Catherine West - BLOG

I'VE MOVED!!

2012-01-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

Hi, if you're stopping by...

I'm now blogging at my new home This Is A Blog About Books.

I plan to redo my website this year, and will be linking my new blog there instead of this one. I hope you'll continue to follow me over at the new blog and partake in some cool discussions about books, writing and life in general. Every Friday I feature an author, this week we have romantic comedy writer Lindi Peterson.

So, see you over there!

Introducing Karen Baney!

2011-12-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

Love For The Modern Military

When I sat down to write Nickels, I looked to my own life and past for inspiration. Everyone always advises authors to write what you know. So, I thought the perfect career for my main character, Niki Turner, was the career I have been working in for the past nine years—software engineer (computer programmer).

Since my career inspired a great deal of what happens in the novel, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to throw in a few other things from my life. I had to tie in some aspect of the two years I spent overseas in Germany on a military base. In my case, I was married to an Airman. Though Niki moves to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany as a teenager, I still drew on my experience and first-hand knowledge of the military.

I don’t exactly know when my love affair with the US Military began. Perhaps it was as a young girl when my sister and I spent hours studying the Air Force ranks in volume “A” of the encyclopedia set my parents purchased. Maybe the detailed stories we invented planted a seed.

Regardless, at the age of 21, I found myself married to a military man and suddenly thrust into an entirely different culture and country. After two years and much heart ache, I left a bad situation, but my love for our military survived. Even my second husband served our country for eight years, though I met him long after he became a civilian again.

Somehow, the back story for Niki began weaving together in my mind. She faced tragedy and was left to her brother’s care. He was stationed at Ramstein and at the tender age of 14, she experienced the same culture shock I did. It was here that she first met Kyle Jacobs—a true military brat and typical teenage guy—while attending high school on the military base.

From my experience, I learned that many families have a legacy of military service. It seemed only natural that Kyle Jacobs would grow up to be a pilot in the Air Force, just like his dad. Only his story takes a twist. He doesn’t follow completely in his father’s footsteps and his career is cut short. Suddenly he’s thrust back into the civilian life, dreams shattered and recovering from deep grief over his time in Iraq.

In Nickels, I cover many aspects of the military life: growing up on a military base, marriage in the military, long military careers, and careers cut short by tragedy. Each main character is shaped by their experience with the military life and each must overcome some aspect of that life to move forward with their own.

These experiences are such a part of who I am that I felt compelled to include many aspects of the modern military life in this contemporary romance. I hope this story will leave readers with a greater respect for the sacrifices service men and women and their families make for us each and every day. May God continue to bless the USA through them.

Karen Baney, in addition to writing Christian historical fiction and contemporary novels, works as a Software Engineer. Spending over twenty years as an avid fan of both genres, Karen loves writing stories set in Arizona.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. She is active in various Bible studies throughout the year. Karen and her husband make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs. She also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University.

Join Karen and 9 other Christian authors as they celebrate the launch of her new novel, Nickels. [INSERT AD HERE]. [Link Ad to: http://womensliterarycafe.com/content/december-2011-book-launches]

Introducing Lynda Schab!

2011-11-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

I am SO excited to be doing this post!

Lynda was one of my first ACFW critique partners, so I got to see the first chapters of this book before any of you! Well, most of you. I have been following Lynda the past few years through her blog, Facebook etc... but it was a thrill to finally be able to meet in person at this year's ACFW conference! This is a picture of me, Jenness Walker, our other critique buddy, and Lynda. Don't we look cute?

I'm super-excited to be able to feature Lynda today, because her first book, Mind Over Madi, has released!! And I should mention that she is also a fellow OakTara author!

So, without further ado, here's a bit about Lynda...

LYNDA LEE SCHAB got her writing start in greeting cards (Blue Mountain Arts, Dayspring) and from there went on to write articles and short stories (Mature Living, Christian Home & School) and in many places online (including www.Examiner.com and www.wow-womenonwriting.com), but her passion has always been fiction.

Mind Over Madi, her debut novel, is near and dear to her heart. Lynda admits she has a lot in common with the character of Madi. Not only are they both addicted to ice cream, chocolate, and computer games, they struggle with the same types of insecurities and continually require a hefty dose of God’s grace.

Lynda works behind the scenes at FaithWriters.com and is a member of ACFW. She is a regular book reviewer for FaithfulReader.com and is the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner and the National Writing Examiner for Examiner.com. Mind Over Madi received Runner-up in the 2007 FaithWriters Page Turner contest, was a finalist in the 2007 RWA Get your Stiletto in the Door contest, and won second place in the 2008 ACFW Genesis contest, Chick Lit category. Lynda lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in Michigan.

Madi McCall admits her husband lacks a little in the romance department, but all in all, he’s been a good husband, a good father. Now, though, she suspects Rich is having an af air with Fawn Witchburn, the mother of one of his fourth-grade students. To say Fawn shows of her “assets” more than should be legally allowed in public is an understatement, and Madi’s insecurities kick into high gear. When, in a heated moment, she asks Rich to leave and he complies, Madi is forced to deal with her issues. Issues of love and trust she’s tried so hard to avoid. Issues that trail all the way back to her childhood and make her act like a total moron.

Okay, doesn't that sound great?? Trust me, you want to rush out and buy this one. Go. Now!

And Lynda, we look forward to more from you!

Help Me Out?

2011-11-21T05:16:00.000-08:00

A while ago I started a new blog. It was an experiment. I've been struggling with blogging for a while now, and truthfully I'm still trying to decide which way I want to go with this. My other blog is geared toward writing and books. There won't be much personal stuff on it. Obviously I don't want to have two blogs. I'm also wanting to ramp up my website again. So I have a lot of decisions to make. Do I keep this blog as is or scrap it and combine the two, maybe do three posts a week on the new blog and make one of them a more personal post...but is that what I want? Is that what you want? And we're coming into the holidays...I'm a little stressed.

Here's what I'd love for you to do.

FOR NOW, I'll be posting over on my other blog - This Is A Blog About Books. Please go check it out. And then let me know your thoughts.

Do you think I can do a combination of this blog and the other one - or should I keep the book blog strictly books or what?? I can't even think straight at this point!

I would really love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks so much and see you soon.

WINNERS!!

2011-11-14T04:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the blog last week and left comments!
Here are the winners of the book drawings.
Please email me at catherine at catherine j west dot com with your mailing address!

YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW - Rebecca DeMarino

WOLFSBANE - Merry

THUNDER IN THE MORNING CALM - Pia Finn

KAREN'S GIVEAWAY - Jackie Layton (you can either choose to wait for Karen's latest which will release or she will send you another selection.

FIGHTING FEAR - Paula

I will try to get in touch with you via your blogs if you did not leave me an email addy.
Thanks for participating in my week of honoring our Veterans!!

THANK YOU

2011-11-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

I hope you have enjoyed this week with me. I have learned much from my guests and I hope you have as well.
When I first set out to write Yesterday's Tomorrow, I wasn't really sure what I was getting into. I knew I would have to do my research. I didn't know much about war. Didn't really know how I felt about it. Some days I didn't want to write the book at all.
It was too terrifying.
But as I researched and read and learned, I found countless stories of men and women who possessed a courage I'd never imagined. Men and women who left their families and loved ones, left all they knew and stepped into hell, who sacrificed so much - I wanted to know why. Why would they do that? Why leave the comfort of home for a sweltering jungle? Why take up arms against foreign men in foreign lands? Why die for the sake of freedom?

Like Kristin in my book, I had many questions. Many doubts. And, like Kristin, I found there were no easy answers.
Most of the accounts I read from those who served all said the same thing. No regrets. They served because it was the right thing to do. Not because it was easy. Not because it was honorable. But because it was right.
There are always two sides to every story. There were those who were drafted. Those who protested. Those who ran.
But those who served, even when they were no longer sure what the right thing was anymore, they deserve our honor and our respect.

I'm still not sure I have a definite answer on how I really feel about war. It's ugly. It leaves scars. It kills. But it exists. It is reality. And as long as it is, there will be those who are called to fight. And really, whether we agree on the concept of war or not, we should all agree that they are out there doing what many of us could never do.
So how do we reconcile all this as Christians? What is it like for those who believe to go out and kill another human being? I asked those questions a lot during the writing of my novel. I write from a Christian worldview, so I knew this was something I needed to address. Yet once again, I found no easy answers. The best I could come up with is written here, in a discussion that Kristin has with her brother Teddy, who is serving in Vietnam.

He reached for her hands. "Have you stopped being mad at God?"
Kristin pinched her lips together. Where was God in all this madness?
The prayers she muttered when she felt the need seemed futile. Since coming to Vietnam, she’d seen nothing to convince her God even existed.
“Not really. I’m more confused than ever. You know what it’s like out there.
You’ve seen the death, the destruction. How can you sit there, knowing what’s going on up in those hills, and tell me God is okay with all this?
That He loves us?”
“Kris.” He tightened his grip on her hands, his eyes filled with a light she didn’t understand.
“God didn’t make this war. We did.” Clear determination and passion shone from his eyes.
“When I think about this war, think about the guys on the frontlines, I can’t help but think of Jesus. ‘No greater love has a man who lays down his life for his friends.’ That’s what the guys out there are doing for us, Kris. None of this makes sense, I know, but it makes even less sense without Him.”
Respect for her brother and what he was doing out here overrode any counterargument she could make. “I love you, Teddy.”
And perhaps, in some way, he was right.
Perhaps there really was no greater cost.

We may never have the answers to all the questions we ask. Maybe we're not supposed to.
However you feel about war, I urge you to remember those who serve. Pray for them. Remember their loved ones. Pray for them. Remember to say thank you.
They are laying their lives down for us. For me. For you.
For our freedom.
And for that, thank you is not enough.
But it's all we have.
So to all our Veterans, those lost to us and those present, those who still serve, and their families today, on this Remembrance Day, THANK YOU and MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE.

GIVEAWAY!
I'll send the winner a copy of Yesterday's Tomorrow, here's all you have to do:
LEAVE A COMMENT telling us how you are celebrating Veteran's Day
FOLLOW THIS BLOG (if you aren't already!)
And make sure you leave your email!

Discarded Heroes

2011-11-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

As you may know, my book, Yesterday's Tomorrow, touches on the realities of battle and how one copes with the things they have seen and done in that war zone once they're home. Coming home was often a torturous experience and men and women didn't understand what they were experiencing.
Today we call it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I'm thrilled to have author Ronie Kendig as a guest on the blog today! Ronie's popular Discarded Heroes series touch on the issue of PTSD and more, and as we'll discover, Ronie is passionate about supporting the military. Ronie has graciously agreed to giveaway a copy of her latest release, Wolfsbane, so leave a comment for Ronie to be counted in the draw.

My military hunk walked into the bookstore I worked at, wearing BDUs, a Hawaiian tan like nobody’s business, and blue eyes that turned knees to putty. To say I was smitten is a heinous understatement. When he explained he was there looking for my coworker (who—thank goodness—was on lunch break), I stifled my disappointed. Offered to let him leave a message for her, so he did. He left a message and his phone number.
And I memorized it.
Then married the hunk a year later.

My love for our military heroes started at a very young age. I was three when my father trooped off to Vietnam, leaving my mother and brother to fend for ourselves. Years later, I would witness close friends kissing their soldiers goodbye as they head off to Operation Desert Shield/Storm. I watched them return home, very different men. They left their wives, families, irrevocably changed by war.
One way I dealt with life even from childhood was to create stories, whether with Barbies (ahem) or with a word processor. And I wrote what I knew—military life. Soldiers. Heroes.
Until one day at church, a young woman got up to ask for prayer during Sunday School. She wanted prayer for her husband—a Navy SEAL. Riddled with anger and a warrior mentality (which, I believe is a gift). His anger and unwillingness to get help destroyed their marriage. Two small children, their hero father gone, would have to forge a new life without him.
My heart broke. And with it that pedestal I’d so dutifully placed military heroes on. In that hour, I realized I could never again pen a story about our military heroes without showing the toll that life takes on them, their families, and—as a military brat, I can relate—their children.

A statistic recently reported that 92.5% of soldiers today experience some traumatic, combat situation—an attack, getting shot , etc. The statistics for those with post-traumatic stress disorder varies, and is invariably inaccurate. The inaccuracy comes from the fact that most of troops will not seek help because, in some situations, the PTSD diagnosis can be career-ending. Or they fear being perceived as weak—which is completely false. They are human. They are heroes.

The purpose of the Discarded Heroes remains the same as when the first book launched in July 2010—to open dialogue. Our heroes are returning home and will need to reintegrate, find a new normal. They needs us. But they probably won’t ask for help, and/or they may not even realize what they need. So, we can step up to the plate, do a little research about PTSD, and be prepared to listen—and pray. Pray for the troops. Pray for their healing, mentally and physically (for some).

From the National Center for PTSD:
There are four types of PTSD symptoms:
1. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms):
Bad memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time. You may feel the same fear and horror you did when the event took place. You may have nightmares. You even may feel like you're going through the event again. This is called a flashback. Sometimes there is a trigger -- a sound or sight that causes you to relive the event. Triggers might include:
o Hearing a car backfire, which can bring back memories of gunfire and war for a combat Veteran.
o Seeing a car accident, which can remind a crash survivor of his or her own accident.
o Seeing a news report of a sexual assault, which may bring back memories of assault for a woman who was raped.
2. Avoiding situations that remind you of the event:
You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event. For example:
o A person who was in an earthquake may avoid watching television shows or movies in which there are earthquakes.
o A person who was robbed at gunpoint while ordering at a hamburger drive-in may avoid fast-food restaurants.
o Some people may keep very busy or avoid seeking help. This keeps them from having to think or talk about the event.
3. Feeling numb:
You may find it hard to express your feelings. This is another way to avoid memories.
o You may not have positive or loving feelings toward other people and may stay away from relationships.
o You may not be interested in activities you used to enjoy.
o You may not be able to remember parts of the traumatic event or not be able to talk about them.
4. Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal):
You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. This is known as hyperarousal. It can cause you to:
o Suddenly become angry or irritable
o Have a hard time sleeping.
o Have trouble concentrating.
o Fear for your safety and always feel on guard.
o Be very startled when something surprises you.

Ronie Kendig grew up an Army brat and married a veteran. Together, she and her husband have four children, a Golden Retriever, and a Maltese Menace. She has a degree in psychology, speaks to various groups, volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and mentors new writers. Rapid-Fire Fiction, her brand, is exemplified through her novels Dead Reckoning, a spy thriller, and the military thriller series, The Discarded Heroes, which includes Nightshade (Retailer’s Choice Award Finalist), Digitalis, Wolfsbane, and Firethorn (January 2012). Ronie can be found at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Lest We Forget...

2011-11-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

Today it is an honor to have author Don Brown here on my blog. Not only is Don a prolific author, he is also a proud Veteran. And an aside, one of the first male guinea-pigs...er...readers of my novel, Yesterday's Tomorrow. Thankfully for me, he liked it!

Don has something special to share with us today regarding The Korean War, and I hope it will serve to enlighten and educate you the same as it did for me.

VETERANS DAY 2011
REMEMBER OUR KOREAN WAR VETS AND MIAS
By Don Brown

This Veterans Day, as we thankfully remember those who have served, and reflect upon the time-honored truth that “freedom isn’t free,” I ask that we remember, especially, our American Vets who served in Korea.
We are now approaching the sixtieth anniversary of the Korean War.
As you know Zondervan has just released my newest novel, Thunder in the Morning Calm, which is a story about Americans left behind in that war, and a grandson’s determination to find out what happened to his grandfather.

It had always bothered me that Korea is called such things as “The Forgotten War,” or a “UN Police Action.”
Such foolish banter deflects well-deserved recognition from our guys who served there, who, in liberating South Korea, achieved one of the greatest victories in American military history. So I purposed to write Thunder to honor those Americans who liberated South Korea from communist totalitarianism.
But as I began my research, I discovered some facts that are mind-blowing!

Let me cut to the chase.
We left Americans in North Korean prison camps at the end of the war, but denied their existence. For a period of sixty years, there have been numerous spotting of elderly Americans in North Korea! Although statistically it’s unlikely, it’s possible that some are still being held there.

Consider the following:

Over Four Times As Many Americans are
Missing in Korea then Vietnam

Over 8000 Americans were missing or unaccounted for at the end of the Korean War in 1953. Here’s what’s incredible about that number. This is over four times as many as the approximately 1600 missing from our wars in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia combined! Bear in mind that American involvement in the Vietnam War lasted over fifteen years, from 1959 – 1975.

So we have 8200 missing from Korea over a three-year period, versus 1600 missing from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos over a fifteen-year period.

What’s wrong with this picture? What happened to all our Korean MIAs?

When the war ended, North Korea denied that it had any live American or South Korean prisoners. The United States denied that any POWs were still there.
But for nearly sixty years, many reports have surfaced of sightings of both American and South Korean POWs still in the north.

Eisenhower Presidential Library
Admits Americans Left in North Korean Camps

In 1996, the Eisenhower Presidential Library dropped a bombshell when it released previously-classified documents revealing that in 1953, when the Korean War ended, the US Government was aware of at least 900 Americans still being held by North Korea, which contradicted the U.S. Government’s position in 1953 that there were no such Americans in captivity in the North. This, in and of itself, is a travesty and a disservice to the truth.

Clinton Administration Official Resigns
Over MIA issue in North Korea

Then, in 1998, more shock. Two South Korean POWs from the Korean War escaped North Korea, directly refuting the North’s lie that it had no American or South Korean prisoners in its custody. About that same time, a senior Clinton Administration official handling the Korean POW/MIA issue resigned because so many reports of American POWs still alive could not be refuted.
Unfortunately, neither the Clinton nor the Bush Administrations pursued the issue meaningfully, and neither has the Obama Administration.

Reports of Americans alive in the North have surfaced as recently as 2006.

There is now no doubt, as proven by documents released by the Eisenhower Presidential Library, that this country left Americans behind the lines in North Korea, and untruthfully denied that fact for many, many years.
There is also little question that at least some of those Americans lived for many years, forgotten and abandoned by their country.

Could Some Still Be Alive?

Is it possible that some may still be alive?
To put the timeline in perspective, in 1938, seventy-five years after the Battle of Gettysburg, some 8000 veterans of the Civil War were still alive!
By contrast, we have not yet reached the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice, which will occur in 2013.
Any surviving Americans still left there would probably be in their eighties. Perhaps it is unlikely that any are still alive, assuming the difficulty of surviving that long in harsher conditions, but certainly possible.
I’m passionate about the sacrifice of our Korean Vets, and the missing plight of our over 8000 American MIAs there.

It’s inexcusable that this country has forgotten them, and I wrote this novel, in part, hoping that someone would give some thought to the plight of missing Americans of Korea.
As you remember all our veterans on this Veterans Day of 2011, please join me in a special remembrance and prayer for our Korean Vets and our Americans missing in North Korea.
Don Brown
LCDR, JAGC, USNR
1984 - 1992

DON BROWN, a former U.S. Navy JAG Officer, is the author of Zondervan’s riveting NAVY JUSTICE SERIES, a dynamic storyline chronicling the life and adventures of JAG officer ZACK BREWER. In 2003, Don began writing TREASON, his first novel in the NAVY JUSTICE SERIES.

Don has graciously offered to giveaway a copy of his latest novel, Thunder In The Morning Calm. Leave a comment for Don for a chance to win!

A Bit Of History

2011-11-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Today it's my pleasure to introduce you to Karen Whiting. Karen is an author, speaker and a military wife and mother. Among Karen's many accomplishments is her upcoming book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front of American Wars. Not yet released, (April 2012) Karen has been kind enough to give us a sneak peek right here!

The shells were bursting in every direction and there seemed little hope of us crossing the parade ground in safety. We did so however and remained until after the surrender. My husband, Col. Snelling, was taken prisoner, and I accompanied him to Fort Erie.

Abigail’s words described a battle of the War of 1812 that occurred several days after her wedding.
After studying and writing about military families for my upcoming book on the home front of American Wars, especially wives, Abigail left a great impression. One of America’s early military brats Abigail survived being an orphan, married a military man, became a widow, and survived the heat of battle.
Abigail’s father served in the American Revolution and she moved for the first time at six weeks, in 1797. She lived a life of frequent moves and changes. And par for many military moves, orders changed on route and instead of heading to Indiana they switched directions and moved to Fort Mackinaw. Thankfully the former occupants of the quarters left all the furnishings.
In 1808, stationed in Missouri, Abigail faced excitement and sorrow. She met Lewis and Clark on their return from their great west expedition and shortly after her parents succumbed to fever and died. Abigail’s older brother moved her to Boston to her grandmother’s home, after staying at the home of General Harrison to rest (later President Harrison). A few years later, she moved in with her brother in Detroit. Soon after arriving in Detroit Abigail met and married Capt. Josiah Snelling, a hero of Tippecanoe.

Once the British captured her husband, Abigail and the other wives rushed to catch the ship holding her husband prisoner, leaving behind all their luggage. In Montreal a prisoner exchange took place that freed her husband. She survived many more moves, lived several years in a rustic log cabin on the frontier in Minnesota until her husband completed the building of Fort Snelling. Abigail’s hired nursemaid remarked that entertainment at Fort Snelling was very selective and aristocratic and the household decorated with good taste.
Abigail read the classics, poetry, and history and spoke fluent French. Gen. Edmond P. Gaines, an Italian explorer wrote of his visit to Fort Snelling that Abigail Snelling made him forget he was in the wilderness. Abigail, concerned about faith, ran the Sunday school at Fort Snelling. One of her sons described his mother as a compassionate woman, and indulging mother with beautiful hair that nearly reached to the ground. A brave, resourceful woman, Abigail once ran out to the parade grounds, grabbed a bucket of milk from a soldier, and ran back inside her quarters to douse a fire in her children’s bedroom.
In 1825 Josiah Snelling purchased a farm in Detroit while on leave. He died a few years later and she moved to Detroit and settled on the farm, at twenty-nine. She spent years petitioning for a military pension as a widow. Some of her brothers and children also served in the military.
Abigail learned to enjoy the best moments as a military wife as well as to survive the worst scenarios. She later married a minister but he died five years after they wed. Her children loved and cherished her, and she lived with various during her years of widowhood.
Today’s military wives are also often very accomplished and hospitable, as well as brave and resourceful. Examples of previous generations remind us that military life is not easy but the support of family and faith is part of what strengthens our soldiers.

You can find Karen on the web and on Facebook Leave a comment for Karen today for a chance to win one of her books!

Monday Devotion by Edie Melson

2011-11-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

To kick off our week in honor of Veteran's Day, Edie Melson joins us to share a devotion from her new book, Fighting Fear - Winning The War At Home When Your Soldier Leaves For Battle.

Here's a little about Edie and why she wrote this book:

Saying goodbye to a loved one leaving for war is a gut-wrenching proposition. But for those left behind it’s also the start of their own battle. Edie Melson’s oldest son went straight from high school to Marine Corps boot camp to Iraq, where he served as an infantry Marine during two tours. She knows firsthand, the fear and helplessness that affect those close to a soldier at war. She also knows it’s possible to find God’s peace and conquer the fear that ambushes when least expected.

This book is a compilation of true stories of how others dealt with the fear that stalked them through their soldier’s deployments, as well as devotions designed to point the reader to the true source of strength, God.

Edie understands what it is to face adversity and come out triumphant on the other side. Her years as a wife, mother and ministry leader have given her a unique perspective to reach out to others facing the same struggles. As a full-time writer, she’s always concentrated on telling the stories of others. In this book, she continues with those stories, but also shares her own challenges and the way God gave her the strength to endure.

As a sought after writing instructor, her heart to help others define and reach their dreams has connected her with writers all over the country. She also speaks at numerous women’s events, from conferences to retreats. You can visit her at www.EdieMelson.com or www.WinningtheWarAtHome.com.
She’s a member of multiple civic and professional organizations, including the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Blue Star Mothers, The Christian Pen, and American Christian Fiction Writers.
Married 30 years to her high school sweetheart, Kirk, they have raised three sons.

Keep Him Safe
By Edie Melson

And my God will supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:17

When our son joined the Marine Corps, I had to face every parent’s biggest fear, that one of my children might die. I knew he’d face deployment in the Middle East—that was why he’d joined—and that I couldn’t keep him safe. This was tough, because keeping him (along with my other two sons) safe had been my goal for a long time. And all things counted, I hadn’t done too bad a job of it.
But facing his deployment made me examine my belief that I’d spent the last 18 years keeping him safe. Could I really claim that? I’d given him the tools to make wise decisions, and I’d been around to prevent some mishaps, but not many. Had I truly equipped him to face what was ahead?
That night, while I wrestled with this fear, I realized my thoughts were just another attempt at control. I’d equipped . . . I’d given . . . I’d prevented. In reality, I hadn’t been the one to equip, give or prevent. God had. Oh, He’d allowed me to help on occasion, but He’d been the one who’d orchestrated events to prepare my son for life. It was a good thing, too. I had no idea where my son’s life was headed. I could make some guesses, but so far my track record wasn’t good. But God’s track record was perfect.
This verse in Philippians came immediately to mind, giving me comfort and peace. I could count on God’s promises to not only be true in my life, but also in my children’s lives.

Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home, published by Christian Devotions Ministry. Used by permission.

Coming Up This Week!

2011-11-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about this coming week on the blog! I have some great guests stopping by to chat as we honor our Veterans! Don't forget to pop by this week. Here's what to expect:

Monday - Edie Melson shares a devotional from her new book Fighting Fear - Wining The War At Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle.

Tuesday - Karen Whiting will be here - author of the soon to be released, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front of American Wars

Wednesday - Don Brown, author of the popular Navy Justice Series from Zondervan, will be doing a giveaway.

Thursday - Ronie Kendig, author of the wonderful Discarded Heroes series from Barbour, will share a special story and be doing a giveaway.

Friday - Military wife, Ralene Burke shares her story, and I'll be doing a giveaway of Yesterday's Tomorrow!

IN CONJUNCTION with this week's activities on my blog, I am doing a blog tour of Yesterday's Tomorrow! Here's the lineup of the wonderful bloggers who will be promoting my book this week:

Sunday, November 6th - Rani Grant Tack, Nike Chillemi

Monday, November 7th - Courtney Melone, Katy McCurdy and Loree Huebner

Tuesday, November 8th - Michelle Sutton, Erin MacPherson, Joy Hannabas

Wednesday, November 9th - Peg Phifer, Bruce Judisch, and I'll be doing a guest spot on friend and debut author Keli Gwyn;s blog.

Thursday, November 10th - Sherri Wilson Johnson, Megan DiMaria, AussieJenny

Friday, November 11th - Stephanie Nickel, Sandra Orchard, Anne Payne

I hope you'll join in and have a chance to win some great books!

Do You Like Books?

2011-11-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

Of course you do. Hop on over to my new blog This Is A Blog About Books, and join in the discussion! I've got some fun things coming up right here on THIS BLOG in honor of Veterans Day next week, including some giveaways! So stay tuned!
How's your week going so far?

Road Block!

2011-10-28T13:53:00.001-07:00

You may have noticed I haven't updated for a while.
I have been traveling - I surprised my niece in Canada by arriving for her baby shower! This is the first baby for my husband's side of the family so we're all pretty excited. I spent some good quality time with my daughter this week, as well as some time with family and friends. It was a great trip.
Ha. I laugh because 'trip' is exactly what I did. On Monday afternoon. I lost my footing on the staircase going down to the laundry room (YES, I was being NICE and doing my daughter's laundry for her!!), I knew there wasn't going to be much I could do about it once I felt my foot go, and I came down with a crash and then bump, bump, bumped my way to the bottom of the stairs. Suffice to say I am literally black and blue in places where the sun don't shine.
Which wouldn't be so bad if I could spend all day laying down on my side.
I might actually survive the pain if I wasn't sitting on it every day. I don't think I realized how much sitting I actually do until just this week.
Two and a half hours in a plane seat coming back to Bermuda today was not my idea of a good time.

This my friends, is a road block.

I am a writer. I sit. I write. It's what I do.
And I can't really sit right now. My lovely ergonomic chair in my study is not so lovely. At the moment I am perched on the edge of the bench in the kitchen, using my laptop, which is a rather petulant child and throws fits during most inconvenient times, like when I'm trying to save a document, or post a blog.
I HAVE THINGS TO DO!!! I have a blog tour coming up in a week! I have emails to send! Not to mention books to write! Holy cow, seriously???

So it could have been worse. I could have broken a foot (doable), or a wrist, (doable if it's the left I guess), but no, I go and break my --- oh, yeah, you can laugh. I'd be laughing too if it didn't hurt so much.
Tylenol with codeine anyone?

Putting it all in perspective, everything happens for a reason, right?
So what am I being taught here? Why the enforced time out at this particular point in what I deem a rather busy season?
I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that I check the sales numbers of Yesterday's Tomorrow on Amazon daily and need to reach for a paper bag each time I do.
I wonder if it has something to do with the way I wake up at night, comparing myself to other authors and lamenting the pretty obvious fact that my book just is not selling the way I wanted it to despite all the great reviews.
I wonder if it's the fact that I waste hours of time pondering the what ifs instead of just getting on with the things I can control.

I wonder if perhaps God is trying to send me a message.
I'm pretty sure He is. The question is, will I listen?

What about you? Have you experienced any roadblocks lately?

FOR THE WEEKEND:
Tomorrow I will be chatting with Kristen Lamb over at The WordServe Water Cooler Kristen is a bestselling author of two great books that every writer needs to get their hands on - Are You There Blog? It's Me, Writer, and We Are Not Alone, The Writer's Guide To Social Media. Be sure to check out what she has to say!
And if you haven't already, stop by my new blog This Is A Blog About Books. You'll find a growing list of book reviewers there as well as a list of new releases.

Have A Good One!

In Honor of Veterans Day

2011-10-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

Just incase you've forgotten, Veteran's Day is November 11th. Here in Bermuda, the UK and other Commonwealth countries, we call it Remembrance Day. The premise is the same. It is a day where we stop, give thanks, remember and pay homage to our military, both those fallen and those still with us. If you've read Yesterday's Tomorrow, you understand why I feel so strongly about making this day count.
So. In conjunction with my Blog Blast Tour (which there is still time to get in on, by the way), for Yesterday's Tomorrow, I would like to run a week long feature here on the blog, telling YOUR stories. Are you a military wife? Did you grow up in a military family? Have you served or are you currently serving in the military? Tell us why the military matters to you. Let's share our stories so we can honor you and let you know how proud we are!
I'll have some fun prizes that week and I hope we can get a lot of participation, so please send me your stories - 500-800 words max, to catherine@catherinejwest.com and I will be in touch!

Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Google + and so on - Is Social Networking Driving You Nuts?

2011-10-17T04:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but all this social networking stuff has my head spinning. I was never a MySpace user, but I admit to being a Facebook addict. I use Twitter but probably not effectively. Google + is still a big question mark in my mind and I'm not sure how to embrace it. Blogging has always been a challenge for me. I don't seem to have hit on the right formula to keep readers interested enough to engage in conversation/keep coming back.
This is not good news for an author.
Apparently its all about exposure and how many 'hits' you're getting and who's re-tweeting you and what words you use in your blog posts all that jazz. Erin MacPherson talked about this a bit over at The WordServe Water Cooler the other day. If you haven't had a chance to check out this new blog yet, please do!
I don't know about you, but some days I feel all this is just a little beyond me.
I just want people to buy my book, dang it.

Okay, that's not true. Well, I mean of course it's true, but that's not ALL I want.
I want those connections. I want to get to know you, and I want you to know me. Yes, I admit, I'm envious of those bloggers who have over a thousand followers and over fifty comments every time they post. I don't know how they do it, but they've obviously hit on something I haven't. Yet.
So what does all this mean to me? Do I just give up and let the chips fall where they may?
Sure, that would be the easy way out wouldn't it? But it probably wouldn't be the most sensible thing for me to do as a new author trying to connect with readers and future readers.
So here's my plan.

I've created an Author Page on Facebook, and this is where I hope to connect with my readers and keep them informed of my writing and new releases etc... I'm still deciding whether or not to keep my personal profile for personal friends and family only. There are pros and cons to this I suppose, especially since at the moment I have over a thousand 'friends'. So I'm not really sure which way to go there. I think as a published author you have to find some middle ground and a level of privacy you're comfortable with.

I'm keeping this blog, but over the next few weeks I'm going to be thinking about how I can revitalize it. Change it up a bit. Create a focus. Be more intentional about my postings. So stay tuned for that.
In the meantime you might want to check out the new blog I've launched.
This Is A Blog About Books.
Guess what it's about? I'll give you three guesses!
Go check out. If you review books I'd love to list your blog. If you write books, I'd love to list your titles!
And I'd really love it if you'd share this information with all your friends and get them on the list too!!

As far as all the other social media networks, I'm basically figuring things out as I go along.

What about you? What do you find works for you and how did you make that choice?

BIG BLOG BLAST TOUR!!

2011-10-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Okay - I usually don't like to announce my birthday, but it's tomorrow!
So, in lieu of all the amazing presents I know you want to send me, here's what you can do instead:

I'm planning a BLOG BLAST TOUR, featuring Yesterday's Tomorrow, and I am looking for participants! The tour will run for a week in November, - November 6th - 11th - leading up to Veterans Day, in celebration of our wonderful Veterans! Either read and review the book or simply feature it on your blog on the day of your choice! Even if you've already read it, you can participate. Please let me know if you are interested by sending me an email at catherine@catherinejwest.com and I'll get you on board!
I hope to make this a fun event, don't miss out!

Do You Believe In Angels?

2011-10-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

I've been fascinated with the idea of angels for a long time. The Bible is full of them.
Angelic beings that come down from Heaven to give a message, a warning or an announcement of the greatest importance. I wonder what they looked like, really. Various accounts describe them as 'shining' or 'glowing'. Do they take the form of a deceased relative or friend? I don't know.
Obviously, according to biblical account, they can be seen by the human eye, and can be understood when they speak. We can be pretty sure they live in Heaven, but do they still pop down to earth today to do God's will? That would seem to have been the case in biblical times, but you really don't hear a lot about angels today.
Maybe it's because the whole concept of the spiritual realm beyond what we know on earth is just too difficult to imagine. Maybe it's even a little scary. Unbelievable even.
When we encounter things we don't understand or can't comprehend, our instinct is to shy away. Don't talk about it because someone might start asking questions. And then we'd have to explain...and how to explain the things we can't?
There is so much of God we will never come close to experiencing. Partly by choice, partly by geographical limitations. I am often reminded of something Beth Moore said in one of her studies:
"We see little because we believe little. We believe little because we see little."
There are two times in my life that I'm pretty sure I was in the presence of angelic beings.
Once when I was around ten years old, my parents had left me in the care of friends in England, while they took a holiday by themselves. They were delayed in their return and I was afraid. I was often afraid growing up, afraid of being abandoned again. It's one of the perks of being an adopted child. You can never quite believe anybody actually wants you. I'd convinced myself that my parents weren't coming back. I cried myself to sleep.
And sometime during that long dark night, I woke. To this day I wonder if I dreamed it, but there were three 'people' in the room with me. Ghosts, angels, I don't really know. Two men who looked like my deceased grandfathers, and then standing between them, what my child's mind identified as someone who looked like the Jesus in my bible stories. At first I was afraid, but then I remember a very peaceful feeling coming over me. No words were spoken. None were needed I suppose, and I went back to sleep. My parents returned the next day.
I don't think I was dreaming because that image has stayed with me all these years.
It has come back to me in moments of extreme despair, during times of serious doubt. And I know what I believe. Who I believe in.
Another time, a year or so later, I was with a group of mentally challenged children that my godparents worked with. We'd been to the sea and we were waiting to cross the road to go back to our mini-bus. A big boy suddenly lunged forward into oncoming traffic.
And out of nowhere, he was somehow suddenly deposited back on the sidewalk. Safe and sound.
I can't explain that.
I can't explain why I saw my two grandfathers in a moment of deep sorrow. I can't explain why I thought Jesus was there too. I can't explain why I heard my mother's voice tell me goodnight the day she died. Or how my husband suddenly looked toward the pool on the day our two year-old son decided he could swim without his armbands.
But you know, I don't need to. I accept the fact that God works in mysterious ways.
I love that.
I love knowing that maybe there are things unseen, things we may never understand, things at work behind the scenes to help us, guide and protect us as we live our lives here on earth.
So yes, I do believe in angels. And I'm looking forward to seeing them in all their glory one day. That's going to be one choir I'll enjoy.

What do you think? Do you believe in angels? Have you had any experiences with things you just can't explain?

When Is It Okay to Not Like A Book - And Say So...?

2011-10-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

Like many of you, I was a reader before I became a writer. I love books. From the time I was old enough to stand on the small stool in front of the counter and scrawl my name, I had a library card. My mother and I frequented the adult library and the children's library. I'm sure we spent hours in both places. Rows upon rows of shelves stacked high and full to overflowing with BOOKS! Books of every description. Books with covers to die for. Books with nondescript green or blue covers, leaving you to wonder about the story inside. Old books, new books, every kind of book you could ever want. Paradise!
And the smell, remember the smell?
I haven't been to the library in a long time. In our digital age, I confess to downloading most of my books. I think I shall have to take a trip into town, just for old times sake.
Ah, but I digress.
Back to the matter at hand.
As a writer, I do of course still read. The problem is, there are SO many books out there! Good books. Books recommended or even written by people I know. Writer friends that I interact with and sometimes see at conferences.
We are a supportive community. We buy each others books, tweet about them, blog about them and host the author for an interview or two.
But we also need to leave time for our own writing. These days I need to be very selective in what books I choose to read. I want to enjoy the time spent away from my own stories. I don't want to waste my time. I simply can't afford to.

If a book does not grab and hold my interest, I won't finish it. I don't have a driving need to find out what happens in the end or if the story ever makes any sense at all.

Usually, if I have enjoyed a book, I'll post a review up on Amazon and Goodreads. As an author, I realize the importance of this kind of publicity. I love getting reviews, especially when they're from readers I have absolutely no connection with, who have somehow heard about my book and picked it up. I'm usually pretty generous in my review as well, even if there were small things I didn't like with the story. I'll give it a four. If I love a book, I'll say so and tell you why. I'll give it a well-deserved five star rating and tweet about it to all my friends! I love finding books like this. It's exciting for me to see a brilliantly written book that has captured me from the get-go and provided entertainment. I haven't wasted my time, and I'm glad.

But what happens when you don't have that experience?
Do you write a scathing review of the book and list every single thing you hated about it?
Or do you say nothing?
I honestly don't know so I'm asking you.

I picked up a book recently that unfortunately, I didn't like. I'm in the minority, it would seem, judging by the reviews. I'm really disappointed because I was looking forward to it. I loved the first book by this particular author and just assumed I would love the second. But I didn't. I haven't even finished it, and I'm probably not going to.
So what do I do here? Do I pretend I loved it and write a review that really doesn't reflect my true feelings?
Or should I be honest?
Of course the third option is to say nothing at all. I don't enjoy hearing from a reader that hasn't liked my story. Nobody wants to be told that their baby is ugly. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
We all know the publishing world is subjective, right? Surely I am within bounds to post my not-so-flattering opinion?
I'm not sure. In this case, I think I may choose to go with the whole if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all adage... I didn't receive the book in exchange for a review. I am not bound by any means to put something out there, so I probably won't.

So now I'm asking you. What do you think? Have you ever had to write a review of a book you didn't like, knowing you'd probably run into the author at some point? How did you handle it?

Wow...

2011-10-01T07:43:00.000-07:00

I couldn't settle on an appropriate title for this blog post.
"Wow" is about the best I could come up with. You see, I woke up this morning to receive the news that Yesterday's Tomorrow is on the shortlist in the romance category, in the 2011 INSPY Awards. Stunned, speechless and simply amazed at God's grace pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right now.
Of course I've heard of these awards, but I admit I haven't really been keeping up with things like this, so I didn't even know my book was on the long list. And now it's on the short list.
Wow.

The amazing thing about all this is that a year ago, I was waiting. Waiting to hear back from my publisher as to whether or not they liked my book enough to want to publish it.
It was my last-ditch effort at trying to find a home for a book that some said would never be published. The book of my heart.
My prayer at that point was simply, "Lord, your will be done."
I held on to the tiniest sliver of hope, but pressed forward, writing other things, trying not to listen to the voice inside my head that said I would never be a published author.

God had other plans.

I gave Him my words, a story that somehow seeded itself deep inside my soul, and the desires of my heart. He took all those things and blessed them.
Do I deserve it? I could say, "Of course I do! Do you have any idea how long I worked on that book? How many tears I've cried over it? How badly I wanted, maybe even needed, it to be published? If anyone deserves this it's ME!!"
Yes, I could say that. It's awfully tempting.
But no.
The best thing about a blessing is that we totally do not deserve it.
But God gives them to us anyway.
I think maybe it's His way of reminding us to look up, get our focus off ourselves and back on Him.

Am I a little excited about all of this? Sure am. I'm so honored to be up against brilliant authors like Jody Hedlund, Tamara Alexander, Julie Lessman and Siri Mitchell - I mean, seriously?? I'm looking at this list and thinking somebody was smoking something when they put my name up there with those guys. Really.
I need to publicly thank my super-agent, Rachelle, for continuing to believe in me. And Ramona Tucker and everyone at OakTara, who loved my story, and made this author very happy by agreeing to publish it.

I'm still a little blown-away that readers actually like it. Like it enough to nominate for this award apparently.
I'm honored. I'm humbled.
And I am here to testify that miracles do happen.
Don't give up on your dreams.
Ever.

Is Your Name Katherine?

2011-09-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

A little Friday fun here...

If your name is Katherine, with a K, and you would like a copy of Yesterday's Tomorrow, I would LOVE to send you one!! Hey, even if your name isn't Katherine, but you know one, see if they would like the book!

Sometimes we writers get a little overwhelmed. Sometimes we sign two books to the same person.
Sometimes. Not often. But it happens.
So now I'm stuck with a book autographed to "Katherine" who doesn't need it because she already got one...sigh.

All I ask in return is that you tell the world how great the book is, blog about it, and get me a Hollywood movie deal.

Katherine, I hope you're out there. I've got a book with your name on it.

So, How Was It?

2011-09-28T05:20:00.000-07:00

I have to post a stock photograph of the Arch in St. Louis, because...well...I never actually saw it! I saw it from behind the glass of the hotel windows, but that's about it.
Some people are very good about carving out time to go sightseeing when they attend conferences. I'm not one of them. I always find there is far too much to do within the conference walls and I don't want to miss a thing.
As expected, the conference was huge. Was I intimidated? Maybe a little.
I got off to a bit of a rough start with a late arrival - I couldn't figure out where the shuttle was but I actually walked right by the desk - I really don't do well traveling at night, so this was a good lesson for me. I'll be booking all daytime flights next time, when possible. By the time I got to the hotel due to construction, it was about 10pm. And then they very kindly put me in the wrong room. A room that had a very lovely queen bed, not the two doubles I was expecting. A room that had a couple of cards addressed to someone else sitting on the dresser.
Yes, I admit, I had a moment of "Hey, I'm exhausted, I'm already unpacking, let's just pretend I didn't see the cards..." But then I had visions of someone trying to get into my room at some ungodly hour and I thought the better of it.
An hour later, the lovely hotel lady discovers the hotel is completely booked and they have nowhere to put me. Ya think? Well, you can be proud. I kept my mouth shut. I have learned, in certain situations, facial expression often speaks louder than words.
I don't know where Miss Whatsherface VIP person ended up, but I got her room. Booyah.
Of course by that point I hadn't eaten since the dry sandwich at the airport in Bermuda and by this time it was 3:30am Bermuda time, and a migraine was tapping on my forehead. I ignored it and went to bed.
It was still there in the morning. So, sad to say, I bagged the Early Bird. I actually did get up for it, all ready to go, but as soon as I began walking around there was no way I was going to make it. It was either force myself and be sick the rest of the day, or go back to bed. I'm glad I went back to bed, because I was fine by lunchtime and could fully engage in the pleasure of seeing old friends and making new ones.

A big highlight for me was seeing my book in the conference bookstore for the first time!! And it sold out!
Yes, it does actually feel a little weird having the "Author" nametag on your badge. And I did have a random person ask to take my picture while I was signing books. Maybe they liked what I was wearing that day...

Everyone comes to conference with different expectations. Usually I go to learn, to soak up the incredible wealth of knowledge that surrounds me, and come away knowing I'm in the process of improving my craft. That wasn't the case this year. For whatever reason, I quickly ascertained that this year, I was here for the fellowship.
It's been a weird year for me. There have been spiritually dry seasons. Times I felt totally alone in a sanctuary full of people. Maybe you've been there too. I so needed to be with friends that know my heart, know my thought process, my struggles, my fears...and they get it. They get it because they are navigating the very same waters. I can't tell you what it means to pray with someone who truly understands the place you're standing in at that moment.

God showed up big time. Questions I had, and I had a lot of them, about what I should be doing with my writing and who I should be writing for, were answered. I received a lot of confirmation and affirmation. While I don't know what the future will bring, I do know with certainty, that I am following His will. And that feels pretty good.

I had a few appointments. One was a little unnerving while the other was like sitting down with an old friend. But both editors were interested in my project, so that was very encouraging. My agent, (Agent of the Year!!!) Rachelle, was running on rocket fuel the whole weekend on behalf of her clients. Literally every editor I spoke to about my new book said, "Oh, yes, I've talked about this with Rachelle!" Unbelievable support, and I'm so blessed to have someone like Rachelle Gardner believe in me and my work.

Other highlights included hearing Allen Arnold from Thomas Nelson talk about the need for reality in Christian Fiction. Honestly, I wanted to get up and cheer, but I didn't think that would be appropriate. On the other hand, he'd probably remember my name. In any event, I was literally blown away by what he had to say, and I came away filled with new hope and encouragement. I'm thinking there might actually be a place for me in CBA after all.
Ami McConnell, also from Thomas Nelson, talked about loving your reader. That was an amazing session. I love Ami's heart.
And then there were the dancing elephants...
I really can't explain this unless you were there. But believe me when I say no alcohol was involved. Which was definitely a good thing.
Suffice to say the image of two large elephants simply suspended in midair and spinning in circles was enough to put certain people over the edge of insanity and bust out into hysterical laughter. Except we were in the middle of an awards ceremony, so it needed to be extremely subdued hysterical laughter. Watching the table in front of us try to contain their mirth was more than I could take. They were not succeeding. I will never again sit behind Susan May Warren or Liz Curtis Higgs at an awards ceremony.

Well, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. I'm home again, but I feel energized. Refreshed. Ready to continue on along the path God is leading me. I am just so grateful to know that I'm not traveling it alone.

A Big "FIRST" for me!!

Some of The WordServe Crew out for dinner - what an amazing bunch of authors!

Beautiful Beth Vogt and me...so great to meet her in person!

My lifelong friend and critique partner, Jenness Walker - loved hanging out with her!

"Agent of the Year!" And crowned Fairy Agent Godmother by her clients! So well deserved.

Were you in St.Louis? How was your conference experience??

Off To St.Louis!!

2011-09-21T04:16:00.000-07:00

My most highly anticipated trip of the year is upon me.
I'm getting ready to leave for St.Louis today, to attend the American Christian Fiction Writersconference. As I said before, this is one I never like to miss.
Although I did just read there will be over 700 participants this year. Seeing as I'm really not comfortable in a room of ten, not too sure how that'll work for me.
Oh, but I'll be with friends!! Right. Forgot abut that part.
So please, if you see me squished up against a wall someplace, looking like I'm about to lose my last meal, come rescue me and talk me down from that ledge of insecurity, okay?
And I may need an escort to my appointments to make sure I don't chicken out.
But I hear it's bad form to stand up an editor, so I probably won't do that.
I'm all packed. Sort of. Just a few last minute things to square away and then I'm good to go.
I hope some kind souls will take care of my hubby while I'm gone, invite him out for dinner.
It'll just be him and the dog. That's a first I think.
So off I go, ready for four days of adrenaline pumping excitement, a little anxious anticipation and a whole lot of fun in between. If you'd like to pray for us at the conference, that would be great.
This is after all, God's thing. He's already got it all under control. Each appointment. Each unexpected encounter. Every single thing we've planned has already been taken care of. It may not go exactly according to our plans, but rest assured, everything that happens over the next few days, as we gather together in the name of Jesus, will happen exactly according to His.
And in a room filled with 700 or so writers, editors and agents, there is certain comfort in that.

Please look for me if you will be there! If you're not going this year, I hope we'll meet another time!

We're In This Together...

2011-09-16T04:30:00.001-07:00

If you're a writer, you'll probably agree that the writing life can be a solitary existence. You sit for hours on end at your desk, plotting (or not), hammering out ideas, researching and pulling it all together to create your next best-selling book. Well, that's the plan anyway.
Oftentimes as we write, we don't want to be disturbed. We're on a roll. Things are all falling into place and the chapters are just pouring forth in seamless harmony with nary a hiccup to be found. I have days like this all the time. My brilliance astounds me.
NOT.
Chances are, you're going to have a few days during your week where you're ready to take a sledgehammer to your computer. So what do you do? Who do you call?

I've often stressed the importance of a writer having community. I'll say it again. Community.
It is absolutely vital that you belong to a group where other people are just as insane as you are. I mean, where other people understand you.
Your best friend is great. Your pastor can offer some spiritual wisdom. Your spouse might empathize and take you out to dinner. Great Aunt Gertrude will ply you with pie and sugar cookies to pull you out of your funk. But unless any of these kind folk are writers, they will never fully understand the angst you endure.

A couple of years ago, I had a great idea for a story. I was working on other projects, but I started it, set it aside, picked it up again and so on until the time came when I was ready to move forward and devote all my time to writing this book. Guess what happened? I got nothing.
My brain simply refused to cooperate! It was awful. I knew the story was good, but I couldn't plot it out to save my life. I could see the characters but they wouldn't talk to me.
I was going around in circles, ready to pull my hair out.
Fortunately I had some help along the way. Wise authors who'd been there told me to set it aside. Don't force it.
My critique partners helped me brainstorm until we had a breakthrough.
My writers group was readily available to answer any questions I had or help cheer me up when I needed a boost.
I relied on my writers community to get me through.
And eventually Reprisal was written. Time will tell whether it was worth the extra gray hairs it caused me.

So my point today is, you're not alone. We're in this together.
I talked about going to the ACFW conference next week, and trust me, when I say I'm excited, I really mean it.
This is my community. This is my home where we're all tuned into the same channel.
This group is what keeps me sane. Or tries to.
Yes, I love Facebook, Twitter and my blogging buds, but nothing beats a real flesh and blood friend with a mile long grin on her face as she sees you again after a year. Nothing beats a hug from someone who knows. Someone who cares. And gets you.

Lets talk! Do you have a writing community? Do you need one?
Tell us about it.

Interview with Tom Blubaugh!

2011-09-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Tom is an author I've recently become acquainted with, and I'm happy to have him on the blog today to share a bit about himself, and his book Night Of The Cossack!

Welcome, Tom! Tell us about yourself.

I’m a very transparent person. I have no secrets about myself. I’ve lived a tough life having been sexually abused when I was twelve years old. I was out of control and a felon by time I was fifteen—I had been stripped of any trust or respect for authority, including God, although I was afraid of Him. Fortunately, I joined the Navy for four years and they had boundaries I knew better than to cross. The Lord revealed Himself to me when I was twenty-eight and I became a Christian. My life has been on an upward path from that day—Dec. 13, 1970. All of these are reasons why I direct my writing toward the YA genre. I didn’t plan to write to this genre in the beginning, it seems to be a subconscious thing.

That's great to see how God used that terrible time in your life for good!
You’ve been a speaker for more than twenty-five years. What sparked your writing journey?
Although I was a speaker, I was writing along the way. I had some articles published in company and denomination magazines. I self-published a book back in the mid 70’s. Nonfiction writing has always been a part of my adult life.

Tell us when did you first know that you would be an author?
This is an interesting question. I didn’t know I would be one—really. I’ve been a writer for over 50 years (can it really be half of a century?), but it wasn’t until my unintentional novel was published that I knew I was an author. I say unintentional because it wasn’t my intent to write a novel. I was creating a heritage for my children and grandchildren since both my grandfathers died before I was born. I was simply taking a handful of facts about my maternal grandfather and was creating his character.

What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?
What makes it unique actually works against me in determining the genre. Years ago I heard that if a speaker talks to a ten year old, she’ll reach the whole audience. I never forgot this. When I was in business I used to use concepts to show people what I was saying rather than try to educate them with technical language. I was also told in an English Comp. class to write like I talk. Night of the Cossack is classified by most—a YA novel. I consider it historical fiction. I had readers from 12 to 86 read and enjoy it—more adults than YA’s by far. It frustrated me that it is considered YA because I was afraid adults wouldn’t read it. I still have that fear.

What is the best writing (or life) advice you have ever heard or wished you had followed? Why?

Join a critique group. This scared me. I never took criticism well. I found out that the group I joined were caring and sensitive. Most of them were published in one form or another and their goal was to see me published. I love having my writing critiqued now. It’s healthy and I’ve learned so much.

What have you published and what is your current project?
I self-published a book in 1974 for my ministry, Behind the Scenes in the Bus Ministry. I also wrote some articles for denomination magazines and a business magazine. In 2009 I co-wrote a devotional journal for Barbour Publishing under contract. On April 6th, my first attempt at fiction, Night of the Cossack, was published by Bound by Faith Publishers. At this time, I’m working hard at marketing my name and book and trying to enjoy some of the summer since I missed summer last year due to writing. In the fall I’ll continue with a sequel to my novel. I also have some children’s books in my mix.

Let’s talk about your debut novel, Night of the Cossack (Bound by Faith Publishers, April 2011). Please tell us a little about it.
This is my first work of fiction, which took me five years to write. I have found writing fiction is much more difficult than writing nonfiction. It’s a story about a 16 year old who is kidnapped by a Cossack soldier in 1898 and is forced to be a Cossack himself.

What is a Cossack?
Cossacks were members of several peasant groups of Russian and Polish descent. They lived in autonomous communal settlements, especially in the Ukraine, until the early 20th century. In return for special privileges, they served in the cavalry under the czars. They were well known for their horsemanship. They raided villages for supplies, women and young men to increase or replenish their ranks. Eventually they became a part of the Russian army.

Where do your story and character ideas come from?
From my life, for the most part. One day I was out working in the yard and Barbara, my wife, called me to the phone. It was one of our granddaughters with a question. I answered her and I went back to work in the yard. Within forty-five minutes, in my mind, I wrote a children’s story based on her question and my answer. I distributed the story to all of our grandchildren for Christmas. I has become a part of my legacy never to be forgotten. Another time, our newly acquired black cat got into the duct work in our house and provided me with another children’s story—in fact, probably a series. Our minds are awesome creations.
In my newly released historical novel, the protagonist is based on my maternal grandfather. The rest of the characters are figments of my imagination.

Have you received a particularly memorable reader response or peer honor? Please share.
Two, in fact. I received a letter from a twelve year old boy who told me he read Night of the Cossack in one sitting and that it was the best book he ever read. Later, his mother put a review on amazon.com stating that her son raved so much about the book that she decided she better read it and gave me an outstanding five star review. I also received a letter from an eighty-six year old woman who is Jewish. She said she thoroughly enjoyed the book, but wept through a lot of it thinking about her own ancestors. Both touched my heart.

What do you enjoy most about being a published author?
Everything, but I know that’s too broad of an answer. Most of all I like the open door I have into middle and high schools to talk to young people who are interested in writing. I’m very transparent about my teen years in hopes I’m speaking to someone like I was so they know making a mistake doesn’t have to ruin their life. Next, the challenge of marketing and the fellowship with other authors and writers.

Tell us about your future projects?
I’m thinking about that now. Everyone who has read my novel asks about a sequel. I’ve taken the summer off because I missed last summer due to my writing. However, I’m still missing the summer because of heat—107 degrees today. I will continue building my author platform. I enjoy public speaking so I’m working with elementary, middle and high school creative writing groups and classes. When it turns cold, I’ll stay in my office and probably work on the sequel.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
There are several things I could say about writing, but if you want your book read by readers other than your friends and family, work diligently a build a platform. Not after you’ve written your manuscript, but from the very beginning. People need to know who you are before they will want to read what you have written.

How can readers find the book and where can they find you on the Internet?
At the present time, if you do a Google search for Tom Blubaugh, nearly 90,000 results show up. This is hard for me to believe with my last name seemingly not that common. Not all of are me. One in particular was recently convicted of fraud—definitely not me.

I can be found at http://tomblubaugh.com . http://nightofthecossack.com also feeds into my site. I’m on Facebook here and here . I can also be found on Twitter @tomblubaugh and I have a blog. My book is available on my site, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Parting comments?
A critique group made a major difference in me as a writer. They were kind and very helpful and encouraged me to write seriously.

Tom Blubaugh is a freelance writer living in Southwest Missouri with Barbara, his wife. They have six children and fourteen grandchildren. Tom has written non-fiction most of his adult life, but has recently written a historical fiction titled Night of the Cossack, published by Bound by Faith Publishers. This is Tom’s first novel. He co-wrote a devotional journal in 2009 for Barbour Publishing titled The Great Adventure. His other writings include articles for a denominational magazine and an insurance publication. He also self-published a book, Behind the Scenes of the Bus Ministry in 1974.
Tom started writing poetry at the age of fourteen. His vision of turning them into lyrics for rock and roll songs for popular artists didn’t develop. He considers writing to be a God-given talent and feels led to develop it. His first novel was published at his age of 69. Tom says it’s never too late. He is now writing a sequel.
Tom spent twelve years as an insurance agent and eleven years as a financial planner. He is the past president of Jericho Commission, Inc., and still serves on the board of directors.

First Writer's Conference? What To Expect...

2011-09-13T05:13:00.000-07:00

Like me, many of you are getting pretty excited. Next week is the annual conference for the awesome, amazing group of writers that are American Christian Fiction Writers! Hundreds of us will converge on St. Louis for four days of fun, fellowship and food. Oh yeah, and learning about writing.
If you're planning to attend and this is your first writer's conference, you may be wondering what in the world you've signed up for.
Don't Stress!
That's my first tip. Remember, this is fun. Don't ruin your good time by worrying that you won't know anyone or that you'll spill your soup on the editor sitting next to you at lunch. Even if you have never met any of your fellow writers in person, don't worry. We all get name tags and you'll find we're a friendly bunch. In fact you may not be able to get a word in edgewise sometimes, but generally speaking, by the end of the weekend you'll be going home with a bunch of new friends. Well, not literally. I don't think anyone will actually offer to take you home with them. If they do, you might be at the wrong conference.
Oh, and if you spill your soup on an editor? Well, good luck with that.

But Seriously, What Do I Bring?
Okay, it's four days. You want to look good. Professional. Dress code is business casual. On Saturday night there is a banquet and most people jazz it up that night. Jeans with holes in them are probably not want you want to wear. Remember, you're trying to impress those agents and editors. Aside from having a great manuscript that they're going to want to snap up, you should probably try to look presentable too. It helps. However. You only have one suitcase. Figure it out.
I refuse to give any advice on packing lightly on the grounds that it may incriminate me.

Pitching.
Don't do it. Honestly, save yourself the heart attack. Just pretend like you're not there when an editor walks past. They're really scary people. Agents are just as frightening.
Ooookaaay...but this is a writer's conference and you're trying to sell your work.
Yeah. You gotta pitch. Well, you don't, but you should. This is your golden opportunity to get your work in front of people who might otherwise never see it. And really, what are the chances that the editor you're pitching to is the same editor you just spilled your soup on?

Be Prepared.
To Have Fun.
Perhaps you can tell by the tone of this post that I really don't take all this too seriously anymore.
My first conference was a terrifying experience. Sure, I made a lot of new friends, but I'm such an introvert that it was really hard for me to put myself out there and talk to a bunch of strangers. But after the first half hour, there were no strangers.
By the end of the first day, I knew I'd come home.
These people were as crazy as me!! Woohoo!!
Unfortunately, back then, (my first conference was in 2006 I believe, and I've only missed one) I really was a baby when it came to writing. I didn't have an agent yet, and the whole pitching process scared the life out of me. It still does but I do it anyway. I hardly got any sleep worrying over my appointments. Part of me was also setting my expectations far too high! I had this crazy idea that some smart editor was going to take one look at what I had to offer and sign me on right then and there with a three book deal. Well, that didn't happen. I have heard of offers being made at conferences, but I don't think it's the norm. Try to look at pitching as good practice for what's to come. You're connecting with agents and editors and that's a good thing. They may not ask for you to send them anything and if they don't, please don't be discouraged. This is a very, very tough gig. Maybe you're just not quite there yet, that's okay. And if they do ask for a proposal, that's awesome, but don't rely on that request being your ticket to publication. You just don't know for sure that it's going to turn out the way you want.
All this to say, if you love your book, know it inside and out and can sum it up in about three minutes, you're good to go. Being as I'm sitting here with absolutely no idea what I'm going to say at my appointments, you're way ahead of me.
But hey, I have a really cool one sheet. Wanna see?

Okay, don't freak out. I didn't do this myself. I used Yvonne Parks at Pear Creative. My excuse for spending money on my one sheets is that because I'm so terrible at pitching, it gives the editor something to look at while I babble on. Saves their eyes from glazing over.
So yes, it's a good idea to have a one sheet - basically a summary of what your book is about and who you are all on one page. People always ask about bringing sample chapters.
This is going to be my sixth conference and I've only ever had one editor look at my first chapter. So yes, I always make sure I have at least one chapter printed out, just in case, but I don't carry a suitcase full of paper. Anymore.

So remember, be presentable, be outgoing, be pleasant, be prepared.
And most of all, have fun! This is the one time of the year you get to be around hundreds of people that don't think you're nuts. Live it up!!

Any questions about going to conference?

How Do You Say Goodbye?

2011-09-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

The dreaded day has passed. The day we hugged our son and wished him good luck, and left him on his own to pursue his passion of guitar and songwriting at The Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Where did the last eighteen years go?
I knew it would be hard to say goodbye. Four years ago we left our daughter amidst my floods of tears and worries and fears that we were just going to be too far away. We weren't. She survived. So did we.
Having gone through this once, I figured I'd be okay. I'd be sad, but I wouldn't be a basket-case.
So much for that theory.
It helps to know I'm not the only one. It helps to know that what I'm feeling is completely normal.
I really enjoyed the talk we were given by one of the professors at Berklee on Sunday.
He said, "There is no right or wrong way to do this."
I'm so glad.
I'm really not that much of an emotional person. Sometimes I cry during movies. Sometimes I cry after finishing a manuscript or getting a rejection letter. But I never cry in public. Not if I can help it.
So what in heck was I doing blubbering down the aisles of Shaw's Market as we shopped for groceries with my son, who's now living in an apartment and will actually have to cook for himself...
Sheesh. Talk about embarrassing.
But there you go. That's how I am. When something's really big, I cry big. For days.
And now I'm sitting in a really quiet house. It's a strange feeling knowing that one phase of my life is over. No more worrying about kids getting to school on time. No more telling kids to get the heck in bed, it's one a.m. for crying out loud!! No more getting the phone calls in the middle of something really important, asking if I'll drop off money for lunch, or a binder, or a gym bag. (Yeah, I did that. A lot).
So now it's time for me. For us. Weird.
I guess I don't like saying goodbye because goodbye means change. And I really hate change.
But I'm old enough to know that there isn't a whole lot I can do about it. Things just don't always stay the same, much as we'd like them to. If they did we'd be bored out of our skulls.
And sometimes change is good.
I'm pressing through, knowing my kids are exactly where they're meant to be. They're happy. They keep in touch. They still ask for money. And at some point in the year they'll return home for an extended period of time, usually bringing a bunch of friends along for the ride.
It won't stay quiet for too long.
I'm going to enjoy it while I can. But meanwhile, can somebody pass the tissues?

The Liebster Award!

2011-08-27T10:14:00.001-07:00

Just a bit of fun for a Saturday when everyone is either battening down the hatches or watching CNN!
I hope and pray all my friends along the east coast will be fine!

My friend and brilliant author, Tracy, gave me The Liebster Blog Award! This award is meant to go to blogs we enjoy reading who currently have less than 200 followers - since I am just over that mark, Tracy made an exception for me, because she likes my blog, and because she's cool.
So now I have the fun of passing the award along to some of my blogging buddies...

Elva Cobb Martin - Elva hasn't been blogging for too long, but she has some great writing tips and I think you'll enjoy meeting her!

Megan DiMaria - Megan and I are both very fortunate to be represented by Rachelle Gardner. Megan is a wonderful author, a great encourager, and it's been a blast getting to know her better this past year. I hope we'll meet in person soon!

Amber - Amber blogs at Seasons of Humility. She and I connected when she did a review of Yeseterday's Tomorrow. Her blog is great and she gives really good reviews too!

Lindi Peterson - Lindi and I are new critique partners and she's quickly turned into a great friend too! And talk about a talented author! If you haven't got a copy of Her Best Catch yet, do it now!

Laura Josephsen - Laura is a fellow OakTaraauthor, and her blog is chock full of great writing advice and fun slices of life!

So, if I have just awarded you The Liebster, here are the rules!

Here are the rules:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.
2. Give the Liebster Blog Award to five bloggers and let them know in a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. Have blogging fun!

Stay safe out there and please drop me a comment to let me know how you are and where you are!

Should Books Be Rated?

2011-08-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

When you go to the movies, you have the advantage of knowing (somewhat) what to expect in advance by the ratings system. Right? My question for today is whether or not books should have some sort of rating system as well.

On the whole, I've been getting really positive reviews for Yesterday's Tomorrow. I'm grateful and humbled and excited that so many people have enjoyed the story. However, I was recently asked a question that kind of blew me out of the water. This particular reader, while she had enjoyed the story and gave it a good review, seemed perturbed by the actions of the characters, especially considering this was a "Christian" book.

Well. Okay. I'm not going to rant about how I feel about the expectations put on the Christian publishing industry in general. Or the expectations that seem to be out there for what should be 'acceptable content' for a Christian book. I am very blessed to be with a publisher who sees beyond the pasture out back and wants to venture forth into the town. Perhaps even into the saloon. Horrors.
But I'll talk about all that another day. Maybe.

I hear a lot said about authors knowing their readers - we're supposed to know who we're writing for and what they expect from us. This is difficult, especially for a first-time author like me, who has no idea who will pick up my book.
Rather, I say reader know your author.
This will happen over time. You know what you're going to get if you buy a book by John Grisham or Nicholas Sparks. You know what you're buying when you purchase a book from Barbour or Steeple Hill, for example.
When you see my book, you may not be familiar with OakTara Publishing. You probably have no idea who Catherine West is or what my books will be like.
All you know is that my book is being sold as "Christian Fiction".
What are you expecting?

If you haven't read Yesterday's Tomorrow yet, I will tell you right now, you will not get fluff. You will not get cookie cutter characters who always do the right thing and never fall into sin.
If that's the kind of read you're after, you won't like my book.

I suppose there are always going to be people who will be offended no matter what. You can't please everyone. I know that and I'm certainly not trying to. In fact, I'd rather those folks not even read my book if they're going to be scarred for life by it.
But really, would it help to have a sticker on the back saying "This book contains scenes that may make your eyebrows shoot skyward and your jaw drop..." Really?

I am a Christian. My book contains Christian themes. But I don't think it's fair to lump all "Christian Fiction" Into one category. I retain the right to be different.
That doesn't mean there isn't the same message. It's just written in a different way.

To be honest with you, I'll give my book a PG13 rating.

What do you think?

We Interrupt This Normally Peaceful Life...

2011-08-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

...To Scare The Crap Out Of You.

Isn't he cute? Yeah. Except that ball of cuteness is standing on the back porch of my cottage. Staring in the window of my cottage. At me.
Not so cute.
We've been spending summers in Northern Ontario for the past eight years. Seen plenty of deer, squirrels and chipmunks and raccoons and even a moose. Never, ever, have I ever seen a bear.
Until the other day.
We were just sitting down to dinner, me with my back to the window, it was a little chilly and rainy so we were eating inside. Suddenly my son's eyes get really big and he points behind me. "Oh my gosh, there's a bear at the barbeque!"
My son, the actor. The proverbial Peter from Peter and the Wolf. My son who thinks it's funny to yell, "Watch out, there's a car coming!" when you're pulling out from a blind corner. When there's no car coming...
But on this night, my son wasn't joking.
There was bear on the porch. A bear looking at our barbeque, checking to see if we'd been kind enough to leave him any leftovers.
And the first thing I hear is not, "Let's chase him away!" it's "Somebody get the camera!"
Seriously?
But okay. We have a cool picture. We're alive. The bear left and hasn't come back.
But seriously?
This is really putting a kink in my normally peaceful cottage existence.

The day after the bear incident, we took the dog for a walk. He was leashed, bear bell firmly tied to his collar and we carried an air horn. As I looked dubiously into the thick, dark and scary forest surrounding us, I noticed a glint in my husband's eyes. "Gives it a whole new perspective, doesn't it?" He was only half-joking.

I could happily have gone without seeing that bear on my porch.
I knew bears were out there, this is the boondocks after all. But I just figured they'd keep to themselves and we'd just not cross paths. Ever.
But now what? Now what do I do? Stay inside the cottage and refuse to go outside? Never walk down to the lake again or sit alone with a glass of wine on the porch as the sun goes down?

So things have changed somewhat. I'll be a little more careful when I'm out walking. More aware.
But I won't give in to my first instinct. The extremely strong flight instinct that kicked in the moment I realized what was happening. That loud, yelling voice that said "Pack your bags, change your ticket and the get the heck out of here!" It was tempting. After all, the only feral creatures in Bermuda are cats, chickens, and idiots with guns.

But I didn't give in. Nobody would have taken me to the airport anyway.
So here I stay, but with a new perspective. And that happens, doesn't it?
Things happen that we just can't control, just can't contemplate until it's too late and there isn't a darn thing we can do about it. Life isn't always peaceful.
Babies aren't supposed to die. Young women aren't supposed to get cancer. Families are supposed to stay together.
Terrible tragedies take place all around us, every day. Things that can change you, change the way you look at life. Change the way you live.

We don't think about them until they show up on our back porch.

And then we have a choice. Retreat, run or wait it out. Dig your heels in. Pray with everything you've got. Face whatever comes next with a bravado you didn't know you had.

How do you react to the unwanted interruptions in your life?

To Market, To Market...

2011-08-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be participating in the first ever WordServe Blog Tour, (taking place TOMORROW) hosted by my fabulous agent,
Rachelle Gardner. I hope you'll check out all the wonderful links she'll be posting. I'm also really excited to tell you about a new blog that's been set up by a bunch of my fellow WordServe clients. We'll be sharing about all things writing, and you can find us HERE. Hop over and check it out, and we hope you'll join in the community chat.

So on to my thoughts on Marketing...

My debut novel, Yesterday's Tomorrow, (an Inspirational romance that takes place during The Vietnam War), came out in March. I'd like to share a few things I've done and continue to do to promote my book.

What comes to mind when you hear the word market?
I often think of the nursery rhymes I learned as a child:

"To market, to market to buy a fat pig;
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog;
Home again, home again, jiggety-jog."

Or

"This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed at home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went...
"Wee wee wee" all the way home..."

One of my favorite movies of all time is Oliver! Do you remember the scene where Oliver wakes on his first morning in Mr. Brownlow's house and watches the London street below come to life, and they sing "Who Will Buy..." It's a fabulous scene and I would have posted it here but I couldn't find a clip of it. To me, it exemplifies the meaning of the word 'market', the noun: 'a regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock and other commodities.

However, for the author's purposes, we want to concentrate on market, the verb: to advertise or promote something.
And incase you're wondering, no I'm not super smart. I just looked up the word and there you have it - who knew a dictionary could serve another purpose other than a paperweight.

So now that we've cleared that up, we know that marketing means we're going to have to figure out how to sell our books. The hard part is done. We've written that manuscript. Rewritten it a hundred times, sent it out and finally, finally, received the wonderful news that somebody loves it and will publish it. You now have a brand spanking new book with your name on the cover to prove it!
Now what?
Well, that's easy. Your name alone will attract hundreds of readers who will come running to buy your book and a copy for their mother, cousin and best friend. You have an eye-catching cover and your story is so unique that it'll become an overnight best-seller.
Uh, hello. Unless you're Nicholas Sparks or Nora Roberts, that's probably not going to work for you.
When's the last time you walked into a bookstore?

This is just a teeny tiny section of the rows upon rows of books that customers have to choose from.

Why should they choose your book?

We've already mentioned a couple of reasons. While sounding tongue-in-cheek, there is actually some truth to them.

Your cover - I don't have statistics on this, but I've certainly heard a lot of people say they will pick up a book if they like the cover. If the title and back cover copy intrigue them, they'll probably buy it. So this is something to keep in mind when you're in production, if you have any say in those things.

Your network - No, I'm not talking about NBC or FOX. Your network is the large group of friends, family and online acquaintances you've been revving up over the past few years - they've been supporting you every step of the way, are absolutely delighted that you're finally a published author and they're going to let the world know it.
Please. Do yourself a favor right now. If you don't have a network, get out there and create one. Immediately.

Never underestimate the power of WORD OF MOUTH. As an unknown debut author, you need to get the word out about your book.
The more help you can get, the easier it will be. You want people to start talking about your book. You want them to recommend it to their friends. You want those friends to buy the book and recommend it to their friends.
This of course is all easier said than done. But it's not impossible.

Who are you targeting?
It's important to know who your readers will be and how they will hear about your book.
Because I don't live in the US, I may be at a bit of a disadvantage in that I can't travel around to various bookstores and promote my book. My biggest market is going to be through online sales.
Yours may not be. Once you figure out where you're going to have the most impact, concentrate on that area.

Some other things I've done to help promote Yesterday's Tomorrow -

Facebook - honestly, for me, this has been one of the greatest marketing tools available to me. My community of friends really got behind me in helping promote my book on Facebook. And they're still doing it! The last time I checked, 212 people had shared the Amazon link to my book. That may not sound like a lot, but if you think about it, most of those two hundred and twelve people have over two hundred friends or more. So that's a lot of people who might get a glimpse of a book that interests them, especially if it is recommended by someone they know.
I use Facebook to interact with readers on my Author Page. I also created a fan page for Yesterday's Tomorrow, where I post reviews or information about book signings and giveaways.

Do Giveaways - Everybody likes a free book. When I am a guest on a blog, I usually either give away a paperback copy or a Kindle copy of my book. Be aware that although this may cost you a few dollars, it's also a way to get your book into more circles.

Book Clubs - Contact book clubs in your area and tell them about your book. Ask them if they'd be interested in a copy and if they would consider reading it. If they respond favorably, offer to come and talk to them. This is a lot of fun. You can even use Skype to meet with them if you're not in the same area!

Connect with other authors - Newsflash! You're not in this alone. Remember that picture of the bookstore? There are a million authors out there and they're all trying to promote their books, just like you. Make friends with them. Help each other out. Offer to host your author friend on your blog and talk about their book and ask them to do the same for you on the same day. Um, you say, what if their book is better than mine, isn't that like shooting myself in the foot? Meh. Maybe. But what fun is life without taking a few risks now and again?

Reviews - All those folks reading your book is great, but you want to know what they think. Make sure you have a list of reviewers you can send your book to - people who will read AND post a review on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, GoodReads, Facebook. I've found that readers want to know what others think about a book before they take a chance on it.

I hope that gives you a glimpse into what you can do to promote your work...if I continue, we'll be here all day and you won't have time to read all the other fabulous author's blogs on this subject who probably have way better advice than I do.
Whether you're newly contracted and anticipating the release of your first book or you've done this a dozen times, marketing is hard work. It's time-consuming, not to mention expensive.
But it is necessary.
Don't sell yourself short. It's okay to brag a little, you've earned it. But if you're succeeding in your marketing efforts, you'll have a lot of help.
Most importantly, look after yourself. Take a breather now and again. Don't spend all day every day trying to come up with new ways to promote your book. You need to rest and rejuvenate.
You also need to be working on your next novel!

Nobody ever said this gig was easy. It's not. But it sure is a lot of fun!

What Are You Taking For Granted?

2011-07-29T19:12:00.003-07:00

It's Friday. I'm frazzled. Pulling out my hair. Gnashing my teeth.
I'm on vacation.
Doesn't make sense, right?
Well, I'm on vacation. With no internet.
Okay, technically, we have internet. DIAL-UP.
I logged on 30 minutes ago. I am just now able to access the 'New Post' page.
30 minutes!!
Yes, there is something wrong with this connection. It's never been this excruciatingly painfully retardedly slow before.
In the meantime, I have blog commitments, interviews and the like, that I'm not able to proceed with. It's taking too long. I'm not getting through to the pages I need. I can't even access Facebook!
So I am a little freaked.
However, here I am, finally writing a blog post, and I'm wondering what the heck we all did before high speed internet. No, scratch that. What did we do before there WAS internet?
Were our lives interesting? Did we still have friends? Maybe ten instead of a thousand? But did we actually talk to those friends? On the phone or - gasp - in person?!
They say the internet has simplified our lives. With the simple click of a button, you can order books, music, movies, do your banking, shop for snazzy shoes, you can even do your grocery shopping online and have it delivered.
You never have to leave the house!!!
Normally, I'd be the main cheerleader on that one. But my little freak out today, feeling completely disconnected from the outside world and just knowing I"m missing out on a hundred and one things that are going to change my life and be vital to my career, has got me thinking.
Who do I think I am?
No, really.
I mean seriously, has anybody really noticed I haven't tweeted anything since Tuesday?
Does anyone care that much about my lack of Facebook updates? Are my book sales dropping due to my disappearance from social networking? Hey they can't get that much lower anyway...maybe a mysterious disappearance might spark some chat about me and my book and actually drive UP sales...hmm.
Anyway...
I take all this for granted. I love social networking. I love knowing I can connect with all of you, friends, fans, fellow readers and writers, whenever I want. I can hop onto your blogs and Facebook pages and see what you're up to. We can share a laugh over Twitter.
The world is a quiet place when that's gone.
But the silence points me toward other things. Things like sitting alone, staring at the sun setting over a still lake.
Thanking God for all the blessings in my life.
Taking time to talk, be with my family. Play with the dog.
Do I feel guilty? Yeah. Do I feel like I'm failing, missing out on some major stuff that I should be a part of? Probably. The truth is, I'm probably not.
It's just all become so much a part of me, that I'm not sure how to react when I'm faced with the blank white page and spinning circle that just goes around and around, taking me nowhere.
I've come to depend on all this stuff so much that I'm not sure, no, I don't know, how to live without it.
This is not good.
Is it?
So, while I try to survive the next few weeks, I'm going to do my best to focus on other things. I can't change the fact that it takes a half an hour to load a page. I can change how I feel about it. What I say, what I do. What I will spend my time on instead.
Maybe there are other things in life that I take for granted. Maybe I better go figure out what those are and enjoy them.
Because you never know what tomorrow will bring.
What are you taking for granted?

Don't Talk to Me About My Book...

2011-07-25T04:18:00.000-07:00

Standing around at a party...conversation begins as new person joins our group. Introductions are made.
Friend A: "And incase you didn't know, Cathy is a famous author!"
Friend B: "Yes, she's PUBLISHED, you know!!"
Me: "Well, erm. Yes, I'm published. Not famous."
New Person eyes me quite quizzically. "Oh. So. You like, put your book on Kindle?"
Me: "Yes. I mean no. I mean, yes, it's available on Kindle. But I'm published traditionally."
New Person: "Good for you. Who's your publisher?"
Me: "OakTara."
NP: "Never heard of them. What's your book about?"
At this point friends jump in and tell New Person, who happens to be a man, all about Luke and Kristin. His eyes begin to glaze over. He's slightly intrigued by the Vietnam War angle, but on the whole, he's pretty bored.
NP: "Cool. I'll have to download it. I don't read romance but hey..."
Me: "Yeah. Okay. Cya."

Well, maybe I didn't say "Cya", but, you know? Painful. It's a good thing I never applied to work at Avon or Mary Kay. I am the WORST salesperson in the world!!
So what should I have done differently with Mr. Skeptical? Should I have challenged him to read my novel and offer to reimburse him if he hated it? Should I have responded with, "Why, yes. My friends are perfectly correct. I AM famous. I am in fact the ONLY Bermudian author to ever get a book published and I have no doubt that my book will be appearing on the NYT bestseller list by the end of the year." That might have been slightly worse than my stumbling over my words and wishing I was anywhere but there...however I'm not really into lying.
I'm definitely not into patting myself on the back, puffing out my chest and telling the world how great I am.
So where's the happy medium?
How do you promote yourself with self-confidence without coming off as a totally self-absorbed idiot?

Anyone??

Thankful For The Rain...

2011-07-18T13:46:00.001-07:00

It started teasing us a few days ago. Gray clouds would loom, build. I could see it raining away out over the ocean. Where it stayed. Those gray clouds got brighter, moved off and let the sun have its way. Once in a while they'd sprinkle a few drops here and there.
And then today, it poured.
Huge wet drops, soaking my lawn and nourishing my flowers. Filling our tanks.

I'm thankful for the rain.
I'm thankful for an end to a dry season, even if it be a short reprieve.
As I watch the splashes on my patio, I'm reminded of the many times I've wandered in the desert of my own dry season. I remember days of despondency, days when I was so discouraged I just wanted to give up writing for good. Days when I just wanted to stay under the covers.
We can go through different kinds of droughts.
Droughts in our creativity. Droughts in relationships. Droughts in spirit.

I've found when I'm in the middle of a spiritual drought, every other problem I may be dealing with is magnified. Nothing works. Nothing makes sense. Nothing provides hope.
It's hard to explain how I end up in that place. Hard to explain how a once lush and fertile land dries up and refuses new growth. But it happens.
Have you been there?
It's not fun. It's isolating.
But I think it's necessary.

How much more precious is that rainfall today than it would be if we'd had rain everyday for the last year?
Sometimes our dry seasons make us appreciate everything so much more when we come out of them. Sometimes we are rewarded for our patience and perseverance in ways we couldn't imagine.

Rain comes in many forms.

Sure is Quiet Around Here!

2011-07-15T04:31:00.000-07:00

Why do I suddenly feel like I've lost all my readers? Maybe everyone just went on vacation.
The worst thing about blogging for me is finding things to talk about. Lately, I'm scrambling to keep up with life in general after coming back from our holiday, and I'm very tired. And it's hot.
But some exciting things are happening.

I will be signing my second contract soon - that's so weird to even think about. I'm looking forward to getting Hidden in the Heart out there.
I'm also looking forward to the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in September. I'll be heading to St.Louis to hang out with hundreds of awesome writers, catch up with my agent in person, and meet some editors. I don't like pitching (talking about my writing, specifically my next book), but I'll be doing that.

Speaking of my agent, do you follow her blog? She's recently changed it so if you haven't checked it out yet, please go HERE and become a follower! A wealth of information for anyone at any stage of their publishing journey.

And since we're talking about Rachelle, she has some awesome clients, haha. But seriously - we are really excited to be launching our own blog - The WordServe Water Cooler - to share tips from the trenches of the publishing world, and a few other topics! We're planning to launch the first week of August, so stay tuned!

How's your summer going so far?

Readers, What Are Your Expectations?

2011-07-12T04:15:00.001-07:00

When you walk into a bookstore, which section do you gravitate toward? Are you a diehard romance reader? Like a little suspense? Or perhaps you enjoy mysteries or science fiction, and make a beeline for that section.
Do you have favorite authors? I do. I'm always checking to see who's got a new book coming out when.
I love reading romance, inspirational fiction and general fiction.

As a new author, I spend a lot of time following up on comments from readers. If you take the time to post a review of my book on Amazon and email me to let me know, I'll be sure to respond. I want to know who my readers are.
More importantly, I want to know what they want. I want to know what they liked or didn't like about my book.

I'm a bit of an oddity I suppose, in that I don't tend to stick to a specific formulae in my writing. Makes sense, since I tend to read a lot of different genres too. But one thing I never stray from is romance. It always has to be there. Whether I'm writing women's fiction or a straight romance, you can always expect some romance in my novels.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens when my second book comes out.
Yesterday's Tomorrow was pretty-action packed, took place in a war zone, and the chemistry between Kristin and Luke was about as sizzling as the temperature in Saigon. All good stuff. Readers liked it. At least that's what I'm hearing. Hidden in the Heart is nothing like Yesterday's Tomorrow. It will be a very different novel, more angst driven, packed with powerful emotional scenes, passion on a different scale entirely! I can't help but wonder if readers will compare one to the other. However, my hope is that it will be my writing that makes readers pick up that book. They'll know they're getting a good story, no matter the subject.

At some point in an author's career, I believe we must decide where our place is. Mine is writing about relationships, be that in a romance or a family saga novel. Love, forgiveness, hope and restoration are central themes that will be the plumb line for what you can expect when you pick up one of my books. Chances are slim that I will suddenly present you with an Amish Vampire story. Stranger things have happened I suppose, but I think you're safe for now.

As I ponder my future as an author, I want to stay in tune with my readers. Heaven forbid I turn into one of those writers who crank out the same thing year after year, only changing the scenery and the names of her characters. If you ever see me doing that, feel free to run me over with a Hummer.

I want my stories to be different. I want to make you think, laugh, cry, feel. I want happy readers. Readers who will come back for more. As much as I enjoy what I do, there is little pleasure in hearing that your work did not live up to expectations. I hope to never be in that position, at least not often.

So as a reader, what do you expect? What do you enjoy reading? What are the books that make you sigh, close the cover and jump on Amazon to see when the author's next novel will be released?
Let's talk about it!

Summer Daze...

2011-07-05T05:42:00.001-07:00

I'm very discombobulated this summer. Love that word.
You see, usually my summer consists of packing up, dog and all, and spending six weeks or so at our place in the Canadian wilderness, otherwise known as The Muskokas, a beautiful area of Northern Ontario.
There, I sit on the dock, do a lot of writing, reading and walking. Take the occasional kayak across the lake. Play tennis. Visit with friends and family. It's an awesome place to be, and hubby and I love it.
This year however, we took the kids to St.Barth's for two weeks. And now I'm home, feeling like summer is already half over because I've had my vacation. But we're still heading up to Canada in a few weeks time. I imagine I'll be even more turned around by then!
But it won't end there. We'll come back home and proceed to pack up our son and take him up to Boston for his first semester at Berklee. After which, hubby and I will be officially empty-nesters.
And then I'm turning around and heading to St.Louis for the annual American Christian Fiction Writers Conference.
Is anyone else tired?!

So I don't have my normal routine going on this year. I have to somehow figure out how to navigate all this traveling back and forth, edit two manuscripts and get a synopsis and proposal done that I've been putting off for way too long already. In short, I don't deal well with change. This is throwing me off. But I'll survive. And hopefully I'll get the work done too!

What are your summer plans? Do you do the same thing each year or do you like to change it up?

Another Happy Announcement!

2011-07-03T10:39:00.001-07:00

I'm back from a wonderful vacation with my super awesome amazing family.
We really had a great time. St.Barth's is one of those magical places, almost as beautiful as Bermuda, and it was so nice to just get away, relax and do nothing but enjoy the sun, sea and each other's company.
While I was away I got an email from my agent.
It was a good one.

My publisher, OakTara has contracted my second novel, Hidden in the Heart! I don't have a release date or anything yet, so that will have to be posted later.
While I am of course, thrilled, I'm also a little overwhelmed and a bit scared.
It's a weird feeling to think about having a second book out there for the world to read.
I'm just getting used to the idea of the first one being published.
But there you have it. Book number two is in the works!
And no, sorry, it's not a sequel to Yesterday's Tomorrow. In fact, it's a very different book entirely. But I hope you will buy it anyway.
Just to whet your appetites, here's a brief blurb:

Hidden in the Heart - A Novel by Catherine West

After losing her mother to cancer and suffering a miscarriage soon after, Claire Ferguson numbs the pain with alcohol and pills and wonders if her own life is worth living.
Adopted at birth, Claire is convinced she has some unknown genetic flaw that may have been the cause of her miscarriage. She must find a way to deal with the guilt she harbors. But exoneration will come with a price.
With her marriage in trouble and her father refusing to answer any questions about her adoption, Claire begins the search for her birth mother. For the first time in her life, she really wants to know where she came from.
It never occurs to her that the woman who gave her life may not want to be found.

Thanks for letting me share my news! I hope to begin my regular blogging again this week.

Lots Going On But I'm on Vacation!

2011-06-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Greetings from St.Barth's, a beautiful island in the French West Indies! We interrupt this much needed vacation to let you all know that Yesterday's Tomorrow is the July pick for the Contemporary Christian Fiction group over on GoodReads! If you haven't yet discovered Goodreads, it's a really cool place for readers and authors. I've been having a lot of fun there and I'm excited that this group will be reading my book. If you would like to join them, the discussion starts July 2. You can find the group HERE. I'll be joining in as well, so I'd love to have some moral support from my blogging buds! And if you haven't read Yesterday's Tomorrow yet, this is a great chance to do so. I think the discussion will be fun!
In other news...I have some fun things to share...SOON!
That's all for now...

The Character Therapist!

2011-06-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today I'm pleased to introduce you to Jeannie Campbell, better known as The Character Therapist! Jeannie has recently launched her beautiful new website, so I encourage you to go check it out!
You can also connect with Jeannie on her BLOG. Jeannie and I were hoping to do a little character therapy with Luke, but alas time got away from both of us this week, so I hope Jeannie will come back to visit again and maybe get Luke on the couch at that point - HA!
Not only is Jeannie a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, she's also a writer. She writes a popular monthly column for Christian Fiction Online Magazine and has been featured in many other e-zines, newspapers, and blogs.
Among the many other cool things she does on her blog, Jeannie does book reviews. Go here to see what she thought about Yesterday's Tomorrow!

Wishing you great success with your new website and Character Therapy business, Jeannie!

Wonder What They See?

2011-06-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I'm shamefully behind on blogging. My brain seems to be experiencing a bit of a meltdown lately. I think I've been overdoing it on the marketing, tracking and general freaking out that goes hand in hand with actually having a book in print. I'm still not sure how Yesterday's Tomorrow is doing. Reviews are trickling in, but continue to be good. Sales figures are kind of hit or miss. I'd like to see some momentum start to build there, but I'm at a loss as to how to keep that going. Apart from taking out a full page ad in the New York Times, I think I've knocked on all the doors I can for now. I suppose as in all things, word of mouth will be a big part of where my book goes from here.

The funny thing is, I still haven't read it. I mean, I don't really need to I guess. I did write the thing.
But I somehow can't bring myself to sit down and read it, cover to cover.
Is this just me or do most authors feel this way?

I've been pretty blown away by the positive feedback that people are giving me. Honestly, some of it is surprising. Readers are seeing things I didn't, picking up on things and feeling things that I could only hope they might. I'm afraid that if I read the book myself, now that all is said and done, I'm going to be disappointed. Or worse, I'll find mistakes and want to throw myself off a cliff.
So I haven't read it.

And now, with another manuscript on my editor's desk and one on my agent's desk, I begin to fret again.
What will they see?
Will they see the story I tried so hard to tell, the one that tugs at the heart and resonates within, long after the last page is turned? Will they see real-life characters that could walk off the page and sweep you off your feet any minute? Or will they see a jumble of words that just don't make any sense, shake their heads and shoot me off an email wondering what I was thinking daring to send them such drivel?

Such are the musings of the maniacal writer with way too much time on her hands.
I read and re-read these manuscripts, wondering...daring to hope, but all to often distraught at what responses might be heading my way in the near future.
I continue to write, distracted of course by Facebook, Twitter and those damnable Amazon rankings...which I have to say can surely be considered an addiction. Some days I have great confidence that I have successfully launched a career that will continue to grow. Other days I crumble at the slightest criticism and God forbid, a bad review, even though it is clear the reviewers intentions were not to give an honest review but rather to poke a finger in the eye of "Christian" fiction.

I wish I could tell you it was getting easier. It's not. But for every bad day there is a good one. And we're off on a long-awaited family vacation next week, which I absolutely cannot wait for!!

So now, faithful friend, for that's what you are if you're still reading this - I have a question for you.

If you have read Yesterday's Tomorrow, would you like to see a sequel?

Happy Monday, bloggers - it's almost over anyway!

Please Don't Trip Over The Elephant In The Room.

2011-06-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to attend a book club meeting a couple of weeks ago. It was a lovely evening, very entertaining and the ladies all asked wonderful questions about Yesterday's Tomorrow. Then came the unexpected question.
"Where was the sex scene?"
Uh, what?
No, this was not a church book club. They picked my book on the recommendation of a friend, who did tell them that the book was written from a Christian worldview. They read it anyway. But, as I soon came to realize, they had absolutely no clue what "Christian" fiction was, so they didn't know what to expect.
Interesting.
And I suppose, given the fact that we are a tiny island in the Atlantic, given the fact that we are for the most part, years behind in what Christians are reading and listening to, understandable. But these women were not, to the best of my knowledge, church going Christians. So here's me left to explain to them something I have yet to comprehend.
Something I have yet to define in a way that makes sense for me.
Something I am still, after years of being submerged in the industry, struggling with.

What exactly IS Christian Fiction and WHO is it written for?

Well, Christians obviously. But can a Christian novel be read, enjoyed and understood by somebody who does not have a personal relationship with God?
My opinion? No.

Apparently it's the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about.

People may argue with me, may disagree wholeheartedly in fact, and that's fine, but I am of the belief that you cannot understand the ways of God if you do not know Him. You're not supposed to. So why should we Christian novelists expect our books to be tools used to convert the masses? Should we?
Asking that question is a surefire way to clear out a room fast.

I addressed the matter on a writing loop just this morning. I have yet to receive an answer. Perhaps nobody has an answer to give. Or perhaps they all think I'm so irreverent and misinformed that I don't deserve one. The original question had to do with whether we (authors writing under the umbrella of the CBA-Christian Bookseller's Association) could write books that could 'crossover' into the secular market or appeal to those disillusioned Christians, giving them new hope in the faith. I chose to address the first part of the question. I share my answer here in the hopes that we can engage in a discussion on this topic, because I would truly like to hear your opinions.

I'll admit to being in a place right now where I'm struggling with the whole concept of "Christian fiction". What exactly is it? Who is it for? Why am I writing it, if that's what I choose to continue to write. These are tough questions for me. I don't have any answers, except for the obvious, 'writing to glorify God' one.
Being newly published, I've been curious to see what kind of response I would get from readers. Although there is a faith element running through the pages, I wanted it to be a story that people of faith, any faith or none at all, could read and enjoy. I didn't set out with the idea that my book must change hearts or lives or bring people to Christ. Rather, I wrote the story as I felt it needed to be told, and I trust God for the rest.
I suppose I did hope, still do, that my book would end up being one of those 'crossovers'.

I know a lot of people who don't claim to hold any religious beliefs whatsoever have read my book. Most of them I know personally, so perhaps that is the reason. Admittedly, nowhere on the book jacket does it specifically say "Christian fiction." Will I end up with some disgruntled readers saying they were deceived into reading a "Christian" book? Probably.
I met with a book club the other night, (secular) - so that was pretty interesting. They chose to read my book on the recommendation of a friend, who did tell them it was published in the Christian market. They were actually surprised to learn about Christian fiction as a genre, which came up after one of the readers expressed her disappointment that my book did not go into explicit detail in certain scenes...as I said, it was interesting conversation. If she now knows she's not going to get that kind of writing from me, will she pick up another of my books? I don't know. I certainly didn't feel that any of them had been convicted to seek God or go to church after reading my book. Does this mean I failed as a "Christian" author? Let's take a review I received on Goodreads the other day -

"I know this story must have been written for a Christian audience because of the references to faith; yet, the behavior exhibited didn't seem to coincide with Christian values. I'm not saying that every character in a Christian book needs to be perfect, but it rings hollow when their words aren't accompanied by actions."

How can we reach the person who already has their mind made up about what Christianity is and what it is not?

My characters are far from perfect but the concept of the story is that they are saved by grace. They find forgiveness and healing through faith (in God). There are no miraculous 'all is well' scenes, but I think you get that by the end of the story, the characters are on a better path in large part due to their spiritual growth. She obviously didn't get that. My fault? I don't know. Is this kind of message only obvious to people who know and have experienced the grace of God and healing through Christ?

On the flip side you may have Christians who will not like my book because of certain scenes, words, subject matter. You can't please everybody. I suppose the question must be then, who do you want to please?

I'm more inclined to believe that right now, Christian fiction is for the most part, written for other Christians and read by Christians. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe that's the way it should be. I'm not sure we can set out with the rather lofty goal of saving the masses through books that they probably don't want to read anyway.

As I try to process all this, I am reminded that whether I am writing for CBA or for the general market, ultimately, my books and what they contain, whether an overt Christian message or not, are accountable to an audience of One. And I need to find some peace in that or it's going to be a long and bumpy road.

So what do you think?

What Shocks You?

2011-06-01T03:57:00.000-07:00

I don't really enjoy reading the paper or watching the news anymore. I do it because I like to stay informed and up on current events, but let's be honest, its depressing.
A few weeks ago I read about a mother killing her children. I wasn't shocked.
It's getting old.

Every few weeks here in Bermuda now we hear about a shooting. Sometimes they miss, lately they're getting better. Young men are dying.
I'm not shocked anymore.
I've resigned myself to the fact that this is what my island home has been reduced to. The politicians don't seem to give a damn. The police appear to be chasing their tails because that's far more exciting than actually coming up with a concrete plan to stop the gang violence, and the rest of us...well, I guess the rest of us are thinking of Plan B. When it all goes south, which it will at some point, we'll get out.

Sad, isn't it?

Things that angered me, made me shudder and want to rise up in some kind of protest against them just kind of breeze over my head now. Perhaps when you're bombarded with dirt, filth and just plain evil day after day, eventually you inoculate yourself against it.
Maybe that's why so many movies are filled with explicit sex scenes, violent killings and language that would make your Great Aunt Gertrude turn over in her grave more than once.
Maybe we've become so used to the lack of respect that today's young people have for the older generation that we don't even notice it.
Maybe we accept the rebellious teenager or the abusive spouse's behavior because we just don't see any options. And maybe there aren't any. Counseling costs too much. You'd go to the church but the Christians are too busy fighting with each other about what kind of music to play on Sunday or what words should or shouldn't be included in a Christian novel. They didn't even hear you knocking on the door.

Does that shock you?
It should.

I don't know what the answer is. I do know Who the answer is. But I don't see many folk turning to Him anymore.
Faith takes too much work, I guess. You can't text Him and get an immediate answer. Can't meet up at Starbucks for a good old gossip session. We are too busy chasing the things of this world to worry about chasing after God.
He knows where we are, right? If He was that interested, wouldn't He do something about it?
I hear that quite a bit and it makes me smile. Because I know what its like to be hit over the head with God's two by four. Be careful what you ask for.

So I don't know. I don't know why our society is simmering with the stench of rotting garbage. I don't know why those of us who say we believe, who say we stand on the side of grace and mercy and justice aren't doing much about it.
I don't know why I'm not doing much but writing out my feelings through words I can only hope will touch the people who need to read them. Perhaps, in the scheme of things, it is enough. Most days I feel its not.

I do know that the more accepting we become of the things that maybe even a year ago would have made us cringe, the more prevalent they will become.
So today I have two questions for you.

What shocks you?

What are you going to do about it?

More Chances To Win Yesterday's Tomorrow!

2011-05-31T05:22:00.000-07:00

This week I'm visiting the following blogs - you can leave a comment for a chance to win my book if you like!
Hop on Amber's blog, where I share about our trips to Disneyworld, and also have posted some cute pictures of my kids when they were small!

Some of you may know Jeannie Campbell, the Character Therapist. I'm also visiting with her on her brand spanking new website/blog, and it looks awesome. Check it out here and see what she has to say about Yesterday's Tomorrow! I'll be featuring Jeannie here on the blog next month, can't wait for that!

And, incase you missed it, Nora St. Laurent had some cool things to say about my book too. You can read her thoughts at Finding Hope

Thanks for checking in and don't forget to leave comments for the folks you visit, it's so nice to hear from readers!

Memorial Day Stories

2011-05-30T04:59:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to post two stories for you from my readers, Heather McCorkle and Marcia Laycock.
Heather and Marcia, thank you so much for sharing with us! If you will contact me at catherine@catherinejwest.com, with your addresses, I will send you a copy of Yesterday's Tomorrow!

Heather's Story

Dale Horne

It is a pleasure to participate in your Veteran's day contest and remember those who have served in such a way. My entry is from a photo album I made for my little sister. It contains the photos our Dad sent back to my Mom while he was in Vietnam during the war. Sadly, my Dad got agent-orange related cancer from his time in the war and died at the young age of 48. Just after he got sick I showed him the photo album and he read the title page which I had written. It brought tears to his eyes and he thanked me, saying it meant a lot to him. My Dad was not one to show much emotion beyond joy so it touched me deeply that I had been able to do this for him. Here is that page:

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil~even that which has conditioned and trained me to bring out the evil within? All of humanity has a dark side, a primal instinct which can be tapped into. I do not blame or condemn my father, or any soldier for what they had done while tapped into this instinct, it is what they were trained to do. It's what their country worked so hard to create, the perfect soldier.

Instead I forgive him, and I hope he can forgive himself. It is a great accomplishment in itself for him to have come home and learned, on his own, how to shut that instinct off. The war has affected who my father has become, it has affected me and who I will become, as it will affect my little sister. The Vietnam war is part of our family legacy.

My father believes he is going to hell, he often jokes about it. But I know he's not, because he's already been there.

War Story
By Marcia Laycock

My father would tell me only one war story. He spent the first years of World War II in Canada, a clerk in a RCAF office. There's a picture of him in uniform, brandishing a rifle, the Halifax harbour behind him. Then he was moved to England where he again worked at a desk. There's a picture of him on a golf course in Ireland. Then the war was over, and my father was sent to Germany with the occupation forces. He found himself with the liberation army at the gates of Bergen-Belsen. It was at that point, after the allies had won and World War II was over, that my father's war began.

He would never say what it was, specifically, that caused it to happen. Perhaps he looked too long into eyes glazed with hunger and shadowed with pain, eyes belonging to men who looked a hundred years old, 'though they were in their twenties. Perhaps he could not stop staring at the piles of dead bodies, the bones and skulls, or perhaps he was required to record the numbers, the unfathomable numbers. Perhaps he could not bear the smiles of survivors who welcomed their deliverers in silence. He would never say what it was, but something that day, in that place, made my father's mind stop. It stopped and could not go beyond the horror and the fear.

The fear put him in a psychiatric hospital. He was afraid to leave it, afraid even to go for a walk beyond the grounds. One day a nurse came with some clothes and told him to get dressed. Thinking they were taking him for a walk in the hospital gardens, he complied. The nurse returned and escorted him out the front gate. She locked it behind him and, without a word, left him there.

The familiar panic attack was immediate, but this time something else rang in my father’s mind. In the midst of his fear he became overwhelmed with the need to find a church. So he started walking. He found one of the huge gothic cathedrals so common in Europe. He stepped inside and sat down. Above the altar, high stained-glass windows glowed with light. As he stared, they began to move. My dad said he did not know how long he sat there watching, but the entire life of Christ flowed by before him, as though on a movie screen. When it was over, my father was no longer afraid. He returned to the hospital and told them it was time for him to leave.

My father’s war story is about a miracle, an event that healed his mind and his soul. In the midst of horror and fear, God was there. Isaiah said it well – “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

What Are you Reading?

2011-05-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's that time of year again! I'm stocking up on reading material for the summer!
So do you have any recommendations for me? Anything you've read lately that just left you breathless by the end of it? I'd love your suggestions - I read in both CBA and ABA so give me what you've got! I probably won't read any sci fi though, and maybe not historical but it depends. If the book is highly recommended I will give it a try!
At the moment I'm trying to finish The Paris Wife. It's okay, but I'm not really into it, and I'm stumbling over all the dialogue tags, which funnily enough I didn't notice at the start of the book. Then I finished editing a manuscript and bam, they're all over the place and driving me nuts. Honestly, if you can't find a way not to say 'he said' or 'she said', that is just lazy writing in my opinion. Anyway...I digress.
So lets talk books today! What are you reading?

Operation Encourage An Author!

2011-05-25T04:49:00.000-07:00

This week you can find me over at Casey's Blog! I really appreciate how Casey reaches out to authors to spotlight and encourage them through her blog. Today we have a fun excerpt from Yesterday's Tomorrow to share, so please stop by and leave a comment. You can also check out her interview with me and enter to win a copy of the book!
See you there!

That Odd Place

2011-05-18T05:20:00.001-07:00

Here I am again.
My third manuscript is complete. Done. Finito.
I've gone through it a bazillion times. Run the spell and grammar check probably more than that.
Checked off all points, pacing, plot, characterization, rhetoric...the list is endless, but necessary.
And still, my finger hovers over that send button.

It's The Odd Place.
That place between dreaming and waking, when you're a little unsure of what's real and what's not.
That place between sanity and insanity. The place where it's okay to sail just a little off course.
It's that place where dreams may or may not come true.

Oh, I've been here before. I know it well.
My previous trips have been a mixture of excitement, wrong turns and a few do-overs. The last time I was here I won the jackpot.
Uncovered the Holy Grail of Publishing and discovered that elusive contract.
There are no guarantees that will happen again.

They say it takes guts to survive in the world of publishing. Guts, determination, fortitude, perseverance. So many things go through my mind at this point. Maybe you have to be a little crazy. Maybe you have to be all of the above and then some. Maybe, just maybe, you're actually good at this.

Did I mention The Odd Place has padded walls and an endless supply of Chardonnay?

I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. A gold embossed invitation from my agent perhaps? Well, I know that's not coming. It's more like, "Hit the dang button already, I've got a thousand other manuscripts to read before yours anyway..." Ah, yes, that self-important air that we authors carry around, well, it's all in our heads. We're really not all that. This is the paradox of living with a brain that never stops. We have visions of agents pressing the "Stop The World, This is Really The Best Book EVER!!!" button, and those visions don't take kindly to being doused with reality. And they so often are.
We love to dream about landing that ten book deal and six figure salary that comes with it. Oh, and don't forget the movies. Yes, the movies.
But this is okay. At least I think it is. To quote from said manuscript that is complete,
"What good are dreams that don't come true, Nick?"
"They keep hope alive."

Perhaps, in the beginning, this is what keeps us going. Perhaps we allow ourselves to indulge in our dreams because they make us feel good. They make us smile. And who doesn't like to smile?
Perhaps, when it really comes down to it, we're a little afraid that those dreams might come true. And a lot afraid that they won't.

So here I am again. I know what's ahead. A long wait. Maybe a rewrite. Maybe two. Or maybe we'll just pack that baby off to Submission Land and hope for the best, fingers and toes crossed.

The Odd Place is my safety zone. There's a big comfy chair where I curl up and stick my fingers in my ears and go, "La la la la la la, I can't HEAR YOU!!"
Told you it was odd.

But sooner or later all good things must come to an end. Yes, I know that's a cliche.
Sooner or later I will reach deep into the cavern of my soul and find an ounce of bravery.
It might even be today.
I would like it to be today.
But for now, I'm here.
Here in The Odd Place.

Where are you?

Memorial Day Contest!

2011-05-10T06:04:00.000-07:00

As all Americans prepare to celebrate Memorial Day on Monday, May 30th, I'd like to bring attention to it. Here in Bermuda, we celebrate Remembrance Day on November 11th - also a hallowed holiday meant to bring honor and remembrance to our Veterans and those who lost their lives in the fight for freedom.
Because my book, Yesterday's Tomorrow, takes place during The Vietnam War, I have a very special place in my heart when it comes to the brave men and women who so willingly put their lives on the line so that we may enjoy freedom, whatever country we live in.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to live through a war. I remember the stories my father and my grandmother would tell about their experiences in Belfast during WW2. My Dad was evacuated with his brothers out to the country. I know that one of my uncles on my mom's side of the family flew fighter planes. I wish I had more stories. More of a legacy to pass on to my own children who know so little of war and therefore have no respect for it.
Without getting into politics, I believe as long as we are on this earth, there will be war in some way shape or form. I don't like it, but that's the world we live in. Wouldn't it be nice to say, "What if they called a war and nobody came?" But that's not reality.
And so, as long as we live in the reality of seeing men and women leave their families and loved ones for far off lands to do a job not many are willing to do, we need to honor them. We need to give them the highest respect and admiration. We need to embrace their families in our communities and pray for the safety of their soldiers.

I would love to hear your stories - do you have a soldier in your family? Are you a Veteran or do you know one? Have you been affected by war in any way? If you can't say yes to those questions, write a short story that honors veterans. Fiction or poetry, whatever you like.
Send me your stories (do try to keep them short, we're not after the Pulitzer) and photographs too! I will publish them all on my blog and we'll vote for the winner. So if you want your story to win, you'll need to send people here to vote!!
The winner will receive an autographed copy of Yesterday's Tomorrow, and something special from Bermuda!
Can't wait to hear from you!

So What's a Blog Tour Anyway?

2011-05-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

Some of you might have wondered this after I posted the links to the First Wilcard Blog Tour for Yesterday's Tomorrow.
Basically, a Blog Tour entails recruiting a number of people who will read your book and review it, then post this on their blog all on the same day. It's a marketing tactic. A way to spread the word about your book, hopefully picking up new readers along the way. Usually what happens is that once you sign on for the service, information about your book is posted to all those who review for that particular Tour, the date of the blog tour is set, and people let you know if they're interested in reading and reviewing your book. At least that's how it worked for me.

Pros -
Using First Wild Card Blogs is free.
You can choose however many people you prefer - 10 or 30 or whatever. I had about 21 people on my tour.
If you get a lot of good reviews, this is good.
Most people will also post on Amazon, Goodreads etcetera.
Your book gets exposure on a bunch of different blogs and hopefully if all those people like it, they'll tell all their friends what a great book it is and then their friends will buy it, and the next thing you know, Oprah's calling.

Cons-
If your publisher doesn't supply you with free books, you're out of pocket. You have to decide if it's worth it for you to order and ship all those books to people.
If the readers don't like your book, well then... To be fair, I've heard most people say they usually won't write a review if they didn't enjoy the book.
Even though they receive a book, not everybody will post. You're sending them a book on good faith. To be honest, I was very picky about making my list. I know some people are just out for freebies.

There are many places that offer book tours, but I have seen some where the fee for being on the book tour is quite high. Because I knew I had to pay for my books myself, I chose the free one.
Was it worth it?
Yes. I got some great reviews and I think I picked up a few new readers.
Not everybody I sent a book to posted on the tour, and that was a little disappointing, especially considering the cost. However, all in all, I would do it again.

Blog tours are just one way of putting your book into the hands of readers. I'm desperately trying to come up with more...so stay tuned! And if you have any bright ideas, please share them!

Friday Friends!

2011-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

I've decided that when I'm asked to feature an author friend and their latest work, I'll post about that on Fridays. This week I'm really excited to be talking with Christine Lindsay, about her debut novel, Shadowed in Silk. I had the opportunity to read this book for endorsement, and I have to tell you, it's awesome! If you love historical fiction, you'll love Shadowed in Silk!

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The Blurb:

She was invisible to those who should have loved her.

After the Great War, Abby Fraser returns to India with her small son, where her husband is stationed with the British army. She has longed to go home to the land of glittering palaces and veiled women . . . but Nick has become a cruel stranger. It will take more than her American pluck to survive.

Major Geoff Richards, broken over the loss of so many of his men in the trenches of France, returns to his cavalry post in Amritsar. But his faith does little to help him understand the ruthlessness of his British peers toward the Indian people he loves. Nor does it explain how he is to protect Abby Fraser and her child from the husband who mistreats them.

Amid political unrest, inhospitable deserts, and Russian spies, tensions rise in India as the people cry for the freedom espoused by Gandhi. Caught between their own ideals and duty, Geoff and Abby stumble into sinister secrets . . . secrets that will thrust them out of the shadows and straight into the fire of revolution.

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The Interview:

CW: Congratulations on the release of your debut novel Shadowed in Silk - tell us a bit about the book and it's (and your) journey to publication.

CL: Thank you Cathy for having me as a guest. It's been a long journey, and there were many times I thought should give up, that it was a foolish dream. But each time I tried to stop, the Lord did something amazing to spur me on. One year He had me win a scholarship to attend the ACFW conference. The next year He enabled me to win the 2009 Genesis. He keeps on doing things like that. I tried to write Shadowed in Silk in a similar vein as my favorite sweeping romantic novel, Far Pavilions, but from a Christian world view.

CW: I happen to know that you were fortunate enough to be able to travel to India before the book was published. How far into the manuscript were you when you went there, and did it cause some major changes in setting, scenery etc...? Tell us what it was like seeing your chosen setting come alive before your eyes!

CL: The book was already complete, so going to India didn't change anything. I had done a TON of research, and had an Indian woman check SiS for cultural accuracy. But going to India did deepen one scene from my Indian character, Eshana's point of view. I'd heard a true story of a young untouchable (Dalit) girl, who was told that when she believed in Christ she became a child of God. This young girl logically worked it out that if she became a child of God through faith in Christ, then that must make her a princess of God. This understanding was added to the backstory of my former Hindu widow, Eshana who is a vibrant Christian in SiS.

But going to India, and seeing the place that I had studied for so long through books and film was a dream come true--one of the highlights of my life. I would love to go back.

CW: Have you always held an interest in writing historical fiction? Do you think you'll stick with the genre?

CL: I love so many different genres and time periods. For me it's all about a good story with gripping events for my characters to go through. We've all had tough times in our life, so characters in a book must suffer danger and heartache to find happiness at the end. I want this good feeling when I close a book. I would be equally happy writing contemporary Christian romance. But like you have done, Cathy, in your Yesterday's Tomorrow, I like to see my Christian characters in realistic struggles. As long as the characters learn that all must be surrendered to Christ eventually, then I'm willing to walk with them through the valleys brought about by their poor choices.

CW: What is the main takeaway you hope readers will gain from Shadowed in Silk?

CL: I'd like readers of SiS to learn that no matter what is going on in their life, that God sees them, hears them, and cares for them. Like Hagar in the Old Testament, she was mistreated. She wasn't perfect, but God cared that she had been banished to the desert. He took care of her. But I also want readers to know that only God can lift away the veil of sin from our faces so that we can see Him face-to-face.

CW: How did you come up with the characters and in particular, the timeline?

CL: My mother told me stories of our Irish ancestors who had served in the British Army during England's rule of India. So I wanted a male character to be a British officer in the cavalry. I've also studied the First World War a great deal, and discovered through research that a turning point occured in Indian's fight for independence shortly after that war. The events were there, Indian soldiers and their English officers were returning from Europe to a very different India than the one they'd left. The times were filled with danger and intrigue. I just had to fit my characters and their personal journeys into those set historical times. The personal journeys of my characters are the same journeys I see in people around me in this day and age.

CW: I love the realistic struggles your characters go through as the story progresses. Was it difficult for you to really put yourself into their heads or were you drawing from personal experience?

CL: I think there is always a part of the author in every character they write, whether that be a 35 year old male soldier who is terribly gallant, a 50 year old Indian woman who would give her life for you, or a 22 year old woman from the US who has much to learn.

But I'm 53, I've lived a lot, seen a lot in others close to me, and experienced a lot. I've also failed a lot, and God has been patient. The main character Abby thinks much like I did when I was a young woman.

CW: Do you have a favorite character from the story? If so, why?

CL: My favorite character is my hero, Major Geoff Richards. There are aspects to Geoff that are like my husband who is my true live hero. To me Geoff is the epitome of gallantry, the quiet, long-suffering man who will lay down his life for what is right, or for the people he cares for.

CW: Shadowed in Silk is the first in a series. Can you tell us about the next book and is there one after that too?

CL: The second book already has a title---Captured by Moonlight. This story takes up where SiS leaves off, and goes with Eshana, my former Hindu widow who is a now a Christian. It also takes up the story of English nurse, Laine Harkness. Both of these women are swept away and held captive in the south of India. Eshana is captured by her former in-laws who are angry she is not acting the part of an impoverished Hindu widow. They imprison her, but are unable to imprison her soul. Laine is captured and imprisoned by broken dreams and a fear to love again. But I believe in happy endings, always. The series will continue up to the independence of India and the Partition of India and the newly created country, Pakistan.

CW: What advice would you give aspiring authors?

CL: Be willing to release your dreams to God. Trust Him that He has good things in store for you if you follow His leading. If we seek Him first, He will give us the desires of our heart.

CW: Where can we find you on the web?

CL: www.christinelindsay.com

CW: Thanks for stopping by, Christine, and I pray many blessings on this wonderful book and your future writing journey!

CL: Thanks Cathy, and here are a couple of links for people to purchase the Ebook now. The printed version comes out in September.

Amazon link and here is the Barnes and Noble.

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More About Christine Lindsay:

Christine Lindsay writes historical Christian inspirational novels with strong love stories. She doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects such as the themes in her debut novel SHADOWED IN SILK which is set in India during a turbulent era. Christine’s long-time fascination with the British Raj was seeded from stories of her ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in India. SHADOWED IN SILK won first place in the 2009 ACFW Genesis for Historical under the title Unveiled. Shadowed in Silk is being released by WhiteFire Publishing in 2 stages this year, first as an eBook on May 1, 2011, and as the printed version Sept. 1.

An interesting note about the front cover of Shadowed, is that the model is Christine’s daughter, Sarah, whom she relinquished to adoption and was reunited with 20 years later.

The Pacific coast of Canada, about 200 miles north of Seattle, is Christine’s home. It’s a special time in her life as she and her husband enjoy the empty nest, but also the noise and fun when the kids and grandkids come home. Like a lot of writers, her cat is her chief editor.

First Wildcard Blog Tour!

2011-05-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my first blog tour, ironically with FIRST Wildcard Blog Tours! Well, I should say correctly, the first blog tour for my book, Yesterday's Tomorrow! I have to say, I'm a little nervous. I've heard from some of the readers, and the outcome is positive, but I haven't heard from all of them, so we'll see...but I would like to thank everyone for taking part in the tour and reading the book!

If you would like to check out the tour, and what people are saying about the book (there should be a review, but I know this isn't always the case), please visit the following blogs!

Molly Edwards
Charity Lyman
Katy McCurdy
Michelle Vasquez
Martha Artyomenko
Loren McGhee
Deborah Vogts
Carly Kendall
Renee Chaw
Amy Thue
Brenda Casto
Lydia Mazzei
Lindsey Freitas
Tamara Tilley
Casey Herringshaw
Cathy Stephens
Jennifer Unsell
Roxana Jolly
Lesley Peck
Mimi Pearson
Margaret Chind

Long Live The Queen!

2011-04-25T04:55:00.001-07:00

I realize the upcoming Royal Wedding (this Friday, April 29th, 2011), may not be a big deal to some people. I'm not sure how many Americans are enthralled with the idea, but they certainly are covering it in a big way, so I guess they figure people will be watching.
I haven't always been fond of the Monarchy. I went to an all girls boarding school in England for two years, and hated it. The summer I returned home for good was the summer Princess Diana and Charles got married. I despised all things British at that point, and thought I would boycott the wedding. But something dragged me out bed at '0'-dark-thirty in the morning, and Mom and I were glued to the television for the better part of the day.

Once again, we have a Royal Wedding to celebrate.
Is it right to stick our noses in these peoples business, follow their every move and talk about them incessantly? Well, sure.

The Royal Family, whether you agree with the premise or not, is here to stay. Maybe at some point, many years from now, they will be gone, but somehow I doubt it. As long as there are Royals, there will be those who follow their every move. They expect it and they are taught from an early age how to live with it. So what is it about royalty that draws us?
For me, it's a few things.

Tradition - If you've studied British history, you know that Britain is a land rich in tales of Kings, Queens, Princes and Knights. Sadly, many in Britain are now rejecting the very history that gives their land such an air of mystery and regality. If you've ever visited, you know what I mean. There is something quite surreal about walking through Windsor Castle. A glimpse of Buckingham Palace still brings a thrill and I love to watch the Changing of The Guard. And yes, I listen to the Queen's Christmas Speech every year. (Loved The Kings Speech, by the way! Brilliant movie!)
Today's Royal Family carry those traditions forward. Perhaps you may say what gives certain people the right to rule and live in a palace? History does. And you can't change history. I don't know whether the people will ever be able to get rid of the Monarchy or if all of them will ever want to, but for now at least, Britain will continue to have a Queen or a King.

Romance - Let's face it, Kings and Queens are the stuff of fairytales. What little girl doesn't ever want to be a Princess at some point in her life? Look at the popularity of The Princess Diaries, Enchanted...we love a romantic fairytale, and if you can throw a handsome Prince into the mix, all the better. The pomp and ceremony surrounding such events as The Royal Wedding is simply thrilling, as it should be. And the happy couple are not blind to it all. In my opinion I think they are both very sensible. She knows what she's getting into, and I think she has the wherewithal to pull it off brilliantly. I also thinks it's a fair assumption that, given their history, these two are in love and stand a good chance at a marriage that will withstand the pressure of their titles. Outside of all that, I'm a romance writer. 'Nuff said.

Loyalty - I live in a British Colony. I'm proud of that. I think I've grown into this gradually, over time. Like it or not, much of Bermuda's history has very strong ties to Britain and we are uphold many of the same traditions and beliefs as those in the UK. There is always talk of independence for Bermuda, but I think we're fine the way we are and will continue to be. I am a firm believer that you should support your country, it's traditions and its Government, even if you don't totally agree with everything they stand for.

I could go on and on, but I think that's enough for now. I feel sorry for those who gripe and complain over the cost of it all, the ridiculous fanfare etc... You know what? It's making a lot of people, including this gal, happy. So just sit back and enjoy or don't watch.
I'm going to be watching The Royal Wedding this Friday, with friends, and I plan to enjoy every moment.
How do you feel about it all?

Street Teams...

2011-04-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, my browser just quit and deleted the entire post I had almost finished writing. Hate when that happens!!
Okay, let's try this again!! It's been really busy around here and I'm definitely looking forward to Easter and a few days off. I'm desperate to get on with finishing Reprisal, but I'm having to try to find a bit of time here and there at the moment.

Book News - found out quite by accident that Yesterday's Tomorrow is listed as #4 in the Kindle Store in the Fiction/Genre Fiction/War category. Not sure how all those guys looking for a blood and guts story are going to appreciate the romance angle, but you know...it was quite an exciting discovery just the same!

And in other far more exciting news, we have found the actor to play Luke if they ever make the book into a movie! His name is Charlie Hunnam. I think I have a crush. I bet he's horrible in real life. Ha.

Anyway, there he is. He doesn't know he's Luke yet, but he will.

So, Street Teams. I had no idea what this meant until yesterday when my saavy friend Paulette told me about them. Funnily enough, I received my copy of Romance Writers Review and there was an entire article on it! Interesting time. In any case, apparently a street team consists of fans who love whatever you're trying to promote, which in my case would be my book, and will go out of their way to help you promote it. So I'm putting together my street team for Yesterday's Tomorrow! If you would like to be a part of it, you can hop onto Facebook and Like the Fan Page, and spread the word! You can also check out my author page on Facebook too. I will probably switch to posting all about the book on the Fan Page though.
Word of mouth is truly what it's all about these days, and it's so easy with the Internet. If you've read the book and you haven't yet written a review on Amazon, that's also a good thing to do to help generate interest.
While all this is good, SALES need to happen! So not only do you want to tell people what a good book this is, you want to make sure they go out and buy a copy!!

Speaking of buying copies, I had my first Bermuda book signing on Saturday! It went very well and I was pleased with the turnout. And so far all the feedback I'm getting is great!

Anyway, all this to say, life is busy, but good! I'm happy.
I really appreciate you stopping by the blog and I want to wish each and every one of you a very blessed Easter!
He is Risen!!

Let's Talk Books!!

2011-04-18T03:46:00.000-07:00

Most writers I know are also voracious readers. It goes hand in hand. The trouble is, finding the time to do both! This year I'm getting much better at keeping up with my reading. I am slowly getting to the end of my to-be-read pile. Truthfully, I'm really picky. If a book hasn't grabbed my attention by the third chapter, chances are I'm going to move on. It's really frustrating to spend money on a book and not enjoy it. And I have a hard time wondering whether to write a review. Since I joined Goodreads, (a wonderful community all about books if you don't already know about it), I'm trying to be better about reading and sharing my thoughts on books.

Being involved in the writing community, I know a lot of the authors whose books I'm reading, have met a lot of them at conferences and will be seeing them again. So what if I read a book by someone I know, and don't like it? Do I write a review or not? I know from firsthand experience how sensitive we writers can be. It's a tough call.
So that's my first question to you this morning - have you been in that situation? What kind of reviews do you give? I notice some people who review very rarely give five stars. What's your criteria for a book to get a rave review?

Second question - what are you reading now? And what books would you recommend? Summer is coming and that's when I do most of my reading, although the way it's going this year I'll probably be combining that with a fair chunk of writing...but I need some GOOD books! I read both CBA and ABA so feel free to give me any and all recommendations. However, truth be told, I don't read much in the way of historicals. It has to be really good! Same with sci fi.

So fire away!!

Some Updates!

2011-04-15T03:45:00.000-07:00

It's FRIDAY!! Are we happy or what?! Actually I'm extremely happy this week, because my son is FINISHED high school! He's in the International Baccalaureate program, and they're done now, on study leave, with only exams left in May. It is going to be very strange not to have to live my life by the school calendar any longer. I'm not sure who's looking forward to that more, me or him! And incase you haven't been following me on Twitter or Facebook, I'm really excited to share that Chris has been accepted at The Berklee College of Music in Boston. Of course he's thrilled as this is his dream come true.
Sarah is doing great too - keeps promising me that her photography website will be up and running SOON - so as soon as she's finished her exams, I'm sure she'll get on that and then I'll share it with you. We're still trying to figure out our summer plans, but we're getting there.

As you can tell by my sporadic blog posts the last few weeks, I've been really busy. I had no idea marketing a book would be SO time consuming. But it's great. I have been given some wonderful encouragement this week from readers. One was profoundly affected in a spiritual way, and I'm so humbled that God would use my words to touch someone in that way - totally amazing. Another reader told me that they are now looking at Veterans in a whole new light. I got chills. That's just so much more than I could hope for. I've said many times already that I'm really not sure how or why I got the idea to write a book that takes place during The Vietnam War. I'm slowly beginning to understand that perhaps there was a greater purpose to it than I realized at the time.

I had my first radio appearance yesterday. It was fun. Nikita Robinson at our local Hott 107.5 was a blast to sit and talk to, and I'm really glad I got to meet her. I also met another radio personality, Thaao Dill, who was also super nice and we ended up talking music and now he and my son are chatting away about it because it's something they both love. Funny how life works to bring people together, huh? Another radio spot this morning, and then tomorrow is my Bermuda book signing at The Bookmart from 11-2. Hopefully it'll be fun. I'm not really nervous, but we'll see what tomorrow brings! As far as I can tell the book sales are going well abroad, so it would be nice to get the word out here in Bermuda. And in between all that fun stuff, I AM writing, I promise!!

So that's my update. Let me hear yours! What have you been up to lately?

The Deafening Silence...

2011-04-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Can you hear it? That whoop of victory that lessens to a dull roar that slowly fades to a faint buzz, and then...nothing.
It's the deafening silence.
And I'm hearing it.

If I had to label my feelings right now, I'd say the honeymoon is over.
The anticipation, the hype, the excitement of finally having my book release has died down, and I'm left sitting alone with my thoughts. Not always a good thing.
It's kind of like Christmas morning. You know how it was as a kid - you longed for it. Made your list. Couldn't wait to see what you'd get. And then in the space of an hour the floor is covered with bright-colored wrapping paper, you've whooped and hollered and shown your presents to everyone, and it's all over.

Now what? That's what I'm asking myself right now. I've never sailed these particular waters and I don't know how to navigate them. Is it normal to wonder how my book is doing? I'm getting a bit of feedback, but not much. Most of it's good, with the occasional nonchalant remark here and there. That's okay. I've already discussed not being able to please all of the people all of the time, so if somebody doesn't really jibe with the story, oh well. At least they read it.

I'm trying to figure out what I'm feeling.

This isn't to say I expected the book to rocket up the list until it hit the NYTimes Bestseller List - that only happens in my dreams - but, you know, in the lull it's easy to wonder what's going on out there. Who's reading it? Anybody? Nobody?
I can drive myself insane with this, I realize that - checking Amazon, trying to come up with fresh ideas to get the word out. Maybe I'm not looking at it the right way at all. It's possible that in my angst of what the coming months will bring, I'm forgetting about what's happening in the moment.

I have two local radio slots scheduled this week. That's great, but it makes me very nervous. I'm just praising the Lord that it's not television. I also have my first local book signing on Saturday. Again, really cool, but nerves are hitting me hard. Silly, considering I'll probably know half the people that show up. But what if nobody does?
See what I mean? It's a crazy thing.
I've got a blog tour scheduled on May 2, so I know things will probably pick up after that. One thing I'm learning post publication is that there will always be something that will drive me nuts.
If I let it.

I'm trying to continue to write as normal, hoping eventually I'll get over this whatever it is!
I'm getting toward the end of a manuscript I've been working on for a really long time. It's taken forever to carve out these characters, figure out the plot and see if it works. I just want it to be done so I can focus on really polishing it up. So I'm trying to fix my thoughts on other things, better things. Things I can actually do something about.
Some days I do this better than others. Today I'm feeling a little out of sorts.
Got any encouragement for me?

How to Handle That Criticism

2011-04-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, okay. I knew something like this was going to happen eventually.
Yesterday was fun. I made appearances on several blogs, and I connected with a lot of neat people who seemed to be truly interested in what I had to say, and in my book.
There's always one...
So maybe I'm overreacting, but there in the midst of all the lovely comments on a blog that has over 3,000 followers, was somebody pointing out what in their mind was a terrible flaw. I tried to make my blog post encouraging, positive, and while I obviously hoped it might garner some interest in my book, I really felt that what I had to say was important. And a lot of people seemed to resonate with it. So there within all the positive comments from nice folks telling me why they would read my book, is one telling me why people won't.
I took his point. He's not wrong. But I'm not sure it was necessary to comment in that way on that particular blog.

Truth be told, I got a little steamed.

Thankfully I have enough sense not to react. He had his say, and if that makes him sleep better, woo hoo. But this got me thinking. You can't please all the people all of the time. You've heard the saying, right?
As more people read my book, there will be reviews that, for lack of a better word, stink. Nothing I can do about it. Every author has them. Anyone who's in the public eye in any arena is fair game.
The question is, how will I handle them? Am I within my rights to fire back in defense of what I've written? Sure. Will I? Probably not. Here's the thing. I believe there are people out there who simply don't know how to be positive. They're the ones who always see the glass half empty. Refuse to see the silver lining. Know the sun is shining but walk around with an umbrella because sooner or later, it's going to rain.

Whether we're being slammed for our writing, our faith or the color of our skin, does it be-hove us to accept an adverse opinion as simply that or get up on our own soapbox and start spouting off an angry retort that may in essence only draw more attention to the negative comment in the first place?

It was an interesting lesson for me. I'm not sure I'll always be able to sit tight and keep my mouth shut. But I hope that whatever my response, under whatever circumstance, I will remember who I am and what I stand for.
All things will fade away, but these three remain.
Faith. Hope. Love.

How will YOU respond?

Come Join Me At CBA Ramblings!

2011-04-07T03:43:00.000-07:00

Today I am sharing my journey to publication, (well part of it!), over at my cool agent's blog.
Come say hi and leave a comment! And while you are there, make sure you read all of Rachelle's excellent posts on publishing! If you aren't already a fan, you will be!

ALSO - busy day for me! You can read about me over at my friend and fellow Wordserve client, Bonnie Paulson's Blog. As well, I'm talking to Keli Gywn again, another great friend and Wordserve bud, on her blog, Romance Writers on the Journey!

My Friend Doc Mabry!

2011-04-05T06:32:00.000-07:00

Today I'm thrilled to host Dr. Richard Mabry here on the blog to talk to us! I met Richard several years ago at an ACFW conference, and we're both represented by Rachelle Gardner. Richard has been a great encourager to me over the years and kept saying, "It'll happen, don't give up!" I didn't, and it did, and I thank him for his persistence in making sure I kept going! We're swapping blogs today, so head on over to Richard's blogas well, to check out my post! So without further ado, here's Richard!

Writing is a tough business, and if you read this blog and other publishing blogs (such as the posts of Cathy’s and my agent, Rachelle Gardner) you'll find that it takes work, talent, and persistence to succeed. But, I guess that if it were easy everyone would be doing it. If you've ever sat down and drafted a novel of 80, 100, 120 thousand words, you know that writing isn't as simple as it may sound to the uninitiated.

My “success” came when I signed a contract with Abingdon Press for the publication of my work of romantic medical suspense. They were just getting their fiction line started, and I was thrilled at this opportunity, but I’m sure there were some of my fellow strugglers who read about the contract and thought, "Why him? Why not me?" Honestly, I thought about that a lot, too. Let me offer an explanation and a word of encouragement.

First, I’d paid my dues and done my homework. I've been to conferences and been mentored by some of the best (and most giving) Christian writers around: Jim Bell, Gayle Roper, Alton Gansky, Randy Ingermanson, Karen Ball, and others. I've read book after book on writing--right now the bookshelf in my office contains more than twenty-five books on the craft, and there's no dust on any of them. I've practiced the art of what Anne Lamott calls keeping your rear end on the chair and your hands on the keyboard, even when I didn't want to.

That brings me to the second point. I persisted. Many writers of my acquaintance work for years to perfect a single novel. They revise, rewrite, agonize over words and scenes, getting them just right. I did that initially, as you'll see in a minute, but I've learned better. I just went over the chronology of my road to writing, and it might interest you that it's taken me a bit less than five years of struggling to become an "overnight success" and sign this contract.

I submitted the initial query for my first novel in the summer of 2004, just about the time I also submitted the proposal for what was to become my non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse (which was accepted after seven rejections). That first novel garnered ten rejections. I revised it extensively, reworked it meticulously, and tried again. This time I garnered thirteen rejections. My second novel was rejected seven times, including a couple of revisions. My third novel was so bad that my (then) agent rejected it as not good enough to send out. My fourth novel was rejected ten times, and I figured that was enough. By that time I'd been writing for almost four years and, although I'd had a non-fiction book published and my work had appeared numerous times in periodicals, I felt like I wasn't cut out to be a novelist. So I ended my representation agreement with my agent and stopped writing.

Then editor-turned-agent Rachelle Gardner had a contest on her blog, offering a prize for the best first line for a novel. I dashed off one and was totally surprised when I saw that I'd won with my line. The prize was a critique of the first several pages of a work-in-progress, so I sent Rachelle the first scene of my latest novel--the one that had been rejected ten times. Her comment was, "Send me something that needs editing." One thing led to another, and I submitted a query about representation. She accepted me, and I got back to writing.

But the happy ending didn't come yet. There were three rejections before Rachelle pitched the work to Barbara Scott, then the new chief fiction editor for Abingdon Press. Barbara liked the work, she and I met at the ACFW, and about six weeks later I got the call from Rachelle: "You've sold your first novel." It was wonderful, but the point of all this is that, before that call came, I'd written four novels (five counting totally reworking number one) over a period of over four years, been rejected more than forty times, and completely quit writing once!

So, to my colleagues who haven't received that phone call yet, my hope is that you won't give up. Just remember, "Nothing is impossible with God."And if you don’t believe it, just ask Cathy, who deserves congratulations on the publication of her debut novel.

Dr. Richard Mabry writes “medical suspense with heart.” His third novel in the Prescription For Trouble series, Diagnosis Death, was published April 1. You can follow him at http://rmabry.blogspot.com.

Vote for My Book!!

2011-04-04T04:26:00.000-07:00

Exciting news, folks! My book, Yesterday's Tomorrow (incase you forgot the title!), is in the running for the ACFW Book Club's August Pick!! Isn't that cool? If you are an ACFW member, you can go ahead and join the Book Club, and then cast your vote for my book!! Voting starts today. This is just one of the many reasons I love ACFW, there are always fun things going on! So if you'd like to jump in, you can join HERE, then go to POLLS and click on the August 2011 Contemporary Fiction one, and cast your vote!
Fun stuff!!

And I note: I am truly honored to be on this list as I'm in the company of some amazing authors!!

Why Not Self-Publish?

2011-04-01T05:20:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading any of my author interviews over the last few weeks, you know I've been at this writing gig a long time. About twenty years to be exact. I banged out my first real manuscript on a loaned PC that took up half my dining-room table while my daughter slept in her crib.
That's a long time to hold on to a dream.
A long time to hold out hope that one day it might actually come true.
I can't tell you the number of times well-meaning friends and relatives asked me why I just didn't fork out the money and self-publish. To be perfectly honest, I considered it. But a nagging feeling just wouldn't allow me to proceed further. Consider the following:
Your daughter is the biggest Justin Beiber fan in the world. (Yeah, I know, but he's big, go with it). She has posters of him all over her room. She eats, sleeps, breathes all things Justin. And he's coming to your town the weekend of her birthday. She knows she can't go to the concert. Tickets are way too expensive and you're already working two jobs to pay rent and put food on the table. But you decide you're going to splurge and get tickets. It'll be the best birthday surprise ever and you can't wait to see the look on her face! So here you are, in a line with hundreds of other people. You set up camp hours before the tickets went on sale. Brought your sleeping bag and slept on the cold ground. It's raining and the group of girls behind you have been drinking all night. And puking. But the ticket counter finally opens and the line starts to move. You wait a few more hours, chewing on your nails and wondering, hoping and praying, that the concert isn't going to sell out before you get tickets. Just as it's your turn to approach the window, you notice the stretch limo pull up to the curb. The driver hops out and opens the door for a young girl dressed like a princess, followed by her Daddy in Armani. They step in front of you, engage in conversation with the girl behind the window and walk away with ten tickets. The last ten tickets.
And there you stand, soaking wet, exhausted, hungry and devastated.

Okay, so that's my analogy. If you're an aspiring author, you know what this is all about. You can account for every hour spent on your words. You remember every rejection letter you've ever received. You smile when you recall the praise you've been getting and you hold onto hope that maybe, just maybe, this will be the year your manuscript will land on the right editor's desk at precisely the right time. You will be published.
And then you read about Amanda Hocking.
Doesn't it tick you off just a little?
I have nothing against the girl. I've read her blog and she seems very sweet. She lucked out, no doubt about it. I've also read through some of the reviews of her stuff. It's not all good. But there she sits on the NYT Bestseller List.
Huh???

If you have self-published, please do not take this as an attack. In fact I'd love to hear your side of this. Why did you decide to give up on traditional publishing? Is the reward of seeing your book in print greater than slugging it out for a few more years? I'm just asking. For me, having an editor in a traditional publishing house finally 'get it', was like the biggest relief in the world. I'm not published with a big house, so I am putting out a lot of cash in marketing and getting the word out about my book. I don't doubt that somebody who is self-published has to work just as hard, if not harder, to get noticed in the market. I don't know, for me, paying a company to publish your work (and some of the fees are outrageous), doesn't sit right. That's just my opinion.

There are both sides to the coin. My agent Rachelle Gardner has addressed the topic of self-publishing numerous times on her blog. If you're interested, she has a 'Search This Blog' button down near the bottom, you can find the posts that way. It seems like a lot of people don't see anything wrong with self-publishing. Just like a lot of people don't see anything wrong with living together and not getting married.
I guess when you're traditional like me, that tends to seep into my decision making process. I chose to stick it out and take the get-an-agent-first-publishing-contract-second route. Was it easy? Heck no.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. If I still wasn't published would I be considering self-publishing? No. I'm a masochist.

So let's discuss this. What's your opinion on self-publishing?

Two Weeks In...

2011-03-28T05:57:00.001-07:00

I love reading blogs by newly published authors. I would read each word, feel their excitement and long for the day when I would share that experience. The day has come, and here I am, two weeks into the release of my first novel. People have asked how it feels.
I'm not completely sure, to be honest. If I had to sum it all up in a few words, I might choose these:
Elation. Exhaustion. Obsession. Fear.
I'll elaborate.

Elation - Yay, I finally did it! My book is out there, people are reading it! This is an amazing feeling in and of itself. I am enjoying it, despite what the voices inside my head tell me!!

Exhaustion - I really want to make sure EVERYONE AND ALL THEIR COUSINS know about my book!! This means a lot of time spent visiting blogs, answering interview questions and joining sites that may help promote my book. And all the while wondering how to keep up with it all AND keep writing. But I spent many long, hard years to get to this point. I want to make sure it does well. This is very time consuming. Not to mention the fact that I'm spending a lot of money on promotional materials and getting the books to Bermuda. That's exhausting to think about, and it has proven to be a frustrating process!

Obsession - Sadly, having a new book out there is very much like having a new baby. You want to go and check up on it every five minutes to make sure its still breathing. I'm not sure I know how to NOT do this yet. It's just far too much of a temptation for me to click on that Amazon button and check it out. Sometimes this is a good thing. Today I discovered a brand new review from a random reader! It was a good review too, so I'm glad I clicked the button!

Fear - Yes, there is a lot of fear involved in this process. Thankfully, even though we're in early days yet, my book seems to be doing well, regardless of the numbers on the Amazon rankings!! But for me, there's the fear that my next book won't live up to the first. How do I do this all over again? Will I even be able to? My next book is written, complete and I'm in the final polishing stages. But I'm dragging my feet in sending it to my editor because I'm afraid it just won't measure up. No, sorry, it's not a sequel to Yesterday's Tomorrow - but that may be a possibility if I get a few seconds to actually think clearly...

I'm not sure if I'm just making far too big a deal out of the feelings I'm experiencing, but I've never done this before. So, first time for everything, right?

What about you? Have you been in my shoes yet? How did you or are you coping with it all? And if you're not there yet, how do you envision this part of the journey will look for you?

Visit With Me!

2011-03-25T05:42:00.001-07:00

Hi all!
Today I'm talking about Yesterday's Tomorrow over at Roseanna White's blog. Leave a comment on her blog for a chance to win my book!
While you are there, make sure you check out Roseanna's books too!

You'll also find me over at Shannon Vannatter's blog. Hop on over to check out a romantic excerpt from Yesterday's Tomorrow, AND another chance to win the book!!

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A COPY OF YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW - Please send me your picture with the book! I would love to make a reader's gallery. And I'd love you to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you go to talk about books.

Have a great weekend!

Big House, Little House - Which is Right For YOU?

2011-03-24T05:37:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that most aspiring authors have lofty dreams of landing their first contract with a major publishing house. I did. I used to watch announcements of other writers getting contracted with Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, Bethany House...it was easy to begrudge them their happiness and wonder what I was doing wrong - remember I talked about that bad attitude I used to have?
As time went on and it became clear that for whatever reason, those houses just weren't for me, I began to consider other options. No, self-publishing was not one of them. If you're curious as to why that is, my very brief explanation is this - I've worked too long and hard at this game to take the easy way out. And that's all I'll say about that today. Yes, I have strong opinions on it, but that's not what this post is about.

Back in the day, if you wanted to be a published author, you really had few options as to which publisher to direct your attentions toward. The big guys like Zondervan have been around forever, well, since 1931 anyway, and primarily started out publishing Bibles. Thomas Nelson has a fascinating history as well. I'm sure most large CBA houses do, as do a lot of the secular big guys like Penguin and Random House.

The advantage of being published by one of the leading houses out there are probably many. An advance being one of them I would imagine. You have a big name backing your work, and for a lot of people, that's important. I suppose they have the means to take care of a lot of your marketing tools for you, like give you a trailer etc...but what if you're the poor relation who keeps knocking on the door but the butler won't let you into the mansion?

You find an another place to call home.

Over the past few years, small publishing houses have been making their mark in the industry. As agent Chip MacGregor said in a blog post last year:

"A very strong trend is the growth of small presses, including those who only provide e-book versions of novels. Publishing is going through a huge transition, and with change comes new opportunity. Some new, smaller houses can be more nimble, and they are rushing to create books that are aimed at the new technology. Some of them will survive, some will no doubt see great success and become large corporations (that are perhaps no longer as nimble), and some won't make it through next month. At the same time, we're seeing large publishing houses make a commitment to the new technologies -- even if it may not be as quick or as complete as some writers would like. But the sprouting up of new companies is a good thing for writers."

I couldn't agree more. Let's take Yesterday's Tomorrow for example. Here's a book that I'd worked on until I didn't want to look at it anymore. I'd invested time, money and a lot of emotion into it. And still we could not find a publisher to take it. The big guys were not interested. I was a no-name and I wasn't presenting them with the 'right' material. My story wasn't one they could feel confident in taking to the bank. No hard feelings of course, but I began to wonder what would become of my poor book that nobody seemed to want.

As I worked on other projects, I watched small publishers crop up. I read their websites. I opened dialogue with their authors. I liked what I saw. They seemed to be paving a new road along the old highway of Christian Fiction Town. They weren't afraid to veer off the well-worn and sometimes altogether too boring route. They were also welcoming new writers with open arms. Please note, if you are considering a small publisher, do your homework. There are many out there, some are not good, some only publish e-books, and some are disguised as 'real' publishers but end up asking you to pay a percentage of printing costs. Not cool.

When OakTara responded favorably to Yesterday's Tomorrow, I had no doubt that this was exactly the road I wanted to go down. I have not been disappointed. Yes, perhaps I have to do a lot more work as far as marketing and getting the word out about my book that might have been the case had I been with a bigger publisher, but I have found my experience to be one of feeling a part of a team. I correspond with other OakTara authors. I feel I can approach my editor easily, and I'm always sure to hear from her quickly. I'm thrilled with my book and cover, and of course now that it's out there, the response it is getting.
Going with a small publishing house was definitely the right decision. For me.
When I think about it, it makes sense. I'll take a cabin on the lake in the woods over a condo in New York City any day.

So how about you? Big House or Little House? Where would you like to hang your hat?

Repeat After Me...It Is NOT A Competition...

2011-03-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

My book has been 'out there' a week now, with the official release date being last Tuesday. If you missed it, I obviously wasn't screaming loud enough.
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Due to a few snafoos along the way I didn't actually receive any books until Wednesday.
And then it hit me.
I really did do this. I got a book published.
I am a published author.
So now what?
Well, there has been a LOT of celebrating around here the past few days. We had a private launch party here at the house with good friends and family, in 60's style. It was a blast!! I put pics up on my Facebook page if you're interested!
I'm furiously trying to get my book into as many hands as I can, get people talking about it, keep the momentum going, organize a local book signing, figure out how many copies to bring in for that and...I realized I'm stressing. I sure know how to suck the joy out of things PDQ, don't I?
I blame my severe panic attacks on Amazon.
You see, once they're carrying your book, they have this awful little thing called Amazon Bestsellers ranking. Your book gets ranked among the 8 million other books that Amazon carries.
Yeah, if this is news to you, it was to me too. I never paid attention to that stuff.
But now...it's like a sickness. And each time the numbers go higher, I freak a little. Like, people aren't buying my book, they don't even know about it, it sucks, they hate it...get the idea?
I need help, folks, I'm really mental. See the thing is, I actually got as high as 21,000. Which, out of 8 million, was pretty good. But now we're sitting somewhere in the 200 thousand range.
And really, I have no idea what those numbers mean anyway! I probably won't get a real idea of how many books are selling until that first royalty check.
The fact that I have nine five star reviews so far, within the first week of release, should be enough for me. What am I worrying about a bunch of stupid numbers for anyway?
It's not a competition. Right?
I'm telling you, THIS is a reality check. Time to sit back and remind myself why I do this.
Is it to sell a million copies and get rich? Because if it is, bring on the strait-jacket, I'm clearly delusional. Sure I'd love the book to do well, but I'm just happy to hear that people are enjoying it. I love getting comments like, "I can't put this down!" It makes me smile to know that people are relating to my characters and being touched by their story.
So for me, it's not a competition. I'm going to stop checking the numbers, but I'm not going to stop talking about my book, and I'm going to continue to ask YOU to talk about it too - but not because I want it to hit the top 100. I want it to hit hearts. I know it can. It already has.
So if you've read, plan to read or are reading Yesterday's Tomorrow, spread the word. Write a review. Talk about it to your friends. If you didn't like it, talk to me about it. :0)
And remind me about this post in another week when I have another panic attack!

No Words Needed...

2011-03-16T09:44:00.001-07:00

RELEASE DAY!!

2011-03-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, now we can all do the Snoopy Dance!
Yesterday's Tomorrow has officially released!
Please share with your friends and family, and of course, buy a copy!
YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW!!!
And thank you for all the love and support!

Don't Look Down!

2011-03-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

I pondered what to write about today, the day before my 'official' release date of Yesterday's Tomorrow. I thought I'd post on how nervous I was, anticipating the big day, wondering how it would go...but I've been preempted.
One thing I'm learning about the publishing world is that nothing is ever set in stone.
I received an email from a friend on Saturday: "Hey, did you know your book is up on Amazon?"
Uh, no. NO! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's pretty much how it went.
And it's been non-stop since that moment when I stared at the title of MY book, with MY name on it, for the very first time. I wondered what would happen next.

It didn't take long for the word to get out, and the first reviews started popping up. Some I had seen before, a couple I hadn't. I'm actually still in shock.
This is happening.

Funny thing is, I still haven't held the dang book in my hand!! The joys of living on an island I suppose. I know there is a box of books with my name on them somewhere between New Jersey and Bermuda. I'm hoping they get here like today.

So what comes next in this journey? Well, it's going to be a crazy week. All sorts of blog appearances and reviews are scheduled to go up the next month. We're also in the midst of helping our kids figure out their summer plans, a lot of which hinges on where son is accepted at university in September. There is LOTS going on, and my head is spinning with it all. My daughter and her friend Jaclyn come home on Friday to celebrate with us as we host the private launch party Friday night, which is going to be awesome! But there is so much to do between now and then...
Hence the title of this post - Don't Look Down. I know if I stop and take a breath, and really think about all this, I'm going to collapse into a quivering ball and hide under the covers. Because, really, as exciting as it is, it's also terrifying.

I'm an introvert by nature. I'm not the kind of person to barge into a room and shout, "I'm here! Look at me! Your world is now complete!" It's really difficult for me to tweet and blog and facebook all the cool stuff that's going on. I'm always thinking people are smacking their foreheads and going, "Oh, please, would she just shut up about that book already!"
Outside of all that, I really am enjoying this. You should see the stupid grin on my face. No, really.

So there you have it, friends. All that to say I really, really appreciate all the support and interest you've all shown, and I'm counting on you to help me to the top of this mountain!
If you read the book and plan to post a review, please do let me know so I can link to your post.
If you have already done so, thank you! I know it's on Amazon, Barnes and Noble
(search with ISBN: 978-1-60290-278-7), and I have put it on GoodReads and Shelfari. I imagine it will be popping up on other sites soon. I'd love to see pics of readers with their copy - other authors have done this and it's really neat to look at the pics, so send me one when you get it!
And as always, I love to hear from my friends and readers, so please share your thoughts on the book with me when you have read it.

Are you doing anything right now that scares you? Let's talk!

Traveling

2011-03-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hi all!
I'm traveling this week so my blog posts may not be regular.
In the meantime, I have been featured at two great blogs. If you would like to tweet and spread the word, that would be great! One week today is launch day!!
You can find me over at K Dawn Byrd's Blog, and Angie's Blog, God Uses Broken Vessels. On K. Dawn's blog, I am the fifth author featured, (along with some wonderful writers!) so just scroll down, you'll find me.

I have to admit, one thing that is making me smile as I read comments by people who are getting excited about Yesterday's Tomorrow, is the fact that I was told this would never happen. Not just once. Over and over again, by people in the publishing world who know their stuff.
Which says two things to me.

1. Nobody really knows for sure what will take off and what will bomb.
2. Nothing is impossible with God.

Follow your dreams, folks. Even if you are the only one who believes in them. Sooner or later, you won't be.

What's It Worth To You?

2011-03-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

This picture really has nothing to do with anything, but it's pretty! And we're celebrating the first of March today, right? Well, I am. A little late, but I did eventually look at the calendar and realize that in TWO WEEKS, my book will be released.
Wow.
Being a published author has a lot of firsts.
The first time I get to call myself a published author. The first interview. The first endorsement. The first review. The first bad review. Oh, yeah, a lot of firsts!
These days, as the day draws closer, I find myself tearing up at the silliest things. It really is like having a baby. Some nights I'll wake up and just start thinking about stuff I have to do, hoping I haven't forgotten anything, praying that my box of books won't go down in a fiery plane crash...or I won't, since we're traveling this week. Man, that would suck, wouldn't it? God and I would have some talking to do, that's for sure!

A big first for me was seeing my name on the email that ACFW puts out each month, about that month's new releases. And there I was. The last name on the list, since my book starts with a Y. So if you didn't read the whole list, you missed me.
I used to mope over that list, read some of the blurbs and just scratch my head. I tell you, I had some attitude. Looking back, I wanted this so bad it's really a wonder God opened any doors at all.

Dreams are wonderful, but they can be dangerous.

Are you following so hard after your dream that you're neglecting to appreciate everything you do have? I have been guilty of this.
Some days my desire to be a published author was so all-consuming that it topped the list above everything else - my family, my friends, church. God.
I didn't forget about them, I just wasn't a hundred percent in the game. And when I would talk to God, our conversations went something like this: "Okay, God, seriously? Did you see that list of books? I mean, come on. You KNOW I write better than half of those people. Can you please just hurry up and answer my prayer on this one? I know you have to be tired of hearing it...I'm really tired of praying about this..." Whine. Whine. Whine.

If this is sounding at all familiar, may I gently suggest a heart-check. Immediately.
I do think now that this is a huge part of the reason it took so long for me to get published.
I wasn't ready. Not emotionally. Not spiritually.
I'm still not fully sure I'm ready now, but it looks like God does.
Sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock and get a do-over for a lot of those days, times when I let people down, when I let God down. Thankfully, He's not keeping score.

And so I ask myself, what is this really worth to me? Don't get me wrong, I am living my dream and it is AWESOME, but if it all goes away tomorrow, will I be okay? Or will I shrivel into a puddle and melt away into nothingness?
I think I'll be okay. Because if I can't glorify God through my writing, then I'll do it another way.

One thing I am quickly realizing is this - this is all or nothing.
It is worth a LOT to me, to be in this position, and I am truly grateful.
But I know it's a gift. One I must respect, and honor, each time I sit at the keyboard.
I'm a slow learner. I have tried other options, but I think it's finally sinking in.
I am who I am because of Whose I am.
And that's worth more than a million books, my name on any list, bestseller or otherwise.
That is the only truth I know, and that is why I do what I do.

Before I close today, I really want to share something with you. I mentioned having weepy moments, well I had another one the other day when I received an endorsement from Don Brown. Don used to be a Navy JAG officer, so I was super nervous to ask him to read Yesterday's Tomorrow, but I finally did, and he kindly agreed.
He said a lot of nice things, but this is what meant the most to me:
...As an ex-naval officer, I am grateful that Catherine chose the Vietnam War as the exciting backdrop for this novel. In doing so, she has done a great service to hundreds of thousands of veterans who have shamefully been forgotten over the years, and has admirably brought attention to their sacrifice. I love Catherine’s easy-to-follow writing style, am proud to heartily endorse YESTERDAY’S TOMORROW, and to be counted as a fan of Catherine West.

I suddenly felt like Kristin in the following scene:

“Anytime. Oh, and Kristin…” His eyes locked with hers once more. “Don’t ever regret what you did over there. I read all your pieces. All the guys did. They pulled us through. You have no idea how many lives you touched with the words you wrote.”
For a long moment, all she could do was stare at the floor. Hot tears rose. An unbidden smile flitted across her lips as she lifted her eyes to his. “Thanks, Josh.” Whether he knew it or not, he’d given her a priceless gift.
Her time in Vietnam had just been validated.

Thank you, Don, for understanding, and seeing the heart of this book.

It Really Does Take A Village...

2011-02-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

You've all heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." Well, I also think it takes a village to raise a book. Each time I log on to Facebook or Twitter these days, I am reminded of all the wonderful people who helped me along the way to make what sometimes seemed like an impossible dream, a reality. And now they are shouting it from the rooftops and I know they'll be first in line on March 15th! As the date nears, I can't help but get just a wee bit emotional. I don't think people really realize what a huge deal this is to me, unless you've gone through it yourself. But if you need the proof, all you have to do is scroll down through my old posts over the last few years and see for yourself. Some of them are pretty depressing! Even back in August I wrote this post, wondering if I was really meant to be a published author.
Well, God didn't take too long after that to give me an answer.
And I'm not going to sit here and wonder what if He hadn't...I'm just so humbled and grateful to be in this position today.

My heart goes out to all of you who are maybe feeling your blows as you read another rejection letter or staring at a manuscript you thought was brilliant an hour ago that now reads like a Grade 1 essay...oh, I know how you feel!! Remember, this too shall pass. In those darkest hours, something is happening. You can't see it, hear it or feel it, but trust me, you are being changed. You are. You're growing stronger as a writer. Finding courage, determination and perseverance. Who doesn't want more of those. Patience? Well, I'm not an authority on that one!!
Please don't give up!
I'm so glad I get to be in your village to write this and hopefully encourage you today. Writing can be a very lonely process, and the journey to publication is filled with ups and downs. You simply can't do it alone. Don't even try.

As I sat down to write the acknowledgements and dedication pages that would go into my book, it hit me again just how many people have been involved in this journey with me. You'll see them all mentioned in the book, and I really hope I haven't left anyone out, but I wanted to share this here too, because I'm just so grateful for them today.
Some aren't obsessed with...em...I mean... they don't use the internet like I do, so I can't link to them, but others are just a click away.

My Family -
My Dad and stepmom Vivian - cheerleaders from the start!
My Hubby - he puts up with far more than one man should have to, but he hasn't stopped loving me yet!
My awesome daughter Sarah. I'm so glad we can talk about anything, laugh together, hang out and have fun. It's so great to have the support of such a godly young woman, and I know I'd be lost without her.
My amazing son, Chris - he's the music guy in our family, and his facebook info says 'he doesn't read', so I'm not holding out a lot of hope that he will actually read my book, but I'm grateful for his support, and his zany sense of humor.
All my Belfast family - it's been great to connect with all of them through Facebook, since we never get to see each other, and I'm really thankful for their encouragement along the way, and I'm super thankful for how they're spreading the word on that side of the pond!
My sister Pam and her family - it's been so great to have them be a part of my life, and share this journey with me! I can't imagine life without them!

My agent Rachelle - what a blessing it was to connect with her, and sometimes I still can't believe I have an agent, let alone a dynamo like Rachelle. She's been such an encouragement to me and knows how to talk me off a ledge and give me a kick in the butt too!! And sometimes I need it.

American Christian Fiction Writers. I can honestly say I'd be lost without this amazing group of people. So many writers, fabulous authors, teachers, mentors, I'd be here all day if I tried to list everyone who has been behind me on this project, but I hope you know who you are!!
Jenness Walker- my critique partner extraordinaire! We met through ACFW actually, and I can't imagine writing anything without her input.

All of my Bermuda friends - Lee Anne, Rochelle, Debbie...the list is long, but honestly, if you don't have someone you can call at all hours and blubber to, you need to find a friend like that. I've been blessed to have several.
This is just a smattering of my very long list of supporters. I'm not sure that any of these people will every truly know just how much having them in my life means to me, and incase I haven't said it loud enough - THANK YOU!!!

A New Book By Tracy Krauss

2011-02-24T01:00:00.000-08:00

From time to time, I'll be featuring authors and their books on my blog.
So many have offered to do this for me, I figured it's time to start giving back!
Today is the release of My Mother The Man Eater, by Tracy Krauss.

Tracy Krauss, author of ‘edgy inspirational’ fiction, is launching her book MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER on Feb. 24 at amazon.com. You can help Tracy achieve ‘best seller’ status by purchasing the book at amazon.com TODAY!

About the book:

Loaded with humor, action, intrigue and romance, My Mother the Man- Eater is the story of a woman whose search for meaning in life finds an unexpected outlet. Joleen Allen is on the hunt for a man. Unfortunately, every time the mother of five meets one, he falls for one of her daughters instead! At forty-four, Joleen has lived a tough life. She became a mother at 16, and her five daughters are now grown. Her ex-husband, Harold, is out of prison and back in the picture, looking for revenge. He’ll stop at nothing – even murder – to ruin Joleen’s reputation as well as her relationship with their daughters. My Mother the Man-Eater makes for some truly tempting and redemptive reading.

About the Author:

Tracy Krauss is a prolific author, playwright, director and artist. Originally from a small prairie town, she now resides in Tumbler Ridge, BC, known for its scenic mountain vistas and many waterfalls. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon and currently teaches high school Art, Drama and English. .

BONUS!
Buy MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER on February 24 and receive loads of FREE e-gifts from these generous supporters:

Sample chapters, short stories, children’s books, and magazines from acclaimed, best selling and debut Christian authors, such as April Gardner, Shawna Williams, Shellie Neumeier, Sana Edoja, Delia Latham, Ray Lincoln, Stacy Padula, Elaine Cooper, Stacy Juba, Lisa Lickel, Joann Durgin … and more!

Plus – free manuscript critiques, manuscript editing, and marketing and promotional tips from journalists, editors, authors and speakers, Lorilyn Roberts, Linda Yezak and Bonnie Way.

And – beautiful downloadable art cards courtesy of artist and author Brenda Hendricks.

All if you buy your copy of MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER at amazon.com on Feb. 24! These free gifts are valid on Feb. 24 only. All the links will be operational on the ‘Book Launch’ site at www.tracykrauss.com/ Click HERE for more details link: http://mytinyurl.com/d3srfsw1f1/

DISCLAIMER: This Best Seller book launch has been coordinated with the help of the ‘John 3:16 Marketing Network’ and many other generous supporters. The free gifts are deliverable electronically over the internet or by email by individual authors and supporters. They are not in any way associated with, nor deliverable by, amazon.com

You May Have Noticed...

2011-02-21T03:40:00.000-08:00

That my blog now looks pretty spiffy!!
It's all thanks to Yvonne at Pear Creative.
She's also the genius behind my book cover and trailer. If you're looking for brilliance, efficiency and a great team to work with, she's your gal! She gently pointed out that my poor blog
was in need of an upgrade - except she didn't exactly say it that way.
So anyway, here we are!

Just a few weeks away now from my release, and I have to say I feel pretty good. I am still working on some interviews that need to be in for around that time, but aside from hiring the Goodyear Blimp (now there's an idea), I think I'm doing pretty much everything I can to make sure my launch is a success.
My friendKatie talked about this the other day. Jody Hedlund has also had some great discussions on all the pros and cons of putting yourself out there to promote your book, social networking and the like.

How much should you be doing to promote yourself? How much money should you spend? Where's the line between healthy advertising and being downright obnoxious?
These are choppy waters indeed. Sometimes I wonder if people are already sick of hearing about Yesterday's Tomorrow. Have I done too much too soon or am I on the right track?
I'm not sure we can lose sleep over such matters. The truth is, only time will tell.
And more importantly, the book will speak for itself.
I can spend thousand of dollars promoting a garbage can if I want to, but at the end of the day, it's still just a garbage can. Nothing really special about it.

So until the book's release, all it is right now is anticipation. Not that that is a bad thing, but for me, it's more than a little nerve wracking.
My first reader comments have been positive, but once it hits the big bad world, I dunno.
I'm hoping for the best. Am I preparing for the worst? Probably not. Do I need to? I'm not sure.
There will be bad reviews. That's a given. Oprah probably won't call. That's a given too.
So how do we find the middle ground in the frenzy of a new release and wanting it to do well? Because I do want it to do well. I have a publisher and an agent who have taken a risk on me. I want them to breathe easy in knowing they did the right thing.

I'm asking a lot of questions here. I'm not sure there are any right answers, but for you, if you've released a book, how did you handle it all? And if you're still dreaming about it, how do you think you'll handle it?

TRAILER FOR YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW!

2011-02-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

Going Cross-Eyed!

2011-02-15T08:13:00.001-08:00

Okay, I'm going to make this short. I'm in the middle of final round proofs, and I have to say I feel a bit squirrelly right now!
I don't know if I mentioned it, but the release date for Yesterday's Tomorrow is March 15th!
One day I will stop talking about my book, I promise!

Do you know that no matter how many times you read through something, you will never pick up on all the mistakes you should. Isn't that awful?
That's why I'm so thankful to have a really good editor.

Here are some things I am learning.
1. I still love my book.
2. I really love the word inch/inched
3. I really love the word 'swallow'
4. Search, find and destroy, are my friends.

AND I will have the trailer posted SOON. I just got a first glimpse today,
and I'm SO EXCITED!
I have to admit, as an unpublished author I never anticipated just how much work there was to do in getting a book into print. I'm pretty sure I never want to be an editor.

So how do you proof-read your work? Do you think you ever reach 'perfection'?

A Fun Interview

2011-02-11T03:23:00.001-08:00

Today you can read more about me and my book, if you're so inclined, over at my friend Janet's Website. I was fortunate to meet Janet in person, here in Bermuda while she was visiting, several years ago. It was wonderful to meet a fellow writer, have coffee and chat about our writing. We've been able to keep the connection, and I hope we shall meet again one day!
Thanks for taking the time and hosting me on your site today, Janet!

What I Learned in Vietnam - Repost

2011-02-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

I wrote this post a year ago, before I received my publishing contract from Oak Tara. It appeared on ICFW, and I think I may have posted it here. Because so many people have been asking me about Yesterday's Tomorrow, where the idea came from and how I went about writing the story, I thought of this post and wanted to share it again.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Many years ago, an idea for a story came to me.
Why it did, I'm not sure. But it took hold and hasn't let go yet.
About a hundred revisions later, I completed a manuscript called Yesterday's Tomorrow. It takes place in Vietnam, during the war.
It has not yet found a publisher, but I have hope. Perhaps then I will understand why I wrote this book and where it came from.

I was too young to remember the Vietnam War being fought. Living in Bermuda, I'm sure my parents didn't get as much news as they would have today with the Internet. Although I don't remember it, there is something about that time in history that draws me.
I have never been to Vietnam.
But as I wrote this story, I lived there.
As I read the stories of those brave men and women who were in the thick of it and survived, I went there with them.

Writing this book took months of research. I didn't want to bog down the story with details about the war or the country, but I couldn't just make stuff up. I've never been a historical writer so I was almost dreading the work I had ahead of me, but I knew if I wanted my book to be authentic, it was something I had to do.
When I finished writing this story, I was a changed person.
Why? Because until then, I had no idea what war was all about.
War to me, was a faraway concept. Something I would certainly never have to face or deal with firsthand.
While that is still true and I pray it stays so, I have a far better understanding of it now. And I think that is a good thing.
I remember getting to a point in my story and having to stop, pull away. I even questioned whether I should continue writing it.
Somehow I felt as though I was stepping on holy ground.
But with the encouragement of others, I pressed on.
They say Vietnam gets into your soul.
It does.
Those who were there and came back will never be the same.
War does that to a person.

I learned that even after thirty-five years, there are things you just don't talk about.
After thirty-five years, the pain doesn't end. Maybe it lessens a bit, but it never goes away entirely.
I am not sure a writer can ever capture that kind of truth in the way it needs to be told.
I don't know that one can ever accurately portray the fear of being in a helicopter heading for a hot zone or wading through a dark stinky swamp with no idea who might be hiding in the depths of that jungle. How can you describe what it must be like to watch a friend die in your arms?

But we can try. And I believe we should try.
Because all these things-the horrors of war, the deep bond created between those who served there, and the ultimate sacrifice so many made-should never be forgotten.

Although my book is a work of fiction, if it does get picked up one day, I hope it serves a higher purpose.
I learned much through the writing of this book. Things that will stick with me for a long time. Perhaps forever.
And I'm glad I did it.

I came away from this project with this question: Do we write merely to entertain? Or do we write to enlighten, educate and encourage our readers to examine their hearts on matters they may have previously ignored?
I'm hoping to be able to do both.
How about you?

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

That's what I learned in Vietnam.

A Word About Contests

2011-02-08T04:03:00.000-08:00

For many of my writer friends, it's that time of year again. The time when American Christian Fiction Writers hold the annual Genesis Competition. This is a competition for unpublished writers, and they have as many categories as Baskin Robbins has flavors. It occurred to me yesterday, as I saw a notice come up about the contest, that this will be the first year I can't enter.
Because I'm no longer unpublished.
Yeah, I did a little happy dance!

I've entered The Genesis a few times, but truthfully, I hate contests. I believe this harkens back to my schooldays, when I always thought of myself as that loser kid. Always struggling in most subjects (except English), always last to be picked for the teams on those horrible days we had gym. I never wanted to enter a contest because I had enough experience with failure, why set myself up for more?
I got over it. However, part of me still remembers that little girl, and I feel so badly for the folks who don't do well.
Writing contests, in my opinion, are no different than any other contest. There are winners and there are losers. And if you lose, you can't help but come away with the feeling of just not being good enough. Because you weren't.
However, once the dust settles and you run out of Kleenex, here are some positive elements to entering a writing contest:

Experience: Any time you sit down to write, you're adding to your wealth of experience. When you enter a competition, you're saying, "I'm serious about this. I'm ready to handle whatever happens." At least I hope you are. If you're doing it for a laugh or on a dare, please don't. The people who volunteer to judge these things are unpaid, and sacrificing their valuable time. Don't waste it. But if you are serious, wonderful. Getting ready to enter a contest will be a great way to hone your craft. You will spend a massive amount of time polishing your chapters, because of course you want to put your best possible work forward - that's all time and effort that will work for you in the long run.

Exposure: Many contests have some pretty important folks who give up time to be final round judges. Editors and agents. If you are selected to go into the final round, you'll get your work in front of those people. That's pretty awesome!

Feedback: Okay, this is the big one. And the one you have to go into these things totally prepared for. Even if you think you are, you're not. Getting back your scoresheets is sometimes one of the most painful things a writer must go through. Listen, this business is SUBJECTIVE! There is nothing personal about what the judge said - they don't even know who you are! I've been appalled at reading comments on forums after contests - it is amazing to me how a little criticism can turn into a full-blown tactile assault against a person's very soul. But it happens.
if you can handle the feedback, I think you'll find that most of it is very valuable. Some may not be, and as with every critique you receive, you take the good, leave the bad and that's all there is to it.

Reality: You want to know what a writer's life is like? Enter a contest. Find out what the final tally of entrants for that contest was, triple it and remember that number when you think about querying agents or editors. I'm not trying to be mean here, just realistic. There are THOUSANDS of individuals out there just like you and me, who would love nothing better than to call themselves a published author. If you want an even bigger wake-up call, go to a writers conference. That's your competition. And whether we like it or not, it is a competition. And only a few will finally reach the goal and be able to finally claim the prize they've been working so hard for.

I say, if you can handle all of the above, and you truly believe its the right thing to do, enter all the contests you want. I found it wasn't the right thing for me. But it may be for you.
I think everyone who calls themselves a writer should enter at least one writing contest. It really is worth the money, time and effort, in my opinion. You don't have to become a contest junkie and enter every single event that pops up in your inbox. Be smart about it. If you don't want to write for The Cartoon Network then don't enter their contest (not that I even know if they have one), just to say you did.
But if you're like me, and you decide this whole competition thing just isn't for you, hey, that's cool too.
However I do hear there's a book of the year contest that I'm going to be eligible for...will I enter it? Hmm...guess you'll have to wait and see!

What's YOUR take on contests?

The Downside to Living on an Island...

2011-02-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

What downside? I know you're asking. However, for me, there's a huge downside.
My kids have to go away to school. Yeah, yeah, big deal.
Well, it is when they have to fly back and forth, they can't just throw a bag in the car and drive home for the weekend.
When I said goodbye to my daughter
Sarah, four years ago, I was a hot mess. It was literally like somebody ripped my heart out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, sleep, all I wanted to do was cry. And I did. Extreme? Probably. I don't cry much and I tend to bottle up my emotions.
When I explode, watch out.
But you know, I adjusted. And I know I'll adjust again when we deposit our son at whichever institution of higher learning accepts him in the fall. It's funny how we can dread the goodbyes, yet know how quickly the time goes.
Sarah and I skype pretty much everyday. I think having her away has brought us even closer. It's been wonderful to watch her mature and grow as a young woman these past few years. She's had to navigate some choppy waters but has done so with grace, through prayer, all the while trusting that God would not let her down. I'm so excited to see where He's going to take her. As you know, her passion is photography. I'm really looking forward to seeing where she ends up with that.
So really, today I just wanted to share my daughter with you, because I think she's amazing, and I miss her.
She's writing exams right now so if you want to drop her a note of encouragement on her blog, I know she'd appreciate it. Check out her new blog at www.sarahwestphotography.tumblr.com

And the fact that today is Superbowl Sunday and I have about 30 men descending on my house as I type this, has absolutely nothing to do with this post. Okay, it does.
I NEED MY DAUGHTER!!! BA. Going to hide in my study now. :0))

The Best Advice

2011-02-03T04:08:00.000-08:00

Okay. I'm just going to say it's a beautiful sunny day here, and quite warm. That will either inspire you to think warm thoughts and bring a smile to your face or curse me under your breath.
Anyhooo...
If you've been at this writing gig for any length of time, you've probably got quite a collection of 'how-to' books on your shelf. I do. Most of them are gathering dust, put down after a few pages in favor of a tall glass of wine and a weeks worth of wallowing. Too much information is not always a good thing.
I love to read, but I confess, non-fiction does not interest me in the slightest. It's going to have to be a pretty darn interesting topic to keep me reading. You would think books about writing would do it, no? No.
Unfortunately, I have an attention-span the size of a pea, and quite possibly undiagnosed ADD. I can't focus on the words long enough for them to make sense to me. Which is why, every so often, when I'm tearing my hair out because my story has gone completely off the rails and I've no idea how to get it back on track, I'll haul those books out and give it another go. I do have some faves.
Writing the Breakout Novel - Donald Maas
Plot and Structure - James Scott Bell - anything by JSB actually, and woe is me because I think I left my JSB books in Canada last summer!! If it gets really bad I may have to resort to the Kindle versions.
Getting Into Character - Brandilyn Collins.
Okay, that's a short list. There are more. Tons more. Did you know there is even a Writing Fiction for Dummies book? Yes, I have it. No, I have not read it.
Ah, but you say, you are soon to hold your first published novel in your hands! You must be doing something right!
Why thank, you. You're so sweet.
But the sad truth is, I have NO idea what I'm doing.
Ha. Okay, that's a lie. But it took me a LONG time to get here. And when I pick up all these wonderfully written books on how to write a wonderfully written book, I break out in a cold sweat.
Because I don't think I can do it again. The Self Doubt Monster is alive and well, and he lives under my desk.
Often, when I'm completely stuck on a manuscript, like I am today, I take him out and feed him. Play with him a while. But he bites.
He's not a fun pet to own, and I'd like to give him away, but nobody wants him.
So here I sit, three quarters of the way through a 100K novel that until yesterday I believed was my next great masterpiece, and I'm completely stumped.
I'm not giving advice today. I'm asking for it.
Where do you go when you get to this point? How do you fix your story? Do you have any specific books or authors who give great advice on getting unstuck?
Give me your best advice.
I'm listening!!
Oh and if anyone wants to brainstorm, I'm ready and willing. Just bring a pillow and a blanket, it'll be a long night.

What's The Hardest Thing You've Ever Done?

2011-01-31T04:01:00.000-08:00

Twenty-four year old Denby Fawcett - combat journalist - Vietnam.

Today we're holding a contest. Partly because I'm performing an experiment to see if contests really work, and partly because I have a lovely Bermuda colors calendar to give away. Yes, I know that tomorrow is February! That's why I want to give it away.

As I sat answering some interview questions yesterday, I started thinking about the character of Kristin in Yesterday's Tomorrow. At twenty-five, she took herself halfway round the world to a country she knew virtually nothing about, landed in the middle of a war, and somehow survived. Although Kristin is a fictional character, young women reporters were a strong presence in the Vietnam War. Some of them, like Kristin, struck out on their own, with only a few dollars and a sense of adventure to get by with. Some were hired over there, some were already seasoned reporters and sent by their respective newspapers. But, after reading countless stories, books and first hand accounts of what it was like in-country, I know that none of them returned home the same as when they left.
And I thought, "Could I do that?" Would I be willing to risk it all and put myself in danger like that? Truly, for those women, and I dare say the male contingency of the press corps, it was probably the hardest thing they've ever done.

So that's where the idea for my question came from. And then I thought, why not just have a contest?
Okay, so here are the rules -

1. Answer the question in the comments. Tell me what the hardest thing you've ever done is and why. You can be specific, but I want to know the outcome. Did it change you?
(I'm fully aware that the majority of people here are writers. Don't just make something up. I am all-knowing).

2. You must invite at least two people that don't currently read my blog, to come check it out and leave a comment saying who recommended them. Yes, this is a shameless attempt to drive up traffic and gather potential readers, but hey, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there.

So that's it. We'll run this until Friday, then I'll narrow it down to the best stories, and maybe even ask you to help me pick the winner!

Ready, set, GO!

Talk to Me...

2011-01-26T03:52:00.000-08:00

Writing fiction is one of those jobs that can sometimes be impossibly difficult to explain.
I am often asked where my ideas come from. Truthfully, I don't really know.
Where did the story for Yesterday's Tomorrow come from? Who knows. It just showed up one day and demanded to be told.
And that, my friends, is the reason for the officious looking couch at the top of this post.
I want you to know, and you heard it here first, that writers are crazy.
I'm utterly serious. Who in their right mind would want to spend hours upon hours in front of the computer, banging out pages of words that quite often don't make a lick of sense until the second draft? Who really wants to subject themselves and their babies to the harsh critique of other writers who just wish they'd written something half as good but can't so they're taking their anger out on your manuscript. (Did I mention we're also paranoid?)
And then there is the excruciatingly painful process of writing the synopsis, and the query letter, and finally submitting your work to agents and editors. Think of undergoing a root canal without anesthesia.
Given all of the above, one must ask the obvious. WHY??
Why do we do it?
Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I have to admit, I have no freakin' idea!!
Just kidding. Sort of.
Writing is kind of like an addiction. Once you start, it's really difficult to stop. And next thing you know, you're actually getting published and it's become 'your job'. Hey, there are worse jobs out there.
Yes, it's a lot of hard work, but there is nothing that compares to a great day of writing. Knowing you're finally getting somewhere with your story. And if you're really lucky, you'll be in the middle of a chapter and all of a sudden your characters will blindside you by doing something so unexpected and unplanned, that you sit there staring at the page for a good ten minutes wondering what just happened.
That's what we call being In The Zone.
I had this happen to me just the other day. I was like, what?? You did what? You never told me this. But oh, it's so perfect, of course you did!
Told you we're nuts.
Now I can't relay the details of that specific character because that would ruin it for you. But he literally stepped off the page and told me his story. And it was awesome.
So talk to me. Tell me how crazy you are.
What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened to you as a writer? Do your characters talk to you too?

TA DA!

2011-01-22T06:14:00.001-08:00

There has been a lot of talk on my writers groups lately about covers - do they make or break a book. Do you pick up a book and read the back of it if you like what you see on the front?
So, this is the cover for Yesterday's Tomorrow! I would love your honest opinion.
Some of you know the story, some of you don't.
What do you think when you see this? Would you pick it up and want to know more?
And no, I'm not giving my opinion right now. I want to hear YOURS.
Thanks for the input!

How To Handle The Wait

2011-01-19T05:31:00.000-08:00

Several people are reading this and busting a gut right now.

"The most impatient person on the planet is about to give advice on waiting?
Now, this I gotta read."

Mock me if you will. They say write what you know.

One of the most difficult aspects of the writing life is waiting for news.
Writing the story is actually the easy part. Because you see, until you've sent it out, you're in the safety zone. But once you put together that proposal and press send, (the mailbox picture above is old school I know, but I love Garfield), you have entered that mystical place that lies somewhere in the great beyond, a little to the left of hell.
The Waiting Room.

What is Agent X going to say? What will Publisher Q think?
What if the email got lost?
What if they like it? What if they hate it?

If I could get a dollar for the number of sleepless nights I've had worrying about the outcome of a single email, I could do some pretty sweet damage at Ann Taylor. I might even get a new Coach purse out of the deal.
You would think, after the first few years of driving myself to the brink of insanity, that I'd get a clue.
Who me? Ha. Hence the reaction to this post from those who know me well.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

Checking your email every five minutes does not make it happen.

Sending extremely strong subliminal messages through your computer screen to Editor B or Agent X will not make them respond any faster. Those little dolls you prick with needles don't work either.

The sad truth of the matter is, there is absolutely NOTHING you can do to make the wheels of publishing turn any faster. Sorry.
I hate it as much as you do. Maybe even more.
But, you say, they're getting the stuff by email! It's not like I shipped my manuscript to them via Tall Ship. It's right there!!
Yes it is. And so are a few hundred other peoples manuscripts and proposals. Talk to my agent. I'm sure she'd love to tell you how many emails come through her Inbox in one day. But she doesn't have time because she's too busy sorting through them all and taking care of the important people. Like me.
Okay, kidding. But seriously, once you get a handle on what we're really dealing with here, does it get any easier to put things in perspective?
Not for me. I still hate having to wait, but that's just my nature. And since I know the last thing I want to do is get a reputation for being that kind of author - you know the one who throws a hissy fit when she doesn't get an immediate response from her agent or editor, who constantly calls and emails and wants everything done, like yesterday and oh my gosh could you please just work a little harder because I think we're missing some big opportunities here aND IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!!
Yeah, no.
It's not.

So here we go. Accept your fate and move along in the interminably long line with the rest of us. Because wherever you are on this journey, published or not, you will always have to wait for something. Here are some things I do when I just can't stand it a minute longer.

1. Scream.
2. Cry
3. Call my best friend and scream and cry some more

Oh, wait. Wrong list.

1. Write. You might think this is obvious, but if you're working away on a new project, you're less likely to dwell on the one you're waiting to hear about. And if you get good news, then you're already ahead of the game. You can show people you're not going to be a one book wonder.

2. Get out of the house. Go for a walk, a run, go to the gym. Do whatever you do that makes you happy and takes your mind off the waiting. I try to walk every day, and even though I will often find my mind drifting back toward the current of frustration, I try to think about other things. Like why the sky is blue and whether I can convince my hubby to take me out to dinner. Again.

3. Do laundry. Yeah, this is a sucky one. But it's a necessary evil and you'd be amazed at how quickly the time flies when you're not having fun. If you have a sink full of dishes, you might want to think about tackling them too.

4. Go to the grocery store. Even if you end up just buying toothpaste, it's better than sitting around twiddling your thumbs. And food is good. You need to eat. Of course this flies in the face of my addendum on #2, but I never said my list was foolproof.

5. Facebook. Hollar! Yes, I have an addiction. But I seriously love Facebook. I spend way too much time on it. I also spend a lot of time reading blogs, and trying to write my own. But to me, it's fun. Cathartic. And nobody can say I'm not writing. So there.

6. Watch a movie. This is becoming harder to do these days, because there just aren't a lot of good movies out there. But I always hear of a few, yes, on Facebook, look them up and give them a try. It's a great way to relax and forget about what you're trying to forget about.

Those are just a few of my ideas. I'm sure you probably have more.
So let's hear it.

What do you do when you just can't take the waiting anymore?

The Fine Line

2011-01-16T13:22:00.001-08:00

I really hate offending people. I don't know about you, but the minute I know I've had one of those, "Oops, did I say that out loud?" moments, I feel a flush creep all the way up my neck and singe my cheeks pretty darn quick. Of course there are those times when I actually really do say what I mean, whether I should or not. But I always get an 'ouch' at some point.
I think I'm a bit the same with my writing. And I hate to say it, but I'm going to have to get over that.
I realize that I am not going to please everyone. Some people just aren't going to like my stories.
Some will love them. I will have to learn to take the good with the bad and call it a day.

So what brought this on? Kind of funny really. Do you ever read reviews on Amazon?
I do. Sometimes they even sway me toward buying a book. Or not buying one.
I started thinking, in a few months, there are going to be reviews posted about my book. And they might be bad. Or good.
Either way, it's going to be out there. I'll know whether I've written a crowd pleaser or a flop.
If I allow myself to get sucked into this black hole, the outcome could be pretty terrifying.
Thus, I have made a visit to Knights 'R' Us, and purchased a Grade A suit of armour, and a shield. I didn't get a sword because I really hate violence. And the sight of blood.
But I'm ready for whatever you're going to hit me with.
I think.

At the moment, I'm doing okay. I know what I've written. I like what I've written. But I know not everybody will. My characters are flawed. There are things in the book that some people may raise an eyebrow over. "But I thought this was a Christian novel?" And there's the fine line.

I do not write sweet romance. You are forewarned. I don't write smut either, so if you're looking for that, you're going to be disappointed.
I do write real. Real life situations. Real drama. Real sin.
This may come as a bit of a newsflash to you, but people sin. A lot.
Even Christians sin.
A lot.

I don't feel as though I could adequately relate the issues I write about if I had to spritz them with perfume so they didn't stink so much, stick a bandaid on the oozing wound and call it a day.
Mercy.
Have you ever been in a really hurtful situation? I mean gut-wrenching.
Did you have someone pray for you and the next day you were all better?
I doubt it.
Life isn't like that. Not my life anyway.
In most cases, real healing that brings about true forgiveness and redemption does not happen overnight. It probably can't happen within 400 pages either, but you'd be surprised...

So there's that fine line. Keeping it real, keeping the faith. Without sin, we don't need a solution for it. If there were no sin, then nobody would ever have to say they're sorry. We wouldn't have any need for forgiveness. Can you imagine what a crazy candy-coated world we'd live in? Blech.
Super boring too.
But yet, I know there are people out there who prefer not to read stories that deal with hard situations. I respect their stand. Kind of like me and my happy endings - if you don't give me one I feel jipped.
What I struggle with is this. How do you write about sin without offending those who prefer to keep their lives sin free?
You can't. At least I can't.
And I'm not going to.

So here we go. It's sort of like deciding to be a doctor or a dentist - you can do a lot of good either way, but you can't be both. I'm not sure where I'll end up. I may continue to publish within the Christian market, or I may find a place within the secular market. Truthfully, that option is kind of exciting.
Right now I don't know. What I do know is that I'm going to continue to strive to be the best writer I can be. I want to give you an entertaining, thought-provoking story you can sink onto the couch with and get lost for a few hours.
I am who I am, no apologies.

I'm going to be interested to hear what you have to say about all this.
Reality or roses?

Friday Fun!

2011-01-14T05:11:00.001-08:00

It's Friday!!
Why do we like Fridays so much? I mean, really, do we seriously sit around and do nothing all weekend? I guess some people do. I do pretty much the same stuff on weekends that I do every day of the week, except that usually I have hubby home and I make him do the stuff I don't want to. Ha.
But now that I think about it, weekends are not quite the same as a regular weekday.
When the kids were small, Saturdays were a nightmare. Gymnastics, basketball, riding, soccer, skateboarding, swimming - you name it. We spent most of the day in the car going from one activity to the next. I'm so glad those days are behind us! Sunday is church, and often we'll hang out with friends in the afternoon. I enjoy my weekends, even though I still try to snatch some writing time in there, I have to admit, those two days are fun.

So you tell me - do you look forward to the weekend? What do you do in your time off?

Happy Friday everyone!

A Lot Can Happen in A Year

2011-01-12T05:05:00.000-08:00

Do you ever read the archives of your blog?
I do. When I kept a diary, I would often spend hours pouring over old entries, laughing at myself,
marveling sometimes, and a lot of the time vowing never to go down that road again.

So it is with blogging. As you may have gathered, I'm pretty open about sharing my feelings. Maybe I should be a little more reserved, but I figure if anyone's stopping long enough to read what I have to say, the least I can do is be honest.
The past year was pretty interesting for me as a writer. We started off the year pitching Hidden in the Heart, a story about a woman's journey to find her birth mother. It's a good book. Hopefully you'll get to read it sometime.
Like I said, a lot can happen in a year.

I blogged about waiting. I blogged about my frustrations, my doubts, my fears. There was a lot of good feedback on the manuscript, but nobody liked it enough to buy it. My naturally sanguine attitude began to sag a little. (hint - naturally sanguine - are you kidding me?). I'm sure I blogged about that too. I blogged about some stupid stuff when I really didn't have anything to say, but let's be honest, last year I had about four followers.
And then, after taking the summer off, things began to happen.

I had the slightest inkling that change might be on the wind.
Ever so slowly, I began to walk toward a now open door that I was sure would remain locked forever.
Suddenly, on October 26th,2010, within minutes, my world as a writer changed.

I got promoted. No longer was I the 'aspiring author' (there has to be a better term, right?), I was about to join the ranks of the published. I was suddenly the real deal.

If you're not in that place - attempting to land an agent or a contract - you won't be able to fully fathom what that moment means. But I can tell you, it's good.
And yes, it has changed me.

I'm very conscious now of who I am and what I do.
I believe in myself and my abilities. Sure I have moments when I think the phone will ring and my editor will sheepishly explain that they made a huge mistake and there's actually another Catherine West out there who wrote a book about Vietnam and...yeah, I'm telling you. I have issues.
However, I'm taking this baton and running with it as best I know how.
I have made a real effort to expand my blogging connections if you will - I'm visiting a lot of blogs and I'm finding that people are visiting mine in return. All in all, I have to say this whole blogging thing is a pretty sweet deal. It kind of makes the world just a little smaller.
I like knowing that there are people out there just like me. I love making connections and hearing your stories, sharing your hopes and dreams and sometimes just being silly.
I like being able to give not-yet-published authors encouragement. There is hope to be had in the world. You just have to know where to look.

I suppose the purpose of this post is really just to say how thankful I am to be on this journey. As the publication date for Yesterday's Tomorrow comes closer, I'm getting nervous. I've sent out several copies to lovely people who've offered to either endorse or influence on their blogs. And I'm getting some wonderful feedback. Just yesterday I received some words of encouragement from a published author who's just started reading my book. I sat back, stunned, scratched my nose and thought, "Is she on drugs?" But then I figured, nah, can't be. So I read her words over.
Let them sink in good and deep and allowed myself a really big grin.

Yes, a lot can happen in a year. And this year has only just begun.

My prayer today:
God keep me humble. Make me available.
Use me, use my words and deeds to glorify You.
I want to be worthy of this blessing.

Have you reflected on 2010? How was your year?

Did Jane Austen Get It Right?

2011-01-10T03:35:00.000-08:00

Last night I took a night off and watched a movie. Since there was nothing worth watching in the new releases, I ended up watching Persuasion. I'm not sure what version it was, but it was good.
I'm a sucker for Jane Austen. She was a woman whose ideas were before her time, but I think, as far as romance goes, she got it right.

As a writer of romance, I'm consciously watching people, watching movies, reading books, forever waiting for that "Aaaaah..." moment, when the guy does something completely unexpected and utterly romantic, the girl stands there speechless, knowing that this is the moment she's been waiting for her whole life, he smiles, moves a little closer..and cinches the deal.
Yes, the skeptics among us will cry foul. That's not realistic. Movies are totally contrived. So are a lot of those romance novels you enjoy reading.
Okay. So what?

What's wrong with romance? I'll tell you what's wrong, in my opinion, at least. You see, I believe in today's society, the majority of us do not even know what romance means. Hollywood and people in the limelight, people a lot of the younger generation look up to and I'd go so far as to say idolize, have put such a skewed version of the term out there, that in another ten years or so, I'd be surprised if anyone under the age of twenty-five could even tell you who Jane Austen is.
Romance is not sex.
Interestingly enough, most movies out there today give a contradictory message. The two main characters in question must jump into bed together, and usually within the first half hour of the movie. How else are they going to know they're truly made for each other?

It's easy for me to sit here and be snarky, but really, the whole thing just makes me sad.
Are there any girls out there anymore who care whether or not a guy knows how to be chivalrous? Yes, it's a big word. In fact I wonder if it's even taught in schools today - the word and its meaning. In essence, I suppose what I'm asking is this.
Where's the respect?
Girls don't seem to want it. Guys sure don't seem to know how to give it. Marriage is an old-fashioned ideal that's really just an excuse to have a big party, and who wants to spend that kind of money when you're not sure it's going to work out?
It seems happily ever after has become happy until one of us decides somebody else is a better catch and moves on.

I suppose, to be honest, these are some of the underlying reasons I write romance. I want to preserve romance for what it was meant to be. Yes, my characters won't be perfect. They will make mistakes, but at the end of the day, they will be different because of how they treat each other. I still believe that deep down, every girl wants to be courted. She wants to be cherished, loved beyond reason, she wants to be respected.
And perhaps there are a few guys left in the world who will have parents who've brought them up to do just that.

I may sound terribly old-fashioned here, but have you ever walked through a crowded mall and had people push past you as you make your way to the exit, tripping over your bags and small children, but then you look up, and there in front of you is a gentleman, holding the door open for you. Isn't it nice? Don't you breathe just the tiniest sigh of relief, smile and thank him as you walk by? Who taught him to do that? Take a look next time - I'll bet that guy is over forty. Unless you're in the South. I hear they have better manners down there.

My daughter and her friends are You Tube addicts. It's the generation. However, one of the things they love to watch are those wedding videos - and there are a ton of them out there. Every now and again one pops up that outshines them all. In that one moment, you see it.
True love.
It's that "Aaaah..." moment.
And it makes you believe again.
I watched one last night that I must share with you.
Then you tell me. Did Jane get it right?

Gene + Jill // Two Pease in a Pod from capture studios on Vimeo.

Guest Post Today

2011-01-07T03:59:00.000-08:00

I'm posting over at Seriously Write today! Come join me, leave a comment to let them know you stopped by!
See you back here on Monday!

No Regrets

2011-01-05T06:06:00.000-08:00

The book I'm working on right now deals with a family dysfunctional enough to make The Osborne's look normal. They've got issues. There's a mystery surrounding the death of their mother, they're not sure who to blame because they don't really know how she died, and over the years the five siblings have pretty much avoided any contact with one another. But the family estate is falling apart and they must decide what to do with it and their father, who's showing signs of dementia. This brings them all back under the same roof, and life gets pretty interesting. A conversation between Gray, a rock star whose recent infractions have cost him his career, and his older sister Liz, a lawyer, goes like this, (sorry about the formatting):

Liz put her head in her hands for a moment. The action made him uncomfortable. Like she was plotting his swift conviction. Or worse.
When she faced him again, her cheeks were red and blotchy, her eyes glistening. “We all have our issues, Gray. I don’t know how you ended up on drugs and frankly I don’t care. If you’re really serious about quitting, then I want you to know I’m behind you. I’ll help you any way I can. But…could you just tell me, Gray, what in God’s name made you think you had the right to shut us all out when you got thrown in jail? Because I’d really like to know.” She pressed her palms down on the desk and pinned him with a desperate look. “Tell me why I had to hear about it from a colleague and not from you.”
Gray clenched his hands together to keep them from shaking. “I already had a lawyer.” He studied the holes in his jeans and waited for his heart to quit thumping so hard.
“I didn’t want to be your lawyer, Gray.” Anger fizzled as a new inflection crept in. One he hardly recognized. “I wanted to be your sister.”
It was hard to breath again. He’d been struggling for weeks. Drowning under accusations, floundering in the murky waters of regret. He looked up and shook his head. “I was ashamed. I didn’t know how to tell you.”
The compassionate look she wore brought sudden tears to his eyes.
“Did you do it?”
He inhaled, picking up a long-forgotten scent of the pipe tobacco that used to fill the room.
Truth.
He’d been running from it so long he wasn’t sure what it looked like anymore.
“I don’t know.” The admission settled heavily, pushing down his shoulders. “I have no recollection of that girl, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t there.”
“Oh, Gray.” Liz ran a hand down her ashen face. She didn’t have to spell it out for him.
“I know.” He shrugged and glanced around the room. “My career is in the toilet. I wasn’t exactly frugal with my spending and I didn’t have a savings plan. I don’t know what the future looks like for me anymore, Liz. At the moment I’d say it’s kind of bleak.”
She nodded, picked up a pen and twirled it between her fingers. “What does your agent say?”
“He…uh…thinks I should lay low for a while. He’s too nice to get rid of me, but I’ve a feeling he won’t be calling anytime soon.”
“Are you broke?”
Gray leaned forward and stared at his shoes, the idea nauseating. He let out a breath and sat up. “Pretty much.”
Liz didn’t smile and he was grateful. She tapped her pen against the desk and shook her head. “That’s too bad. I think Lynnie thought you were going to bail her out. Since that’s not going to be the case, we’ll move forward. The sooner we can sell this mausoleum the better. You should get enough from the sale to pull you through. Get you on your feet again.”
“I guess.” Doing what, he wasn’t exactly sure. “Lynnie doesn’t want to sell?” Since he’d been back, his little sister seemed to be avoiding him. He wasn’t sure why exactly, whether it had to do with the crap he’d been through or his reaction to seeing Cooper. He suspected it was the latter.
Liz snorted and threw the pen down. “Lynnie, as usual, is thinking with her heart and not her head. She doesn’t see the big picture, Gray. She has no concept of reality.”
“Must be nice.”
“Going through life with rose-colored glasses on? I don’t think so.”
A strange sort of laugh escaped from the cavern of his soul. “Seems to work for her. I’m willing to give it a shot. Why are you so hard on her?”
His sister swiveled the leather wingback to face their mother’s portrait. “I don’t know. I just…I suppose I feel sort of responsible for her.”
“She’s not a kid anymore, Liz. You need to lighten up.”
“Yeah? Seems to me you haven’t exactly been Mr. Congeniality lately.”
Gray flexed his shoulders and grimaced. She was right. He needed to talk to Lynnie. "I know. But I’m feeling better today. For the first time in a long while, I feel almost…normal.”
Liz grinned. She was really quite pretty when she wasn’t scowling. “Should I alert the press?”
“Why don’t we keep it between us for now.” He twisted the ring on his thumb and pondered his next question. “Did you ever wonder, Liz…what really happened the day Mom died?”
She snapped her head around and stared. “We know what happened. Dad told us.”
Gray gnawed his bottom lip and shook his head. “I know. He said they were arguing and she tripped and fell down the stairs. But…what were they arguing about?”
“I don’t know, Gray.” Her voice rose a notch. “Why don’t you go ask Dad? I’m sure he’ll have no trouble remembering.”
Gray had thought about it—thought about coming out here and confronting the old man—many times over the last five years. And now it was too late. “Does David know? He was home that weekend, right?”
“Yes, but he had the flu. He was sound asleep at the other end of the third floor. By the time he heard anything, it was too late.”
“What about Lynnie?”
“Gray, for God’s sake!” Liz sat forward and glared. “What does it matter? Lynnie was twelve years old. She doesn’t know anything!”
“Did you ever wonder though…I mean she was so quiet after…the funeral and everything. Didn’t really speak for a long time. She…”
“She was in shock,” Liz hissed. “We all were. Do I need to remind you what Dad was like, Gray? He was probably in one of his drunken rages and pushed her down the stairs for all we know.”
“Is that what you believe? You and David? Really?” He’d mulled over that scenario as well, but it didn’t make sense. For all his faults, Pops never got physical with anyone, and he would never have done a thing to hurt their mother.
“Leave it alone, Gray. And please don’t go asking Lynnie about it. She’s got enough to deal with right now.”
“Yeah, okay.” He would leave it alone. For now. “Since we’re here, I figure we can give Lynnie a hand, you know? Maybe fix up the house a bit, help with Dad.”
“Be my guest.” Liz fired up her laptop again and put on her business face. “If you want to be useful, Grayson, go make us a pot of coffee. Real coffee, please. Not that stuff your girlfriend was serving this morning.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
“No?” Liz raised a thin eyebrow. “That statement smacks of regret, baby brother.”
Gray lifted his shoulders and somehow found a smile. “Life’s full of ‘em.”

Poor Gray. Let's hope things work out for him - grin -. But that got me thinking.
I don't want to have a life full of regrets.
I want to live every day the best way I can. I want the people I love and care about to know how I feel
about them. I don't want to leave things undone.

This weekend we're attending a memorial service for a dear lady I only got to know a few years ago. She died too soon. I regret that I didn't spend more time with her.
But life's like that, isn't it?
We get busy with our own stuff. Things get left undone. Unsaid.
We end up with regrets.
Sometimes we can fix it. Sometimes we can't.
It's the start of a new year. A new beginning. Do you have any loose ends you need to tie up?

Comfort zone? What comfort zone?

2011-01-03T11:46:00.001-08:00

I've never particularly enjoyed having my picture taken. Those obligatory portraits my mother made me get every few years, as well as the annual school pictures, were just torture for me. Occasionally I'd be happy with the results, but most of the time, I'd beg her not to frame them.
Of course I was always ignored.
I don't know about you, but I'm told I'm my own worst critic. I have certain long-embraced insecurities that make me shy away from having my picture taken, let alone putting it out there for the entire world to see. Over the last few years, I've worked to try to overcome this.
And now that I'm getting a book published, I am informed that my picture will need to go on the back cover. I will put your minds at ease however, by letting you know that I am NOT going to go all Karen Kingsbury or Danielle Steel on you. I shall insist that my picture be teeny tiny. Maybe we could even put the price tag over it.
That said, I am truly excited to say that this past weekend, I got my pictures taken by my amazing daughter, photographer Sarah West.
Now comes the hard job of having to choose one picture from a lot of not so bad ones!
If you would like to help me decide, they're on my Facbook page. If we aren't Facebook friends, well I don't know why we aren't, but here's the link!
My Photos
And if you pick the one I've chosen, maybe there'll be a prize in it for you!

What's On Your List?

2010-12-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's that time again. People start talking about their New Year's Resolutions.
Sigh.
I'm not a fan of resolutions, and I'll tell you why.
I NEVER keep them!
My agent, Rachelle Gardner, had an interesting take on resolutions this week. Go read it if you haven't already.
I like the idea of making a list of emotion-based objectives rather than a list that screams at me to accomplish a hundred and one things by year's end, most of which are highly improbable.

So how do I approach the coming year? Well, I like to start by reflecting on everything that's happened this past year. This really helps put things into perspective. It outlines my successes and my failures, allows me to examine my shortcomings and gives me incentive to try to do better in the future.
I have learned not to be too terribly hard on myself.
I'm human. I'm gonna screw-up at some point, it's just a given.
However, if I were to list some areas in my life that I'd like to improve, it might look something like this:
Communication - I'm a writer, but I'm a horrible face-to-face communicator. I avoid confrontation at all costs, and most of the time find it very difficult to verbally stand up for myself. I'm not saying I want to have a slap-down-drag-out fight with anyone, I'd just like to be a little more assertive.

Organization - I am a very disorganized person. It's not surprising that I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer. I just don't think my brain is wired to grasp the mysterious ways of plotting ahead, outlining or whatever you all do over on the dark side. And I'm learning to be okay with that. I would like to improve on how I organize my time, what I spend it doing, how much time I lose when I should be writing, etc... I really want to get a handle on this and I'm determined to make 2011 the year I do. It's going to take a schedule, discipline and a lot of coffee. But I'm willing to try. I'm scheduling a lot of blog interviews and reviews beginning in March and onward, and it's vital that I know who I've committed to do what with. It's going to be a challenge for me, but I'm facing it.

A Positive Outlook - This is a big one for me. So often I see the glass half empty when it's really half full. Friends are generally pretty good at giving me a slap upside the head when I get into this funk, but I'd rather not have to deal with the concussions.
This year I'm going to try to view life in a positive light. After all, I was pretty miserable a lot of the time last year and God showed me up big time. I didn't think I was getting that publishing contract, then BAM. So you never know when you'll be blessed. I'm not saying I'm going to EXPECT blessing to be showered upon me day in and day out, but you know, come to think of it, every day that I wake up is a blessing, isn't it? I have my health, a beautiful home and people who love me - I am blessed. This is the mantra I would like to adopt this year.

A Little Less Like Maxine - This is really stretching it, I know, and it ties into the whole positive outlook thing, but I'd really like to be less of a witch. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about, right? That sarcasm that's really not sarcasm - the cutting remarks that sound funny at the time but you'd simply die if the person you were talking about heard them. Sigh. Sometimes I'm just not a nice person. I'd like to maybe change that, if possible. But let's face it, sometimes a good sarcastic comment just feels good. I'm not making any promises.

That is the beginning of my list. I have other things I want to strive for next year, but I'm not going to share them here. I think I'm going to have enough trouble keeping up with these few items.
So we'll see.
Now it's your turn. Are you making resolutions?
What's on YOUR list?