Accomplish More

My To-Do List screams at me. Like papers on my desk, it multiples. There's an Amish saying I've seen in tourist traps: The faster I go, the behinder I get.

How do I keep something helpful from turning into a monster? I've discovered a secret. I split my To-Do List in two. One list contains the big picture with everything that pops up in life, while the other is a daily list of priorities.

Here's a sampling of my Big Picture:

1) Write church blog.
2) Email update
3) Promised book review for friend (due in January)
4) Laundry
5) Gym
6) Swagbucks
7) Write out Christmas cards.
8) Christmas gift list. (I list each person, and jot ideas next to their names.)
9) Update bookkeeping and pay bills.
10) Call health insurance.

My devotional time and seeing Mom is a recurring item on all lists. Also, my Big List is much larger than what I've shown here.

My Daily Lists:

Tues.

1. Gym
2. Vote
3. Laundry
4. Work
5. Swagbucks

Wednesday

1.  Gym
2.  Pay bills
3.  Swagbucks
4.  Cancel appointment and re-schedule.
5.  Work

You may have noticed that writing doesn't show up on any of these lists. I confess: I'm in a slump right now. I'm thinking about writing. I'm praying for direction on what to do with my trilogy. But...words are stuck like a chicken bone in my throat. (Yeah, I need a creative Heimlich maneuver.)

This post isn't about my writing woes though. The shorter lists help me take a bite out of that big elephant, while the longer list  reminds me there are other things on the agenda. Each one has a deadline. By scheduling the items on my dailies, they get done in a timely fashion.

By the way, my blog skin has disappeared. At least, I can't see it. Can you? Argh. Another thing to add to my list!

Writers and Readers: So, what do you think of my lists? How do you keep from feeling overwhelmed by all the "things you gotta do?"

On My Nightstand - Inescapable by Nancy Mehl

Lizzie Engel learns a difficult lesson: problems have a way of following you. She ran from the pressures of her strict Mennonite upbringing in Kingdom, Kansas. After five years, her life has taken another downward spiral, and she's on the run once again. Her once despised town now seems a possible safe haven.

Noah Housler, an old friend, brings back pleasant memories. How can she think of romance when secrets threaten her life?

I LOVED this book! The author plunked me into the setting and into Lizzie's life. I couldn't put it down. My Mom also gave Nancy Mehl's story high marks. I was torn between wanting to see what happened and yet not wanting the story to end.

Disclaimer: I won this book in a blog contest. Neither the author nor the publisher asked for this recommendation or gave me any payment.

Writers:  What are some of the methods you use to make your characters and settings realistic?

Readers: What books have gripped you and put you in the "I want to finish/I don't want to finish" dilemma?

Have a blessed weekend!

The Mystique of Setting

When I was 5 years old, my uncle gave me a dollhouse for Christmas. From that point, I was totally hooked on giving my miniature people all the advantages of a real home. Little children played in the nursery, while Mom cooked dinner. They had a stage for their activities.
 

My larger dolls didn't escape my vivid imagination either. When my cousin was born, my aunt passed her outgrown baby clothes on to me. I preferred them to the flimsy doll clothing available in stores. Real sweaters, hats, and booties adorned my darlings.

Along with the clothing, came the bassinet, the real wood crib, highchair, and doll carriage. At one point, my room had a fully-decked out bassinet, a crib, and a doll bed made out of a Penny Playpal box. (She was the older sister.)

A character without a setting is like a doll without the trappings of real life. Who can forget the curtains Scarlett O'Hara made for Tara? Authors like Cathy Gohlke, Tamera Alexander, and others draw us into their worlds with sweeping vistas and realistic details of bygone years.

How can we create a stage for our characters that doesn't resemble a cardboard backdrop?

1) Research, research, research. I know authors, who read books, newspapers, articles, visit museums, and travel to absorb the flavor of their characters' era.

2) Word choice. We would not use King James English in a contemporary novel. Neither would we resort to modern terminology in a historical romance.

3) Interview experts. While working on my first manuscript, I relied on a friend to give me cultural input. On TV, the character, Richard Castle, hangs around a real-life detective for inspiration and accurate details.

P.S. DON'T FORGET - TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY IN THE U.S.!

Photo Credits:  Dollhouse by melodi2
                         Fashion by Ayla87

Writers:  What techniques do you use to produce great settings?

Readers: What does a stunning setting do for your reading experience?

Friday Round-Up - #221

Are you participating in November's NaNoWriMo? Larry Brooks, at Story Fix, gives a plan for moving from an idea to a viable story plan in one easy lesson.

Writers: Are you taking on the challenge? How do you manage with Thanksgiving at the end of the month?

Readers: How do you find time to read during the holiday season?

Have a blessed weekend!

Chasing Trends

Have you noticed the trend toward colorful sneakers...er athletic shoes? While purple is my favorite color, there's a lot to be said for basic black and white. A recent shopping trip left me frustrated and wondering what's happened to the classics.

I'm not against the latest fashion fads, but usually catch them as they're fizzling out. For example, jumpsuits were once quite popular. By the time I adjusted to the look and purchased one, they were declared extinct.

Books also go through cycles in the popularity game. When I first began writing, Chick Lit was super hot. Whoever hears of it now?

When a genre gains popularity, how can we tell if they will be the next literary phenomenon or a short-lived blip on publishing's radar? I'm sure few people believed the Amish craze would last this long.

I've thought about this, and here's my take on the subject:

1.  A classic can withstand a bit of updating, while a fad is so far out it defies alteration.

2.  Timeless themes on the human condition will always be in style. Romance, good versus evil, and  championing the underdog never fail to rivet us.

3.  Originality is a key element. Authors who can breathe new life into a time-tested storyline will have readers beating a path to the nearest bookstore or online outlet.

Writers: What are your thoughts on classics versus fads?

Readers:  What fashion trends do you remember either with fondness or horror?

Friday Round-Up - #220

Author Jody Hedlund explores the subject, "Is Blogging a Time-Suck for Writers?"

Loree Huebner, at Between you, me and the gatepost, discusses the use of heirlooms in our stories.


Writers:  What are your thoughts about blogging and time management?

Readers: What are some of your favorite elements in a story: heirlooms, scene detail, customs of a bygone time period, etc.?

Have a blessed weekend!

Chocolate Chip Cookies & Social Media

Those of you who've known me for awhile understand my favorite foods are chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk (for dunking, of course). A friend told me about the whole food way of eating recently, and I was impressed. Unfortunately, the aforementioned treats do not appear on this diet.

My initial trips to the grocery store yielded few purchases, and I walked out in a daze. What do I eat? Words like, "gluten free, organic, and natural," chased me down the aisles and left this bargain hunting champ suffering from major sticker shock.

Little by little, I'm learning the ropes. Organic meats (no hormones, additives, natural feed) go into my cart. My grocery store marks them down on Monday mornings. You gotta be quick to get the deals. Organic veggie omelets grace my table 3 times a week, and raw nuts and carrots are new snacks.

But...let's not get crazy here. The milk and cookies stay. Period.

As a writer, I'm not quite so adventurous with Social Media. I took to blogging like a chocoholic is drawn to Godiva, but Twitter, My Space, Good Reads, Facebook, and Pinterest nearly sent me over the edge. A friend dragged me kicking and screaming onto Facebook. It took some deep breathing, but I've adjusted. My Twitter account rarely chirps these days, and they send me, "We've missed you," messages.

Maybe someday I'll join Pinterest and Good Reads. Maybe someday I'll go the full whole foods route and leave all things chocolate chip behind.

Maybe.

BTW: Diane Estrella, from That's What I'm Here For, is featuring me on her blog today. :)

Writers: What Social Media outlets strike fear in your hearts?

Readers: Have you connected with writers on Social Media (other than blogs)? What resources do you use to discover new authors/books?

And The Winner Is...

Oops! I was supposed to post this yesterday. My apologies. To make up for my boo-boo, I extended the deadline through last night and eliminated the email address requirement.

Congratulations to:    SARAH FORGRAVE

Sarah, I'll email you to arrange shipment of your book. Thanks for all the comments.

Friday Round-Up - #219

Jeanette Levellie, at On Wings of Mirth and Worth, posts about being great before you're famous. 

Heather Sunseri, at Balance With Purpose, discusses self-publishing not really being "self" any more than traditional publishing is "full service."

Writers: Do you think self-publishing is "taking the easy route?" Why or why not?

Readers:  What are some of the small kindnesses that have impacted your life?

Have a blessed weekend!

Giveaway Time!

The Amish Midwife has a mix of Amish and English characters. Mindy and Leslie present a clash of cultures, and serve up a tantalizing mystery.

Rather than allow this story to languish on my bookshelves, I'm having a drawing. Here are the giveaway details:

1) The giveaway is open to residents of the United States.

2) Only Followers of Christian Writer/Reader Connection are eligible to participate.

3) Leave a comment on this post with your email address. Sorry, no email = no entry. You can get extra entries by posting this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog. Please notify me in the comments if you choose to share this opportunity with your friends and blog readers.

4) Deadline: Thursday, 10/18/12, at 11:59 P.M. The winner will be announced at the end of the blog post on Friday, 10/19/12.

Disclaimer: Neither the publisher nor the authors provided this book or gave me any remuneration for this giveaway.

On My Kindle - Secrets by Kristen Heitzmann

When Lance Michelli's grandma, Antonia, has a stroke, she manages to give him a letter and send him on a mission. With little to go on, he travels to a cloister in the old country. Upon his return, he and his trusty pooch, Baxter, end up at a villa being transformed into a bed and breakfast.

A perennial rescuer of damsels in distress, he nearly meets his match in the person of Rese Barrett. With her heart closed off to love and dealing with grief, she's built walls so high even she can't see over them.

Lance takes the job of chef and begins restoring the carriage house where he'll stay until Rese decides if he's a keeper. As he works, the property yields clues to its past, including a shocking discovery. He struggles with his mission from Grandma Antonia and his growing relationship with Rese. Will he be successful or once again hit the road?

A stand-alone novel, this book is the first of a series by Kristen Heitzmann. I was a bit surprised by the toned down fright factor and the ramped up love connection, but it worked. All you romance fans will love the story, and mystery buffs will smile as well.

I'm looking forward to her next book, "Unforgotten." Yup, I'd say this was another winner for Kristen.

Writers: How do you feel about tweaking your genre or even abandoning it completely to address changes in the marketplace?

Readers: When a favorite authors take another genre road, do you stick with them or abandon ship? Why?