2007 Christian Writers' Market Guide

Imagine my thrill when I arrived home to find the 2007 Christian Writers' Market guide on my doorstep. For more than twenty years, the Christian Writers’ Market Guide has offered indispensable help to Christian writers. This year, for the first time, this valuable resource comes with a CD-ROM of the full text, so you can search with ease for topics, publishers, and other specific names.

The 2007 edition also includes up-to-date listings of more than 1,200 markets for books, articles, stories, poetry, and greeting cards, including information on forty new book publishers, eighty-three new periodicals, and thirty-four new literary agents. Perfect for writers in every phase, this is the resource to get noticed–and get published.

It contains listings for: 695 periodicals, 228 poetry markets, 355 book publishers, 133 online publications, 29 print-on-demand publishers, 1185 markets for the written word, 321 photography markets, 31 e-book publishers, 122 foreign markets, 112 literary agents,and 59 newspapers.

It also gives you comprehensive lists of contests, writers groups and conferences, search engines, pay rates and submission guidelines, editorial services and websites.

Christian Writers’ Market Guide is a "must have' for any serious Christian writer that is looking to get published!

Sally E. Stuart is the author of thirty-four books and has sold more than one thousand articles and columns. Her long-term involvement with the Christian Writers' Market Guide as well as her marketing columns for the Christian Communicator, Oregon Christian Writers, and The Advanced Christian Writer, make her a sought-after speaker and a leading authority on Christian markets and the business of writing. Stuart is the mother of three and grandmother of eight.

Stuart has done a fabulous job compiling all the necessary information for the Christian writer. If you don't have this book--click the link above and purchase it today.

Interview and Book Give Away!!!

In 2005 I had the pleasure of meeting Cindy Woodsmall at the ACFW conference right after she received her first contract. Since then I've loved to keep up on Cindy's progress. I think by the time the interview is over you'll see Cindy is intelligent, kind, and very insightful. Welcome, Cindy. Please tell us about yourself. Anything you're comfortable sharing.

Hey, Sabrina, I'm so glad to get to do this interview. Thank you for asking. A little about me, hmmm, well, there are over six billion people on planet Earth and I'm one of them :-)

With that in mind, I'm not very unique or interesting. Are you pulling the plug on the interview yet?

As a young, married gal, I was walking through my living room when I had to stop mid step because I'd heard . . .

Choose you this day . . .

I looked around. Had that been audible? Was someone in the house with me? Is this what happens to people after they attend one of those in-home Bible studies like I'd gone to last week?

I decided it wasn't audible, no one was in the house but me, it was only a thought, and it was time to stop attending that Bible study thing. I shook the eeriness off and headed for the laundry room, but the words came again, only more of them.

Choose you this day whom you will serve.

This time I wasn't able to shake it off as easily. My feet seemed glued to the ground, but man alive, was my mind processing thoughts at the speed of a super computer and I realized a decision was being placed before me.

But I knew the plans my husband and I had for the weekend-plans that would have to be changed if I actually yielded to something higher than my own desires-and that change would be just the beginning.

Still, I realized I had to give an answer-one way or the other.

A snapshot of how temporary and fleeting my own ways were and how valuable and eternal God's ways were became very clear. I ran down a mental list of things, clearly deciding if I were truly willing to take on the changes. Then I walked into the bedroom and knelt beside the bed.

Here I am some *%*#*^* years later and I don't regret one day of saying no to me and yes to morals, ethics, and higher living.

My husband and I have been married close to thirty years; we have three sons, one daughter-in-law, and a mutt-just to keep things lively.

I read that you're a homeschool mom. Two of your sons away at college and one still at home. How has that affected your writing?

Our oldest son has now graduated and he's working full time in the Nuclear Med department of a hospital. Our second son was married last summer and he and his wife are both students at University Georgia. And the youngest son is settled into a routine at a public middle school.

What kind of writing schedule are you on?

I'm at my computer from eight until four during the work week, with very few breaks. Then if there's nothing family oriented happening after the homework and dinner hour, I return to the computer.

How long did it take you to write When the Heart Cries?

I had studied the craft of writing for several years and had years of Amish research under my belt when the idea for When the Heart Cries came to me during a sit down interview with an acquisitions editor. From that point it took right at a year to complete.

Are you one of those people who have always known you wanted to be a writer and if not, when did you start noticing an interest in writing?

Most days, I'm still not sure I want to write. It annoys me and yet I can't imagine wanting to do anything else.

But my first memories of life are me, lying in bed at night reworking stories my mother had read to me. What would the story be like if Cinderella hadn't been beautiful? What if she was mean and her step sisters were nice?

As an adult, the stories wouldn't stop. I blame Mom. She's the one who got all this started. She made my preschool time of her reading to me something that still stands out to me. When it was my turn to take over reading, she put a lot of effort into teaching me to love books.

Oddly enough, after decades of putting effort into ignoring the stories and going on with my daily routine, my mother died and my resolve to stand against the thief of time took a horrid blow.

Within a year I was writing, mostly to make the stories shut up!! It didn't quite work that way. After three months of writing eight of the worst novels you can imagine, one story held my interest-the Sister's of the Quilt story. Although the story as it's written today has very little in common with the original writing, the characters, relationships, foundations, and settings are the same.

So, I now want to write . . . I think.

What is one of the hardest parts of being a writer for you?

Time management, research, plotting, publicity, etc...Yes, next question? LOL

The hardest part is finding enough time to get everything done, but I'm not sure we can classify that as time management. There are only so many hours in a day, regardless of how well we manage what we have. Writers work for years and years before royalties come in. So there's all this work to be done and no money to hire help. To me, every other struggle, including research, falls under the one fight of finding enough time.

Take us back to the day you sold your series? What were you doing and how did you react?

Ewwww, after years of hard work, it was a bit of fun.

For several months the full manuscript of When the Heart Cries had been on the desk of three publishing houses and one agent.

It was the night before the 2005 ACFW Conference. I was packing my bags and looking forward to the meetings I had a fifteen minute time slot with one of the publishing houses that had the full on their desk and the prospective agent.

A phone call came in. When the caller ID screen had Colorado Springs written on it and I knew one of the publishing houses that had the manuscript was based there, my hopes immediately blasted to the ceiling. I drew a breath and tried to sound friendly and casual. It was from Shannon Hill of WaterBrook Press and she offered me a three-book contract.

I was sooooooo excited that I felt like I was soaring. I was soooooo terrified that I felt like I was suffocating.

Share with us your most favorite "author" moment. For example, the day you saw your book on the shelves, a book signing, someone emailed you a special note-anything that was special to you.

I've been a little weird about paying attention to the book, as if looking at it might be overwhelming. When the boxed books arrived here, I didn't open them. When it hit the shelves a few weeks later, I didn't go into a store for over a month. When someone e-mailed me, I felt unworthy and like I was waiting for them to change their minds. But before all that happened, I flew out to meet everyone at WaterBrook Press. I was standing somewhere for a few minutes by myself and I picked up a sales magazine that was lying on a table. It was filled with author names I knew and then I saw something totally unexpected-my book's cover (the ARC version), my photo, and blurbs about the book and me were in that magazine. That's a moment I never expected, one I'll never, ever forget.

Explain to us where your love for the Amish and Mennonite people come from?

As the new girl at school, I became friends with a Plain Mennonite girl. She wore the prayer Kapp and caped dresses. It was my first encounter with someone so separate from the mainstream. She was so kind and gentle, yet she was unyielding in her beliefs. I have fond memories of those days. She had a relative that lived near me, so when she went over there for family gatherings, I'd meet her there-sometimes without my family knowing or having been invited:- ) The women were amazing! Kindhearted, laughed easily. I loved them.

But neither set of parents really approved of our relationship. It made perfect sense to me that her parents weren't thrilled with some television watching, baton twirling, pants-wearing girl, yet they never made me feel the least bit unwelcome. My parents were harsher about it and when I talked to them about it they said they wanted me to desire the life I had been born into and not long for something that wasn't obtainable. But I also think they felt we didn't measure up and it was easier to try to wall me off from them rather than feel so "worldly."

When my friend came over, her rules came with her and we were careful to obey them-afraid that if we didn't, the adults would end the friendship. Although the regulations were much easier to keep when we spent the night at her house because her family didn't own any of the forbidden items, even a conversation about a television show or commercial could be enough cause for the parents to end the relationship. When my family moved some 700 miles away, the friendship eventually dissolved.

Years later, after working on my Amish books for a very long time, I prayed for an Amish contact. I had no idea how that would come about since I lived in Georgia, but within a month I had a contact who knew an Amish woman. From there I met the Amish woman, spent time in her home, and she reads my manuscripts for me. I cherish our friendship and truly wish we didn't live so far apart.

I ask every published author this question. What do you think is the most common misconception among unpublished writers?

That being published will validate their years of hard work.

I knew a man once who never enjoyed his children for where they were or who they were. When they were learning to talk, he held no joy, waiting on them to talk really well. When they could talk well, he held no value in them, waiting on them to read. When they could read, he held no value in them, waiting on them to prove themselves valuable to family members and friends. When they proved themselves to that group, he held no value in them, waiting on them to prove who they were in the workforce.

This isn't a made up story. The man is old now, fighting cancer, and still waiting.

But God's love validates us right where we are. If we can accept that, then wherever we are we are able to enjoy life as it comes at us and pass love on to others. And love is the only thing that validates us.

And on that same note, what has been the most surprising thing you've learned during your journey to publication?

That it's doable-from getting published to receiving in-house edits, to marketing, to all the stuff that sounds terrifying, it's doable.

What advice would you give to all of us unpublished writers?

Read Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein. (After a few months of that, definitely study Brandilyn Collins' Getting Into Character and James Scott Bell's Plot and Structure.)
Find a critique partner. A good critique partner needs to be a reader who is open minded. They need to be encouraging, yet painfully honest. And they need to like your subject matter and genre. And write some each day-even if it's just for twenty minutes.

Tell us a little bit about your upcoming books and what's next after the series?

My debut novel, When the Heart Cries, hit the shelves in September of '06. It made the CBA best-seller list and is a Books-a-Million FaithPoint Book Club choice for January.

The sequel, When the Morning Comes will be out September of '07.

My web site is www.cindywoodsmall.com and I'd love for anyone reading this to drop by.

I'm really excited about a year-long contest I have going on. It gives people multiple chances to win an Amish-made quilt. The money being made by the Amish women who are sewing the quilt will go to the yearly benefit for their community's school. So, feel free to swing by and enter it.

I also have a monthly drawing where the winner receives an autographed copy of both When the Heart Cries and, when available, When the Morning Comes.

Thank you, Cindy. I appreciate you stopping by and feel free to leave us with a thought.

I shared this on a friend's blog and it really spoke to her, so I'm going to share it again: We all have lives and responsibilities that do NOT have to fit anyone else's idea of what should be happening with our writing. It took me a decade to conceive my youngest son; he's no less important because he didn't arrive on mine and my husband's timetable. Think about it, if he was born ten years earlier, he might not be able to be in the right place at the right time to accomplish a set purpose. That may well be the case for some aspiring authors' work.

Now for the fun part. Go to Cindy's website and find out the name of her plain mennonite friend who inspired her love of the Mennonite & Amish people. Email me the name and I'll pull a name for the free book. Good luck and happy sleuthing.

Germ

** I'm having trouble with links for some reason... I wish I could load the author picture**

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducting GERM(WestBow Nov 1, 2006) by Robert Liparulo

ABOUT THE BOOK

If you breathe, it will find you...


The list of 10,000 names was created for maximum devastation. On it are business leaders, housewives, politicians, celebrities, janitors, children. None know what is about to happen...but all will be part of the most frightening brand of warfare the world has ever known.

The GERM...a more advanced form of the Ebola virus...has been genetically engineered to infect only those people whose DNA matches the codes embedded within it. If your DNA is not a match, you simply catch a cold. But if your DNA is a match, within days your internal organs liquefy and you die a most painful death. There is no cure.

The release of the virus would usher in a new era of power...one in which countries are left without any form of defense, where one person or millions could be killed with 100% accuracy yet result in no collateral damage to property or those not targeted.

That time isn't coming...It is now!

GERM is coming. Pray the assassins get you first.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert's novel paints a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story "Kill Zone" was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.

Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly. He has sold or optioned three screenplays.

Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.

He is currently working on his third novel.


Bob's website
The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0785261788

Generation Next Parenting and Interview with Tricia Goyer

As a fairly young mom, (hey, thirties are young) I sometimes feel inundated with information, advice, ideas and general busy body opinions of my parenting skills. Just when you think you have something figured out a specialist or expert doctor comes out and tells us we've been doing it wrong. I get frustrated and overwhelmed and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

A few weeks ago I picked up the book Generation Next Parenting to go through. Again, another parenting book. I'll be honest, I was leery to say the least. I didn't have a lot of time to read another non-fiction book on parenting or did I have a lot of interest. (again with the honesty) But because I'm a sucker for trying to improve my mothering skills, I figured I'd at least read through it.

Pleasantly surprised would describe how I felt as I flipped through the pages. Starting with the cover, the book caters to my generation. Tricia Goyer has the uncanny ability to make me want to turn the page. I wanted to see what music, gadget or fad from my youth she might incorporate into a parenting lesson. She made the book fun and easy to get through. Instead of clear cut advice, I came away with more of an understanding of who I am as a parent and what issues are important to me and the way that I'm raising my son.

I loved the little snippets from other real life parents throughout the book. I could relate to so many things they brought up. This book is nothing like the other parenting books you've read and I hope you'll pick up a copy.

After enjoying the book so much I asked the author, Tricia Goyer to stop by for a brief interview.

Tricia tell me a little bit about yourself and your family.


I live in Montana with my husband and three kids that I homeschool. I'm actively involved in our church, where we volunteer in children's church every week. I love spending time with my family and friends.

What's a typical night in the Goyer household?

Right now, during basketball season, I'd say basketball. Both my 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter pvarsityisty ball for a homeschool team. Their team travels all over the western part of the state, and our whole family travels together. It's fun! This is the only sport they play, so we really enjoy it.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

I got the idea for Generation NeXt Parenting after hearing a group of older mothers talk about "these younger moms" who want their kids to have everything and pour their lives into their kids. I thought, "That's me!" So, I started looking into the differences in generations, and how we raise our kids, and I was amazed by how our childhood shaped us as a whole. The whole book grew out of that.

What are some issues you face personally as a mother? Things you struggle with.

The thing I struggle with most is giving my kids enough time. Even though I homeschool them. Even though we take time to play games and hang out. Even though we watch movies together, have dinner together almost every night, and travel together, it never seems like enough. It's a Gen X thing. I realize how short this time with my kids is. I know how important the foundations I lay now will be for there for the rest of their lives.

How long did it take you to write the book? And did you have trouble selling it or did that come easy?

The book went amazingly fast. I got the idea in July, and I wrote the proposal and sample chapters. It just flowed out of me. By October Multnomah was interested in the book. By January the book was written. It was on the bookshelves the next October . . . and I felt God's hand on me the whole time. It was great.

One little quote in the book describes what being a Generation X parent means.
eX-cellent people, eX-celling to our potential, and eX-hausted most of the time! I love that. ;) Is there one specific nugget of truth in the book that really spoke to you?

Yes, that nugget would be: God chose us to parent our kids during this time in history. He CHOSE us. He also knows that, because of all the challenges, we would REQUIRE Him to succeed. We can do this parenting thing . . . with God's help.

How do you hope this book touches people? Or what do you want people to take away from this book?

I hope that people will realize God can help them in any parenting situation. There are tons of parenting books with great advice, yet it is truly God who can help any parent in any situation.

In one part of the book, you talk about being overloaded with advice. We get suggestions from everywhere on how to be better parents. And you mentioned how great the information is, but how our generation has very little time to do all the things we're told to do. Tell us how this book differs from just another self-help parenting book.

I really don't give people a list of things to do, or not to do. Instead, I talk about our issues and struggles as parents. I give Gen Xers a hint of why we, as a generation, have turned out this way. And then I talk about what God's Word says, and then I give Gen-Xers things to think about and consider with their own kids.

I enjoyed the My Take On It sections. A part of each chapter has quotes from real mothers and fathers. How did you compile your quotes or rather how did you come up with the contributors?
I emailed some of my Gen-X friends, I emailed MOPS groups, or other on-line groups-such as writer's forums-looking for volunteers. Then I emailed questions out and they responded. My biggest problem was choosing from all the great answers.

Finally, I know you also write fiction, do you want to take a minute to update us on your new projects?

My newest fiction novel, A Valley of Betrayal, hits store shelves mid-February. It is the first of a three-book-series on The Spanish Civil War. Book two, A Shadow of Treason, will be out this fall. I have four WWII novels published, but this is my first series. It will be three books total. And I love it!

Thanks so much for having me.

Thank you, Tricia, for being here. I look forward to reading more from you! I had planned on giving away my copy of the book, but I marked it up in a few places and I'm not ready to part with it. LOL. I hope you'll go out and get a copy today.

IF THE SHOE FITS...

No, you aren't seeing double. This month we are reviewing not one, but two books by Marilynn Griffith! This prolific writer has TWO books coming out this month! This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is posting about If the Shoe Fits (Steeple Hill Cafe', 2007) by Marilynn Griffith (fellow CFBA member, blogger, writer, and mother of seven)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Have Glass Slipper, Need Prince...
If the Shoe Fits is the second book in the Sassy Sistahood Novels. The first in the series was Made of Honor (Steeple Hill, Jan. 2006).

(BACK COVER BLURB)

In all my thirty-five years, I, shoe designer Rochelle Gardner, have never had so many men interested in me! My teen son's dad is back in my life after suffering from amnesia (yes, really). The church deacon has had his eye on me for years (and never said a word). And the young waiter (from the restaurant I've visited for singles' events) is trying to steal my heart. I've been struggling with my faith, trying to figure out which man God has chosen for me and wondering if I have the courage to step forward, on my not-so-pretty feet, to accept love. It's almost too much for the Sassy Sistahood to handle, but my girlfriends always have my back!
If you'd like to purchase this fab book, simply click the book to be directed to amazon.

In case you don't want to scroll down the page, here's a little info on Marilynn. ;) She is wife to a deacon, mom to a tribe and proof that God gives second chances. Her novels include Made of Honor (Steeple Hill, Jan. 2006), Pink (Revell, Feb. 2006), Jade (Revell, June 2006), and Tangerine (Revell, January 2007). Her other credits include Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman’s Soul, Cup of Comfort Devotionals and her Shades of Style series (Revell, 2006). She lives in Florida with her husband and children. To book speaking engagements or just say hello send her an email. She loves to hear from her readers. ;)

I know I said something before, but Marilynn Griffith is one of my new favorite authors. Not only is she touching on a diverse ethnic background that's lacking in Christian book stores today, but she's also writing to people like myself. People who maybe haven't lived perfect cookie cutter Christian lives and yet, God loves us! I love that message. Thanks, Marilynn!

TANGERINE BY MARILYNN GRIFFITH

Todays book on the tour is Tangerine by Marilynn Griffith. Marilynn Griffith is a freelance writer and conference speaker whose online columns and blogs reach thousands of women each year. She is the author of Pink and Jade, and has contributed to Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul, Proverbs for the People, and For Better or for Worse. Marilynn lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with her husband and seven children.

Strangely enough, I’d never read anything by Marilynn Griffith when I received my advanced reader copy of Tangerine, her newest release. Tangerine is book 3 in the Shades of Style series. I was eager to see what kind of writer Marilynn was.

What will happen when outspoken designer Jean Guerra is assigned to work with her long estranged husband?

The story opens with Jean Guerra finding herself at an impasse. Her husband is in prison, she’s spent nearly every dime she has trying to help him win an appeal, and her teenage daughter is in desperate need of a strong parental role model. It doesn’t even matter that her husband swears he’s innocent. What matters is he’s okay with sitting in jail until God would see fit for him to be released. Jean makes a decision to move on with her life as a single mother. The story progresses into Jean’s forties or maybe fifties. A much neglected premise in today’s Christian fiction.

There’s also a definite ethnic spice to this book that is lacking from the majority of today’s most popular CBA books. It was refreshing to read about a heroine who had a strong vibrant heritage that she was proud to be a part of. While Jean struggles to raise her daughter on her own she does the very best she can and has a successful career in the fashion industry and friends who love her. The one thing her life is missing is a relationship with her husband.

This book takes a romantic turn when her husband ends up being her new partner on a line of clothing she must create for a major sports organization.

I enjoyed Marilyn’s simple forthright manner in which she told this story. It was a clean, well-written story of love lost and found. And dealing with the pain and aftermath from poorly made decisions. Overall, a great book! The first two books, Pink and Jade are now on my tbr list.

THE BEST OF THE BEST...

As promised, I wanted to start 2007 with a fond look back at some of my favorite books of 2006. I'm going to try and not give anything away in case you haven't read these books. So there shouldn't be any spoilers.

I wanted to include pictures for each of these books but it took the page so long to load I decided to just try links. I hope they all work. ;)

I admit I struggled with placement on a few of these, so let me just say that these books are 10 of MANY books I read this year. I loved all of these books and I could just about have a 3 or 4 way tie for 1st and 2nd.

Lets go ahead and start with book 10. Write Great Fiction/Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. This is one of those books I had a hard time placing. For one, because this is not a book that was published in 2006, rather, I just finally got my own copy so I had to include it. Also, because it's my only non fiction book on the list, I decided to just put it at the end since it's hard to compare it with a fiction book I read for entertainment. This book has become invaluable to me. It's a fabulous book on the writing craft and a must have for all writers. If you don't have this book, do yourself a favor and get a copy now!

9. You might be surprised by this one. Miss Menace by Nancy Lavo. Again, this is not a book released in 2006, but I got my copy to judge for the ACFW Book of The Year this past spring. It was entered into the short contemporary fiction category. I believe it placed 2nd or 3rd. It's a Heartsong Presents book. The reason I liked this story is because it was well written. A simple, easy to read book that was very entertaining. I laughed out loud a few times. ;)

8. Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury. I've long been a fan of Karen Kingsbury. As always with her writing, she does a great job of taking a situation and making it as bad as possible. Usually, the reader can't figure out how she will come up with a satisfying solution, but somehow she does. In this story, she takes a couple who have adopted this darling child and makes the unthinkable happen...the birth parents want the child back. Very good story. I admit I had tears in my eyes a few times.

7. Georgia on Her Mind by Rachel Hauck. I enjoyed this book because I had been looking for a fresh new chick lit style of book. Rachel didn't disappoint me. I'd never read anything of Rachel's and I wasn't sure what to expect. It was a very good book. I can see why Kristin Billerbeck gave it such a great review. (which might I add I regretfully didn't have a chance to read anything by Kristin this year)

6. Alaska Twilight by Colleen Coble. I've been a long time follower of Colleen's books and when I heard about her first women of faith book, I was very excited. I did a review of Alaska Twilight on Epinions last summer if you'd like to get a more in depth review of the book. The short version is simply well developed characters, fabulous setting and great conflict. I love that Coble's main character had to deal with a handicap. It made the story more believable and realistic. It's refreshing to read about a character who struggles with real life issues. Great read!

5. RV There Yet by Diann Hunt. I hesitated to put this one down just out of pure stubbornness. LOL. My mother read this book first and told me "Oh Sabrina you remind me of ________ in RV There Yet." I'm not going to tell you which one because I am only 33 years old and I did not like being compared to a character in a lady lit book. ;) I'm only kind of kidding. I really did love this book and I loved how I could see Diann evolve in her genre. She seemed to really come into her own with this book. It was well written and seemingly well researched. Great gift book for mom's or any "mature" lady friends.

4. Finding Faith by Denise Hunter. I'm one of those readers who breaks the traditional mold. I do not go into a bookstore and only choose from one section. I love suspense, historical, lits and women's fiction. Finding Faith was the best women's fiction I read all year. Period! She even added a touch of suspense to this one. Maybe her crit partner, Colleen Coble, is rubbing off on her.

3. The biggest fiction surprise of my year. The Reluctant Burglar, by Jill Elizabeth Nelson. I have a new favorite to add to my author list. Jill's story was so intriguing. I've always loved action/suspense/drama/intrigue. Jill's book has all that. I told her after my interview with her that I would love to see a show on TV based on this book. It was THAT good. The characters had great chemistry without being overtly romantic. If that makes sense. I can not wait for book two in this series due out this year. I think it's titled Reluctant Runaway.

2. Here's where I had trouble. I could hardly decide between one and two. I finally settled on Fire Dancer by Colleen Coble. This was, in my opinion, Colleen's best book. This story had more twists and turns than any of her other books. She led us on such a journey with a huge cast of characters. I pride myself on usually figuring out the culprit early on in the story. It took me close to the end to get this one. I can't wait for her new realeases this year. Abomination and Midnight Sea.

1. And the drum roll please... Violet Dawn by Brandilyn Collins. The determining factor between Violet Dawn and Fire Dancer for me was that Violet Dawn had this underlying element that spoke to me. Something from my own life that I saw mirrored in this book. It was a little less creepy than her other books. There was this one scene towards the end that I found myself holding my breath. Seriously. She did a great job creating panic in this book.

And there you have it folks, my favorites for 2006. I'm already excited about the books I've heard about for 2007. It should be an interesting year.

Feel free to comment on any or all of these books. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!

It's only days away and I still have several things to do. I think we're farther behind this year than ever before. Still have cookies to bake, buckeyes to dip in chocolate, presents to wrap (not to mention a few yet to buy) it just seems like it snuck up on me this year.

I think part of it has to do with the fact it's like 50 degrees here. That is way weird for Indiana. I need snow, people. There's just something about looking at the clean white snow on Christmas morning to put you in the holiday mood.

On a writing note, I heard back from the editor about my book Prescription for Murder. She liked the proposal. She gave me a few editorial suggestions and asked me to send her the complete. I'm currently working on those changes and hope to get it back to her in a couple weeks. It was so fun to hear from her. I fully expected to get a rejection, which I still might, but at least the story intrigues her enough at this point. That's something, I guess. ;)

Also, I had the chance to get together with two of my writer friends this week. We don't have as much time to do that as we'd like. It was a fun refreshing time to reflect on our writing accomplishments for 2006 and our goals for 2007. I came away feeling refreshed and ready to plow into those goals. Why do we keep ourselves so busy we don't have more time for these special moments?

Finally, I'm working on a top ten books for 2006 this week. I will be posting that next weekend. Hope you'll stop by to see if one of your favorite books might be on the list. Until then, have a very Merry Christmas!!!

IN CASE YOU MISSED ME!

Hi all! I just wanted to touch base with you all. I've been very sick. Between antibiotics, breathing treatments and decongestants...it's been a long couple weeks. I'm sorry for the lack of interesting tidbits lately. I hope to be back up and running in a few days. Blogging has been the last thing on my mind. LOL.

Talk to you all soon!

Welcome & Congratulations to Robin Caroll!!!

Most of my ACFW friends know our guest today. Robin Caroll, aka Robin Miller, recently sold her first romantic suspense. Bayou Justice is scheduled to be released next October.

Robin, thank you for taking the time to be here, tell us about yourself. Family, career, degrees/college interests, anything people might not know about you. (that you want to share)

RC: I've been happily married for seventeen years, I have three beautiful daughters-ages 16, 6, and 4. Something people might not know about me? Hmmm. Let's see. I was a cheerleader in high school. LOL


OH, three girls, good luck with that. LOL. Kidding. I bet it's a real learning experience for your husband. ;) How long have you been writing?

RC: I think I've been writing ever since I could pick up a pencil. I was writing "fiction" back as a child where I'd write plays and then act them out for my parents. I got serious about writing back in the early 1990s, but then had my first child. Three years ago I completed my first manuscript geared toward the CBA.

Wow, how many completed manuscripts do you have?

RC: Eight, but there are two that are buried UNDER my filing cabinet that will never see the light of day. LOL

EIGHT!!! Sheesh, what is your writing schedule? How many words a day or hours?

RC: Okay, I don't have a schedule, per se. I get the story worked out in my head and then I write. Luckily, that's almost every day. When I'm in the "zone" (as my children call it) I do about 5-6K a day.

Are you a stay at home mom? What's a normal day for you? (as far as how you squeeze the writing in between regular mom duties)

RC: Yes, I am a SAHM. I only have one child left at home this year. So my writing "day" begins after hubby takes the two older kids to school. I do phone calls from 8-9, do my web presence activities from 9-10, then begin my actual "writing" at 10. I normally try to actually write between 10-12, then I have lunch with my youngest. I don't get back to "writing" until the time spot between picking up the kids from 3-4:30. My writing day is finished then and it's all family time. Unless a story's burning or I'm on a deadline. Then, I can write again after the kids go to bed after 8.

You just sold Bayou Justice. Big congratulations. ;) I know many people are thrilled for you. Tell us about the book and how it came about. Including when you started the book and how long it took you to sell it.

RC: This book was like going home for me! I'm from Louisiana and grew up with bayous, swamps, etc. From the time this book was brainstormed (thanks, Colleen) it took me about three weeks to write it. It flowed. I could feel the words falling out of me. My agent submitted the full ms to Krista at Steeple Hill in September, and I got "the call" on October 18th!

I read on your blog that you're planning to fill your readers in on the process of publication. I know it's pretty early in the game, but has there been any surprises. Something you didn't realize about the process?

RC: I had no clue what an art fact sheet was! When my editor sent it, bless her, she explained what it was. I called Colleen in a panic. She assured me I was in good hands and told me not to worry about getting it "perfect".

What about your other stories. Do you have them out somewhere?

RC: I have a single title out being shopped. Matter-of-fact, I should be hearing back from that editor in the next couple of months. Very exciting. And I do have to finish the ms that placed 2nd in the Genesis. It's only half written.

What's been the most important writing skill you've learned that has helped your writing? Plotting, character development, researching, etc... Something you think newbies need to focus on mastering.

RC: Okay, I'll admit it, I DETEST the synopsis. I don't write them. LOL I do an 8 page character synopsis on each of my characters which includes the GMC for each of the 3 main acts of the story. I write from that.

I know we have a common mentor, Colleen Coble. She's an incredible writer with an amazing heart for new writers. But you also have some amazing writing buddies. How did you all meet and how does your group work? Do you all crit each other? And do you crit as you write or wait until the whole rough draft is complete?

RC: Colleen is the best! She encourages me when I'm down and gives me advice and guidance. I love her! I would not be where I am in my writing today without her. My cps are AWESOME, too. Actually, I began asking certain writers to join a group. We aren't an ACFW group, but we're all ACFW members. I can't remember if I snagged Dineen Miller or Ronie Kendig first, but it was back-to-back. Then we roped in Ron Estrada (bless his heart-being the only guy) and then later, Heather Tipton. We send chapters as we write them. We don't have any "rules" just whatever works. Sometimes we have a couple of us working toward a deadline, and we try to give that person or persons full attention. It all just depends. And it all works out.

Share with us the how you found out about your sale? What did you do to celebrate or have you had time yet? ;)

RC: I received the call from my agent! Let me tell you, my emotions went haywire...I laughed, cried, screamed, jumped up and down...everything. The best part? Hearing all the excitement in everyone else's voices when I told them. AWESOME. My hubby was leading the men's Bible study at church that night, so we couldn't go out. On his way home, he stopped at our local coffee beanery and brought me home like 5 different desserts!

LOL. How sweet of him. What about book two?

RC: Bayou Justice will be out October 2007 by Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Book two? It's working title is Bayou Corruption and I'm just starting on my character synopses now. I'm hoping to be able to submit it to my editor just after the first of the year.

There you have it, folks. You now have the scoop! Good luck, Robin, with all your writing endevours. Plan on stopping back often to talk about your current projects. ;)

RC: Thank so much for interviewing me, Sabrina. It's been fun.

For anyone who leaves a comment, I'll come back here next fall and enter you in a drawing for one of Robin's books. I know, a while to wait, but a free book is worth the wait!

The Election, by Jerome Teel

It's that time again. This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is reviewing Jerome Teel's latest book, The Election...I've recently become a frequenter of Jerome's blog, Christian Political Fiction. Whenever I find something interesting in the political newsfront, I check Jerome's blog to see what he says about the topic. Although, I haven't read his new book,The Election, it is on my to be purchased list. My friend Cara Putman has a brief interview with Jerome. Hop on over to the Law, Books, and Life and see what Cara's been able to learn about Jerome.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Jerome Teel is a graduate of Union University, where he received his JD, cum laude, from the Ole Miss School of Law. He is actively involved in his church, local charities, and youth sports.

He has always loved legal-suspense novels and is a political junkie. Jerome and his wife, Jennifer, have three children-Brittney, Trey, and Matthew-and reside in Tennessee, where he practices law and is at work on a new novel.

The book: THE ELECTION

They seek ultimate power.

Nothing can stand in their

way.


Ed Burke has waited a lifetime to become president of the United States. He's not about to let his nemesis, Mac Foster, stop him now...especially when he's sold his soul for the Oval Office.

Claudia Duval has lived a rough life. And finally, things have turned around for her after meeting the wealthy Hudson Kinney. But is all what is seems?

When a prominent citizen is murdered in Jackson, Tennessee, attorney Jake Reed doesn't want to know the truth. He just wants to get his client off. But as he investigates, he uncovers a sinister scheme. A scheme that would undermine the very democracy of America...and the freedom of the entire world.
The Election, by Jerome Teel, is a fast-paced, highly readable mystery filled with suspense, intrigue, and political conspiracy. Teel skillfully weaves together themes of faith, family, suffering, and providence in a way that not only compels, but enlightens."

David S. Dockery-President, Union University

Review of Dandelion Dust

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is posting about Karen Kingsbury's latest book, Like Dandelion Dust. Let's learn a little bit about Karen and this wonderful book.

USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America's #1 inspirational novelist. There are nearly 5 million copies of her award-winning books in print, including more than two million copies sold in the past year. Karen has written more than 30 novels, nine of which have hit #1 on national lists, including award-winning Oceans Apart, One Tuesday Morning, Beyond Tuesday Morning, the Redemption Series and Firstborn Series, and several other bestsellers, one of which was the basis for a CBS Movie-of-the-Week and Gideon's Gift, which is currently in production as a major theatrical release for Christmas 2007.

Karen lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Don, and their six children, three of whom are adopted from Haiti.

About the Book:

Jack and Molly Campbell enjoyed an idyllic life (great house in a fancy neighborhood, high-paying job, and a beautiful little boy) in their small hometown outside Atlanta with their adopted 4-year-old, Joey. Then they receive the phone call that shatters their world: a social worker delivers the news that Joey's biological father has been released from prison and is ready to start life over with his son. (It's discovered that Joey's birth mother forged the signature of Joey's birth father, making it a fraudulent adoption.) When a judge rules that Joey must be returned to his father (a man who cannot separate love and violence), the Campbell's, in a silent haze of grief and utter disbelief, watch their son pick a dandelion and blow the feathery seeds into the wind.

Struggling with the dilemma of following the law, their hearts, and what they know to be morally right, the Campbell's find that desperation leads to dangerous thoughts. What if they can devise a plan? Take Joey and simply disappear....LIKE DANDELION DUST.

Click here to purchase this great book.

Review by Mimi Pearson

AND THE WINNER IS...

Congratulations, Jennifer Cary! You won your own copy of The Reluctant Burglar. You're going to love this book. The other day when I finished it I was sad to put the characters away. LOL.

Thanks, everybody, for playing along. (even you shy girls that didn't post) ;) Hope you'll stop by again.

And thanks so much to Jill Elizabeth Nelson. You're a peach! Can't wait to read the next book.

Author Interview + Book Give-away! Welcome Jill Elizabeth Nelson

If Desiree Jacobs knows anything, it’s art. Her father, whose security company is internationally renowned, taught her everything he knew. Most of all, he taught her about honor, integrity, and faith.

Special Agent Tony Lucano knows Desiree Jacob’s father is an art thief. But what he can’t figure out is Desiree. Is she an innocent victim…or a clever accomplice?

Then her father is murdered. And along with his company, he leaves Desiree a hidden container full of stolen paintings. But she can’t put people out of jobs, and embarrass international museums that have been displaying clever forgeries. No. She must find out why her honest father would turn criminal. And she must return the priceless art to the rightful owners without their knowledge. Even if it means facing down a ring of cutthroat art thieves…or accepting help from the man she most distrusts.

Wow, if that doesn’t make you want to go out and buy this book, I don’t know what will. Let’s meet the author behind this clever story. The Reluctant Burglar is Jill Elizabeth Nelson’s first published novel.

Hi, Jill. Thanks for being here today. I’m looking forward to getting to know you today. Please tell us a little about yourself and your family, and your job as a reviewer.

JN: My first and only marriage is still
going strong after 25 years. We have four kids who’ve pretty much flown the coop. Yet, the chickadees keep coming home to roost. Puzzling phenomenon. We must not give them enough incentive to stay away.

By day, I masquerade as secretary to the CEO of a health care corporation and as housing manager for a senior apartment complex. By night I throw off my mask of conformity and turn into a wild and crazy writer who can hardly wait to jot down all the cool things my characters are telling me, so I can share them with my readers.

But before I entered the realm of published novelist, I enjoyed three great years as a book reviewer for Romantic Times magazine, a secular periodical catering to women readers. Publishers would send me their inspirational fiction several months before the books were available on the shelves, and I got to share with an international market of readers what I thought about these books. How cool is that!?

When my own book contract came along, the magazine required me to step down from my reviewer position—conflict of interest. I’m thankful for my years as a reviewer. The position put me in touch with what was happening in the inspirational fiction market and helped me position my work for a sale.

Wow, you work full time and still find time to write. Impressive. Do you have any hobbies or interests you’d like to share?

JN: Reading, writing, camping trips with my family. My version of camping is a motor home with an electrical hook-up. Not very primitive, but very relaxing to be out in nature away from the regular daily bustle. I bring my laptop and write without even the temptation of checking my email.

No temptation to check your email…you are a strong woman. LOL. Now, how long have you been writing and how long did you write before you were published?

JN: I’ve been writing since I penned—er, penciled—my first mystery novel in sixth grade. No trace of that youthful manuscript exits today, and the world is grateful. Since then, my writer’s journey has taken me in many different directions. I’ve worn the hats of journalist, columnist, essayist, poet, storyteller and book reviewer. Somewhere along the route, in my early days, I earned a BA in literature and creative writing.

The dream of becoming a published novelist was born and died several times before the fulfillment. Sometimes that’s the way it has to be because the Lord knows we’re not ready for the dream to become reality. But about six years ago, when my children started flying the nest, I began writing a novel that wouldn’t let me alone until I got it on paper. That isn’t the one that eventually sold, but working on it primed the pump, and I kept writing manuscripts until the contract happened. God’s timing, not mine.

Are you one of those writers that had to go through lots of rejections before you were published or was it a fairly simple process?

JN: I assume you mean “published” in book length. Yes, I had about four years of rejections until my first novel sold. During that time, I published many articles, essays, short stories, and book reviews. Publishing short pieces was and continues to be a part of my writing ministry, but in my pre-book contract days, it was also a way to build credits and name recognition in writing circles.

Getting to the point of receiving a book contract offer isn’t a simple process. It just isn’t. A lot of factors contribute, especially old-fashioned hard work and perseverance. I always recommend that aspiring authors join writers groups, either on-line or in person. We need the accountability and the encouragement these groups can provide. And the networking opportunities are vast, particularly in on-line groups such as American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) where the membership includes agents and editors.

Back to you. What were you doing when you found out you sold The Reluctant Burglar? How did you celebrate?

JN: In the fall of 2005, my cell phone rang during the awards banquet at the Christian Writers Group conference. (I was naughty and left it on because I was expecting to hear one way or the other.) I dashed into the hall, clutching the phone. My also naughty agent began the conversation as if she was preparing me for a let-down, and then she announced, “And they’re offering you a three-book contract!” I had an Aaaaah! Moment, then settled in to hear the details. It was a blast being able to share my news with a whole conference full of fellow writers, many of them personal friends. I feel like that was a special gift to me from the Lord. And an intriguing God-incidence stood out to everyone when my news became common knowledge—the conference theme was “Answer the Call.” Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?

What kind of writing schedule are you on?

JN: My general writing goal is 1,000 words per day at least five days per week. I never do exactly that. On days when I’m a little “stuck” and need to brainstorm plot, I might only write a few hundred words. On days when everything’s clicking, I might do 1,500 or 2,000. My contract gives me six months to write each book in the series. Those months seem to slide by pretty fast.

I read that you put your writing on hold while you raised your family. I work outside the home and finding time to write without making my family sacrifice is a big struggle for me. What advice would you give women like me? (no pressure, lol)

JN: I admire women who can raise young children and write, too. It didn’t work for me. But then, I wasn’t able to be a stay-at-home mom. Working full time, then coming home to the needs of a large family left no room for writing. The dream was dormant inside me during those years anyway. I’m sure that was God’s grace.

For women who have the awesome privilege of being home with their little ones, an hour or two a day at the computer might be possible. Notice I say “might.”

Whatever your situation is in the motherhood arena, if the call to write is heavy on you as well, be happy with small but steady progress. Be consistent. Be persistent. Cut yourself lots of slack so the inevitable interruptions don’t stress you out. Enjoy the writing journey as much as you enjoy your kids. Don’t make the two roles competitive. Besides, raising kids gives women LOTS of fodder for books. Count your little blessings, and then put them to bed. LOL

Small but steady progress…my new mantra! I read that you literally dreamed up your character in RB. Tell us about that? Do you typically dream up your books?

JN: I don’t typically sleep-dream my novel scenarios. I do typically wake-dream them, often while lying in bed trying to sleep, but my brain is still going a hundred miles an hour concocting scenarios for imaginary people. Only a writer can get away with such confessions and not be considered a candidate for a white jacket.

For the Reluctant Burglar concept, I woke up one night with my whole body tense after dreaming that a woman had sneaked into a home in the wee hours of darkness to return a genuine painting that had been stolen and replaced by a clever forgery. I didn’t know much about her except that she was an expert at what she did, and if she were caught, disaster would follow for lots of people. My imagination began to play with that nugget, and Burglar was born.

Tell us a little about this book and what it meant to you to tell this story?

JN: I love stories where people risk much to do the right thing, and I hate hearing about art or antiquities desecrated or stolen. Putting these elements together into a tale of intrigue with a sassy heroine and an intense hero came pretty naturally. I’ve really enjoyed writing about Desi and Tony.

I write what I like to read. My personal style always includes some level of adventure and romance mingled with pathos and humor. This particular series lets me indulge all my preferences and put it into a package with spiritual meaning incorporated throughout. As my web site says, I write romantic suspense for people who enjoy a fast-paced adventure with more meat on its bones than just a slick plot.

The spiritual theme of Reluctant Burglar is sorting out what to do when it looks like any choice will invite disaster. It’s a story illustration about learning to trust God’s higher knowledge, not our own wisdom and understanding.

This is a part of a series. Would you like to share a little about the other books?

JN: The To Catch a Thief series has a lot of juicy elements that made it attractive to a publisher and, hopefully, to readers—a spitfire heroine righting a wrong in an outrageous way, mortal and moral danger, the unique angle of the high end art world, and a hero that even my winsomely conservative editor describes as—ahem—“hot.”

Reluctant Runaway, which is about ready to head for the typesetter, comes out in March 2007. This one delves into the world of cults and outlaw motorcycle gangs. Interwoven themes are the need for belonging, discerning the truth in a deceitful world, and generational consequences to people’s actions—for good and for evil.

In Reluctant Smuggler (releasing August 2007), our heroes are pitted against a Mexican drug lord engaged in a deadly art for drugs scheme. The theme focuses on the essential role of hope in sustaining our faith, and the disastrous consequences to society when hope is absent.

Each of the books has a specific art focus. Burglar spotlights the European masters, and Runaway exposes readers to American and Native American art. Smuggler takes readers south of the border to explore Hispanic art and culture.

What other projects are you working on?

No “other” projects right now. My plate is full with the current series assignment. I’m about at the half way point in the Reluctant Smuggler manuscript. Things are getting right interesting for my characters. . I hope my current publisher will continue the To Catch a Thief series

What has been the most fun part of publication and the least favorite part?

Writing. The process offers enough joy and despair to be a love/hate relationship in itself, especially when you actually have to meet a deadline, and you have no clue other than a miracle how that will be accomplished. God is good. He gives me grace to do what would be impossible in my own abilities.

Wow, thank you so much, Jill. I appreciate you being here and I loved this story. This is the first book in a long time that I thought, “I wish this were a movie.” It was a very well thought out book. Can’t wait to read the next one. I hope you’ll come back next year to talk about Reluctant Runaway.

Now if you’d like to win an autographed copy of The Reluctant Burglar go to www.jillelizabethnelson.com and find the name of Desiree Jacob’s father. Email me the name and I’ll draw from the entries on Wednesday. Good luck!

Thanks so much, Sabrina. I'm always happy to hear from people who enjoy books, whether they've read mine or not. Drop by my web site. My contact page has my email link, and I'm
especially excited when I see I've got new newsletter subscribers.
http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com

Congratulations to Heather Gunn!

Hey everybody! I'm sorry I didn't post this earlier. My family has been struggling with colds. Yuck.

Anyway, congratulations to Heather Gunn for winning the autographed copy of Finding Faith. I know she's going to enjoy this book. Heather once you read it be sure to drop me a line and let me know what you thought. ;)

Thanks, Denise. You were a wonderful guest. You're welcome anytime.

FYI I'm working on an interview with Jill Elizabeth Nelson. Author of The Reluctant Burglar. This is a great book, written by a clever and witty woman. I hope you'll stop by Monday to meet her and enter for your chance to win an autographed copy of her book!

One last final note. I did finally send in my book Prescription for Murder a few weeks ago. Pray for me to have patience. Even if it's a rejection, I'd rather know sooner than later. ;)

Welcome, Denise Hunter

One Woman Sacrificing Everything For Her Career... Paula Landin-Cohen, an investigative reporter, feels like a fish out of water in the small town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Then she's offered her dream job, as a TV reporter in Chicago. There is so much to gain and so much to lose...including the only man she's ever loved.

A Young Girl's Longing for Acceptance...Linn Caldwell has made a lot of mistakes-bad mistakes. She can never forgive herself for all the pain she's caused others. How can she dare to get close to anyone again?

And The Road To Forgiveness... What will happen if Paula and Linn's secrets are revealed? Will the men they love ever be able to forgive them?

Have you ever started a book and thought, ohhh. I can't wait to see how the author resolves this. That was me this weekend. I started this book Friday afternoon. I finished it Saturday afternoon. It was "that" good.

Finding Faith has great characters that you feel like you know. Believable conflict and a touch of romance and suspense. There were even issues in this book that are taboo and though hard to think about, Denise came to a very realistic resolution. There were sad moments along with joyous moments. My emotions were all over the place with this book. I'd highly recommend it. That's why I'm so excited to have fellow Hoosier, Denise Hunter here to talk about her book and herself.

Many of you know her from the Girls Write Out blog she co-writes with writing buddies, Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt, and Kristin Billerbeck. If you haven't checked it out, do so soon. Denise Hunter lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons. If you haven't seen her in person, she's a darling, petite woman who appears very shy.

Denise, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be here. Having had the privilege of meeting your family, specifically those darling boys, I know you have plenty to keep you occupied. For that handful of people who don't know you, tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.


DH: I'm happily married to a business owner, and as you mentioned, I have three boys. I like to read, watch chick flicks (I've watched You've Got Mail dozens of times), and eat dark chocolate. Not very original, but there it is. I play drums on our church's worship team and lead a book discussion group there as well. I started writing 10 years ago and have been very blessed to publish 12 novels/novellas in that time.

Did I read you're from Ohio? How did you meet your husband and end up in Indiana?

DH: Yes, we're actually both from Ohio. We met when he was asked to fill in as music director at the church where I grew up, and the rest is history. It was a bit awkward because he was 21 and I was only 17. We went to a high school play on our first date, and the lady selling tickets says, "One adult and one child?" ACK! It was so humiliating. We married three years later and he got a job in Indiana shortly after that.

Oh Denise...that's too funny.;) I recently listened to an interview you did on WBCL with friends Colleen Coble and Diann Hunt.(go to the mid morning page and search the archives for Author Author to hear this interview)You all were asked to say something about the other two that people might not know. Colleen said you're "girly" (which is hard in a house full of boys) and Diann said she admired you as a wife and mother. That you always put your family first and do what's best for them. That's no little thing. Especially when writing, if you let it, can consume so much time. How do you make time for both a successful writing career and all that goes with raising three boys?

DH: Well, I always wanted to be a stay at home mom, and I'm that, first and foremost. When I started writing, the boys were little and I wrote only during their naptimes. Talk about slow progress! But even if you only write two pages a day, eventually you have a book. My plan was to get a writing career started so that by the time they were all in school, I'd be writing regularly. God has blessed me by granting that dream. I try not to write when the kids are home, though in the summer, that's sometimes impossible. My publishers have been very gracious to give me the time I need.

It sounds like you have your priorities straight. Because ultimately, even if all the career stuff goes away, our family is what's important. So what's a typical day for you?

DH: As boring as it may sound, I'm very much a routine person. After I drop my kids off at school, I come home and do my Bible study then start writing-usually emails . I call it warming up. After I'm done with emails, I read and edit what I wrote the day before, then I write until I've met my quota, which is currently 6 pages. I get up every so often to throw a load of laundry in the washer. My life is so glamorous. When I finish a chapter, I send it to my critique partner, Colleen Coble, and when she sends it back, I make the suggested changes. I'm usually done writing by noon, which gives me time to get housework and errands done before I have to pick up the boys. After that, it's after-school activities, homework, dinner, showers, and the day is gone.

I admire you structured, routine type people.LOL. How many books do you strive for each year? And do you schedule "off" time?

DH: It depends on my deadlines. Right now, I have a book due every 9 months, which is great. Before I sit down to write a novel, I get out my family calendar and mark the days I'm planning to write-usually 5 days a week unless there's a holiday. I don't write on the days my kids are home from school, so I guess those are my "off" days. Everything else, doctor appointments etc, I schedule around my writing time.

Now enough with the pleasantries. LOL. The real reason you're here. This book, Finding Faith, is fabulous. I'm eager to talk about this story. I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've read all year. It amazes me that you're able to come up with such intricate, detailed stories. Colleen has often compared you to Karen Kingsbury. That in itself is such an honor. However, I think you're writing is getting to a point that your style and talent are no longer going to be compared to other writers, more that you're going to be the author that writers hope to be compared to.

DH: Well, that is such a nice thing to say!

There are some deep issues in this book. I know you don't want to give anything away, but tell us about the story and the characters.

DH: Finding Faith is the story of Paula, a Chicago TV news reporter, who has a deep dark secret that if uncovered, could put her marriage in jeopardy. When she covers a "switched at birth" story, her secret threatens to be revealed. Paula is a Type A personality whose career has been her first priority. Because of this, she's made poor choices, and in the story, those decisions come back to haunt her. There's also a subplot with a young lady named Linn who's made her own share of bad decisions. She finally finds a man to love, but fears he's outside of her reach. Finding Faith has drama, romance, a bit of suspense, and a surprising twist.

More than once I had tears in my eyes. Your ability to make me care for these characters was masterful. I'd think "don't do that, it's going to make things worse" all the while knowing that as humans we all have the ability to make things worse when we try to "fix" things without the help of God. Were the choices made in this book hard to write? Emotionally challenging?

DH: When I first started writing novels, I didn't want to make anything bad happen to my characters. I'm a nice person, and it seemed so cruel. LOL But story requires conflict, otherwise you have a sagging middle, a depressed writer, and then out comes the chocolate. It's not pretty. It's easier to be tough on my characters! Honestly, delving into the emotions comes naturally to me. Not that I have a huge well of pain to draw from, but everyone has experienced the basic emotions to some degree, and I draw from that when I write.


The study questions are fabulous. Do the authors write these or someone at the publishing house?

DH: Typically the author writes them, but for Finding Faith, my editor offered to write them because I was swamped at the time. She did a fabulous job!

You introduced a few new people in this book. Will we be seeing these characters in another series? Or are you done with them for now?

DH: I did leave a little wiggle room for another book, but other opportunities have come along, so I'm going to leave those characters where I left them.

Tell us about your current projects. And what kinds of things are you hoping to write in the next few years.

DH: I'm very excited about my current projects! WestBow Press (Thomas Nelson) has contracted me to write 4 romances set on the island of Nantucket. Each story will take an attribute of Christ and play out through the romance between the hero and heroine. On the surface, they're love stories, but there's a deeper meaning in the way the hero loves the heroine the way Christ loves us. The first one, Surrender Bay, is due out in October, 2007 and they'll be released every 6 months.

Oh...I can't wait until October '07! Finally, just for fun, tell us what authors you love to read? No pressure. LOL. Who's books do you race to the bookstore to get?

DH: Deb Raney, Francine Rivers, Lynn Austin, Nicholas Sparks, to name a few.

Great authors. You have great taste...Now for the fun part, Denise is graciously giving away a signed copy of Finding Faith. But you have to work for it! Go to her website at www.denisehunterbooks.com and find the name of Denise's husband. Then email me the name. It's pretty simple, really. I'll draw a name from all the entries this Thursday.

And thanks so much, Denise. This was fun. Hope you stop back again.

DH: Thanks so much for having me! Best wishes with all your writing endeavors!

Finding Faith

I can't go to sleep and it's all Denise Hunter's fault. LOL. Her newest book, Finding Faith, has long been on my tbr list and I've finally started it... I can't put it down. I should have known-I remember when I read her book Mending Places and had the same trouble. Regardless, I'm enjoying this book, immensely.

I'll be posting a review of it Monday and hope to have my interview with the dynamic author posted on Tuesday or Wednesday. Hope you'll stop back to meet this fabulous writer.

Win a copy of Violet Dawn

Something sinuous brushed against Paige’s knee. She jerked her leg away.

What was that? She rose to a sitting position, groped around with her left hand.

Fine wisps wound themselves around her fingers.

Hair?

She yanked backward, but the tendrils clung. Something solid bumped her wrist. Paige gasped. With one frantic motion she shook her arm free, grabbed the side of the hot tub, and heaved herself out.

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

It’s been a great privilege to be one of the original writers for Brandilyn Collins character blog, Scenes and Beans. Brandilyn created the blog to give readers a chance to get to know the characters from her newest book, Violet Dawn.

In Violet Dawn, Brandilyn uses her expertise to meld together past and present to give you a fast paced, thrilling and sometimes panic filled adventure. If ever there was a writer who succeeded in joining the exhilarating journey of suspense with the expert characterization of a general fiction, Brandilyn has done it with this one.

Usually in a suspense the thrill is figuring out the killer/thief/bad guy before more doom becomes the main character. In a general fiction, the reader is brought along on a journey. By the end of the book, you feel like you know the characters and feel for them in whatever dilemma they find themselves in. In Violet Dawn, you have the refreshing collaboration of both.

The book starts out in present day with a young woman who makes an unexpected discovery in her hot tub. (Warning to any hot tub owners, you may not be eager to enjoy a nice long soak after reading this story)

Through the course of the book, you get to know the characters of Kanner Lake, Idaho. They range from an eccentric sci-fi writer, retired logger, successful realtor, to a whole variety of folks. People you can meet over at Scenes and Beans.

Throughout the book, you get to know a young girl, Rachel, who, sadly, is living in an all to real and horrible situation. By the end of the book, you want to save this girl from her circumstances. Instead, you finally figure out what Rachel’s story has to do with the current problems of Kanner Lake.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. There was a point in this book that I put my hand to my chest, tears in my eyes and nearly prayed for one of the characters. Seriously, the imagery was that awesome!

As always, Collins did an extraordinary job with this story and I have absolute faith that this story will be exceptionally touching to people who have survived some kind of abuse or emotional hardship in their life.

Now for the fun part. Go to the Scenes and Beans website and find the name of the pastor for Kanner Lake. Email me the name and I’ll put you in a drawing for an autographed copy of Violet Dawn. You could have your very own copy of the book by next weekend. Hint, there’s a cast of characters on the main page of the blog! And don't put the answer on your comment. You'll give it away for the next person. ;) Happy sleuthing!

p.s. Because the publicity for this book was so huge, I know a lot of my readers have this book. If you do and you've blogged about Violet Dawn, feel free to leave your link.

THIS JUST IN...

HOT OFF THE PRESS-- My dear friend, Cara Putman, just called from the ACFW conference. She found out tonight that she sold her first book, Canteen Dreams. I am so excited for her. She's worked so hard this last year. Hop on over to her blog and congratulate her. www.carasmusings.blogspot.com. I just interviewed her last week. Now you can say you knew her when!

Pleased to introduce Cara Putman

I know you're probably getting tired of me saying how much I love certain writers I spotlight, but today is no different. I have the privilege of introducing you to another good friend. I've known Cara Putman for a little over a year now and I've learned so much about her in that short time. She's an extremely hard worker. If she sets her mind to something, rest assured she's going to accomplish it. I don't think she'll mind me saying she's very goal oriented. Professional. And eager to accomplish those goals she's set for herself.

Currently, she's the Indiana ACFW chapter president. Along with that, she's also an original writer on the Brandilyn Collins Kanner Lake character blog. That's not to mention all the other hats she wears. Cara, thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be here. Please tell us about your family, friends, career. Anything you'd like to share.

CP: I'm an attorney in Lafayette, Indiana, who's long had a secret desire to be a writer. For as long as I can remember I have inhaled books, and I even tried writing novels as a young teenager. One centered on the Lost Colony of Roanoke, and the other in Boston during the Revolutionary War. I LOVE history, so that's what I wrote. My mom tells me she still has those somewhere, but I'm not sure I want to uncover them.

In April 2005, I went to a book-signing at our Parables store and met Colleen Coble. As I was chatting with her, my husband came up and asked Colleen "Has Cara told you she wants to be a writer?" The rest, as they say, is history. The really cool thing is I would have never told her that was a secret desire of mine, but Eric did.

Eric and I have been married for ten years, and have two wonderful children. Abigail is in first grade and will turn six in October, and Jonathan will be three in November. Before we moved to Lafayette, Eric and I lived in DC for eight years where I worked for several conservative non-profits, went to law school at night, and then clerked for a federal judge. I've also paged at the Unicameral in Lincoln, Nebraska, worked for one of the smallest NBC affiliates, and made more onion rings at Runza restaurants than should be legal.

Some of my readers know that I credit Colleen with encouraging me to follow my dream of writing. I love that we have that in common. You touched on this above, but have you always had that drive in you to write? And why did you put it on hold for so long?

CP: I've always had a desire to write, but as I hit college, it moved to the back burner. Then came the early years in a career, lots of travel, marriage, and law school. Yet there was always this yearning in my heart to see if I could do it. Every couple years I would pull the dream out, blow the dust off of it, and hold it up to God. "Is now the time, Lord?" If He said, "Not yet," I'd tuck it back on the shelf and work on whatever He had in front of me.

Then we moved to Lafayette. I had a two year old and no job. No friends, no connections. Abigail and I spent a lot of time at the library, and I began checking out books on how to write. Before I could get started, I had a job at a law firm and another bar exam to study for. Then April 2005 came, and Colleen was so encouraging. I started praying and dreaming up plot lines. Registered for my first ACFW conference. Sixteen months later, I have two complete manuscripts and am incredibly excited about my current project, Book One in the Cherry Hill Mysteries series.

My favorite of your books is definitely your first Cherry Hill book. I think readers are going to love your characterization. On another note, I always ask this questions...I know it's tough, but who are your favorite writers?

CP: I LOVE Colleen Coble, Wanda Dyson, Brandilyn Collins, Mary Higgins Clark, Mary Jane Clark, and so many others.


Do you have a favorite verse? Something that speaks to you at this time in your life.

CP: Several. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. NIV, I Timothy 4:12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity, Also Joshua 1:8-9 , and very recently Isaiah 43:18-19: it is so encouraging to know that God is doing something new and actively preparing the way for me.


Wow, Cara, I have three of these same verses highlighted in my bible. These are great examples of how God speaks to us at all different seasons of our life. No matter where we are or what we're going through.

Now the fun part. I'd like to share some of your writing talent with my readers. Could you give a brief buildup of the scene you're going to share?

CP: This is the opening scene from my current work in progress, Rush to Judgment, the first book in the Cherry Hill Mysteries series.

Hayden McCarthy winced as a flash of sunlight glinted from the barrel of the gun William Devine grasped. Every bad joke she'd ever heard about the only good lawyer being a dead lawyer looped through her mind as she fought the tremble that threatened to shake her limbs.
Now isn't the time to fall apart. Her heart pounded, and she forced a tight smile. You've survived the FBI and media hounding you. You can find a way out of this.

Her gaze flitted from the gun for a brief second, long enough to see if Judge Cochran had any plans. His face had blanched even whiter than usual, and he slowly shook his head as if afraid of what would happen if Devine turned his attention on him.

Where is the baliff? He'd left the courtroom moments before Devine pulled his gun. God, we need some help now. She tried to relax in the knowledge God didn't take coffee breaks unlike the baliff, but her pulse refused to cooperate. It only picked up its pace as she fought panic. Her hope of finding peace and healing in Cherry Hill evaporated with the realization that if she survived this it only meant more news trucks parked outside her apartment. God, all I want is people to forget my role in blowing the whistle on Jonas Walker, lobbyist and turncoat extraordinaire, and live in peace.

Her client whimpered from under the broad table, and Hayden refocused on the gun. Hayden pushed a quivering hand on top of Deanna Devine's head, praying she'd quiet down and stay under the counsel table. When the whimpering continued, she kicked Deanna with the pointed toe of her pump.

"You think you can save her? The judge certainly won't." Her client's soon-to-be ex-husband spat the words at her as he waved the gun from behind his table. "Looks like itÂ’s just you and me, Hayden."

How had William gotten that hunk of metal in the courthouse anyway? In D.C. deputy marshals would have forced him to kiss the cold marble floor in seconds. But she'd left D.C. for the calm of Cherry Hill, Indiana. And just think I'd moved here to escape the chaos and danger.

"Come on, Billy." The nasally sound of Judge Harry Cochran's words plopped like handfuls of mud into the silence. "There's no need to get violent."

"Shut up, Judge. I ain't pointing this at you. She's the one destroying my family."

Hayden struggled to recall the instructions she'd received in a personal safety class her parents had required her to take in high school. Was she supposed to grab his arm and twist? Sweep a leg around his knee? None of the moves had involved a gun, had they? And she hadn't practiced any in a pencil skirt even if she could remember the moves. Every instinct screamed to duck, but her knees refused to buckle. Instead, she stood like a tree rooted in place.

(don't you wish you could go buy this book? I have faith we'll be seeing it on bookshelves someday!)

CP: Thanks so much for inviting me to be part of this, Sabrina. I am so glad God has allowed our paths to cross. You are such a blessing to me!

And, Cara, you know you're such a blessing to me, too. I hope you all will put Cara on your list of future favorite authors. We're sure to see her name again. In the meantime, check out her blog at www.carasmusings.blogspot.com.

FYI

Thanks so much to Crystal Miller, my latest guest. =) Great job and very informative. I'm going to take a week off from the interviews this week just because I have a couple other things I'm working on. Then next week I'll have up my interview with another good friend, Cara Putman. She's a wife, mom, writer...oh and did I mention she finds time to be a lawyer. LOL. You'll want to stop back to meet this dynamic woman!

Now if you'll remember I'm writing for Carla Radling on the Brandilyn Collins character blog. One of my posts will be up on Thursday. Be sure to check it out and leave a comment. Just click on the blog link.

And finally, if you haven't picked up your copy of Violet Dawn yet--get one! It's fabulous. It's not just a great suspense,it also touches on the tragic life of a young woman and how she learns to cope with the wrongs done to her as a child. As always, Brandilyn Collins leaves you not only feeling for the victim, but able to relate to her on several levels. She does an impeccable job of bringing you into the story. A perfect example is her character blog. A way for readers to get to know the characters better. Be sure to get the book and check out the blog. If she's not your favorite suspense author...she will be!