Books to Write By

LONE STAR JUSTICE by Robert M. Utley

2012-02-17T08:30:00.000-06:00

The novel I'm (Debra) working on now includes a Texas Ranger as one of the leads. For Christmas, I received from my husband, two books on the evolution of the Texas Rangers. The book I will review today is, LONE STAR JUSTICE, The First Century of the Texas Rangers, by Robert M. Utley.

Author: Robert M. Utley

Website: http://www.robertutley.net/

Purchase: http://us.penguingroup.com/

Pros: What I love about this book is the detailed historical accuracy of the rise and fall and rise again of the Texas Rangers. While reading the book, the author captures a mental picture of history and makes the reader imagine it as if history was unfolding like a movie. the author incorporates a blend of narrative and dialogue taken straight from 19th century journals. I also appreciate the thoroughness of the author's research which is quite evident from the beginning.

The book includes early pictures and images of early artist renderings of battles scenes. I particulary enjoyed the images of real life heroes of the past, such as Sam Houston, Sam Walker, and Leander H. McNelly. You hear of such Texas heroes and it is a pleasure to put a face with a name.

Cons: This book is an awesome book filled with historical facts, perfect for my research. The only complaint I have is that the book is heavy on battle scenes and I grew weary of reading one skirmish after another. I would've enjoyed more information on historical characters and their relationships. However, that is only an opinion. My son who adores reading of battle scenes would enjoy this book, but I'm more of a romance writer. I love getting to know characters better.

One Way to Write a Novel. by Vicki Hinze

2012-01-02T09:41:00.003-06:00

One Way to Write A Novel by Vicki Hinze is one of my downloads on my Kindle which I received a an early Christmas gift. I downloaded her book at the suggestion of another writer on a Loop I am a member of. I'm glad I followed that writer's advice.

I am definitely not going to delete her book from my Kindle because I know I'll want to refer to different sections frequently.

Some things that I found helpful on my first read were : "Common Errors to Avoid", "Should You Write the Book?", "How to Make a Story Binder", and "Making a Story Board".

Her advice is practical and easy to understand. She makes sure you understand her terminology by giving a definition and examples as needed.

I was especially impressed with the list of questions she provided at the beginning of her book that helps the reader decide if the idea the writer is considering is worth pursuing. This alone can save the author the disappointment of spending months on writing a book that will never be finished or poorly finished.

I have "sort of" worked on a binder for my story as well as a story board. After reading her book, I'm going to finish those two projects and get on with my book.

Ms. Hinze is a successful author of books and articles. I have not read her books before, but I'm going to select one to download to my Kindle. Check out One Way to Write A Novel. You'll be glad you did.

Writer's Digest magazine

2011-12-04T14:33:00.001-06:00

Long before I heard of writer's conferences, workshops or yahoo loops, I subscribed to Writer's Digest magazine. As a young mother, I had no contact with other writers except through this magazine and the books sold by Writer's Digest.

Life demanded too much time. I bade my time until my children were grown and retirement from work was feasible to begin again to learn the craft of writing and submitting for publication.

I joined Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Writers Fellowship Intl., and Oklahoma Writers Federation Intl. I attended conferences. I learned in workshops. I registered in online courses, and with three of my friends, I began blogging on this site.

Until about two years ago, the one thing I didn't do to improve my writing career was subscribe to Writer's Digest magazine. When I did, wow, what a treasure I found in that medium. Books and courses are sold online, but if you haven't subscribed to the hard copy magazine, you're missing out.

September's issue gave me the top ten genres and the secret to their success.

A sample of invaluable information I found came from the October issue. "Your first 50 Pages" broke down "4 Goals for your Beginning" by Les Edgerton, "Second Scenes" by Nancy Kress, and "4 Ways to Bond your Reader & Characters" by James Scott Bell.

I waited to get the November magazine to tell me about "Your last 50 pages," and I highlighted everything in the article "Spin Subplots like a Master Weaver" by Elizabeth Simm."

Now, I've received my December copy and guess what? I'm reading Steven James on "6 Secrets to Creating and Sustaining Suspense" (a problem I continually work with) and I can't wait to read "Timeless Novel Advice" from Stephen King and other giants in the business.

If you haven't taken a look at the newest version of an old learning tool, search out Writer's Digest magazine. I can't tell you how often I've read and refered back to the articles that purchased as separate books or courses would cost me many times more.

The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887) Cooking, Toilet, and Household Recipes, Menus, Dinner-Giving, Table Etiquette, Care of the Sick, Health Suggestions, Facts...Cyclopedia of Information for the Home

2011-11-04T10:10:00.001-05:00

I have heard several people comment about Amazon.com having free Kindle books for free downloads, but haven't even bothered to check it out because (((gasp))) I don't own a Kindle or any other digital reading device. At present, I'm one of those readers who enjoy holding the book in my hands. However, since I write historical fiction, I'm always on the look out for research material. My fellow blogger, Sue sent me a link for a free Kindle download from Amazon.com for the book, The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887) Cooking, Toilet and Household Recipes, Menus, Dinner-Giving, Table Etiquette, Care for the Sick, Health Suggestion, Facts...Cyclopedia of Information for the Home by Fanny Lemira Gillette.

I followed the link to find that Amazon.com has a download for people like me who aren't ready to commit to purchasing a Kindle. It is called Kindle for PC. Readers can use this download to install a Kindle program on their computer and voila!!! Readers can enjoy any Kindle book on Amazon.com.

After having downloaded Kindle for PC, I then noticed that the cookbook link my friend sent me wasn't the only free book on Amazon.com. Most all the popular classics, such as Pride and Prejudice, Aesop's Fables, Treasure Island, and so many more books are free.

The Whitehouse Cookbook was an interesting read and one I can use for development of my stories and maybe even useless information that I find amusing. Did you know since I have downloaded this treasure trove of information that I now possess the recipe for Squirrel Soup? Green Turtle Soup? What I'd really like to know is what in the world are the finer parts of the turtle and where exactly is the green fat found? There is even a recipe for Frogs Fried and Frogs Stewed. Only the hind-legs and quarters are used.

I have even discovered a recipe that has been used my mother's family for generations which we seemed to have shortened over the years. We have enjoyed Salmon Croquettes (I'm supposing southern-style) and have passed the recipe on to our children. The recipe I received from my mother was 1-canned salmon, bread crumbs, and egg. Mix together. Form patties. Fry them in hot grease. Serve with milk gravy. However, here is the 1887 version of the same recipe but I think probably more richer with more calories.

Salmon Croquettes

One pound of cooked salmon (about one and a half pints when chopped), one cup of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, three eggs, one pint of crumbs, pepper and salt; chop the salmon fine, mix the flour and butter together, let the cream come to a boil, and stir in the flour and butter, salmon and seasoning; boil one minute; stir in one well-beaten egg, and remove from the fire; when cold make into croquettes; dip in beaten egg, roll in crumbs and fry. Canned salmon can be used.

I had no idea salmon came canned in 1887. Who knew? The same recipe is used for every meat listed in the cookbook: salmon, lobster, crab, oysters, chicken, and beef. The beef croquettes adds hot mashed potatoes.

The book also teaches the housewife to cook all manner of organs. Beef hearts, beef liver, boiled beef and tongue. I'm not quite certain about all the recipes of which meat is used to make pudding. In my mind, I'm seeing vanilla and chocolate pudding, perhaps even fruit flavored puddings, but meat? Veal pudding sounded almost promising with its addition of bacon, but I'm not sure what a suet crust is or what a pudding cloth is either? Maybe I need a dictionary to go along with my reading? But by far, the worst pudding I read was Black Pudding. The main ingredient is coagulated blood of a pig. Yep, those plucky pioneers didn't let anything go to waste.

Here's a recipe that will really wake up your appetite. Calf's Head boiled. I won't give you the details of the recipe because after that Black Pudding recipe I'm a feeling a little nauseous. But think Calf's Head equals Spam.

Ooh, did you know that ketchup or as pioneers called it, Catsup was around back in 1887? The recipes say that if you bottle your catsup immediately while hot, and tightly sealed it will keep good for years. But red catsup wasn't the only one they had. There's a recipe for green tomato catsup too. That reminds me of the green or purple ketchup Heinz came out with years ago. The cookbook also lists walnut catsup, oyster catsup, mushroom catsup, and other flavors like gooseberry, cucumber, currant, apple, celery, and spiced vinegar catsup.

As far as helpful information, the cookbook has planned menus for the holidays and a sample menu for a White House State Dinner...think French food. A menu for Mrs. Cleveland's wedding lunch June 4, 1888 is also listed...again think French food or French words I cannot pronounce or even try to spell. Etiquette for the White House is listed as well with the disclaimer: Etiquette as observed in European courts is not known at the White House. Funny? I didn't know Rednecks were around then. Information is then listed on how to check your coat in at the cloakroom as well as where to sit. Then the menu is given. The first course is French style (no surprise there), second service is sweet dishes, third service includes desserts, fruits, ice, cakes, and all principal dishes are presented to the President before serving the guests. I was disappointed to learn that the fancy folding of napkins in 1887 was considered out of fashion. A plain square folded napkin with the monogram in the middle was preferred.

For treating the sick, the cookbook cautions housewives to consider the needs of the sick first. Don't serve an invalid milk for this may constipate the patient. As a rule, invalids should be served their food in small, delicate pieces in dainty dishes. Some recipes for ailments include serving an alcoholic beverage of Blackberry Cordial to infants to relieve pain from teething and summer diseases. Yeah, I bet they didn't feel any pain. Colds are due to men sealing the house up tight during winter. The family can stave off suffering from a cold if they drink a whiskey or a glass or two of beer before supper. After a few glasses, I'm sure they didn't suffer from anything.

A toothache can be cured by saturating a piece of gauze and lying it on the tooth. Follow that with a mixture of Alum powder and salt. To cure an earache: puff tobacco smoke into the sufferer's ear. For a burn, use butter and if that doesn't help add baking soda, the yellow of an egg, and apply with a feather. Of course, with a little flour and sugar and vanilla they could also make cookies to keep the burn victim's mind off the pain. For a sore throat, gargle with hot, salt water with a little alum and honey. Follow this with bacon soaked in hot vinegar applied to the throat as hot as possible. The sick can even gargle with equal parts of borax and alum. They can gargle and do their laundry at the same time.

One last recipe for the sick. A cure for felons: take a common rock, heat it in the oven, pound it fine, and mix with the spirits of turpentine. Put it in a rag and wrap the felon. In twenty-four hours you are cured and the felon is dead. My question is how can you convince the felon to allow you to wrap him in turpentine? That or maybe nineteenth century folks defined felon different than we define it.

Toward the end of the book, there are helpful laundry hints like how to wash black lace and how to wash feathers. Who said 19th century brides were prudish? Did you know that washing feathers required ironing too? Adding alum to the rinse water will keep dresses uninflammable.

I leave you today with a few facts worth knowing:

To Prevent Oil from Becoming Rancid - Drop a few drops of ether into the bottle containing it.

Slicing Pineapples: - The knife used for peeling a pineapple should not be used for slicing it, as the rind contains an acid that is apt to cause a swollen mouth and sore lips. The Cubans use salt as an antidote for the ill effects of the peel.

Choking: - a piece of food lodged in the throat may sometimes be pushed down with the finger, or removed with a hair-pin quickly straightened and hooked at the end, or by two or three vigorous blows on the back between the shoulders.

Table Etiquette: - Be careful to keep the mouth shut closely while masticating the food. It is the opening of the lips which causes the smacking which seems very disgusting.

The Prodigal by Elizabeth Lee and The Visionary by Pamela S. Thibodeaux

2011-10-02T14:47:00.005-05:00

This last month I've learned a lot by reading the works of two new authors, one, completely new, the other, only new to me. Both books speak of healing and redemption in seemingly impossible situations.

Ms. Lee self published her first book "The Prodigal" with Kindle Direct Publishing and Smashwords. This inspirational women's fiction deals with two sisters and a mother thrown into heavy, real life situations such as abuse and depression. They find it hard to deal with life and harder to continue belief in God. I asked Ms. Lee what she liked about her chosen mode of publishing. She liked "the speed of getting out the book." Standard publishing avenues often held up her book for months while she desired to get out her message of hope. She advised that "with the proper format and good cover, her book could go into a premium catalog and be distributed on iBooks and Nook." Good advice given by Ms. Lee for anyone else interested in formatting a book for this medium of publishing is "to get the Smashwords guide on Smashwords.com and follow the directions word by word. Do not skip steps. Then you adjust for Kindle guidelines. It takes a bit of time, but it's well worth the effort and it's free." This new author also has a historical "Honor and Lies" published in the same way. I've learned a lot about this new avenue of publishing as well as I enjoyed an enthralling story. I recommend checking it out.

I met Pam Thibodeaux, a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana now that she's moved to Texas. She's written for years and has come to be known by a tagline "inspirational with an edge." Her newest book "The Visionary" will be released on Nov. 16, 2011, but can be advanced ordered at the present time. Pam's writing was new to me, so I read this new book with no expectations, just curiosity. Truthfully, few people could handle the delicate topic of devastation caused from sexual abuse as a child leading to murder. This book demonstrates the breadth of God's grace. The tender way which she illustrates hope over a dark, untalked-about subject is unrivaled. I asked Ms. Thibodeaux what she liked about her publishers. "They are author-friendly - patient in helping new authors understand their rules without making them feel ashamed or embarrased." Besides women's fiction, she also writes inspirational romance and creative non-fiction. You can find her on www.pamelathibodeaux.com to learn more. I found her helpful and knowledgeable in all aspects of writing and her book, captivating.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond

2011-09-05T12:28:00.005-05:00

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond is a fun book to read. Ms. Drummond started out with a blog about how she met her husband. I had heard about her blog and read a couple of her entries online. When I saw the book, I knew I had to buy it.

A city girl meets a cowboy and the fun begins. Being from the city and deciding farm life wasn't for me after spending two days hand planting tomatoes, I was instantly interested. Ms. Drummond doesn't hold back on the reality of working with animals and ranch life.

I am one of those readers who can never get enough of stories about the West whether historical or contemporary. I love those cowboy and cowgirls. I grew up in the Midwest, but every Summer we went to South Dakota where my daddy grew up. I used to beg to move there, but daddy liked being able to pay bills and my mother was an only child who grew up in the Midwest and had no desire to leave.

The Air Force sent my husband and me to Western Washington, Eastern Montana, and finally Texas. So I consider myself a westerner since I've lived in Texas for over thirty years. I discovered Louis L'Amour in Montana where I purchased my first pair of cowgirl boots. I've been hooked since then. I might add that I have no desire to ride a horse. I'm scared to death of those huge animals.

I tried to write a ranch story once about South Dakota. I quickly figured out that I lacked knowledge to pull it off. So as I read her experiences, I could identify with her adventures. So if you want to know what ranch life is really like and measure it against what you might be tempted to write, this is the book for you. If you want to write a memoir, this is the book for you. And if you just want a fun read, get a copy of her book. She obviously loved her cowboy enough to become a rancher's wife while I parted ways with "tomato" man and found my true love in Air Force blue.

Critiquing and Mentoring

2011-08-04T12:40:00.000-05:00

Critiquing

We hear alot these days about finding critique partners and the do's and don'ts of productive critiquing. Critique partners are so good about catching flaws in our works-in-progress and encouraging us to keep writing when we feel like our words are not worthy enough for publication. Critique partners hold our hand through the raw, rough drafts. Critique partners can join together at different skill levels and still be productive. The amazing part of different skill levels coming together is the offering of different perspectives. A skilled author may see plot holes and grammatical errors whereas a novice may see the work as a reader might see it, pointing out where the story is slow.

Finding a critique partner may be difficult. Attempting to find critique partners which you are compatible with may be even harder to find. When looking for partners, try joining a writer's group. Many of them offer services to join like-minded genre authors together. You can also find an online writer's group where anyone can submit their chapters for critiquing. Then after you find people you like to work with then you can separate and form your own small group. Make certain the people you want to critique with offer honest criticism but not literary homicide.

Several years ago, after I had joined ACFW I combed the organization's rolodex, looking for writers who lived near me. I had already started a small group of three writers. We had the privilege of adding Shirley Harkins to our critique group. She was a beautiful lady who was well versed in the word of God. Her passion was to write scripts for plays. Shirley even had a theatrical group, Drama Drash who travelled to nearby churches to perform her plays. When she decided to write fiction for the first time, her works-in-progress lacked emotion. It was a couple of months after she joined our group that we had learned of her script writing. We then realized that in script writing the actor takes the dialogue and applies the appropriate emotions, but in writing fiction the author has to write the emotions for the reader to feel. When we came together and discussed the subject of emotions and writing fictional character's emotions, Shirley had that ah-ha moment. She laughed and said it made sense to her and for months she thought we didn't like her work. But we did like her work, it was more that we were trying to diagnose what was wrong with her chapters. When critiquing online, don't leave the group too soon. A misunderstanding may be cleared with a little communication. I would love to speak with Shirley again, but she went to Heaven on my birthday in 2009.

Shirley Harkins

Mentoring

Mentoring is different from critiquing. Yes, critiquing is involved sometimes in accordance to the agreement, but the role of a mentor is different from a critique partner. Mentoring is all about having a trusted guide to lead you through the writing process and the publication journey. A mentor gives advice in a non-threatening way, appreciating the value of the writer, empowering the writer to move forward with confidence. A mentor helps sets realistic goals for the writer and holds the writer accountable. If the relationship allows, the mentor may offer constructive criticism on the writer's works-in-progress. A mentor knows the big picture of the writing journey and steers the unpublished writer on the right path.

Finding a mentor may be even more difficult than finding a critique partner. Many published authors do not have the time to mentor. Not that they wouldn't mind but with the pressures of deadlines and writing it is very difficult for them to commit. I have had the pleasure of knowing four mentors in my short writing career, and all of them came from the act of joining a writing group or organization. Not from the same group though. My first mentor, Jackye Plummer welcomed me into her house, allowed me to sit at her table, and taught me the basics of writing. My second mentor, Kay Swanson took me under her wing, and taught me about conferences and the publishing world. Both ladies encouraged me and pushed me to continue to write. I met both ladies through a local chapter of Romance Writers of America. My third mentor, Margaret Daley and I met after I had joined Faith, Hope, and Love. This chapter of RWA had began a new program of pairing published authors with novice writers. I enjoyed my time with her. She was a constant source of optimism. My current mentor, Judy Bodmer and I met when I applied to the Christian Writer's Guild for their apprenticeship course. I hope one day I can mentor in the same manner as she. Judy blends the right amount of encouraging words with honest criticism.

If you can find a mentor for your writing life then cultivate that relationship, but also know that some relationships are seasonal. As one of my writing friends said recently, "A writer's life and a writing group seem to ebb and flow." We have to allow for changes in relationships and cherish the time we have with our mentors.

Even though I knew my season with my first mentor had come to a close, I wished that I had spent more time with her as a friend. Rest in sweet peace, Jackye Plummer. (February 22, 1920-July 25, 2011)

Jackye Plummer

The Legend of Storey County by Brock Thoene

2011-07-29T19:59:00.004-05:00

The Legend of Story County by Brock Thoene is a good example of first person point of view. He begins the story by having Seth Townsend, a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner traveling to Virginia City, Nevada to cover a story about the closing down of a railroad line. Townsend interviews Jim Canfield, who is 100 years old and knows all the old stories about Virginia City.

The remainder of the book is written in first person with Jim Canfield telling his own story. Point of View has always been a difficult thing for me to understand,

Any writer knows that "head hopping" is frowned upon unless you are a best selling author. For the new writer, "head hopping" is where you tell what one person is thinking or doing and then switch to what the other person is thinking or doing in the same scene.

I recently read a good article about author intrusion. Author intrustion is when the author makes statements to give further information that the character probably doesn't know.

Third person is the most popular style of writing in which the character is he or she. Each scene belongs to that character. In one workshop I attended several years ago, the presenter suggested that we write the scene as if we were looking through a camera lens. You can only see what the character sees.

First person is harder to write because there is not the luxury of additional information from other characters. A lot of mystery writers use first person.

I had never read any books by Brock Thoene although I had heard his name mentioned as a good writer. I attended a book sale and grabbed up his book to read. I will be reading more since he is now on my list of authors to read. He did such a good job of telling Jim's story using the first person point of view. If you are interested in learning more about first person point of view treat yourself to The Legend of Storey County where you can not only enjoy a well-written story, but also study an example of first person point of view.

For Women Only, What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men

2011-05-01T18:10:00.004-05:00

I recently ran across a great reference book for characterization. Shaunti Feldhahn's book, For Women Only, What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men is a resource of how men think and view their personal relationships with the women they love.

The author decided to interview men she knew for insight into a male character for a book she was writing. The more she learned, the more she wanted to learn. Professionals helped her develop a personal survey, and she did personal interviews of men from all walks of life: friends, strangers, married men, singles and different ages.

The information she garnered makes up the book. One chapter title is "Chocolate, Flowers, and Bait Fishing". This chapter discussed a man's idea of being romantic. As I read the various chapters, I was surprised to learn things, that in spite of being happily married for forty-five years, I didn't know.

Men, according to the author, wish women knew these things, but they don't know how to explain them. The agreement on issues from a wide-range of men of different ages and professions gives creditability to her findings.

My particular edition also came with a study guide at the end for possible use with a discussion group. When I concluded the book, I thought this would be a great resource for writing more realistic male characters instead of our feminine view of men.

I found this book in a box of donations for a sale. I gladly paid my dollar to keep it for my own shelf of reference books. If you want to write better male characters or just understand the man in your life, you need to find this book. It's an eye-opener.

Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon

2011-04-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

I am working on my current manuscript which is a Christian historical romance which could better be called a prairie romance. I finished the novel last year. However, it occured to me that the ending was wrong, so I've been rewriting the ending before I begin my massive editing process. There are a few things that I struggle with like how to write a convincing fight scene, how to write good dialogue without using proper nouns on every tag, how to vary my sentence length, how to vary my sentence structure so every sentence doesn't begin with a proper noun, and how to write narration which incorporates the character and isn't written just from the author. I want to better my story and I have a long way to go, which makes the book Manuscript Makeover such a blessing for me at this time.

Manuscript Makeover, written by Elizabeth Lyon, the author of The Sell Your Novel Tool Kit, which has been reviewed previously on this blog, declares it possesses the revision techniques no fiction writer can afford to ignore. The book says it can help writers enhance style, clarify structure, deepen characterization, and clean up punctuation and syntax errors.The chapters are broken up into four parts. Part one is on recognizing and strengthening style. Part Two covers craft works and how to follow the tried and true story plots. Part three covers characterization. Part four covers marketing, query letters and synopses.

I loved the first chapter. I've heard at conferences and workshops people talking about style and voice and not really knowing what the people were talking about. I mean what is the difference between the two words. Ms. Lyon gives the defintion as, "Style is based on 'wordsmithing', choosing and tweaking words to create the desired effect and to fit a character and genre. Voice is the author's natural use of language to create authentic and original characters and unique story telling. More simply stated, style is an outcome of voice, more so than vice versa."

She also pointed out that ideas are like fireflies. Writers have about "fifteen seconds to capture an idea before it vanishes. They are like fireflies, difficult to catch if you don't act quickly." I am so guilty of thinking that I'll remember a great idea for my story and then when I finally get back to my story I can't remember what my thought was. I now have a notebook near where I can reach them in a quick moment of brillance.

Chapter two went into detail about the five types of sentence structure and sentence beginnings which I will cleave to as I edit. By chapter five, we cover story plots. My strength is characterization and my weakness is plotting, so this section of the book really inspired me. Ms. Lyon covers concepts taught by Joseph Campbell, Christopher Vogler, and Maureen Murdock. I love the way she takes these concepts and condenses the information into one totally understandable and readable chapter. In chapter seven, we cover motivation-reaction-units or elements of actions (inner and outer), reactions, emotions, reversals, subtext, and raising questions. The last section of this book cover characterization. I learned more about the topic and decided there are still some elements I can use to make my characterization even stronger.

I really enjoyed the structure of the book. Ms. Lyon gives examples of an element, lets say point-of-view. She writes the strength and weakness and gives examples of each point-of-view and then writes the advantages and disadvantages of using that element. Also each chapter has a compact checklist/summary of the chapter for quick and easy checking during revision.

All in all, I'd compare this book to having all of my Margie Lawson workshops and half of my shelf of craft writing books all balled up into one sixteen chapter book. Pretty neat, huh? I have decided that the information in this book will be invaluable to me during my editing process, so it's not getting shelved for awhile.

Happy Writing!

Storyboarding with Shayla Black and Supplementing Your Fiction Habit with Janice Hanna Thompson

2011-03-06T13:50:00.003-06:00

The "book to write by" that I wish to discuss this month is not a book at all, but two online courses that helped me in 2010. My money belt tightened. I left off conferences. So, last year, online courses became my main source of learning. A pitch for online instruction includes, learning at your own pace, in your home, in your pajamas, if desired. I've taken several of these, but I'd like to disucss two that helped me in particular areas of my writing.

The first one is "Supplementing Your Fiction Habit" with Janice Hanna Thompson. I would recommend this to any writer who wishes to write in more than one form, or who's shopping around a long manuscript but needs money, now. I love writing long fiction, but I also love short stories and devotions, so I found this course helpful. Ms. Thompson told us where to research markets, how to discard distractions and set up weekly goals for both long and short writing. She suggested thinking in terms of fifteen minutes to two hours instead of four to six hours for writing time. Different venues and other modes opened for me by studying what Ms. Thompson has done and continues to do though she is now multi-published in long fiction.

The second course which taught me this last year is "Storyboarding" with Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley). I utilized her method in writing the manuscript I have just finished. Shayla breaks storyboarding into easy-to-follow steps. Using storyboarding showed me where I needed to add focus, subplot or follow a thread of plot that by page one hundred, I might've forgetten. I used a simple poster board and four different colored post-it notes to storyboard, so a lot of expense isn't required. Ms. Black's lessons brought instant visualization to my manuscript. I highly recommend the course.

Online courses are a must-use for me. Though this year I do plan on a conference, I plan on scheduling certain courses in the comfort of my home.

2011-02-08T14:42:00.000-06:00

Recently, my husband and I have allowed our teenage daughter to open a Facebook account. We are very protective parents. When she is allowed on the Internet to play on Facebook, we monitor her activity with our smart phones. We have certain rules for whom she may add as friends, and we speak to her about manners when communicating with people online.

There is one item I just didn't think I needed to instruct her with, and that was grammar and punctuation. Let me say first, that I am not an expert on the subject, and I make mistakes from time to time. Honest mistakes and even careless mistakes I understand. However, I have discovered a truth which makes my skin crawl. My daughter and sometimes even my husband make grammar and punctuation mistakes on purpose! At first, I thought it was merely to irritate me. I'm kinda an obsessive-compulsive person anyways, so to annoy me is great fun for them.

But this is what I've noticed. I check my daughter's status bar and see misspelled words. I speak to her about using a dictionary, so she will know that she wants to tell her entire friend list that she is watching the Superbowl and not the Superball. At the very least, ask me to spell it. She says to me, "Mom, please don't critique my status bar. People know what I'm saying."

I then check my husband's status bar and am horrified. He doesn't use captital letters to begin a sentence. If that wasn't bad enough, I discovered he doesn't use punctuation. My eyes blink and a little nervous tick begins twitching in my cheek. I ask him about his status bars and he says, "Why should I use proper punctuation? No one else does on Facebook. We all know what we're trying to say."

Here in Texas, we have had an unusual amount of snow days. This type of forced vacation has been the perfect time to place a dent in my to-be-read-pile. One book stood out to me above the others, and it was a small, hardback book with the title, Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss. My family asked what I was reading, and I told them it was a book about punctuation. Their noses scruntched up, followed by a look which said, "Mom, you're an alien!"

I particulary enjoyed the book. I felt that I was in good company with the author, even though she knows considerably more about the subject than I. This book is not a text book with mind numbing information. Instead, it is a book about the history of punctuation and also how to use it correctly. I have had stumbling blocks about certain punctuations. For instance, why are exclamation marks so wrong? Why can't I add...elipsis whenever I want? I love...elipsis. What is the deal with periods inside the quotation marks and periods outside the quotation marks? Which one is right? Questions like these will keep me up at night. So, this is why not only did I read the book but learned from the book.

I even enjoyed the panda joke at the beginning of the book. I would relate it to you now, but I'd probably mess up the punch line. Please get the book and read it for yourself. You won't regret.

I will end my post with a crowning star moment from a conversation between me and my son yesterday.

"Mom, did you know the word eat can be a fun word?"

"How is that?"

"You can take the 'e' in eat and place it behind the 't' and the word becomes ate. Then you can take the letter 'a' and place it behind the letter 'e' and the word becomes tea. That's so cool!"

All is not lost. We should just keep teaching, training, and keeping our standards up.

P.S. While looking for an image to include with this post, I found a couple of links you might enjoy.

Lynne Truss website link: http://www.lynnetruss.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=8

Google link for worksheet which will help solidify the information in your brain:

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:3HekqCPpinIJ:us.penguingroup.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/eatsshootsleaves.pdf+eats+shoots+and+leaves&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiJaFX36xD4_i44-R5HHj4aB04aT9f96g12WZKA4cAcQCuKrKfUJW0DQsGP8TV3B41F-MUloCx3tHgKq2ZZpuYsgXkjWKOFZGQ3dW9iArxUb6XB_hncpuaj50D8X0ep12QjVC9T&sig=AHIEtbSSom9D6dGJg9Hb29SeeCnt6k7Pwg&pli=1

If the above link doesn't work, search "eats, shoots and leaves" and locate the google link.

Happy writing, Y'all!!!

Debra

One of My Favorite Writing Blogs

2011-01-16T18:20:00.002-06:00

Gail Gaymer Martin is one of my favorite places to go for information about writing. You can find her at http://writingright-martin.blogspot.com. She has written information about almost any topic regarding writing. Just three of those I noticed were Characterization, Deep POV, and Common Writing Errors. There were many more topics to chose from. She writes in an easy to understand style that clearly presents the topic.

I highly recommend that writers check her site and sign up for notices when she
posts a new topic.

Recipes and Food from the Civil War by Jim Long

2011-01-02T20:14:00.004-06:00

In October of 2010, I went on a trip with a group to Branson, Missouri. Between shows, we visited several gift shops. One of the items I purchased was a book called Recipes and Food from the Civil War by Jim Long. A few examples in the book are the instructions for Red Eye Gravy, Jerky, Dried Apples, Corn Pone, Fried Squirrel, and Rebel Stew.

Do you know what Leather Britches are? I was concerned that soldiers were forced to eat pieces of leather until I read the directions. Leather Britches are dried whole green beans.

There is a section called "Treatments for Horses" that would be key to anyone who relied on horses for transportation.

If you are interested in this book or several others such as Herbal Medicines of the Civil War, contact Jim Long at his website, www.LongCreekHerbs.com. or at Long Creek Herbs, P.O. Box 127, Blue Eye, Missouri 65611. He also has a gardening blog at jimlongsgarden.blogspot.com.

For now, I'm going to read Mary Ball Washington's recipe for Lafayette's Gingerbread, which was a popular during the Civil War period. I might even give it a try. I'm going to skip trying Pemmican though.

Partnering for Greater Writing by Judy Vandiver and Babara Oden

2010-12-05T13:05:00.003-06:00

Here on the--books to write by---blog, we try to give good advice on books, webpages, and other avenues in which to improve your writing knowledge and abilities. Recently, I purchased a book written by two newer authors, Judy Vandiver and Barbara Oden, called "Partnering for Greater Writing." This small book, though an easy-read, is chock-full of interesting ideas to turn your want-to into finished products.
These two ladies turn partnering into an art form. Though the team work includes writing this book together, the duo transforms separate avenues and interests in the world of writing into a bond for encouragement, accountability and guidance. Examples abound of day-by-day calendars and goal setting lists actually used to upgrade their endeavors.
Since we're all individuals in our approaches to anything, seeing how two different personalities and styles provide momentum and motivation for each other inspired me. I have three critique partners (Debra, Stephanie and Moonine who write on this blog with me), and we do read each other's work and encourage when one is down. However, reading this book showed me the importance of perhaps choosing one writer with whom I could share goals set and met each week so that I might take my writing to a higher level in 2011.
Thank you, Judy and Barbara for this well laid-out plan. I highly recommend the book if you're looking for a unique way to spur yourself into action and keep you sailing to new writing pursuits.

Describing Your Setting

2010-11-04T11:02:00.001-05:00

Like many of you, I have found myself in a place where I struggled with a specific aspect of writing. My first stumbling block was point-of-view, not the first-person, second-person, third-person part. I struggled with head-hopping. Then my next obstacle was learning plot. I'm a emotions-first writer. I can write goals, motivations, and conflicts with a heap of emotions all day, but by the end of my work day my characters have not moved in the story. I have grown as a writer by learning everything I can about my writing struggles. As of today, my new writing conflict is setting. I never thought much about it before meeting my mentor. But as she reads my work she diligently points out that she can not see where my characters are coming from and going to and what the environment is around them. To help me learn more about the subject of setting, I spent the summer learning more about the area I have set my novel in. I also took pictures and bought books along the way.

My first trip this summer was to the Wichita Mountains located in southern Oklahoma. I snapped many pictures of my kids and their friends at the Holy City, Mount Scott, and near a little lake (which I can't remember it's name). My second trip was on Father's Day. My husband drove me and our kids out to Lake Diversion. This is the exact location of my setting for my novel. I discovered an ancient map online and found the path of the old Wichita River which used to run near Lake Diversion. I also found that path of the river which still has a faint trail today. Using that faint trail, I discovered the town for my novel. I burned up the camera snapping pictures of native grasses, buttes, shelves, and farm lands. I discovered a part of the country I didn't know existed in these parts. Even though I snapped a lot of pictures of that area I will not post those because the images are too specific for what I want to accomplish with this blog post. My last trip was to Fort Worth and Decatur. In Fort Worth, we visited the Log Cabin http://www.logcabinvillage.org/ and saw a-hands-on 19th century village. We also visited Thistle Hill, but they wouldn't let me take pictures. In Decatur, we visited a 19th century museum (which used to be a Christian college in the 1800's). I took pictures of artifacts that were specifically from the Decatur area during the 19th century. I thought I'd share with y'all some of my findings.

I can't remember this lake's name. But I thought the landscape was beautiful. I love the boulders and the tall grass against the backdrop of the lake and hill.

We are visiting the Holy City at the Wichita Mountains. This is the inside of the chapel. To this day they still hold services and wedding ceremonies inside the chapel. The art work on the ceiling is breathtaking. During the Easter holidays, they hold a Passion Service during sunrise.

Prairie dogs populate the Wichita Mountains. Though contact with the animals is strongly discouraged, I do have a photo of my son playing with a baby prairie dog.

We are driving up Mount Scott. We are not to the top, yet. About half way up, I became mesmerized by this view and made my husband stop the vehicle.

We visited the Visitor's Center at the Wichita Mountains. They have a movie room where visitors can watch a documentary about how the refuge began. There are exhibits of native animals, grasses, and insects. They also have a souvenir shop where I bought this book. I was pleasantly surprised with this book because it has pictures of local prostitutes in it. (There is a prostitute in my novel. I almost described her like I see in the movies with a corset, shawl, and skirt. The prostitutes in this book were dressed modestly.)

This photo is from the Log Cabin Village in Fort Worth, Texas. We see how early pioneers cooked on a hearth. The Village has many on hand volunteers who dress in 19th century costumes and work in the village, sewing, cooking, and performing certain crafts, such as candle making, spinning, weaving, and more. Two of these log cabins are Fort Worth cabins, but the other seven are historic Texas structures which were carefully dissembled and moved to the present site. All nine structures are actual mid-1800's cabins. The park has authentic log homes and artifacts, blacksmith shop, one-room schoolhouse, smokehouse, water powered gristmill, and a herb garden.

This log cabin only had one room, one bed, one table, and a cradle. I can't help but think how crowded families were in the home.

This is me grinding corn into meal. It was hard. I can't imagine how long it must've taken the average wife to grind enough corn into meal for the day's cornbread.

I think I understand the old saying now, "Half past cornbread and goin' on biscuits." (Even though the process of baking bread took longer, grinding the wheat was easier and sometimes the flour could be bought locally.)

This is one of the volunteers who before we arrived was knitting. She taught me how to work the hand pump on the water spigot. I must remember for my novel to always prime the pump before attempting to get water.

I love this picture! I have a scene where my heroine is baking in the kitchen with her grandma. I have already used this image countless times. I also enjoyed showing my children the toaster hanging on the wall. Can you see it? It is hanging between the hearth and the iron skillet. The contraption already has two pieces of bread in it.

I could've watched this man work all day. I was fascinated with his skill working wood. While standing there, he made four legs to a table. They were beautifully crafted with curves and etching. Even though the machinery is all manual, the man worked very fast.

This is a one-room schoolhouse. The walls are white-washed. The black board was quite large. The seating didn't have desks. Lanterns hung from the ceiling for light. There was also a wash stand at the back of the room near a closet.

I bought these books from the Log Cabin Village Store. The store clerks were dressed in time period clothing. They also had artifacts and old-fashioned candy in the store. In Bowie, Texas at a antique store/tea room called, Nostalgia...I bought real cakes of lye soap. The owners make it often to sell. If you drop by you have to try an ice cream soda from their old-timey soda fountain. http://nostalgiainbowietx.com/antiquestore.htm

I found some very useful information in this book, such as why mothers dressed their toddler sons in dresses. Did you ever want to know why? The book says 19th century mothers didn't have diapers so to keep pants from soiling they put the boys in dresses until they were properly potty-trained.

I also discovered there were a lot of superstitions back in the day. Have you ever lost something and couldn't find it? The book has your remedy...The person who has lost the object SPITS into his right hand and hits the spittle with his left forefinger. The spittle will splatter in the direction of the lost object...Happy hunting, y'all!

This books shows how mothers taught daughters to cook by memorizing rhymes. (Johnny Cake in Rhyme) "Two cups Indian, one cup wheat; One cup good eggs that you can eat. One-half cup molasses too, One big spoon sugar added thereto: Salt and soda, each a small spoon. Mix up quickly and bake it soon." The book also has food insults, "He's as helpless as spilled beans on a dresser." And here's my favorite, remedy for being struck by lightening, "For a couple of hours shower in cold water. In case there is still no sign of life, add a cupful of salt and continue for another hour." Ha!!! Salt won't help the dead!!! LOL

This is a hearse located at the museum in Decatur. It boasts, "1886 Model Air-conditioned Front Seat" (Shameful to stay I stood there wondering if that was a joke!)

This is the top to a wedding dress. It is charcoal gray, almost black with matching brocade trim. The caption reads, "Top to My Mother's Wedding Dress. Emma P. Butterfield and William B. Towles were married in Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1892. The skirt for some reason got away from me." ~Ethel Towles Alvord, Texas

I have discovered when planning my book that I need to take some time and visited local places where my novel is set. Take lots of pictures and never trust my memory because I'm forgetful. Even though you don't want to fill up pages of setting, adding the right descriptive sentences will add detail for the reader to see your story more clearly. Happy Writing! ~Debra Calloway

A Woman Called Sage by DiAnn Mills

2010-10-03T14:39:00.002-05:00

When you see the slogan, "expect an adventure," chances are you're talking about my friend and mentor, DiAnn Mills. With more than forty books to her credit, DiAnn provides both fans and first time readers an exciting journey with every book.

Ms. Mills writes both historical romance and romantic suspense. In both genres, conflict rampages on every page tantilizing, enticing and drawing us in deeper and deeper until the book finishes. Then, we are disappointed that it's over.

Last year, I told about one of her romantic suspense books "Breach of Trust." Earlier this year, Sue Watson blogged here about the second in that series, "Sworn to Protect." Today, I'd like to choose her latest historical fiction, "A Woman Called Sage."

This is a story of redemption, second chances and God using bad to make good. Sage Morrow, a happily-married expectant mother in the late 1800s turns into a lonely, driven bounty hunter because of a murdering gang. Her life fills with danger and decision, but God works behind the scenes to heal many people hurt by the gang's evil doings.

If you think we have our favorite authors on this blog, you're right. DiAnn Mills teaches fiction mentoring clinics and remains willing to help young writers, two of which write on this blog. Thank you, Diann, for your wisdom and help to Moonine Sue Watson and Janet K Brown and a host of others, and thanks for another book to satisfy our thirst for your particular brand of adventure.

Organizing Writing Stuff

2010-09-05T21:45:00.003-05:00

I am one of Office Depot's favorite customers because I make monthly purchases of paper and ink.

Why? It's not because I'm churning out novels on a monthly basis.

Why? It's because I make copies of things I want to keep. I could make files and keep them on my computer, but I worry that the computer might crash and take my files with them. I also use the flash drive and have an attachment that continually saves my things. I'm thinking about investing in that program they advertise on tv that will save everything in case of fire or floods. The trouble with that is I might lose the password like I have for my identity theft program.

I am drowning in stacks of papers and articles I've cut out with advice about things I might need to know. I'm trying to organize the stacks into files to fit in one of my six overflowing file cabinets.

I have cautiously set up files on my computer for new files from now on, but I have all those cut outs from the past. I'd like to close my eyes and throw them away, but there might be a nugget of truth I'd need later. Do you suppose the quaint restaurant in New Hampshire advertised in 1985 is still there? I have the article in case we decide to take a trip that way.

I see pictures of neat tidy offices. I would really like my office to look that way. I also have binders by topics which are partially full and waiting for more items to nestle inside. The binders can go in one of my eight book shelves where they'd share space with all the favorite books, books to be read, and how to books already occupying the shelves.

What's your system for organizing your materials from magazines, newspapers, workshops, and conventions? I'd really like to know.

And by the way, if you want to know the many ways you can use vinegar or baking soda in your house, you can contact me. I have an article about it....somewhere.

Seen Any Good Book Trailers Today???

2010-07-19T11:40:00.006-05:00

Today, I'm going to start a series of posts on book trailers. They seem to be all over the net now. Homemade, professionally made, long, short, and yeah, some just right. I, myself, have found them to be fun and useful, but somewhat mystified by how affective they really are. The jury seems to be still out on that one. Still, they seem to have definitely risen in popularity, and I for one, being a visual/audio type person, enjoy a good book trailer. How about you?

For this first post, I'm going to talk about different kinds of book trailers. In each post, I want to showcase different book trailers, so I welcome any links of favorite ones you wish to share.

So, the question is for you today? Have you seen any good book trailers that you've had to press the replay button on YouTube? Any that made you want to buy the book, or at least check it out at your bookstore or library? I'd love to hear about it.

So here's some book trailers I found while either trolling on YouTube or being given a link.

The first kind is the ones with video and voiceovers.

Here's a great one called The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson, a new YA medieval romance from Zondervan.

This second one is called The Found by Margaret Haddix. It uses videos, sound effects and words, but no voiceovers.

The third is done with pictures and word frames. It's called Refuge, a YA mystery/suspense. And yeah, it's mine. :0)

So tell me about your favorite book trailers on the net. What do you like about book trailers or not like about book trailers in general?

(A footnote... I hope you can see them full screen. The embedding seems to cut part of the trailer screen off on my computer.)

Until next time….

A New Book By Mary E. DeMuth: Life In Defiance

2010-06-13T22:21:00.003-05:00

Life In Defiance is the final novel in the Defiance Texas Trilogy. In book one, a young girl named Daisy Chance disappears and is found dead. In book two, we focus on the dead girl's mother. In book three, we focus on the preacher's wife, Ouisie Pepper, who is keeping a terrible secret. She knows who the murderer is, but she hasn't told anyone.

Since Book One, I have speculated on who the murderer might be. I wanted this terrible crime solved and justice dealt to the murderer. Author DeMuth writes with such depth of emotion about the murder and the reactions of the town's people. My heart ached for Ouisie as she tries to please a husband who won't be pleased while her children suffer emotionally and physically over the abuse of their mother.

We experience the indecision of a woman who is torn between protecting herself and her children and obeying the tenets of a book on womanhood.

Take the time to read the first two books so you can fully enjoy the solution to the crime. I was wrong in my guess. Read the books and see if you can figure out who the killer was.

The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

2010-05-16T13:56:00.002-05:00

Calling all would-be fiction writers--especially historical fiction writers. Stephen King's famous quote tell us, "if you don't have time to read, you don't have time or the tools to write." Here on Books to Write blog, we usually tell about craft books, but today I'd like to tell you of a fiction book called "The Anonymous Bride." I met author Vickie McDonough a couple years ago in Tulsa. She's a quiet, unassuming, talented lady, and her new book catches your attention with the first line and holds on to the last sentence.
In craft books, fiction workshops and online courses, I repeatedly hear to grab them at the beginning. McDonough starts with "Sometimes God asked difficult things of a man, and for Luke Davis, what he was fixing to do was the hardest task ever." Yep, my thoughts exactly. I wanted to read more. This book is the first in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides Series by Barbour which came out in April this year. I fell in love with the characters, not only the hero and heroine, but the hero's two cousins and four (count them-four) mail order brides.
Humor tantalizes the reader, but the book overflows with drama and suspense and a little "who done it," besides. The thing I liked best was there was no draggy downtime at the end. McDonough kept the reader eager for more until the end.
A question put to Vickie McDonough was how she got her start in writing. Here's her answer, "I have always been an avid reader, so I'm sure that influenced me to become a writer, even though I'd never planned to be one. A story started going through my head, and it got to the point where I wasn't sleeping at nights because of it. I decided to write it down, hoping it would go away and leave me alone. As soon as I finished that book, another one starting running through my mind. At this point I took a step back and started praying about my writing, and that's when I felt God leading me into the writing field."
I, for one, am glad Vickie couldn't sleep until she started writing them down for the rest of us to read. I got this book free but plan on passing it on to a writing friend specializing in historical romance. Then, I'll buy Vickie's next book.

Sworn to Protect by DiAnn Mills

2010-05-02T22:20:00.002-05:00

I met DiAnn Mills when I stepped "out of the box" and signed up for her Mentoring Class. I've been a fan since that time.

Her latest book is Sworn to Protect which is book #2 in her Call of Duty series. Janet Brown, who took the Mentoring Class at my suggestion, wrote about the first book, Breach of Trust .

Sworn to Protect features a female Border Patrol Agent whose husband's unsolved murder haunts her. Her life is complicated by threats against her own life and her brother-in-law's resentment.

DiAnn states she rode with the Border Patrol to get a feel for the job. I feel like I have a greater appreciation for the dangers the Border Patrol agents face as part of their daily routine.

DiAnn also presents the plight of the illegals who are preyed upon by individuals who take advantage of them and exposes the tactics of those who traffic in humans and drugs.

The problems of the border are front page news. This work of fiction gives a glimpse of both sides of the situation without taking sides while weaving a story you won't want to put down.

I enjoyed this book as well as the first one and will be anxiously waiting book three in the series.

I ordered the book from my local bookstore and received no compensation from DiAnn Mills for writing this review.

Brainstorming Weekend

2010-04-25T22:39:00.002-05:00

Our local writers group recently had a weekend retreat at the country home of one of our members. We met for dinner in town on Friday night before convoying to her home. Once we carried all our blankets, pillows, air mattresses, and items for the weekend, we shared the bare bones of our work in progress.

The next morning after breakfast we started in with each member introducing their main character. Other members could ask questions for clarification. Several members brought copies of character questions to share.

After lunch, we took a short country walk and resumed with our one sentence log line, which we helped each other refine.

We decided that each member should go ahead and describe the plot, conflict, and elements of their stories. After stopping for supper, we worked until bedtime.

On Sunday morning, we finished helping plot the remaining members stories. We ended our time together, agreeing we all were leaving with enough ideas to finish our projects. We decided two issues: 1. We all needed to diet after all the food we'd eaten this past weekend. 2. We definitely wanted to make this an annual affair.

So, I would strongly suggest that any writer get together with at least one other writer and devote some time so brainstorming your ideas for a story. Bring things you've learned from workshops, books, and articles to help with plotting. You'll be glad you did.

The Narrow Path by Gail Sattler

2010-04-18T14:28:00.008-05:00

During a brief time with Ms. Sattler in a critique group, I received good advice on writing an interesting story with a clear, strong Christian message. Since I had never read a book by her, she sent me online an advanced copy of her newest book "The Narrow Path." Never before had I read a Mennonite book, so I found Gail's book not only a good read, but informative as well. This delightful romance pits the old, traditional sect with a modernized version of the same values which gave me a well-rounded view. Sattler gives insight into a different way of life, and colorful characters dot the pages. I found some of those characters in a work I was critiquing for her. I'm sure that will make an interesting sequel. I asked Gail a few questions to probe her mind.

1. List your 5 top favorite activities.

Number 1 music. Number 2. music. I say that because I'm in 2 different bands, a jazz band where I play my electric jazz bass and a concert band where I play my double bass with a bow because there is no electricity allowed with a concert band. I can't count the worship team for church, because I've played both basses and piano for that, so it's kind of a rerun. Number 3, reading; Number 4, walking my dogs: Number 5 I'd say after all that, sleeping.

2. Do you write in other genres as well as romance?

Yes, but I'm not published in them yet. I'm working on a woman's fiction that has a touch of romance, a cozy mystery, and the most fun, a supernatural thriller that I'm writing with my husband.

3. What does a typical writing day look like for you?

I don't have a typical writing day. I have a day job, so that takes my day. I write when I can on the evenings and do editing in the mornings before work, and I do a lot of writing on the weekends.

4. What 1 piece of advice would you give a beginning writer?

Best advice. Write and keep writing, and while you kep writing, keep learning the craft. If you think you know it all and think you can stop learning, you might as well stop writing. Write because you love to write, not because you want to sell. Selling is a bonus. I guess that's more than one piece of advise, but I write. I don't do math.

For more information about this good author, go to http://www.gailsattler.com/

"The Narrow Path" will be out in May, 2010. I would recommend buying a copy.

2010-04-11T21:41:00.004-05:00

As writers, we are always searching for new books, articles, magazines, courses… anything to help us become more effective writers. Oftentimes, those pursuits can get expensive. Today, however, I want to share a resource that is completely free and yet one of the best online magazines for writers.

This monthly online magazine is called Christian Fiction Online Magazine. It is filled not only with articles on helping your craft but also current industry news that will help you stay abreast of market changes.

Check out this months issue HERE.

Top Five Best Craft of Writing Books

2010-04-03T14:18:00.000-05:00

In all of the conferences, workshops, and meetings I've ever attended, I've heard the same titles touted amongst the masses as the best books to learn to write by. We here at Bookstowriteby strive to bring you such books to cultivate your craft. I thought today we would review, in my opinion, five books which I believe should be on every writer's bookshelf.

In no particular order, here are the five:

Dwight Swain
Techniques of the Best Selling Writer

Donald Maass
Writing the Breakout Novel

James Scott Bell

Plot and Structure

Jack Bickham

Scene and Structure

Margie Lawson

Empowering Charactions' Emotions

Granted this last one is not a book, but you can go to her website and order her lecture packet. I have the packet, plus I have had the honor sitting through one of her workshops as well as enrolling in her online courses. The content of her lectures are outstanding. I learned more about characterization through her workshop then I have reading books on the subject.

If you are in the market for buying books, add these to your shelf. If you are in a money crunch, then look at local library annual book sales, half.com, amazon.com to see if you can buy a used book. If you just want to borrow a book check them out at your library or borrow from a friend. You won't be sorry.

Creating Characters: How to Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain

2010-03-28T20:54:00.003-05:00

Creating Characters: How to Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain is a book a fiction writer would definitely want to add to his/her permanent library.

When I saw this book available for purchase on Amazon.com, I knew I wanted to order it. I am not sorry I decided to purchase this book. The book is divided into seventeen chapters. In the preface Mr. Swain recommends selecting a chapter that addresses a particular problem area you need.

Since I planned to review the book for this blog, I read them all. My favorite chapter was "Fleshing Out" since one critique of my last manuscript was "Your characters are two dimensional". This chapter provided some good suggestions on how to give my characters depth.

Chapter Twelve talked about character descriptions and how choosing the right words to describe the characters was essential.

Chapter Thirteen revealed some techniques for writing good dialogue that would move the story along and show who the character was instead of telling.

Chapter Seventeen was "The Search for Zest", which addressed how to keep on writing and not lose the motivation to write.

I feel more confident that I can write better characters in my next book based on what I learned from Dwight Swain's book. If I have any questions, I know which book to pull off the shelf. The combination of notes I took and underlinings throughout the book should help me overcome difficulties I might experience at the time.

This is one more book I will keep close at hand because I know I will be rereading selected chapters many times in the future.

Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass

2010-03-21T13:43:00.003-05:00

Would you love to go to a writing conference or workshop this year but can't afford it? I have the answer. Buy "Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook" by Donald Maass and do every assignment.
Previously, we recommended "Writing the Breakout Novel," and I'm sure many of you have purchased it. It's a good read. However, if you didn't get the corresponding workbook, you missed a treasure. For every chapter of three to five pages, Mr. Maass challenges us with the same assignments he gives to those who attend his workshops across the country. I guarantee your manuscript will be strengthened and improved if you not only read this book, but do the homework. Granted, you must be self-disciplined because the highly-acclaimed literary agent won't be looking over your shoulder.
My young adult heroine in my present work in progress took on heroic qualities from the first chapter of Donald Maass' book. In chapter six, by listing as many possible motives for different actions by my protagonist as I could think of, I found new and surprising twists and turns. I found new problems for my young character by raising the stakes, then raising them again, and then again.
With Mr. Maass direction, I listed all main characters and dreamed up new motives, new reactions, higher stakes, a recommitment. I thought through inner turning points. I dreamed up new layers and extra subplots. I learned to measure the inner growth of my protagonist by finding scenes or inserting new scenes that prove my point. Low tension spots waved at me as I studied my words.
By the end of Maass' book, my mind popped with rewritten scenes and added tension to be woven in. This workbook was a purchase well worth my money and the next best thing to going to a writing workshop or conference.

Noah Lukeman The First Five Pages

2010-03-15T20:42:00.003-05:00

Ahhh… the joy, the ultimate blissful feeling that envelopes you once you have that finished manuscript. But now you want to make sure it’s ready before you send it to an agent. But what things do you check for?

Like a pilot getting ready for takeoff, Noah Lukeman in his book, The First Five Pages, gives us a pre-flight checklist for our manuscripts. A literary agent himself, he shares with us about things he sees in submissions everyday, things that could potentially send your otherwise wonderful manuscript into the slush pile of no return.

In this easy to read book, you’ll find wonderful suggestions and pointed tips to make your manuscript shine, especially those all important first five pages. From preliminary problems such as presentation and style to problems in the ‘bigger picture’ such as showing versus telling, pacing, and hooks, Mr. Lukeman’s book is sure to help you take your writing to a higher level.

Link to website and excerpt to Mr. Lukeman’s book: First Five Pages

Five Christian Sites for Aspiring Writers

2010-03-06T18:13:00.000-06:00

It's my turn again and this week I want to do something different. We haven't done anything like this before, so it is quite new. Instead of describing a how-to-write book, which I've read recently, I've decided to list some great sites for you to go visit. While surfing the web this week, go bask in the rays of knowledge of these capable writers and the articles they've written.

(These sites are listed in alphabetical order of the author's last name)

James Scott Bell

Website address: http://web.mac.com/jamesscottbell/Site/Writers_Page.html

Mr. Bell has twelve different articles written for writers on this page. Some of the topics deal with dialogue, plot, scenes, structure, and agents.

Also, this author has written a wonderful book called, Plot & Structure, which I reviewed on this blog previously. If you haven't read it...then go buy, beg, borrow, or well, whatever your conscience will allow you to do.

Mary DeMuth

Blog address: http://wannabepublished.blogspot.com/

Ms. DeMuth has a blog dedicated for writers. She hosts editors, agents, published authors to visit her blog and talk about the craft of writing and the journey to publication. She also has articles posted on her blog with an example of an excellent written non-fiction query letter.

Jeff Gerke

Website address: http://wherethemapends.com/writerstools/writers_tools_pages/tip_of_the_week.htm

Oh, my word. Mr. Gerke has 96 articles written for writers on the page of the link I posted above. I had a hard time making myself leave his site to write this post. I was captivated by all the content this editor has written.

If you don't feel like reading each article and having to return to the website to read more, Mr. Gerke has compiled all the information from these article into a book for easier reading. Mr. Gerke also has written e-books you can buy and download to your computer. I have done this in the past and have reviewed them on this blog. I love his books.

Randy Ingermanson

Blog address: http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/index.php

Mr. Ingermanson's blog has two free articles for viewing, his popular Snowflake Method article, and Writing the Perfect Scene. He also has the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, which is free and is very helpful for instructing writers on how market their work. He has many other useful items for sale on his blog. A few weeks ago, I reviewed his Snowflake Pro, which is a computer software for plotting a novel and constructing a proposal. This software is so incredibly awesome! I plugged in all my information of my novel into it and oh, my goodness...I clicked a button and my almost complete proposal popped up in a Word Document. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Camy Tang

Blog address: http://storysensei.blogspot.com/

Ms. Tang's blog is written especially for the writer. She has many, many articles for the aspiring writer, all of which is excellent content. Her articles and Mr. Ingermanson's work has helped me forged through the complicated text of Dwight Swain. The Story Sensei list articles from deep point of view to how to network at conference. She also has online classes, which individuals can enroll and learn more about the craft of writing.

I hope you enjoy visiting these sites as much as I have and that you can learn more about writing. Don't forget that some of the authors mentioned above also have newsletters you can sign up to receive.

Saving Money on Writing Books

2010-03-01T02:10:00.003-06:00

I was looking through my bookshelf full of writing books I've purchased over the years. Many are on my to read list. Where did I get these books with such interesting titles as Cowboy Slang?

The source for that one and several others was the local annual Friends of the Library book sale. Each year our group, which supports the library, hosts a three day sale of books. Local community members donate books they no longer need for the sale. The proceeds help fund projects such as new computers.

I've been able to find books about many subjects including the art of writing. I won't go into how many fiction books I find. For the price of $1.00 for a hardcover book and 50 cents for a paperback, I've brought home books I can use as resources for my own writing.

Our local library also has a section where books are sold monthly for the same low price. If you don't want to purchase a book, you can check out books on the topics you need. Another valuable service is inter library loan, which allows you to borrow a book from another library through your local library. Librarians also accept requests for books you think might be valuable for purchase for their permanent collection.

Other organizations such as the Adult Literacy Council often have book sales. Finally, if you have books about writing in good condition, donate them to your local library book sale. Someone like me might need the book for her next writing project.

Support your local library.

the Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction by Jeff Gerke

2010-02-21T12:51:00.003-06:00

I would like to recommend Jeff Gerke's book "the Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction" as a spiritual lesson. No, that's not a misprint. I've felt the conviction of the Lord on me for months. Finally, two weeks ago, God impressed me to stop writing altogether. It was the hardest thing I ever did. Two days after I agreed to follow the Lord's direction, I received in the mail Gerke's book which I'd ordered. With today's blog in mind, I began reading.

Thank you, Jeff, for writing about examining your reasons for writing. God dealt with me through this wonderful writer's words about making an idol of becoming published. I lacked contentment in what God wanted to say through me. I lost motivation to write, as Gerke calls it, like an invisible novelist. I wanted recognition for my stories, and I wanted it soon. This writing craft book first and foremost called me to submit to God's will for my life.

I should go on to tell you that Gerke provides excellent, practical education on our craft. I've never seen a better explanation of how to spot telling sentences. If God directs me to write more, I will definitely use Gerke's "dumb puppet trick" to best advantage and "become the filmmaker" for my characters.

Yet, all this good help pales in comparison to God's healing and guidance from the pages of a writing craft book. Thank you, Jeff, for writing for an audience of one and letting me in on it.

The Plot Thickens 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life by Noah Lukeman

2010-02-08T20:07:00.001-06:00

I found it interesting I bought a book on plot, hoping to help me plan my pathway from beginning a novel to the end. However, what I found was a book, which devoted a good portion of text to characterization. Granted, at first, I was disappointed because as I mentioned I wanted to strengthen my plotting skills. What I received was a book with valuable information, containing many ways to layer plots and make plots more interesting.

The Plot Thickens 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Live by Noah Lukeman is great for writers who have a basic plot formation, but want to take their carboard-cut-out-plain-Jane-plot and rocket it to the next level.

The first chapter, Characterization: The Outer Life, helps the writer develop the many outer layers and use these traits for plot points.

The second chapter, Characterization: The Inner Life, focuses on character's emotional and physical state.

Chapter three, Applied Characterization, teaches how to apply the outer and inner characterization traits to your characters.

In chapter four, The Journey, we learn about three profound journeys, focusing on realization. The next journey teaches about seven different surface journeys to strengthen the character's plot.

Chapter five, Suspense, list twelve ways to create suspense and then details how to prolong the suspense.

Chapter Six, Conflict, lists thirteen ways of creating and intensifying conflict among the cast of characters.

Chapter Seven, Context, teaches writers how to focus on a macro-look at their novel to see the big picture.

Chapter Eight, Transcendency, this chapter gives ideas on how to make a novel timeless for all generations.

At the end of each chapter, Mr. Lukeman presents exercises to strengthen the writer's grasp of the material presented.

I liked this quote from Page 120, "Suspense, ultimately, is about anticipation. It is about what we do not have, what has not happened. It's about the process of watching events unfold."

From the book blurb:

Noah Lukeman is a New York literary agent whose clients include multiple winners of the Pulitzer Prize and American Book Award, National Book Award finalists, Edgar Award finalist, New York Times bestselling authors, and the faculty of esteemed universities. He has worked as a manager in Artists Management Group, and is currently president of Lukeman Literary Management, Ltd. He is also author of the bestselling The First Five Pages, now part of the curriculum in many universities.

http://wwwlukeman.com/theplotthickens

Things I've Learned Reading as a Writer

2010-01-24T22:48:00.005-06:00

Many speakers at workshops recommend reading books as a must for aspiring writer so this winter I've been reading through my stack of books.

One area I've been struggling with is how to handle a scene when the two characters in the scene are of the same gender. In a recent book I noticed how skillfully the author accomplished that task by alternating the names and the pronoun he.

In another book, a secondary character, was introduced, I noticed how the author used key phrases, dialogue, and action to create a picture for me. As I continued reading, she skillfully did this to create individuality for each new character.

The research and sources one author credited in the Forward of her book blended seamlessly so I never stopped to question any details in the book.

I also noticed how one author recorded events happening to different characters in separate scenes so I never felt confused about the sequence of events time wise.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the books even while stopping to take notes on examples of techniques I observed as I read.

I recommend taking the time to observe how authors handle areas that you might be struggling with in your own writing. In other words, follow the advice of published authors to read in order to be a better writer.

from First Draft to Finished Novel by Karen S. Wiesner

2010-01-17T13:38:00.002-06:00

Wiesner's book, First Draft in 30 Days, helped me learn the craft of writing. Still today, every time I start a manuscript, I use a research list,a formatted outline and a "lay it aside" mindset. Along came her second writer-self-help book. I began reading at first with disappointment. This stuff was deep. It didn't help. On page thirty, I discovered a great fill-in-the-blank formula for a high concept blurb.
After that, I pressed on and found other gems throughout the book. Layering my characters became easier with Wiesner's idea of enhancement and contrast. Great examples using her own fiction displayed suggestions in the multiple appendices at the end. I learned through this book to list a symbol for my main character. This and other ideas, according to Wiesner, should be added to an outline for strengthening the foundation of my book.
Wiesner uses a symbol of building a story like a contractor frames a structure. She suggests we start with a blueprint and end with decorating the finished building. One decorating tip I found beneficial was about combining description with actions and thoughts.
By the way, for those as blind as me, a tip to the publisher of this book: I first thought the book had no page numbers, and I looked several times before I found one. Page numbers are listed in black at the bottom of each page on top of a dark gray stripe, but they are there.
My take-away "from First Draft to Finished Novel" mounted higher than I'd hoped. Thanks, Ms. Wiesner, yet again for true, practical assistance.
Due to recent rulings, I confess I purchased this book and wasn't compensated for telling our blog readers about it.

If You Build It, They Will Come...

2010-01-10T23:39:00.007-06:00

Wow… Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But does it really work that way?

It reminds me of the story of a man who wanted to be a famous artist. Get his paintings into every house. But he wanted to paint something big, let his inner artist free. So, he began at one end of a two-mile wall and painted a mural all the way to the other end. Only one problem. What the aspiring artist failed to realize was that in order to have his paintings in every home and store, he was going to have to figure out a way to paint within the confines of a frame.

As authors, we too must—at least during the editing process—fit our books within the confines of a frame—a structure. To some, it might seem frustrating. But that framework is there to showcase your story and make those plot points stand out, where before they may have been hidden alongside random episodic scenes. It gives your story direction, purpose.

One book I’ve recently found is called Story Structure—Demystified by Larry Brooks. Although an ebook, this 126 page manual is an excellent resource that will guide you through the oftentimes frustrating process of plotting an effective storyline. Not only does it break it down into four critical parts, it defines when you should have major turning points, and gives examples from best-selling novels.

Interested but not sure if this is something that will really impact your writing? I’m the same way. Too many books and not enough money to buy them all. But on his website archives, Storyfix.com, Mr. Brooks wrote a ten-part condensed version of his book. A great way to “test-drive” what’s in the book. Happy Building!

Storyfix--Post One

(As a footnote, I did purchase the ebook and have not been paid to blog on this. :0) )

Christian Writer's Guild - Apprentice Level

2010-01-05T13:27:00.004-06:00

For the past two years, fellow contributing blogger, Sue Watson and myself has been enrolled in Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

Come March, I will have successfully completed this two-year course. I have finished each lesson (two per month) on time (mostly) and have stayed to my estimated completion date.

Would I recommend this course for the aspiring writer? Yes, yes, and an emphatic yes!

What I love about this course is that it takes a writer with basic knowledge about the craft of writing and teaches him/her how to make money by writing articles and non-fiction items. By month five, I was submitting several pieces to different magazines and had several editors request to see my work from my query letters. I didn't get any of my pieces published but it was good experience for me to see how the process works.

Another thing I love is the fiction section of the course. I wished five years ago when I first started writing that I would have taken this course first before joining any other clubs or national organizations. Why? I had such a hard time understanding point of view when I first began writing. In this course, it explains with such clarity what point of view is and how to write different point of views. This fiction section covers plot, dialogue, point of view, scenes, characterization, emotions, and self-editing.

I saved what I love most for the last part, I love my mentor!!! Judy Bodmer is a doll and the best mentor anyone can have. She is such an encourager and is gentle with her critiques. I have learned so much by being paired with her.

The Christian Writers Guild matches each student with a published mentor. The mentors guide each student through the lessons and assignments.

Is this course for you? A resounding yes! This course is beneficial for the beginning writer to the intermediate writer. There is much knowledge to be gained from taking this course.

If you are interested in more information try this link: http://www.christianwritersguild.com/ApprenticeLevel.asp

From the website:

Our Apprentice Level course covers the gamut of writing from fiction to nonfiction. After you register, you’ll receive an introduction to your mentor, a lesson schedule to help you stay on pace, and the course notebook containing all 50 lessons.

As soon as you’ve finished the first assignment, E-mail your work to your assignedMaster Craftsman mentor. All our mentors have been personally approved by Jerry Jenkins, based on their experience and expertise.

Within one week, your mentor will return your work to you with comments and suggestions, and often even a bit of the kind of editing you might expect from an editor. But don’t wait for that evaluation before beginning the next lesson, so you can keep up with your one-lesson-every-two-weeks pace.

Each lesson is designed to build upon what you’ve learned in previous lessons. And move you closer to realizing your dream of becoming a writer. Who knows? You may be one who begins selling and publishing by the time you’ve finished the Apprentice course and move up to Journeyman.

All of us at the Christian Writers Guild look forward to the day we can say, “We knew you when.”

A Tribute to Shirley Harkins by her Writing Friends

2009-12-28T21:38:00.005-06:00

One of our contributors, Shirley Harkins, lost her battle with cancer today.

She wrote this about herself on her Caring Bridges site:

"I was admitted to the hospital on April 11th, 2008 complaining of excruciating pain in my back. At that time, my prognosis was "iffy" at best. At that time, the cancer was aggressive, spreading to my spine, pelvis, ribs, and liver. Thank God, He seems to have had other plans for my life. After months of chemo therapy, there no longer is evidence of cancer in my liver or pelvis. God is merciful and good.I continue to follow the suggestions of a nutritionist to support the more aggressive therapies, by strengthening my immune system and helping my body fight off the cancer cells. I also exercise doing water jogging and I exercise spiritual muscles and faith by regularly studying God's Word and extra biblical resources. Daily prayer and meditation is also a vital part of my protocol. I rely on the prayers of family and friends for support.
I have tremendous respect for all the professionals on "Team Shirley," but I rest my faith on the Great Physician, the one true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Because of His compassion, mercy, and love, and not due to any righteousness on my part, the cancer is succumbing to treatment. God is good! His results are always glorious and the Glory is forever His. Amen and amen."

Moonine Sue Watson's Thoughts About Shirley:

I first met Shirley on line when she joined our critique group. She was working on a book based on her experiences in the first platoon in the Women's Army Corp to participate in requiring the same level of training for women as the men. As I read her stories and met her personally, I grew to respect this courageous woman whose deep faith as she fought the battle of a lifetime deepened my own. If I had only heard her story of her Army days, I would have thought she was a unique woman I was proud to call friend. But to share her battle with her as the disease attacked her body was a spiritual journey that has changed me as a person. She loved the Wichita Mountains. We met at the chapel in the Holy City for prayer and devotions on a beautiful July day last summer. God was there with us. She and I split a huge buffalo burger at Meirs as well as a peach cobbler with homemade ice cream. We laughed and enjoyed each bite. Shortly after that, she lost the ability to eat solid foods. I miss her, but I know she's in Heaven, laughing and dancing with Jesus. Bless you, Shirley. I'm a better person for having known you.

The Day I Met Shirley Harkins

With love by

Janet K. Brown

Debra Calloway and I waited in Applebee’s in Wichita Falls, Texas for the newest member of our writing group to arrive. We’d only “talked” by e-mail. Our other member, Sue Watson, was unable to attend. Time ticked by. Shirley was late.
“How will we recognize her?” I asked.
Debra thought about our problem. “I wish we’d thought to get a cell phone number. Maybe she’s not coming.”

A dark headed lady walked in with a teenaged girl. No introduction was necessary. Shirley headed for our table, and we hugged in greeting. She always belonged.
Last Christmas, Shirley visited my house to critique, just she and I. “I worry you’ll be nice critiquing my work because I’m sick. I want the truth,” she said.

The truth is she was a great writer. I also remember her humor, her serious study of God’s word, her talent at drama, and her love for her family. Our circle at the writing table stands vacant, but God’s circle in heaven is more complete.

Steph Gallentine's thought on Shirley:

How do I sum up in one short post the impact someone had on your life? Shirley was an awesome encourager, a great writer, an honest critique partner, a wonderful friend, and my number one fan. :0)

The most memorable time we had was this summer when we all traveled to the Refuge, a place in the Oklahoma Mountains, where we had our July writer's meeting. Shirley had brought the DVD she had written and had gotten filmed and I had brought my newly published book, Refuge. Neither one of us had brought cash money so we couldn't purchase the other's item.

"I'll trade you a DVD for a book," I said.

She smiled and within moments, our barter was happy and successful.

Later, after we'd eaten lunch, we parted with Shirley and headed back home. Shirley kept waving for us to pull over. We all were worried because she had forgotten her medicine. Assuming she was sick, we pulled over, fully expecting to drive her back home. She got out of the car and met us at our car. "You forgot to sign my book." We all laughed for the longest time. She was so precious and I'm so thankful God brought her into my life.

Debra Calloway's Thoughts on Shirley:

I'll never forget two years ago when we first formed our local critique group, I began looking for new members. I saw Shirley's name pop up on the American Christian Fiction Writers loop as a new member. I was so excited and contacted her immediately since I knew she was nearby.

Instantly, there was a bond. We just clicked. She was so excited to meet our little group. It was some time before we had our first meeting with her. We met at a local restaurant and I was so worried I wouldn't know who she was and miss her, but that wasn't the case. We gravitated toward each other the second she walked in the building.

From the beginning of our friendship with Shirley, each of us has learned something new from one another. I will miss her terribly.

Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy

2009-12-27T18:40:00.003-06:00

Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy is a hot off the presses book that needs to be on every writer's bookshelf. The book consists of nineteen chapters full of topics to help any writer from a beginner to an experienced.

I attended a Randy Ingermanson workshop at the American Christian Fiction Writers' conference in Dallas a few years ago. I am a subscriber to his The Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine which gives writing advice. When Randy announced his book and offered it for purchase, I immediately ordered it.

My copy is already full of post-it notes, and I'm only a quarter of the way through. He helps a writer determine at what level she is and makes suggestions for skills that need to be mastered to move to the next level. The Five Pillars of Fiction are identified for in depth study in later chapters.

The best advice I've received so far is to write the first draft without worrying about grammar or details. Those will be taken care of in subsequent drafts. He also helps a writer identify her style of writing to make writing a creative project instead of a blank page.

I expect to consult this book on a regular basis. Order a copy. You won't be sorry.

A Cup of Comfort for Writers edited by Colleen Sell

2009-12-20T13:01:00.002-06:00

This week we will celebrate our Lord's birth. In the bustle of activity surrounding Christmas, I found the book "A Cup of Comfort for Writers" to be a good kick-back-and-relax-your-feet kind of read. To be honest, I added this book at the last minute to my order for Writers' Digest Books. The small anthology of inspiring stories cost little, but has added much to my days.
I've found it hard to complete writing obligations this month. How refreshing to read how other writers faced similar problems. Whether it was learning to balance spending time with my spouse and time with writing like Samantha Ducloux Waltz or facing the fact that I'm a publication addict like Alaina Smith, I find practical advice or at least sympathy on these pages. My very favorite story, written by Cynthia Ruchti, reads like a comical version of my life.
Out loud, I read one paragraph to my husband who doubled over laughing. "I never knew there was another person like you," he said.
Within his words is the reason I recommend this short book for your delight. You could find yourself on every page.
Praying for Christmas peace for all of our readers and writers this year.

A Kiss A Day: 77 Days in the Love of God from the Song of Songs, by Jamie Lash, McDougal Publishing, © 1996, 2004 by Jamie Lash

2009-12-14T10:01:00.001-06:00

If I am to weave God’s principles into my writing, I must be familiar with and living these tenets in my daily life in at least as much as I have grown in the Word. A responsible writer, or Christian for that matter, studies Scripture on a regular basis. Other benefits from this disciplined practice are to learn more about God’s and Jesus’s natures, to build faith, and to prepare me for spiritual attack.

I don’t know about you, but I like a good devotion to begin my quiet time with the Lord each day. Reading the insights of others gently transitions me from my hectic world to a spirit focused and ready to receive God’s Word.

In the past, I’ve reviewed Oswald Chambers, an excellent devotional. This time I feature a book called A Kiss a Day: 77 Days in the Love of God from the Song of Songs, by Jamie lash. If you are at all romantic, this devotional will especially delight you. If not, Ms. Lash’s devotions may inspire some starry-eyed images certain to rekindle your First Love you had with Messiah.

As the theme of her devotions, Ms. Lash focuses on different verses, and not all from the Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon. She blends in enough self disclosure to make her devotions more credible as the reader gets a glimpse into her tender heart. Many of the entries end with short prayers designed to close the gap between the reader and the King.

Along with passionate words, Ms. Lash also includes insights wrought from the Hebrew origins of words. Likewise, she explains biblical customs of the day to enrich the readers’ understanding of various events mentioned in the Song of Songs.

Interestingly enough, Ms. Lash is a Messianic Jew. She converted to Judaism shortly after her husband, a Jew who accepted Jesus as Messiah, led her to the Lord in prayer. Like the television ads, this book isn’t available in stores, but you can purchase it from their ministry website www.jewishjewels.org. I was not given this book by the author in exchange for promoting her title. I just include this information in case you would like to be blessed by this beautiful book of devotions. Fall in love with your King again.

Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Pro

2009-12-08T10:16:00.005-06:00

I'm excited to talk to you about a new software, Randy Ingermanson has created. It's called the Snowflake Pro. It was adapted from his Snowflake Method of creating a novel. This software enables writers to create their characters and storylines before actually writing their novel. The best part is no more notecards for me. In this handy-dandy software package the pages are user friendly and saves all your information right in one place on your computer.

I've tried other writing softwares in the past and spent more money on them then what Mr. Ingermanson charges, and wasn't satisfied with them. The ease of this software is incredible. I have already encouraged my critique partners to purchase their own copy of this program. And now I'm encouraging you. I'm positive you won't regret buying your copy today.

Here's What You Get in Snowflake Pro

Here are some of the key things you get in Snowflake Pro:

•An easy form to work through each of the key steps of the Snowflake method:
◦Your one-sentence storyline. This is your most powerful selling tool for selling your book.
◦Your one-paragraph summary. If somebody asks about your "Three-Act Structure," this is it in one paragraph. Memorize it before you talk to editors or agents.
◦Your character key info. Each character's storygoals, ambition, epiphany, and other crucial information. If you don't understand your characters, odds are it's because you haven't asked yourself the right questions yet.
◦A one-page synopsis. Grow this naturally from your one-paragraph summary. This is your baseline for creating the synopsis you'll need for your editor someday.
◦Character sketches. These are terrific for inserting straight into a proposal because editors love character-oriented fiction.
◦A four-page synopsis. Grow this out from your one-page synopsis. With this in hand, you'll know all the important turns in your story.
◦Character bibles. This is where you save all those pesky details you need to write three-dimensional characters. Take care of the details and your characters will take care of you.
◦A scene list. You can get this rolling by importing one of your synopses, then tweak it so you have an overview of every scene in your novel. This makes rearranging scenes in your novel a breeze. Includes a word-count projection so you always can estimate how long your novel will be.
◦Scene details. Any stray information that you need for each scene goes here. Don't lose that info! Put it where you can't miss it.

•Audio help on each stage of the Snowflake. If you're an audio learner, this will help lock it into your memory.

•Text help on each stage of the Snowflake. If you need to see the words, this is for you.

•Four example Snowflakes to show you how it's done:
◦Gone With The Wind
◦Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
◦Pirates of the Caribbean
◦Pride and Prejudice

•A button to create the skeleton of your proposal. Click that button, and Snowflake Pro will write an RTF file that contains the core of a proposal. Don't be paralyzed by doubt about how to write a proposal.

•The accumulated wisdom of 20+ years of a published novelist. I've published six novels. I've won about a dozen awards. The Snowflake method contains what I believe to be core to writing fiction. I have no patience for the fluff, so I left that out.

Buy yours today at: http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/info/snowflake_pro/96b.php

Everyday Life During the Civil War by Michael J. Varhola

2009-11-22T21:36:00.004-06:00

Writer's Digest Books has a series of books on different time periods. Each book focuses on the daily life of that time period. I purchased Everyday Life During the Civil War at the bookstore when I attended one of the Romance Writers of America's conferences. I also purchased one about World War II time period. If I were to write an historical novel, it would be about one of those time periods.

The book contains forty-four illustrations with a variety of photos from walking clothes to a flintlock musket. Some topics addressed are recipes, games, slang, and currency.

The Appendix includes a time line, a bibliography of recommended books, resources including web sites, and song lyrics of the time.

I haven't found the books on the shelves at book stores, They can be ordered from Writer's Digest and from a book store if you knew what title you wanted to use for your research.

Christian Writers' Market Guide by Sally E. Stuart

2009-11-15T12:17:00.002-06:00

Almost time for the newest edition of Christian Writers' Market Guide. Since many changes occured this last year, I can hardely wait until January, 2010.
At the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's conference in May, I met and visited with Ms. Stuart. She's a pleasant lady who's a wealth of market information. Twenty-five years ago, she set out to compile information whereby writers could search in one place to find a list of possible markets. She tapped into as her sub title says "the essential reference tool for the Christian writer."
I write Christian short stories for adults and teens. Before I start a story, I research this book for newsletters and magazines that accept fiction, then determine what length they require, what rights are wanted, and what payment is involved. Ms. Stuart's book brings out information I often do not find on websites and displays markets that I've not yet discovered. I can safely choose a market listed in Ms. Stuart's book because I know they're all Christian-based.
I also write contemporary romance and women's fiction. In the Christian Writer's Market Guide, I can locate possible book publishers, know whether they accept unsolicited fiction, know word count wanted, and the current year's need for topics.
Along with these two major purposes, the book offers other useful helps for Christian writers such as places for research, groups for Christian writers, freelance jobs, upcoming conferences, and even a list of agents who accept Christian writing and what they accept or even prefer that year.
Every year, in January, this resource becomes available. I've asked to be put on the list where I automatically receive the book upon publication. I'm not charged until I receive it. During the year, Ms. Stuart notifies her readers of changes since the last book through her blog. For writers, it's a win-win purchase.

Guest Blogger, Stephanie Gallentine

2009-11-08T16:04:00.002-06:00

Greetings! This is Debra and I'm stepping in today to introduce our guest blogger.

This week is our current blogger Shirley Harkins week, but our critique partner, Stephanie Gallentine will blog in her place today. I've uploaded a picture of us together at Stephanie's recent booksigning. From left to right, Stephanie, myself, Sue, and Shirley (not pictured Janet Brown).

So, without further ado, let me present our guest blogger, Stephanie Gallentine...

Raised in North Texas, Stephanie spent much of her childhood making up stories filled with action, adventure, and angst. From the time she was a young teenager, she started scribbling those adventures down on paper.

Years later, she met and married her husband, Robert. They have two fabulous children, Heather and Andy. Now, by day, Stephanie serves up lunches in her local school cafeteria. By night, she enjoys serving up stories filled with mystery, mayhem, and salted with the often mysterious yet always miraculous hand of God in the lives of teenagers.

Her first story, Refuge, is due out this August from Word Aflame Press.

Stephanie:

Being a plot-first writer, I often find myself struggling with character depth. This week my friend sent me a CD of almost five hours of lessons from the 2009 ACFW conference called Pinpoint, Diagnose, and Heal the Broken Places in Your Novel presented by Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck.

All I can say is wow! I couldn’t take notes fast enough as she went through common diagnoses from critique partners, editors, or agents. Topics dealing with character goals and the lies they tell themselves suddenly became clear, whereas before I struggled to really grasp the concept enough for it to benefit my own writing.

Other topics covered included discovering your characters noble cause, their goals, how to write an imperfect yet believable Christian character, plot problems, the heroes journey, the writer’s voice, and writing dialogue that ‘snaps’.

They also have a website called Mybooktherapy.com where you can look up topics like these in their archives. If you are ready to inject life into your novel, the doctor is in the house and ready to help your novel be the best it can be.

Love Untamed by JoAnn Chartier and Chris Enss

2009-11-01T11:48:00.002-06:00

I've been reading several books on what life was like in the 19th Century. I wish I could read them faster and retain everything I've read. I have so many ideas for book reviews, but just can't seem to keep up to date on my reading.

My current favorite book is, Love Untamed, Romances of the Old West, by JoAnn Chartier and Chris Enss.

Some of the real life love stories in this book are tragic with no happily-ever-after-ending, however there are several that end on a happy note and these stories are my favorite.

Backcover Blurb:

In these pages you'll meet a soiled dove who longed for a fairy-tale romance but instead fell for an ailing miner; a quiet schoolmarm who risked life and limb for her adventuresome husband; a spinster who refused to reveal the secrets of her heart despite a proposal from a dashing, prominent rancher; an actress who found her true love when she needed him most; and a rich couple who lost everything except their intense dedication to each other.

The romances of thirteen couples are explored in this book and represent the variety of relationships and love affairs that added color, controversy, and commitment to the unmatched days of the Old West.

Since HEA are my favorite endings, I want to tell you about two of the romances which I adore. The first one is about a couple madly in love with one another and leave their families and friends after their wedding with all their wedding gifts and all their clothes and set off on a ship to Honeymoon on the east coast.

However, as they near the southeastern coast of the U.S.A, a hurricane pops up. The storm takes their ship. Row boats are lowered into the water and women and children are the first to board. As the new wife boards another boat, she watches as the lights from the boat her husband is on sinks deep into the blackness of the ocean during the darkness of the night. Heartbroken, she sails to their destination point a new wife turned grieved wife.

When her ships docks, she disembarks. News at the harbor suggests that another rescue boat boarded all the men from the sinking ship she and her husband had sailed on. Trying not to get her hopes too high, she begins looking for her husband. In the distance, she discovers her husband is looking for her. Together at last, they embrace grateful God had spared their lives. Together, they owned not a stitch of clothing nor any of their gifts had survived. But together they cherished the greatest gift of God...love. The couple went on to live their life to the fullest, which included a home of their and children they adored.

My next favorite story is about teenage love. A young man took a fancy to a young woman. He escorted her to a town social. At the party, he became jealous of his best friend's attentions toward this young woman. The young men challenged each other to a pistol duel. Our young man shoots and kills his best friend. He runs away leaving the young woman heartbroken, yearning for his love.

As the years pass, the young woman had many men interested in her, but refused their attentions. She determined if she couldn't have her young man than she wouldn't marry at all.

The young man left the east coast and headed for the mountains in the mid-west. He learned how to survive on nature alone...becoming a sort of mountain man.

The woman heard stories of a wild man whose personality resembled her one true love, but as she made inquiries she soon discovered that this man had died.

Fifteen years had passed and the young woman's father loads up the family and travels west. As they near Colorado they are watched by angry Indians.

Miles away the young man turned wild man hears of some travelers who are being stalked by Indians. When one of the witnesses remarks about the traveler's last name the man assumes his one true love is one of them. He and his friends rides to save the family.

As they arrive, the Indians attack, killing the father. The wild man chases off the Indians and returns to the wagon. There he finds the girl of his dreams, the love of his youth, the reason he never could allow himself to marry. The woman who held his heart.

Together, they took the family to their destination and then they married, living happily-ever-after.

I think what really amazes me about that story is how ironic it is for a man who loses himself in the woods in middle America to pop up in the nick of time to save the woman he left behind on the east coast.

Sometimes real life is better than fiction.

The Facts on File Dictionary of Cliches

2009-10-26T07:19:00.004-05:00

Cliches cause writers problems. The debate on whether a cliche is ever appropriate in a manuscript often appears on various writer's sites. The conclusion of the debate weighs heavily on not using them except in character dialogue. The writer then faces the task of identifying less common ones.

Our local library conducts a sale each Spring of books removed from their collection and ones donated by community members. As a Friends of the Library volunteer, I help set up the display and see the books that are available.

I was delighted to spot The Facts on File Dictionary of Cliches. The alphabetical arrangement of cliches along with a definition provides 534 pages of useful information for the writer.

An extra bonus was a recipe for "Coffee Steak Marinade" tucked inside. All for the "awesome" price of one dollar. "awesome: Slang for "wonderful," "terrific," originating in the second half of the twentieth century and used widely by youngsters. It transferred the original meaning of awe-inspiring, dating from the seventeenth century. A New Yorker cartoon caption had it (Dec. 19, 1983): "Third Grade? Third grade is awesome!"

Visit your local library book sale. I've purchased several writing reference books there.

The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass

2009-10-18T12:17:00.002-05:00

If you've read Donald Maass' book "Writing the Breakout Novel,"you were probably, like me, anxious to get his next writing book. In May, my mentor, DiAnn Mills' suggested this book to take our fiction to the next level. When Writer's Digest books offered it, I ordered it. The name of it is "The Fire in Fiction." I recommend this book for advanced writers. Beginners would find it confusing and not a litte daunting.
True to Maass' companion workbook for the breakout novel, the author gives projects and learning assignments. In fact, a quick read would be to turn to the practical tools highlighted at the end of each chapter. Maass breaks down the parts of a novel--the characters, scenes, plots, tension--and shows ways to bump each item up a notch. Not only heros, but villians get a second look. I love the way he suggests picking someone in your own life that's memorable, then asks you why. Maass makes you think, really concentrate on each aspect of your manuscript. Following this book's direction, you examine the goal for each scene. One of my favorite techniques to strengthen my book Maass calls "the tornado effect."
Nearer the end of the book, the reader learns to make the impossible plausible and create reality out of terrible situations. Maass' own quote says it all. "Effective storytelling doesn't minimize problems, it exaggerates them."
Again, Donald Maass proves to be an excellent writing teacher or coach. If we must dig and study to grasp what he has to say, the rewards will belong to those who put forth the effort.

Note of Apology

2009-10-14T10:40:00.002-05:00

For two weeks, we've had an absence on our blog. Some of our contributors have been terribly ill plus as in the case of my household we've been fighting the flu.

I just wanted to apologize for the lack of posts and say we should be up and running again next week.

Thank you for your patience!
Debra Calloway

Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson

2009-10-12T16:54:00.001-05:00

Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson, © 1999, 2002 Dee Henderson, Published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

My reading appetite goes through phases. There are seasons when I will read nothing but non-fiction titles. Recently, I drifted into an almost insatiable craving for good fiction. I wanted plots that I could lose myself in; characters so distinct that I would recognize them on the street.

One of the books meeting this criterion was Danger in the Shadows by prolific author, Dee Henderson. This title is the prequel for her famous O’Malley Series and won the coveted Rita Award, the highest national honor given for excellence in romantic fiction.

Sara Walsh, the heroine of the story, is the daughter of a wealthy British diplomat. When Sara is six, she and her twin sister are kidnapped. During the nine-day ordeal, her sister, Kim, dies from dehydration. Sara continues to battle the demons of trauma on top of survivor guilt.

The story doesn’t end when Sara is found and freed. One of the kidnappers escapes apprehension and goes on to stalk Sara for the next twenty-five years. Sara is forced to live under tight security, led by her brother, Dave, an FBI agent. Limitations on her freedom preclude Sara from leading a normal life.

By chance, she meets ex-NFL star, Adam Black who persists on getting to know her. His efforts compromise her cover, and the stalker resurfaces in her life, placing Adam in the crosshairs as well.

I won’t tell you what happens next. This book is a page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat, while whetting your romantic predilections at the same time. I highly recommend Danger in the Shadows to satisfy your yearnings for good fiction.

A Slow Burn by Mary DeMuth

2009-09-27T22:43:00.003-05:00

A Slow Burn by Mary DeMuth is the second book about a young girl who disappears. This first book was Daisy Chain.

This book focuses on her mother as the authorities search for the missing child. Characters from the first book are reintroduced in such a way that reminds the reader of incidents from the first book, such as the painting of her house.

Besides being a great read, the writer can learn how to effectively write a second book a year after the first is published. There were no gaps or need to return to the first book in order to remember what happened in the first story.

This is a book of regrets from a mother who wishes she'd done a better job of loving her daughter. You won't be able to put it down once you start it, so give yourself plenty of time to read it.

Revising Fiction by Kirt Hickman

2009-09-20T12:43:00.003-05:00

As treasurer of our local Red River Romance Writers, I opened our group postal box and found an autographed copy of a writing craft book, sent to our group for a door prize. The name of the book was "Revising Fiction: Making Sense of the Madness" by Kirt Hickman. Before taking it to our meeting, I started reading it myself. Though in the middle of another craft book by a famous author, I soon lay it aside and devoured this new book.
Starting with the writer's concept and research for a story, Kirkland moves to the major premise of the manuscript, goes to chapter breaks, then to the nitty-gritty of adverbs, punctuation and turning passive into active.
I loved his list of cliches. He used his own fiction and showed what his critique group pointed out, and how he corrected the problems. Then, his easily-understood exercises gave his readers opportunity to apply the concepts to the manuscripts they were writing. The show and tell section was invaluable. With the help of this book, I tightened and deepened emotion in my fiction.
His self editing instruction would offer valuable tips to one thinking of writing a first manuscript, and for the multi-published author would present a workable tool for revision and/or rewriting.
I highly recommend this book. Since I must give it to the members of my writing group, I'll be ordering one for myself, so I can mark it up for future reference.

King of the Jews: Resurrecting the Jewish Jesus by D. Thomas Lancaster. Copyright © 2006 by D. Thomas Lancaster.

2009-09-13T17:21:00.002-05:00

I’ve heard many speakers and teachers say that “Jesus was a Jew,” and indeed, He was. When someone in an audience piped up and added, “He still is,” the statement went from being trite to intriguing. The author of Hebrews states that Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8) We may want to consider the Jewishness of Jesus when we study His life, His works, and His teachings. D. Thomas Lancaster, a scholarly student and teacher of the Word of God makes this transition for us in his book, King of the Jews. He presents the Master from a wholly Jewish perspective.

I write Christian Drama and I like to research, making certain that the props and costuming are as authentic as can be. I also study the words of Scripture to make sure that I am expressing the correct meanings in my dialogue. In my reasearch, I came across Lancasters book and found it mose useful. I am aware that projecting twenty-first century interpretation between the lines of the gospels may have caused an unintentional distortion of the original meaning. We know that Jesus is omniscient and knew that twenty-first century folks would be reading the Gospels. Still, He was recorded as speaking to first century Jews in words and idioms that they understood. Connecting His words to context gives the reader a deeper insight into the teachings of the Master.

This teaching method is called a remez. Rabbis traditionally use the remez, a word or phrase that brings another context to mind for the purpose of enhancing significance and understanding.

As writers, we employ this technique, as well. We carefully chose words that illicit certain emotional responses. For instance, we might not describe a likable heroine as having ice blue eyes. In the same way, giving the villain periwinkle blue eyes might make him seem less intimidating.

Lancaster shows us a humble Jesus, blending in with and relating to His disciples and followers. He gives detailed interpretations of certain parables. He also proposes some interesting theories.

King of the Jews also includes an exhaustive bibliography, scripture index, and even a subject index to assist the reader in his/her studies.

I recommend King of the Jews for any Christian who’d like to step out of the box and allow him or herself to be challenged by new Messianic insights. I believe you will find this book life changing.

19th Century Fashion Research book: How the West Was Worn by Chris Enss

2009-08-31T14:11:00.003-05:00

Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier: Fashion that Shaped the Old WestBack cover blurb: Did you know that pioneer women sewed lead in their hems to keep their dresses from billowing on the trail? Or that hatless men had to wear bonnets to protect their eyes from the scorching sun?From old familiar Levi's to the short-lived "instant dress elevator," HOW THE WEST WAS WORN examines the sometimes bizarre, often beautiful, and highly inventive clothing of the Old West. You'll learn how a cowboy's home state determined the way he wore his pants and hat, as well as how to distinguish one Indian tribe from another by their moccasins. Meet John B. Stetson, leading maker of cowboy hats; Adah Menken whose flesh-colored nylon costume left an audience gaping at her underwear; and Amelia Jenks Bloomer, the promoter of - you guessed it - the bloomer.

About the author: Chris Enss is an award - winning screenwriter who has written for television, short subject films, live performances, and for the movies, and is the co-author (with JoAnn Chartier) of Loved Untamed: True Romances Stories of the Old West, Gilded Girls: Women Entertainers of the Old West, and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon: Women Patriots and Soldiers of the Old West and The Cowboy and the Senorita and Happy Trails (with Howard Kazanjian). Her research and writing and reveals the funny, touching, exciting, and tragic stories of historical and contemporary times.Enss has done everything from stand-up comedy to working as a stunt person at the Old Tucson Movie Studio. She learned the basics of writing for film and television at the University of Arizona, and she is currently working with Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian on the movie version of The Cowboy and the Senorita, their biography of western stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

The chapter headings are:

DRESSING FOR A GOLD RUSH
In this chapter, we learn about a San Francisco dry goods dealer named, Levi Strauss who developed a brand new material, called denim which he believed was superior to any other on the market.

CIVILIZED STYLE IN THE WILD
I found this chapter most interesting. We meet Amelia Bloomer who female underwear was named after. While she did not design the female, "bloomers" she did wear daring outfits which were a short dress that reached below the knees with a Turkish-style trousers gathered in ruffles at the ankles. Bloomers became a symbol of the fledgling women's movement.

DRESSING FOR ROUNDUP
What I found so fascinating about this chapter was that the cowboys at a certain ranch resented their employers for enforcing them to wear uniforms. Sporting bib pull-over shirts of the same color does not sit well with the hires, even if it is marked with the (name) Ranch.

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE TRAIL
This chapter dealt with what children wore during the 19th Century. To my surprise, I discovered that daughters didn't wear ankle length dresses. Their hems came to below their knees. Girls longed to be grown up enough to let their hems down and their hair up.

PRAIRIE STYLES
In this chapter, an excerpt from The National Wagon Road Guide, 1858 gave a listing of what men should pack for their trek across the country on the wagon train.

A LASTING EFFECT
Accessories made the woman. It could change her mundane, everyday, dress to a nice social, evening dress.

ALL DRESSED UP
Evening wear accessories, such as jewelry and popular hairstyles and hair accessories that were popular in the day.

UNDER THE CLOTHES
This was a fascinating chapter on male and female "unmentionables". I didn't know that the average person felt that underwear was such a taboo subject that they wouldn't even make their own, but preferred to order them through a catalog.

STYLE IN THE RANKS
Military wardrobe

BORROWED FROM THE LAND
Indian clothing styles

I think what I loved most about this book are several things:
1. The author uses many pictures to show exactly what she is saying. (Photographs, catalog images, and patterns)
2. Lots of white space, the readability of each chapter is easy.
3. I loved the clothing biographies of many famous people, including pictures.

HOW THE WEST WAS WORN is a definite asset to any historian or historical writer.

Using the Library for a Book Signing

2009-08-23T14:23:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it is my turn again. The four week cycle comes around quickly. As you know one of our critique partners has published a book called Refuge. This has been quite an experience for us all.

We met as a critique group to brainstorm publicity and marketing ideas for her book. Because I save everything, I've started a new practice of copying and pasting ideas to a Word document for different topics to save ink and paper expenses. I have files for different topics on my desktop. When I read a new idea, I make a new Word page for it, including the name of the person who suggested the idea and also a note of my own ideas. I brought some copies of the new information and what I had accumulated in files over the years.

I am a member of the local Friends of the Library, so I was able to schedule a meeting for her to give a speech and sign her book on Family Night. The librarian was delighted with the turnout, and Stephanie was able to meet some teenagers who were happy to buy an autographed copy.

I am not writing about a specific book, but I am making a couple of suggestions. Keep files of different topics for later use, either in a file folder or on your computer or a combination of both. Consider contacting local librarians for a possible speaking engagement and signing opportunity. Stephani's signing appeared in two articles in the local paper. Her book is now in the library, and she has some new fans.

You can read her book yourself by going to her website at stephaniegallentine.com. You won't be disappointed.

Pitch and Promote Like a Pro by Terry W. Burns

2009-08-16T13:13:00.002-05:00

In April, 2009, I took an online course from Terry Burns presented by American Christian Fiction Writers. During this time of teaching his workshop and the class asking questions and advice, he completed his e-book "Pitch and Promote Like a Pro." The book can be purchased on his web site and is worth the investment.
First discussed in the book is overcoming shyness, a real handicap to most of us when having to pitch our manuscripts to an agent or editor. Mr. Burns gives numerous examples of himself and others from the class of ways to stiffen our shoulders and "do it anyway." Knowing our pitch (the elevator pitch and the actual opening pitch) adds to our confidence. Burns discusses the use of the "pregnant pause" in our pitch.
The book shows examples of both kinds of pitches from Burns' own writing. As both an author and an agent, he gives a unique perspective. We're provided copies of his own sell-sheets, but then given practical advice from an agent's point-of-view. He also explains the role of the agent.
Burns dissects a proposal including what to send starting with the cover letter, and how it should be formatted. He offers practical help on what to put for marketing on a proposal. I'd never realized what platform was until I studied under Terry Burns. He makes it easy.
To wrap up the pitching like a pro, Burns lets us in on what to do if you get a "yes," and what to do if you get a "no," or even a "you can send it if you want to" response.
"Pitch and Promote Like a Pro" is worth a second look for all newbies and might be a must-have for any writer who still gets nervous before the pitch at conferences.

Pictures of Stephanie Gallentine's Booksigning

2009-08-13T21:24:00.006-05:00

Stephanie Gallentine at the Burkburnett Public Library's Refuge Booksigning.

Stephanie standing with the Friends of the Library at the refreshment table.

Stephanie Gallentine, Debra Calloway, Sue Watson, and Shirley Harkins

(missing Janet Brown)

And the winner of our blog giveaway of REFUGE is...Allyson!

Allyson, Stephanie, and Bethany

My Utmost for His Highest Selections for the Year, Oswald Chambers. © 1935 by Dodd, Mead, & Company, Inc.

2009-08-10T07:11:00.000-05:00

I recently had the pleasure and privilege of presenting the devotion for our monthly critique group meeting. Stephanie Gallentine, who was interviewed in last week’s blog, wrote a YA thriller, Refuge, and we thought it appropriate to meet in a nearby wildlife refuge to recognize its recent publication.

For my devotion, I chose to read a selection from a book that saw me through the early days of my salvation; My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. I’ve referred to this book several times since I surrendered my life to the Master. The pages of my copy are dog eared, stained, barely clinging to a broken binding. Over the years, I’ve given several copies as gifts.

This book is actually a compilation of notes meticulously taken by his wife, Gertrude from his lectures at The Bible Training College which he founded in London in 1911. In fact, Chambers wrote only one book entitled Baffled to Fight Better, while he’s credited in more than thirty other books similarly complied by his devoted wife of seven years.

After his school was closed in 1915 because of World War I, Chambers continued to minister to troops in Egypt as a YMCA chaplain. He died at 43 in Egypt, after suffering a ruptured appendix.

The Utmost for His Highest is an inspiring collection of devotions—one for each day of the year. Chamber’s wisdom is inspired and timeless, relevant to the hectic pace of the modern Christian life. They are also indexed by subject so the reader can easily locate an encouraging word for whatever issue he or she happens to be facing.

I recommend this book to the tired writer’s soul in need of edification and reassurance that writing gift is a call from God.

Author Interview - Stephanie Gallentine

2009-08-02T17:31:00.006-05:00

Here at Books To Write By we have faithfully given reviews of books that has helped each one of us learn to write better. Occassionally, we add a fiction book that we really love.

But today we are so excited to have our first ever author interview. The reason for our excitement is that our own critique partner and friend, Stephanie Gallentine has sold her first novel and it is releasing this month! What a cause for a celebration! (And it's also nice to see our name in print on the acknowledgement page! Whoo-Hoo!)

We also have a free book to give-away!!! If you would like to own a copy of Refuge, please leave a comment on this post. Please be sure to leave your email address. If you are not comfortable leaving your email address in the comment section, you may email me: debra(at)debracalloway.com. Next Sunday we will announce the winner of Stephanie Gallentine's debut novel , Refuge.

To begin our interview, I will post Stephanie's biography from her website (http://www.stephaniegallentine.com/)

Raised in North Texas, Stephanie spent much of her childhood making up stories filled with action, adventure, and angst. From the time she was a young teenager, she started scribbling those adventures down on paper.

Years later, she met and married her husband, Robert. They have two fabulous children, Heather and Andy. Now, Stephanie spends her days working as a school cafeteria manager. After work, she lets her imagination run free on her computer as she writes her stories.

Her first story, Refuge, is due out this August from Word Aflame Press.

Stephanie, it truly is a pleasure for me to conduct this interview. (Hopefully, Sue, Janet, and Shirley will forgive me for not giving them the opportunity to do this first. :O)

1. What made you start writing?

I’ve been making up stories since I was a young teenager, but only started writing seriously a little over 3.5 years ago. I was going through a difficult storm in life and realized I need to quit focusing on the storm. I committed myself to doing something for God instead. Writing was that something.

2. When did you sell your first book?

I received my first contract earlier this year from a small publisher.

3. What are you working on right now?

Another YA mystery with a working title of A Name in the Stars.
While working on a genealogical school assignment, two teens discover a twelve-year-old cold case mystery involving the disappearance of identical twins and find they are searching for themselves.

4. Okay, I have to ask this question since this is the focus of our blog: Which books are the most helpful non-fiction, craft of writing books you have read?

Techniques of a Selling Writer by Dwight Swain

Story by Robert McKee

Getting into Character by Brandilyn Collins

5. So, which fiction books have helped you learn certain aspects of writing?

I’m not sure I could narrow it down to one specific book. I’ve always read a lot and growing up there were always certain books I read over and over and others I didn’t, and what I liked wasn't dependant on a certain genre. One day I found out it wasn’t the genre but the structure of the books that I liked. All the books I really like have a balance of conflict and comfort. I tried to mimic that when I’m writing.

6. When you first started writing what was your biggest roadblock and how did you overcome it?

Learning to write. When I first began writing seriously, I realized from feedback I knew how to tell a story, but didn’t know how to tell the story right. You mean I need a refresher in punctuation? What’s POV? MRU? But every time someone pointed out something I didn’t know, I did a search for articles, books, anything to help me understand it and then I did a rewrite.

7. What is your favorite food to munch on while writing?

M&M's

8. What is your writing schedule?

Is that a trick question? It’s one thing in my life that needs more focus. I like to write in the mornings but life doesn’t always work that way.

9. Which writing organizations do you belong to?

American Christian Fiction Writers and Pentecostal Writers Fellowship

10. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Never give up. Keep learning. Keep writing. If we feel writing is God’s calling on our lives, then whether we continue to write or not cannot be based on the receipt of a contract or landing an agent, but rather commitment to do His will.

11. How can readers find you on the Internet? Where can they buy your book?

http://www.stephaniegallentine.com/

http://www.pentecostalpublishing.com/

(If you want an autographed copy, please contact me and use Paypal.)

12. Tell us about the book you have out right now.

After being forced to plant a computer virus, a teenage hacker must find a way to expose the real criminal without revealing the secrets of his troubled past.

Sixteen-year-old Kevin Ramsey refuses to be sent back to juvenile detention for a crime someone forced him to commit, even if it means running away until he can find evidence to expose the true criminal. During a penetration test, Kevin discovers a computer file indicating William Tyke, co-owner of a local travel investment company, may be investing in more than overseas properties—his own offshore bank account and leaving Kevin’s father to take the blame.

Against his wishes, Kevin is flown to a remote location to keep him safe. However, no place is safe as long as Kevin holds the computer file with information vital to retrieving the money from the offshore account as well as possible evidence of an earlier unsolved crime. William Tyke plans to use any means to get it back, and Kevin’s father refuses to seek help from the police. Kevin must trust someone to help him, even if discovering the truth uncovers painful family secrets he’s been taught no one can know.

13. Please give us the first page of the book.

One hour and fifty-nine minutes.

Sixteen-year-old Kevin Ramsey shoved his hands into the fleece-lined pocket of his hoodie. His fingers, stiffened by the cold, clasped the folded bus ticket. In less than two hours he would be free and for the first time, in control of his life.

He quickened his pace against the chilling January wind. White flecks of snow swirled about him, dotting his jacket, and melting within seconds. He shivered and pulled the straps of his backpack tighter. A sudden gust of wind blew his hood off and dark strands of baby-fine hair whipped in his face, catching in his glasses.

Frowning, he tugged his hood back on and double-checked the zippered interior pocket for papers that showed his new identity. Sean Childers. He repeated the name under his breath. Puffs of frozen air escaped his lips and disappeared—like he would, once he got out of McKeltic, Texas. Finding him would be like finding Cosmic Warrior’s secret identity. No one would know who to look for. His own life proved that. In the twelve years since his original identity had been changed no one had ever guessed he had a secret past. Why would this time be any different?

His cell phone chimed. Kevin slid it open and read the text message from his best friend, Aiden Rollings.

GJ NOW.

Kevin nodded and then texted a reply. Galactic Jitters, a popular sci-fi coffee shop, was only a few blocks out of his way. He could meet Aiden and still make his bus. He shivered and folded his arms tight across his chest. At least at Galactic Jitters, he wouldn’t freeze into a human iceberg.

As he turned onto Marsh Avenue, a truck with oversized wheels sped by, spraying the sidewalk with the gray slushy remains of last night’s snowfall. Kevin jumped back but slush seeped into the fabric of his jeans and forced the chill deeper into his bones. He glared at the offending truck and wished for a snowball-encrusted rock. A glimpse at the ground told him he’d have to forego revenge. Nothing underfoot but rock salt and barely visible snow flurries.

Two blocks later, Kevin hurried to the entrance of the familiar hangout. Inside, the rich aromas of coffee and vanilla wafted through the air, while overhead hundreds of artificial stars glimmered through the black ceiling. Teens clustered at tables, around laptops and video games, surrounded by a wall-to-ceiling space mural.

“Hey, Kevin.” Joe, the owner, waved to him from behind the counter and wiped his hands on his apron. “The usual? Quadruple shot mocha latte?"

Kevin nodded and then inched back his sleeve to uncover his watch.

One hour and forty-five minutes. Freedom was so close.

He paid for his drink and headed to the back corner booth where Aiden sat. Sliding into the bench seat, Kevin wrapped his cold hands around the steaming cup and breathed in the vapors.

He tipped back his head and let the hot coffee slide down the back of his throat. “What’s up? I thought your mom had you on lockdown.”

Aiden brushed at charcoal bangs that shaded his half-opened hazel eyes. A mischievous grin pinched his fever-tinged cheeks. “She did but her boss called her in for a couple of hours. I figure by the time she gets home, I’ll be back in bed.”

“You shouldn’t have come.”

“I had to.” Aiden cupped his hands in front of his face, muffling his sneeze. “I wanted to see if you’d changed your mind.”

Kevin stared down in his coffee and shook his head. “No, but the bus doesn’t leave till five. We can hang out here till then.” His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and grimaced when he saw the caller. “It’s my dad.”

“You think he found out?”

“Nah, I doubt it.” Too bad Kevin’s nerves didn’t agree. Beneath his hoodie, his heart raced at the speed of light. “He couldn’t have. Right?”

“I just hope they don’t send you back to juvie.”

One quick push of the ignore button and the vibrating ceased. Kevin pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes. “They won’t.”

In the past year, he had spent more than his share of time in juvenile detention. He wasn’t going back. Especially since it wasn’t his fault—this time. But who would believe him? He was a juvenile delinquent and like a character in one of his comic books, Kevin bore his label. The world labeled them—some heroes, some villains. But every character had one thing in common. They longed for a place their reputation didn’t follow them, a place they didn’t have to fight, a place they could just be normal. But did a place like that even exist in the real world?

“You need to tell someone about the file you found that night,” Aiden said.

“It wouldn’t matter. That file doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Then why are you running?”

Kevin clenched his fist and leaned forward. “You know why.”

“Just let me tell my dad like we should have done in the first place. Let me tell him about everything.” Aiden voice held a touch of pleading. “I’ll make him believe you.”
Everything.

Kevin groaned. Aiden couldn’t possibly understand what he asked.

“I can’t.” He crushed the empty cup. “I don’t need his pity.”

“But you need his help.”

Kevin crossed his arms while his gaze shifted to make sure no one was close enough to hear. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Aiden set his cup on the table. His hazel eyes grew round as the twin planets painted on the wall mural behind them. “Oh man, what did you do?”

Thank you, Stephanie for your time! I hope one day soon we can do this again!

The Writing Kit

2009-07-25T20:38:00.003-05:00

The Writing Kit
From the Editors of Writer’s Digest Books

I received The Writing Kit as a gift. This is a gift you should give yourself. The box contains three treasures.

The first layer is The Mini-Market Book with the subtitle "Everything You Need to Know to Get Published, Including 125 Markets for New Writers". The topics included are: Novel and Short Story Markets, Personal Essay Markets, Children’s Markets, and Poetry Markets. The Appendices contains nine different articles for writer reference. The “Ten Commandments for Writers” listed things that successful writers should keep in mind.

Seventy Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes by Bob Mayer is arranged so the writer can quickly check the table of contents and turn to the needed area of concern. “Misusing Flashbacks and Memories” and “Telling Not Showing” caught my attention as areas I want to read more about.

The treasure hidden on the third layer was a small, square box with short phrases in bold black letters such as "Big Ideas" and "Let The Words Flow". I found two sets of cards inside. The round set suggested different writing activities such as “Go to the mall and pick out a person and write a scene about the individual as they interact with someone else”. The square set listed different topics such as setting and included hints to use on a current project.

This is a wonderful gift. I am already making plans to use it with the round cards arranged in order of the project I’m going to try. Buy one for yourself and purchase an extra kit for one of your writer friends.

Facebook | Janet K Brown

2009-07-19T20:49:00.000-05:00

Facebook | Janet K Brown

Committed but Flawed by Cecil Murphey

2009-07-19T16:25:00.002-05:00

Recently, I met a remarkable man and a fantastic writer in Cecil Murphey. He's well known for ghostwriting "Ninety Minutes in Heaven," a true story of Don Piper's near-death experience. All the words in that book are Cecil's. He's done much more ghostwriting and also many under his own name--something like one hundred fifteen books and over a thousand articles. "Cec" is much sought after for writing and preaching conferences. Yet, he's the most non-assuming, kind man I've had the pleasure to meet.
"Committed but Flawed" was the first of his books I've read under his own name, and I would highly recommend it for inspiration, for provoking thought, and for deepening a walk with Christ.
As a Christian writer, I seek new ways to stay focused on writing as a ministry. Books like this help. A familiar slogan made the rounds in recent years "What would Jesus do?" Cecil explores the idea of following the actions of Jesus as hard to do for a flawed individual like him (and like me).
The sub title says "seeking NEW ways to grow spiritually." Cecil picks out twenty-six individuals from the Bible to emulate--committed, but flawed people. Peter, who failed when the going got rough, brings us one chapter. I especially like the chapter on Onesiphorus, a little known guy who stood by and helped where he could. Some chapters highlight women in the Bible, some men.
I recommend this book if you're a successful writer who needs to go back to basics, but I recommend it if you've been rejected. As Cecil points out, we're all still learning.

Anne of Green Gables/Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery, ©1997 by Running Press, reprinted from the first edition published in 1908 and 1909

2009-07-12T19:54:00.002-05:00

Books make a perfect gift. To give someone a book that you love is like giving away a small piece of your heart. A book represents not only an investment in cash but also an investment in reading time. If a picture is worth one thousand words, a book is worth one hundred thousand or more—words that are given to encourage, enlighten, or comfort.

I was the recipient of such a thoughtful gift, which made reading it all the more pleasurable. I thought of the giver each time I picked the book up—I saw her smiling face and felt her love for me.

The book I received was a double volume, Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Mind, I am a huge fan of the classics. I struggled to nurture such a passion in my own children to no avail. My son listened to The Red Badge of Courage on audio book, but that was as far as my quest got me.

As a child, I was more apt to read Treasure Island, White Fang, or Sherlock Holmes than Little Women or Wuthering Heights, so a proper acquaintance with Anne Shirley evaded me for fifty some years.

I am so glad to be finally introduced to this wonderful series of novels. I was immediately drawn into the story by Ms. Montgomery’s eloquent and sustained descriptions. Those of us familiar with the modern publishing industry are aware that such indulgence is frowned upon these days. In fact, I was advised to keep my descriptions to three sentences.

Thank God no one told Lucy Maud Montgomery that. I love being drawn into a scene with vivid and poetic description. How her stories would have been diminished without her effusive descriptions of Prince Edward Island, Green Gables, and the area surrounding Avonlea.

Ms. Montgomery demonstrates an uncanny ability to create memorable characters. Beginning with Mrs. Rachel Lynde and the irrepressible Anne, to Miss Lavendar Lewis, Ms. Montgomery inhabits Avonlea with a colorful cast. Each person is unique and remains true to character throughout the two volumes I read.

On the down side, Anne Shirley tends to dip into what I call the Hawkeye Pierce Syndrome. If you’re familiar with the 70’s sitcom, M*A*S*H, you might recall that toward the end the character portrayed by Alan Alda became something of a demigod—too good to be true—or single, at the very least. Anne meets with a similar fate. She certainly lands herself in plenty of mishaps, she still has too few character flaws to make her totally believable. Still, she remains lovable, so she sustains the series.

If you haven’t read the Anne Shirley series or just haven’t read them in a long time, I encourage you to share them with a daughter or granddaughter. They are fun to read and a wonderful legacy to pass on. Thank you, Violet, for a gift that will live on with me for many years.

2009-06-27T13:27:00.002-05:00

A Soldiers Reunion
By Cheryl Wyatt
Reviewed by Sue Watson

A Soldier’s Reunion is the fourth book in the “Wings of Refuge” series set in Refuge, Illinois.

A bridge collapse reunites Dr. Mandy Manchester and Army pararescue jumper, Nolan Briggs.

Ten years earlier, they’d parted as high school sweethearts and had no contact since. Misunderstanding and pain stands between them, threatening a renewed relationship.

Cheryl Wyatt’s former career as a registered nurse gives authenticity to the medical aspects of the story. Familiar characters from the previous three books add to the enjoyment of the book.

From a writer’s prospective, I found Ms Wyatt’s book full of examples of good writing techniques that I could use to improve my own writing. My copy has pink sticky notes protruding from almost every page. I was especially impressed with her use of metaphors that reflected the medical field and the local setting.

In spite of my stopping to mark examples I liked, I enjoyed the book. I’ve heard the suggestion before of marking a good book to learn about writing, but this is the first time I have done it. I think I chose well. I’m hoping there will be a book five. Perhaps I will be able to resist the temptation to fill it with sticky notes.

Hurry out and purchase the book before it leaves the shelves, or go to her website http://www.cherylwyatt.com/. Then settle down in a comfortable spot and enjoy the read with or without sticky notes.

Take Cover by Lou Gatlin

2009-06-21T15:08:00.002-05:00

Allow me to give credit to a friend I lost to death a few months ago. Recently, I looked through books I hadn't read for several years. Surprising how gems pop out in unexpected places like on my mantel with an assortment of pretty-covered books with a duck head bookend on each side.
My friend, Mrs. R. R. (Lou) Gatlin excelled at poetry. With every holiday, special occasion or sometimes tributes to people in her life, Lou furnished our church or her writing group with a poem to commemorate. She won many awards even at one time being honored in Washington D.C. by the president.
Lou was a home-grown Wichita Falls, Texas lady. The church she attended for years was Southside Assembly of God which, when rebuilt after the 1979 Wichita Falls tornado became Evangel Temple. In 1981, she published a book of her poems entitled aptly, since it was two years after the big storm, "Take Cover," with a picture of a small tornado on the front.
I moved to Wichita Falls in 1981. At that time, the storm held a top place in thought and conversation. At the first hint of a tornado warning, no one ventured from their home. The storm had leveled many neighborhoods in the southwest part of the city. Several people were killed. Lou wrote a tribute to a lady in her church which was killed. One poem simply told the story of "The Big Tornado of Wichita Falls."
"Take Cover"is divided into four sections. The first highlighted the history of Ms. Gatlin's church and memories of that time such as dedication day and Easter,1979.
The second section showed her patroitism. We loved hearing her newest poem every fourth of July. She called the third section Fragments of Life including her Rose of Gold for her fiftieth wedding anniversary. Lastly, she wrote poems about her childhood and family like The Lost Toy and Grandma's Room.
I pull out this old book and reread the pages one by one. I waltz down memory lane with my friend. I recall the things she treasured in life. The writer in me dwells on how our written word can touch people even after we no longer can. At my own mother's funeral, a preacher read a poem I had written to her on Mother's Day. Our written words live on.
May I write with new resolve to make every word count, to ask God what He'd have me say, and perhaps to work harder at the craft to make my stories more entertaining and emotionally charged for my reader's enjoyment, for years to come, like my friend, Lou Gatlin.

2009-06-14T17:33:00.003-05:00

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith © 2002 Anchor Books

Don’t you love it when a book finds you? I mean, a good book, a surprisingly captivating novel that falls into your hands by the sheer forces of Providence. Such happened to me recently, and I’d like to tell you dear readers about this first in what I learned is a series of novels.

I belong to an internet free cycle network by which I became the recipient of a mishmash of miscellaneous goods—not the least of these a copy of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. I stashed the book on my shelf but came upon it later while digging through my bookcases for light reading like one might rummage through the cupboards and fridge looking for a snack.

I didn’t read the summary on the back nor the author’s bio. I just, leaned back, opened up, and started reading. I thoroughly enjoyed the short journey guided by Alexander McCall Smith.

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is set in South Africa in what I presume to be the modern day. The main character is the very clever and likable Precious Ramotswe who uses her inheritance from her father to open up a private detective agency in the town of Gaborone. She has no other credentials, other than life experience and good, logical sense.

The author describes Precious’s more amusing cases, like searching for a missing husband, exposing a con artist, and learning the identity of a daughter’s mysterious boyfriend. He also describes the colorful people in Precious’s life and some of the aspects of her life outside the agency. The undercurrent of the book is her most dangerous case; the disappearance of an eleven year old boy, thought to have been abducted by medicine men.

Between the lines, Smith weaves cultural facts about a very gentile and gracious society who lead simple lives surrounded by natural dangers and tribal skirmishes. One particular scene made my skin crawl, when Precious drives over a cobra that leaps up into the under carriage of her van.

Smith’s vivid characterization and story telling skills compensate for poorly timed back story exposition and indiscriminate POV switches. How did Smith get away with such faux pas, when as aspiring writers are so emphatically warned to avoid them?

As blessing would have it, I found the latest edition in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, In the Company of Cheerful Ladies, in the sales rack at Hastings! Bonus! For a fun, easy, but educational read, I highly recommend The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency.

Water With Lemon by Zonya Foco, RD and Stephen Moss

2009-06-06T15:32:00.003-05:00

I am on a health kick and have been since April. The last seven weeks has proved somewhat successful for me. I've lost a total of 12 pounds and 11 inches. I'm excited about the journey ahead of me and can't wait to see what I'll look like when I reach maintence.

The book I'm blogging about today is from an author, which my trainer is ga-ga over. My trainer hooked me up with this author's recipe book of simple, delicious meals that even my kids like. But it was when I was visiting this author's site I saw she co-wrote a fiction novel about weight loss.

This immediately caught my attention since one-I'm a writer of fiction and two-my critique partner has written a manuscript very similiar in idea and tone to this book.

The book is entitled, "Water With Lemon," by Zonya Foco, RD and Stephen Moss. Ms. Foco is an author, TV Host, and a national speaker. She teaches families about good nutrition and, "The Power of One Good Habit."

Here's the blurb:

60 extra pounds. An unhappy marriage. Food for comfort. Karen’s life is falling apart. Then she meets an unlikely neighbor who reveals how a series of simple choices have the power to shape the life we have — into the life we want. Karen’s story of weight loss and personal transformation will touch your heart and open your eyes! It will reveal how eight powerful, core habits, when mastered one at a time, create an invisible force that will literally — change your life.

This weight-loss novel delivers Zonya’s “Power of One Good Habit” approach to health and weight control woven into a compelling story with characters we can all relate to. Read Water with Lemon and you’ll walk away with the knowledge and inspiration to conquer your own weight struggles in a way no previous book has ever delivered.

If you'd like more information about Zonya and her products here is the link: http://www.zonya.com/about_zonya.html

Deep Editing by Margie Lawson

2009-05-24T17:36:00.004-05:00

I'm currently enrolled in the Deep Editing Class with Margie Lawson. I attended a one day workshop at an American Christian Fiction Writers' Conference a couple of years ago. Since that time, I have taken three more of her online courses.

In "Defeating Self-Defeating Behaviors", I learned to recognize what habits were keeping me from writing.

In "Empowering Character's Emotions", I learned techniques for writing better characters.

With "Deep Editing", I'm learning to comb through my work for places where I could strengthen my story using her techniques. I took the course once before, but I fell behind because I was revising a manuscript. So I signed up again. Although the course is one month in length, I am working at my own pace so it will take me a little longer to finish.

I know I am learning as I recognize these techniques in the writings of others. I make suggestions on the work of my critique group. The next step is applying what I've learned to my writing.

I like the online courses because I can do the work any day at any time, and I can create files for the material to study again.

If you have the opportunity, sign up for one of Margie's courses or attend one of the many workshops she conducts across the country. You won't be sorry you did. Contact her at www.MargieLawson.com for a list of her courses and workshops.

At some point in the future, she may publish a book on these subjects. In the meantime, sign up for a course. Your writing will benefit.

Putting Your Passion into Print

2009-05-16T15:23:00.004-05:00

Several months ago, I purchased the book "Putting Your Passion into Print" by Arielle Eckstut & David Henry Sterry. I had a stack to read, so this one was postponed. To be perfectly honest, I thought it was a book about adding more "passion" or emotion to your characters. I'm always looking for help in that department.

The book surprised me and decribed the pathway to publication from researching your original idea to selling your first book and beyond. I like the way the authors tell you what to say when you call an editor, whether a contract is good, and how to counter if it isn't, when and why you should have an agent. Another touch that heightened my interest was the many, many good quotes throughout the book.

As I gleaned the wisdom from the pages, my first thought was I'm glad I'll have this to go back and review when I get a contract. My next thought was I need to loan this to a good friend who recently received her first contract. On advice from Eckstut and Sterry, I decided to send a query about my latest WIP to two small presses that might be interested.

"Putting your Passion into Print" has found a place in my reference library, until I'm well on my way with several published books. I might even check back then.

2009-05-11T16:45:00.000-05:00

The Red Letter Questions: Meditations on the Questions Jesus Asked by Don Harris © 2007 Bridge-Logos.

I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but with the exception of a few literary masterpieces, my favorite book is usually the last one I read. I suppose because the plot and characters are fresh on my mind and I’m still embracing that warm, fuzzy happy ending feeling.

The book I recently finished will continue to be one of my favorites for many years to come. In fact, I’m likely to study it like a primer. The book is entitled The Red Letter Questions by Don Harris, a non-fiction that quite literally changed my life.

In the pages of The Red Letter Questions, Mr. Harris manages to turn the focus of Jesus’s questions off the scribes, Pharisees, and even the disciples and redirects them on the reader in the modern time. His approach makes a great deal of sense, if the Bible is indeed a relevant tool and living document.

Being a good rabbi, Jesus taught by asking questions, wording them in such a way so as to induce His followers to draw their own conclusions. Harris places his readers at the very feet of Jesus. Those dark, discerning eyes boring into our souls as He asks, “Why are you fearful?” “Why do you think of evil in your hearts?” “Why do you not believe Me?”

We might be tempted to hide behind the blood, worried that even entertaining such thoughts might upset our well appointed theological equation. I fear that a part of Jesus’s anquish on the cross was not only looking ahead two thousand years at the sin yet to be committed, added to the weight of transgression already on His shoulders. Surely He lamented for His children who would strive on in blind faith, afraid to trust their own spirits, who might even equate questions to a lack of faith.

If you’re hungry for some brain food and aren’t afraid to step out of the box, Don Harris’s The Red Letter Questions is the best choice on the menu. It is appetizingly well written. If I was Oprah, I’d buy a copy of this book for everyone I love.

Pitch or Promote Like a Pro

2009-05-04T15:56:00.007-05:00

Pitch or Promote Like a Pro by Terry Burns is a compilation of his presentations, dealing with how to overcome shyness in pitching to how-to-prepare the perfect proposal. I had the privilege of "lurking" in this class and even the greater privilege of receiving this e-book at the end of the course.

The first part of the book deals with being too shy to pitch. Terry describes his life and the problems he had with shyness. He then tells of a speech teacher who helped him develop a speaking persona. In the following chapters, he delves into how to overcome shyness.

On to the pitching...

Okay, now the book really heats up with more excellent content. For several chapters, we get an inside peek behind-the-scenes of a conference appointment from an agent's point-of-view. We learn what to say and what not to say while pitching to an editor/agent. Here's a question answered in the book: During your appointment, should you spend most of your time limit pitching your book? What does an agent think if you do?

The next chapters cover proposals, cover letters, sell sheets, marketing strategies, marketing comparables, writing a synopsis, and on top of all that Terry gives examples of everything needed to make a great proposal.

I've taken the class, read the book, and now I plan on printing out the information and reading it again only this time with a highlighter.

You can own this invaluable and inexpensive e-book for your own handy-dandy reference.

Here is the link:

http://www.terryburns.net/bookstore.htm

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield

2009-04-26T12:21:00.002-05:00

One of the first books recommended to me for my writing career wasn't a how-to-write book. It was a motivational book, "The Success Principles." This book produces the power of believability. I still suggest it as a tool to overcome low self esteem or the inability to dream big or rekindle lost passion.

When I thumb through my copy, I find several underlines, margin marks and highlights. When I receive a rejection, a bad critique or less than encouraging market news, I look through the pages until I find one that speaks to me. On page 23, the reader determines his or her life purpose exercise. After coming up with my stated writing purpose, I wrote it and posted the paper on the bulletin board in my study. On page 65, I make a daily to-do list, planning my day the night before and putting first things, first. On page 165, I learn to start with small, achievable goals. Page 273 starts telling me how to keep my passion and enthusiasm alive. Canfield gives me four powerful question to ask myself on page 327 to know how to direct my work and resources.

Scattered throughout the book are interesting true life stories, funny cartoons and short easy to follow instructions.

Nothing gets done without a plan and then a back-up plan. "Success Principles" is an important resource for the peaks and valleys of a writer's life.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White

2009-04-20T02:37:00.005-05:00

The first writing conference I attended had a course for beginning writers. The presenter gave us a list of books she felt would assist in our quest for publication. The Elements of Style was on the list.

At the break, I stood in line with the other newbies and bought it. Since that first conference, other writers have mentioned this book when they recommend important books the writer should own. My copy has under one hundred pages including the introduction by E. B. White. The Tables of Contents contains chapter titles such as Omit Needless Words, Use the Active Voice, and Use Definite, Specific, Concrete Language.

Skimming through the index causes me to check on items such as lie/lay and that/which. Looking over the book to write this article, I've decided I'm going to revisit the book to refresh my memory on some grammar rules. Then, I'm going to look at the bookstore to see if there is a later edition which may reflect changes in the language.

As a tutor for Adult Literacy, I discuss the importance of using language correctly to understand and be understood. My Asian immigrant student thanks me each lesson when he learns a new fact about English because he wants to communicate effectively. I am grateful to the first instructor who suggested this book as a tool to being an effective communicator.

Roget’s Descriptive Word Finder: A Dictionary/Thesaurus of Adjectives by Barbara Ann Kipfer, Ph. D. © 2003 Writers Digest Books

2009-04-13T17:21:00.003-05:00

Lexicographer Barbara Ann Kipfer has prolifically compiled reference texts, most of which can be found on my shelf within handy reach of my desktop computer. I fancied myself to be one of her biggest fans, but reviews I’ve read for Roget’s Descriptive Word Finder were all positive, and she is well spoken of. Obviously, many writers are taking advantage of her invaluable tools.

In my research, I found out that it was Paul Mark Roget, a physician as well as a lexicographer who compiled the original thesaurus for his own use. He went public with it nearly fifty years later. Can you imagine what a challenge writing would be if had he taken that gem with him to the grave?

What makes Kipfer’s text different from Roget’s original work or any of the other thesauri (yes, that is the plural for thesaurus) she’s compiled? This one is a Thesaurus of thousands of descriptive words and phrases listed under five-hundred and seventy-two categories. Each individual entry has a time saving definition so you can immediately determine its suitability without further research.

A simple thesaurus lists alternative words for adjectives such as happy. Referring to the“Happiness” category in the Roget’s Descriptive Word Finder puts the reader in touch with over a hundred words and phrase choices. The entries describe various concepts of happiness from playfulness to laughter.

Roget’s Descriptive Word Finder is fun to peruse, with categories from abandonment, with such entries as abrogated and unwonted to zoology. Kipfer usually adds helpful indexes and addendums. Roget’s Descriptive Word Finder includes a Quick Finder which is basically a thesaurus with some contrasting headings like Active/Passive and even one entry for Silly Sounding Words.

If finding fresh, evocative descriptive words is an exhausting task for you, this book may help add strength that will catch an agent’s or editor’s eye.

EMPOWERING CHARACTERS' EMOTIONS

2009-04-06T10:19:00.002-05:00

EMPOWERING CHARACTERS' EMOTIONS
Presented by Margie Lawson

We at Books To Write By are avid fans of Margie Lawson's courses. Most of us has enrolled in more than one of her courses. The month of March was no different than when three of us joined the online course, Empowering Characters' Emotions.

This class is a benefit to all writers who want to advance their writing skills. Ms. Lawson explores empowering emotions through her EDITS system. This system color codes your manuscript so you can actually see if your writing is layered with the essential keys to a great read.

Look forward to learning:

The EDITS System
Basic, complex, empowered, and super empowered passages
Backstory management
Kinesics, Haptics, Proxemics, Facial expressions, Paralanguage
Proprioceptive stimuli, Involuntary physical responses
Ideomotoric shifts
Mirroring, Communication Accommodation
Levels of intimacy, Love signals
Nonverbal gender differences
Emotional authenticity
Backloading
In-trancing the Reader
Writing fresh . . .
Projecting Emotion for a Non-POV character
Carrying a Nonverbal Image Forward
Objective Constructs
Empowering Characters’ Emotions Checklist

At first, I became overwhelmed with the course and I think many people did, too. However, once I grabbed my highlighters and applied the EDITS system to my own writing...I got what I paid for. I discovered that I write no dialogue cues and that I hardly ever write setting information. There are also some minor things I noticed, which needs to changed. But now I know how to correct it.

I highly recommend any of Ms. Lawson's courses. In fact, another online class is coming up in May.

Here is the information:

MAY 1 -- 30 Deep Editing: The EDITS System, Rhetorical Devices, and More Offered by Writer University: www.writeruniv.com

You want regret enrolling!

I'll see you in class.

Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth

2009-03-22T21:15:00.007-05:00

Mary DeMuth, http://wannabepublished.blogspot.com, has a new book available. I attended her workshop last year at the American Christian Fiction Writers' Convention and subscribed to her blog when I came home. I've learned a lot about writing from her blog. When her new book came out, I was eager to read it. I was not disappointed.

Daisy Chain is the first book in her Defiance Texas Trilogy. Daisy Chance, the best friend of fourteen year old Jed Pepper, disappears from her small town. The rest of the book deals with Jed’s search for her because he believes he’s to blame.

Tortured family relationships and friendships with unusual towns people keep this book a page turner as Jed searches for Daisy. Treat yourself to a suspenseful read as Mary draws you into life in Defiance, Texas.

Revision & Self-Editing by James Scott Bell

2009-03-15T12:16:00.002-05:00

If you've heard James Scott Bell speak, you're familiar with his own brand of humor. "Revision & Self-Editing" is written with his light hand and funny way of teaching. If you haven't heard him, you're in for a treat in making study fun. The first half explains the art of self-editing, while the second half talks about revision including the ultimate revision checklist.
Bell uses alliteration or rhyming words often to remind us of aims for our writing. I'm particularly fond of Grit, Wit and It in building my lead character. Each chapter ends with two or three exercises, all of which reinforce what was taught in that chapter. My three favorite chapters are Scene, Voice and Theme. I learned here one of the best tips I've heard to develop voice & style.
Revision assistance provides new thoughts on what to look for in those final read-throughs. Ever want to know the trick to good writing? Bell provides us with insight into "the trick that can't be explained."
Read. Enjoy. Learn. Improve.

The Writer's Encyclopedia from the Editors of Writer's Digest

2009-03-09T08:25:00.001-05:00

The Writer’s Encyclopedia © 1996 Writer’s Digest Books.

Another powerful tool that I refer to in my personal library is my Writer’s Encyclopedia. This five-hundred page reference is almost a glorified appendix that lists definitions, facts, and figures about every aspect pertaining to the writing craft and business.

The Writer’s Encyclopedia features over thirteen-hundred entries, a thorough bibliography, and a recommended reading list. Included are definitions of various writing terms and trade expressions and explanations of techniques and procedures—everything the aspiring writer needs to know in writing and publishing. For those writers with a mind for the future, marketing and contractual labels are addressed to include advertising, public relations, and broadcasting.

Selections are arranged alphabetically from common grammatical terms like “adjective” and writing jargon like “characterization” to more obscure concepts like “recto page,” a term which may give the reader pause—or, at the very least, prompt curiosity. Also incorporated into the discussion are the particulars of online publishing.

I found the boxed charts and tables especially helpful. The book contains more that sixty such figures which consist of “Fifty Common Usage Errors” that clarifies the contexts in which certain words are often misused. Imply and infer, for example. The speaker implies—the hearer infers. The age old lay/lie application issue is also explained in detail.

Other boxed information includes the unauthorized biography, legal and IRS documents, proof reading marks, and a list of fifty frequently misspelled words. The text contains examples of story boards, resumes, query letters, and various types of scripts. Publishing contracts, sales volumes, and royalty statements may clear up questions in the new (and maybe some of the more seasoned) writers minds.

I have found the Writer’s Encyclopedia to be a very helpful tool in my library. As I review it, I realized that it is one that I don’t use enough. I believe I’ll place it closer in reach for future reference.

Jeff Gerke's Doubleheader

2009-03-03T09:38:00.005-06:00

"At last, the two products novelists need to create fabulous characters and the incredible adventures to set them on--together for one discounted price.

How To Find Your Story is the writer’s help product being hailed as "Genius" and "Like a brilliant author and editor at your elbow, helping you plan your story."

Character Creation for the Plot-First Novelist is a revolutionary tool that guides novelists to create realistic, three-dimensional characters readers will love.

So whether you sense that your characters all feel the same or that your story meanders--or you just want to be sure you’re building from a solid base, The Writer’s Foundation Bundle is for you." ~http://marcherlordpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=18

Here's my problem: I can dream up characters gushing with loads of emotional conflicts, scarring goals, and laughable motivations all day, but when I attempt to pen a plot not only does my story crumble but my self esteem plummets.

Another problem I seem to have is finding a source for creating tight plots. I have read what few books on plot that are available. Some are very good and are listed on this blog, however, they haven't helped me much. Jeff Gerke's system is easy and fun to do. I'm halfway through his system and I'm already beginning to feel my confidence returning.

A little bit about this author, "I’m a published novelist and professional fiction editor. At this writing I am the author of six published novels and the co-author of two nonfiction books. I write under the pen name Jefferson Scott (see more at http://www.jeffersonscott.com). I’ve got screenplay and short story and writer’s conference and even comic book credentials, too.

I am also a professional editor with, at the time of this writing, eight years experience as an editor for three major publishing companies in the Christian publishing industry. I have extensive experience editing fiction and nonfiction. One novel I edited won the Christy Award for excellence and another novel I edited won first prize in General Fiction at the 2006 ACFW Conference. While at Strang Communications I was instrumental in the design and launch of Realms, an imprint of Christian speculative fiction (http://www.realmsfiction.com/).

When I’m not writing my own fiction I’m helping other people improve theirs. It’s something I love to do, both as a freelance book doctor and as a seminar speaker at writer’s conferences. While I like almost all kinds of fiction, I have a special place in my heart for the speculative genres (science fiction, fantasy, supernatural thrillers, etc.), which you can clearly see at the other site I maintain: http://www.wherethemapends.com/."

I have included both books in this review post because maybe you're not like me, maybe you don't have a problem with plots, maybe your problem is with creating characters? Character Creation for the Plot-First Novelist is equally as good as How to Find Your Story.

So, if you're like me and have been stuck in a rut for weeks...stop now...go to Marcher Lord Press and buy both books at a truly inexpensive price.

http://marcherlordpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=18

2009-02-22T16:09:00.003-06:00

Scene and Structure
By
Jack M. Bickham

Jack Bickham’s book is part of the Writers’ Digest series, The Elements of Fiction Writing. It has been waiting on my bookshelf for quite some time. Recently, I remembered the book when I decided I needed to find information about scene and sequel.

Mr. Bickham begins with an explanation of modern fiction and how it is different from fiction of earlier years because readers do not want to wade through long passages. He gives detailed explanations of the characteristics of a scene and a sequel and provides examples in the Appendices with line-by-line explanations.

In the last section of the book, he shows how variations and other techniques can be used to create interesting scenes and sequels. However, he states it is important to understand the basic structures of scene and sequel before attempting these alternatives.

My copy is heavily highlighted, and I have outlined each chapter for a quick review. I plan to revisit the book and my notes until scene and sequel become second nature to me. I am also going to add it to my editing arsenal of writing tools.

I highly recommend a writer refer to this book throughout a writing career.

Breach of Trust

2009-02-15T14:19:00.004-06:00

Authors tell me a new writer learns much from reading books in their chosen genre. I'm convinced that's true. DiAnn Mills has a new release this month called "Breach of Trust," which helps me in characterization with duel roles for the main character. She weaves heightened conflict throughout memorable characters' lives.

DiAnn teaches fiction mentoring workshops. If you ever have a chance to attend one, be sure to take advantage. For now, read her latest book.

An expert in characterization, DiAnn brings to life an ex-CIA operative who small town Oklahoma residents know as sweet librarian Paige Rogers. Read DiAnn's dialogue, study her sections of internal thought. Though a reader knows Paige's past, he still gets lost in the realism of her cover. Daniel Keary lives as a believable villian with a weak spot for kids. As a mother myself to a man who's a football/baseball coach, I can tell you DiAnn captures the world of a small-town football coach in Miles Laird and also that of a dreamy hero.

I highly recommend this book for fun, and for learning. It's available now in most book stores or on Amazon.

2009-02-08T21:16:00.001-06:00

Manners & Customs of Bible Lands by Fred H. Wright, © 1953, Moody Institute of Chicago

The writer, like any other craftsman has a set of favorite tools. I have been featuring a few resources that I find to be invaluable in my writing and personal Bible study.

While I aspire to publish Christian fiction, I do quite a bit of script writing for a local drama ministry. You can peruse at few at www.dramadrash.org, and I invite you to do so. You will see that most of my titles have a biblical theme. I’ve also written several biblical exegeses, also on this website, which require a thorough research of reliable sources.

One well worn and dog-eared text in my collection is Fred Wright’s Manners & Customs of Bible Lands. In this book, Wright covers such topics as dwellings, foods and dining, hospitality, daily activities, dress, marriage and family, illness and death, occupations, and other topics too numerous to mention.

One reason that I continually refer to this book is because Wright is concise and doesn’t waste my valuable time with long, windy dissertations. He covers the basic facets of each area, and the facts are very easy to find and extract.

Included in this study are the peoples surrounding Israel in the Middle East, which is helpful for comparison and drawing conclusions about the origins of some customs and traditions. I derive an appreciation of the historical landscape that the Master lived and taught in two thousand years ago.

Wright writes in simple, easy to understand terms and adds wonderful illustrations. Rendering this book even more functional are an extensive bibliography, index, and scriptural index.

Many books on Biblical customs have been written since Manners & Customs of Bible Lands, I still rely heavily on this text for my personal and professional research.

2009-02-01T13:08:00.001-06:00

TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER BY DWIGHT V. SWAIN

“This book provides solid instruction for persons who want to write and sell fiction, not just to talk and study about it. It gives the background, insights, and specific procedures needed by all beginning writers. Here one can learn how to group words into copy that moves, movement into scenes, and scenes into stories; how to develop character, how to revise and polish, and finally, how to sell the product.” ~Back blurb of book.

The contents of the book include: Fiction and you; The words you write; Plain facts about feelings; Conflict and how to build it; Fiction strategy; Beginning, middle, end; The people in your story; Preparation, planning, production; Selling your stories; You and fiction.

This book teaches writers about motivation-reaction units, scene and sequel, building conflict, building character emotions, and plotting. Each lesson in the book delves the writer into a deeper understanding of the craft. Why are these devices important for a writer to learn and utilize correctly? Let’s hear from Swain himself, “This is because said devices have proved effective in making stories enjoyable and /or enticing to readers. The selling writer, as a commercially-oriented professional, can’t afford to write copy that isn’t enjoyable and /or enticing.”

I’m going to be totally honest with you. This is by far the hardest book I’ve ever read. I’m still not quite finished with it. Every paragraph reminds me of a college text book with academic narration. However, these techniques are essential learning tools.

I think I have finally mastered the motivation-reaction units in the point-of-view character in dialogue. I thought I’d never get it. I’m now stretching my legs in learning scene and sequel techniques.

Techniques of the Selling Writer is out of print. But don’t despair. If you can’t find it on E-bay or Amazon.com, there are some wonderful authors who have taken the information from the book and has written it in everyday English for easier understanding.

Check out these links:

Camy Tang has a series of Dwight V. Swain articles on her Story Sensei Blog:
http://storysensei.blogspot.com/2005/08/smallest-picture-motivation-reaction.html

Randy Ingermanson, Ph.D.
http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/scene.php

Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors

2009-01-26T07:46:00.001-06:00

Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors
Lecture Series
Margie Lawson

Sometimes in life an opportunity comes along that you know you were meant to accept. The announcement for an online class called Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors by Margie Lawson appeared on a writers’ loop the first week in January. I clicked on the link, read about the course, and enrolled before procrastination let the opportunity slip by.

Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors is a four-week, nine lecture series developed by Margie Lawson. She begins by asking the student to identify her own self-defeating behaviors. The remainder of the course addresses how to overcome those practices and attitudes that prevent a successful approach to writing. About twice a week, a lecture, averaging between twenty and thirty pages, is posted with assignments to be completed. Author interviews at the end of each lecture address their advice about writing.

One thing I recommend is keep up with the homework and read the student responses posted online. I took a previous course and quickly fell behind because I didn’t work on it every day.

Margie Lawson could publish her material as a book and spare herself the time and effort it takes for the interaction of an online course, but she includes answers and comments on student work to help them understand and grow while taking her class.

I’m glad I seized the opportunity and took the course because I’ve identified my self-defeating behaviors that kept me from pursuing my dream of being a writer. I’ve already enrolled in another class on Empowering Characters’ Emotions. I’m also thinking of taking the Deep Editing class again, but this time I’ll keep up with the lessons.

You can read more about the online courses she conducts and her speaking schedule by logging on to www.MargieLawson.com. Go for it. You’ll be glad you did.

Conflict, Action & Suspense

2009-01-18T15:48:00.002-06:00

Conflict is that dreaded ingredient for which each of us searches. If a writer has a good solid plot and loveable characters, but has no conflict, the story fails.

To the end of deepening the conflict in my stories, I recently read "Conflict, Action & Suspense" by William Noble. He started by comparing our school days show and tell sessions as a way to portray information in an interesting format. Better to bring your pet duck to school rather than tell us what the duck looks like. Noble offers examples of good and better, active and passive which helps us get his points.

I love dialogue, so enjoyed chapter five, using yes/no or well, maybe along with the threat of the unsaid to heighten conflict and/or suspense. From the step by step method, we learn the use of atmosphere and mood. Character development adds spice of its own. Will the character be able to stand against the storm coming? So far, I've tackled only one suspense manuscript, but when I wrote it, I wished I'd had the chapter on sublety and misdirection. Sherlock Holmes could be fooled with this approach. Add in how Noble uses time and place along with pacing, and we have a real helper for our problems with conflict.

I recommend it as a tool to keep on hand for reference when the story becomes boring.

2009-01-12T17:17:00.000-06:00

Roget’s Thesaurus of Phrases by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PH.D.
As writers, we struggle with enough challenges like time management and writer’s block. We need all the tools we can find to alleviate the frustration and help us get the perfect words on the page. For instance, have you ever wanted to come up with alternative wording for such clichés as pass the buck, right-hand man, or the cat’s meow but did know where to look? The Roget’s Thesaurus of Phrases is the reference you need, but you may not be aware of its existence!
The Roget’s Thesaurus of Phrases is a list of ten thousand multiword entries with synonymous phrases, organized alphabetically in conventional thesaurus format. This reference is another tool I employ to avoid using worn-out or repetitive phrases and to add distinction to my writing. It is easy to use and can be a life saver for those times when I can’t seem to put a finger on the wording that I want to use.
This reference not only helps with my writing but also my research. I can retrieve more precise information when I enter alternative phrases on the “Google” search bar.
At the back of the book, the author includes a very handy phrase maker—a list of words that can be paired with specific synonyms—perfect for freshening up any hackneyed phrase.
Along with the Flip Dictionary, also by this author, I highly recommend Roget’s Thesaurus of Phrases for writers.

Creating Character Emotions by Ann Hood

2009-01-04T22:34:00.003-06:00

Ever since I attended Margie Lawson's ACFW workshop on Empowering Character Emotions, I've hungered for more information on character's visceral responses. I intend enrolling in Ms. Lawson's month-long course in character's emotions. Until then I'll read books on the subject.

Creating Character Emotions by Ann Hood is the first book I read. After a short introduction and chapter on tightening fiction, the reference begins. Thirty-eight different emotions are outlined.

Each chapter of emotion offers a lesson on the sentiment, giving "good" and "bad" examples of prose. The chapters end with exercises to stretch the readers writing skills.

This is a decent reference tool to have among your how-to books. However, if you want a more in-depth study on how to write character's emotional responses, sign-up for one of Margie Lawson's online classes.

2008-12-28T18:28:00.006-06:00

Foxfire Book
Edited by Eliot Wigginton
And His Students

Several years ago, my father-in-law presented me with a copy of The Foxfire Book because he knew I loved history and stories of how people used to do things. There are several subsequent books in the series.

Eliot Wigginton was a teacher in a small Appalachian Mountain community in North Georgia in 1966. Things were not going well for the Cornell University graduate and his mountain high school English students. In desperation, he suggested the class put together an issue of a magazine. The students’ choice for the magazine title was “Foxfire” named after an organism that is found in the mountains and glows in the dark.

Students interviewed their parents, grandparents, and neighbors to gather mountain folklore for inclusion in their magazine. Subscriptions funded the cost. One issue grew to more and eventually resulted in an anthology. Many students pursued college degrees as a result of their experience with the project and scholarships from interested supporters around the country.

The books are excellent resources for writers who want to write about early American experiences. The Table of Contents lists topics such as Building a Log Cabin, Chimney Building, Soap making, Churning Your Own Butter, and Home Remedies. Pictures and illustrations help with the instructions.

On a recent trip through North Georgia, my husband and I went to the study site for the Foxfire project. Each summer workshops provide Georgia teachers and other interested parties hands on experiences at the site. A well-equipped bookstore offers more books and local handicrafts.

Do you want to know how your heroine cooked a mountain recipe in the fireplace? Pages 159-165 will have information about the fireplace, and 167-174 will provide some mountain recipes.

Does your hero need to read weather signs before setting out to rescue the heroine? Check out 208-211.

The website for the museum, www.foxfire.org/thefoxfirebooks.aspx, states there are a total of twelve books representing forty years of magazines written by the students. Past issues of recent magazines as well as subscriptions for two magazines a year are also available. I want to order the magazine that tells about “sock suppers”. Amazon also listed some books as available.

If you love history, write historicals, or want to know how your ancestors provided for themselves in our young country, I suggest you may want to sample one of The Foxfire Books.

The Train-of-Thought Writing Method

2008-12-18T14:11:00.006-06:00

Recently, I was privileged to read a book written by Kathi Macias, who I "met" online in a writing group to which we both participate. Her experience as a writer for twenty-five years qualifies her to help writers not as far down the road in learning the craft of writing. As she explains in her introduction, "The Train-of-Thought Writing Method presents the most effective plan for putting your ideas and thoughts into the form of a finished work whether that be a short story, article, or book. Ms. Macias excels in all.

Aimed toward beginning writers with ideas flowing through their heads, but no clue how to put them in publishable form, the book contains easy to understand plans. I found the simplicity refreshing even though I've written all my life and studied the craft seriously for three years. One bit of knowledge I've learned in that time is to write a good beginning hook. Only one problem exists with knowing that. How does one write a good hook? I pondered and edited. I changed and sent it off to another agent only to be told the beginning didn't "grab" her.

Along comes Kathi Macias' "cow catcher." For all you who have yet to read the book, that's the first sentence. Ms. Macias gives examples from other author's works and also many from her own. Then, she offers samples with opportunities for the reader to write a first sentence and compare with the author's version. I found it to be a perfect learning tool all the way to, you guessed it, the "caboose."

This book precipitated me going to the beginning of my work in progress and writing a new "cow catcher." As Ms. Macias suggests, I will also bring it full circle when I finish my "boxcars" and "couplers." The short, concise instructions can be followed or used by experienced as well as beginning writers.

I highly recommend this book. You can find out more about it and other books written by this author at www.kathimacias.com.

2008-12-15T20:59:00.001-06:00

The Writer’s Digest Flip Dictionary
By Barbara Amm Kipfer, Ph.D.

I once had a friend once accuse me of “cheating” with my writing. She presumed that a writer wouldn’t need a thesaurus or other helps to write a novel or a script. My friend thought that all our fabulous words merely pour out of the writer’s mind and onto the page. (If only . . .) Seeing my well-worn thesaurus she exclaimed, “I could do that.” She meant writing with the use of a thesaurus. I believe she’d still find writing a challenge even with the wonderful tools I use to keep me sane.

All the same, I love to write and I love my readers. I want my writing to be exciting, arousing the emotions of our readers, maybe even heal emotional and spiritual wounds along the way. Words are the only medium I have to communicate what is in my heart. I don’t know about you, but I need all the help I can get.

Writers paint images in the mind and we find the colors for our pallets in dictionaries, thesauruses, and other prayer answering resources. I have a “tool box” at finger’s reach from my desktop computer. Among my favorite tools is my Hitchcock’s Topical Bible that I reviewed last time. I also have various types of dictionaries.

The classic Merriam Webster isn’t the only show in town. There are all sorts of dictionaries that help us find the words we want to use to set a particular emotional stage. One of my favorites is the Flip Dictionary by Barbara Ann Kipher, Ph. D., a publication of Writer’s Digest. This dictionary is designed to help the writer find the perfect word to fit the context.

We all know how frustrating it is to have a word “on the tip of our tongues” and not be able to spit it out or, worse yet, write it down. Maybe you want to need a word to describe a specific action or thing. You might need a specialized technical term. The Flip Dictionary will help you find exactly the right word you’ve been looking for.

The Flip Dictionary uses clue words under broad headings—such as Furniture Terms, Combat Sports and Martial Arts, or Types of Boats and Ships with thousands of entries in between. The Flip Dictionary will save hours of frustration; Googling and praying to come across the correct verbage. The word you seek will always be right at the finger tips.

The Flip Dictionary is formatted by subject in alphabetical order and is very easy to use and also doubles as a thesaurus, giving the writer and even broader choice of words to use. No writer should be without this valuable tool.

A Fantastic Historical Research Book!

2008-12-08T08:24:00.005-06:00

The Women: The Old West Series, by Time Life Books is an invaluable book to own when researching women's lives of the 19th Century.

I first found this book at the library among the entire collection, The Old West Series, which included The Gambler, The Trailblazer, The Railroad Men, The Lawmen, The Gunslinger, and many others. I had read about half of The Women when I knew I must own this book.

The first five pages of the book are black and white photos of women performing their daily tasks. These are not the only images. Throughout the book there are other photos which are in full color. There are pictures of women riding, cooking, teaching, farming, and best of all my favorite...items from the past. Such as a box mill, china, quilts, a fluting iron which pressed pleats into cotton fabric, a "choke" used to catch mice and snakes, a candle mold, and a butter mold with a pretty picture.

There are pictures of dresses plains women wore. One dress, the owner boasted she had wore all the way to Oregon without repair. This woman was so creative. When she fashioned the dress, she took her pattern pieces and sewed the cotton fabric to canvas material (the material used for tents and wagon covers). Then she pieced the dress together to sew. No wonder it made it across the country without repair! The woman knew practicality and fortitude would be needed for the journey. Another picture was of a slat bonnet. Ever heard of it? Me, neither. Apparently, for a long, arduous journey west, plain bonnets didn't protect the eastern women's faces well enough. So, the clever seamstress would sew little wooden slats into her bonnet to strengthen the bonnet against wind. Other pictures include furniture (even ones from brothels), dishes, cookingware, and documents.

The second thing I love about this book, is the multitude of journal entries. I read of a wagon train heading west. Three women, all newly weds, wrote about their journey. Each woman had a different prospective of the same trip. I felt so sorry for this one woman. All she wanted to do was please her husband. If she tried to carry on a conversation with him, he would say she talked too much. If she tried to limit her conversation with him, he would say she had ill spirits. If she tried to talk in a group setting, he would reprimand her in front of everyone. In her journal, she believed the trouble with her marriage was all her fault, well mostly her fault, one couldn't discount her husband's roaming eye. She was convinced her husband was more pleased with their neighbor's wife.

The third thing I love about this book, is its many topics. We begin the book reading of the wagon trains heading west. Then we read about the hardships of life and the reality of marriage of convenience. What I really love is how the book reveals occupations of women during the 19th century, which all seem to end in prostitution. If the woman was a laundress, she made extra money on the side. If the woman was a cook, she supplemented her income. (I can just hear the local, upright women saying, "She doesn't have no man. You know she just said she's a laundress. Why there's no telling what she does a night!") And even if the woman willingly became a prostitute, there was still money to be made by becoming an owner-operator. Madam's would make an agreement with seamstress' to allow her girls to charge to her account. Then the madam would hold the debt over the girls head, so they couldn't leave.

Whether a prostitute, an adventuress, or a woman with a cause, this book seems to to have it all. This book opened up the old west for me in ways other books could not. The only drawback to owning this book is that it was written in 1974 and is out of print. I bought it at http://www.amazon.com/ from a used book seller for $2. The shipping and handling cost more than the book.

So, this is my favorite research book. Tell me yours.

Grit for the Oyster by Debora M. Coty

2008-11-22T16:46:00.004-06:00

In October, my husband and I went to North Georgia for a Gathering of classmates from several years of graduates of his small town high school. After the reunion, we all drove up to his friend's home in the mountains.

A neighbor came over to borrow some dry wood. My friend's wife introduced me to her and mentioned she was a writer. I told her I was an aspiring writer. We all talked about books and writing before she went back to her house to bring all three of us a book.

I chose Grit for the Oyster; 250 pearls of wisdom for aspiring writers written by her, Debora N. Coty, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Faith Tibbets McDonald, and Joanna Bloss.

I thought it was an unexpected surprise to meet her on top of a mountain deep in the North Carolina woods.

Grit for the Oyster is a collection of thoughts on writing by Terri Blackstock, Martha Bolton, James Scott Bell, Liz Curtis Higgs, Dr. Gary Chapman, and David Kopp as well as the authors and many other writers I recognized.

Each section begins with a scripture verse followed by advice on the writer's life. A prayer is followed by a section called "Reflection" which offers things to think about and put into practice. Quotes from authors conclude each section.

I recommend Grit for the Oyster as a helpful book to keep near your writing area. Reading a selection before beginning your daily writing sessions could be the inspiration you need to start your day.

Meeting and chatting with Debora M. Coty was a delightful surprise. Reading her book is a definite bonus. I had no idea what blessing was waiting for me in North Carolina this past October.

Courage to Change

2008-11-17T09:11:00.004-06:00

Okay, okay. On this blog, I'm supposed to write about the craft of writing, whereas "Courage to Change" explains the craft of living. Last night, I vacillated between two writing books which have helped me to heighten conflict and suspense in my manuscripts. With what is going on in my life at the present time, God kept leading me back to "Courage to Change."
"Lord, do you want me write on this book?" "Duh....," I thought I heard Him whisper this morning. So here goes, perhaps someone else needs this book. "Courage to Change" includes a compilation of several writings by Dr. Samuel Moor Shoemaker who lived, preached and wrote 1921-1939. His wisdom rings true today as it did when Alcoholics Anonymous first began, and its Christian roots came through him.
I discovered this book fifteen years ago when God healed me emotionally and helped me lose ninety pounds. With every new challenge in life, I seek first God's Holy Bible, and next "Courage to Change."
Whether I write or speak or God uses me in other ways, pride creeps into my accomlishments causing me to fall on my face again. Am I the only one? I think not. I read on page 66, "Genuine humility cannot be attained by avoiding pride: it can only be attained by discovering gratitude."
When I'm having trouble in life, I read page 65 "But I believe that God uses that trouble, turns it to good account, works it into the whole fabic of our lives, and gives meaning to it....You cannot seek the meaning of a sorrow while you hug it to yourself, and will not give it to God to shed His light upon."
As I seek for God's will, I read page 37 "He asks us to begin with Him at the known and follow Him into the unknown.... Begin where you can."
How do I help people to find Christ? On page 183, Rev. Sam says "Religion today is largely the imitation of an example, when it ought to be the hearing of a Voice."
Much wisdom, wonderful insights. This book delves into our mindsets and questions everything we thought we knew. As I said, it's been around awhile so might only be on Amazon or through Hazelden Publications. The book was compiled and edited by Bill Pittman and Dick B in 1994.
There you have it, Lord. I told them about this book. Thanks for leading me to it again. Point the way for those who read this blog today.

Hitchcock's Topical Bible with Cruden's Concordance

2008-11-09T21:22:00.002-06:00

by Roswell D. Hitchcock, © 1962, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids 6 , Michigan.

To a writer, books are not only the products, but the tools, as well. Within arms reach of my desk top computer are two well appointed book shelves with dictionaries, thesauruses, formatting guides, and even some of the titles reviewed on this web site. One tool I always keep in handy reach is my Hitchcock’s Topical Bible with Cruden’s Concordance.

Along with Christian fiction, I write biblical scripts for a drama ministry. The plays I write are instructional, written to minister to the Body of Messiah rather than to evangelize. I take a face value event like the story of Esther, for instance, and I guide my audience to a deeper level of understanding.

In Esther’s case, I highlighted the less apparent Messianic foreshadowing woven between the lines of the biblical account. I also connected historic animosities between Mordechai and Haman through their genealogies, using the Bible as my source.

Besides scripts, I also write articles about the revelations I have and post them on the ministry website. Because the Bible warns that teachers shall incur a stricter judgment,[i] I get my facts straight before placing a production on stage or posting an article on line. There are a great many extra-biblical tools that I can and do use to corroborate my accounts, but I especially like the Hitchcock Topical Bible with Cruden’s Concordance.

The Hitchcock text opens with an Alphabetical Index of Subjects found in the Topical Bible. These include:
Scripture
God
Works of God
Miracles
Mediums and Methods of Revelation
Duties to God
Angels, Good and Evil
Jesus Christ
The Hebrews
War
Man Redeemed, and so on.

The topics are outlined in seven-hundred pages under numerous headings and sub-headings. Every possible scripture verse related to that sub-heading is listed in KJV. Because the topics are so broad and inclusive, I almost always find what I’m looking for, with immediate scriptural substantiation to support my conclusions.

Man, such as he is, is well documented in the Hitchcock’s Topical Bible with the Cruden’s Concordance. The text works as well for the fiction writer who wants to develop their characters in line with biblical principles. For historical fiction, topics such as Industrial, Employments, and Products and Civil and Social Life will help the writer cultivate credible characters consistent to the customs and conventions of biblical times.

Hitchcock’s Topical Bible with Cruden’s Concordance is a well used tool in my collection and one that I depend on for accurate and well researched writing.

[i] James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment. NAS

WRITING THE CHRISTIAN ROMANCE by Gail Gaymer Martin

2008-11-03T11:42:00.002-06:00

Writing the Christian Romance by Gail Gaymer Martin is one book I wished I had owned four years ago when I first started on my journey to publication. Allow me to explain.

My first hurdle back then was to learn the difference between Single Title & Category romances. In chapter one, Ms. Martin elaborates on their differences and how Christian romance differs from secular romances.

As I look over the next few chapters, concerning creating believable characters, get know your hero/heroine, emotions, sexuality, and spirituality, I look back with a good feeling, thinking I had a good understanding of these concepts.

However, POV was the hardest thing for me learn. I understood 1st person, 3rd person and such but learning how to handle third person limited pov was the hardest idea for me to conquer. Ms. Martin tackles this subject with the all the finese of a true professional. She eases into the concept with explaining 1st, 3rd, omniscient, and how to interweave the pov's. If you struggle with pov, then I recommend this book for you.

The last hurdle and most recent one I've had to learn is plotting. Chapter 10 is entitled Plotting the Christian Romance. Ms. Martin identifies many popular plotting techniques. I think I've tried them all except the 3-Act Structure which I'm trying now.

The last chapter in the book is How to Sell a Christian Romance Novel and in this chapter Ms. Martin instructs and gives examples of preparing a manuscript to sell, she enlightens her reader on editor/agent relationships, and she lists popular conferences.

Gail Gaymer Martin offers a well-balanced teaching on how-to write Christian fiction.

If you haven't read this book, yet...don't wait any longer.

Polishing the Pugs by Kathy Ide

2008-10-26T14:37:00.002-05:00

I purchased Polishing the “Pugs” at the American Christian Fiction Writers
at the Dallas Conference. Kathy Ide is a professional freelance author, editor, and writers conference speaker. “Pugs” stands for punctuation, usage, grammar, and spelling.

She also covers Rules for Book Manuscripts based on The Chicago Manual of Style and Rules for Article Manuscripts based on The Associated Press Stylebook.

My copy is full of the sticky tabs to note the sections I think are important.
I keep the copy on my bookshelf next to the computer for quick reference. It is also handy to review why waiting for the printer to finish printing.

I convinced two of my writer friends and some bystanders to buy one at the second Dallas Convention. My friends were glad they did.

Kathy’s website is www.KathyIde.com and www.TheChristianPEN.com. Treat yourself to a copy. You’ll be glad you did.

Cross & Quill

2008-10-19T12:14:00.002-05:00

Okay, Cross & Quill is not a book, but it is a great resource and inspiration for writers. This newsletter for The Christian Writer's Fellowship International gives new markets, new directions and tools for writing, good craft lessons, and introduces one of our successful writers. Since joining this group a year ago, I've eagerly anticipated each copy every month. Also, the publication itself offers a market to those who write articles or devotions.
For those of us writing fiction or non-fiction, for books or periodicals, Cross & Quill offers something of interest. Recent favorite articles of mine include "Ways to Win an Editor's Heart" by the editor Sandy Brooks, "Seeing Your Audience with Your Heart" by Janet Perez Eckles and "I Love to Write Day, 2008" by John Riddle. There's always an article about young adult writing, writer's groups and market changes or new markets. Each copy highlights upcoming Christian writing conferences or workshops.
Christian Writer's Fellowship not only sends out the monthly newsletter, but has an online loop along with annually sending extra writing tips and market info.
For a Christian writer this group and especially this newsletter is an invaluable tool on our journey to publication and beyond.

2008-10-13T09:45:00.001-05:00

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread: A novel by Don Robertson.

Every writer is a reader. We LOVE words. We love to discover new words or new ways to use old words. Many of us had a mentor who introduced us to the bliss of reading.

My sister taught me that if I had a book to read, I would never be alone. She was eleven years older and out on her own by the time I was eight years old. I used to love spending time at her apartment in a nearby town. She would take me to the library or read with me at home. We took turns reading chapters aloud.

One of the books we shared ended up being one of my favorites of all time. The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread by Don Robertson. The author takes his main character, nine-year-old Morris Bird III through the streets of Cleveland in 1944. Our young hero embarks on a fateful journey in search of his best friend whose family had moved to the other side of town. Unfortunately, Morris’s mother catches him before he gets too far, reminding him that he’s supposed to take care of his little sister. Grudgingly, Morris takes her, along with a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter.

During the course of their adventure, the reader is introduced to a number of other characters and subplots who will eventually be thrown together when a gas tank explosion rocks Cleveland.

The beauty of this novel is that the action doesn’t happen until the final chapters, but the author keeps the reader engrossed in the story as he develops his various characters. Of course, the book isn’t about the disaster, as much as it is about young Morris and his courage as he rises to the occasion of being a hero—dubbed The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread by one of the people he resues.

The Greatest Think Since Sliced Bread is a terrific first adult novel for the very young adult, twelve years old or so. The graphic descriptions of the explosion and the burn victims might be disturbing for younger readers, however, and parental discretion is advised. Stephen King says that he has this wonderful novel on the shelf next to The Outsiders and Catcher in the Rye. I believe it’s more than worthy to stand beside such great titles.

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread was first released in the early sixties, which is when I first read it with my sister. I must have been around ten years old at the time. It had been out of print for many years. When Robertson passed away in 1999, his estate re-released GTSSB to another generation. Robertson wrote two sequels featuring Morris Bird II: The Sum and Total of Now and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened, which became a movie.

FORMATTING & SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT by Cynthia Laufenberg and the Editors of Writer's Digest Books

2008-10-06T08:42:00.003-05:00

Are you at the point in your writing career where you are ready to submit your work? Or perhaps you want to submit a non-fiction piece? Do you know how to properly format articles for newspapers or magazines?

Recently, I found myself in a conundrum. I felt ready to submit an article for consideration. However, I had no clue how to properly format sidebars? To be honest, I didn't even know what sidebars where.

My dilemma didn't last too long. I turned to my bookshelf to find my FORMATTING & SUBMITTING Your Manuscript book. But it wasn't there. A friend had borrowed it. This book is a favorite book, which I lend to my writing friends.

The first thing I noticed about the book, which I liked best is the example letters. This book doesn't just give one or two, but page after page shows query letters, cover letters, proposals, outlines, and synopses. Also, there are plenty of examples of electronic submissions and the difference between them and traditional submissions.

The second thing I liked is the various genres it covers. This book shows how to write letters to submit in genres such as novels, personal essays, magazine articles, book proposals poetry, screenplays & scripts, short stories, children's books, and greeting cards.

Last, I like how the narrative is chunked into small information pieces. Reading long passages of scholarly text, bores me. However, this author uses bullets and short paragraphs to convey her thoughts. I can't say enough how much I appreciate chunked information. I learn best in this manner.

This book is a must have for any writer ready for the submission process. It will be the best $20 investment you can make in to your writing career.

"Shut Up!" He Explained by William Noble

2008-09-29T13:27:00.003-05:00

“Shut Up!” He Explained A Writer’s Guide to the Uses and Misuses of Dialogue by William Noble. Mr. Noble begins his book on dialogue by telling us he had been asked by
a friend to look over a manuscript for the man’s friend.
Mr. Noble said the characters were okay and the plot a good one, but he quickly lost interest because the dialogue was poorly written.

The book is divided into three sections.

Section one is “The Master Keys to Dialogue”.
Section two is “The Details of Dialogue”.
Section three is “Misuse and Abuse of Dialogue”.

Each chapter deals with an aspect of dialogue, which makes it easy to look up any area the writer might have questions about.

Dialogue is essential to a good story. Dialogue is
different than conversation. It moves the story along.
Any dialogue that doesn’t add to the story should be cut.
He noted that dialogue and conversation are two different things. Many new writers use conversation in the story, which makes it boring.

He provides an illustration for each point he makes in the book. For example: I learned that dialogue develops characters and creates tension between characters. The writer has to know the character so the dialogue will be authentic.

His chapters on dialect and transitions helped me critique the writing of a member of our writers’ group. I was surprised to learn how dialogue can be the basis of a lawsuit. His last chapter addressed the precautions a writer should take. He gives actual lawsuits and the judges’ decisions on those cases. That was an eye opener to me, and a situation I will definitely consider in the future.

I’ve owned this book for quite awhile but never read it. I’m glad I did. Dialogue could be the problem with my book. I’m going to go back through my own story and check to see how I can use dialogue to strengthen my story. I also plan to study dialogue in the recent best seller I finished this week.

I recommend this book as a good one to add to your library for reference whenever you find yourself unhappy with your story.

The above review was written by Sue Watson.