Kimberley Woodhouse and Denali Dreams Giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KIMBERLEY WOODHOUSE is a multi-published author of fiction and non-fiction with Moody, Focus on the Family, B&H Publishing Group, Barbour Publishing, and Bethany House Publishers. A popular speaker/teacher, she’s shared her theme of Joy Through Trials with over 150,000 people at over 1,000 venues across the country. She lives, writes, and homeschools in beautiful Colorado with her husband of more than two decades and their two awesome teens.

Connect with Kim - http://www.kimberleywoodhouse.com and http://www.facebook.com/KimberleyWoodhouseAuthor and http://www.twitter.com/kimwoodhouse

DENALI DREAMS
by Kimberley Woodhouse and Ronie Kendig
Published by Barbour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Vast and rugged, Denali National Park brings adventure and love into the lives of four courageous women. Will cancer survivor Karon reach Mt. McKinley’s summit? Will heiress Jolie survive against the terrain and an assassin? Will flightseeing tour guide Deline save her stalling business? Will love conquer all for ranger Deanna?

Readers, buy your copy of Denali Dreams today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Behind the Scenes: Writing with a Co-Author
Kimberley Woodhouse

We get a ton of questions whenever we travel on tours, or just simply through our website. Some are about our Extreme Makeover: Home Edition or one of the other television experiences, a lot are about our daughter Kayla’s rare condition, and a lot are about the writing process.

Over the past year, I’ve received more and more questions about writing with a co-author. My daughter and I wrote No Safe Haven and Race Against Time together, Ronie Kendig and I collaborated on a collection entitled Denali Dreams, and Tracie Peterson and I wrote All Things Hidden releasing from Bethany House January 2014. I wouldn’t say that I’m now an expert on the subject, but I can definitely share my two cents with readers. I know as a reader, I often wondered what went on behind the scenes as well, so I totally understand the curiosity!

Each experience has been totally different, but they’ve all been fun. All the readers who write in want to know how it’s done. In summary? I don’t have a set formula, each collaboration has been unique. But I will say this: the authors need to pray for one another, they need to trust one another, they need to be good communicators, and they need to agree to a plan. :)

Writing with my daughter, Kayla (who became the youngest published full-length novelist from a royalty paying publisher with the release of No Safe Haven), was incredible. I wrote the adult characters’ POVs and she wrote the teens’. We wrote it in twenty-eight days total and had you been a fly on the wall, you would’ve seen lots of scribbling on white boards, jump-drives flying across the room as we shared scenes back and forth, and lots of laughter and M&Ms (Kayla’s favorite).

Writing with my dear friend, and not to mention best-selling author, Ronie Kendig was also incredible. In Denali Dreams (a collection of four novellas set in Alaska about the Talkeetna Rangers), Ronie and I plotted out our stories over the phone, developed our characters, and decided how the stories would tie in to each other. She wrote two of the novellas, and I wrote two. We wrote them in about a week. (Yes, we’re both pretty fast.) And we talked on the phone a lot. Another amazing experience—not just because I love the stories, but because I love Ronie so dearly. If you haven’t read any of her other books, you need to GO BUY THEM NOW. Seriously. She’s awesome.

And last but definitely not least, writing with Tracie Peterson. Wow. What could I possibly say? She’s best-selling and award-winning. Her 100th book will be releasing in 2014. She is one of my closest friends, but I would never have dreamed that I’d be given the opportunity to write with her. With All Things Hidden (1935 Matanuska Colony in Alaska), we did tons and tons of research together. We plotted. And plotted. And plotted some more. The string of emails with all our multi-colored notes back and forth was over forty pages! Then, we wrote a seriously long synopsis together (about thirty pages, again going back and forth), then our drafts of the manuscript went back and forth. It was another incredible experience and I learned so much from it.

Happy Reading!

~Kim

Reader Question: For our giveaway this week, I'd like to ask you-the readers-a question. What is your favorite co-author/collaboration? Leave the title of the book/series and the authors’ names for a chance to win a copy of No Safe Haven, Race Against Time, or Denali Dreams. (One copy of each book will be given away.)

* * * * *

Thank you, Kim, for sharing with us today.

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name [at] domainname [dot] com) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win ONE OF THREE free autographed copies of these three books: Denali Dreams, No Safe Haven, Race Against Time. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the drawing is open to US/Canada residents.

Barbour Publishing Announces New Fiction Focus

This press release will be permanently hosted on the official ECPA press archive at www.FrontGateMedia.com/ECPAnews

Barbour Makes Strong Commitment to Fiction with Development of New Team

Contact: Shalyn Sattler
740.922.6045 ext. 109
ssattler@barbourbooks.com

Uhrichsville, OH—Barbour Publishing is pleased to announce the strategic development of a dedicated in-house fiction team. With fiction continuing to be one of the company’s strongest categories, the goal of the team is to take the Barbour fiction line to the next level by providing targeted direction and leadership in the area of acquisitions, as well as partnering with talented writers and helping them to further develop their craft.

The newly established team consists of Publisher and Vice President of Business Development Dan Balow, Editorial Director Kelly McIntosh, Senior Fiction Editor Rebecca Germany, and newly promoted Acquisitions Editor for Fiction, Annie Tipton. In Tipton’s new role, she is responsible for developing and implementing Barbour’s fiction strategy and acquiring new full-length titles.

“Fiction is very important to Barbour. In fact, it accounts for over a third of our annual sales,” stated Dan Balow. “Creating this fiction team and promoting Annie Tipton to the role of acquisitions editor will give us the vision and resources to make one of Barbour’s strengths even stronger. Rebecca Germany guided fiction to where we are today. This team will work together to make it even more successful.”

Barbour Publishing is the leading publisher of promotional Christian books and releases 300–350 titles annually in a variety of categories, including devotional, inspirational, Christian living, fiction, reference, youth, and children. For more information, visit www.barbourbooks.com.

Sundays in Fredericksburg with 4 Guest Authors

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

EILEEN KEY retired after teaching school for thirty years. She is a freelance writer and editor. Her publications include stories in God Allows U-Turns, God's Way for Teachers, Our Fathers Who Art in Heaven, Soul Matters, Prayers for the Armed Forces, and numerous articles, devotionals and book reviews. Her first novel, Dog Gone, from Barbour Heartsong Presents, released in the fall of 2008. A Barbour novella, Door County Christmas, released in the fall of 2010. Mother of three, grandmother of three, Eileen resides in San Antonio, Texas, where she is an active member of Grace Community Church.

LYNETTE SOWELL is the author of over a dozen titles for Barbour Publishing, with one title winning the Carol Award and two others finaling. When Lynette’s not writing, she works as a medical editor and part-time newspaper reporter. Lynette lives on the doorstep of the Texas hill country with her husband and a herd of cats who have them well trained. You can keep up with Lynette at www.facebook.com/lynettesowellauthor, http://www.twitter.com/LynetteSowell, and http://www.pinterest.com/lynettesowell.

CONNIE STEVENS lives in north Georgia with her husband of thirty-nine years. She has been a member of ACFW since 2000 and had her first book published in 2010. She loves wandering through century-old cemeteries to find interesting names, and exploring antique shops and old houses for inspiration for her historical novels. She has been known to forget what time it is—or for that matter, what decade it is—when immersed in research. Visit Connie’s website at http://www.conniestevenswrites.com and look for her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/connie.stevens.378.


MARGIE VAWTER is a professional freelance editor who proofreads for CBA publishers, edits for individual clients, and writes. An avid reader, she also judges for several prestigious awards in the inspirational marketplace and serves as conference director’s assistant for the Colorado and Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conferences. Her first fiction, a novella in Sundays in Fredericksburg, released in April 2013. And she has two nonfiction books also releasing in 2013. She lives with her husband, Roger, and cat, Sinatra, in southwest Missouri

SUNDAYS IN FREDERICKSBURG
by Eileen Key, Lynette Sowell, Connie Stevens, and Margie Vawter
Published by Barbour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Come on down to Fredericksburg, Texas, where four generations of couples encounter romance in Sunday Houses. Having become a schoolteacher to avoid marriage, Amelia Bachman finds her resolve crumbling before a smitten carpenter. Determined not to fall in love, Mildred Zimmermann carefully nurses an army medic crippled in love and war. Somewhat of a homebody, Trudy Meier isn’t sure she has the courage to love a roving reporter. Gwendolyn’s beautiful wildflower field is threatened by a geologist’s search for knowledge. Will these four women risk their hearts for the love a stranger?

Readers, buy your copy of Sundays in Fredericksburg today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHORS

Eileen Key
A Change of Perspective

Writing is a solitary journey, and sometimes we writers are asked to move from behind our computer screens and step out of our comfort zones. I find myself quaking in my boots when asked to speak to a group about me, myself and I. Yes, I’m proud of my work; yes, I can tell you how a book is published. But golly gee, talk about me? Hard to do.

Yet as I left a speaking engagement recently, I realized I was using the power of my testimony to brag on what the Lord has done in my life. I’m constantly amazed at His good and wonderful gifts. Telling others how He has led me on this writing journey only enforces the scripture in Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

I am delighted to be a daughter of the King and I am blessed to be a part of our writer’s community. American Christian Fiction Writers has been a wonderful gift to me—given directly from His hand. Acquiring my agent, Tamela Hancock Murray, was a gift to me—given directly from His hand. All of my sales are gifts—given directly from His hand.

When I focus on His hand reaching out to give me gifts, suddenly I’m eager to be “outta da box” and in front of others to tell them of His wonderful goodness. It’s the change of perspective which has helped me overcome my fear. Jesus is the tale not me.

Reader Question: What wonderful gifts has the Lord given you?

Lynette Sowell
Sunday Houses

During the summer of 2010, I didn't want to go to Fredericksburg, Texas. Not at first. My plan for an ideal summer vacation was renting our favorite condo for three nights at the Texas Gulf Coast, where we could walk the beach, browse the shops in town and watch the sunset from under the palm trees. Not visiting the small town with German roots in the Texas Hill Country.

My husband and I decided to take a stay-cation that year instead, and planned a few day trips within two hours or so of home. We chose Fredericksburg for one of our destinations, mostly because we'd never been there and had always heard of its charm.

The hot July Texas sun beat down on us as we walked Main Street and wandered through shops, enjoying the air conditioning, la delicious lunch, and rounded out the afternoon with ice cream sundaes. We'd noticed the town was steeped in history, including the Admiral Nimitz Museum and the Museum of the Pacific War. The idea of a Pacific War museum almost smack-dab in the center of Texas didn't make sense to me until later and I'd grown to know Fredericksburg and its history better.

Sweating, but happy and full of ice cream, we paused at the windows of a realty office on the way back to our truck. "Stay in one of our Sunday houses during your next visit to Fredericksburg," a sign proclaimed. I went inside and got a brochure.

Sunday houses? What in the world are Sunday houses?

My husband is accustomed to life with a writer. Anything, anyone, anywhere, any time can end up as fodder for a story idea. The idea of the Sunday houses followed me home and wouldn't leave.

I'd written a book set in Texas before, Riverwalk Christmas, and one of my dear writer friends, Eileen Key, had told me, "If you ever come up with another Texas idea, let me know."

Then in late 2010, Barbour opened up submissions for novella collections and I told Eileen about my idea. She rounded up her posse, and the rest is what they call history.

Sometimes life disappoints us, even if it's something as simple as not being able to take the vacation you'd planned. In this case for me, this literal "re-routing" of my summer plans ended up taking me down a wonderful road.

Reader Question: Have you ever had a disappointment turn into a blessing?

Connie Stevens
Hope's Dwelling Place

Since this was my first novella, I depended on the members of our team with more experience. It didn’t take long, however, to be drawn into the excitement of brainstorming the four stories, especially since we decided to make this collection generational.

My story appears first in the collection, and it is set in 1897. My main characters are Amelia, the new schoolmarm, and Hank, the son of a local farmer who has no intention of following in his father’s footsteps.

When working out the details of this generational collection, the team had to frequently be in touch to exchange information regarding the names and ages of the characters and specific timelines. As a bit of different twist, I also have three orphaned children in my story—Hank’s young cousins, who not only play a major role in my story, but also add to the next generation. Margie Vawter’s story is set twenty years after mine, at the end of World War I, and one of her main characters is the daughter of my characters. Fast forward another generation to Lynette Sowell’s story, set during World War II. One of her main characters is the son of one of the orphaned cousins from my story. Eileen Key wrote the final segment in the collection, and her story is set in current day. I was intrigued to read and critique her manuscript with her heroine as the great granddaughter of my characters.

In addition to keeping the family tree straight over four generations, there are some unique common threads that connect the four stories as well, besides the Sunday houses. A gazebo built by Hank, and a field of wildflowers sown by Amelia appear over the generations, and the team had to make sure we remained consistent in the location of landmarks. Even though the gazebo falls into disrepair and eventually crumbles away over the many decades, its foundation remains—much like the foundation of our faith.

Additionally, the foundation of friendship between four authors was bonded and strengthened as the team put their heads together during the writing of this collection. It was sad to say goodbye to our characters when we finished the editing process, but our friendship remains with each other—probably the sweetest thing about writing a novella collection with three other authors.

Reader Question: Have you ever collaborated on a project with other people? What kind of friendship bonds were created by working together?

Margie Vawter
The Writer and Research

Research is probably one of my favorite parts of writing historical fiction. I’m one of those people who didn’t mind learning dates, etc., in history class in either high school or college. In fact, I minored in history, where in addition to two-semester courses in American and English history, I also studied world history.

The hard part for me is narrowing down a time period to write about. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to English history. Maybe because there’s so much more of it than there is in America. And maybe because my paternal great-great-grandparents didn’t immigrate to the States until the 1870s and my maternal grandfather not until the mid–1910s.

For A Shelter from the Storm, I drew from family history for the time period and story spark. A story that has always fascinated me was that of my maternal grandmother’s first marriage, which lasted less than a year as her husband Harold contracted the Spanish influenza and died. She didn’t marry my grandfather, Nelson, until several years later. But the spark for the story came from Harold’s death. While I used their first names, nothing else in A Shelter from the Storm parallels my grandparents’ love story.

One very interesting tidbit of information that sealed the story for me came about as I was researching World War 1 nurses. I had already decided on Winters for Nelson’s last name. I came across a 2007 obituary in The Boston Globe about a woman who was influential in getting nurses into active duty with the navy during World War I. Her name was Charlotte Winters. (You can read about it here: http://bo.st/XcQwmD) Chills went down my spine. I had inadvertently picked the perfect last name for Nelson. She became Nelson’s sister-in-law, though she’s not an active character in my story.

This is one reason why I love research.

Reader Question: What time period and/or country in history interests you most?

* * * * *

Thank you, Connie, Eileen, Lynette, and Marjorie for sharing with us today.

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name [at] domainname [dot] com) along with your answer to any one of the reader questions above for your chance to win either a free autographed copy of the book featured above or a McGuffey's Reader. There will be at least TWO winners, perhaps more if the authors decide to choose more than one. If you do not answer a question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the drawing is open to contiguous US residents for the physical products (books) and international or Alaska/Hawaii residents for an eBook copy.

Guest Blogger Susan Page Davis and Lady in the Making

Susan and I recently sat together at the ACFW Awards Gala in Dallas, as one of her books was nominated for a Carol Award. She does multiple giveaways of her books every month through her web site, and several readers get the privilege of enjoying a free copy of their choice of her books. Be sure to visit her web site and use the "Enter Monthly Contest" form on the left side of the main page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SUSAN PAGE DAVIS is the author of more than 40 novels. A native of Maine, she now lives in western Kentucky. She’s the mother of six and grandmother of eight. Her books have won many awards, including the Will Rogers Medallion, the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, and the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award

LADY IN THE MAKING
by Susan Page Davis
Published by Barbour Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

Millie Evans has changed, choosing to leave rather than join an outlaw gang with her brother. Hoping for a new future, she boards a stagecoach and finds that one of the passengers is David Stone—a man she and her brother once tried to swindle. As she tries to convince David she’s changed, her brother’s gang holds up the stagecoach. Fighting beside David goes a long way to softening his heart, but he’s still not convinced. Someone is trying to keep him from reaching England to claim his inheritance. Is Millie involved? Millie must trust God to show David the truth, but will he see before it’s too late?

Readers, buy your copy of Lady in the Making today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Welcome! It’s a privilege to be a guest here this week!

As an author, I’m a late bloomer. My first novel was published the year I turned 50. I’d written a lot of nonfiction articles for magazines and newspapers—I was a news correspondent for about 25 years. But I didn’t think I could join the ranks of published fiction authors.

I decided to try when I realized I had a story in my head. It was a rather complicated story about a policeman and a difficult case he was trying to solve. I told my husband about it, and he encouraged me to write it down. It turned out to be a 100,000-word book. That story has never been published, but I have been writing fiction ever since.

About two years after I made that first effort, I began to sell short stories to national magazines. Selling to Woman’s World, GRIT, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine gave me confidence and justified all the money I’d spent on ink cartridges and postage!

During that time, I continued to write more books and market them to publishers. Nearly four years passed before an editor finally bought my first-to-be-published novel, Protecting Amy, and it took another year and a half for it to go through the publication process. Since then I have sold about 40 books. It’s been a great blessing to our family and a joy to me personally to become a fiction author.

I read somewhere that an author doesn’t really find her “voice”—that is, her tone or “attitude” of telling a story—until she’s written at least a million words of fiction. By the time Protecting Amy was published, I had written much more than that.

I was always a good student, and I’d learned to whack out full-length news stories in half an hour or so when I needed to, but I had a lot to learn about the craft of writing fiction. And I’m still learning. Every year I take classes and attended workshops and conferences that help me become a better writer. I read a lot and listen to what good writers have to say.

The wonderful thing is, writing is a skill you can develop and improve over a lifetime. Your stories will only get better as you learn more about how to present them to the reader. I do hope you enjoy A Lady in the Making.

This story is the third in my Prairie Dreams series. It can be read enjoyably on its own, but you might like it even better if you’ve read The Lady’s Maid, about two English women who join a wagon train going West, and Lady Anne’s Quest, about a lady searching in 1855 Oregon for her missing uncle.

Today’s featured book, A Lady in the Making, continues the story of that uncle, David Stone, who is heir to an English estate and title.

Although I used to live in Oregon and have done a lot of research on its history, I had to do quite a lot more, just to get David and Millie out of Oregon in this book. The time period (1857) is early for big, well-organized stagecoach lines, so I had to figure out how they would get from The Dalles, Oregon, to St. Louis, Missouri. It was doable, but things like Indian unrest in Idaho and troubled relations with the Mormons in Salt Lake City made it challenging. Once they cross the Mississippi, the characters can hop a train, but they are traveling a few years too early for the Transcontinental Railroad or bridges across the Mississippi. They also have to deal with unknown enemies who would like nothing better than to stop David Stone in his tracks. It’s all part of the writer’s job to get her characters into hot water—and then get them out again!

* * * * *

Thank you, Susan, for sharing with us today.

Reader Question: Do you like historical novels better when they emphasize action and adventure, or when the romance takes center stage?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a free autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.

Guest Blogger Gail Sattler and Seattle Cinderella

Today, I smile at the thought of this author. She's been a fellow author at Barbour with me for several years, and she's made an infamous name for herself by changing her hair color numerous times. Even hosted a contest for others to guess what color her hair would be at an upcoming annual conference a few years back. Today, she's turning a traditional fairytale on its head. Read more to find out...


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GAIL SATTLER lives in Vancouver BC (Canada, eh!)--where you don't have to shovel rain--with her husband, 3 sons, 2 dogs, a tankful of fish, and a lizard named Bub who is quite cuddly for a reptile, when he's not eating her houseplants. When she's not writing, Gail plays piano for the worship team at her church, jazz bass in a local jazz band, and acoustic double bass for a community orchestra. Visit Gail at her website at www.gailsattler.com.

SEATTLE CINDERELLA
by R. J. Larson
Published by Barbour Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

A modern retelling of one of the world's favorite fairytales, with a fun twist - find out what happens to her two step-sisters, and her godmother, in this anthology of 4 novellas written in series.

Readers, buy your copy of Seattle Cinderella today! And be sure to check out the web site dedicated to this book as well.

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Fact is Stranger Than Fiction (or is it really?)
by Gail Sattler

When I was writing my first book, it was pointed out to me by other more experienced writers to be careful with what I say in the book, because even though as the saying goes, fact is stranger than fiction, if the fact is strange, even if true, people might not believe it, so make it up instead, and then present that as fact, after all, this is fiction.

Did that make any sense? Well, it will if you read it slowly.

Well, it made sense to me.

As a writer, people think I must lead a very unusual life, and to some degree, that is true. I often stop to wonder what people see in their minds when they think of what a writer is really like as a person. For example, right now one of my favorite television programs is Castle. (for obvious reasons, I would think) So here we have an actor playing an author in a television show where the fake author has written a fake book which turns out to be a real book written by a ghost author with the fake author's name on it, because the fake author is really an actor, who makes a living being a fake person. Then the book was published for real under the fake name of an author whom everyone knows doesn't really exist.

Speak of perception of authors, in one movie I saw a few years ago, Nim's Island, one of the major character was an author who was more than just a little strange. In all her quirks, and there were many, she was quite believable, and the audience wanted to believe it, so they did.

I've seen many movies and television shows that have a character who is an author. My husband has a tendency to point them out to me. Every one of them. I don't know why. But usually they show the author as a person who marches to the beat of a different drummer. They don't always fit in with the rest of the crowd, their perspective is a bit left of center, and some of their quirks are off the map.

I would like to refute that, but in a way, I can't. It is true, my mind often exists in a world of "what if?". But if I had to sum most writers up in one word, I'd say writers are naturally curious. Okay, that's two words, but I think you know what I mean. Writers are naturally curious people. We have a slightly different perspective on many things, and that's probably why we can write about them.

A lot of people I talk to, once they learn I am a writer, ask me how I got started. To that, I simply say, an idea just grabbed me, so I sat down and continued with it to see where it would go.

* * * * *

Thank you, Gail, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: If you were asked to sit down and start writing, ignoring if you've never written anything longer than your grocery list, what would you write about? What idea could you expand into a story?

No giveaway this week, but I hope you still interact with our guest blogger. Thanks!

Welcome Betsy St. Amant and Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BETSY ST. AMANT lives in Louisiana and is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers group. Betsy is multi-published through Steeple Hill and has been published in Christian Communicator magazine and Praise Reports: Inspiring Real Life Stories of How God Answers Prayer. One of her short stories, ‘Kickboxing or Chocolate’, appears in a Tyndale compilation book, and she is also multi-published through The Wild Rose Press. She has a BA in Christian Communications and regularly freelances for her local newspaper. Betsy is a fireman’s wife, a mommy to a busy toddler, a chocolate-loving author and an avid reader who enjoys sharing the wonders of God’s grace through her stories.

ADDISON BLAKELY: CONFESSIONS OF A PK
by Betsy St. Amant
Published by Barbour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sixteen-year-old Addison Blakely has tirelessly played the role of PK—preacher’s kid—her entire life. But after Wes Keegan revs his motorcycle into town and into her heart, Addison begins to wonder how much of her faith is her own and how much has been handed to her. She isn’t so sure she wants to be the good girl anymore. Join Addison Blakely as she attempts to separate love from lust, facts from faith, and keep her head above water in her murky, fishbowl existence.

Readers, buy your copy of ADDISON BLAKELY: CONFESSIONS OF A PK today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

I think people often have a misconceived perception of authors. They hear the word “author” and they either automatically assume we are all Stephanie Meyers and J.K. Rowlings of the world, and ask to borrow money since we have so much, or they assume we have the cushiest job out there—that we sit back and eat bon-bons in front of our computers all day as we write to our heart’s content, every word we ever jot down publishing-worthy and epic.

The only true part of the above is the chocolate, but trust me, it’s discount ::wink::

I’m here to reveal a REAL glimpse into an author’s life.

I don’t get bon-bons, I get stale goldfish crackers that my toddler hasn’t polished off. I don’t write to my heart’s content, because well, then I’d never stop. I don’t sit in a pool of golden sunshine, delicately pondering life’s poetic experiences and writing as my muse sprinkles fairy dust over my keyboard. No, I sit among piles of laundry and dishes, and write in snippets during the day, or with red swollen eyes late at night, usually to the tune of a toddler hollering “Mama, I’ve got to poo-poo!” or the phone ringing or Nick JR blaring from the TV. I don’t get fairy dust sprinkles, I write with the dropping-anvil weight of other part-time job duties hanging over my head, job duties that actually pay the bills. And as for the publishing-worthy, epic words? Ha! Rejection letters still pile in, as do the bad reviews and the reader complaints.

But you know what? It might not be the cushiest job in the world, but for me, it’s the best.

Because those stale goldfish and toilet flushes and cartoon jingles just remind me that I have a precious toddler, who is a blessing to my heart and loves me unconditionally. The laundry and dishes prove that I have a home and husband to take care of and a life that gives me hope and joy to put into my writing to share with readers. Those rejection letters show me that I’m trying and not giving up on the dream God placed in my heart, while the bad reviews and reader complaints prove that I’m a published author, living that dream out in real color.

There are good reviews, too. There are handwritten messages from readers who were touched or affected in some way. There are fan emails and Facebook messages from people eager to read my next book. There are pictures of people reading my novel or pointing to it a bookstore. There are book-signings and royalty checks and advances and heartfelt notes that speak of a life changed.

And you know what all of THAT reminds me of?

How holy God is, and how unworthy I am.

And really, that’s the only reason why I write in the first place.

* * * * *

Thank you, Betsy, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: If you're a writer, why do you write? If you're a reader, why do you read?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

The contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

CFBA Presents S. Dionne Moore and Promise Brides

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Promise Brides Barbour Books (November 1, 2011) by S. Dionne Moore
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

S. Dionne Moore resides in South Central PA with her family. She is a weekly contributor to The Borrowed Book where she posts tips on the writing life, recipes, and teaches on various writing-related subjects. In addition to writing cozy mysteries, she pens historical romances that bring strong focus to locales within her region of Pennsylvania as a way of indulging her passion for history. In Fall of 2011 her first of three romances set in Wyoming, A Sheepherder's Song, will release.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Love is the same, no matter when, no matter where—it never comes without sacrifice. Theodore risks capture for Ellie, but will their hope for a future together be defeated? Can Marylu trust Chester, or is she asking for another broken heart? Will Alaina and Jack find common ground, or will flood waters destroy any possible future? Enjoy three romances from the historic state of Pennsylvania.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Promise Brides, go HERE.

MY REVIEW

When I first met Sandra, we were both involved in the local ACFW chapter zone of the Mid-Atlantic states. Or, we might have first met at an ACFW conference. I'm not sure. Wherever it was, it didn't take long for us to form a fast friendship, full of laughter, fun stories, and camaraderie you don't find unless you share it with other writers. Our shared passion for history is another tying link. Since my first series was set in historical Delaware, a neighbor to Pennsylvania (and once 3 colonies belonging to that state), I knew I had to get this book.

And Sandra Moore does an amazing job with the historical detail of all 3 books in this collection. I was swept away by the Johnstown Flood story of Alaina and Jack, intrigued by the escape from slavery story of Marylu and Chester, and tugged into the north/south struggle of the war story of Ellie and Theodore. Each one brought unique facets of the history of Pennsylvania to light, and I read the book in 3 short sittings.

The characters all came to life and brought their unique backstory to the pages. If you're looking for some easy reading with some sweet, yet dedicated, love stories, plus a fun history lesson without feeling like you're in school, check out this book. You won't regret it.

*** I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for this review. No compensation was given or received.

Welcome Rhonda Gibson and A Biltmore Christmas

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RHONDA GIBSON is an award winning author who loves being a wife, mother and Mimi. She has held many types of jobs in her life starting with hoeing cotton as a young girl and her last position, outside of writing, was Preschool Teacher. Rhonda is blessed to be able to write full time. Before Rhonda was an author she was a reader. Thanks to her mother’s love of reading, Rhonda started reading at an early age. She believes that that love of reading lead to her desire to write. To learn more about Rhonda, you can visit Rhonda at http://rhondagibsonwebpage.blogspot.com where she enjoys chatting with readers and friends online. Rhonda hopes her writing will entertain, encourage and bring others closer to God.

A BILTMORE CHRISTMAS
by Rhonda Gibson, et. al.
Published by Barbour

ABOUT THE BOOK

The four orphaned Bradford sisters find employment and romance at the Biltmore Estate at Christmastime.

In A HONEY OF A CHRISTMAS by Rhonda Gibson, Peggy Bradford loves being an assistant cook at the Biltmore Estates. She enjoys being close to her sisters and has become what she thinks is an old maid. Will the arrival of beekeeper, Mark Ludman, prepare Peggy for a honey of a romance? And take away her old maid status for good. Or will she feel the sting of a lost love due to her allergic reactions to bee stings?

Christmas is a time for love to glow at the Biltmore Estate.

Readers, buy your copy of A BILTMORE CHRISTMAS today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Writing Time

I get asked all the time, how much time do I invest in writing? For me the answer isn’t simple. I know there are people who have a “regular” writing time. I’m not one of them. I write at various times throughout the day depending on my day.

Let me explain. I have a family that keeps me hopping. They always want or need something and most of the time whatever it is they want or need can’t wait. I’m one of those people who usually drops everything and does what her family wants. So that makes it hard to keep a focused schedule. That doesn’t however stop me from trying.

So on the days when life is “normal.” I get up; take care of James, do my Bible study, and household things in the mornings. Then I write in the afternoon and some in the evenings. On the days when life isn’t normal, I write whenever I can but I make sure that I write something every day. That is the key to establishing writing time. No matter what happens during your day to interfere with writing take a few minutes and make time to write. You don’t have to write a whole chapter or even a whole page but you do need to write at least a sentence.

How much time do I invest in writing? The answer is: I try to write at least one hour a day. Normally, I write up to four hours a day. Most of the time that is 2 hours in the morning, one in the afternoon and one more in the evening. When I’m on deadline, it’s more. When I’m not, it can be as little as one hour a day.

If you are a writer and this question was important to you, remember: How much time and how much you get written isn’t what’s important, what is important is that you write.

* * * * *

Thank you, Rhonda, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: So what eats up your time and keeps you from writing? If you aren’t a writer, what eats up your time and keeps you from doing what you feel you should be doing?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

The contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Welcome Erica Vetsch and A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ERICA VETSCH is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and reading, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical fiction set in the American West. Whenever she’s not following flights of fancy in her fictional world, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two terrific teens, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.

Blog: http://onthewritepath.blogspot.com/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Erica-Vetsch/168952446490736
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ericavetsch

A BRIDE'S PORTRAIT OF DODGE CITY, KANSAS
by Erica Vetsch
Published by Barbour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Even as a female businesswoman in a world that expects men to be in charge, photographer Addie Reid believes she can succeed in Dodge City, Kansas—if she can outwit a grasping banker and keep her own past hidden. Love is the last thing Addie thinks she needs, but Deputy Miles Carr, a man with his own secrets, begins to change her mind until a smooth gambler who knows them both arrives in Dodge. Will revealed secrets disrupt the attraction between Addie and Miles and jettison the career opportunities of both Addie and Miles?

Readers, buy your copy of A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

My debut trade-length novel, A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas, takes place in my home state in the ‘The Wickedest City in the West’ during the height of the cattle-drive era. As a Kansas native, I was familiar with the basics of Kansas history and its cow towns, but I knew I would need to delve deeper into the factual accounts of life in Dodge City if I was to portray a setting more realistic but hopefully as entertaining as Gunsmoke. I found the research fascinating, and I hope I’ve given readers a real taste of the sights, sounds, and action of Dodge.

Kansas cow towns played a key role in the cattle drive era, being the terminus of those longs treks north. Longhorn cattle from Texas were rounded up, branded, and driven in massive herds into Kansas to the railroad for the trip to the meat-packing plants of Chicago. Between the years of 1866 and 1886 an estimated 20 million longhorns walked from Texas to Kansas, first to Abilene, then Ellsworth, Newton, Wichita, Caldwell, and finally to Dodge City.

The expansion of the railroad westward across Kansas accounted for some of the changing destinations for the cattle herds, but settlers, lawmen, and the Kansas legislature accounted for the main reasons that Dodge City became the Queen of the Cattle Towns. The state legislature moved the cattle drives further and further west in the state, claiming that Tick Fever brought up by Texas cattle were infecting the livestock of the farmers and settlers living in Kansas. In reality, as the towns of Abilene and Ellsworth and Wichita became more civilized, the residents were less and less willing to put up with the vice and violence that accompanied the Texas cowboys’ arrival each summer.

Eventually, Dodge City, in the far southwest corner of Kansas, became the last place cattle and cowboys were welcome, and boy howdy, did Dodge roll out the red carpet for those Texas wranglers. The law in Dodge was instructed by the city leaders to go easy on the cowboys, allowing them pretty much a free rein in the town as long as no citizens were endangered. This wide-open reception caused saloons, dance halls, and ‘houses of negotiable affection’ to spring up all along Front Street.

In the midst of all this vice, another faction in town comprised of lawyers, doctors, and the clergy, lobbied for stricter enforcement of laws and putting the safety of the citizens ahead of the fleecing of the cowboys. This led to tensions in the town and among the law enforcement officers, most of whom had invested in saloons and dance halls in Dodge City.

I tried to weave this underlying tension into the story, forcing my characters to choose sides in the debate. I had a great deal of fun researching Dodge City and her more famous residents (some of whom make an appearance in the book,) and I hope you’ll catch a glimpse of that when you read A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas.

As a bonus, here’s a little recipe I found for some real chuck wagon food. This dish was served as a treat for the cowboys to break up the monotony of a steady diet of beef and beans.

Sucamagrowl
3 cups water
1 cups sugar
2 pinches cinnamon or nutmeg
1 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons of flour

First, mix water and vinegar and bring to a boil. Mix sugar and flour together and stir into the boiling liquid until thoroughly dissolved. Cook for 15 mins, then add the spice. Mix up a batch of biscuit dough and drop by spoonsful into the simmering liquid. Serve hot.

* * * * *

Thank you, Erica, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: Most folks know of Dodge City only through the TV show Gunsmoke, so my question for you is: Did you watch Gunsmoke growing up, and did you have a favorite character? If not, another western, another character? I’ll go first and say, Yes, I did watch Gunsmoke, and my favorite character was Festus’s mule Ruth. :)

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Books for Sale! Fantastic Fiction at Bargain Prices

I shared here on this blog about a month ago about the Heartsong Presents book club closing at the end of this year. This has meant a big loss of expected income for me and our family between now and Christmas.

We're also enrolled in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University right now, so we can attack our debt and get out from under this burden. Our goal is 3-5 years, and we'll be done with this. Sooner, if possible. And then, we can pass on a debt-free legacy to our two children. Show them the freedom of living financially responsible and without worry of debt.

One way to start doing that is to sell things. So, we've started with books. And since we'd love to see them go to a good home, we're promoting the list of items to those who read Christian fiction.

If you'd like to see the list, you can view it here. (http://www.amazon.com/shops/tiffany_amber_stockton)

All purchases will help us pay off our debt faster. Thank you in advance.

If you purchase more than 1 book, we'll refund part of your shipping, since we can save by packaging books together.

Please forward this post or the link to anyone you know who might be interested in buying some brand new books at a great price!

Welcome Rose Allen McCauley and Christmas Belles of Georgia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ROSE ALLEN MCCAULEY is happy to live in the beautiful bluegrass region of Kentucky on a farm surrounded by God’s creation. She has been writing for over ten years and has been published in several non-fiction anthologies and devotionals. She is thrilled for this to be her first published fiction because Christmas books are her favorites. She has a growing collection of Christmas books, and this one will takes its rightful place among them.

A retired schoolteacher who has been happily married to her college sweetheart for over 43 years, she is also mother to three grown children and their spouses and Mimi to three lovely, lively grandkids! You can reach her through her website www.rosemccauley.com or blogsite at rosemccauley.blogspot.com.

CHRISTMAS BELLES OF GEORGIA
by Rose Allen McCauley
Published by Barbour Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

Surprised by Life—and Love—at Christmas

Four letters are mailed from Monticello, a small antebellum town in Georgia. Sisters once, now heirs to a historic plantation, each young woman must come to terms with the circumstances of her birth. . . .

When she learns in a letter she’s adopted, Holly feels betrayed by her parents—and she books a flight out of Missouri immediately. Will she ever be able to love again?

Raised in a wealthy, loveless home, Carol rushes to Monticello from college in Atlanta when she receives her letter. She’s searching for family, but finds instead a boy she once mistreated. Will he remember her? . . .forgive her?

In one year, Starr has lost her parents, boyfriend, and job, so she’s sure her letter is more bad news. When the attorney flies to California to offer proof, Starr takes a second look—at the message and the man.

Noelle always knew she was adopted—and she’s always loved the foreman on her father’s Texas ranch too. But he’s so distant. . .perhaps a trip to Georgia is the break in life she needs.

Will the sisters receive a traditional Christmas gift. . .of love?

Readers, buy your copy of today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Waiting, patience, prayer...and receiving my first contract!

I have been writing for over nine years and joined ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) 8 years ago. My writing has steadily improved since then, but the elusive first contract had remained out of reach until Friday evening, September 17, 2010.

God has taught me many things over the past nine years, the main things being patience and learning to wait. When I awoke that morning and read my chapter in Jeremiah, there was a devotion by Catherine Marshall on the facing page, so I read it, too.

It was entitled "Waiting" and here are a few snippets from it that spoke to me: "Waiting...is God's oft-repeated way of teaching us that His power is real and that He can answer our prayers without interference and manipulation from us."

She then goes on to give the example of a child who brings a broken toy to their father but gets impatient and snatches it back still in the broken state, then reminds us that if we leave the "toy" in His hands, "not only do we eventually get it back gloriously restored, but are also handed a surprising plus. We find for ourselves what the saints and mystics affirm, that during the dark waiting period when self-effort had ceased, a spurt of astonishing spiritual growth took place in us.

Afterwards we have qualities like more patience, more love for the Lord and those around us, more ability to hear His voice, greater willingness to obey." Those qualities are ones I still desire more of, even if it means I have to wait again.

Now for the rest of the story as Paul Harvey used to say. I told my roommate , Jennifer Johnson, about my devotion, then we attended a class, ate lunch, shopped at the mall, and went to the opening worship session at 3:30. The worship leader Rachel Hauck, chose the song "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller for us to sing at most of our sessions:



Are you getting the message with me? Wait with patience! And keep serving and worshipping while you are waiting!

Next our president, Cynthia Ruchti, read from Colossians chapter three and verse 12 was very familiar since it is posted on my bedroom mirror: "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." That last word jumped out at me and I leaned over to Jennifer and told her God was still telling me to wait and learn patience.

Then Becky Germany, editor at Barbour Publishing, took the stage and said she was ready to announce the 2 new authors who would receive their "first contract", something Barbour has done at each conference. When she announced the name of the first story as Nick's Christmas Carol, it sounded vaguely familiar but I still didn't realize it was a story I had written until she said my name!

Then I went up on stage in front of over 600 people, amid cheers and shouts, and was handed an envelope with my name on it and a letter offering me a contract for my first fiction story! Jennifer, who had known about the contract but kept silent for months even though we rode to conference together, took my picture but the flash didn't work so she motioned for me to go back up on the stage and she took it again.

Of course, I couldn't wait to call my husband and children and a couple friends, but the story doesn't end there. I got to attend the Barbour Banquet at PF Chang's that evening and kept receiving hugs and congratulations all weekend, but the best part was when one of my dear friends and prayer-partners, Connie Stevens who had received her first contract in 2009, told me that God had impressed on her heart to pray for the ones who would receive their first contract the following year.

So, she prayed that prayer that whole year and didn't know she was praying for me (and Donna Rich)! And something I learned from Connie’s post on Erica’s blog (June 22, 2011) is that the same song that God used to speak to her at the 2009 conference is the same one referenced above that He used to teach me.

Later that evening, I told Donna about the prayer cycle Connie began, and we both agreed to continue it by praying for the persons who will receive their first contract in 2011. Kind of paying it forward by praying the prayer that was prayed for us. So, the cycle continues, and I will continue praying for the ones who will receive their first contract at the ACFW conference this year. Until then, let's all keep waiting patiently and praying and worshiping the One who deserves all our praise.

* * * * *

Thank you, Rose, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: What Scripture or song encourages you to keep waiting and persevering in your writing, or in any endeavor you're pursuing?

ENTRY RULES Readers, IF there is a book giveaway, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Heartsong Presents -- Countdown to Demise

It is sad news week, I'm afraid.

Yesterday, an official announcement went out stating as of the end of 2011, the Heartsong Presents book club will cease to exist. The book club is being canceled. After nearly 20 years and over 1,000 titles released, this club will see its last shipment in December of this year.

To say I was stunned when I heard this doesn't even begin to describe the feelings I've been experiencing. Not only does it mean book club members won't be receiving those wholesome romances they love (both to read and pass on to friends or young female readers), but it means I have to find another publishing house for my books and writing. Two of my books promised for contract are now not going to be contracted.

A lot of big-name Christian fiction authors got their start by writing for Heartsong Presents. Authors like Tracie Peterson, Colleen Coble, Kristen Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter, Mary Connealy, Judith Miller, Donita K. Paul, and at least 20 others. I just can't think of their names right now. :)

I can't say I'm surprised, as I've seen the club numbers dwindle over the past 3-4 years. The world of publishing is changing, and unfortunately, this book club no longer fits the needs and buying habits of the average Christian romance reader. Mass-markets are going the way of the dinosaur, and those looking for value-priced books are migrating to e-books by the thousands!

I joined this club in 1992 when it first began, and this club gave me my first publishing contract. It is with bittersweet fondness that I begin the process of saying goodbye.

At least the 4-in-1 novella collections will continue. And they are going to continue doing the repacks of Heartsong books until they have released ALL Heartsong titles in a 3-in-1 repack. Barbour Publishing will also continue with the Romancing America line with the novellas, and they have trade-length BRIDE/WEDDING single title romances coming out starting this year. This is in addition to their standard trade-length single titles in the romance genre. Romance is still strong with them. It just won't be through Heartsong Presents anymore.

So, what about you? Any thoughts or comments?

Welcome Vickie McDonough and Finally a Bride

Please interact with our guest authors by answering the question they provide. Your response will also enter you in the drawing for a free book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

VICKIE MCDONOUGH is an award-winning author of 23 books and novellas. Her books have won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Contest, Texas Gold, the ACFW Noble Theme contest, and she has been a multi-year finalist in ACFW’s BOTY/Carol Awards. She was voted Third Favorite Author in the Heartsong Presents Annual Readers Contest in 2009. Vickie is the author of the fun and feisty Texas Boardinghouse Brides series from Barbour Publishing. Watch for her new books from Moody Press, Texas Trails: A Morgan Family series, in which she partners with Susan Page Davis and Darlene Franklin to write a 6-book series that spans 50 years of the Morgan family. The first three books release this fall. Also, next year brings the release of another new series from Guidepost Books, Whispers on the Prairie, set in 1870s Kansas. Vickie hopes readers find her stories An Adventure into Romance.

FINALLY A BRIDE
by Vickie McDonough
Published by Barbour Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

Keep your eyes wide open for romance in Lookout, Texas. Noah Jeffers enters town determined to make up for past misdeeds. Reporter Jacqueline Davis is determined to nail her story. Will she uncover Noah’s secret before he can capture her heart? With nowhere else to go, ex-con Carly Payton returns to the Lookout boardinghouse. Garrett Corbett is looking for an upstanding wife, not some jailbird. What will he do when overpowered by Carly’s unassuming appeal? Does love deserve a second look?

Readers, buy your copy of Finally a Bride (Texas Boardinghouse Brides, Book 3) today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Developing Characters Using Archetypes
By Vickie McDonough

I’ve often been asked how I create the characters in my books, and I generally respond, “That’s a tough question.”

It is tough, because like a baby in a womb, a character will start tiny, then grow and develop as I spend more time thinking about him or her. They sometimes develop because of the plot. Say my character is a marshal—this is probably a good time to mention I write mostly historicals. A marshal is brave, tough, not afraid to put his life on the line, so it’s safe to assume he’s probably an Alpha male. Tall, strong, self-reliant, and a protector of the innocent. Can you imagine a Beta male as a marshal? Think computer geek with a gun. It reminds me of that old Don Knotts’ movie called The Shakiest Gun in the West. 

I’m not saying you couldn’t have a Beta male as a marshal, but that would be a whole different type of story, probably about a man learning to conquer his fears to protect the people he cares for.

Some writers use character sheets with long list of questions to develop their characters, while others use tests like the Myers-Briggs or The Four Temperaments. What I’ve found that works best for me is a book called The Complete Writers Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders.

The word "archetype" was coined by Carl Jung, who theorized that humans have a collective unconscious, “deposits of the constantly repeated experiences of humanity.... a kind of readiness to reproduce over and over again the same or similar mythical ideas...." This shared memory of experiences has resulted in a resonance of the concepts of hero and heroine that transcends time, place and culture. Jung called these recurring personalities archetypes, from the Greek word archetypos, meaning “first of its kind.”

Author Tami Cowden states, “These archetypes are not the inventions of my coauthors and me – they have existed for millennia. All we did was name and describe them, and then gather examples from an assortment of cultural media.

Heroes and Heroines promotes that there are 8 male and 8 female archetypes.

Heroes:
The Chief
The Bad Boy
The Best Friend
The Charmer
The Lost Soul
The Professor
The Swashbuckler
The Warrior

The book gives a complete description of each archetype, including their strengths and weaknesses, which I’ve found extremely helpful in developing 3-D characters. The Warrior is an archetype I’ve used in several books, such as Luke Davis in The Anonymous Bride. Here’s a brief description:

The WARRIOR: a noble champion, he acts with honor. This man is the reluctant rescuer or the knight in shining armor. He's noble, tenacious, relentless, and he always sticks up for the underdog. If you need a protector, he’s your guy. He doesn’t buckle under the rules and he doesn’t go along just to get along. Think Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry, Russell Crowe in Gladiator, Mel Gibson in Braveheart.

You can see how this type of archetype would work well for a marshal, a determined rancher, or detective.

Heroine Archetypes:

The Boss
The Seductress
The Spunky Kid
The Waif
The Free Spirit
The Librarian
The Crusader
The Nurturer

An archetype I often use for a heroine—think of Jack (Jacqueline) in The Anonymous Bride and Second Chance Brides—is The Spunky Kid. (For those of you who’ve read these books and are saying, Jack’s not the heroine—try reading Finally A Bride, book 3 in my Texas Boardinghouse Brides series.

The SPUNKY KID: gutsy and true, she is loyal to the end. She is a favorite of many writers, and for good reason. You can’t help but root for her. She’s the girl with moxie. She’s not looking to be at the top of the heap; she just wants to be in her own little niche. Think Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle, Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act, Fiona in Shrek.

So, after I’ve thought about my characters and what they will be going through during the storyline, their character begins to take shape. By then, I know which archetype they are and can use the book to help me develop them further.

Another aspect of Heroes and Heroines is that it shows you toward the end of the book how the different male and female archetypes will clash and mesh. This is fabulous info! Let me show you how I used this to plot a book I haven’t yet sold. It’s called Gabriel’s Atonement.

Gabriel is a gambler, and he’s a Chief archetype. He’s knows what he wants and goes after it. He’s decisive and can read people well. On the negative side, he’s stubborn, usually unsympathetic, and has learned to get what he wants by using the System rather than being a rule-breaker. He is well-liked among his peers, but doesn’t have a close friend. If challenged, he tends to be amused rather than angered.

Enter Leah, my heroine, who is—no surprise here—a Spunky Kid. She’s a single mother with a young child, a rebellious teen sister, and a grandfather who is ailing to care for. She is reliable and supportive of others and never looks for a handout. Her gutsy perseverance makes up for her lack of experience.

So…Gabriel has accidently killed Leah’s husband, and when he discovers the dead man has a wife and young son, he seeks to return the money he fairly won from the man. Leah doesn’t believe her no-account husband had any money and refuses Gabe’s help. He’s determined to help her, and she’s adamant that she won’t accept his help. Enter conflict.

He believes his work (gambling) is important, where she believes in God and family. But, when the chips are down, The Chief and Spunky Kid are there for each other. He realizes she is someone he can depend on, while she discovers he’s a man who follows through when others don’t. A grudging respect develops. He learns she can’t be bullied into doing anything she doesn’t feel is right, while her positive outlook on life and her humor bring laughter into his world for the first time in a long while.

I could go on, but I hope I’ve shown you how Heroes and Heroines can help you develop your characters. This isn’t the only book out there that writers find helpful, but it is the one I’ve used the most.

The key is knowing why your characters do what they do. What motivates them? Tami Cowden states, “Any archetype can do anything – the question will always be why.”

For a little fun, which archetype do you think these commonly known movie characters are?

Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic
Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz
Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone

* * * * *

Thank you, Vickie, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: Look at the end of the guest blog to make your guess on the archetypes of the 4 well-known movie characters listed above.

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Welcome Janice Thompson and What Would God Have Us Do?

Please interact with our guest authors by answering the question they provide.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JANICE HANNA THOMPSON is the author of over sixty books for the Christian market. She writes for Revell, Summerside and Barbour. Janice plans to spend as much of 2011 on her knees as she possibly can.

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

2011: What Would God Have us Do?
By Janice Thompson

Janice Hanna Thompson here. Let me start by saying “Thank you” to Tiff for having me on her blog. What a dear friend you’ve been over the years, sweet girl! (*note from Tiff - You've been an inspiration

I want to spend a few minutes conveying something the Lord has laid on my heart for 2011. I shared this teaching at our local ACFW group five weeks ago and our members gave it a hearty “Amen!” Think about the number “2” in 2011. As I consider that number, I see a picture of a believer on his/her knees, bowed in reverence.

Bowing (physically or emotionally) is an act of reverence: a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration. (We’re not revering those who can help our career along, or even the readers who buy our books. We’re not revering our stories, books ideas, or even our talents. We revere only one…God.)

Psalm 95:6 We’re taught that bowing is a natural posture for the believer: O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before Jehovah our maker.

So, what does it mean to bow the knee?

• To submit to God’s will, not our own. (Can we do this with our writing in 2011?)
• It is a sign of respect. (In many countries people kneel before a king.) It’s time to stop talking about God in such a glib way. We’ve got to be careful how we use his name or talk about him.
• Bowing the knee means we’re humbled, not looking out for our own interests, but for God’s.
• Bowing is uncomfortable. It doesn’t come naturally. It’s not like sitting on our rears on the sofa, watching TV and eating potato chips. It’s not what we do to relax. It’s what we do – in spite of bad knees and arthritic hip joints.
• When we’re bowed, we’re not trying to plan anything, manipulate anything or fix anything. (It’s hard to plot a book in a bowed position, isn’t it!)
• There’s an old worship song: We fall down, we lay our crowns (anything we hope to gain) at the feet of Jesus. The greatness of His mercy and love at the feet of Jesus. Think about the wise men, bowing before the baby Jesus, giving him gold, frankincense and myrrh. That’s the posture we need to assume when we offer our books, stories, articles, and so on. All good gifts are given from God, and we cast them back at his feet, humbled that He was even willing to use us in the first place.

Final Note on bowing in reverence: If your career feels stuck, if you’re disgruntled because you’re not seeing the results you’d hoped for, assume the posture. Don’t cry out, “why me?” Instead, cry out praises.

Think about the number “0” in 2011. When I think of this number, I see a mouth open in awe of the things God has done.

We’re keenly aware that God’s ways are above our ways. . .even with our writing. We’re so limited by our finite thinking but He has plans that FAR exceed anything we could come up with. (Think about that for a moment as it pertains to your writing!) QUESTION: Are we truly awed by the everyday things in our writing life?

When we sit to write and words actually come? When the creative spark burns into flame. We need to stand in complete and total awe that the God of the universe chooses to speak to us, (and through us), in any small way. In 2011 we must begin to acknowledge His holiness, his vastness.

Psalm 65:8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. (The only way to understand his holiness is to spend time with him in worship. Writers must first be worshipers. If you’re not a worshiper, don’t write.)

As finite mortals, powered by flesh and imagination alone, we can do NO justice to a holy God through our writing. ONLY when we come to Him, bowed in reverence, handing our pens to Him and allowing Him to write through us can we describe His beauty, can we share what we do not fully understand, can we capture his magnificence and reveal His heart to our readers. It’s the breath of the Holy Spirit, stirring the waters, like in Genesis.

And – just as we would have marveled as we watched the world being spun into existence – we must marvel at the fact that He chooses to use us! If we’re not awed by Him, our readers won’t be, either. And if we’re trying to write in our own strength, we won’t truly represent Him through our mere words, no matter how hard we try, no matter how extensive our vocabulary. How could we possibly write “the divine” if we’ve not tasted of it?

Now think about the “11” in 2011. I see a picture of a person standing with both arms extended. We are called to surrender ourselves to His will.

Psalm 141:2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Writers are worker bees. We’re blogging, marketing, networking, writing, learning, developing characters, plotting and so on. And those are all good things. But there comes a time when you’ve got to acknowledge that your strength, even on the best day, is not good enough. We serve a hands-off God, (meaning, He wants us to know that sometimes we have to let go…and let God).

Think of your toddler, running to you, arms extended. What’s your first instinct? To sweep him into your arms. Same thing with Daddy God. When you’re tired, when the stories won’t come, when you’ve lost your way, put those arms up in the air and watch Him lift you above your circumstances.

NOTE: If our plans aren’t surrendered to him, they’re just plans. If those dreams aren’t fully released into His hands, they’re just unfulfilled dreams.

CORPORATE PRAYER FOR 2011 (Please feel free to share this.)
In 2011 I submit my life and my work to a holy God, bowing before Him in reverence and casting all of my gifts, talents, and abilities at His feet. I’m prepared to be awed by the things He does in and through me (and my writing), but recognize that I must surrender so that He can take control. Lord, show me how to do what you’ve called me to do with heart bowed and hands extended. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got for me in this new year. May every bit of praise, honor and glory go to You, Lord. Amen.

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Thank you, Janice, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: What is one way you submit your work to God, whether it be writing, keeping house, tending to your children, being at a place outside the home, or any other work? Feel free to share more than one if you have it.