Why I Started Blogging (Honestly)

So…you might have noticed I’ve been inundating you with reviews lately. No? Well, I have another one for you later this week. Three reviews in three weeks (maybe less than three weeks). Now am I inundating you?

Well, I feel like I am. But in realizing this, I also got to thinking about the REAL reason I started blogging. And I wanted to share it with you. So here we go.

Once upon a time, not so long ago—like January of this year—I was looking at an agents blog. Rachelle Gardner’s blog, to be exact. I know most of you either follow her or at least know of her. In fact, there are a few of you out there who read this on occasion that are even agented by her. Right on! Anyway, at that time, I already had a publishing contract. It hadn’t been very long since I’d signed it. I didn’t have a critique group, I didn’t have a blog, I had just learned what Facebook was about one week prior and I think Twitter was either very new or still in the making. Suddenly, as I read through her blog, and then another and another, this word “marketing” kept popping up. Followed or shortly preceded by “platform”. Ugh, I know! Not my first response, however. My first response was something like, “I need a platform? I’m supposed to help market my own book? How do I do that?” These thoughts were, of course, punctuated with several, “Uh’s” and “What’s” and “I don’t get it’s”.

In a nutshell, I realized I needed to get my name out there. That was my first thought. My second thought was about reaching others. About somehow connecting with other writers and somehow making a difference. Like sharing what I’d learned. Like supporting them when they received rejections. Like helping to promote THEIR books when they came out like I suddenly needed to learn how to promote mine. I wanted to make a difference.

But, first and foremost, I needed to create a blog. So I did. Oh, and then I needed followers. So I worked hard on that. Followers, I need followers! See? I told you I was going to be honest. I visited other blogs and made comments and invited those Facebook “friends” to stop by. Victory!

But you know what? A few months into that, I started making connections. I started creating friendships. Suddenly it wasn’t about getting ten new followers, it was about what I could post that day that would help others. Shortly after that, I started exchanging e-mails with other bloggers. They’d write me and ask my opinion on something. Or vice versa. Then I found a critique group. And suddenly blogging wasn’t so much about how many people knew who I was, it was about how fully I could reach those people. And how fully we could support each other. Relationships. Give and take. A community.

At the beginning of this month, I committed to reading three books for review. They came to me by various connections I’ve made since I started blogging. Just seven months ago. Those three books arrived at my house within ten days of each other and (perhaps this is where I got the word inundated) I knew I needed to read them all soon. So I did. Fortunately for me, I liked all three of them very much. So I started posting reviews. With only one more to go, I realized this was the part of blogging I was missing. It was part of that second thought I’d had way back in January. Not how many followers I could get, but how I could help out others. How I could—and this is still a growing vision, of course—help other writers on their journey. Particularly with promoting their books when they’re just starting out.

These three books that I read weren’t all from debut authors. The first is from an author I’ve never read before but is pretty well known. He personally visited this blog, however, and expressed his thanks for the review. He also wrote, “These kinds of reviews make it all worthwhile.” (Sorry, that author is T.L. Hines, in case you were wondering.) Cool. The next book I read was from a debut author. Great book! I want others to know about her talent and her passion. And I got to do a review. Fun! The last book I’ll be featuring later this week is from a fairly well known author whose books I’ve read before. Whose books moved me in so many ways. And now I get to share it with you.

In all these cases, from new authors to established ones, I’m getting the chance to help out by sharing about their talent. By reaching out to other readers and letting them know what wonderful books are out there that they shouldn’t miss.

It’s amazing that blogging started for me primarily with the thought that I have to build up “followers”. And now, it’s bigger than that. Actually, it’s BETTER than that. Not only do I get to learn about all of you and tell you some about me, but I also get to share books with you. A passion we all have in common. And in that, other authors are being recognized for their passion and the fruit of their hard work. Doesn’t God always work things out for good? And often times in such fun and amazing ways!

So, tell me. Why did you start blogging? Honestly?

Author Lynnette Bonner, Debut Book Rocky Mountain Oasis

Today I’d like to introduce a friend and fellow OakTara author, Lynnette Bonner. Her debut historical novel Rocky Mountain Oasis, book one in the Shepherd’s Heart Series, was just released.

Lynnette has offered to give away an electronic copy of her book to one lucky winner. I had the chance to read this book and really enjoyed it. Here’s my review.


Eighteen-year-old Brooke Baker has been sent west as a mail order bride. Haunted by her past and uncertain of her future, she places her life into the hands of her new husband.

Sky Jordan, a faith-filled rancher, discover his wayward cousin has purchased a mail order bride. Overcome with concern with whom Brooke is about to marry, he decides to intervene and marry her instead.

The new arrangement proves a challenge, particularly for Brooke, who has been unable to trust anyone but herself since her family was killed. When a murder disturbs the peace in their nearby town, Sky and Brooke are pulled into the danger and Brooke must learn to trust her new husband.

Set in the late 1800’s with an old western backdrop, Rocky Mountain Oasis is an entertaining mix of suspense, adventure and romance, coated with an inspirational message.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Once I got into it, I didn’t want to put it down. Lynnette does a superb job at creating inspiring characters and a moving storyline that draws you in and leaves you satisfied.

Anyone who leaves a comment below will be entered to win an electronic copy of Rocky Mountain Oasis. The winner will be announced a week from today.

To learn more about Lynnette, visit her website and blog. You can also find out more about her new release or purchase your own copy at Amazon or CBD.

Wednesday's Excerpt or Action #6

Welcome to another week of Excerpt or Action. If you’d like to participate, you can choose one or both topics (readers can join in as well).

If you choose Excerpt, include a short scene from any one of your manuscripts in the comments section below.

If you choose Action, tell us what the character in your current WIP is doing right this moment (and readers, tell us about the book you're reading--what's the character doing?).


Here are my answers:


Excerpt

(from Runner's Pass)

Even pirates had weaknesses. And as he eased out on the plank, he brandished his sword, not willing to go without a fight.

The ship swayed, rocking back and forth on a jewel-blue surface that rose high and low in the twinkle of early evening.

“Drop yer sword,” the pirate said. He moved forward, a staccato beat sounding on the wooden deck. He had one soft-soled boot on and a peg leg. The noise reminded him of… barking?

Drew frowned. He opened his eyes. Wrigley spun in a few circles, lifting his head at a black bird that swooped low over the bridge. One sharp bark pierced the cool air. Above, the pewter sky stretched wide, textured with dense, rolling clouds.

Instead of closing his eyes again, Drew dropped his hands and rolled his shoulders. “This isn’t working,” he told the black Great Dane.

Wrigley tilted his head in Drew’s direction. Ever loyal, he gave up the blackbird and trotted back to Drew’s side. He bent and rubbed a hand across the dog’s soft ebony coat.

“I'm not feeling it today,” he said quietly to his dog. “Maybe pirates aren’t the answer.”

Wrigley looked up at him as if to ask what the answer was.

“I don’t know…” Drew murmured. “Just not pirates.”




Action

(from my current WIP, Runner's Pass)

Meredith is remembering when her son was in the hospital, marveling at the maturity of his words even though he's never been able to have a normal life.



I look forward to hearing about your writing!

Unscheduled Post for a Good Cause!

Hey friends, I thought I'd stop in to direct you to another blog today for something I believe is worth taking a look at.

Fellow blogger Amy Allgeyer Cook is running a fundraiser at her blog to help out an organization that works toward guiding children in creative writing. Definitely check out her blog to learn more about the organization and how you can help get kids excited about writing!

Have a great day!

Using Senses In Your Writing

Not too long ago I was in a parking garage after a decent rain. It smelled of humidity and exhaust. Suddenly I was hit with a memory so sharp, I nearly closed my eyes in longing. This particular scent, the rain lingering in the air and car fumes enveloping me, reminded me of Vietnam. I went there on a mission trip last fall, my very first mission trip. The experience proved to be one of the most challenging, amazing and worthwhile experiences of my life. The smell brought me back to a place I returned from knowing already that I’d love to go back.

That moment of poignancy reminded me how important our senses are in writing. How a stop in a garden to smell a rose or a breeze like a sigh can enhance the book for our readers.

For example, I had this character in my last book who was busy, busy, busy. Always working, always planning, always solving problems. When she wasn’t sleeping or eating (which she barely found time for anyway), she was doing something and trying to be productive. One day she’s forced by the hero (so dreamy he is) to go for a picnic. As they walk along a trail to the ideal picnic spot, my MC’s senses are assaulted. The warmth of the sun, the beautiful canopy of trees. The unhurried silence of nature. Then she sees a doe grazing in a clearing and the sight overwhelms her. There’s a profundity in the moment. I believe (along with a little more description and the thoughts going through her mind) this scene shows something about the MC. I believe it reveals her longing for a slower pace, the exhaustion she feels keeping so busy. And the moment she shares with the hero is a moment of pure simplicity.

I was able to use what she saw and what she felt and the simple joy of that moment to reveal a desire in her heart.

Using senses in writing can tell a lot about a character, even if you’re not using the senses directly. You don’t have to say, “She smelled the flower. It reminder her of her mother and made her happy.”

You could say…
“She paused at the edge of the garden, the sweet scent of roses engulfing her in memory. Her heart lifted, as buoyant as a cloud on the breeze, while images of her mother eased into her mind…”

Or, if your genre is a bit less literary…
“Cassie dashed her finger along the petal of the rose. Smooth like wax. Like her mother’s skin the last time she’d held her hand. Why couldn’t she forget?”

Or…
“Megan paused at the edge of the path, frowning at the lilies that sprung up to her left. Her stomach clenched and she forced herself to keep going. Her mother had wanted lilies at her funeral. Bright orange and blood red, just like those she was trying to ignore.”

Each of these descriptions using various senses tells a bit about the character. Reveals some of her feelings or enhances a scene.

Play with words if you enjoy them and remember you have more than the sense of sight at your disposal.

Draw from the scene. Draw from the surroundings. Use senses as an asset. Whatever the tone of the book or the scene, senses and the characters response to their surroundings can embellish that tone and give your story a new life.

Is there one particular sense you use a lot? Do you enjoy incorporating many different senses in your scenes? Is it a challenge for you to use other senses besides sight?

Book Review - Faces in the Fire by T.L. Hines

As some of you know, I do the occasional book review for Thomas Nelson. I recently read a new release (quickly, because I enjoyed it so much). So here's what the book is about and the review.

Four people, all strangers to one another, are suddenly linked by an odd series of numbers and the disturbing correlation of a catfish. Kurt is a truck driver who’s lost his memory. Corrine was diagnosed with lymphoma and thrives on anonymous e-mail spamming. Tattoo artist, Grace, is haunted by her past and held hostage by a heroine addiction. And Stan is a hit man, a master at killing but not by choice. One event leads to another and the paths of these strangers collide, irreversibly linked, and the course of their lives changes forever.

Though it is not the genre I typically gravitate toward, the mystery of the book’s summary drew me in. From the first page, the mystery continued to pull at me. I didn’t want to put it down. As each new character was revealed, the world Hines created pressed in. It challenged me, entertained me, and made me want more. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast-paced novel that will intrigue you, keep you guessing, and make you want to read it all over again when you reach the end.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about the book or purchasing it, you can click on the cover photo for a link.



P.S. I wanted to thank a few fellow bloggers for awards I received this week. I won't have time to pass them on but I wanted to acknowledge those who thought of me when they were doing so.

Thanks to PrettySiren at Prompt Romp for the Kreativ Blogger award. And thanks to Rebecca at Living a Life of Writing and PrettySiren again for the Zombie Chicken Award.

I'm Back!

Hey friends, it’s so great to be back from San Francisco! I had a wonderful time. It’s the first time I’ve been on vacation with just my sisters. But nothing is better than coming home to kiss and hug the little ones and see my hubby. I’ll tell just a bit about what I did and didn’t do on the trip.

What I Did In San Francisco

* Toured Alcatraz (awesome)
* Toured the Winchester Mystery House, though this was in San Jose (unusual)
* Took a ferry (nauseating)
* Shopped (fun, of course)
* Tried to navigate the streets, with plenty of one ways and HUGE hills (terrifying)
* Saw the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bride (breathtaking)
* Ate seafood (appetizing)
* Walked and walked and walked (tiring)
* Went to Golden Gate Park (beautiful)
* Slept in late (hmmm…okay for the first day and then I kind of missed my routine)
* Read a whole book and wrote a book review (great!)
* Missed my family and missed all of you guys (sad)


What I Didn’t Do In San Francisco

* Ride a cable car (also sad)
* Write on my book (what was I thinking?)
* Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge (there’s a $6.00 toll, each way I think!)
* Go in the ocean (it was freezing!)
* Drive (made the sisters do that, I’d be way too scared)

All in all, a fun trip. If I ever use San Francisco as a setting in one of my books, I think I’ll have ample material to write something at least semi realistic. Hope you all had a great several days. Probably still Unplug Week for some of you but I just had to stop in to say hi! Any of you ever been to San Francisco? What did you think?

A Brief Farewell, Unplug Week, and Reader Questions

Hello friends. If you've noticed I've been sort of absent from blogging (definitely from making as many comments on your blogs) I apologize. Between a sick kiddo (for one week) followed by a sick hubby (the entire next week), preparing for school and also preparing for a trip...oh, and editing...I have have little time for social networking. But things will settle as they always do and I look forward to getting back to a routine.

I am heading to San Francisco bright and early Friday morning and plan on reading plenty and even showing the characters from my WIP some much needed attention. So, this will be the start of Unplug Week, but I might check in later next week if I have lots of fun stuff to report from the trip.

That brings me to questions. Most of you have probably noticed I've finally settled into a blogging routine. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I blog almost exclusively about writing--the journey, the challenges, the rewards and hopefully some helpful tips. I've also been consistent with Excerpt or Action on Wednesdays for several weeks. So...I'd like to know what you think.

What would you like to see more of on this blog? Or less of for that matter? Questions you want answered or questions you've had answered too many times and I should steer clear of :)?

More interviews, reviews, giveaways, contests? Less about writing and more about...(fill in the blank)? I really enjoy getting to know this community of writers and readers so I'd love your feedback.

In the meantime, I'll be gone for bit so have a wonderful weekend! And those of you who unplug, I hope you get a lot done!

Wednesday's Excerpt or Action #5

Welcome to another week of Excerpt or Action. If you’d like to participate, you can choose one or both topics (readers can join in as well).

If you choose Excerpt, include a short scene from one of your manuscripts in the comments section below.

If you choose Action, tell us what the character in your current WIP is doing right this moment (and readers, tell us about the book you're reading--what's the character doing?).


Here are my answers:


Excerpt

(from There is a Season)

The slap of reality hit him. All the sudden, he was out of the dream and in his own bed, plastered to the mattress in inescapable terror.

All because of a dark winter road and an elk. It didn’t make sense.



Action

(from my current WIP, Runner's Pass)

My heroine and her son are driving in the middle of a thunderstorm. They are about to arrive at their new home.



I look forward to hearing about your writing!

Novel Research On Location

Would you ever travel to a location to get information for a story? I ask this question because I am heading out of town at the end of the week for a vacation with my sisters. We’re going to San Francisco. There was a time not too long ago I was thinking of making the setting of one of my stories San Francisco. I’ve never been there, know very little of the place and wondered exactly how much research I was going to have to do to make it seem authentic.

So I’m curious…have any of you ever traveled somewhere or used a place from your travels as a setting for one of your stories?

Very often I use fictional places set in real parts of the world. In my current WIP, the location is a mountain town in Oregon near the Cascade Mountains. It’s called Runner’s Pass. I didn’t want to choose a real town because that kind of research frightens me :), however I still want to make it authentic.

How do you make your settings authentic and what are the benefits?

One thing I’ve found when I read a book, I feel more drawn to the story—to the characters and the situation—if the setting intrigues me. If I can picture it in my mind. It’s something I need to work on in my own writing. When I read a story and receive lots of details about the town, city, etc., it really intrigues me. I want to know more. I want to see how the characters interact with the place they live.

Some benefits to really developing your setting:


The details help make the book come alive. Readers can engage. They can see themselves where you’ve placed the characters.


You can show a character’s personality by where they live. Is it a small town? Does your MC hate it or love it? Do they thrive by the bustle of the big city or long for a quieter life?


Events/diversions around the town can be used to develop a scene. Give your characters something to do. Is there a beach near by? How about a stroll or a picnic while your characters talk? Do you need a romantic moment? Send them ice skating on a frozen lake close by. Use fun or unique locations as settings for scenes—it will interest the reader and keep you away from something that’s done a lot. (Like characters having conversations in the kitchen or in the car—which I do way too much.)


What other benefits can you see might come from really developing your setting? Would you travel somewhere simply to make your setting more realistic? Or do you often use fictional places as locations in your books? What do you prefer as a reader?

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow...

Lol. I know it’s only August. Recently my computer got a virus. Everything got deleted off my computer. Ugh. Fortunately most things were backed up (just a reminder, back things up people!). But…my entire iTunes library was deleted. All my songs…so sad.

Anyway, I still had all the songs on my iPod but I couldn't manage them for awhile. So I had to listen to them shuffled together in a random mix. And I still had Christmas music on there because it’s a general library of all my songs that I’ll keep forever if I can.

So I was writing the other day listening to Christian music, the occasional Kids Bop songs (double ugh) that I downloaded for my daughter, a mix of oldies and alternative and suddenly it feels like Christmas time again. “Oh the weather outside is frightful…” It’s about 93 degrees, some might call that frightful. Suddenly a Christmas song had popped up on my list.

It brought back fresh baked, warm cookie memories of cheerful days, long talks by the fire and flakes falling outside the window. It made me want to write a story about Christmas. It made me create a wintry scene of snowmen and candy canes and the jingle of a sleigh...all in my mind.

What an unusual way to come up with a story idea, but it was there nevertheless. How about you? What unusual ways have you come up with story ideas or how do you usually come up with the ideas you have?




* photo from flicker.com

Wednesday's Excerpt or Action #4

Welcome to another week of Excerpt or Action. If you’d like to participate, you can choose one or both topics (readers can join in as well).

If you choose Excerpt, include a short scene from one of your manuscripts in the comments section below.

If you choose Action, tell us what the character in your current WIP is doing right this moment (and readers, tell us about the book you're reading--what's the character doing?).


Here are my answers:


Excerpt

(from Grace's Star)

He didn’t miss the deep breath she took or her reluctant turn. Her fingers settled on the keys slowly. When she pressed down, he wondered if she’d forgotten, wondered if she’d changed her mind, but the piece began slowly and he immediately heard a solemn sound. An unfamiliar tune, punctuated with distinct notes of melancholy.

Her hands were like poetry across the keys, dancing with the melody. He shifted his stance, moving to the side of the bench slowly in order to see her face. It seemed to mirror the sentiments of the song. She saw his motion and her hands faltered, then slid off the keys.



Action

(from my current WIP)

Sadly my hero is still doing the same thing he was last week as you can see by my stale word count. The heroine, however, now has an occupation and I'll be researching that as I work toward finishing the first chapter.


I look forward to hearing about your writing!

Loglines

In the writing world, loglines for your book are short hooks or teasers that hopefully make someone interested in your book. They are usually only one or two sentences and give a reader just enough to want to know more. Oftentimes just enough to decide whether your book is the kind of book they’d want to read. In other words, it gives them some sense of the genre whether it be romance or action, etc.

The goal in your logline is to tell what the story is about. In the most intriguing way possible, of course.

Here’s an example of what I’ve come up with for Through It All…

A terrible loss and heartbreaking prophecy lead Shannon on a challenging
course to return home and battle with the trials of her waning faith.

After this I need ask myself three questions:

Does this give a good enough sense of what the story is about?

Does this give the reader a good sense of the genre (so they know if it’s something they want to read and I’m not misleading them)?

And finally, does it pack a punch? Does it make you want to read more or just shrug and move on?


In working on a logline for Through It All, I realized the benefits of creating these catchy little phrases and how they can help before, during, and after writing your novel. Here are some of the main benefits in creating a logline for your novel.

It helps you focus on your novel. If you create a logline before you begin your manuscript, the logline can help you stay focused as you write. It will help remind you of the message you want to convey.

It gives you something to tell others when they ask what you’re writing. Many times when people find out that you’re a writer they’ll ask what you’re working on. It helps to have something short and to the point that lets them know what the story is about. It’s also good practice. See below.

It will help with queries or at conferences. Loglines are a great way to start off queries, particularly if you have one that leaves the reader (or agent in this case) wanting to know more. In addition, if you have the chance to speak with an agent or editor at a conference, oftentimes you only get a small window of opportunity. Everyone talks about the elevator pitch. In this, you need to know what your story is about. You need to be comfortable with it. You need to make it sound good—make them want more. The more you practice, the easier this will get.

It will help with marketing. Loglines are primarily aimed at readers. There are many ways loglines can be used. In sending e-mails as an accompaniment to a picture of the cover of your book. As a quick blurb on a bookmark or a flyer. In social networking—to let people know what your book is about. There are many other places brief summaries or loglines may show up.

It will help you exercise your writing skills. Forcing yourself to be concise is beneficial. This will give you a better picture of what you’re writing. This will give you the chance to hone your creativity while challenging yourself with a specific limitation.


Other suggestions to help create a logline. What is your protagonist trying to accomplish in the story? And what is the big conflict? Now if you weave the two together, does it give enough to make people want more?

Have any of you worked on loglines before? Would you like to try? Feel free to post your logline below. I’d love to read some of them and find out what you all are working on and help each other as we try to develop our own.