Kiss the Bride -- Author Comments

KRISTY: At one time, it was my dream to see my Christian fiction published (and I've now sold nine titles). I believe a dream is a God-ordained desire that He's put down in your heart, IF you're walking in His will and asking Him to direct your paths. Whatever your dream is, it's attainable, if you'll pay your do's (misspelling intended):

1. DO rest in your call. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, "He who calls is faithful, who also will do it." Be assured that the Lord will bring about His divine plan for you, even through the hard times (like rejections for writers!).

2. DO everything you know to do and do it diligently, according to Ecclesiastes 9:10. Apply yourself. Study in your field. Work hard. Don't slack. And then keep applying yourself. Keep studying in your field. Keep working hard. Keep determining not to slack.

3. DO not want "it" above the Lord. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." Put the Savior at the top of your list. Worship Him. Work for Him. Seek Him.
And then remember Habakkuk 2:3: "For the vision is yet for an appointed time. But at the end, it will speak and will not die. Though it tarries, wait for it. Because it will surely come."

Charles Colson said, "Stories change us because as we read we identify with characters who demonstrate courage and self-sacrifice, and in the process our own character is shaped." That's why I write Christian fiction. Through reader letters, I believe I'm doing this. One reader wrote, "I don't generally identify so strongly with stories, nor do they usually cause me to change the way I do things or think. Yours did (my novella in Room At the Inn). Your writing, and in turn, you, are a blessing to me, and I wanted you to know your work did some good." I pray I will always lift up the Lord and bless people's hearts with my fiction.

My dream came true, and your dream can come true too! I'd love to hear from you. Please visit my blog: http://christianlovestories.blogspot.com and leave me a comment.


AISHA: For anyone interested in writing: Keep writing...even if you can only put a few words to paper at a given time, then that's a few more words than you'd previously written. A little on a consistent basis adds up pretty quickly. And don’t stop reading, because the joy of reading a good book transfers over to what you write and makes it even better.

For anyone interested in reading: Keep reading and let the authors know what you think about what they write. We really do listen!

www.aishaford.com


VICKIE: I had the good fortune to be invited to join this anthology when someone else had to drop out, and I'm very grateful to the other team members for inviting me to join them. KISS THE BRIDE is extra special to me because it's my first contemporary sale.

I'd never planned to become a writer. It never even entered my mind until God started pushing in that direction. I admit that I asked Him many times if He was sure, and I still do on occasion. I'm telling you this to encourage you to keep your heart open to new things. I've made a ton of friends, gotten to travel, and had a lot of fun going to conferences, and hopefully have touched lives through my writing. This never would have happened if I hadn't allowed God to push me out of my comfort zone. I hope that you, too, will keep you heart open to the next thing God wants to do in your life.

Sign my guest book on my website for a chance to win a free book. www.vickiemcdonough.com


CARRIE: KISS THE BRIDE includes a unique traveling apron that unites these four friends and their stories. As each one falls in love, she passes the apron on to the next friend. Weaving our stories together and including a prologue and epilogue was a challenge, but I think this makes our collection even more enjoyable. We also each included a special recipe from our heroine's restaurant. These are delicious!

Please stop by my website for more information about KISS THE BRIDE and my other books: www.carrieturansky.com. Thanks for inviting us to share about our story on your blog! We appreciate you, Tiff!

A Note from Barbara Warren

I live in the beautiful Ozark Mountains, which right now need rain. It's been a long, dry summer. I read at least 10 books a month, mostly for book reviews in my newsletter. As a Sunday school teacher, I have worked with youth, and now I teach the women's class. Although I read mostly fiction, I also like non-fiction books about religion, history, and politics. This year I was blessed with two brand new great-great nieces and one great-great nephew, all of whom are totally adorable. It's a good thing they don't live closer, because playing with them would seriously cut into my computer time.

Thanks for dropping by.

Spotlight on Barbara Warren

It's that time again. :) This week, I'm talking with freelance editor and author, Barbara Warren, with her first book coming out in a few weeks. She's excited to be able to take it to the annual ACFW conference and have it available in the bookstore. Congratulations, Barbara. That's a fantastic achievement.

For those who comment on this spotlight interview, the winner of the free book will receive it as soon as possible. Barbara will mail it out once she receives her copies, so you might have to wait an extra week or two. However, don't let that stop you from commenting for a chance to win a FREE autographed book by Barbara.

And now, let's get on with the spotlight:

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1. How much of your own experiences influenced the character of Stephanie? What aspects of Stephanie became traits that were hers and hers alone?

Well, I grew up in the area where The Gathering Storm is set, so I'm familiar with the locale. I don't know that my experiences influenced Stephanie, but I believe we put a little of ourselves into each of our characters, even the bad ones. because everything we write is drawn from who we are and what we've experienced.

Stephanie had to deal with difficult problems. Her father deserted her when she was small, then just when it seemed they might build a relationship he was killed and everyone thinks she is the murderer. She's surrounded by strangers, one of whom is her enemy. Stephanie is running from God and the man she's attracted to is an ex-con, disbarred lawyer, who is now a born again Christian. Nothing she wants in her life. Learning how to handle these difficulties on her own, brings out strengths she never realized she had. Also Stephanie grew up more or less protecting her mother and resenting her father, so she's a skeptic, finding it hard to trust, inclined to back off when relationships gets serious. Like all of us, Stephanie is the result of what she has lived through.

2. What themes exist in in The Gathering Storm that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

I suppose the main theme is that even though friends and family members let us down, we have a heavenly Father who is always there. He never forsakes us. As the story developed, and as Stephanie began to fall in love with Brad, another theme evolved. That love doesn't always last, but it's worth taking a chance for. Sometimes you just have to trust.

3. What was your most difficult part to write? Your favorite?

After the body was found in the cistern, it was hard to get Loralee's grief right without giving away the story. As for my favorite part, I enjoyed the give and take between Stephanie and Brad.

4. Describe your writing space and schedule. How many words per day do you write? Do you have a minimum goal you hope to reach before you push away your keyboard?

My writing space? Are you sure you really want to know? I live on my husband's family farm. We bought it when his father died and his mother moved to town. I converted her chicken house into an office. It is covered with tin roofiing outside, sheet rocked and painted inside. One wall is filled with research books. papers to be filed are stacked on an old kitchen table, the kind with deep rounded bins for drawers. My computer sits on an old oak desk I bought years ago, and my chair is a comfortable Queen Anne reject from the house. My keyboard rests on my lap.
I have an office cat, Rosicat, who was dumped at the church when she was a kitten. What can I say? It's not pretty, but it's mine. And if I doze over my computer, at least I'm comfortable.

As for my writing schedule. I'm also a freelance editor, and I read books to be reviewed in my monthly on-line newsletter, so it all has to be worked in. Most days I'm at my computer at 8:00 a.m. and work for a couple of hours. then I'm back in the office from 1:30 until 7:00 and after dinner, I work at the kitchen table until 10:30, but that's not all spent in writing. I work the writing in around the editing. Because I'm a strong believer in using an outline, when I sit down to write, I know where I'm going and how to get there. On a good day I can write between 2,000 to 5,000 words. Then I get to rewrite, which is my favorite part. However, there are some days when I'm so busy with editing I don't get to write at all.

I guess it sounds boring, but I love writing, reading, and editing, so I like it.

5. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

I don't have one scheduled yet. I'm working on one now that I love. It's about five women in their sixties. They act like me, they talk like me, and they plan to start a new career solving murders, just as soon as they find one. They run their church, practically run the town, and squabble among themselves, but if you cross one of them, you have to take on all five. They're sarcastically known in as the Sanctified Sisters. Like me, their creator, the Sisters are a real class act. I'm having a lot of fun with it.

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Sounds great, Barbara. Thanks for being in the spotlight.

WINNER - Cowboy *or* Lucky

Another week. Another winner.

It's time to close the door on the contest for Staci Stallings' FREE BOOK giveway. And the winner is...

Melissa!

Congratulations, Melissa, for winning a FREE AUTOGRAPHED COPY of your choice of either COWBOY or LUCKY. Contact Staci to send your mailing address and book selection so she can get your book out to you.

And as always, thank you everyone for reading and visiting. Up next, Barbara Warren.

Reviews: Cowboy and Lucky by Staci Stallings

All right, so I didn't get to my reviews Tuesday or Wednesday like I said. This week just flew right by. Sometimes, I wonder where life goes at such a breakneck speed. Whew! There goes another minute.

Now, I don't do reviews very often because I second-guess myself on whether my comments and word usage are "good enough." I've written a handful for Amazon.com and other sites featuring the sale of books. This is one of the first ones here on my blog. Usually, I let the author talk about the books. :)

But, here goes:

Cowboy
The unique presentation in this story using telephone conversations to comprise the majority of the dialogue between the hero and heroine made the reading flow in smooth succession and kept me turning the pages (figuratively speaking of course since I read it electronically). Featuring a country music star immediately piqued my interest, and the story drew me from the start. To read how the heroine got involved in the hero's life and how their relationship developed made for enjoyable entertainment. Both the hero's and heroine's plights were presented in a way that made me sympathize with the characters and want to see them succeed.

My hat's off to you, Staci.

Lucky
This story begins with the presentation of an idea or preconceived notion and takes a decided twist to end where you don't expect. From the moment the *real* hero was introduced, I couldn't stop reading. Again, the use of country music as a backdrop for the story appealed to me, but with this one focusing on a hero who hadn't yet made it big and exploring his journey toward that ultimate goal, I felt more attached than in Cowboy. By the end, I had a smile on my face and a feeling of success for both the hero and heroine at finding and reaching their dreams.

Another good read. These have inspired me to perhaps pen something highlighting my own brushes with the celebrity world. Certainly something to ponder. :)