The MBT Ponderers

Writing Lessons Learned From a Knitter: Pick Up Dropped Stitches and Fill in Holes

2012-01-30T00:01:00.001-05:00

BY Delores Topliff

I love my two sons. When they were young, I determined to make homemade, personalized gifts whenever possible. And so, I taught myself knitting from library books.

The first zip-up red sweater with two fun elephants on front and back for my oldest son --then age 3 -- is still in the family. For that kit, I faithfully matched every detail of yarn thickness, color batch, needle size and stitch counts per inch. Knit one, purl two, knit one, purl two. The end result? Perfect -- voted outstanding and still cherished.

But as I gained confidence I improvised more with yarns, thicknesses and needle sizes. Socks, mittens, slippers, head bands turned out great. Some were even from raw wool I carded and spun myself, experimenting with natural dyes. But younger son's orange and yellow fifth birthday sweater drooped around him. To make amends, I next tried a complicated orange and brown Fair Isle pattern that didn't fit him either. Through that process, I learned to choose and plan patterns well and stick closer to them.

Those lessons learned fit other pursuits, including writing.

Establish a clear overall picture of the final product desired. Develop your pattern and stick to it.
Assemble needed materials. Include interesting elements and pleasing colors.
Follow design and faithfully count rows. Unravel mistakes and take time to redo steps correctly. Fill in missed stitches.
Complete final details before showing off your quality piece.
Present your personalized gifts to loved ones -- or your reading public.
Enjoy basking in the joy of a job well-done.
After resting briefly, plan your next project, assemble new materials, set fresh goals -- and repeat the process with joy!

What about you? What key lessons learned in any other field can you share that make your writing easier and more successful?

photo by juliaf/stockxchng.com

Procrastination & the Writing Life: There's Always Tomorrow...

2012-01-27T06:08:00.005-05:00

The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair. (Mary Heaton Vorse)

At 12:00:01 on January 1, 2012, I promised myself this year was going to be different. I would get organized and be on time. I would meet every deadline, write at least 2000 words every day, and save hundreds of dollars a month on groceries by clipping coupons. All while keeping the house clean and the laundry baskets empty, effectively homeschooling my children, and having dinner on the table at a respectable time. I had high hopes for the coming year and I told myself I would succeed; I just needed to buckle down and be responsible.

Sigh. Here I am, 27 days into the New Year, and I’m already failing. I’m no more organized than I was in 2011, I have yet to write a single word toward my WIP, and I can’t even find half of my coupons because my house is such a mess.

How did this happen? I bought not one, but two planners. I made a trip to Staples for pens and paper, a dry erase board with a rainbow of dry erase pens, and a giant desk calendar for keeping all of our activities straight. I even downloaded several goal-achieving and list-making apps on my iPod touch. And yet, here I am, falling behind. Why?

Am I lazy? Do I just not care enough about my family, my colleagues, and my writing to get my work done? Am I completely lacking in self control?

My name is Heidi, and I am a Procrastinator. And from the online searches I did today, it appears I’m not alone. There are hundreds of “You Can Beat Procrastination and Be a Super Awesome Parent, Spouse, Writer, Colleague, and Friend in Five Easy Lessons” type books on the market right now, and in this country, this problem goes back at least as far as Ben Franklin who warned us not to put off until tomorrow what can be done today.

We all procrastinate, in varying degrees and for various reasons. Some of us procrastinate because we are afraid; maybe of failure, maybe success. That last one sounds crazy, but I’ll admit that somewhere in the back of my mind, I know if I successfully write and publish one book, I will have to come up with more. And that terrifies me.

Some of us procrastinate because we are perfectionists. We expect so much of ourselves that we worry we won’t measure up. Putting off doing a task means we still have the chance to do it perfectly. Writers, I think, are especially vulnerable to this mindset, especially when we know we will have to look over those first (and wildly imperfect) drafts.

There are many ways to procrastinate; sometimes on purpose, other times by accident. There are times when we simply under-estimate how much time or how difficult a task will be. For instance, last night I wanted to make a pot roast for dinner. According to the directions it needed to cook it for a total of 2 ½ hours. I figured if I started at 3:30, it would be done in plenty of time for dinner. I got caught up watching Dr. Phil, and decided I could wait to start until 4 and still have dinner on the table by 6:30. Unfortunately, I underestimated the amount of time it would take me to actually prep the roast and get it into the oven. We didn’t sit down for dinner until almost 8 pm!

Other times we tell ourselves that something else is actually more important than the task we are avoiding. I can sit down at my desk with every intention of writing but my desktop and drawers are so messy I can’t find that one pencil I absolutely have to have. Two hours later, I’ve completely reorganized my desk but all my writing time is gone.

Or, we tell ourselves we’ve earned a short break. Television or Facebook for 30 minutes, we tell ourselves. The next thing we know, we’re half asleep in bed when we’re suddenly struck with the horrible realization that we never finished writing the blog post that was due three hours ago. (Yes, true story. Last night.)

So how do we fix it?

First we have to recognize we are procrastinators. I read one writer’s checklist for the things we tell ourselves to avoid writing, and I’ve said every single one of them. In the past week!

“I cannot write until my desk/room/house is completely clean.”
“I haven’t done enough research/planning/prewriting.”
“I do my best work under pressure.”
“I need two/three/five/eight uninterrupted hours to write.”
“Every word has to be perfect, even in my first draft.”

After spending a great deal of time researching the topic of procrastination (translation: putting off actually writing this post) I found several helpful suggestions I am going to try.

Find a procrastination accountability partner.
Stop making excuses for, or justifying procrastination.
Avoid distractions/temptations.
PRIORITIZE!
Be more realistic about how long tasks actually take.
Break larger projects into smaller tasks.
Set reasonable goals with sensible deadlines.
Reward yourself for completing a task with time to spare.

Those of us who procrastinate are not going to change overnight, but we have to make every effort to improve if we are going to be happy and successful, and maintain our sanity.

After all: “There are a million ways to lose a work day, but not even a single way to get one back.” ( Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister, software engineers)

Which, if any, of the above excuses have you used to avoid writing? Which suggestion do you think would help you most?

Win Book Therapy for Your Scene!

2012-01-25T00:01:00.033-05:00

Face it. For an unpublished author, it’s hard, if not downright impossible, to get constructive criticism of your work-in-progress. You summon the courage to show your story to your mother, your best friend, your spouse. They love it . . . Or they hate it. But they can’t tell you how to improve it. Unfortunately, contest feedback isn’t always helpful, either. Where can an unpubbed author get professional advice?

Actually, right here!

Hi, this is Roxanne Sherwood. We’ve had some great guests and given away fabulous books. Now, I’m excited to announce our Absolutely Best Contest--Ever! Here’s your opportunity to win a critique of your scene from Book Therapist and multi-published, best-selling author Rachel Hauck. (Plus, it’s great prep for contest season.)

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on why you deserve--or need!--book therapy for your work-in-progress. Just be sure to be creative, maybe even a little bizarre. (Make it tough to choose a winning entry.) And please leave your email address.

The winner will submit a scene of no more than 1,000 words, plus a log line, or a hook, to Rachel Hauck. (A log line is sentence or two that hooks the reader.) Here’s the log line for Hauck's upcoming release, The Wedding Dress.

One dress. Four women. An amazing destiny.

Book Therapist Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best-selling author. A graduate of Ohio State, she spent 17 years in the corporate software world before leaving to write full-time. She is the past president of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and now serves as an advisor. She’s married and lives in central Florida. For more information and for private book therapy, go to http://www.mybooktherapy.com/.

To enter this fabulous contest, leave a comment on why you deserve/need book therapy, along with your email address. (Believe it or not, but we've had contests where we were unable to contact the winner. If we can't contact you, you won't win.) The deadline to enter is midnight, this Friday, January 27, 2012. The winning entry will appear here on February 6, 2012. Good luck!

Two Years before the Mast Or What to do When Your Writing Gets Beached

2012-01-23T05:01:00.020-05:00

Each writer goes through his or her time of shipwreck. Timeswhere you cannot squeeze a word onto paper for any price.

Note that I am not speaking of writer’sblock.

I am speaking of that time in your life when circumstance takesover and writing not only takes a back seat, but becomes a distant dream.

In Richard Henry Dana’s book called Two Years beforethe Mast, he journals themiserable years he served as a common sailor aboard the brig ship Pilgrim. In it he describeshunger, scurvy, storms, beauty and misery of all sorts.

This journey would only last two years, but what he saw wouldchange his life forever.

Like Dana, your time in a dismal situation will pass. Whenit does, a new normal will take its place.

Many people will tell you to be thankful for the new experiencesyou now have to enrich your stories. That may be true. I want to give yousomething else to consider:

Your shipwreck had purpose.

The Bible says:

Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purposeunder the heaven:

The time to write will return but remember:

Don’t allow fear to grip you over all the conferences or contestdeadlines you missed, or the blog posts you should have written etc.

Don’t feel like your career has passed you by and all that timeyou spent building your platform is lost.

These times of trial are ordained by God. If we read down a littlefurther we see why.

Ecc 3:10 I have seen the travail, which Godhath given to the sons of men to beexercised in it.

Webster explains exercised as: trained;disciplined; made skillful by use…

Dana didn’t just write a book destined to be a classic. His trialsas a common sailor opened his eyes to injustice in a new way. Dana became aprominent anti-slavery activist and helped to found the FreeSoilParty.

To this day, Dana’s book is still considered valuable as ahistorical resource on 1830’s California.

We may never fully understand the purpose of these rare times oftribulations, but we can be certain of one thing

God is a redeemer of time. Step out infaith. Sit in your chair and just write. Allow God to restore. Allow what Hehas done in you to produce good fruit, like it was intended.

Joel2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten…

What’s your story?

Tweaking the Lines: Revising Your Writing

2012-01-20T01:00:00.033-05:00

One of the fastest ways to flounder in writing, whether fiction or non-fiction, occurs when a writer thinks every word they write must be preserved in stone. Only the Ten Commandments merited that status.

We have erasers on pencils and delete keys on computers because almost every sentence we write can improve with a tweak or two. (Believe me, I’ve already used the delete key in the first three sentences!) The Ponderers boast of our own “evil editor”, Beth Vogt, who keeps her figurative red pen hovered over our blog. (We call her that with great affection, and I’m already wondering if two parenthetical statements in one paragraph will make the cut.)

Let me show you a few examples of taking a sentence and tweaking it into something better.

First try: He saw right through her. (Too commonplace.)

Tweaked: Her emotions were a glass house for him. (A little trite plus a being verb.)

Second tweak: The man used x-ray vision on her emotions. (Still didn’t sound quite right.)

Third tweak: The man read her, lingering over every emotional hue like a poet. (Better.)

Here’s another example.

1. Ben knew involving his emotions was playing with fire. (Cliché.)

2. Involving his emotions, ranked right there with handing a 9-year-old boy a fist full of matches.

(Same general metaphor, but a bit more vivid.)

I’ll show you one more example of some lines I’ve tweaked.

1. He clenched his teeth, prepared to get this over with.

2. He clenched his teeth, prepared to endure the storm with Lisa.

3. He clenched his teeth, prepared to last out Hurricane Lisa.

4. He clenched his teeth, prepared to brace for Hurricane Lisa

I’m not saying any of these sentences will win a Pulitzer, but I hope you can see an improvement. Most of the time, you should concentrate on revising sentences with "being" verbs and generic nouns. A strong action verb adds a spark of vitality to our sentences, and a specific noun zeros in on an exact picture.

I’d love for you to help me! Take any of the examples above and tweak it. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

~Teri Dawn Smith

Check engine light?

2012-01-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

I knew we should have gotten a green one.

Three months ago, our car lease was up, and we needed a new vehicle. Knowing baby was on the way, my hubby insisted on “family size.” After diligent searching, we finally ended up with an SUV. As we finished signing the papers, the car dealer says, “So, you know I might not be able to get you the earthy green color you want.”

Wait, what? I thought that’s what I just bought?

Turns out, he couldn’t get a green one with the specifications we were looking for. So, we ended up settling for my least favorite color SUV. White.

Fast forward two months in my white SUV. The traction control light in my brand new SUV is constantly flickering on and off. The engine is making a whining noise. It’s idling terribly. Then, the check engine light chimes in. Perfect.

So, I bring the new SUV to the dealership. They look the vehicle over and say something about a coil in a cylinder somewhere deep in the engine that may be the problem. But, of course, they’re not really sure.

The proposed solution: Can I take it home and continue driving it, paying more attention to when it “acts up?”

Me: Um. Sure, I guess. And if it continues?

The answer: Well, if it’s what we think it is, next your ABS will go out as the computer compensates and shuts down systems one by one. Then we’ll know it’s the cylinder thingy.

Me: Hm. That sounds dangerous. Maybe we should just get the cylinder thingy checked out now.

Dealership: Oh, no, we’d have to pull the whole engine out, and that usually causes more problems down the road. We’d rather narrow the cause down first.

(At the expense of an eight-month pregnant lady’s anti-lock brakes during a Minnesota winter? Really? That’s the best solution?)

Apparently. Two days later, the check engine light and the traction control light begin blinking in tandem. Back to the dealership it goes…hopefully to get it’s cylinder thingy checked out.

We all have circumstances in our lives and in our manuscripts where we're tempted to patch things up, or hold out to see if they get worse. Sometimes it seems simpler to ignore a critique buddy’s feedback than rework the engine of your manuscript. But just like my SUV, if you ignore potential “check engine lights” that critique buddies point out in your WIP, you may just get stuck overhauling it later, like my SUV that’s in the shop now.

Have you ever had a situation where you made a quick fix instead of meeting the challenge head on? How did it impede your progress down the road?

Amy

Image from freefoto.com

A Writer's Life: Being Instead of Doing

2012-01-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

“But Martha was distracted…And Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part…” Luke 10:40—42

Most mornings I hit the floor running with a million things on my to-do list. I have pottery orders to fill and jewelry to make, abstinence classes to teach, emails to check, appointments to keep, people to take care of and of course, I have to find time to write…people who know me say I’m the busiest person they know.

Sometimes I remind myself of a juggler trying to keep all the balls in the air.

Just like Martha, I get so busy I lose sight of what’s most important. I’m not saying all the things I do aren’t worthy activities. They are, just as Martha’s activities were, but I’m convinced the greatest enemies of God’s best for my life are the good things I’m involved in.

I want to be like Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet. I want to camp out in His presence and feel His love, doing that best thing He has planned for me—writing the story He’s given me. I want to be into being instead of always doing. And the only way to do that is to STOP:

Sit quietly in His presence…
Take time to listen to Him…
Open my ears instead of my mouth…
Pray for His guidance and seek His best for my life…

…AGAIN.

You see, I’ve been here before. Burned out and frazzled because I took on one more thing…

“Can you…?”
“Sure, no problem.”

And each good thing I agreed to do chips away at my quiet time as well as my writing time. I need to take a deep breath and remind myself that He’s given me a task to complete, and I can’t finish it if I don’t choose that best part.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Pat Trainum
www.lovefaithandmurder.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/

Need a Change in Your Life? Just dream.

2012-01-13T00:01:00.020-05:00

The hardest thing about a dream is the process. The series of events that lead up to the realization of your dream that rips your life from its moorings and changes you.

It takes work to fulfill a dream and sometimes we have to stock up on supplies of courage, determination, and grace just to get through.

A year ago this week I had my first interview for the job that moved me across country to Nevada. Even as much as moving west had been a dream of mine and my husband’s, there were days I wanted to run back to the shelter of familiarity, much like a child runs home to their mother. Thankfully, those days are becoming less frequent.

My adventure in writing has been like that too. A dream I've had since grade school--to write a book. Be published. Be an inspiration to one lost soul.

Yeah right.

Much to my dismay, there were days I threw up my hands and stomped away from my computer unable to put together one coherent sentence.

Whatever made me think I could write?

Then hours or days later I’d slip back in front of the keyboard and much to my amazement punch out a whole chapter or scene.

The human spirit is undeniably strong when faced with adversity and change. To achieve a dream we need to embrace change and grow. But it’s painful, exasperating, and emotionally challenging.

As writers we are dreamers, we do our best then often fall on our face. The key is to pick ourselves back up and start over. Look at Olympians that train for hours a day for one race, one game, one chance at the gold medal.

What if they had given up?

You have a dream. A chance to change. Don’t give up.

Teddy Roosevelt is an inspiration to me. Here is one of his quotes: “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”

Hold the course, keep on keeping on, don’t give in, don’t give up. We’re in there with you, rooting for your success.

This month is all about change. So what was the dream that changed you?

Jennie Atkins

Elementary, Dear Watson

2012-01-11T06:54:00.000-05:00

This is Jenness here, (well, not in the picture...) writing from my couch and wishing I could just sleep for about a month. You see, last weekend was pet adoption weekend. So for my birthday, we went to find the new addition to our family. We’d done research beforehand. We knew the size we wanted, the gender. We even had a particular dog in mind, and I was trying to come up with a new name for her, because well, she didn’t look anything like a Pinky.

Two hours after arriving, we left the shelter without Pinky. Instead, we had Watson—a dog that didn’t fit our expectations, but stole our hearts anyway…even if he is currently stealing some of our sleep while he’s at it.

Sometimes shaking things up a bit can result in something surprising. This month we’re blogging about change, so here are a few I’ve experienced in my writing journey:

~ Thanks to the suggestions of a Genesis contest judge, I rewrote a scene of my debut novel, Double Take. Because of her advice, I had a much better scene as well as a new, vital thread to weave throughout the rest of the book, making it stronger.

~ Years ago, I tried to write a romantic comedy. It amused me, of course, but the editors? Not so much. Then I tried writing with a very funny friend, and lo and behold—people other than me find us amusing! (Until January 14, our first book together—Bliss—is on sale for $2.99 for the Kindle and Nook. Feel free to see if you agree. :-) ) .

~ Currently, I’m working on the Story-That-Won’t-Go-Away. Do you have one of those? This WIP has scared me for years. It’s not a romantic suspense, really. Not a comedy, for sure. It has a lot of the things I don’t usually care for in novels. And yet, it’s the one that won’t let me go. The one that has challenged me the most, that has the most potential. The one that’s changing me—my perspective, my craft, my appreciation for God’s amazing grace.

It’s the one I am going to finally finish in 2012. That’s a resolution you can hold me accountable for! (The fifteen pounds, not so much.)

Your turn: What is one thing you’re planning on changing up this year in your journey?

~ Jenness Walker
http://www.jennesswalker.com/

Don't miss the 2012 MBT Deep Thinkers Retreat!

2012-01-09T00:01:00.006-05:00

Hey folks, Melissa here, and I am about to say something which makes the sad face emoticon feel woefully inadequate:

I can’t go to the 2012 My Book Therapy Deep Thinkers Retreat this February. L

See what I mean? Donald Trump would totally fire that emoticon.

But it’s true. After two years of loving every second of the MBT Deep Thinkers Retreat, this year several factors are keeping me home.

But I definitely think you should go. And here’s why:

1) Because it’s just plain one of the best retreats ever…and in beautiful Florida of all places. The Deep Thinkers retreat is a focused, five-day workshop with the goal of helping you take your manuscript the next step toward publication. In the mornings, you’ll learn about specific topics – like emotional layering and word painting. In the afternoon, you’ll apply those lessons to your current WIP with hands-on mentoring. And in the evening, you’ll discuss publishing issues, brainstorm, etc. And then there’s the whole hanging out in Florida thing!

2) Because if you’re from anywhere like Iowa, where winter likes to throw temper tantrums fairly regularly, there’s a very good possibility your return flight will get postponed due to weather and you’ll have to stay an extra few days in Florida. Oh snap!

3) Because Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck are the dynamic duo of teaching. I’m serious. They will make you think, look at your story with fresh eyes, employ new techniques and tools. It’s also quite possible they’ll make you laugh hysterically.

4) You will meet cool people. Of all ages. From all different places. You’ll bond through both shared and varied experiences as writers. (Well, and it’s pretty much impossible not to bond when you’re sharing a bathroom.) And you’ll stay connected after the retreat. The very existence of this blog is proof.

5) You’ll discover something new about yourself as a writer...or about your story…probably both. Both years I attended the Deep Thinkers, I really did, well, think deep. I walked away with not only renewed excitement about my story, but also my faith.

But the main reason I think you should go?

Because I can’t.

Huh?

Yep, I’m bummed I can’t make it this year, but that means there’s a spot open for someone else…someone for whom God is going to open the door. Someone God has been prompting. I pray you’ll listen to His voice, invest in your writing dream and have an amazing week.

Get all the details on the 2012 Deep Thinkers Retreat (February 24-28) here.

Are you thinking about attending the retreat? If you’ve got questions, ask in the comments and I’ll try to answer. Have you been to a My Book Therapy or other writing retreat before? How did it impact you?

Melissa Tagg
www.melissatagg.com

Change Equals Growth

2012-01-06T08:19:00.000-05:00

Photo Source

I work with children on a daily basis. One of the most amazing moments of being an early childhood educator is seeing their physical and cognitive skills development. I praise my infant Little Darling for learning how to clap her chubby little hands. I praise my preschool Little Darlings for their letters and spelling their names. I praise my toddler Little Darling for sharing toys with her friends. One of the saddest things about these precious Little Darlings is they outgrow me. Their changes as they develop and grow older require higher levels of learning than what I offer.

And don't even get me started on my own boys. Our older son has chosen to leave his current university and course of study to enroll in culinary school ... three hours away. Our younger son is a senior in high school this year. In June, he will graduate and begin a new adventure as he studies photography. His flight from the nest will leave another empty place at the dinner table.

While we may take out a leaf and make our dining room table smaller, this change equals growth in our home--growth as Hubby and I rediscover ourselves as a couple, growth as our boys study their passions and soar to reach their dreams, and eventually growth in our family size as they find a wife and start their own families.

These changes don't come without bittersweet tears and tugs on the heartstrings. But we can't keep them children nestled under our wings forever. We need to encourage them to take flight and spread their own wings. With tissue in hand and memories of their childhoods scrolling through our minds like a Sunday afternoon matinee, we need to gently push them in the right direction to find their own ways in the world. And continually pray for God's protection and provision as they stroll down the paths He has laid before them.

Proverbs 22: 6 reminds us, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

On Monday, Beth K. Vogt posted the MBT Ponderers are pondering a phase of discovery to see how we can meet our readers' needs. After all, our purpose is to touch our readers' hearts. Heidi Geis posted the following comment: "Personally, I've always sort of resisted change, but the older I get, the better I understand that change equals growth." Her words of wisdom stayed with me all week long, showing themselves in many ways.

Change happens. And yes, it often comes with growing pains. We can resist change and grow stagnant, or we can embrace it and look forward to new opportunities and blessings.

Your turn: What changes are affecting your life right now? How do those changes make you feel? How are those changes helping you to grow?

Lisa Jordan

www.lisajordanbooks.com

What will you do with the New Year?

2012-01-04T00:01:00.002-05:00

It’s 2012, and change is in the air. Everyone is setting new goals and looking forward to making those goals happen. Expectations abound.

But what if last year’s goals resulted in dismal failure? As some of mine did. My goal was to get an agent, then an editor. I got rejections. So this year I was a little fearful about making new goals.

Until I thought about…the farmer.

Yes, the farmer. Think about it. Every spring, regardless of past failures, he plants a new crop, hope and anticipation mixing with the fresh turned dirt. He plants his seed in faith, and then he waits. He’s done all he physically can do. He can’t make the seed grow or control the amount of rain that falls. Those things are in God’s hands.

Like the farmer, we set our goals, do the preparation and look forward to seeing the harvest. But sometimes our goals don’t get the needed rain or they stagnate, and we perceive that as failure. So we quit trying. We become afraid to try new things.

What is fear keeping you from doing? Not writing because you fear you’re not good enough? Maybe you’ve written the story God laid on your heart, but you don’t send it out because you fear rejection, or you’ve been rejected. Or maybe there’s something new you want to try, but the fear of failing holds you back.

A few years ago, my eighty-something mother learned how to program a VCR. Last summer she wanted to learn how to use a computer but was afraid she couldn’t do it. I told her anyone who could program a VCR could learn how to Google. In a short period of time she was Googling and doing Face Book. She even has her own FB page. This past Christmas, she learned how to text.

So, if my ninety-year-old mother can risk failing, so can you. So can I. This week, my proposal goes out to a new agent and a new editor. Then I will wait. The harvest is in God’s hands.

Here at MBT Ponderers we’ve pondered and prayed about our new goals, and now we’re stepping out in faith as we implement a new look.

What new thing will you do this year?

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17

Pat Trainum
www.lovefaithandmurder.com
www.ptbradley.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
@PTBradley1

I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write

2012: A Time for Change

2012-01-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

In the midst of all the caroling and celebrating and worshiping and feasting and wrapping and unwrapping and even the occasional napping, the MBT Ponderers ... um, pondered during the last month of 2011.

In a flurry of emails and Facebook posts, we wrestled with the age-old question: Who are we? Why are we here?

The MBT Ponderers.

We're well aware we're not the only writers on the blogging block. We've been at this since July 2010. We've done some things well. And there are some things, quite frankly, we need to change. Improve. Mix up.

Let the change begin.

For the next month, things will look pretty much the same. But don't let that fool you. The MBT Ponderers are determined to refocus, reframe, rework this blog.

Why?

This year is not just about change for the MBT Ponderers. Nope.We could do that just by mixing up the font and the header photo.

While continuing to focus on Fiction, Faith and Friendship, the MBT Ponderers want to purposely focus on you -- our followers. Readers of fiction. And, yes, writers of fiction because writers read fiction too.

We'll be blogging about change for the rest of the month and looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Keep your eye on this blog come February.

Change is a-coming.

You tell us: Is there anything you'd like to see change here at the MBT Ponderers? What works for you? What doesn't? And if you'd like to share any changes you're making in 2012, we'd love to hear about those too.

No Longer a MBTWriMo Rookie: 8 Things I Learned Through MBTWriMo

2011-12-30T00:01:00.001-05:00

Our 2011 MBTWriMo event? Now history -- but I'm so glad I did it. Though I've been an English teacher for years, when I heard about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), I was too smart to crank out the ridiculous number of words required daily to qualify. After all, how could that produce quality? I feared producing something closer to the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest of the worst novel openings based on that author's 1830 effort:

"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents -- except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies . . . )"

That contest's website inviting "Wretched Writing Welcome" is one I don't want to win.
But the MBTWrimo Celebration is a more manageable horse. In fact, I didn't get bucked off and mostly enjoyed the ride. If 2011 MBT WriMo participants planned and followed a synopsis at all, we reached some destination goals. And participating taught me several important things:

What I previously believed was my maximum daily word count wasn't. In fact, I frequently went far beyond it. The actual needed daily average of 1677 words is quite passable -- discovering that alone is worth my MBTWriMo effort.
Constructive thinking and mulling ideas over before writing does produce more written words when we sit before our computers.
Speaking of computers, if you are close to replacing one when November rolls around, do it before MBTWriMo.Changing horses midstream means getting wet -- as I did. Side note:Check your monitor's brightness because too high a setting can cause eye strain and/or headaches.
If your eyeglasses/contacts prescription needs changing, don't do that midstream, either. Arrange before or after -- not during.
Hit Save often. Email manuscripts to yourself (and/or friends.), place in Dropbox, plus back up on an external drive back up. You'll be glad you did. Don't ask me how sad you'll be if you don't . . .
Strengthen your writing muscles slowly, like guitar players build up finger calluses for playing. And once you reach 50k words and type "The End," do it with a grand flourish and a smile.
Thank the Lord for his inspiring help.
Rest.

If you participated in NaNoWriMo or MBTWriMo, I'd love to hear the secrets to your success -- what you learned during November 2011. If you didn't, what did you learn along the writing road during the past year?

Delores Topliff

New Year, New Adventures!

2011-12-28T06:21:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful year we had together over the last year with each other and our readers! Thank you all faithful readers of the Ponderer’s blog. I pray that you will experience the closeness and friendship that we share in our unlikely group of friends. Truly, our relationship is like no other. And, as a writer, you need a group of crazy, funny, supportive friends from all over the country who you can go stay with as you travel… oops, I meant to say folks who can pray for you. .

I just wanted you to know I’ll be stepping away from the Ponderer blog microphone for a short recess. As the Member Care Coach for My Book Therapy, I’m buzzing with new and exciting projects to help writers live their dream. We’re all so excited about all the new adventures.

I’ll be back before you know it. Until then, if you really miss me, you can catch my blog posts every weekend on the MBT Flash blog. If you like what you’ve read on the Ponderers blog, please tell your friends. I’m sure they would want to enjoy it as well.
Thanks for all your support to the Ponderers, to me, and to your fellow writers. There is no greater gift to give a writer than to read their words.

Until I return, may you have a story in your heart and words to silence that evil cursor on the blank computer screen.

Reebs

Reba J. Hoffman

2011-12-26T00:00:00.004-05:00

Question.
What do you want God to say when you arrive in heaven?
What do you want your children, spouse, family and friends to say about you?
Although this is not a traditional “goal” question, the answer tells what’s most important to you.
Focus on those things to accomplish this year.
For me, I want God to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful to run your race with endurance. You raised your children showing them to love me. You loved your spouse, my son, with all your heart. You nurtured the gifting’s and talents I put in you. You were a witness in the quietness of your walk and service to me.
I want my children to say, Mom loved God, us and loved to laugh. We had fun together. Trust me that alone will be a miracle, since right now my mantra is, “Finish what you start!” and, “Who left the kitchen a mess?
So, what’s important to me?
Time with my children. One of my goals: to finish my degree. While it’s important, I have to temper it with my desire to raise my kids for God. So, instead of taking a full course load, I will only take six hours.
Time to minister to others. Instead of administering and teaching in Nursery I & II, I work at the Latte Bar and serve as a Prayer Partner. It still allows me to still serve, and pray for others but the additional time commitment is minimal.
Time with my husband. While he appears to be this guy that can do anything, he does need me. Especially as we have a family business to run. Always easy? NO. Worth it? Yes.
Time to share gifting’s and talents. God has given me the desire to help people and make them smile. It’s in the little things. He’s also placed in me a desire to share the gospel through stories. To do this, I need time. So I say “No” often. Not always easy, but definitely necessary.
Did you notice anything in common? TIME. We all have the same amount of it, and we must all choose wisely on how we spend it.
2011 is almost in your rear view mirror and 2012 is in front of you. What’s important to you? How will you accomplish it? What can you do different this year to help make it easier to accomplish? What tools will you need? What can YOU change to make your goals a reality?
My friend Beth Vogt’ wrote about focusing on a “theme” for the year, check it out at:http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/2011/12/dont-make-new-years-resolutions-choose.html.
Blessings!
Alena Tauriainen

Some Gifts Cannot Be Purchased at the Mall

2011-12-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Photo Credit

At the moment, my life mirrors the old Christmas lyrics, “making a list, checking it twice”. Did I get something for each one? Was it enough? It made this Ponderer do a little pondering about all the hustle and bustle over gift giving.

How did it start? Is it worth it?

Gift-giving started with God himself, and He gave the ultimate gift on the very first Christmas. “For God so loved the world that He gave….”

Sometimes I like to stop right there for a moment. He loved, and He gave. I think that it’s pretty well impossible to not give if you truly love. Oh, it doesn’t have to be expensive gifts or even material gifts at all.

My mother has modeled this to me with her specialty of giving the right gift to the right person at the right time. Some of these gifts have cost thousands of dollars, but some have cost only a phone call or a brief note sent through the mail.

Let’s consider, for a moment, some of the gifts that could mean more than the latest gadget or newest style. How about the gift of time? It’s one thing to rush into a store and grab a gift for a grandmother, but maybe she would appreciate a visit even more—just some time to reminisce about old times or hear all the up-to-date news about the family.

I’m not saying to forget about the material gifts, but maybe this Christmas, as we consider the One who God Himself gave, we can add to our list some invaluable gifts such as encouragement, support, and kindness.

Please share with us any non-materialistic gift you plan to give or have received this year!

Everyone who comments will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Lisa Jordan’s new book Lakeside Reunion!

Merry Christmas!

Teri Dawn Smith

A lowly Shepherd

2011-12-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

I have a lot of respect for church members who volunteer to take fifty kids, aged kindergarten through fifth grade, and turn them into a memorable Christmas pageant each year. In our church, the kindergarteners were always cast as the sheep, and the second through fifth graders got to be the angel choir, meaning, first grade was the big year.

The first graders got to be the wise men, shepherds, Joseph, and…Mary. And I was ready for my big debut. I could cradle a doll and lay him in the manger. The white robe and blue headdress would certainly fit me. But then the cast was announced.

A shepherd? There must be some mistake. A drab brown robe and staff? Standing far from baby Jesus, in the midst of the kindergarteners, aka, sheep?

I was heartbroken. I’d never get to be Mary. Never debut as the starring role in our Christmas story. When my mom picked me up that day, she could see the disappointment on my face. I didn’t want to tell her. At least there were only three wise men. Shepherds were the leftover kids. A shepherd was a nobody.

Tears spilled over as I finally confessed.

I’ll never forget what my mom said to me that day. She reminded me God chose to announce his Son’s coming to shepherds – just like God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus. Each cast member was specifically chosen, specifically cast in the Christmas story, by God Himself.

She reminded me nobody was unimportant to God. Certainly not the shepherds, some of the very people Jesus came to save, some of the very first people who had the privilege of worshipping Him face-to-face.

As Christmas approaches and you reflect on the Christmas story this year, remember God has chosen and cast you for a specific role in His Story. He has chosen you to write the story on your heart. Even if your novel is never the “Mary” of published Christian fiction, there is no shame in being a faithful shepherd, either. Nobody, and no story, is unimportant to God.

Merry Christmas,

Amy

Keeping Christ in Christmas

2011-12-16T00:01:00.001-05:00

Many years ago, when my husband and I were new believers, we tried to figure out what holiday celebrations should look like through a Christian worldview. We'd grown up in households where holiday traditions focused on popular secular themes, ranging from scary jack-o-lanterns to cute bunnies and their colored eggs. The Christmas season was in a class of its own, heaping with materialism, Santa, reindeer and snowmen. Now, we desired to honor the true meaning of Christmas in our home. But what did that look like?

Throughout the month of December, we emphasized Jesus' birthday and omitted Santa Claus. We read the Christmas story often. But we still had a Christmas tree and stockings. We still watched treasured holiday specials. We sang carols together and drove around looking at Christmas lights. Were we focusing enough on the Christ Child?

As I shopped in the local grocery store with my five-year-old son, Daniel, one day, I noticed an elderly man, wearing a red flannel shirt over his large, pot belly. With his full, white beard and long white hair brushing his collar, he looked like an off-duty Santa Claus. I turned down an opposite aisle, hoping to avoid what seemed like the secular epitome of Christmas.

Only Daniel spied him.

Daniel pointed. "Mommy, look." His voice laced with awe.

I searched for words to explain why this man wasn't St. Nick.

"That man," Daniel said, tugging on the leg of my jeans, "looks just like Moses."

Seems like I didn't have to worry about Santa overshadowing Jesus in our home.

Do you struggle to keep Christ in Christmas in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, our materialistic culture? What is your favorite family Christmas tradition?

May you have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

~Roxanne Sherwood

Rum-Pum-Pumming Along

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

Recently, I took a poll to find out when most people start listening to Christmas music. Did you know this is a hotly debated topic?

On one hand there are those who finally put their CDs away in February, but have their iPods all loaded up with Christmas music again on July 1. Then there are those who will not pull out the twinkle lights or listen to carols or even think about Christmas until the dishes are cleaned up from Thanksgiving dinner. I have a theory that these are the people you need to stay away from on Black Friday—it can’t be healthy to keep all that Christmas spirit pent up for so long!

There’s something special about Christmas music. The old songs bring warm fuzzy feelings and reminders of dashing through the snow as a child, then gathering around the tree with your grandparents and cousins. The new songs sometimes put a different light on the familiar message.

One Christmas song I never liked is Little Drummer Boy. I mean, all those rum-pum-pums might have been fun when you were in first grade, but after a while it’s just annoying. Am I alone here?

But then I heard this version by MercyMe. It didn’t seem that unusual at first. The rum-pum-pums were still there. They pepped it up a bit, of course. But then, the build-up: I played my best for Christ. I played my best for Christ…After that, it quiets down. No more rum-pum-pums. Just this:

Then He smiled at me.

And that’s the end. Because really, what more do you need after that?

What more do I need? Not the twenty or so books on my Christmas wish list. (Although it doesn’t hurt to hope, right?) Not new clothes or a new car or a new book contract. I need to strive to do my absolute best for Christ—for my audience of One—and let His smile be more than enough reward for any and all of my labors. Like Casting Crowns says in Lifesong, I want to sign His name--or give His smile of approval--at the end of each day, each year that I live.

I’ve shared about this song before, although not on this blog. But with the rapid approach of 2012, I need the reminder.

So what about you? Is there a Christmas song that speaks to you every time you hear it? And, just because it’s fun to debate this…when do YOU start listening to Christmas music?

~ Jenness Walker

http://www.jennesswalker.com/

A Christmas Memory

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time there was a little girl who awoke early one Christmas Eve and found that Santa had yet to arrive.

My daughter.

“Mommy, Daddy. Santa didn’t come.” My little girl pushed out her lower lip as I glanced at the clock.

Four a.m.

My husband and I pulled ourselves from our slumber and realized we had fallen asleep while waiting for the right time to slip the many packages under the tree, eat the cookies so ceremoniously set out the night before, and stuff the stockings that hung from the mantle on the fireplace.

Always quick with a reply, my husband said. “Santa must have been very busy last night. He’s probably just late.”

I let out a long sigh and wondered how the gifts stashed in our closet would make it under the tree since she was now very much awake.

With a twinkle in his eye my husband said. “I'll tuck you back into bed for a little bit. I’m sure he’ll be here before long.”

Gee. Thanks hon.

He carried her into her room and tucked her into bed then went through the usual routine of surrounding her with a dilapidated Cabbage Patch doll, her favorite bunny, and an assortment of other well-loved stuffed animals. As I, Santa's newly nominated helper, went straight to work.

Just before I deposited the last few gifts under the tree, I gave the leather strap adorned with jingle bells a tug.

“I hear him!” My daughter’s voice drifted in from her room.

“Go look.” My husband, the tempter, said.

“Can I?”

I smiled. What kid wouldn’t want to see ole’ Saint Nick hard at work--especially one still young enough to want to believe.

“Sure, go ahead.” My hubby tempted her again.

Silence hung in the air for an instant. I could almost hear the debate going on in her head.

“What if he sees me?” She asked.

I could hear the wanting in her voice. The desire to see the jolly elf and the fear that if she did…then what? I choked back a chuckle and played into the ongoing conversation by rattling the doors on our fireplace.

“He IS here!”

“Go peek through the door.” My husband chuckled. That wicked man, tormenting our daughter like that!

“No! If he sees me he might not leave any toys.”

Afraid my daughter would rise to her father’s temptation, I hurried through my task and rattled the fireplace doors once more. Followed by another tug on the jingle bells, I then slipped back into bed.

“Do you think he’s gone?” She asked.

“Why don’t you go look.” My husband said.

After a long pause I heard the click of her door followed by a squeal. “Mommy, Mommy. Santa came. I heard him!”

***

That, my friends, is one of my favorite Christmas memories. Our daughter, the innocence of a child and her willingness to believe, made for a beautiful memory.

What is yours?

May God bless you with abundant childlike faith during this holy season.

Jennie Atkins

Chucking Chains Christmas-style

2011-12-09T00:00:00.010-05:00

Fact: This dude creeps me out...

He’s Jacob Marley’s ghost from the 1984 George C. Scott version of A Christmas Carol. Love the movie, but I’m guaranteed at least one nightmare each December after my annual viewing. The scariest part is where he ties the scarf around his head, then floats out the window. Freak-y. (If you haven't seen it, here's the clip on YouTube. Skip ahead to 8:48 and you can see Marley tie his scarf and float away...eeek!)

My sister and I used to act out the whole scarf thing. Word to the wise: the look does nothing for a person visually. Can you say triple-chin?

In addition to his jaw-tightening scarf and raggedy clothing, Jacob Marley lugs around a bulky chain. Anybody who’s seen any version of A Christmas Carol, or gone all literary and read the actual novel, knows Marley’s chain represents all the bad things about his life on earth – greed, selfishness, his uncaring attitude toward the poor, etc.

Here’s what Marley says to Ebenezer Scrooge in the movie about his chain:

I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link and yard by yard. Is it’s pattern strange to you or would you know the length of the strong coils you bear yourself? It was as full, as heavy, as long as this seven Christmas Eves ago. You have labored on it since. It is a ponderous chain!

According to Marley, he carried around in his afterlife the misdeeds of his earthly life. Being a Christian and all, I tend to think Marley’s got his eschatology a bit wrong. Still, Marley’s words are tugging on me this week.

See, I’ve been lugging some things here in late 2011. Some of it’s related to my writing life—insecurity regarding my current WIP, frustration at my lack of time, impatience, stress. I have a few other luggings too—more personal, nothing terribly life-threatening, but they're there. And at the moment, they feel heavy.

Writing or otherwise, temporary or deep-rooted, the worst thing about these “chains” is this: They keep me focused on me. They keep me from loving, serving and enjoying others. Frankly, they turn me into Scrooge pre-ghost hangout.

But I want to be like Ebenezer Scrooge at the end of the movie when he jumps on the bed yelling, “I'm as giddy as a drunken man! I'm as gay as a schoolboy!" Except I'd probably use updated lingo. And I wouldn't be wearing a nightcap.

I want to throw off the things like worry, anxiety, stress, insecurity which blur my outlook.

I want fresh, God- and others-focused vision.

And I don't care how motivational poster-y it sounds, I want to soar. (In fact, that's my word for 2012. More on my word choice another time.)

And you know what…I don’t need a series of ghosts to show me how.

I simply need Christ.

The best Gift ever came to earth 2,000 years ago, but He's as here now as He was then. And He's all about setting us free from the chains of doubt, insecurity, stress, worry, you name it. No need to lug that stuff around in the afterlife...

And with the real Holy Ghost's help, no need to lug it now.

How about you? Are you lugging anything around? What better time to throw off the weight than during the Christmas season?

Melissa Tagg
www.melissatagg.com

The Awareness of His Touch

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

Imagine having so much faith that knowing a single touch of Jesus' garment would be enough to heal your infirmities. Or knowing without a shadow of doubt that God had complete control of your life.

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." Luke 8: 46-48 NIV

How many times do we go through our days, placing God lower and lower on our list of priorities, but at the first sign of trouble, we're quick to shove Him to the top? Yes, I'm guilty of that. Sometimes I have shaky faith. I worry. I fret. I spend too much time "what iffing." I get frustrated because I know my will may not be in alignment with God's will.

As a parent, I have to make decisions that meet the needs of my children. Those choices may not mirror theirs. That's how it is with God. His will may not match my will. Now, instead of praying for my will to be done, I've been praying for Him to change my heart so it's in alignment with His will for my life.

I need to be stronger in my faith. I need to remember He has a plan and a purpose for my life. His will rules over my will. If I walk by faith, and not by sight, I will have peace about being in His will. I want the faith of those who knew a single touch would be enough to heal them. I want the Awareness of His Touch in every facet of my life.

So for 2012, I have prayerfully chosen faith as my one word.

Your Turn: Are you aware of His Touch in every area of your life?

Lisa Jordan
www.lisajordanbooks.com

Things I Learned In

2011-12-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

Just this morning a friend made the comment that I only had two weeks before starting my annual Christmas trips.

TWO WEEKS!

That can’t be.

December 1, and for that matter January, was just yesterday. What happened? I just realized I barely have time to finish my Christmas shopping before I leave—forget about all those things I listed in January that I wanted to get done this year. Things like:

Finish my WIP
Make headway on my new book
Get my website up and running with at least 20 posts in the can
Make an author page on Facebook
Learn how to use Twitter

I didn't actually do any of those things. I came close to the first and last ones: I'm maybe 75 pages from having my WIP polished and ready to go and I have 26 days left. As for Twitter, I'm tweeting and retweeting but haven't yet grasped the reason why I'm doing those things. Maybe in 2012.

But 2011 wasn't a wash--I did learn a few things. Among other things, like how important it is that each chapter has, not just a hook, but a SHARP hook.

S=Stakes (Why will it matter if the hero/heroine doesn’t reach the goal of the chapter)

H=Hook=Hero/Heroine Identification (Continue to connect the H/H to the reader give her/him a reason to care)

A=Anchor (Let the reader know where your H/H is in each chapter--you know, the 4 W's)

R=on the Run (Start in the middle of the problem, maybe interview your character to see what they are feeling as the chapter opens)

P=Problem (how does this chapter handle the Story question)

For more information, check out Susan May Warren’s book From the Inside Out (on sale here at a discounted price), or her articles at My Book Therapy.

But the most important thing I learned: everything is in God’s hands. Whether or not I’m published, even whether or not I write. He gives me the words and I write them back to Him.

Otherwise, I’m just babbling. Wishing each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas!

Oh, and my word for the year is: Listen

Pat Trainum
www.lovefaithandmurder.com
www.ptbradley.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
@PTBradley1

I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write

Don't Make New Year's Resolutions: Choose a Word for 2012

2011-12-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know it's December 2.
I should be blogging about Christmas.
But my thoughts -- some of them -- are turned toward January 2012.
Fast forward with me for just a moment. I'll let you get back to your Christmas carols and tinsel and lights, I promise.
2012 will be the seventh year since I gave up the whole New Year's resolutions rigmarole. Last January, I blogged about how much I didn't miss compiling a list of my dos and don'ts for the year, knowing I'd most likely lose it before mid-February. It's so much easier to focus on one word for the entire year than try to keep track of an entire list.
What were my words in years past?

2006: gratitude (I kept a gratitude journal and found my "glass-half-empty" attitude revolutionized.)
2007: simplify (A severe illness turned this word into survival. I embraced simpler things in ways I never imagined.)
2008: content -- as in "be content with such things as you have" (Hebrews 13:5) (I bought a lot less that year!)
2009 & 2010: forgiveness (I had a lot to learn and unlearn about forgiveness.)
2011: hope (A word I clung to when life hurt or when my heart ached for others who were hurting. There were times I could have asked "Why?" Instead, I asked myself, "Are you going to abandon hope?" My answer: No.)

As in years past, I started searching for the word for 2012 back in September. I started listening. For what? I listened for repetition as I prayed. For repetition as I read the Word. When God repeats himself to me, I sit up and take notice.

The word for 2012? Trust.

To be honest, that's a scary word for me: trust.

And then, just the other day I thought of this equation: Hope + Trust = Faith.

I haven't settled on the accompanying Scripture for 2012's word. (There's always an accompanying verse.) And there's always a visual of some sort too -- a photo, an ornament ... something that is a visual reminder of that year's word. Haven't found that yet. But I am confident I will.

So ... before you turn your focus back to checking your Christmas list, before you your focus on now ... consider this invitation: Don't make any New Year's resolutions this year.

Instead, pick a word. Just one word. And then focus on embracing that word, living that word, for the next 365 days starting January 1, 2012.

I'll be back in January to check and see how many of you decided to choose a word for 2012! I promise you, it's life changing.

Merry Christmas!

Beth K.Vogt

*The photo for this post is a picture of a recent "Praying in Color" session of mine. I've really enjoyed praying in color since I learned about it this summer. For more information, check out the book Praying in Color by Sybil MacBeth. You can also check out her blog.

Hard Work: Being Grateful for the Chance to Grow as a Writer

2011-11-30T10:12:00.001-05:00

Two years ago God put me in the right place at the right time to attend the first My Book Therapy (MBT) StoryCrafters Retreat and become an original MBT Ponderers. God also aligned circumstances so I could attend this year’s retreat, where I gained even healthier respect for Susan May Warren's, aka Susie, writing craft books: Inside ...Out, Book Buddy, Deep and Wide, Kiss and Tell, and all the future books whose pages I hear rustling even now. Working hard and moving forward, this is my new favorite song variation: “I love to go a-pondering, along the story track, and as I go, I love to sing, my Book Buddy in my pack . . .”

You know how we think we know subjects until we’re tested? This most recent Storycrafters tested me as I attempted an opening scene for my first ever historical fiction. I had focused more on historical accuracy than on being a novelist. I produced a literary-flavored historical lecture and got caught red-penned. You know, like when you bite into something expecting one flavor and totally get another? Like when my accomplished baker friend confused her sugar and salt containers and her beautiful cinnamon buns tasted like debris from the Dead Sea?

Good historical writing balances fact and fiction—like that needed to stay upright on a unicycle. And good instruction helps us master rides to spin gracefully around any writing ring.

What’s your challenge? What balance do you need? Susie Warren, Rachel Hauck, and the My Book Therapy team offer more inspiration, encouragement, prayer and mentoring per square inch toward writing goals than any group I know of—and I’m a college English prof who’s attended beaucoup writing seminars and workshops.

Joining My Book Therapy’s team gives full access to constantly increasing tools from the best writing community out there. These sharpen our skills, point us to the Lord for inspiration and purpose, sending us toward goals with the whole team cheering to produce polished results for the record books—not to mention the great friendships, prayers, and stay-in-touch caring of other member/players along the way.

Remember, writers, life without God is like an unsharpened pencil...it has no point!

What are you doing to make sure you're the best writer you can be?

~Delores Topliff

Once Upon a Time

2011-11-28T02:33:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time, there lived a fair writer who dreamed of reigning over the Writer’s Kingdom. She toiled night and day to perfect her craft. Her charges read and admired her words. They bowed and lavished her with compliments when she waltzed through the immaculately sculpted gardens or in the village bookstore.

On the day the princess was to take the throne, the ceremony was interrupted by an ugly ogre who forced his way into the palace. In his hand he held the parchment containing the very words the princess had written by candlelight in the watch tower. Tears of love and passion had smeared circular blotches on the parchment.

“Rubbish.” The ogre shouted. “These are the worst words I’ve ever had the misfortune of reading! You have butchered the King’s language and defiled this parchment. You are unfit to rule the Writer’s Kingdom.”

“But, but I worked all my life for this moment.” The princess meekly offered. “I deserve to wear the crown.”

The ogre took the pages in his hand and flung them at the princess. “With these words, you only deserve to be strung up by your toes and stoned until dead.”

Fiery red bubbled up her neck and onto her cheeks as the Princess tried to understand why she was so close, and yet so far away from ruling the Writer’s Kingdom. At long last she asked, “Who are you ogre?”

The evil wretched being approached her, laughing and taunting her. “I am YOU!”

“But, but I don’t understand.”

“I am every fear you ever had. Every doubt you had in your ability to write. The words I speak are those that trampled through your heart all those nights you sat with a quill. I am only repeating the words you so eloquently spoke.”

The princess covered her face with her hands as the crowd gasped and shrieked in horror. She knew the ogre was right. She did not believe in herself. She had doubts about being able to rule over words. While she should be thinking of how she was going to rule the Writer’s Kingdom, she allowed herself to believe she would fail. Her ugly thoughts prevented her from taking her rightful place in the kingdom.

The moral of the story? The thoughts you entertain will affect your career as a writer. If you want to rule, make sure you think good ones!

Reba J. Hoffman

36 More Days!

2011-11-25T17:02:00.000-05:00

36!!!
That’s how many days are left in 2011.
Are you asking yourself the same question, I am?
Where did the year go?
I set goals in the beginning of 2011. Have I accomplished all of them? Um. No. Definitely not. In fact there are some I haven’t even touched.
There are thirty-six more days in this year though, so I’m going to press in and see which one of the goals I can finish.
Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t accomplished it all.
Stop. God loves you as you are. He is your biggest cheerleader. And because he’s God, he’s also right beside you as you take each step in your journey. He’s the encourager that never sleeps. He’s the friend you can call 24-7. You never get his voice mail or a busy signal when you call him.
So my friends, what steps can you take towards accomplishing some of your goals for this year? Are you ready to start planning for next year?
What concrete steps can you take towards your goals?
Did you want to finish your rough draft this year?
How many chapters can you realistically finish? Take a look at your schedule and see what you can fit in.
Record those shows you normally watch, get up earlier an hour earlier, go to bed later and fit in an hour of writing? or use your lunch break to write?
Did you want to lose some extra pounds?
Try to fit a few more work-outs in. Take the stairs when you can. Join a friend and go walking or jogging. Get a couple of audio books on writing craft and listen while working ou.
Remember, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! Let’s do this!
Blessings!
Alena Tauriainen

What Happened to Thanksgiving?

2011-11-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

A week before Halloween I dashed into Walmart for candy. I had to walk through the Christmas candy to get to the tiny section of Halloween candy. Just a few days prior, the entire aisle had been filled with Halloween candy, but now, it was reduced to a few shelves. What happened to Thanksgiving?

At the beginning of November, my mom went to the dollar store to pick up harvest-themed paper plates for a get together. The harvest stuff had been replaced by Christmas. What happened to Thanksgiving?

Yesterday I stopped at a store to check out the yarn selection and found all of the harvest/Thanksgiving things put in a 50% off clearance bin. Christmas music serenaded customers as they shopped. What happened to Thanksgiving?

I understand retailers like to get a jump on the holidays, but Christmas decorations in July? Seriously?

I love Christmas. It's one of my favorite holidays, but I think we need to pause and reflect on the holiday that comes at the end of November that seems to get a passing nod between Halloween and commercialized Christmas--Thanksgiving.

With Thanksgiving approaching, we have so much to be thankful for. Not just one day out of the year where we gather around the table, but every day God's table is laden with an abundance of blessings.

Among cooking, welcoming family, and scanning those Black Friday ads, take time to say thanks for all God has provided. But don't limit your thanks to just one day. Be thankful every day, and find the joy in all circumstances.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

~Psalm 100:4

Your Turn: What are you thankful for? How are you spending your Thanksgiving holiday?

The Biggest Loser

2011-11-21T10:27:00.004-05:00

I’m a loser.

With just nine days left before the end of November (and a big holiday weekend between now and then) it has become painfully clear I will not be a winner in the 2011 NaNoWriMo. And I was so optimistic back in October!

So here I am, 70% through the 30 days of November, with a mere 5% of the 50,000 words necessary to succeed. So, if 59% is an F, what letter do I get for 5%? It feels suspiciously like failure.

Failure. I don’t like it. What happened?

Well, I spent one weekend of November with my husband at Fusion, a children’s ministry conference. I spent three days learning new ways to help the children in our community better understand how much they are loved by their Heavenly Father.

In addition, I celebrated my parents’ 50^th wedding anniversary, and attended my son’s first football banquet. I spent some quality time with the three beautiful redheads (Allison, Jeshua, and Kaylin) who call me Grandi and love my spaghetti. I spent Friday nights with good friends, sharing dinner and watching Fringe.

I baked chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bars, and snickerdoodles for my boys. I made dinner for my family almost every night. I read my friend Lisa’s first book, Lakeside Reunion. I helped my husband with his Algebra homework. I even made my first pie.

But I didn’t write.

In thinking about today’s blog, I ponderered success and failure and writing. I thought about a few of the writers in the Bible and realized they were also some of the Bible's biggest failures.

Moses. He killed a man, and he disobeyed God in the desert. Then he wrote the first five books of the Bible.

David. He committed adultery and had his lover’s husband killed. But he was a man after God’s heart, and he wrote some of the most beautiful poems of praise and thanksgiving.

Paul. He persecuted the early Christians and kicked against the goads. And then spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel to the gentiles and writing most of the New Testament.

As Amy wrote in her Friday blog, we’re all in different seasons. I really wanted November to be my “win NaNoWriMo by writing 50K words” season, but God wanted it to be my “focus on the people I love” season. And no matter how I kick against the goads, God’s way is always the best way.

If I look at November through God’s eyes and His plan for me, it was a success. I am thankful that He is in control, and I'm thankful for the opportunities He gave me this month to love my family. In fact, I wouldn’t trade a million best sellers for the experiences I shared in November with the people I love.

Now, bring on JanNoWriMo!

I realize my last three blog posts have contained a recipe. I thought I'd make it four! =)

Pumpkin Bars
3 eggs

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar
1 29-ounce can pumpkin (NOT Pumpkin Pie Mix)
½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup butter, melted
2 cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon salt
3 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp clove

1/8 tsp cardamom

For Frosting:
4 ½ ounces cheese cheese (not light), softened
¾ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Pecans halves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, oil and butter. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom. Stir into batter until well combined, and mostly smooth. (Don’t over mix.) Pour batter into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

For frosting, in a medium bowl, combine softened butter and cream cheese using a mixer. Work in the powdered sugar with the mixer. Finish by blending in the vanilla. Frost and cut into bars. Garnish each with a pecan.

~Heidi Larson Geis

Seasons

2011-11-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

I’m thinking that most of you are probably 28,000 words into your NaNo novel by now.

I’m not.

Sometimes I feel like this forlorn little leaf. Like I’ve fallen off the tree prematurely, while the rest of you are NaNo-ing for the glory of God from the heights of a massive oak.

The first day of November at least I took the time to log my word count. (Never mind it was zero.) The second day I had good intentions of logging my word count. (Never mind it was still zero.) However, I forgot. Honestly. By the third day, let’s just say, I’d given up all together. (And yes, word count was still zero.)

Am I lazy? Uncommitted? If I want to trudge down guilt trip lane, I’d say, definitely, yes. But, at the same time, I have a new appreciation for the seasons of life.

Currently we are remodeling our house to make room for the little bundle of joy we have arriving in February. This means I get home from work, change into grubby clothes, and log another 4-5 hours drywalling and painting. Dinner typically consists of Taco Bell (don’t judge, at least I’m taking prenatal vitamins regularly…) after which I try to play with the puppy for twenty minutes before hubby and I do devotions together. Then he and I unwind and get ready for bed (meaning my head meets the pillow and I’m already halfway through a REM cycle.)

I’m not complaining. I’ve just determined now is not my season to NaNo. Now I know there are Super Women out there raising six kids, homeschooling the oldest five, baking cookies each week, and still carving out time to write. I respect you. Seriously. How do you do it? (No really, I’m about to have one kid, I need to know.)

But, for those of us normal women, it may just not be our season. And that’s okay. (If this is an excuse, please tell me and I will stand corrected. I know you will be honest with me).

Instead, I’ve been asking myself, how can I use November to encourage another writer? Can I drop them a note? Offer to read a chapter and give some quality feedback? What can I do to bless someone else this month?

What about you? How do you carve out time to write? How can you encourage another writer this month?

Enjoy the season (from the ground...or from the skies),

Amy

Image from freefoto.com

One Thousand Gifts--A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

2011-11-16T00:01:00.004-05:00

It started as a dare.

Could Ann Voskamp--an author, farmer's wife, homeschooling mom to six children, who was dissatisfied, even ungrateful, with her life--count her blessings all the way to 1,000?

She took the challenge, recording blessings each day in a journal she kept on hand.

Not only did she discover thanksgiving--Eucharisteo--but she got a New York Times bestseller along the way.

Pretty nice.

But the thing is, Voskamp would probably say that discovering joy in the moments at hand was by far the more valuable.

Voskamp laments never getting to accomplish her Bucket List like seeing "black-haired boys under straw-brimmed hats fishing" on China's jade-green Li River. Then, she realizes the beauty and wonder all around her. She learns to be content in every circumstance. (Phil. 4:11-12) She begins counting her blessings.

Items from Ann's list:

#1. Morning shadows across old floors
#16. Leafy life scent of the florist shop
#54. Moonlight on pillows
#119. Still warm cookies
#343. Clean sheets smelling like the wind
#362. Suds . . . all color in sun

In her lyrical, fragmented writing style, Voskamp's book isn't a quick read. Her words are meant to be savored, peeled back onion-style, layer by layer, though others may find her choppy style difficult to digest.

Some readers may find the last chapter of the book disturbing as Voskamp describes a love relationship with God using sexual language. Though poetic and metaphorical, it's a bit over the top. Still, Voskamp has inspired me to write my own list and to become more intentional, living fully in this moment.

What blessings will you count today?

~Roxanne Sherwood

The 5 Senses - Do you use them all?

2011-11-14T00:01:00.003-05:00

I read in a devotional by Robert Schuller the following:
Thank You, Father, for the beautiful surprises you are planning for me today. So often in my life an unexpected burst of golden sunshine exploded through a black cloud, sending inspiring shafts of warm, beautiful sunshine into my life.

After reading his devotion, I stepped out into the cool night air and turned on my senses, letting God pour his universe into me. The night sky, a blanket of stars, too numerous for me to count sparked down on me. The scent of sage drifted on the night breeze kissing my cheek. The coyotes yipped in the distance as they made their nightly rounds. The taste of peace touched my tongue as I sang out a song to our Lord.

This is the season of Thanksgiving. And if there is one thing I’m thankful for it is the gift of our senses that God has given us. It surprises me daily.

When I use to walk through my gardens in Ohio the scents I inhaled amazed me. The smell of damp loam, the sweet fragrance of a rose, or the spicy aroma of Monarda, tantalized my senses. Now in Nevada, the scent of sage is all around me.

Equally stunning and surprising are the variety of colors I see—the bright red of Pointsettias, the azure blue of a cloudless summer day, or the bright green of new leaves in the spring.

I’m sure you don’t want me to continue my litany. But as writers it is something that pulls in a reaction from our readers. What do you think of when you smell homemade bread? Is it comforting to you? Do you cringe when you hear the screech of tires on asphalt? What do you feel when your fingers caress the softness of babies skin? Is it longing or do you drift into memories of when your children were young?

I thought when I started writing this blog a couple of weeks ago that it would be foolish. Don’t all writers do this? I looked.

They don’t.

Even some of the bestsellers forget to use all of the five senses. So I challenge you to picture yourself in a scene, close your eyes and ask yourself: What do I smell? What can I touch and how does feel? Is it smooth, cold, or soft? Don’t forget sounds you may hear in the scene or in the distance. What little detail can you surprise the reader with? Or create a sense of dejavu? How does it taste? That one is almost always missing.

When you look at your writing style, do you use all of them in a scene? If not, what sense do you usually forget?

Jennie Atkins

Hi, My Name Is Jenness And I'm...

2011-11-11T00:01:00.001-05:00

...a reject.

Yes. I totally just admitted that on the internet.

It started as early as first grade, when a story I wrote and illustrated for a class contest didn't win first. In fact, it didn't even get a gold star for effort. And I'd been thoroughly convinced I was top dog in the writing world already!

It continued through high school and college, where short story after short story came back with a "No, thank you" or just a box marked with an x to tell me what I'd done wrong. I received so many, I used to post my rejection letters on a corkboard I jokingly called my Wall of Shame.

Next came the emails and letters from agents after I finished my first novel. Oh, and the bad contest scores. The things we could say about them!

But Beth suggested writing about something I'm thankful for as a writer, and that bulletin board I used to keep of rejection letters is somewhere near the top of that list. Here's why:

1. The rejections were proof that I was writing something! I was actively working toward my dream of being published. I was paying my dues.

2. I needed it! Some of those rejections kept stories from seeing the light of day that would have eventually embarrassed me. Severely. Some saved a good storyline from being wasted in a slush of prose that needed oh so much improvement.

3. I could see evidence of growth in my writing through many of the responses. I could learn from what wasn't working for the editor/agent, or I could take heart when they indicated they were interested but just didn't have a slot for me at that point. (I don't know if he still does it, but Steve Laube used to include letter grades in many of his rejection letters. Quite handy!)

4. They helped me to learn to trust God's plan and His timing. One of the very few times I allowed a rejection letter to discourage me was when it looked possible that an agent might sign me on. I wasn't sure we were the right fit, but it would have been just in time for Christmas. And wouldn't that be an incredible present? An agent? But God had someone else in mind, and His plan is perfect. Isn't it so much easier to not stress about rejections when you know He loves you and knows what is best for you?

5. Rejections give you a great excuse to eat chocolate, and who isn't thankful for that?

Are there any particular rejections you've received that you're especially grateful for?

Revisions of the written, spiritual, and, well, closet sort.

2011-11-09T00:00:00.010-05:00

<--See that? It’s a photo of my newly cleaned out walk-in closet.

Let’s take a moment to admire my Martha Stewart-like abilities. I’m not sure the photo does it justice. Trust me, this closet is like something from Real Simple or one of those other home organization type magazines. In fact, they should probably feature me in a cover piece. That is, as long as they don’t look in my coat closet…or office closet…or kitchen cupboards.

Okay, boasting over. Cue the confessions: Yes, this closet looks beautiful. Yes, I was so proud of my organizational efforts, I literally sat on the floor of the closet at 1 a.m. admiring my handiwork.

Yes…this late-night project was the result of a writer’s breakdown.

It’s true: I freaked out over the weekend. I decided my current WIP is a joke, the plot’s a mess and the characters as shallow as any one of the High School Musical movies. (Sorry, Zac.) Things just weren’t clicking for Writer Melissa that night. I got frustrated. I didn’t handle it well. And while outwardly I vented by cleaning – admittedly better than snack-binging or head-bashing, sure – inwardly I thought all the wrong thoughts.

I’ll never write as good as So-and-So.

Mr./Ms. Editor/Agent is going to laugh at the fact that they ever requested my proposal.

I. Stink. At. This.

The thing is, as my mental merry-go-round whirled in a blur of negativity, I knew my thoughts were wrong. I knew I was allowing Satan to lie to me. And I knew what I needed to do to set things right: Pray. Spend time in God’s Word. Take my thoughts captive.

But I didn’t. Instead, I muttered my way through a closet cleaning. (What’s extra sad here is usually, nerdy as it sounds, I love cleaning out my closet. This time? Not so much.)

When I woke up the next day, discouragement still tugged at my heart, but worse was the regret at my mindset of the night before…my failure to take the mature mental path. But God – like He always does when our hearts are open even a crack – reminded me that I always have the opportunity to begin again.

Just like I’ll be revising my way through my WIP in the next month, I have the opportunity to revise my behavior, my thought life, my actions on a daily basis. Just like my closet makeover, God is willing and able to make over me. He is the ultimate Revision-ist, more than able to take what’s rough and sand it smooth.

So that’s what I’ll be thanking God for this Thanksgiving – second and third and bazillionth chances on this road to becoming not only the writer, but the woman, He means for me to be. I pray you’ll find encouragement in God’s faithfulness during the revision process, too.

Let’s chat: How does God encourage you during the revision process – either in your writing or life in general?

Guest Blogger: Tina James Talks Love Inspired Historical

2011-11-08T06:51:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I’m Tina James, Senior Editor of Love InspiredHistorical and Love Inspired Suspense. I’m here today to chat with you about writing for Love InspiredHistorical.

The Love Inspired Historical line offers captivating storiesof romance and adventure set in earlier eras, when faith played a major role ineveryday lives. From rugged handsome cowboys of the West to proper Englishgentlemen in Regency England, Love Inspired Historical books sweep readers awayto a place where love is timeless.

If you’re interested in writing a historical romance, now isa wonderful time to submit to Love Inspired Historical. Since expanding our offerings from two booksto four books a month, we have some great opportunities for both new,unpublished authors, and previously published authors.

We are seeking manuscripts approximately 70,000-75,000 wordsin length, rich in historical details and set in various countries and timeperiods, ranging from biblical times through World War II. Our most popular period is westerns, setmostly in the 1800’s. After all, whocan resist reading about rugged handsome cowboys of the West? But we are also looking for a variety ofsettings including Regency, Scottish, Amish, and exotic locales.

Some innovative story ideas that I would be interested inseeing include--stories about women pioneers who become doctors, nurses, socialworkers, journalists, suffragettes, or teachers; stories about bounty hunters;stories about immigrants coming to America; or stories set in Africa or Asia aboutmissionaries.

We are looking for writers who can craft a compelling,highly emotional and historically accurate romance. We want to see unique,engaging writing styles, with likeable and believable characters whose actionsare appropriate to their time periods. We want to see opening chapters that grab thereader’s attention from the first line of the story.

Please see our writing guidelines at www.Harlequin.com to learn more about LoveInspired Historical.

If your author voice, characters and plot fit Love InspiredHistorical, I hope I’ve encouraged you to try to write a Love InspiredHistorical and submit it to me. Ifyou’re a published author, we only require a synopsis and three sample chapters. For unpublished authors, we ask that yousubmit a synopsis and complete manuscript. You can mail your submission to myattention at 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279 or have your agentget in touch with me.

Happy writing!

Tina James

Book Review (and Contest): Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

2011-11-07T00:44:00.001-05:00

Author Deaanne Gist's latest novel, Love on the Line, sets an independent heroine and a just-as-strong Texas Ranger hero against one another. The plot involves train robbers, the early days of telephones -- and animals' rights.

Yep, that's right.

Switchboard operator Georgia Gail is also a bird-lover. With a backyard that's a natural refuge for all kind of birds, she detests how women's clothes -- particularly women's bonnets -- are decorated with bird feathers, bird heads and sometimes with entire birds.

I've got to tell you, that was one story line I've never read before.

So while Ranger Luke Palmer pretends to be a telephone lineman while trying to find a gang of train robbers, Georgie rallies the women to boycott the local store selling bird-decorated bonnets.

And, of course, there's romance. And mystery. And to make it fun for her readers, Deeanne's hosting a contest!

CONTEST:

Deeanne is thrilled to introduce Georgie and Luke to the world in her latest novel, Love on the Line. To celebrate Deeanne's publisher, Bethany House, is hosting the Love on the Line iPad2 giveaway an Author Chat on Facebook! Enter today and follow the link below to RSVP for Deeanne's rip-roarin' Facebook Party!

One fortunate winner will receive:

A Brand New iPad2
An Autographed Hardback Copy of Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. The winner will be announced at Deeanne's Author Chat Facebook Party. Deeanne will be wrapping up the Love on the Line celebration by chatting with friends new and old! So grab your copy of Love on the Line (it's okay if you don't have one yet - you might could win one!) and join Deeanne on the evening of November 8th for a rip-roaring book chat, a little trivia and lots of giveaways (books, Amazon, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates)!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends. Hope to see you on the 8th!

*I received a copy of the book Love on the Line for review. But my opinion is my own.

PSSST...Wanna Take A Shortcut?

2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

NaNoWriMo is upon us, and while I'm not taking part this year, I am going to use the premise of NaNo to set an almost impossible goal for myself for November.

By the end of the month I will have my 85,000 word manuscript revised to 60,000 words. Much of the revision entails new writing, because ...anytime you change something at the beginning of a novel, it has a ripple effect, much like dominoes falling.

It also means I'll be sitting at a computer for hours, just as the NaNoers, but I'll be cutting and pasting and rewriting. I thought I would share a few of the computer shortcuts I use to eliminate having to use a mouse every time I want to change something.

I was astonished to learn lately that many writers know nothing of these shortcuts. If they want to cut, copy or paste, they use the mouse to highlight, then they go up to the little scissors or the double pages and click. Doing it this way, not only wastes time, it adds to stress on your wrist, fingers, and shoulder. Word (I am assuming most people use Word) has a list of shortcuts posted on their website. The site includes shortcuts for all Microsoft products. Mac users can find shortcuts at the Apple site.

Here are a few of the shortcuts I use all the time: (Capitals aren't necessary, and you'll find the CTRL buttons on either end of your keyboard. They have an asterisk on them)

CTRL S = SAVE
CTRL X = CUT
CTRL C = COPY
CTRL V = PASTE
CTRL P = PRINT
CTRL A = HIGHLIGHT ALL
CTRL E = CENTER
CTRL R = ALIGN RIGHT
CTRL L = ALIGN LEFT
CTRL W = CLOSE
CTRL F = SEARCH
CTRL G = GO TO
CTRL B = BOLD
CTRL I = ITALICS
CTRL U = UNDERLINE

These aren't all the shortcuts available; the rest you can find at the websites listed above. I hope this will help as you work on your projects, and one more thing--be sure to sit straight, to take breaks and...but that's another blog. Oh, and the photo at the top? It has nothing to do with the post, but the tree is down the street from me and I thought I'd share it.

Pat Trainum
www.lovefaithandmurder.com
www.ptbradley.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
Follow me @PTBradley1

I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write

The Benefits of Plagiarism

2011-11-02T00:01:00.005-04:00

I endorse plagiarism.

At one time, I was an unabashed plagiarist. I stole my favorite authors' plots and characters with the proverbial gleeful abandon.

Given the chance -- and the ability to go back in time -- I'd do it again.

All that copy-catting occurred when I was a much younger writer, say about 11 or 12 years old. Putting Bic pen to wide-ruled paper, I wrote wonderful stories that mimicked my then must-read author: Georgette Heyer.

Yes, I was a Regency Romance reader. All things m'lady and m'lord. Balls and morning calls. Dances and "diamonds of the first water."

Copying Georgette drove home the fundamentals of story: dialogue and setting and tension and, of course, the all important happily ever after. Echoing her voice was my first feeble attempt to find mine.

My almost-11-year-old daughter is a wanna-be writer. I smile and say nothing as she blissfully plagiarizes her favorite author, Donita K. Paul. (No, not me.) My daughter's stories are filled with dragons and wizards and quests.

By following in Donita K. Paul's literary footsteps, my daughter is finding her voice.

Plagiarism, while an understandable childish misstep along the writing road, is no way to achieve lasting success. At some point, every writer must step out and claim their unique voice.Georgette Heyer books line my books shelves and fill my Kindle. But Wish You Were Here, my novel that debuts in May 2012, is set in this century. Not a dandy or a fop to be seen -- but I did throw in a trio of bad-boy llamas!

Plagiarism, anyone? Were your first attempts at writing shadows of your favorite authors' novels? What did you learn from them?

An Ode to NaNoWriMo

2011-10-31T23:30:00.000-04:00

In honor of 2011 NaNoWriMo -- and a positive sign that, yes, I am just a bit crazy! -- I wrote a NaNo poem.

For your reading pleasure ... or, at the least, for your amusement:

An Ode to NaNoWriMo

Twas the night before NaNo

And all through the house

Not a thing was cooperating

Not even my mouse.

The synopsis was outlined in my head with care

In hopes that my 50k words soon would appear.

My family was nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of hot meals danced in their heads.

Hubby slept soundly, while I in my sweats

Had just settled down for one last brainstorming attempt.

When from the depths of my weary brain there arose such a clatter

I sprang up from desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the kitchen I flew like a flash

(What? You don't go for munchies when you're doing the "stressed out" dash?)

The light in the kitchen cast a soft glow

As I started the coffee and dug out the chocolate stash hidden below.

When what to my sleep-deprived eyes should appear

But a dark figure with an ominous leer.

With a long leather whip and a threatening mutter

I knew in a moment it must be my dreaded Internal Editor.

More vicious than hailstones, his accusations they came

And "Ed" howled and he shouted, and he called me awful names!

"You failure! You loser! Now why are you trying?

Oh, misspeller! Plagiarizer! Why don't you quit?

To the top of the waste basket! To the bottom of the recycle bin!

You've wasted your plotting! Delete every word of it -- delete it all now!"

As plots before a critique group wither and die

When they meet with an overzealous crit partner's laser-like eye,

So all my characters and subplots and climaxes crumbled

With a shove of the Internal Editor's hand -- sending them all a-tumble.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard with relief,

The hemming and hawing of my hesitant belief.

I threw back my head, looking Ed in the eye,

"I can do this," I said, "one word at a time!"

Yes, I was dressed all in sweats, from my head to my feet.

I'd ignored my poor family, my desk was a mess.

But I was a writer -- a NaNoWriMoer, no less.

And I would write 50k words this November by doing my best.

Ed's red eyes, how they glared. His gnarled hands how they fisted.

His feet, how he stomped. His voice, how he blustered!

His nasty mouth spit out one last warning:

"Touch the DELETE key once and you won't last until morning!"

His leather whip he held tight in his hand

And smoke circled his head like a wreath.

He had a thesaurus and a Webster's dictionary

That he shook as he snarled and sat down beside me.

He was gloomy and griping, a right cantankerous old guy,

But I laughed when I saw Ed, in spite of myself.

A taste of my chocolate and a sip of my brew

Soon gave me to know there was nothing Ed could do.

He spoke not a word as I went straight to my work.

Filling the page with, well, less than my best, to be honest.

But I stuck cotton in my ears and ignored ol' Ed

Forward motion is my goal -- not perfection.

He sprang to his feet, gave a last harmless growl

Stomped out of my office and off down the hall.

But I heard him exclaim as he disappeared from my sight:

"You NaNoWriMoers are crazy! You can have your lousy first draft! Good night!"

Storycrafters 1, 2 and 3: The Ride of My Life

2011-10-31T00:01:00.021-04:00

2009 Storycrafters Retreat (Lisa Jordan is missing from this photo)

I'm still pondering how Storycrafters 2009 changed my life.

Susan May Warren asked attendees to pray before arriving for her first seminar of its kind. Boy, did our prayers get answered as those days inspired us. At the end, we exchanged contact information that spanned the country. To my shock, before inspiration faded, we found ourselves joined at the hip as we relentlessly fanned each others' writing sparks into a steady flame.

We walked into that seminar room room as strangers. We left and became so connected that our closeness inspired a blogging group named for Susie Warren's least favorite word: the Ponderers.

There have been two Storycrafters retreats since then. I didn't expect to return, but my home is only 21 miles from the annual location. When several of the original Ponderers returned, I couldn't stay away. After all, each new retreat means a chance to plot a new book, right? Right!

Nor was I attending this year. Instead, I was saving for the 2012 Deep Thinkers Retreat in Florida, as any right-minded Minnesotan would. But same song, second verse. I'm still only 21 miles away, as close as the proverbial moth to a flame -- except this flame is constructive, not destructive.

Let me share a story with you: At age 10, after hearing tales of big kids braving the terrifying 39th Street Hill, and hating to be afraid of anything, I inched my bike closer and closer to the brink of the town's steepest hill until ... one day I went so far that pumping my brakes wouldn't stop me. I began the most hair-raising ride of my life, nearly losing the outside edge of the big clover-leaf curve linking that street to the six-lane highway rolling north to Seattle, above the steep ravine where a dead man had been found months before. Had he sailed over the edge? My wobbly bike -- and wobbly me -- finally stopped on the shoulder. I walked the bike to a safer road.

This month was Storycrafters time once again. Once more I couldn't stay away. As a 2011 Genesis finalist now, I attended and plotted a new book that gelled only days before. I wouldn't dare return to this "hill" without the loving encouragement of the Ponderers group birthed two years ago at the inaugural Storycrafters. They've even changed my name from Delores (sorrow, pain) to Dee -- more like a bubbling brook.

How about you? Are you pondering and ready for amazing change? Who helps you accomplish change in your life?

Ponderer in Print! Interview with Lisa Jordan

2011-10-28T02:00:00.001-04:00

With the official launch of our very own Ponderer, Lisa Jordan's first novel release only days away, I stole her away for a moment to get her thoughts. It's been quite a journey for Lisa to go from dream to her book being available on Amazon.com. Here's a look at her experience:

1) Now that you're seeing your first book on Amazon.com, how does that make you feel?

With Lakeside Reunion releasing on Amazon and days from the official release date, I feel like a bride-to-be counting down the days to her wedding. I’ve dreamed of this for so long, and now it’s finally becoming a reality. I’m also humbled that God would use little ole me to touch readers’ hearts.

2) Regarding the period from contract to publication, what are some of the challenges you faced?

Not having a housekeeper or personal chef meant I had to pull myself away from writing to clean my house and cook for my family. Do they really need clean towels or food? Really, though, it’s been a juggling act—my full-time job as in-home childcare provider, church obligations, MBT responsibilities, writing—promoting book 1, revising book 2 and plotting book 3—and staying caught up on what Gibbs and the team are up to on NCIS.

3) How did you overcome those things?

I’m a List Maker (Blessed are the list makers for they shall organize the earth). I have a daily to-do list that I sometimes ignore, but for the most part prioritize what needs to be done. I use stolen moments during the day to do social networking, small household tasks, and then spend a couple of hours each evening after dinner to work on my current WIP.

4) Now that you've published your first novel, what's next for you?

Last week, I signed the contract for my second novel, Lakeside Family that will be released in August 2012 by Love Inspired. I’m finishing those revisions, and then I will begin plotting my third novel so I can write the rough draft during NaNoWriMo.

5) What words of wisdom would you like to share with those writers who would like to see their novels on Amazon.com?

Stay focused on your end goal by learning the craft and don’t be in a hurry to get published. Take time to learn your strengths and weaknesses. Find your voice—don’t try to copy other authors. And most importantly, give it all up to God. He knows the desires of your heart and will order your steps.

We are very proud of you, Lisa, and wish you well on your release.

Reba J. Hoffman

Lisa's Bio: Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories that feature both comes naturally to her. She has been writing contemporary Christian romance for more than a decade. Her debut novel, Lakeside Reunion, will be released in November by Love Inspired. Her second novel, Lakeside Family, will be released in August 2012 by Love Inspired. Happily married for over twenty years, Lisa and her husband have two young adult sons. When she isn’t writing or caring for children in her in-home childcare business, Lisa enjoys family time, romantic comedies, good books, crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. Connect with Lisa on Twitter, Like her on Facebook and sign up for her newsletter on her Website.

Don't Miss: Lisa is holding a scavenger hunt and lakeside photo contest to promote her Lakeside Reunion release. Visit her Lakeside Reunion Contest page for more information. *Please note the Scavenger Hunt form has been updated to include more bloggers.
The token for this blog is a duck.

Back cover copy: Bed-and-breakfast owner Lindsey Porter prays she won’t run into Stephen Chase when she returns to Shelby Lake. Five years ago, the cop jilted her to marry another woman, and Lindsey fled town. But no sooner does she hit city limits than Stephen pulls her over for a broken taillight. Despite the past, he’s still able to stir up Lindsey’s old feelings for him. Now a widower and single dad, Stephen recognizes a second chance when he sees one. And he’ll do anything to make Lindsey trust in God and take a risk for love—again. Read an excerpt of Lakeside Reunion

Book Review (and Contest): Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

2011-10-26T00:01:00.001-04:00

What's not to love about a book that has a little bit of everything?
Romance.
Mystery.
History.
Redemption.
Hope.
Forgiveness.

And, oh yeah. Best-selling author Susan May Warren's trademark engaging storytelling.

I've already handed my copy of Baby, It's Cold Outside off to one of my friends. I'm willing to share a bit early Christmas cheer! And I also was intrigued by the different characters -- especially Violet, who dared to be herself and go against the "traditional" life expected of women back in the 1940s.Violet has her reasons for choosing to serve in the Women's Army Air Corps (WAAC). The question is: What will Violet's choice cost her?

So what's Baby, It's Cold Outside about?

Hope finds the hopeless when a storm hits.

It's Christmas weekend 1949, and despite the threat of a storm, the townspeople of Frost are determined to continue their holiday traditions, if only as a means to forget the war that they had all just suffered through. But the suffering hasn't ended for Dottie Morgan, who lost her only son in the war. She's preparing to wallow in her isolation for the weekend, when Violet, nearly a spinster at age 29, dares to make a request that will force Dottie to publicly revive the memory of her dead son.

When a storm traps the two women at home with a strange young man who has an unbelievable confession and a neighbor with more to do with Violet's past than she would like, no one can predict how this Christmas will give them all a second chance.

Read an excerpt here and find out the story behind the novel.

CONTEST INFO: Baby, It’s Cold Outside – warm up with a Kindle Fire from Susan May Warren

Warm up to Christmas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One festive winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire
Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Scared of the unwritten word

2011-10-24T00:01:00.001-04:00

I'm not generally a fearful person. Snakes don't bother me, and if I see a spider I simply kindly request that Charlotte find a new home...in the toilet. Heights don't freak me out too much as long as I'm standing on something firm – like, say, a mountain – and I don't even mind speaking in front of a crowd.

Rats, sushi and bungee-jumping do sorta creep me out, but they're easily avoided.

My to-be-written second book, though? Oh, the fright! We're talking newest-orphan-in-Miss-Hannigan's-orphanage terrified.

Each time I try to sit down to work on my new WIP, my fears multiply like a whiz kid in grade school practicing his times tables. I'm scared my characters lack depth. I'm scared I've got a tired, overdone plot. I'm scared my voice is lost underneath clunky scenes and clumsy storytelling.

In this state of fear, I've recently turned to my faithful standby: procrastination.

You know, procrastination can actually prove to be quite productive. In recent weeks I've reorganized the items in my walk-in closet by season, color and frequency of use. I've tried out my new Stir Crazy popcorn popper (thanks, Mom and Dad) and enjoyed every buttery, salty kernel while delighting in my new Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers dvd set. I've sat down with all my bills and my checkbook and attempted to rethink my budget. (Keyword, attempted. Remind me to marry a man with financial savvy.) Ooh, and I've even pulled out a business card from a local dentist's office and considered scheduling an appointment. (Note: I considered it. Didn't actually do it. Dentists bring out the “Waahh, do I hafta?” in me.)

All this...but I just can't face that blank screen.

I'm scared. At the root of that fear, I'm certain, is worry that I just plain can't do it...can't write this book.

Thankfully, the Bible has something to say about that: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” - 2 Timothy 1:7.

Fear – except for the reverent kind we're supposed to have toward God – never comes from God. Instead, He's given us power – which I think is often displayed through our talents; love – which is the essential ingredient in every single worthwhile pursuit; and self-discipline – something a determined writer can't be without. I may not feel brave in the face of a new story, but I can feel confidant that God will never, ever abandon me in this writing journey.

So, well, I can organize my cupboards or scrub the bathtub or veg out to another classic film...or I can take Timothy's encouragement to heart and write.

I bet I'm not the only one who struggles with fear of the unwritten word. How do you overcome the blank screen terror?

Melissa Tagg
www.melissatagg.com

The Countdown is On...

2011-10-21T00:25:00.000-04:00

To the ACFW 2012 Conference in Dallas, Texas? Don’t be silly! (Although, it’s 335 days away. You know, in case you were wondering.)

The countdown is on for NaNoWriMo 2012!! The NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth begins at midnight on November 1st. So, if you’re planning to join the roughly 200,000 people writing a novel (defined as at least 50,000 words that string together in a somewhat cohesive story) in November, you’d better grab your chocolate, stock up on caffeinated drinks, and fill the freezer with meals for your family because you now have less than eleven days.

My October 2010 blog post details NaNoWriMo (as does Lisa Jordan’s) and all the reasons to write a novel in 30 days. In addition, visit the new and improved official NaNoWriMo website for a plethora of fabulous information. The rules are simple; you can spend hours, days, or even years researching your novel, but you cannot begin work on the 50K brand new words (in your brand new WIP) until 12:00:00 am on 11.01.11. Fun, yes?

I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo since 2008. I’ve always gone into it as a Pantser, with rather mixed results. This year I am going to try something new. This year I’m going into November with a Buddy. MBT's The Book Buddy, that is.

This year, I am spending October pondering my story with Charles Dickens. Yes, I named The Book Buddy…doesn’t everyone? Chuck, as I like to call him, is helping me sketch out a plan for my story in hopes that the time I spend churning out 50K words in November will produce something useful. Trust me; nothing I’ve written in my previous three NaNoWriMo adventures has been worth keeping.

Chuck’s first 30 pages help me brainstorm my story and flesh out my characters. Chuck’s questions allow me to see my protagonist’s journey while discovering the villain, subplots, and layering along the way. The next 20 pages focus on each of my three acts, with several pages devoted to getting my inciting incident just right. The appendix of The Book Buddy is packed with worksheets designed to help me plan as much (or as little) as I like/want/need.

Finally, when I surface in December with a completed first draft, I can come back to Chuck for help improving the POV, dialogue, Storyworld, emotional layering, and word painting. He will even walk me through writing a stunning synopsis, a perfect premise, and the quintessential query letter.

Obviously Chuck doesn’t actually speak, which is probably a good thing since it means he can’t sidetrack me with talk of Beyonce’s baby bump or last night’s episode of The Mentalist. He does his best to keep me on the pathway to victory. When he is silent, the 2011 MBT WriMo is available for interaction with actual human writers. I hope you’ll join us for fellowship, writing tips, daily encouragement, weekly devotionals and, of course, fabulous prizes. (Including a brand new 3G Kindle Touch!!!)

Here's the best part: if you sign up for NaNoWriMo and then post on the MBT Voices NaNoWriMo forum, you will be given a link to purchase The Book Buddy at a special discounted rate offered only to NaNoWriMo participants. I know, right?!

Even if you are already knee-deep in your current WIP, please join us at MBT for MyWriMo! Sign up as a “Personal Goals Participant” in the forum and enjoy fun and accountability as you work toward whatever personal goal you choose. (Not to mention, special personal goals prizes!)

To kick off the NaNoWriMo prize party, The Ponderers will give away a copy of Susan May Warren’s The Book Buddy to one lucky winner. To be entered, leave us a comment with your November writing goals and what we can do to help you reach them between now and Monday (24^th) at 6 pm PST. (*Naming your Buddy is optional.)

One last thing: I’ve included recipes with my last two blog posts because I love food. So, in honor of The Book Buddy (and his/my love of chocolate) I decided to include the recipe for a yummy NaNoWriMo-appropriate treat. Enjoy!

Chex®Muddy Buddies®

9 cups Corn Chex®, Rice Chex®, Wheat Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon reseal-able food-storage plastic bag.

3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Makes 18 servings. What? Who are we kidding? This maybe makes 6 or 7 servings.

~Heidi Larson Geis

***BY THE WAY: The winner of last week's drawing for Jenny B. Jones' latest book, There You'll Find Me, is . . . (drumroll) . . . SKY! Sky, your TBR pile just got a little less meager!! Please email your mailing address to melissatagg@yahoo.com and she'll send you the book pronto. Congratulations, and thanks to everyone who commented!***

Pondering packaging...and ketchup

2011-10-19T10:19:00.002-04:00

This month I’ve been pondering packaging – where my new story idea fits in Susie May Warren’s list of six basic plots I learned about at the premiere Storycrafter’s Retreat:

Overcoming the monster: Hero on behalf of a greater good sets out to take on and slay some evil, deadly foe.

Rags to riches: Someone faces external obstacles of society or personal opposition, and the story ends with her finding the real “riches” within herself, and in the end, getting her dreams.

The great quest: The story’s about the journey, the friends made along the journey and how they band together to accomplish a task, win the treasure or the war.

Home again, home again: Stories about people leaving the world they know, being changed by the experience, and then taking those changes home and adapting them to their world.

Beast to beauty: About a person forces to go into a “prison” of some kind. They are finally redeemed by either an outside liberator, or by personal enlightenment.

A tragedy is a takeoff of this without the happy ending, the dream turns into a nightmare and they are destroyed.

See the light: the stories about people who are forced to re-examine who they are, or are in the middle of a misunderstanding, and they must find a new perspective to come through it and see the light.

How is it possible that all the stories ever written can basically be boiled down to six different categories and still be interesting?

Packaging.

I got a gift from a fellow ketchup lover this week. It’s little travel packets of ketchup, but instead of being the itty bitty squeeze packs you get at fast food restaurants, this packet is 3x as big, with the option to squeeze the ketchup out, or peel the top and dip your nuggets. Genius. Really. Why didn’t I invent this?

Yet, it’s still just ketchup.

This got me pondering…how can I package my story idea to make it unique and memorable, even though it will still fall into one of the six basic plots outlined above?

How about you, where does your plot fall? What makes it unique?

Happy pondering,

Amy

Guerrilla Marketing

2011-10-17T00:01:00.010-04:00

Gone are the days when writers can crank out great novels and sit back on their laurels reaping huge royalty statements.

What? Huge royalty statements are mostly a figment of vivid imaginations? It figures. A published author once told me never divide a royalty statement by the number of hours put into a manuscript. Too depressing to see what you really earn per hour. In fact, the more you learn about the publishing industry, the more you understand what Gene Fowler wrote: "Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead." (Read here for the fascinating metamorphosis of that quote.)

But bleeding your life's blood onto your paper--or computer screen--isn't enough. (And don't drip on your Mac or PC.) Once you're fortunate enough to get your baby published, you've got to market the little darling. In other words, you've got to find readers who you hope will pay full price, not find it on eBay. At a discount. Two days before it hits the stores. Like an author did.

According to my good friend Wiki (online encyclopedia Wikipedia), guerrilla marketing was created as an "unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than on a big marketing budget."

Well, that last phrase is certainly good news for writers. Because after that not-huge-at-all royalty statement, who has a lot of money for marketing? Yet it must be done because if you don't market your book, chances are no one will. Publishers today don't have much of a budget to promote your book until you have a large platform. (Translation: number of readers.) Yeah, a Catch-22.

What's needed is a great book on the complexities of marketing just for authors like Guerrilla Marketing for Writers 100 No-Cost, Low-Cost Weapons for Selling Your Work by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, Michael Larsen and David L. Hancock.

An endorsement for the book says:
"As a veteran author myself and president of a PR firm specializing in author promotion, we know what it takes to promote a book. Every author on the planet should read Guerrilla Marketing for Writers and devour every word. In this age of lightning-strike attention spans, this book will keep you glued to every page. If you write a book, be sure to read this one first."--Robyn Spizman, president of the Spizman Agency and author of more than sixty how-to books.

If that doesn't have your fingers skipping over to Amazon right now--Wait! Not this second, please. After you're finished reading this post--I don't know what else will convince you that you need this book. Seriously, stop shoving this part of your career into the back of a closet like those size 8 jeans you still dream of wearing one day. So while you're trying to write and publish the best books you possibly can, don't forget to add some of the 100 guerrilla weapons to your marketing arsenal. In doing so, you'll gain readers by marketing your book as diligently as you wrote it.

~Roxanne Sherwood

Pondering The Write Technology

2011-10-14T00:01:00.009-04:00

Technology. Ugh!

My move to Nevada has put me into the black hole of Internet access. Ugh!

I live just outside of Carson City. In fact, the only thing dividing me from the actual city limits is a mountain. You’d think I moved into either the middle of the Bonneville Salt Flats or some third world country! My only option? Get a new cell phone with wireless access.

Now the fun begins!

Is that what you call it? Really? Who would have thought twenty years ago that our phones could take pictures, send emails, and clean our house? Oh, it doesn’t clean our house? Bummer. Well, give it time.

Technology is growing at an unheard pace. If we could track its velocity in miles per hour, it would rival the land speed record or maybe break the sound barrier!

Everyday a new software application is developed. (I’m still hoping for the one that cleans my house.) You can find apps to help you balance your checkbook, find your car in a parking lot, and burn fat. Although its guaranteed, I highly question the last one. (You set your phone on your tummy while you watch TV and it causes you to flex your stomach muscles.) Somehow I don’t think it’s going to turn me into Demi Moore. Personally, I’d rather flex my muscles by hauling a bag of books to the beach. But even that has succumbed to the invasion of technology. My cherished novels have been reduced to specks on a silicon chip.

Change is also affecting hardware, you know the pieces parts that make up your computer. Every year hardware is created at a fraction of the size of its predecessor. When I started my career in Information Technology, computers had a room number. Now, the memory that those machines used can be held on the tip of your finger.

The hardest part is keeping up with it all. As writers, we are not geeks. Our speech isn’t dotted with computer acronyms or works like ram, gigabytes, or nanoseconds, but we use computers daily. Some of us, me included, find it hard to keep up with the changes to our favorite software programs. Who didn’t spend time looking for their favorite options in Word when Microsoft moved everything to the toolbar at the top and categorized them? Very few.

The next generation is already growing up knowing more than us because of the vast resources at their fingertips. And who would have thought that networking would be reduced to entries in Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn?

Our world is changing. Gone is the handwritten note, the manuscript punched out on a Royal typewriter, and our memories! I should say my memory. I could once recite everyone’s phone number by heart. Now I remember very few. All because they are stored in the memory of my phone. But computers are here to stay. They are in our cars, our phones, our refrigerators and our lives.

So why am I pondering this now? Starting in January's MBT Ezine, I will be heading up a technical column called The Write Technology. My vision is to talk about the things that writers struggle with when it comes to their computers and associated software. I'd like to show you tips and tricks, review writing software, and have a periodic grab bag of questions.

So to start me off, what question(s) do you have when it comes to computers? What areas would you like to see addressed? How would this column benefit you the most? What subjects would you like to see covered? If you don't have anything at this moment, but think of something later, you can always send your questions to me at the email address below.

Happy computing everyone!

Jennie Atkins

jennie_k_atkins@yahoo.com

Pondering the Dog That Ate My Homework (and Other Themes)

2011-10-12T01:40:00.001-04:00

It’s almost one a.m. I’m sitting in a dark house, huddled over my laptop, unable to sleep, thanks to the caffeine from my late-night Sobe indulgence and a Christmas brainstorming session that won’t take a break. Oh, and the little fact that between the aforementioned brainstorming session and an evening cleaning job, I forgot to prepare my blog post for today. Can I blame it on the dog, too?

Oh wait. I don’t have one.

So…here I am. Pondering what to ponder and wondering if I’ll be breaking some hidden Ponderer guideline if I don’t get this done in time. Will I get booted from the club? I was late to the party, anyway--not meeting my fellow Ponderers until the second My Book Therapy retreat. And what about my conference flubs? Last month at ACFW, I was too tired to hang out some nights. Didn’t express my feelings well on a somewhat controversial topic. Got a little defensive when I couldn’t even stutter out a practice pitch and everyone else had just come through Susie’s fantastic Pitch and Promote workshop.

So here I am, wondering if this is the last straw. Do they still want me? Maybe they’ll finally really take a look at all my failings and imperfections. And then they’ll figure it out—that I’m not meant to be a Ponderer.

That no matter how hard I try…I’m not good enough. I’ll never be worth it.

You ever feel like that? Maybe, maybe not. But I know others who have. Cole. Jake. Sari. Lizzy. All characters from my novels. Oh, their struggles are so different from mine, so much more serious. But in the end, it seems to all boil down to this…

Grace.

We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. But Jesus is there, holding out His nail-scarred hands, wanting to give us this amazing gift. Unmerited favor. Unconditional love. There, for the taking.

Someone once told me that if a preacher frequently chooses the same topic to preach on, maybe he’s the one in need of the message. So tell me, is there a common theme that keeps popping up in your stories? Take a look and see if God is trying to remind you of something.

P. S. Thanks, Ponderers, for being gracious. And for indulging a little bit of melodrama. I tend to get that way after midnight. :-)

~ Jenness Walker

Interview with one of fiction's funniest: Jenny B. Jones

2011-10-10T00:00:00.120-04:00

When I'm a fan of something or someone, I'm a fan. Like Punky Brewster and her pigtails, when I latch on, I latch on tight. And I'm pretty sure I knew from the first page of the first Jenny B. Jones novel I ever picked up, I'd found something to add to my faves list. Both her YA and adult novels blend seriously funny with seriously poignant...and I can't get enough.

So when I had the chance to meet Jenny B. Jones at the recent ACFW conference, I was a tad --fine, ridiculously--excited. And I'm thrilled she's joining us today. Her latest novel, There You'll Find Me, released this month from Thomas Nelson. So check out her interview and make sure to read to the end for a giveaway!

1) Okay, so I just finished There You'll Find Me and loved it! I love the hilarity in your books, but also the depth of your characters. How do you balance funny and serious--do you have to work at it or does it come naturally?

First of all, thank you. I really appreciate the kind words--I don't take that lightly. Especially for a book that's not my usual fare.

It is a balance--the humor with the serious. And I think it comes from my own gut and personality. I can't handle too much serious and heavy in my own world, so when I'm creating it fiction-wise, and I've taken the characters down in that dark place, I've got to pull them back up with some light. There always has to be hope and light, and usually in the form of humor. I want all my books to be entertaining. Not depressing.

2) TYFM is set in Ireland, and I believe in your Acknowledgements you mention you visited Ireland. Do you have a fun/funny travel story or favorite moment from your visit?

Unfortunately I don't have funny stories from Ireland. I think I posted some funny pics from the trip maybe on my blog back in the day. (search Ireland, I guess.) This isn't funny really, but when you travel international or incur a big time change, you want to not go to sleep as soon as you arrive at your international destination, if it's still day. For example, we left America early on a Tuesday morning. We arrived in Ireland the next day in the morning. We hadn't slept. We looked awful. But to synchronize your body and internal clock so you're not wasted the whole trip, you can't go to sleep--nothing more than a wee nap, anyway. So we arrive at our first B and B in the afternoon. And we've been up almost two days straight. It's too early for the family to let us check in, so we just slept in their driveway for a few hours in a car no bigger than a roller skate. Having to wake up from that nap was one of the most painful experiences ever. I could've just laid there and bawled.

But what stuck out the most about the trip was the incredible kindness and hospitality of the Irish. Living in the South, I see kind and hospitable, but the Irish are just in another league. And oh, the accent. I could listen to that all day. While the town of Abbeyglen in the book is fictional, all of the landmarks are real.

3) TYFM is the YA follow-up to your contemporary adult novel Save the Date. Did you know as you were writing Save the Date you'd be writing Finley's story next? Can you give us a glimpse of your story-crafting process?

Jenny B. Jones (left) with Gina Conroy and someone who's pretty
popular around here, Susan May Warren. :)

I'm a seat of the pants writer, so I didn't plan on a Finley in Save the Date. But by the middle of the book, I kept thinking, "My next book is a YA. Why not let Finley have her story?" It was kind of hard to do for There You'll Find Me because it set a lot of ground rules for the story--things I couldn't change. Finley had a bratty past. Finley had grief. Finley had grief she hadn't really dealt with.

As far as story crafting for most books, it usually starts with ideas for characters. Then pieces of dialogue. It rarely comes to me in these visions of a complete plot. I wish.

4) I loooove both your YA and adult novels. What are some of the biggest differences in writing YA versus adult (assuming there are some!)? Is one harder/easier?
Thank you. : )

There's less of a difference than you'd think. The 30-year-old heroine still has drama, still can't figure out boys, and endures the occasional bad hair day. She just has a later curfew. And maybe a house payment.

5) Shucks, I just turned 30. I thought the bad hair days might be over. Okay, so in TYFM, Beckett Rush is an actor in vampire movies. Are you a Twilight fan? And if so, I have to ask: Team Jacob or Team Edward? (Personal confession: I've not cracked open a Twilight novel nor gone to any of the movies...and yet, I'm very firmly in the Team Jacob camp. Mostly 'cause if I have to choose between excessive hair or pale, sparkly skin and the possibility that the dude would bite me, well, hair wins. )

I have read the Twilight series. I really liked the first book. But as for Team Jacob or Team Edward...I'm Team Potter. A guy who can use his brain, make good friends, and care about his reputation AND the fate of the world? That's a standup dude.

...5b) Slightly more serious, who are some of your author faves or books on your TBR list?

Proof that I did in fact
meet Jenny B. Jones!

Oh, gosh, my TBR list is ridiculous. My TBR pile is ridiculous. I have One Day by David Nicholls that's been sitting by my bed for about six months. I just finished Wonderstruck by the fabulous, amazing, incredible author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a YA, but a must-read for anyone with a pulse and a heart. I have had Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution on my table for the better part of a year. A Beth Moore book. I'm really good at buying books and not reading them. I read mostly general market fiction, but some Christian fiction authors I enjoy are Christa Allan, Rachel Hauck, Kristin Billerbeck, Nicole O'Dell, Cara Putman, Ronie Kendig, Robin Miller, Marybeth Whalen, Susan May Warren, Susan Meissner. I could go on all day with that. How about you?

6) [Pause. Searching Amazon.com for The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Impulse buying.] I love it when you share bits of your students' brilliance on your blog! As a teacher and a writer, do you have any tips for those of us who are balancing jobs and the writing thing?

Hire a cleaning service.

Use your crockpot.

Win the lottery.

8) Your website "About Me" bio includes a few fun facts...but you stop at the letter "F." Can you give us G, H, I? (Another confession: I had to sing the alphabet in order to type that question...)

That's totally me. Whenever I open a dictionary, I completely lose all sense of alphabet.

G. I hate coffee.

H. My favorite genre to read is historical romance.

I. I think there is something biologically whacked about me in that I'm incapable of keeping fingernail polish on. One hour WITH all those fancy top coats and junk--still chipped off. And it's not because I'm doing manual labor. . .

Thanks so much for joining us today! Okay, so I promised a giveaway. Here we go...I'll draw a name from the comments section for a copy of There You'll Find Me. All you have to do? Answer the question Jenny asked above - what's in your TBR pile? Or, ask a question for Jenny (she's available later in the day to respond to questions). The contest lasts through this Friday, October 14, at 5 p.m., and the winner will be announced next Monday.

Melissa Tagg

www.melissatagg.com

Blogging to the Reader, Not the Writer

2011-10-07T00:01:00.000-04:00

Based on the advice of friend and fellow author Katie Ganshert, I've been reading Kristen Lamb'sbooks, We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media and Are You There Blog? It's Me, Writer on my Kindle. If you don't have the books, she shares alot of similar information on her blog.

Her books are full of wit andwisdom with a dash of snark. She says writers should be blogging for their readers, not otherwriters.

Now I have to confesssomething—blogging is painful for me. Likebrain-numbing-headache-when-you-eat-ice-cream-too-fast-painful. The hardestpart is coming up with a topic. If I have that, then I can ramble. AsI'm doing now.

So why bother?

Blogging builds your online presence when your books release. Lamb recommends writers to blog before they even make that first sale. Readers like to visit their favorite authors' websites. Someday I hope to be somebody's favorite author, and I want to offer them something to keep them coming back to my site. If cyber chocolate could satisfy, that'd be a no brainer way to keep them coming back.

But to blog for my reader? Whatin the world was I going to say?

Enter a wise woman we know andlove—Reba J. Hoffman! Her simplistic suggestion was that 'a ha' moment for me. She said,"You're a romance writer, right? So write about romance. Being married 22years, you should know something about the subject." Can you just hear her voice inside your head saying that? We put our heads (avatar heads since this was through Yahoo IM) togetherand brainstormed enough topics to blog about for the six months.

My first romance-focused post, Romantic Gestures, went up onMonday. Readers are not flocking to my site yet, and that's okay. But I have clarity. Since mytagline for my novels is Promises of Hope & Happily Ever After, and my brandis Lisa Jordan, contemporary Christian romance author, then when readers visitmy blog, they have an idea what to expect.

If you are testing the bloggingwaters, or you have been blogging for a while now, take a step back and adjustyour lens to see if you are blogging for your core audience of readers or ifyou are blogging for fellow writers. If targeting writers is your choice andgoal, then go for it! But if you are blogging to writers because you feel likeyou should, then consider what you want to offer your reader and focus yourblog toward subjects dear to your heart and genre.

· If you are a historical romance writer,blog about your time period—clothes, mannerisms, family life, dating.

· If you are a women's fiction writer, blogabout issues women care about—family, careers, health, budgets.

· If you are a speculative fiction writer,then blog about spec stuff. I'd give suggestions, but I have no clue!

When you choose to blog, stayconsistent and stay focused. Keeping those two key points in mind, yourreadership will continue to grow.

PONDERING MURDERING MY LITTLE DARLINGS...

2011-10-05T00:01:00.005-04:00

No, not my family and not Mazie, although sometimes...

No, I'm pondering whether or not to cut my manuscript from 85,000 words to 60,000. That means I must as Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, then William Faulkner and lately Stephen King advised, murder my little darlings. All 25,000 words. Twenty.Five.Thousand.

These aren't just any old words. These are words I have cut my wrists and bled onto the page (or computer screen). Emotionally charged words that touch emotions. Really good scenes. Witty dialogue, even.

So, why would I?

Mainly because several people I respect in the writing world have suggested my book has a certain feel to it, as in a Love Inspired Suspense rather than the larger book I've written. I value their input, but had resisted for several months acting on it. I didn't want to do the work it would take to make it conform to the LIS guidelines of 55,000 - 60,000 words.

If I go this route I'm pondering, I'll also have to completely rewrite the opening chapter because in an LIS (or any Love Inspired book), the hero and heroine must meet in the first chapter, and in my book, they don't meet until Chapter Three. I've actually gone so far as to start writing that first chapter.

Guess what? I'm liking this opening...maybe even better than the one I had.

So, what am I learning as I ponder? That every word I write makes me a better writer, even those words I have to cut. That God puts people in my life who aren't afraid to tell me what I don't want to hear. That cutting those 25,000 words might actually make my book the best it's ever been.

I'm giving away a $10 ITunes gift card to someone who leaves a comment...or notes how many times I used the word ponder or pondering in my post.

Pat Trainum
www.lovefaithandmurder.com
www.ptbradley.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
@PTBradley1

I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write

Author Interview: Jody Hedlund (& book giveaway!)

2011-10-03T00:01:00.005-04:00

Meeting Jody Hedlund at the 2011 ACFW conference

One of the people I especially wanted to meet at ACFW was author Jody Hedlund. I didn't realize how difficult that would be because Jody is quite well-known and well-liked--understandably so! I finally snagged a photo with her--and a hug!--on the last night.
Jody's newest historical novel, The Doctor's Lady, came out in September. I started reading it--and ignored my family until I finished it. In other words: You want to read this book!

What are you pondering right now?
I'm thankful for where I'm at in my writing career--with two published books (The Preacher's Bride and The Doctor's Lady). I'm sort of like the parent of a baby and a toddler. I don't have all the new book jitters that come with a debut book. I know what to expect and how to handle the various aspects of a book release. And yet, I'm still learning to juggle two books and the new demands that come from adding more. Like any young parent, I'm still learning and growing, but also thankful to be past that brand-new stage.

If not a writer--then what?
A writing coach. If I ever reach the point where I'm unable to write, I'd love to help and encourage other writers. Or maybe a professional reader--if there is such a thing. I'd love to read and review books as a way to promote and support other authors.

Why this story, The Doctor's Lady?
This story came out of the desire to bring to life a forgotten woman of history, Narcissa Whitman. She was the first white woman to cross the United States overland with her doctor husband with the plan of starting a mission for the Nez Perce natives. She was incredibly brave to risk a trip that was called "the unheard of journey for women." Because of her courage, determination and inspiring faith, she paved the way for all the women who would come after her in what would become known as the Oregon Trail.

So what's your backstory? (I can read your bio--what's left out?)
I'm a professional coffee drinker and connoisseur of fine chocolates! I'm also an avid Survivor watcher and faithful Qdoba burrito eater.

What part of writing comes easily to you and what part would you rather assign to someone else?
I fall passionately in love with my first draft. Of course there are always days when the writing is slow-going and I have to sit down and force myself to just do it. But, overall, I really enjoy writing my first drafts. I fall out of love with my manuscript by the time I get in-house edits. And I usually feel like throwing my book in the trash by the time I get to my very last edit--the galleys. I'd gladly let someone else read through my manuscript for me at that point!

When you're stuck--call it Writer's Block or plain ol' frustration with your characters--what's your never-failed-you-yet way out?
Music always helps me. There's something about passionate, moving songs or soundtracks that elicits deep emotions within me that helps the story flow a bit more smoothly.
But usually, what helps the most is just planting myself in front of the computer, re-reading a little bit of the story, and then forcing my fingers to type the next words. Whether the words are good or bad, I force myself to write.

What's in your To Be Read (TBR) pile?
Like many, my TBR is a mile high. Currently at the top, I have Lisa T. Bergren's new young adult series, River of Time. My daughters have read the books and raved about them. I pulled the first book, Waterfall, to the top of my pile.

For a chance to win a copy of The Doctor's Lady, leave a comment below. You can ask Jody a question or talk Survivor, coffee, or Qdoba! And if you've read either of Jody's books, let us know!

Lessons from Caesar: Conquering the Writer's Life

2011-09-30T00:01:00.002-04:00

In military dispatches home declaring victory in his 47 BC war in Pontus (Turkey), Julius Caesar wrote, "Veni, Vidi, Vici."
I came, I saw, I conquered.
I hope that is also our report for those of us who attended ACFW--and those who stayed home: setting goals and achieving them (or most of them) and writing victory messages.
A gifted strategist, Caesar didn't reach Rome's highest political pinnacle by military prowess alone. His crafted words to Rome's citizens were the "horse" carrying him to emperor-ship. Before he was well-known, Caesar became popular as his Gallic (French) Wars and other military dispatches won wide readership because of their hilarious, timeless tales. For example, since Hannibal conquered Rome using elephants and those beasts terrified Romans, Caesar reported that France had elephants too, that his soldiers cleverly defeated. They discovered elephants sleep upright leaning against trees, so using two-man, cross-cut saws, soldiers sawed in rhythm to elephant snores, until trees toppled and beasts fell on their sides, allowing soldiers to leap on board and dispatch them. Ridiculous? Yes. Unforgettable? Absolutely!
Similarly, before battles and after giving his men brilliant military strategy, Caesar's best joke writers delivered the funniest possible stories so troops ran into battle roaring with laughter. History reports that more than half of all enemies faced turned and fled before fighting.
Popular Caesar-crafted phrases stay with us such as "Divide and conquer," and "Crossing the Rubicon." Catchy phrases work for us too, producing God-inspired writing that delivers, motivates and produces change. At ACFW, some met with success while other heard no or not yet. Meanwhile, we continue honing skills, scrimmaging, i.e. practicing our pitches, and preparing for our next engagement--all with a dose of humor.

For me, being a Genesis finalist means more open doors to walk through. Though I didn't win, I won the fabulous wealth of great friendships and prayer support from those there and at home. God is in charge. His answers for all of us are yes, no or wait, but keep working.
May we write every day as pens held in His hand expressing Him, while encouraging one another.

Delores Topliff

When the Voices Awaken

2011-09-28T10:43:00.001-04:00

4:18 a.m.

Most people are asleep at that hour, unless they're third-shifters or my brother-in-law. My alarm wasn't set to go off for another hour and forty-two minutes. Too early to get up, so I pulled the sheet to my chin and rolled over to catch a few more minutes of sleep.

Uh, right...

As soon as my eyelids cracked to glance at the time, the voices in my head yawned and stretched and started their incessant chattering. They elbowed and pushed to be at the front of my consciousness. So while the roosters were still asleep, I lay in bed and listened to the house noises, Hubby's breathing, and my characters as they lounged in the creative corner of my brain to dissect a current plotting problem. By 5 a.m., I wasn't going back to sleep, so I slid out of bed and headed for my Mac to transcribe what played out in my head.

Like most of my writing friends, we talk to the voices in our heads. This career choice may excuse us from taking a walk with the men in white coats, but it does cause us to be on the receiving end of some pretty weird looks.

Case in point ... a while back, I had coffee (Chai for me) with three friends. I mentioned my current novel and the voices in my head. You would've thought I had just told them I was quitting my job to take up basket weaving in Papua New Guinea. They teased me good-naturally, but continue to support my heart's desire.

Non-writers are like Muggles--they don't "get it." I think Brandilyn Collins calls them "Normals."

I don't have Harry Potter’s magical abilities, but I can create a story idea from a headline, a snippet of a song, or even a scent that evokes a memory. Writers have a tendency to "what if" a situation in order to take an idea and spin it into a story.

Most people worry if they start hearing voices. I worry if I don't because that means my muse has gone AWOL.

Your Turn: Have you been awoken by the voices? Do you muzzle them and roll over to go to sleep? Have you been surprised by what they wanted to tell you? What inspires you to create a story?

Lisa Jordan
www.lisajordanbooks.com

Chosen

2011-09-26T00:00:00.002-04:00

Chosen.

I’m in the midst of preparing to leave my family, job, and classes for the 2011ACFW conference this week in St. Louis. I’m feeling pretty inadequate.

See, up until a little while ago, I just loved to read. I read voraciously. I read on the elliptical, in the car, waiting in line, at the doctor's office. Anywhere I could get a few minutes in, I always had a book to read.

Then God gave me a vision to write books.

Writing, really?

I’m the chick that says, “Keep on walking if you’re looking for someone creative.”

You need me to prepare a spreadsheet? Got it.

Prepare projections based on the past year sales trends for our family business? No problem.

Cook for twenty women? I'm your go-to-gal.

Keep 12 kids for one week and volunteer at Vacation Bible School? Walk in the park.

Write books ... Hmmmm.

When I began to doubt myself, God sent me this Scripture. (Amazing how He does that, isn’t it?)

John 15:16 -- You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as [a]presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you. (Amplified)

This is why I chose the picture of the woman jumping for joy. Ecstatic. Happy. Exhilarated.

I, Alena Tauriainen was chosen by God. He has planted me here on this writing journey to go and bear and to keep bearing fruit.

And on those days the size of my writing efforts is grape-sized, then I stand on this Scripture:

Luke 8:15 -- But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just ([a]noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience. (Amplified)

I love the "steadily bringing forth fruit" part. Okay, so I’m not too crazy about the “with patience” part. Who is?

So how about you?

Do you know your Chosen? Appointed? Planted by God?

What can you do to get more watermelon-sized writing days?

Blessings!
Alena Tauriainen

Photo by Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

C is for Cookies!

2011-09-21T07:02:00.005-04:00

I should be sitting on a bed in a hotel room in St. Louis, shushing my crazy ACFW roomies so I can finish the blog I should’ve posted before flying out this morning. Sadly, I am sitting on my bed. In my bedroom. In Spokane, Washington. One thousand, eight hundred and nine miles away from my friends at the Hyatt Regency in St. Louis. (I know this because I mapquested it. Pathetic, I realize, but somewhat comforting to know if I accidentally got in my car and drove straight through, I could be there in just under 27 hours.)

Amy summed it up beautifully in her blog on Monday: my heart aches to be there. But I have decided to stop pouting, and actively search for the reason God has me at home. There’s nothing like a little perspective. And several dozen chocolate chip cookies.

Before my car accident (and subsequently God’s call to return to writing), I flirted with the idea of starting a catering company. My love of cooking sprouted when I was 16 and a local cookie shop owner gave me my first job.Ultimately I ended up catering weddings and teas and formal Christmas dinners. Over the years I discovered how much joy I find in feeding people. This, and the fact we don’t have cable TV, led me to an full-blown addiction to the PBS show America’s Test Kitchen, or ATK as I like to call it.

The show, hosted by Cook’s Illustrated editor-in-chief Christopher Kimball, is a 30 minute cooking class demonstrating the “right” way to prepare classic recipes. Kimball and his army of chefs and interns determine this “right” way using a combination of trial-and-error, science, experience and the feedback of a truckload of unbiased tasters. The ATK staff prepare everything from scrambled eggs to Poulet en cocotte (à la Julia Child) all the wrong ways so we don’t have to.

Since I spent my high school years baking and selling the absolute best homemade cookies on the planet, (and receiving all the owner's amazing recipes as a graduation gift!) I was especially interested when a recent America’s Test Kitchen episode featured the right way to make chocolate chip cookies. I was surprised to find their final recipe could not be more different than mine. They even recommended completely different chocolate chips!

So today, needing a diversion and curious how this new recipe stacked up against my own, I decided to stage my own taste test. I carefully followed each formula, and at the end of the day my family “tested” the finished products. My taste-testers made every effort to be impartial, but considering how long they’ve been eating my cookies, they totally knew which batch was Mom’s recipe. Let’s face it. They love the comfort of what they know. They love the warm memories linked to familiar textures and flavors. They love me. It was nearly impossible for them to not choose my cookies.

The professional chefs of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine and America’s Test Kitchen deemed their final recipe to be the perfect chocolate chip cookie, but my sweet family believed mine were better. So who’s right?

I believe they are both right. I think we will almost always choose that which is familiar. And this might seem like a stretch, but I think it’s the same way with writing conferences. There is no one “right” conference for every writer. ACFW is my favorite, and right now it is the only place I want to be. But just because it is familiar and comfortable and packed with fond memories, doesn’t mean it must remain my only choice.

Today, after nearly three decades of being completely loyal to one chocolate chip cookie recipe, I branched out and tried something new, something different. I used methods I would have never thought to try, with a delightfully delicious outcome. And I will definitely make them again.

I think you see what I’m getting at. Googling “chocolate chip cookie recipe,” will get you at least 3 million results. And while there probably aren’t 3 million choices for continuing your writing education, there are definitely enough for you to find your right one. Check out the blog post I wrote (almost a year ago today!) for just a few links to writing books, retreats, and conferences. If you do a little research, you will find something in the right location, spanning the perfect number of days during the right time of year, and easily within your budget. You just have to be willing to try something new.

If you are blessed enough to be in St. Louis, please give each other BIG hugs on my behalf! But if you are like me and staying home this weekend, I encourage you to try the ATK “Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies.” Then eat them warm from the oven with a big glass of milk while you research your “Perfect Writing Retreat.”

Ingredients

Photo courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions

With oven rack in the middle position, heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons of the butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted (about 2 minutes.) Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma (1 to 3 minutes.) Remove skillet from heat and with a heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth w/no sugar lumps (about 30 seconds.)Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Stir in flour mixture until just combined (about 1 minute.) Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Divide dough into 16 portions (about 3 tablespoons or a #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)
Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

TIPS: Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.

Wherever you are today, be sure to look for why God has you there!! And be encouraged that you are right where you HE wants you!! ~Heidi

P.S. NaNoWriMo starts in FORTY DAYS (and nineteen hours)!! Don't miss it!

Precious Moments

2011-09-19T00:00:00.002-04:00

Last year I didn’t go to ACFW. As the conference approached, people kept telling me God’s timing is perfect. He has a plan. This just isn’t the year for you.

Yeah, tell that to my heart. It ached. I wanted to go.

With everything going on in our family, I needed something more than a familiar cyber-hug from my Ponderers. You see, last August my father-in-law was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. There was nothing they could do. He had a year to live, at most. Our family was devastated. We decided to get a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. And there, we got a miracle. Mayo was willing to operate and on September 13, 2010, my father-in-law had surgery that they predicted would give him twenty more good years if he completed his radiation treatment. The only residual damage—an injured vocal cord that made Denny reluctant to speak in the weeks following his surgery.

Hope swelled. After the emotionally draining month, selfishly, perhaps, I longed to recharge at ACFW with the Ponderers who had walked this road with me. They even offered to fly me out for the weekend, just for a real hug.

Giddy with excitement, I told my husband I could make it work. His lack of enthusiasm surprised me. Not only that, he asked me to stay home. Even though I was crushed, I’ve learned to trust his discernment.

I’m ashamed to say my heart pouted a little that weekend, even as I tried to hide it. We did what we usually do with my husband’s parents, hang out, watch football. Nothing special, really. But during one of those average moments, when it was just my father-in-law and I alone, he rasped, “I know you wanted to be at your conference. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re here instead.”

That moment is forever etched in my memory. Denny came down with what we thought was pneumonia, but turned out to be more cancer. He died exactly two months from the date of his surgery on November 13, 2010.

I needed to be home that weekend. And God knew that.

This year I won’t be at ACFW, again. I won’t be getting Ponderer hugs, but I will be having an ultrasound with my hubby, finding out if we are having our first little girl or boy in February.

If you are staying home from the conference this year, I challenge you to be looking for why God has you where you are. Appreciate each moment, because each moment, wherever we are, is precious.

Blessings,

Amy

Cross photo

Rejections, Re-directions & Timing

2011-09-16T00:01:00.017-04:00

"Rejections slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil--but there is no way around them." --Isaac Asimov

Rejections.

I am fascinated by Kathryn Stockett's writing journey. Her first novel, The Help, is a New York Times bestseller and has been adapted as a movie. That alone is noteworthy. But the story behind the story is just as compelling because Stockett sold after receiving 60 rejections for her manuscript. You can read how she never gave up here .

Another author who wouldn't quit is Julie Lessman, a Ponderer guest, who received more than 40 rejections for her first manuscript. She's not sure of the actual number, since she received rejections even after she'd sold her novel, A Passion Most Pure, which won the American Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year.

Yet, Stockett's and Lessman's rejections are small potatoes compared to those of Literary Giants Agatha Christie and Jack London. In a span of four years, Christie, received 500 rejections before landing a publishing deal, and London collected over 600 rejections before selling a single story.

Re-directions.

Those authors wouldn't quit and went on to achieve great success. However, sometimes an author must put a manuscript aside in order to become published. Acting on advice gleaned from 76 rejections, Jasper Fforde abandoned his previous works and wrote The Eyre Affair, which immediately became a New York Times bestseller.

Robin Miller, who writes as Robin Caroll, had to put aside the manuscript she calls "the story of her heart," the story her critique group and agent loved, in order to become a selling author.

Timing. (Anyone know a synonym for timing beginning with an "r?")

Prolific author Kim Vogel Sawyer couldn't sell her "Gentle Stories of Hope." But God continued to inspire her with ideas, so she kept writing. Suddenly, bonnet stories were in demand and Sawyer was ready to ride the wave to the top with her manuscripts. Now, the award-winning author has sold more than 21 novels and contributed to other works.

On rejections, Sawyer says, "One quote that seems to resonate with me comes from Comte de Buffon: 'Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius.' If God calls us to write, there's a reason, so keep plowing forward--write, write, write, and wait for His doors to open."

Though I've wanted to be a selling author for years, I didn't know the tragedies and heartaches I'd have to endure. I don't think I could have handled the stress of a writing career, while I was widowed and raising a family, especially with a special-needs child. But God knew my circumstances, so I trust His timing for my career.

Where are you on the writing spectrum? Should you keep plugging away on your manuscript? When should you abandon one project to concentrate on a different one? Should you keep honing your craft and wait patiently for God's doors to open for a writing contract?

~Roxanne Sherwood

Never, Never, Never Give Up!

2011-09-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

While watching a special on 9/11 I learned that Rudy Giuliani, the mayor of New York City, went home that night and read the words of Winston Churchill. Sir Winston Churchill, one of the world’s greatest wartime leaders, was known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II.

Churchill penned many an inspiring speech. Each motivated the British troops to push forward even in the face of adversity -- even when their homeland, bombed repeatedly by the Germans, lay in ruins.

As writers we don’t necessarily face war-time hardships, but it is easy to get disheartened. As writing conferences come and go and we pitch our stories, it is easy to fall victim to discouragement when we aren’t received well by an editor or agent. Or we have the roller coaster ride of emotions when we are asked to send our full manuscript only to have it rejected a few months later.

For those of you I give you Churchill’s words of wisdom:
• “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
• “Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.”
• “I never worry about action, but only about inaction.”
• “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
• “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”
• “I am easily satisfied with the very best.”

Finally, the one quote that many of us have heard a number of times: “Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to conviction of honor and good sense.”

So my fellow authors, if I may change his words slightly, I’d like to say “Never give up, never give up, never; never; never; never give up.” You have a story -- an idea that God planted in your heart and mind. Never doubt that, push forward, strive for excellence, and never give up.

Blessings to you all.

Jennie Atkins