Erica Vetsch's Blog

 

Mary Connealy

Good night sweet blog. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Yes, Seekerville is closing up. I hate it and I'm ready. This blog has meant so much to me. This outlet as a professional writer. This attempt we've all made to help others and express ourselves. There were so many people who helped me learn how to write. And when a group of authors and friends formed an email loop and were just having a ridiculous amount of fun, we decided maybe we had something to share with other aspiring authors.

Seekerville was born. 

Giving it up feels wrong because it's been a home online for me for a long, long time. But it also feels right. The effort to find some new way to talk about the lessons of writing are hard. And I feel like I fail at it more often than I succeed. Or I repeat myself.

So I accept that we're putting our blog to bed for the last time today. Good night sweet blog.

And thank you to my Seeker sisters and to all the readers who've met with us along the way. Today we've got a few more good-bye posts from Seekers present and past. 

Ruth Logan Herne

Seekerville was never just a blog.

It was a give-back from fifteen authors who prayed one another into royalty-paying publication.

In a time when self-publishing was raising its head and viability, these authors created a sisterhood of faith, hope and love… and met their goal! All fifteen authors were published and in the middle of that, when only a handful had gotten “the call” we decided to start a blog to help other aspiring authors. We believed in giving, helping, leading and encouraging.

We were and are blessed!  It has given me countless friends and delightful readers and I will be forever grateful for both!

   
Erica Vetsch
What Seekerville has meant to me…

Where do I start? We’re supposed to submit a paragraph, and I feel I could write a Julie Lessman-long post and not quite scratch the surface. When Seekerville started, I was a fledgling writer, absorbing everything I could about writing, the writer’s life, and books. I read every day, I commented so much, the original Seekers must have thought I was stalking them, and I learned so, so much. I loved that the Seekers spoke of more than just their own books, but brought in guest posters, too. One of those guest posts changed the way I write. (The Plot Board) I loved the sense of sisterhood, of support, and cheerleading the Seeker-Community provided. When Mary Connealy asked if I would like to join as a Seeker a few years ago, I was all over that opportunity. Though I knew every Seeker and had met them in person, I didn’t realize how our relationships would grow. We’ve shared the ups, the downs, the way downs, the way ups, and the way sideways bits of life, not just those concerned with writing, but with life. They have become a sisterhood, and I don’t say that lightly. I will miss the posts and the community of Seekerville, because it was something quite special. I’m glad the archives will be available for me to refer to when I need to learn or relearn something about the writing life…or just reminisce about some really good times. 

Missy TippensThe Seekerville blog has been a huge part of my life for almost two decades. I met many writer friends online through the blog and at conferences when we would gather and experience the joy of meeting in person. Thank you to all who helped form this wonderful, supportive community. Thank you for contributing to the knowledge we shared and fun we had here. You’ve all been a big blessing in my life! I’m so thankful God brought us together through the years.
—Much love,

Debby Giusti

So many memories…

 

In 2005, I attended my first National Romance Writers of America Conference. My story won the Touched by Love Contest, and I met the Love Inspired editor who called one month later and asked to buy my book. The contest win that led to publication and the interaction with my eventual editor made my writing dreams come true, but equally important were the friends I made at that national gathering. We discussed starting a private support loop, which we did, and two years later, we gave birth to the Seekerville blog. Our goal was to help other writers on their journey to publication and beyond. Over the years, the friendships formed with both readers and writers have added joy to my life and have buoyed me as I navigated the ups and downs of the writing world. In addition, we’ve been a prayerful community, and I truly believe God has worked through this blog to uplift, to affirm and to help other writers who love the Lord.

As we know, all good things must end, even Seekerville, although it is with a heavy heart that I bid farewell. Your kindness and encouragement have touched me deeply, and I’m so grateful. The memories of the love and laughter we shared will never fade and will be special treasures that will warm my spirit in the years ahead.  Know that you are ever in my heart and in my prayers. 

I love you all!

Debby Giusti

Janet Dean

I’mbeyond blessed to have been a Seeker, one of 13 writers who joined forces tosupport each other on our journey to publication. When we started the blog Seekervilleour intent was to share writing and industry tips meant to help ourselves andothers along the way and to promote books with giveaways and prizes. We had ablast doing it while meeting and connecting with wonderful writers and readers!But what we ended up sharing the most were our lives! Writing is a solitarybusiness and having this vibrant community to visit each day forged specialconnections and friendships we’ll always cherish! I learned oodles aboutwriting from our posts, enjoyed the interaction both online and at writing conferences.But by far the best part of Seekerville was seeing ours and countless others’ dreamsrealized and celebrated in Seekerville! Though I’m retired and no longer write,I’ll always be grateful to have been part of it! Thanks to all who came, all whostayed, all who gave so much of themselves!    

Mindy ObenhausSeekerville has been a fount of knowledge for aspiringand published authors from its beginning. It’s been a valuable resource for methroughout my career. I remember being tickled pink when Janet Dean approachedme in 2013 about doing a guest post on the original Seekerville shortly after Ireceived my first contract. It wasn’t until I sat down to write that post that Ifelt the pressure to come up with something of value that would benefit othersstill awaiting their first contract. So you can imagine how humbled I was whenI was invited to join Seekerville 2.0 back in late 2017. I felt a hugeresponsibility to help other writers grow had been placed on my shoulders, andI never took that for granted.

Back in the heyday of blogging, Seekerville stood out as asafe place for up-and-coming authors to learn, share victories anddisappointments, and to cheer each other on. It was more than just a blog, itwas a community. Many authors attribute their success to Seekerville, and I’mone of them. Iron sharpens iron. That’s what Seekerville has always been about.And I’ve been honored to be a small part of it.

Julie Lessman

MY GOODBYE TO SEEKERVILLE:
How do you close the book on one of the greatest chapters of your life? It’s not easy. But what is easy is reflecting on all the blessings Seekerville has been to so many people over the years.
For me as an aspiring author, Seekerville was a lifeline in a sea of doubt, buoying me with hope, wisdom, and support every step of the way. But far more important than the encouragement and education that Seekerville provided, were the dearest of friends it brought at a time when I needed them most. Seekerville was more than a blog—it was a sisterhood that began with twelve women, each with a dream in her heart. And it was those very women who helped turn every one of our dreams into a reality with laughter, tears, and solid friendships that will go on forever.
For the reading and writing community who called Seekerville home, it was a light in the darkness and a lamp unto many of our paths, inspiring, encouraging, teaching, informing, and supporting both readers and writers alike with the Word of God and wisdom gleaned over the years, both literary and spiritual.
So, I say goodbye to Seekerville, both with a heavy heart and a grateful one, that God allowed me to be a part of it and the lives of the many people it has so richly blessed.

Hugs and more hugs,Julie 
 Jan Drexler

Inthe fall of 2010, our family was in the middle of making one of our manyinterstate moves. While I was in Kansas waiting for our house to sell and homeschooling our two youngest children, I felt the nudge to start the writingcareer that had been pushed aside for years. As I searched the internet to findout information on how to start this plunge into unknown waters, I stumbledupon a blog. Fifteen authors – some published, some pre-published – were givingadvice for people exactly like me! And not only advice, but encouragement,well-timed lessons, and a camaraderie that made that little corner of theinternet feel like home.

Theinvitation to join the Seekers in 2017 was a dream come true! It was abittersweet time, though, as we said goodbye to so many original Seekers whowere retiring. I feel that same bittersweet feeling now, as times have changed,and blogs are no longer the best way to reach aspiring authors. But you allknow where to find us, right? We’ll still be on social media – be sure to lookfor us there!

Loveto all, Jan Drexler

Audra Harders

Hmm, summing up what Seekerville is to me in one paragraph?Impossible! There are innumerable memories rolled up in all the terrificevents, posts, discussions that have transpired over virtual brunches ofcinnamon rolls, red velvet cake and omelet bars, LOL. But, if I had to chooseone aspect of Seekerville I loved the most, it would be all the SeekerVillagers who have touched my life over the years. As most know,Seekerville was born as a group of unpublished authors banded together throughtheir love of contests and sought to pray each other into publication. Alongthe way, we launched a blog to help other unpubbed authors learn about theircraft and offer encouragement along the way. As the Lord says (my paraphrase), Givewith a cheerful heart and He will bless abundantly (2 Cor 9:6-8). If therewas one thing you can say about Seekerville, we are a cheerful bunch andapproach each of our posts with joy, compassion, laughter and of course, virtualfood to feed the masses!!

For me personally, that joy and love was returned to mebeyond measure. Our Villagers are the heart of Seekerville and YOU made ourlittle safe haven of learning and love a place to cherish through all the upsand downs of this crazy writing life. Thank you for your faithfulness andencouragement as we shaked and shimmied our way through 16 years of love.

Bless you all, Audra 

Glynna Kaye

 

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  (Matthew 6:33) 

 

That’s where it all started in 2005 when, through “meeting” each other in writing contest winners’ circles, God drew the original Seekers together. We shared industry news, teamed up to serve as beta readers, encouraged each other, challenged each other, prayed for each other--and became friends. Some soon escaped from “Unpubbed Island,” others of us gradually set sail one by one.

 

In the autumn of 2007--almost 16 years ago--we launched Seekerville The Blog, wanting to share with other writers what we were learning on our journey. We hoped that through sharing posts on our personal experiences, the craft of writing, the publishing industry, words of encouragement--and prayer for all--that other aspiring writers might attain their own publishing dreams. What came about during Seekerville’s “heyday” was a living, breathing, close-knit community of Seekers and the scores of fabulous and faithful “Seeker Villagers” who called the blog home! (A good number of whom are now published!)

 

I’m so grateful for my Seeker Sisters and all the many Villagers who joined us on the journey. THANK YOU! And thank you to our Heavenly Father who brought us together for a purpose and an amazing time in our lives!

Myra Johnson

I’ll always be grateful for the invitation back in 2005 that brought me together with 14 other determined writers in support, encouragement, and prayer for our journey toward publication. As one by one we began sailing off Unpubbed Island (some sooner than others!), creating the Seekerville blog in 2007 seemed like the perfect venue for giving back to the larger community of writers and to share what we were learning along the way. I am honored to have served as one of the original Seekerville bloggers during its first 10 years, and I’m thankful for the new Seekers who came on board after several of us “retired” to pursue other avenues in our writing careers. I will never forget Seekerville for all the writing tips, learning opportunities, laughter, and regular “kicks in the pants” that comprised our daily fare. Most especially, I cherish the friendships. You will all ALWAYS be in my heart! —Myra Johnson own publishing dreams. What came about during Seekerville’s “heyday” was a living, breathing, close-knit community of Seekers and the scores of fabulous and faithful “Seeker Villagers” who called the blog home! (A good number of whom are now published!)

 

I’m so grateful for my Seeker Sisters and all the many Villagers who joined us on the journey. THANK YOU! And thank you to our Heavenly Father who brought us together for a purpose and an amazing time in our lives!

Dana R. Lynn

So many thoughts are going through my head. Seekerville has been a part of my life ever since I began my writing journey in 2013. I remember the excitement of joining others for Speedbo, the Seeker version of NanoWriMo. I would read the posts to glean what wisdom I could as I pursued my dream. And continued afterwards when I received that first contract. But Seekerville was more than a resource. Through online interactions and in person meetings at conferences, I developed real friendships. It was an honor to join the Seekers for the past year. And while this is bittersweet, I know that the relationships I formed will last beyond the blog.

Blessings!

 I'm on a very tight deadline at the moment, but I'm also in my last week of school, so time is precious. I started to write a new blog post, but I realized I was PROCRASTINATING from writing the final scene in my first draft.

As I was debating new vs an oldie (another chance to procrastinate), I came across the one I'm posting about. 

Since everyone and their uncle seems to be either talking about Taylor Swift and The Eras Tour or FOMO on Taylor Swift and The Eras Tour (I kid you not, I got an email today from a teaching blog that used FOMO Taylor Swift as the hook!), I decided to go with the flow.

It seemed appropriate for a couple of reasons -

1) It followed a post on procrastination

2) My daughter has been listening to Taylor non-stop every time we are in the car together 

3) Seeing all these photos of Taylor's record-breaking, sold out tours makes is sweet to look back at the persistence of an 11 year-old and see just  how far she has come.

 

Way back when, I shared this post:

A fewmonths I did a blog on the P word – procrastination.

Today,I’m back to talk about a different P word, the one that determines thepossibility of success – Persistence.
I havetwo quotations that have guided my writing career for as long as I canremember.Thefirst is:  A professional writer is an amateur whodidn’t quit. (Often attributed to RichardBach, bus he supposedly disavowed saying it.)
I haveread a lot of differing opinions about that quote ranging from arguments aboutwhat constitutes a professional writer to what determines the level of successrequired to claim writer status. I’m not really interested in any of thosearguments. In my mind, it comes down to this – writers write. Sowhether you do it for a lot of money or none, if you haven’t quit yet (or haveand came back to it), then you’re on the right/write track.
Thesecond quote follows naturally from that. 
She wrote what she loved, until sheloved what she wrote, and she sent it out one more time.I have no idea where this quote camefrom. I have it on a scrap of paper that is so old it’s turned yellow andbrittle.
When Itried to Google the source of that quote, I got a bunch of links to TaylorSwift’s new album. It’s really tempting to tag Taylor in this post and see ourviews skyrocket. I have no idea why that quote triggered Taylor's name, butwhen I thought about it, I was glad it had.
 Alesson in procrastination vs. persistence

Theother day, I was supposed to be writing, but when I signed on to Twitter tojoin my #1k1hr group, #TaylorSwiftonGMA was trending. I very easily got suckeddown a rabbit hole of Taylor Swift videos. 
Avoidingthat kind of rabbit hole is a constant struggle for me. My husband used todrive me crazy flipping channels on the television. It seemed he’d stay onsomething just long enough for me to get hooked. He would move on, but by thattime, I would be begging him to turn it back (to some show I'd probably beembarrassed to admit watching), because once I'm hooked, I need to find outwhat happens.
Whichis what happened last Thursday on Twitter. First there was a video about Taylor'sfather handing out pizza to the people who waited on line overnight. Then therewas Taylor singing a song from her new album. Then... and so on.
It'simportant to note here, I've never particularly been a Taylor Swift fan. I was just curiousabout what all the fuss on Good Morning America was about. My interest had beenpiqued. 
Am Ialone in this? I know we joke about going to Facebook to check one thing anddiscovering we've spent an hour instead of the scheduled 5 minutes.
As itturns out though, watching Taylor Swift videos for an hour wasn’t without somebenefit. One of the clips on GMA gave a history of her career starting as an 11year-old girl determined to make it in Nashville. She explained that her motherand little brother waited in the car while she delivered karaoke demos she’dmade. She talked about walking up and down Music Row knocking on doors.
"Iwould say, 'Hi, I'm Taylor. I'm 11; I want a record deal. Call me."
I cannot imagine having that kind of dedicationat my age, let alone at 11. But the story didn't end there.

I found an article on ENews that included this:"Shecame back from that trip to Nashville and realized she needed to be different,and part of that would be to learn the guitar," Andrea told EW."Now, at 12, she saw a 12-string guitar and thought it was the coolestthing. And of course we immediately said, 'Oh no, absolutely not, your fingersare too small—not till you're much older will you be able to play the 12-stringguitar.'
"Well, that was all it took. Don't ever say never or can't do to Taylor.She started playing it four hours a day—six on the weekends. She would getcalluses on her fingers and they would crack and bleed, and we would tape themup and she'd just keep on playing.  ENews
What intrigues me is how someone has that kind ofdrive to succeed - especially at such a young age. 
Taylor is not unique in her work ethic. We hearstories all the time about athletes and their superior dedication to theirsport, practicing endless hours until they can sink that three-point shotflawlessly, or lead a team to another Super Bowl victory.  

What can we, as writers, learn from this mindset?

That question has really been on my mind a lotlately. Writing is not a career for the faint of heart. It requires a lot ofhard work, is often solitary, and you can go many years honing your craftbefore you manage to snag that contract.

And when you do, you just get to do it all overagain.
Somewriters succeed brilliantly, and others, as in my quote above, never rise tothat professional level for one reason or another.
Why?
I foundsome interesting thoughts on that topic in an article at a teaching workshop Iattended this week. I'm going to link the article. Take a minute and go look -it's short.Three Reasons You Aren't Reaching Your Full Potential
The article states: The question, then, is why somepeople are better at developing their potential than others. 
What intrigued me about the answer was the psychologicalanalysis. I'm just going to share a couple of key quotes that intrigued me.They will all make more sense if you read the article.
The trouble is that most people don’t seriously want what they say they want.
’I want’ means, ‘if I want it enough I will get it.’ Getting what you wantmeans making the decisions you need to make to get what you want.”
In other words,few of us are willing to do what it takes to achieve what we desire.
Some aspirationsare simply superficial desires for status, not declarations of will followed upby action.
Real motivation isthe key ingredient. Those who actually succeed at getting better are obsessedwith their goals, turning that motivation into genuine talent over time.


Thesethoughts hit home with me, because throughout my life, whenever I was workingon something that I cared passionately about, I was unstoppable. My energy wasboundless, nothing could stand in my way.
When Ifind myself faltering, it's usually because some little voice in my head iswhispering, Do you really want it enough to work this hard?
Obviouslyadolescent Taylor Swift did.
Do you?
Iswriting something you feel passionately about and are you ready to make thedecisions you need to succeed. Are you willing to put in the time to developthe talent? Are you ready to bloody those fingers?
If you’renot a writer, is there something else that you are passionate about to thislevel?
Let'schat.

I'm off to persist on this draft!

Erica here. It's a smart writer who doesn't waste effort. Yesterday, I was the presenter/speaker at the ACFW MN NICE chapter in the Twin Cities, and I thought I would use a bit of what I taught there for this blog post. :) 

From Wild0ne via Pixabay

I spoke on Five Pages to Impress: How to Start a Story Strong. One portion of the presentation was a 'what not to do' section, based upon what I see so often when judging contest entries.

1. Please do not start with a prologue. I know. Writers love a prologue, but 97.5% of the time, they are completely unnecessary. They mess with the timeline, obscure just who the protagonist is, and often they steal the writer's thunder, revealing something they should be saving until later to totally blow their readers' minds. If you think your story opening isn't strong enough without your smash-bang, action-packed prologue...you're right! So change your opening chapter!

2. Do not start with a dream. Please. Just. Don't. Dreams are overdone. It's promising the reader the story will be about one thing, and then pulling a bait and switch on them when it turns out the POV character was just dreaming. (Bobby Ewing, anyone?) Dream sequences delay the start of the real story, and are not based in the reality of the real tale. 

3. Do not start with someone arriving somewhere. Please. It's the ultimate cliché. Heroine steps off the train onto the dusty platform in Dodge City. Heroine drives her Prius up to her grandmother's house, that she's soon going to sell to a developer once she cleans it out, but she's convinced by the hunky, flannel-clad neighbor next door to stay in town and convert it to a B&B and marry him in the process. Arrivals often slow the story to a crawl as the protagonist reflects on all that brought him/her to this point. 

4. Do not start your story with a Back Story Dump. Back story dumps tell the reader a lot of stuff they don't need to know at this point. But, how can I make the reader care if they don't know the character right away? Listen closely. I'm serious, lean in, because I'm about to drop a pearl of wisdom here that, if you follow it, will put your contest entry/agent submission/opening chapter FAR above many that I see. It is not your job to make the reader care about your character right away. It is your job to make your reader CURIOUS about your character right away. 

Do you get that? If a reader is curious about a character, they will keep reading. They will come to care for the character because they cannot wait to know what happens. 

Back Story Dumps slooooooow the story to an absolute crawl. It's like reading someone's resume. It's telling me through a mini bio about the character. Back story does not reveal as much about the character as you think. Knowing About someone isn't Knowing them. Treat your story opening not like the introduction of a new board member, but as making a new friend. You don't walk up to someone you've never met and say, "Hey, I'm a single-mother from Tennessee who was abandoned by her father when she was three, got pregnant when she was fifteen, and joined the army at eighteen." Stuff like that needs to come out slowly. 

Character isn't revealed through reciting a story's past. It's revealed through Dialogue, Action, and Subtext. What the character says, what they do, and what they think but don't say.

5. Do not start with a bunch of Happy People in Happy Land. It's boring. If you have no conflict, you have no story. "But what about establishing the normal world for my character?" you ask. Oh, by all means, do that. But give them something to want right away, or some obstacle, even if it is minor, to overcome. Put your heroine up a ladder in a dark storeroom trying to replace the lightbulb, but afraid of heights of any kind. The reader will learn a few things about the heroine without you even having to tell them. She's afraid of heights. She is determined even when she's scared. Through her mutterings or thoughts, you can reveal if she's snarky, given to brave self-talk to get through a circumstance, or if she prays when she's scared. It's an everyday occurrence that reveals a lot, and makes the reader wonder right away if she's going to accomplish her task, if she's going to cave to the fear and stop trying, or if she's going to topple off the ladder into the arms of her handsome neighbor.

I judge a lot of contest entries during the year, and these are five of the most common problems I see with story beginnings. I'd be curious to know what other ones you're aware of, or what you've heard is not a good way to start a story.

In other news, the Joy to the World Regency Christmas Novella Collection is now available on Audiobook! How cool is that? My contribution, Wonders of His Love, features a spin-off character from my Serendipity & Secrets series, and a handsome Scottish portrait painter.

You can get your audiobook copy HERE.

Best-selling, award-winning author, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/groups/inspirationalregencyreaders where she spends way too much time!

The Christ Pantocrator of St. Catherine's Monastery at Sinai,
a 6th-century encaustic icon. [PD-US]
 

Jesus said to the Twelve:
"Fear no one.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in thelight;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the bodybut cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground withoutyour Father's knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than manysparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father."

Matthew 10:26-33

The Seekerville bloggers have been praying for YOU and for our entire blog community.  If you have any special intentions that need additional coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please pray for our country and for an end to the problems that plague us at this current time, such as the increased cost of fuel and food and the rise in crime. Please pray for world peace, for  the protection of our military, law enforcement officers and border agents.   

We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

God bless you and keep you safe.   

  






If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected. **(All winners' emails will receive a response within a week. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, we may not have received it. Please leave a comment in the following Weekend Edition.)


Monday: Jan showed us how heroes come in all forms with the same basic criteria in her post What Is A Hero?
Tuesday: Pepper offered some excellent places to find your own Bookish Cheerleaders
Wednesday: Debby Giusti talked about the content in the front of the book in her post Front Matter...Back Matter...What Matter? The winners of Amish Blast Investigation are Connie Porter Saunders and Kathy Bailey. Congrats, ladies!
Thursday: Winnie talked to us about her recent trip to Deadwood, South Dakota. Winners of her giveaway of choice of any of her books are Glynis, Sandy Smith and Karen Jennings




Monday: Erica Vetsch will chat about Five Ways to NOT Start a Story. :)
Wednesday: Cate will be here to chat about Taylor Swift and Persistence

AMISH BLAST INVESTIGATION

Releasing June 27!

A deadly explosion.
A dangerous search for the truth.

After an explosion rocks Becca Klein’s bakery and kills one of her customers, she teams up with the victim’s son to find justice. Though estranged from his father, Englischer Luke Snyder is compelled to help the Amish woman uncover why his father died. But ruthless killers believe Luke’s father gave Becca something they want, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it. Can Luke keep Becca safe until they discover the truth?

Pre-OrderHERE!








Disclaimer: Any blog post that includes an offer of product purchase or service is NOT to be considered an endorsement by Seekerville or any of our authors  (please see our Legal page )

Walking Through the Valley of Writing by Martin Wiles at The Write Conversation
5 Ways to Build an Audience for a Debut Book  by Daniel Parsons at Self-Publishing Formula
What Happens When You Don't Know Your Character's Backstory?  by Kristina Adams at The Writer's Cookbook
Creating a Writer's Bullet Journal  by Nicole Sattler at Bullet Journal
Your Character's Ghost vs Wound vs Lie vs Weakness by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
Writerly Advice That Is Worth Listening To by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
7 Tips to Help You Grow Your Social Media Without Sacrificing Time to Write by Edie Melson at The Write Conversation
4 Tips for Using Your Blog as a Marketing Tool by Staci Mauney at Book Brush blog
Victim, Villain, Antagonist by Debbie Burke at Kill Zone blog
How to Research by Toni Shiloh at Learn How To Write A Novel

Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here. Back in the old days (pre-Covid lockdown) I used to attend 4-5 reader and/or writer events a year. My last event of this type was the Emerald City Writers' Conference in Oct 2019.  Until this past week.

Eight members of the other blog group I belong to, Petticoats and Pistols, traveled to Deadwood, South Dakota to combine a writers' retreat with a multi-author booksigning event called Wild Deadwood Reads. The booksigning is an annual event - this is its 6th year - and is held in conjunction with the town's Wild Bill's Days celebration. 

One member of our group, Kari Trumbo, had gone a few times before and when she came back from the event last summer her excitement about her experience there generated the idea of planning a group trip in 2023.  The idea was kicked around for a while, interest was measured and excitement started to build. One driver of this was the fact that even though we've been together as a group for a while (some of us longer than others) most of us had never actually met face to face.

So all the months of planning paid off last week in what resulted a really fun event. It was so great to be among other writers again. This is a little of how it went.

The first day was Thursday. All eight of us got together that morning in a house some of our group were staying in. The morning was devoted to writerly discussions and in just getting to know each other better. There was lots of talk, sharing, laughing and overall fellowship. Then we all had a yummy lunch together, provided by one of our group - the fabulous Karen Witemeyer.

After lunch several us ventured out to the  Days of '76 Museum.  It was full of interesting exhibits, including this one on hearse wagons. And while I was there I came up with an idea forr a brand new series that I'm truly excited about!!  (More on that when I've fleshed it out a little more!)

Our next stop was the Mount Moriah Cemetery where notables such as Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok are buried. The photo below includes Karen Witemeyer and Julie Benson in the background.

On Friday we all separated and did our own thing, enjoying the 'playing tourist' thing. My daughte accompanied me on this trip because she'd never been in that part of the country either and loves to explore. She and I, accompanied by Mary Connealy and Julie Benson, took the opportunity to visit Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument. A fun bonus, since Jan Drexler lives near Mt Rushmore, she and her husband met up with us there! It was such fun meeting her face to face and her husband is a real sweetie too.

Here's me and my daughter in front of Mt Rushmore

And here's Mary, me and Julie in front of the Crazy Horse monument along with a better picture of the monument itself

And then Saturday was the booksigning itself. To give you an idea of the size of the event there were 92 authors and 100s of readers who walked through during the event. It was such fun to meet readers, both those entirely new to me and the ones I'd 'met' online. And I had the honor of sharing my table with Mary!  Here is a collage of a few photos from the event


All in all it was a great reentry into the world of author and reader gatherings. I had a great time and it was a wonderful four days - especially as it gave me the opportunity to spend time with so any really wonderful people.

So tell me if you've ever visited this part of the country or had an opportunity to attend a similar event. Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for your choice of any of my books.

By Debby Giusti 

Soon after my first book went to contract,my editor asked for the front matter and back matter to be submitted along withmy completed manuscript.

“Matter? What matter?” I asked, feelingtotally clueless.

I soon learned that front matterrefers to information on pages included before the beginning of the story. Similarly, backmatter is anything added after the end of the story.

Today, let’s take a closer look atthe front matter. I’ll cover the back matter in my next post.

I write for Love Inspired Suspense. Thefirst page in each book includes pull quotes from the story to tease the reader.The second page has the author’s bio and a list of some of the author’sprevious publications. The title and copyright information follow. All of thosepages are considered front matter.

The page following the copyright in LoveInspired books as well as in many other Christian stories is a Bible verse thatties in with the plot or character development.

Amish Blast Investigationreleases on June 27, and for that story, I chose Luke 12:24 as my Scriptureverse. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The storyinvolves an Amish baker, Becca Klein, who helps the estranged son of a kindlyolder man, who was killed in an explosion at her bakery, uncover the truth abouthis dad. Becca has a lot to learn about life and love so the verse isapplicable to the story.

In lieu of a scripture verse, secularbooks sometimes include an epigraph, which could be a quote or short paragraphthat doesn’t refer directly to the story but may have bearing on the theme, settingor mood of the story. A foreward or type of recommendation for the book is writtenby someone other than the author, usually a person of prominence, and may beincluded as well as a preface by the author that tells how the book came to bewritten. Some books include an introduction that provides insight into what topicsthe reader can expect to find within the story. All of these are consideredfront matter.

Authors who interview subject matterexperts for research will note their help in the acknowledgements. Often theauthor adds a caveat that any mistakes made are the author’s and have nobearing on the expert he or she interviewed.

An editor, agent or even the entirestaff at a publishing house might be added to the acknowledgments. Beforeselling my first story, I often scanned this information in newly releasedbooks to learn which agents represented which authors. The information helpedme determine the agents I should query when I sought representation for my own story.

The dedication is another bit offront matter found in both secular and Christian publications. I’ve dedicatedbooks to my husband, my children, my parents, to law enforcement officers, themilitary and to reader friends whose support has meant so much to me.

Amish Blast Investigationis dedicated to Carol Rose. In my book, I explained that Carol is “a beautifulwoman with a huge heart who not only cares for the aged and infirm but alsoprovides support and encouragement for their families. God bless you, Carol," I wrote in the dedication, "for your compassionate ministry to those in need.”

Carol Rose & Debby

Carol cared for my dear friend’shusband who had Alzheimer’s. She has also helped a number of other seniors frommy church who needed in-home care. It was an honor to dedicate the book toCarol. I named a character after her as well. 

Do you read the front matter beforeyou buy a book? Does it have bearing on your purchase? Have you ever had a bookdedicated to you? What about prefaces, forewords and introductions? Do theyhelp “sell” the story?

Writers, share your thoughts on the frontmatter? Do you spend time choosing a Scripture or deciding upon yourdedications and acknowledgments?

Leave a comment to be entered in twodrawings with each winner receiving a copy of Amish Blast Investigation. 

Happy writing! Happy reading! 

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

www.DebbyGiusti.com

Amish Blast Investigation

A deadly explosion.

A dangerous search for the truth.

After an explosion rocks Becca Klein’s bakery and kills oneof her customers, she teams up with the victim’s son to find justice. Thoughestranged from his father, EnglischerLuke Snyder is compelled to help the Amish woman uncover why his father died.But ruthless killers believe Luke’s father gave Becca something they want, andthey’ll stop at nothing to get it. Can Luke keep Becca safe until they discoverthe truth?

Pre-Order NOW! 

 Cheerleading is harder than it looks.

How do I know? Well, when I was in middle school, I became a cheerleader. 2 years! And, because I was a...um...good-sized girl, I was always one of the bases for stunts. Keeping those small and light girls at the top of the triangle alive was one of my jobs. 

But cheering for my team? THAT wasn't the hard part! I loved encouraging them on - win or lose. I think that's why when I went to high school, I volunteered to be the mascot. Celebrating my team and encouraging the players and audience brought as much (if not more) joy to me than those around me because 1., I loved my team. 2. It was loads of fun. 3. I wanted others to love my team too.

That's why I appreciate the cheerleaders of our bookish world so much! There are THOUSANDS of readers who love our stories, have fun cheering for our stories, and want others to fall in love with our stories too.

Where can we find these reading cheerleaders? 

Let me share a few examples of different places where bookish cheerleaders are rocking it!! 

1. In person - Of course, any time you can have an opportunity to build a community in person, it's fantastic. Though most of our cheerleaders are on social media/online, it's AMAZING how folks will come out to an in-person event, sometimes traveling HOURS, to celebrate one of their favorite authors. It is AMAZING!

2. Bookstagram - Okay, ya'll. This group of readers are hardcore! I ADORE them. IG has been a social media outlet for me over the past 3-4 years and being surrounded by bookstagrammers has been SUCH a blessing. If you're not familiar with them, check out some of my favs like @bookstagrambyalissamorgan @books.n.blossoms, @jessthebookhoarder, @the.book.maiden, @dareyoutoread and @the_reel_bookery are just a FEW of the zillions of cheerleaders who celebrate books. 

3. BookTok - I'm not as involved with TikTok because it overwhelms me, but the tokers there are just as excited about books as those on IG. If you want to narrow down what you see on this ever-growing and sometimes confusing social media platform, I suggest you narrow down your hashtags to #christiantiktok #christianbooks #christianfiction and #booktok.  Some names to toss out here are @lindsay.dee, @valicityelaine, @jenniferautumnkropf, @laurenzyano, @chronicallybookish...just to name a VERY few!

4. BookTube -I'm super new to this one and am considering starting one myself just because I think it might suit my personality a bit better than TikTok, but this is a great place to meet bookish cheerleaders AND it allows for longer videos, organizes them all in a one-stop place to find, AND already has a community of BookTubers to cheer you on and introduce you to more books to read! One of my FAVORITE Booktubers is @BookLoverAmanda. Besides her accent being FANTASTIC (Go Tennessee!), her enthusiasm dances off the screen! I've just started following @Celestria and her love for books shines through on her videos too! Fantastic cheerleaders to add to your list!

5. Facebook - If you've never visited Avid Readers of Christian Fiction, a Facebook group, you are MISSING OUT! These folks are some of the very best cheerleaders on the planet and are constantly celebrating great Christian Fiction reads. Warning...you WILL be sucked into this delightful group of bookish people who also love Jesus! (Btw, isn't that a great shot of author Karen Witemeyer? :)

So...what cheerleaders would you add to the list? Do you have a certain place online or in-person where you get the best cheering opportunities?

************************************************************************

You canlearn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com

 

Happy Day-After-Father's-Day!
I thought I'd take a little time today to explore heroes. Every story has one, whether we're talking about romance stories, westerns, fantasy...or your own personal hero.
Like many of my friends (too many,) I lost my first hero this year when my father passed away. Like all fathers and daughters, we had a mixed relationship. I was a pistol as a child (just look at the expression on my face!!!) so I take a lot of the blame.

But even when we disagreed, he was still my hero. His work as a pastor was tireless, serving on various committees in our church denomination and in the community. He stood up for what he believed in, and he changed people's lives.
Which brings me to our question of the day: What is a hero?
Here's my definition: A hero is a man who is loving and tender. He is quick to defend others, but slow to anger. He is steadfast. He is able. He is controlled strength. He stands in the gap when all others fall away.
Let's look at a few fictional heroes to see what makes them who they are. If these guys all look like typical models, it's because they are. All photos are from Shutterstock. :-)

Jase is twenty-six years old, and tired of dating. It's hard to meet someone, and the nice girls that his best friend sets him up with are...well...to be honest...a bit boring. There's nothing wrong with settling down and raising a family. Someday. But until then, he'd love to meet someone who enjoys skiing, mountain biking, or a day on a hiking trail.
What makes Jase a hero? He's an overcomer.
Twelve years ago he and a friend were swimming in a local lake - just fooling around the way guys do. Jase challenged his friend to a race across the lake, but when Jase reached the other side, Austin was gone. Just gone.
Jase has worked hard to overcome the guilt over leading Austin to his death - for not saving him - for suggesting the race in the first place. And with the help of some good friends and faith in his loving Lord, he is in a good place now.
At the beginning of his romance story, Jase is good. On the surface, at least.
Until he falls in love with Michelle, an Olympic swimmer, and he has to face his fear of the water.


Tony (not his real name) is a careful man. Careful to stay in the shadows. Do his job. Shut up. Don't get involved. Do nothing that would make someone interested in him...in his past.
Until he notices Delilah. A new girl in his apartment building. They get home from work at the same time, so he starts making sure she gets into the building safely at night. He listens for her to shoot the bolt home on her door. Against his better judgement, he starts caring about what happens to her.
A few days after Delilah moves into the building, he witnesses her making a drug sale on the street.Don't ask how he knew what was happening - but he knew the scene all too well.
What happens in his romance story? He saves Delilah, of course, but he puts himself at risk when he does. Because Delilah's drug dealer is the brother of the man who went to prison as a result of Tony's testimony in court.
But he'd risk everything - even his life - to get Delilah out of that mess she's in.

Does Chuck surprise you?
You might think he looks like someone's grandfather rather than a hero - but look again. Chuck is retired now, but he spent his adult life working as a contractor, building dream houses for other people. He raised his kids, loved his wife, was successful at his job. But one day, only a few months before he planned to retire, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Treatments ate up their life savings until his wife of forty-six years finally succumbed.
Not only had Chuck lost his life partner, but all the plans they had made for "someday" were now gone like smoke.
But Arlene had left Chuck a legacy - her Bible full of notes, outlines, underlining, and one piece of instruction on the front page: "Chuck, read this. Don't wait until it's too late."
He read the Book and it changed his life.
Now Chuck wasn't only a hero, he was a hero working for Christ. He put his construction skills to work in his church's mission organization and built houses, schools, and hospitals in some of the remotest corners of the world.
Where is Chuck's romance story? After losing Arlene, Chuck never dreamed he would ever love another woman. But when a hammer-wielding retired teacher shows up on his construction site in Peru, he realizes that God has other plans.

Thomas came home from deployment with a missing leg and a missing buddy. Craig had been killed by a sniper's bullet in Afghanistan, not knowing that his wife was expecting their first child. So when Thomas stopped by to give Craig's personal effects to Anne six months later, he was met by the undeniable evidence that Craig's child was on the way. 

He couldn't turn his back on his best friend's child. Anne needed his help.

Even though he was still recovering from his own wounds, Thomas stepped in where Craig couldn't. He painted the house, hired a neighbor kid to mow the lawn, took Anne to childbirth classes, stood by while she sweated through the hot summer...and fell in love.

And that is Thomas' romance story. When Anne needed support, Thomas sacrificed his own comfort to give it to her. What started as an effort to provide a father figure for Craig's child ended in a happily-ever-after for the two people who loved Craig the most.

So, what is a hero?

Overcomer? Protector? A man who devotes his time and talents to the Lord? A man who sacrifices his own life plans for another?

Who is the hero in your life?

Tell us in the comments! 

Vocation of the Apostles, a fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1481-82.
[PD-US]

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart wasmoved with pity for them 
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Then he summoned his twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits
to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the twelve apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructingthem thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Matthew9:36-10:8

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We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

God bless you and keep you safe.