Holly Michael's Writing Straight

~ Connecting and Inspiring Along Life's Crooked Lines by Author Holly Michael

Holly Michael's Writing Straight

Category Archives: Writing

Christian Fiction Friday

27 Friday Mar 2015

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Writing

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Alana Terry, Blog, Blog hop, Christian Fiction Friday, Crooked Lines, Hallee Bridgeman, Holly Michael, Snippet, True Path, www.writingstraight.com

christian-fiction-friday-banner-e1423219106167Christian Fiction Friday is a weekly blog hop where authors post snippets from their current works in progress. It is hosted by Alana Terry and Hallee Bridgeman. See below for a full list of rules and suggestions. This week, I’m joining in the fun!

Here’s my snippet from True Paths (Sequel to Crooked Lines) …from the beginning of Chapter 2:

Swirls of distant smoke, like incense, sent the dead up to God. On the outskirts of the remote Nagapattinam fishing village, Rebecca leaned against the Jeep. Two weeks after the tsunami and piles of burning bodies still smoldered. Her heart sunk thinking about the thousands who lost their lives and the pain of their survivors. India had captured her heart since she was a child, but this wasn’t the India she’d imagined.

Her gaze fell from the sky above the thatched roofs to the activity across the sandy road.

Kumari, a beautiful woman dressed in a saffron and red salwaar kameez, stood near a shirtless, dark-skinned man. He raised his machete then sliced it sideways with a swift whooshack. Kumari accepted the scalped coconuts from the man. She stepped around a cow then approached a tall man corralling Indian youth workers onto a small, blue bus with “Praise the Lord” painted across the top of the windshield.

As soon as all were loaded, the Lord Jesus bus would follow Father Michael’s Lord Ganesha Jeep back to the orphanage. So far, every Indian vehicle Rebecca stepped in had hailed its religious affiliation—from auto rickshaws with rosaries dangling from rearview mirrors, to tiny fat Buddhas tucked in the corner of the windshields, to dashboard displays of blue, multi-armed, and elephant-faced beings.

Hints of spices and frying oil drifted from the tiny teashop across the road, where the coconut vendor had parked his cart. India poured out intoxicating mixtures of sights, smells, and sounds and in spite of the tragedy, Rebecca drank it all in.

The sun dipped below the top of coconut trees. In a few hours, in White Gull Bay, morning rays would slice through the bare maple tree outside the Wisconsin farmhouse window where her ten-year-old daughter slept, the same bedroom Rebecca once shared with her sister, and dreamt of India.

Kumari finished her conversation with the man, then crossed the ragged strip of a road toward Rebecca. 

TRUE PATHS is the sequel to CROOKED LINES, an Amazon Kindle #1 Bestseller in Inspirational Fiction. Here’s the beginning of the first chapter of Crooked Lines:

bookChapter One – Rebecca Meyer, White Gull Bay, Wisconsin, Summer 1985

It didn’t occur to me at the edge of the pond that I’d broken the sixth commandment, actually committed murder. I was busy working out a deal with God, swearing to Jesus I’d become a nun if He helped me breathe life back into my baby sister’s limp body. At the time, it didn’t matter that I wasn’t Catholic.

Now, a week after the funeral, Mama set me straight while flipping pancakes in the kitchen. “Daddy blames you for Kara’s death.” She said it like I’d let the milk spoil because I hadn’t put it back in the fridge, but the weight of her words cemented my bare feet to the green linoleum.

She reached for a platter and set it under the open window. The morning sun highlighted old stains, batter spills, and cracks on the brown laminate countertop. A cool morning draft rustled the faded yellow gingham curtains. Mama got a deal on that material from Woolworths before Kara was born. Along with curtains, she sewed four sundresses for each of my sisters and me. It wasn’t fair that the fabric was still with us, fluttering over the sink, yet Kara came and went as quickly as the wind.

Mama transferred pancakes to the plate.

My plan to breeze through the kitchen and escape the house unnoticed should have succeeded because for a week, I’d been a ghost. None of the people in the house—my parents or any of my brothers and sisters—spoke to me. I’d lived a cloistered existence with my blue notebook and unsettling thoughts.

Now, I only wanted to sit under the maple, read the Kara stories, and wind back time.

I tightened my arms around the notebook, holding it to my heart like a talisman, as if my words of love for my sister could erase the raw sting of truth in Mama’s words. Since that day at the pond, I’d been carrying that notebook everywhere, even sleeping with it. In my lake of sadness, in my whirling murky thoughts, those sacred pages had become my life preserver.

Mama snapped the griddle nob off and faced me. “We left her with you that morning. She was only seven.” Her words rushed out in a seething whisper. My shoulders fell and hope slid from them and disappeared out the kitchen window.

Only a month ago in my white cotton confirmation dress, I citied the Ten Commandments and professed my faith at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church.

So confident. So holy. Mama baked a cake.

Now, because of me, Kara was dead. I tugged a loose string on the frayed edges of my cut-offs, then looked back up at Mama. Her short blonde hair was a tangled mess. Her red-streaked eyes shot angry darts laced with sadness. C’mon Mama. Don’t you get it? The deep muddy waters consumed Kara. She’s gone, but I’m here, still drowning. …

To purchase CROOOKED LINES

All Books   –   Holly’s Amazon Author Page

Website     –  www.hollymichael.com

Newsletter – http://eepurl.com/5vTLP 

Reviewer?   – Christian-evaluaters

                                     (Join Our Street Team!)

Facebook    –     https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHollyMichael

Writers, want to join the fiction fun? Hop over to Hallee’s Blog! Click here for a full list of rules and suggestions.

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Religion and Moral Lessons in South India Folklore

30 Tuesday Sep 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Writing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Author Holly Michael, Blog, Crooked Lines, Folklore, Holly Michael, India, Novel, South India, South India Folklore, Tamil Nadu

I’m also blogging over at writingpromptsthoughtsideas.wordpress.com and was asked to write an article about Folklore.

images (2)

Here it is! Religion and Moral Lessons in South India Folklore.

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Crooked Lines: From America to India Along Life’s Crooked Lines

28 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Christianity, Crooked Lines, India, Inspiration, Photography, Writing

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

America, Author Holly Michael, Bishop Leo Michael, Christian Fiction, Crooked Lines, Darjeeling, Faith, fiction, Goa, Holly Michael, India, India to America, Mumbai, Novel, Spirituality, Tamil Nadu

My novel, Crooked Lines, is featured on India’s Crown, a premier site linking American authors to Indian Readers. Find out some fascinating facts about Crooked Lines and some awesome pictures of India, too! Read on!!

India's Crown in Christian Literature Excellence - ICICLE

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I’m so pleased to introduce my debut novel, CROOKED LINES, on our premier site, India’s Crown. It’s been such a pleasure launching this site with talented and acclaimed author Caryl McAdoo. We’ve also added new talent from India to our team, lovely blogger and social media expert, Natasha Lopez from the Mumbai area.

Like INDIA’S CROWN, CROOKED LINES–a novel set partly in India and partly in American–blends two cultures. Here’s my answers to a few of our interview questions.

How do you suppose a reader living in a different culture—such as India—will relate to your book?

Crooked3 (1)CROOKED LINES was inspired from stories of my husband and clergy friends who came of age in a religious order in India in the mid-1980s. Their tales as young seminarians (80s and into the 1990s and beyond) fascinated me—serving in a Mumbai slum, meeting Mother Teresa, freeing “untouchables” from bonded labor situations, rescuing youth out of radical communist situations, working in orphanages.

I also laughed with them at…

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Facebook Book Page

24 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Crooked Lines, Writing

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

A Novel, Author Holly Michael, Blog, Christian Fiction, Crooked Lines, Facebook Book Page, fiction, Holly Michael, India, Literary Fiction, Novel, www.writingstraight.com

Many authors have author Facebook pages, personal Facebook pages, but this morning I was invited to “like” a “Book Page.” Maybe it’s customary and I’m just not with it, but I hadn’t yet seen a Book Page for one specific book. Seems like a great idea because you can streamline information, updates, and chatting just about one specific book. I like the idea.

So…since I just launched my novel, Crooked Lines, I made a sweet Facebook page for it, called Crooked Lines, A Novel.

photo (4)

What do you think? https://www.facebook.com/NovelCrookedLines

If you like it, “like” it! Please.

If you’re an author, do you have a Book Page for each book?

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So Much News! So Much FUN!

01 Tuesday Jul 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Book Marketing, Books, Christianity, India, India's Crown, Writing

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Author Caryl McAdoo, Author Holly Michael, Blog, Caryl McAdoo, Christian books, Christian Novel, Christianity, Crooked Lines, Holly Michael, ICICLE, India, Indias crown, Indias crown in Christian Literature Excellence, indiascrown.com, Inspirational Books, Novel, www.writingstraight.com

To all of my regular followers,

I’d be very pleased and grateful if you would hop over to a new blog that my friend Caryl McAdoo and I just launched: www.indiascrown.com

INDIA’S CROWN’S (India’s Crown in Christian Literature Excellence) objective is to join Christian American authors with Christian readers from India. The premier resource for Christian Fiction across India, India’s Crown in Christian Literature Excellence (ICICLE), offers book reviews, author interviews, and free giveaways. It provides the opportunity for discriminating readers to not only read the best in Christian Fiction/clean reads, but also to chat with the authors they love to read, with Christ being the common denominator.

We will have a new post each week to introduce Christian or “clean” reads to this fast growing market of Christian readers in India.

I will continue to blog here on http://www.writingstraight.com as regular as possible. Thanks for supporting Caryl and me in this endeavor. And while you’re at http://www.indiascrown.com, please like our facebook page and connect with us on twitter.

Thank you!

PS: CROOKED LINES, my first novel, is going to be released in about thirty days!!!!! More news to come!

Our first blog post at Indiascrown.com:

VOW UNBROKEN, A Texas Romance.

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Joining East to West: Readers with Authors in Growing Christian Market

30 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Best Web Sites for Writers, Book Marketing, Books, Christianity, India, Writing

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

ACFW, American Christian Fiction Writers, best site for christian fiction, Blog, book lovers, books, Caryl McAdoo, Christian Fiction, Christian Novels, Christianity India, Crooked Lines, e-readers, fiction, Holly Michael, India, Indias crown, Indias crown in Christian Literature Excellence, Literature, Novels, reading, Renjit Varghese, South India, Vow Unbroken, Writing, www.writingstraight.com

More Christians in India than ever before have their heads bowed low these days. Praying? Maybe, but also reading on their smart phones and tablets. The popularity of E-readers and apps for enjoying books on smart phones and tablets has increased readership in India, especially in larger cities and among college students.

After researching and speaking with Christian pastors in India, authors, and a barrage of voracious book lovers, it became clear that excellent Christian literature and clean fiction is in huge demand in the East.

“People from India want to read and learn about the Western world,” says Shilpa Joshi, a Christian from Bangalore. “We want to explore places like Texas and reading about these places in novels takes us there, but I rarely come across such books.”

During a visit to India last year, browsing large Christian bookstores, I found mostly self-help and spiritual non-fiction books written mainly by Indian authors. I did come across a few nonfiction titles by big names such as Joyce Meyer and Joel Olsteen, but found almost zero Christian novels.

Renjit Varghese, a Christian from Kerala, South India lives in Kansas City now. He says that readership is growing among Indians due to the lower cost of ebooks. “But Christian books are difficult to find in India,” says Varghese. “Even more rare is fiction written by American authors. “When I go back home to Kerala, I take books back with me for my family.”

Seeing the need to connect Christian authors in the West with readers in the East, Authors Caryl McAdoo and I (Both members of American Christian Fiction Writers – AFCW) began a website: www.indiascrown.com. The full name of this premier site is India’s Crown in Christian Literature Excellence (ICICLE). symbolice

The website will feature American Christian authors with books marketed in India through Amazon and other sources. Each author featured will also give away a copy of their book to a reader from India.

icicle2

“ICICLE is a place where authors and readers can also connect,” Caryl Mcadoo, Author of Vow Unbroken, reiterated. “It surprised me to discover a few years ago that people all over the world love Texas. My historical Christian romance—reviewers have told me I should add western adventure to my genre—Vow Unbroken is set in 1832 Texas, so I am excited about the untapped market in India. And while it’s nice to sell more books, I’m more excited with the aspect of meeting Indian Christians and making friends across the ocean. With Christ in common, we can minister to one another and see that God is doing wonderful things in other places.”

So….Caryl and I are off and running on a well-thought out and massive campaign to bring awareness of www.indiascrown.com to India to fill this niche with literary minded Christians working on both sides of the ocean. It is time now to welcome authors to contact us about promoting their book. We are filling our calendars now. We are thrilled to be wide open to Indy titles, but do want to read them ahead of time to ensure the excellence in Christian Literature we advertise.

It is this assurance that will catapult India’s Crown into the organization we believe God wants it to be. Visit the site and contact us with any questions.

Get ready Christian authors in the US! Indian readers want your books! And what a platform God has given us to spread the Gospel through our Christian Fiction.

India’s Crown in Christian Literature Excellence (ICICLE)

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A Party x 2!

28 Saturday Jun 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Book Marketing, Books, Christianity, Crooked Lines, India, Inspiration, Writing

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Author Caryl McAdoo, Author Holly Michael, Blog, Book Reveal Party, Caryl McAdoo, Christian, Christian Historical Fiction, Christian Literary Fiction, Crooked Lines, Facebook, Hearts Stolen, Holly Michael, India Christianity, Novel, Texas, Vow Unbroken, www.writingstraight.com

My novel, CROOKED LINES, will be launched August 3rd! Just a little more than thirty days from today. Woohoo! I’ll try to post something pithy every day about CROOKED LINES. Got lots going on to get ready for the launch, have another book due to my editor soon, a couple of book proposals to write, too.

Here’s TODAY’S FUN NEWS: Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo and I are, together, having a Cover Reveal Party! July 12th @ 3pm on Facebook.

10416998_10204459673679807_3777938977529249016_n

Gifts, prizes and loads of fun! Join us! Caryl’s novel, HEARTS STOLEN follows her first historical Christian romance novel, VOW UNBROKEN. My first novel, CROOKED LINES, is literary fiction. (More to come about it later). Come to the party for some fun, prizes, and to see our book covers. (I haven’t even seen mine yet…can’t wait!)!

 

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The Art of the Nonfiction Book Proposal

10 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Writing

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

art of the non-fiction book proposal, Blog, craft of writing, help writing nonfiction proposal, Holly Michael, nonfiction proposal, Writer's Relief, Writing, www.writingstraight.com

photo by Leo Michal
photo by Leo Michael

Finished a fiction proposal, then a non-fiction proposal, sent both to my agent then just returned from a writer’s conference, (that’s me walking down the hallway to a session) With proposal zoomed off from the agent to the publishers, said a prayer, took a deep breath, and now I’m moving on to the next project.

In the meantime, since I had so much fun writing those 30 page proposals (not), I wanted to share this excellent article (yes, excellent) I found online about writing non-fiction proposals. (Permission to repost given at the end of the article). I really like the website, Writer’s Relief. Tons of great how to articles there for any writer.

THE ART OF THE NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL

Unlike fiction books, nonfiction books, such as self-help and how-to books, do not have to be completed prior to submission to literary agents and editors; nonfiction is sold to editors via a book proposal. It’s important to know what to include in a nonfiction book proposal.

In general, the nonfiction book proposal is designed to give editors a well-organized, detailed sales pitch describing what your proposed book is about and how it will make money for the publishing company.

An additional bonus is that writing a book proposal forces the author to organize and focus the project. The book itself may go through many changes depending on editorial input, but the proposal should follow a generally accepted format.

Note: Memoir Proposals. Even though a memoir is a nonfiction book, you don’t need to write a proposal for your true story. Literary agents do not want to read a proposal for memoir. Generally, a memoir is handled the same way as a novel: the book must be complete and the writer must submit sample chapters.

IMG_7795Here’s how to write a book proposal for a nonfiction book to submit to a literary agent or editor so that you can get your book published!

COMPONENTS:

Title Page

In your nonfiction proposal, you should first include your name and contact information with an approximate word count and the proposed title of your work. Make sure your main title describes the subject matter of the book to aid in keyword searches, and don’t rely on subtitles to convey vital information—subtitles are often dropped in computerized listings and library databases. Note: the title you choose is your working title, as publishers may elect to change it.

**Optional: Summary (also known as the Overview, Synopsis, or Executive Summary) – 1 page maximum

Begin with a very short description of your book’s basic premise. Whatever makes your book stand out should be highlighted in the first few sentences. This is the “hook,” so make it interesting and unique; powerful yet concise.

Capture the editor’s attention right off the bat, and make it clear what you’re selling. If the editor or literary agent has to hunt around for the point of your book, he/she is likely to toss the proposal aside and review the next proposal in the towering pile.

Chapter by Chapter Outline – 1 to 2 paragraphs per chapter

Create a dynamic outline by highlighting each chapter’s major points. Each chapter synopsis should be no longer than one paragraph or two—you don’t want to give too much information but you don’t want to give too little either.

Emphasize each chapter’s unique and/or important function in relation to the rest of the book. By the time the editor has read this outline, he or she should have a clear idea of the overall book.

The Market For Your Nonfiction Book

This section should include information about the book’s intended audience and why the book addresses the needs of that particular audience. Make sure that your market is broad (as in “women ages 30-60″ or “people who buy cars”), and provide as many demographics of your targeted audience as possible. Include observations about current trends that favor your book and highlight what makes your book unique.

Also include information about the competition. If there are other books out there on the same subject, yours had best offer a new or original take. Identify current books that are similar, and explain how yours fills a specific niche. If there are complementary books out there, show how your book can be positioned to the publisher’s advantage.

Give the editor or literary agency enough ammunition to sell your work!

Author Information In A Nonfiction Book Proposal

This is where you list your education, writing credentials, contacts, experience—anything that makes you uniquely qualified to write this book. If you don’t have a journalism degree or a list of publishing credits, highlight other things that show you have what it takes to tackle the subject.

For instance, you may be a parent of a special-needs child, and, although you have never been published, your experience qualifies you to offer a unique perspective—assuming that your writing is up to par. If you have an author website, consider mentioning it here.

Your background (including your publishing credits, your experience and expertise, your media coverage, and the following of readers that you’ve built up) is often referred to as your platform. The stronger your platform, the better! Writer’s Relief can help you build your publication credits!

You will also need to outline your own promotional ideas and resources to help market the book. Include information about affiliations, contacts, or endorsements you may have lined up. Do you have a prominent person willing to write the foreword? Media contacts? Web sites, bookstore appearances, newsletters, and possible sequels or spin-off information should be included in this section. To use the example above, you may be a member of the Autism Society of America, and with the contacts you have made within that organization you can offer greater promotional opportunities.

Specifications Of Your Unfinished Book

This is where you outline an approximate word count, the number of chapters, and an estimated completion time frame. If your book will contain a number of charts, photographs, or illustrations, say so. You may also describe the general format you envision. However, be prepared to be flexible when it comes to length and format—the publisher will have the final say.

Note: A full-length nonfiction book usually contains 9 to 15 chapters of average length. Don’t submit an outline for a book that contains less than 9 chapters. Make sure you have enough material (and time) to fulfill this obligation before you propose it.

Table Of Contents

Quite simply, this is a list of chapter titles to give the agent or editor an idea of what will be included in your book.

Sample Chapters

If you have already begun the writing process, send one or two completed chapters (Chapters 1 and 2 are preferable).

OTHER TIPS

Your book proposal should be similar in style to your proposed book. In other words, if your book is meant to be humorous and lighthearted, make sure your proposal is written in the same style.

Make sure the proposal is edited and proofread within an inch of its life. Literary agents and editors admit to passing over potentially great ideas if they have to wade through a sea of errors and typos and coffee stains.

Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for responses. Your material will be recycled. Or know the etiquette for submitting online.

When formatting, we recommend using a 12-point, easy-to-read font like Times New Roman or Arial, with one-inch margins all around, and left justification.

We love educating writers about ever-changing industry standards. Let us know if we can help you with any or all elements of putting together a stellar book proposal.

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF WRITING CONTESTS and ANTHOLOGIES! You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming anthologies, special-themed journals, and contests.

This article has been reprinted with the permission of Writer’s Relief, an author’s submission service that has been helping creative writers make submissions since 1994. Their work is highly recommended in the writing community, and there are TONS of freebies, publishing leads, and writers resources on their website. Check it out!

 

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BOOK CONTRACT! YAY!

20 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Christianity, Family, Football, Jake Byrne, Writing

≈ 75 Comments

Tags

Book Contract, devotional, Harvest House, Holly Michael, Jake Byrne, Kim Moore, Thankful

I’ve been hinting at it, but didn’t want to share the news too soon. Now I can because I finally got the signed book contract in the mail! Doing a happy dance! YAY!!! My first book contract!!! And with a major publisher! Thank you Harvest House Publishers! Thank you editor, Kim Moore, who listened to my pitch at the ACFW Writer’s Conference last fall and had faith and confidence in me and in this project!

photo (79)

So why is Jake holding the contract with me?

We are co-authoring this devotional book! So excited to be working on this project with my son.

And, I’m still working on my novels. Finishing up final edits on #2 and working on #3. Thankful to God for this gift and hope for more book contracts in 2014!

 

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Forget the Chocolates! Book Review & Author Interview: The Wedding Game by Amy Matayo

06 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Writing

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Amy Matayo, Blog, Book Review, books, Christian Romance, clean romance, contemporary romance, Holly Michael, The Wedding Game, www.writingstraight.com

untitled (33)Stealing a cliché from Forrest Gump, Amy Matayo’s The Wedding Game is like a box of chocolates. Delightful, colorful, well-developed characters are mixed up in a sweet-tart romance and placed in a colorful reality TV plot. Sprinkled among ingenious twists are nuggets of witty humor and snippets of snarky sarcasm.

And like a box of chocolates, each deliciously addictive page will have you saying, “more please.” More Ellie and Cannon!

Amy Matayo has mastered the craft of writing in this clean, contemporary romance. And like a box of chocolates, the sweetness of The Wedding Game lingers long after the book is finished. Gratifying but no calories! Loved this book! A great Christmas or anytime gift for anyone: women, teens, and if you sneak it into your man’s Kindle, I know he’ll love it, too!

About The Wedding Game: Cannon James has a plan: Sign on as a contestant for his father’s new reality show, marry a blonde hand-picked by the producers, and walk away two million dollars richer. It’s all been arranged. Easy. Clean. No regrets. Until Ellie McAllister ruins everything by winning the viewer’s vote. Now he has to convince America that he’s head over heels in love with her. Not easy to do since she’s a walking disaster. Ellie McAllister has her own problems. She needs money, and she needs it now. Despite her parent’s objections and her belief that marriage is sacred, she signs on to The Wedding Game…and wins. Now she’s married to a guy she can’t stand, and if she wants her hands on the money, she has six months to make voters believe she loves him. Not easy to do since he’s the most arrogant man in America. It doesn’t take long for Ellie and Cannon to realize they’ve made a mess of things…even less time for their feelings for one another to change. But is it too late for them? More importantly, can the worst decision they’ve ever made actually be one of the best?

And for more sweetness, here’s my interview with Author Amy Matayo:

untitled (32)

Holly: How did you come up with such a clever plot for The Wedding Game?

Amy: A couple of years ago I was watching Good Morning America while getting dressed for work. They were running a feature on Kim Kardashian, telling about her recently-announced divorce. Well, I had just watched clips from her televised wedding a few days earlier, so I know she had only been married for a month or so. Annoyed, I turned to my son and said “You know, pretty soon there’s going to be a reality show where two strangers get married for money.” I meant to sound outraged, but instead my brain started spinning. The idea for The Wedding Game was born right then.

Holly: Can you share The Wedding Game’s journey to publication?

Amy: Originally The Wedding Game was sold as a three-book series, but a few months later my publisher (B&H Publishers) made a decision to discontinue their fiction line. The Wedding Game was salvaged in the process, but after a lot of back and forth I made the ultimate decision to get my rights back on that book as well. After a lot of communication with my agent and editor The Wedding Game was released on Amazon November 16, 2013.

Holly: What did you learn from your publishing experience that really stuck with you?

Amy: That it can turn on a dime, and that authors need to be open to new opportunities when they present themselves. Publishing is changing at a rapid pace–not necessarily always in the greatest way–and it’s sometimes tough for authors to keep up. But with self-publishing on the rise, indie success stories becoming more and more visible, and hybrid (both traditionally and self-published) authors willing to take chances on multiple venues, there are lots of opportunities for writers right now.

Holly: Best advice for other writers?

Amy: That even though the writing road is hard–like any other career in the arts, I suppose–keep going. Write every day, even if it’s just a paragraph. The only people who make it are the ones who don’t give up. And believe me, my family and friends have to talk me off the ledge almost every day.

Holly: Readers will surely want more after finishing The Wedding Game. Future books?

Amy: Love Gone Wild is a sort-of sequel to The Wedding Game. It’s also reality-show based and takes place in the Alaskan wilderness–a Survivor-type scenario.  It releases on Amazon  March 1 of next year. And then later next year will come Sway, a New Adult romance that intersperses a political theme of separation of church and state.

Thanks Amy!

And a little more about this fabulous up and coming author:

Amy’s Bio: I graduated from John Brown University with a degree in Journalism. I came this close (holds finger and thumb together until they practically touch) to also having an English degree, but decided I wanted to get married instead and besides, who needed it? After all, managing an entire six-credit-hour semester seemed just so exhausting, and one degree was more than enough. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Not the marriage–that’s all good. But the pseudo-exhaustion. It might be nice to have that degree right now. Anyway, after graduation, I went to work for DaySpring Cards–a division of Hallmark–where I worked for seven years as Senior Writer and Editor. After the birth of my first child–a ten pound boy–I became a freelance writer before pursuing novel-writing full time. My first contracted novel–The Wedding Game–won the 2012 ACFW Genesis Award. It released on November 16, 2013. As the mother of four children with a husband immersed in political life, I have very little free time. I prefer to spend that time enjoying intellectual pursuits such as: watching television with my feet propped up, watching movies with a bucket of popcorn, and watching my laundry pile high–with no desire to do anything about it. It’s a fun life.

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Holly Michael

Done this: Regular freelance ghostwriter and online editor for Guideposts for Teens/Sweet 16 Magazine, creator/editor of a magazine for Wal-Mart Corp., journalist, newspaper features writer, published in a variety of national magazines and local newspapers, script writing/editing for corporations. Doing this now: author of fiction and nonfiction, blogger, and editor of Koinonia Magazine. I’m the wife of Rt. Rev. Leo Michael, an Anglican Bishop in the Holy Catholic Church-Anglican Rite. Mom to three great kids: Nick (#81 Rajin Cajuns), Betsy (Super cute professor) and Jake (T1D & NFL player) Also, enjoy my travels extensively across the United States and internationally.

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