GIVEAWAY and Deanna's Review of The Widow's Captive. A Christmas novella by Lucette Nel.

Want to win a copy of Lucette Nel's The Widow's Captive?Leave a comment below to enter!

The Widow’s Captive is an adorable story about a woman on the run with two kids in tow. Not to mention the bun cooking in the oven. Someone’s after her, and the weather outside is frightful. It’s no wonder she takes refuge in an ‘abandoned’ cabin. 

Buy The Widow's Captive by Lucette Nel on Amazon. ONLY $0.99, right now!

When the unsuspecting sheriff arrives, Adeline Spencer gives him a piece of her mind, with a skillet to his head. Who could this guy be? Surely he’s in cahoots with the man who’s after her. Soon, Adeline’s got him hogtied. She’d rather push him out the door, but she can’t let him freeze to death outside.

Once he regains consciousness, there is lovely tension, humor, and a lot of back and forth between the protagonists.

Will Adeline have her baby during the storm of the century? And without a midwife around will Jonah the sheriff be competent enough to help? Will Ward, the man out to get her, find them at the worst possible time? And will the spark grow between Adeline and Jonah, or be extinguished by the unending snow and stress of being housebound before it can barely stoke a flame?

Lucette Nel’s writing is witty, intelligent and fun. An excellent writer, this debut author takes the inspirational historical genre by storm. Literally, a snow storm. I highly encourage you to try this entertaining holiday read. With a smidgen of romance, a touch of laughter, and a bundle of faith and fun, this story will warm your hearts just in time for the Christmas season.

Don't forget to leave a comment below to enter in the giveaway of Lucette Nel's The Widow's Captive. Tell us your favorite thing about the Christmas season.

Dear young and aspiring author,

Ever wished you could go back in time and share something with the younger you?
This month we decided to share some wisdom we've gained since writing that first chapter, things we've learned since our 'decision' to become writers.
Read Robin’s inspiring blog here if you’ve missed it.

I scribbled my first ever story in a notebook. In pencil, and I remember it like it was yesterday, not eighteen years ago. The words flowed. Sentences followed and paragraphs were created that evolved into chapters. I thrived! I wrote about five more ‘novels’ in notebooks. Back then I thought it was simple. I was so blissfully happy in my ignorance.

Then I started studying the craft and realized how much there was that I didn’t know. How very little I actually did know about this dream I wanted to pursue. Things that I’ve never even considered plagued me. It overwhelmed me. And it terrified me, but I persevered. Somewhere between joining ACFW and now, I’ve managed to gain some form of foothold. I’ve experienced just how up and down a writer’s life can be.
There are hundreds of things I would tell that starry eyed thirteen-year-old. But if I have to narrow it down, here’s the things that would’ve made a lot of things easier.

1.   Please do not compare yourself to other writers. Ever.

We’re all different. That's how God made us ;)
Some writers have a knack with descriptions. Others flourish with dialogue and some manage to create well-developed, larger-than-life characters. You have your strong points - you really do - don’t belittle your strengths. Appreciate the talent the Lord gave you and work on improving it.

2.   Don’t aim for perfect.

Allow yourself to write terrible first drafts. Writing a novel is going to take time, sometimes a lot of time. For some writers it takes multiple rewrites before they have a manuscript that’s publishable. You're one of those writers. And it's OK. If you always stress about writing a perfect first draft, you’ll never have anything to work with.
Good things take time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Nothing kill's creativity faster than perfectionism, especially during the first draft.
~K.M. Weliand, Conquering writer's block and how to summon creativity.

3.   You can’t make everyone happy – 

you’re not coffee!

Don’t let your people pleasing tendencies influence your writing so much on so many different levels. I have several examples that I won’t bore you with. The brutal truth is if you’ve received feedback you don’t necessarily agree with, then so be it. Unicorns aren’t going to keel over because you’re not accepting every single suggestion you receive. The sun will still rise. The birds will still sing in the morning. One day you’ll decide not to implement some suggestions you’ll receive from an author you admire and your book will be OK. You’ll be OK. The critic will be fine too. I promise!

4.   Enjoy the ride.

Don’t rush. You’re still young and naïve and have so much to learn. And yes, receiving that desired publishing contract is awesome. It really is. But so is the ride. And the people you’ll meet on the journey. Your speed doesn't matter. Forward is still forward!

Since I know we're not the only writers with some wisdom to share, I’ve asked a couple of my good friends to share their answers as well. Check out they're websites if you have a moment.

(Thank you ladies for sharing so willingly.)

Find a writing community. You will need it. There is so much to learn, and writing can feel like a very lonely endeavor. When the amount of work becomes too daunting or the rejections start coming in, you'll need a writing community to turn to. Supportive family members and friends are a huge blessing, but only fellow writers can completely understand and give you the reassurance that you're not crazy, and you're not alone.
~ Laurie Lucking

Knowing now what I didn't know then, if I could start over I'd start creating my platform much sooner and pay closer attention to the business end of this business, including marketing/promotion techniques. Writing a great book is vital, but not knowing how to promote it renders it moot.
Believe me, having to play catch-up where marketing techniques is concerned is my biggest regret.
 ~ Author, Linda W. Yezak

I think it was Steven James who said something to the effect of, "Worry about the story, not the sentence." I agree. A compelling story will get readers to forgive a multitude of sins if you can sweep them away. I would urge my younger writer self to (1) really explore plot structure sooner, and (2) make sure every scene raises the stakes, builds tension, and moves the story forward. #2 would have saved me a lot of re-writing. Oh, and one more thing: PLOT your story. I'm a huge convert now!
~Author, Heather Blanton

If I could turn back time (yeah...Cher's now stuck in my head), I would tell myself to pay more attention to what I was reading so I could answer the old cliche questions, who, what, when, where, and why?
Who: Who are the characters and why am I finding them so appealing? Then bring those qualities to my own characters.
What: What makes the story so good in my eyes? Is it the setting, the period, the plot, the characters?
When: When am I reading the most? Morning, afternoon, evening, night? If that's when I'm most drawn to story, maybe that's when I should be doing my writing.
Where: Where is the story taking place? What geographical area do I read about most, and why? Should I be setting my story in a similar area? Or maybe "where" could be where am I reading? Maybe think about writing in that spot. If that's where I feel most relaxed and open to imagery and story, that's where I should probably sit to do my writing.
Why: Why is this book important to me? How can that translate to my own writing?
~Mikal Dawn

Dear self-

Hello...it's me. Just wanted to drop you a note at the beginning of your writing journey. You probably already noticed that I said "journey," not "career." I won't throw zen statements about a journey being one step in front of the other or that it is a long haul. Don't be so hard on yourself when you fail, because you WILL fail. A lot. You will get unhelpful critiques and never hear back from agents or editors who asked you to submit. Yes, silence is the worst.

But...

Keep going. Even if it's a blog post or a chapter on a fanfiction story because your heart cannot find your book characters for days (even weeks). Write inspirations, even a sentence or just a word, because your characters WILL come back. Keep learning and step out of your comfort zone for a short story or two because you will surprise yourself.

Above all, be faithful to the vision God has laid on your heart. He has given you a story to tell. Tell it. He has given you desire to write. Write it. These words, they are not yours or mine, they are His.

~Sarah Bennett

As always,
Be Blessed
~Lucy

Love in Literature - Part 3

By Lucy

“I love stories about love. Love at first sight. Love that sneaks up quietly after years of friendship. Love that causes the heart to beat and the breath to draw short. Love that pulses, quivers, gushes, consumes, and overwhelms.” 

~ Robin Scobee

I won't lie. I love romances! I love the chemistry between the hero and heroine, the journey they travel to reach their happily ever after. (And I prefer reading romances with happily ever afters.)  The challenges they face and the struggles they overcome. And if you haven't already, read which couples made Jeb's and Robin's lists. 

If you know me, my favorite couple will not suprise you.

Michael Hosea and Angel from Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love.

They start out with the classic plot of Enemy turned Lover. 

Michael Hosea is determined to obey the Lord, which puts him in the uncomfortable position of clashing with Angel's internal goal.

They're off to a rocky start as husband and wife. And they struggle, clashing around every corner. 

Angel insists on leaving, striking out on her own. She's determined never to "belong" to anyone ever again in her life. She doesn't know how much she needs love, and since she hasn't been loved in so long, she's not sure how to respond to Michael's kindness. She makes one terrible mistake after another. 

Michael's committed to love her, even though she's nothing he expected in a wife. His obedience to a God she doesn't believe exists, coupled with his determination, drives her crazy. But Michael's love for the Lord enables him to follow His instructions. 
Who can resist a hero who loves his heroine but loves God most?

The swooning moment for me happens when Angel realizes how desperately she needed the Lord's redemption, and when she finally submits to it. We find Michael, the gallant, steadfast and committed hero, there to welcome her back after she was tested in the fire.

Reading Redeeming Love also enhanced my understanding of the book of Hosea, on which Francine Rivers based her novel. 
In the biblical story, God instructed the prophet Hosea to marry a local prostitute, Gomer. The Lord uses Gomer to teach Hosea about Isreal's unfaithfulness and the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness to Isreal, even after Isreal's unfaithfulness.


Until next time,
Be blessed
~ Lucy

Sarah Monzon's Finders Keepers ~ GIVEAWAY

I had the opportunity to interview Sarah Monzon, bestselling author of The Isaac Project. She recently released her second novel, Finders Keepers (A Carrington Family Novel, Book 1) Trent Carrington and Summer Arnet stopped by too! =)

Sarah, we are delighted to have you, and congratulations on your second novel, Finders Keepers. Let's get started on those questions, shall we?

Lucy:     This is your second novel, would you mind telling us if publishing Finders Keepers was any different from publishing The Isaac Project? Was it easier? Any nerve-wrecking, nail biting experiences?

Sarah:            It was definitely different. Some aspects were harder and some were easier. The nausea induced from releasing the books into the big, wide world was the same for both, however. Worrying about how my baby was going to be received. Worrying if readers will love and relate to the characters, if they will be gripped by the story. I’m one hot mess of vulnerability.

           

Lucy:         We all need a hero! Tell us about Trent? Was there a real-life inspiration behind him?

Sarah:           Oh, Trent. Where do I even begin? He’s a heart stopper, that one. He has a laid-back, devil-may-care air about him with a hint of danger and adventure. His too-long hair, tattoo, leather jacket, and Harley encompasses his bad-boy, ladies’-man persona. Although he was raised in a Christian home, tragedy from his childhood has rocked his faith.

            Was there a real-life inspiration for Trent? No, not really. Although when I was writing a lot of the scenes between him and Summer, especially his flirtatious bantering, I would ask myself, “What would Jose have said?” (Jose is my husband and he was a HUGE flirt/ladies’-man when I first met him).

Lucy:        We love a heroine we can relate to! Any real-life inspiration behind Summer?

Sarah:           I think every character has a bit of me in them. Summer has a bit more than most. I don’t outline or have a complete story in mind as I write, it just comes as the story develops, so I was surprised when Summer was telling me her story (yes, my characters speak to me…don’t call the crazy house!).  I was surprised because Summer’s story is so similar to my own. Summer was conceived from a one-night stand and raised by an amazing single mom. She was grew-up with a daddy-sized whole in her life and that shaped a lot of decisions she made. For me, I was conceived from an affair my mom had when she was separated from a bad marriage (God’s grace from a mistake is what my mama calls me), and then raised me and my older brother by herself. While I at times yearned for that father-figure, I always knew I had a Heavenly Father who loved me and could literally feel his arms wrap around me in times of need and pain.

Lucy:         What was your favorite part to write and why?

Sarah:            Can I say all of it? Is that a cop-out? It’s true though. I had so much fun with Summer and Trent and their bantering. On the flip side, Isabella’s story is full of adventure and fast-paced and action-packed.

Lucy:         You obviously did a lot of research, anything interesting you want to share?

Sarah:           Google and YouTube are life savers. Seriously. I can’t imagine writing a book without those resources at my fingertips.

Lucy:        Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?

Sarah:            God is your father. He has adopted you into His family. He loves you and He wants to call you son/daughter.

Lucy:         What are your future projects?

Sarah:            Finders Keepers is the first in a four book series. Each book in the series will feature on of the Carrington siblings. The next story, All of You, will feature Michael Carrington.

Hi Trent, so happy to have you here on our blog.

You’re a modern treasure hunter, any misconceptions you

want to clear about your career?

First and foremost, I am not a pirate. No matter how many times Summer says otherwise. No one benefits from artifacts that are hidden away. I find the treasure and people can learn more about past cultures and history. It doesn’t hurt if the finds line my pockets.

2.    Why did you choose your career?

I’ve always been interested in history and inspired by men like Ponce de Leon. Men who weren’t afraid to push boundaries, have adventures, and discover new worlds. Plus, it helps that I have won every scavenger hunt I’ve ever participated in. Drove my sibling crazy growing up.

3.    What’s been your favorite travel destination?

      I have a keen fondness for the Bahamas. I don’t kiss and tell.. oh, who am I kidding? The tropical moon is part particularly magic to steal a few kisses under.

4.    Are you an adrenaline junkie / daredevil?

I like to live life to the fullest. I work hard, play hard, and love hard. I don’t think that makes me a daredevil, do you?

5.    What do you like to do in your spare time? With whom? Trent your Harley doesn’t count ;)

I’ve been doing a whole lot more scuba diving than I ever have in the past. And I think you can guess with whom. ;)

6.   Are you in love with Summer Arnet?
      Does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Does the moon control the tides?

7.    What does God mean to you?

Summer has come to show me that God is my heavenly Father. I’ve heard that phrase my whole life, and I used to roll my eyes whenever I heard my parents say it, but it’s true. I still have a long way to go, but instead of blaming God for some unfortunate events, I’m learning to trust Him.

And now, Summer's turn! (You look a little worried, Trent? Hehehe)

Summer, I’m so glad you agreed to this interview!

What are you most proud of about your life, personal and professional.

I must say I was fairly bursting with excitement to finally see my name with the photo credit in Our World. Years of hard work and dreaming finally paid off. Of course Trent’s sunken ship didn’t hurt either. Tabitha Michael’s really loved those pictures.

When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do?

Coffee. Must. Have. Coffee. I cannot function without it. Seriously. Don’t even try to talk to me before that first cup.

You’re taking a road trip – what music do you listen to?

Summer: I love some Adele and Michael Buble. Don’t judge.

What makes you angry?

Injustice. Human trafficking. Racism. Political corruption. Bullying. Child hunger. Oh, was I only supposed to pick one thing? I could go on and on.

Do you have any physical insecurities?

I never liked all my freckles. It’s a common companion to the red hair, but I always wished I had a less speckled complexion.

What was the first thing you noticed (physically) of Trent? (Heheheheheh)

Ugh. Is Trent around here anywhere? His ego is big enough as it is without hearing us dish about him. I can already picture his self-confident smirk. Oh well, he already knows when I first saw him I thought he resembled a Norse god. Let that one slip one time and he never lets me forget it.

What does God mean to you?

Because of my personal history, growing up without a dad in my life, the role of God as my father really resonates with me. After yearning all my life for that father figure, to finally have found one in the Creator…I’m sorry, can I have a tissue? *sniff*

 About the book:

​"1698, Spain The same evil that stole her mother’s life stalks Isabella Castellano. Afraid for her safety and with no one to help her, Isabella disguises herself as a cabin boy and hires on to one of His Majesty’s treasure fleet vessels. But has her flight from a known threat only led her to be ensnared in a sea of dangers? Present Day, Florida Summer Arnet will go anywhere to capture the perfect shot that will get her marine photography noticed by the prestigious natural magazine, Our World—even diving in waters haunted by Great White sharks. When a treasure hunter with a ladies’ man reputation approaches her about a sunken ship at one of her past dive locations, it might be the chance she’s been looking for to launch her career…if his charming smile doesn’t derail her first.

A past tragedy has left a hole in Trent Carrington’s life—a hole he’s tried to fill with women, money, and adventure. Could the feisty marine photographer be the missing piece or will Trent finally accept that the treasure he seeks can’t be found where rust and moths destroy? Three lives. Three hundred years. One ship that ties them together." 

Author Bio:

Sarah Monzon is a pastor’s wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world.  Playing pretend all day with them isn’t enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters.  When she isn’t in the world of make believe, she can be found in a small desert town in central Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.

Want to win a Kindle version of Sarah's novel? Of course you do!

All you have to do is leave a comment, with your email address to stand a chance.

Winner will be notified via email on June 18th.

Be blessed

~Lucy

To avoid spam, please leave your email in the following format : Name(at)gmail(dot)com

Stories that impacted my life

by Lucy

It’s my turn to share with you which stories have impacted my life. You can look up Robin’s here and Jebraun’s here.

I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book – J.K. Rowling

Like every author or aspiring author will tell you, I like to read. And though I have a list of titles that have touched me on this journey called life, I’ve decided to narrow it down to two books only. 

I hope I temp you to read them if you haven’t already. *Wink*

            

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

         
I’ve reread this book multiple times. I love it.

If you’re not familiar with the plot, it’s a skillful retelling of the biblical story of Hosea and Gomer. The book of Hosea’s purpose is to show the relationship between God and the people of Israel. God tells Hosea, a righteous man, to marry Gomer, a prostitute, and she’s not a very lovable person.

In Redeeming Love, God tells farmer Michael Hosea to marry Angel. Angel is a hardened, unlovable wreck. Sold into prostitution as a child, she's broken goods. She keeps hurting Michael, and God continues to tell Michael to take her back and love her.

This story is about GRACE and PATIENCE. Not only grace received from God, but also to show grace to our fellow man, to be gracious to their flaws and struggles as they plod along in this sometimes difficult road we call life. To be patient with them as they stumble every so often. It reminds me about the work God is doing in every person ‘behind the scene’.

Redeeming Love is about LOVE. Real and pure LOVE. It shows how even the most unlovable persons’ defenses crumble in the face of love.

Picture of Redeeming Love :https://books.google.co.za/books/about/Redeeming_Love.html?id=I7eMlFZ-drcC&source=kp_cover&redir_esc=y

The Carpenter's Daughter by Jennifer Rodewald

"Well. She isn't very pretty."
“Nobody would look pretty in that getup ... Butch, I’m telling you. She’s just butch.” – The Carpenter’s Daughter


I’ve always struggled with insecurities and this book touched a special spot in my heart.

The story tackles a very intimate question. WHO AM I? You meet Sarah Sharpe, and embark with her on her journey of SELF-WORTH and her search for this answer to the question which haunts her.

There are few acceptable molds our current society gives us. Molds that seems to be impossible for the everyday person to fit into. If you don’t fit, you feel average, inadequate, unaccepted and flawed.

You try to gain approval and forget that your worth will never and should never be determined by a fellow flawed human being. The Carpenter’s Daughter is about Sarah fitting to God’s mold, a reminder that God is interested in the heart and not the exterior.
The Carpenter's Daughter

Do you have stories that have left their imprint on your soul? We would love to hear about it!

Until next time

Be Blessed

~Lucy

Floating Body Parts

By Lucy Nel

Did that cause a shiver to run down your spine? If your imagination is anything like mine, gruesome images of severed hands or feet floating in the air probably exploded in your mind at a title like that.

Relax.

Take a deep breath.  Have a cup of Joe.

No gore today, folks.

The floating body parts (FBP) I’m talking about are tricky pests that sneak into our creative writing. And recently I’ve been spotting them again in my fellow writers’ works. Don’t despair. Last year, this was one of my major stumbling blocks in my own writing. Just a year ago, I had my manuscripts peppered with FBP’s. One strung after the other.  My beautiful little darlings. I was oblivious to them. I never managed to spot those invaders.  And I didn’t mind them in the least, because I was being creative.

But trust me; some people are not so lenient. I’ve seen editors’ slaughter ’em without remorse. (I’ve had an editor leave a dozen snarky comments on one of my earlier peppered-with-FBP’S-darlings-manuscripts. Ouch.) The hard truth is, we might not mind the little sweethearts, but some people in the publishing world do not find them acceptable.

In the end, we need to be able to spot those pesky FBPs and remove the outrageous ones from our writing. Show no mercy! 

Earlier this month, I had my manuscript edited by Linda(If you need an editor extraordinaire, this is the gal!), and am proud to say, I had one. Only one. And a mild one at that! So I let it slide. (Run along my cute little darlin')

Now, you’re probably anxious to find out what a floating body part is.

To put it plainly, it becomes known as a FBP when you attribute an action to a body part, (Hands, feet, eyes are normally the biggest culprits - at least in my own writing.) instead of to the character. 

Allow me to give you some examples of the ones I had in my previous manuscripts, and how I fixed them.

Then:

He leaned a massive shoulder against the door.

Now:

He leaned against the door.

Then:

His head twisted

Now:

He twisted

Then:

Her hand flew to her mouth

Now:

She covered her mouth

Then:

Her eyes searched the room

Now:

She searched the room

Then:

His fist pounded on the door

Now:

He pounded on the door

Of course there are trickier ones that are more acceptable. Sometimes you really can’t word them in a different manner. Like “She rolled her eyes” , “Raised her arms” or “Lifted his foot to inspect the sole”.

Am I saying you need to chop every FBP you have? Of course not, but some are just so outrageous, they might be too distracting to your readers. I hope you found this helpful, in the end, it’s still your decision which FBPs you want to keep, and which you’d rather cut.

Until next time,

Be blessed

~Lucy

For an amazing and hilarious example of FBPs, check out this blog!

Sarah Tipton’s parody of FBPs 

Is the Lord telling me to cast out my net?

https://pixabay.com/en/winter-season-snow-cold-old-cabin-208847/

I’m a private kinda person. With 99% introvert qualities. Seriously, if I could, I would probably live in a (comfortable) remote cabin and thrive. Give me my husband, my little dude and my laptop and I’ll be good to go. Wait. Add my Pugs, please. And books. Lots of books. Okay… and Wi-Fi. Hehehehe. I said comfortable, remember?

Because I struggle connecting with people, and opening up, I’ve never submitted any of my work to a traditional publishing house. I’ve been writing for eighteen years this year, dreaming about publishing my stories, all in the comfort of a hermit-like-writer environment. Why? because, REJECTION stings. I’m sure everyone knows that. The idea that my work gets rejected for whatever reason, terrifies me. (Perfectionism streak.)

Eventually my husband (Bless him) grew tired of my whining and convinced me to join ACFW's. I think 2013… or 2014 perhaps? Anywho, I joined and only then did I start putting my work out there in the Scribes Loop (Online critique group – I recommend joining ACFW’s to anyone hoping to enter the CBA publishing world.) for OTHER people to read. *Gasp.* That’s also where I found most of my amazing crit partners.

Somewhere along the journey the idea of indie-publishing became more and more appealing to me. See, indie-publishing is mostly a one-man show. No need for you to approach unnecessary people. If you want, (you probably should) you hire an editor. If you can, you do your own cover work. No rejection. No damaged pride. Also, you’ll be in charge. Whooop! But I realized after some introversion that my reason for finding the indie-publishing world enticing… was wrong. 
I was being disobedient.
Deep down I knew I wanted to pursue indie-publishing to avoid rejection. Then Deanna posted about her publishing journey,and the more I mulled over her post, the more the following scripture came to my mind:

Luke 5:3-6Amplified Bible (AMP)

³ He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little distance from the shore. And He sat down and began teaching the crowds from the boat. ⁴ When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon [Peter], “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch [of fish].” ⁵ Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets], but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].” ⁶ When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were [at the point of] breaking;

A simple act of obedience yielded a tremendous catch. It would’ve been missed unless Peter obeyed.

So now I’m being obedient and polishing a novella to pitch to a traditional publishing house.
Am I terrified – You bet’cha!
Will I be traditionally published? I don’t know.
If I get rejected, will it sting? Of course.
Will I sulk and cry and indulge in chocolate and ice cream ? Probably. 
But, I reckon there’s something that I need to learn and that’s why I’m gonna listen to the Lord. I’ll give y’all an update when I actually do sub my novella, and the outcome. Of course there's the  option of approaching other publishing houses if I get rejected this time, and that gives me hope. And I might just attempt it.

Maybe after this lesson, I will have the Lord’s peace and finally be able to pursue indie-publishing.

I guess all this rumbling can be summed up in one question: Is the Lord telling you to cast out your nets on the other side?

I hope this will inspire you to do some self-introspection and yield to the Lord’s will.

Until next time, be blessed.

~Lucy

First Drafts – the love hate relationship we all need to trudge through.

  https://pixabay.com/en/stamp-banner-business-button-label-895385/ 

I’ve been around the writing block a couple of years. Got some of the wind knocked out of my sails a couple of times. I was fortunate enough and learned a few things along the way, too. I find the journey exhilarating and other times, overwhelming and painful. Even newbie writers can relate to those roller-coaster sensations.

My biggest dread—The First Draft. *Enter some scary horror movie tune here, please*

Here’s why, and how I keep going at it despite the love hate relationship.

And maybe, just maybe, some of my babble will convince you to persevere as well!

I’m a slow, S-L-O-W writer. Add time restraints. A full time job, a husband I adore and a wonderful almost eleven month old little tyke that I try to spend as much time with as possible. (Yup- mix in a healthy dose of guilt most working momma’s deal with because they work. Some prefer it; others have to because of obligations.) And I’m left with morsels for writing.

Now, because I’m such a slow writer with limited time to write, I would have loved to write pure gold the first time I open a brand new Word document to start something. I tend to expect that first draft to be the same quality of polished draft. It’s not. I don’t think it ever will be. And to be honest, I’m not sure it’s even humanly possible. Writing takes time, a lot of time, and it gets discouraging. And frustrating. And tiring.

My first draft is lacking. ALWAYS. Holes the size of Pluto gapes at me. Inconsistencies dust it like sprinkles on a cake. I take forever to finish. I lose hope. I panic.

I ponder about shoving it aside and think about starting something else. (Obviously convincing myself that the first draft of something else would be better. It’s NOT.) Or I polish up a piece of completed work that doesn’t need polishing – at least not from me.

I’m one of those writers that hate writing but love the idea of having something written. I moved around a bit in my late teenage years, as a result, I lost my earlier manuscripts. Let’s not go into the details. (Blushes and hangs head in shame.) But I managed to cling to two awful, but completed, hand written manuscripts, and to this day I guard them with my life. I have another three completed manuscripts on my laptop. (Of which two might never see the light.) Ah, the feeling of pure achievement when I peek at them. I seem to forget the time and tears I spend on a previous manuscript to get it into that shape.

Then, when I look at the first draft of my work in progress, the crushing reality of all the work still ahead to get this baby mature daunts the excitement. Dims the hope. My critique partners still need to slice through it, because honestly, when I don’t absolutely hate my work, I’m blind and oblivious to my own writing flaws. Writing the second, third and sometimes even a fourth draft, looms. Rewrites and personal edits lie ahead.

But, a first draft—no matter how awful, how raw you find it—is needed to produce something fine and worthy. Without it, you’ll never have anything to work with. A first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. You can improve, fix and polish it once you’ve written it.

There’s a quote by Jodi Picoult I adore, ~ “You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”

And when the first page of the first draft looms, the wise words of Shannon Hale ~ “I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”

So don’t despair. Everything worthwhile takes hard work and time.

~Lucy

Just pause

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/en/pause-button-media-icon-player-303651/

Has anyone else ever wished to hit the pause button on life?
Usually I don’t. I find myself waiting and longing too often for stuff I want and don’t have. Things of the future. Perhaps I have more pessimistic tendencies than I’d like to admit. Sometimes, I just wait for my life to wiz by because of something more exciting or more important still to come.

Finishing high school.

My wedding day.

Getting my drivers.

Graduation.

Buying our first home.

Then I became a mom.

Wow. Talk about a shift in life and reality. Ten months flew by. I KID YOU NOT! Today I can’t remember if I fell pregnant in 2014, because 2014 sounds like only yesterday. I look at my boy and it’s like: Pause! Just pause! For a moment, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that this little Monkey was in my tummy. In ten short months, I’ve seen him develop and grow. He sprouted two teeth. He crawls like a formula one racing car. Tantrums? Woooheeee… Probably got that from his daddy (LOL). Soon, he’ll be running, talking. I’m afraid to blink and find him driving. Then college. Then his wedding day.

My head spins at the idea.

My heart aches.

Why is everything going so quickly? Then it hits me. I might not have a pause button. I might struggle to juggle a full time job. Motherhood. Marriage. My dream of becoming a published writer (In no particular order). I might fail miserably most times. But I still get to experience the journey. I take a deep breath and focus on my “ride”. I appreciate the adventure. It’s where the fun happens. I might not be able to pause life, but I can enjoy the ride. While there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious, feeling excited about the future, we must never allow our yearnings to neglect the opportunity where God has placed us, and whom He placed under our care. *Thanks Robin ;) *

Psalm 131 

¹ Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
²  Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child [resting] with his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me [composed and freed from discontent].
³  O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Awesome commentary on the above Psalm by Matthew Henry

Friends, sometimes the journey is long and difficult. Sometimes, it’s a breeze. In all those times, we have the Lord with us. And for that, I am grateful.

~Lucy

Heather Frey Blanton author of Hang your heart on Christmas visits Quills and Inkblotts

Welcome all!

Today I’m very fortunate to be interviewing Heather Frey Blanton.  

She’s the author of A lady in Defiance, Hearts in Defiance, In time for Christmas and Grace be a lady. *All of her titles are available at Amazon.*

Heather writes wonderful Christian Western Romances about strong pioneer women and men. If you love historical romances as much as I do, you will love her stories.

Recently, she released Hang your heart on Christmas.

Hi Heather, welcome to Quills and Inkblotts. We are delighted to have you at our little corner on the web.

Please tell us a little about you?  I live on a farm outside of Raleigh, NC with my three boys, 12, 15, and 54 (come on, you know what I’m talking about with that last one). We ride and shoot together just like every family oughta. If you like Duck Dynasty, you’d like us. We’re down home.

                        

I am a freak about history; can’t get enough of it. I have a journalism background and love to research. I’ve walked parts of the Oregon Trail, climbed to the top of Independence Rock, and held an outlaw’s note in my hand. Now that’s living!

Favorite scripture and why?  God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 When my first book was rejected by a major Christian publisher – well, let’s just say I’m sure I’ve been punched in the gut harder but can’t remember when. It could have taken the wind out of my sails, but I knew God had a plan. I hung on to that thought and that scripture.

When did you decide to become a writer?  Oddly, I’m not sure it was ever a conscious decision. I am the youngest of six kids and my siblings were always busy, so I occupied myself with writing and drawing. I often wrote stories so I could keep a TV showing going (in my head) that I didn’t want to end. Just because the credits were rolling didn’t mean I had to say goodnight to the Hardy Boys. I had the biggest crush on Parker Stevenson!

What is the hardest thing about writing?  Getting to know my characters deeply and intimately. But once I’m there, writing their stories flows like water!

What is the easiest thing about writing?  Choosing my setting. For some reason, bam! I just always know it. Sometimes the decade can give me problems, but the geographic locations call to me for each story!

Are you a plotter or a panster?  I started out as a pantser. I built my first novel entirely around one scene and then just let the story unfold. That’s not a bad way to write, but I wind up cutting a lot of scenes. While they may help me get to know my characters, ultimately, if a scene doesn’t move a story forward, out it goes. With my last two books, however, I’ve done a lot of outlining and writing in my head. What I mean is, I do a lot of writing in my head (which is pantsing, basically), but then I transfer that “day dreaming” to beats, which help create the outline. Gee, I think that actually makes me a plotster.

You're a traditionally published author as well as an Indie author.  What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing?  In February of 2012, I asked my agent if I could self-publish A Lady in Defiance; I wanted to sell two hundred copies for my Relay for Life team. By May, I had sold nearly three thousand copies! Well, ironically, at the same time, my book had made it all the way to the fabled “contract meeting” at a MAJOR Christian publisher. They passed on me because the sales team said my sales projections were too low. Imagine the publisher’s surprise when A Lady went on to sell eight thousand copies that year! I saved my money, quit my job, and started writing full-time a year later. To date, A Lady in Defiance has sold over thirty thousand copies, gathered 406 reviews, and earned 4.7 star`s on Amazon!

Since 2012, I’ve released three novels, two novellas, and been published in three collections. It takes a single traditionally published book sixteen months on average to see its release date.

If I had gone the traditional route with my first book, my advance would have only been around $7-10,000. So I would have had to keep my job and write in my spare time, while trying to market the book, raise a family, clean the house, and be a good wife. All while making less money per book. I didn’t care for that scenario so I released my agent and self-published Hearts in Defiance in September of 2014.

Praise the Lord, things have worked out for me.

But there is a very definite downside of being an indy author. Namely, you do everything yourself. You write the stories, hire editors and cover designers, plan the marketing, audition narrators for your audio books, develop the marketing plan, etc. Indy authors don’t generally command big bucks for their books, either. Most of us sell our stories for .99 to $2.99. Lastly, it is nearly impossible to get book stores to carry an indy author’s books, for a myriad of reasons.

The cover of Hang your heart on Christmas is gorgeous. Who designed your book cover?  Roseanna White is not only a fabulous designer, she is an author for Bethany House. I think her skills on both fronts are exceptional.

You’ve crafted some fine, well developed male hero’s in your stories. Dent Hernandez and Charles McIntyre are definitely my favorites. Do you have a favorite? (I promise I won’t tell Dent if it’s not him.)  Oh, I adore Charles McIntyre. He is a man who is trying to leave behind a dark past and walk in the light. He wants to surrender everything to God, but relinquishing control doesn’t come naturally and he struggles to find his way. He’s hard on himself for his failures, yet loves his family unconditionally. He’s so flawed, yet that gives me, as a writer, the chance to show God’s strengths in those vulnerable, human weaknesses. But I love all my leading men for various reasons.

In your latest release, you introduce readers to U.S. Marshal Dent Hernandez and schoolteacher Amy Tatee. What inspired you to pair Dent with Amy? Give us an insight into Amy and Dent? What makes them work as a couple?  Amy brings out Dent’s natural desire to serve and protect. That’s what makes him such a great lawman and lover. But he struggles with changing paths, letting go of his plans. Amy is a strong woman but not one of those annoyingly harpy characters that’s over the top. She accepts her femininity and is willing to cry in his arms. That doesn’t make her weak or fragile. I love that.

What came first to you when you started Hang your heart on Christmas?

Character, plot or setting?  Definitely the plot on this one. I wanted a hero who was keeping a secret and when it was revealed, the heroine was going to have to make a hard choice about their relationship. It’s so funny how characters “come to life.” In the end, BOTH Amy and Dent were grappling with right and wrong, duty and honor, standing or running.

Are you working on something at the moment?  I am currently working on Book 3 in my Defiance series. I expect that A Promise in Defiance will be out in late winter 2016. We’ll see. I also have a script that I wrote for A Lady in Defiance and a Hollywood agent is perusing it as I write this! That’s pretty exciting! I hope one day you’ll see A Lady on the Hallmark Channel!

What’s it about?  In A Promise in Defiance, I bring some things full circle. The town settled down a bit in Book 2, but things are fixing to heat back up. There is a pretty epic battle brewing for the soul of the town, not to mention a couple of my characters. This story will be fairly intense. The stakes for my characters are going to be extremely high. At least I hope so.

Your genre is historical romance, what draws you to this genre?  I am a history freak. Who knows why? But the people, their stories, the simpler lifestyle, the black-and-white morals, it all beckons to me. I am home when I’m writing an inspirational romance set against the back drop of the Rockies a hundred-plus years in the past.

Have you ever considered writing in a different genre?  Funny story there. I wrote a time travel Christmas novella. In Time for Christmas. This is a story that has rattled around in my head since high school, so I finally wrote it a few years back. As a Believer now, though, I was particularly excited to be able to put a Christian spin on it. Specifically, I found a scripture that could explain time travel (2 Kings 20:10). I love this story and overall it has great reviews (4.5 stars and 108 reviews), but I’ve been surprised by how many readers don’t think God can control time. That shocks me.

If Hang your heart on Christmas were to be made a movie, do you have an actor and actress in mind to play Dent and Amy?  Vikkas Bhardwaj is the gentleman on the cover of the book. He is an actor and a model and the nicest fella you’d ever want to meet! I mean truly a baby doll. He would be wonderful in this part! I’d like to see maybe Erin Krakow (When Calls the Heart) as Amy. She would fit perfectly.

One last question, do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?  #1 Pray like crazy for inspiration and God’s anointing on your work. #2 Learn to write by writing, reading craft books, and attending writers conferences. #3 Find great editors and beta readers. #4 Repeat step #1.

Thank you, Heather. It was a pleasure to have you on our blog.

Now we got a surprise for y’all! Comment below for your chance to win a kindle version of her novella Hang your heart on Christmas!  (I loved it!) Winner will be announced here on December 19^th.

~ Lucy