Holly Michael's Writing Straight

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

Holly Michael's Writing Straight

Tag Archives: Author

Brotherly Love

10 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by Holly Michael in Betsy Byrne, Books, Christianity, Diabetes, Family, First and Goal, Football, Inspiration, Jake Byrne, Nick Byrne

≈ 8 Comments

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Author, Best Devotional for boys, Best Devotional for Teens, Best Sports Devotional, Bestseller, Betsy Byrne, book, Brother, Brotherly Love, Christian, Christianity, devotional, diabetes, First and Goal, First and Goal What Football Taught Me About Never Giving Up, football, Holly Michael, Houston Texan, Jake Byrne, Kansas City Cheifs, New Orlean Saint, NFL, Nick Byrne, San Diego Charger, type 1, type 1 diabetes, Type One Diabetes, Type Won, What Football Taught Me About Never Giving UP, Wisconsin Badgers

One of my favorite devotions from my son Jake’s book (an A-Z football devotional) – FIRST AND GOAL – What Football Taught Me About Never Giving Up

Position – Eleven players from each team are on the field at a time, and each player has a position, role, and responsibility to complete the offense, defense, or special teams.

I am a firstborn. My little brother, Nick, five years younger than me, was the last addition to the gang. In his baby years, he was happiest in one position–cradled in my lap, watching the screen as I played video games. At first it was a pain, but I got used to playing with him.

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Playing video games with Nick.

My favorite games were Madden sports games. It wasn’t long before Nick’s position changed. He soon sat beside me, holding his own controller. Later, he was a real competitor, learning the football positions and eventually becoming a formidable challenger.

At age 17 I zipped up my suitcase, ready to leave for college.

“Let’s play one more game before you go.” Nick wiped a tear on his sleeve.

I took my position on the floor with Nick beside me. He beat me. I didn’t even let him. Soon the game ended. The hardest thing about leaving for college was watching my little brother tear up when I said my final goodbye.

While I was in college, I got a call from Nick. “Hey, I’m with my friends, playing you on Madden NCAA 2012.”

By that time I was actually in the college football video game, and he was proud to be picking me as a player. “Give me extra strength,” I said. “Pump up my muscles.”

“Right now I’m giving you a really huge butt and little chicken legs.”

Chuckles came through the phone.

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another (Romans 12:10 nkjv).

Through the laughter I could hear Nick’s pride and love. When he was a kid, he’d sometimes drive me nuts always wanting to hang out with me and my friends, but I had done my best to bring him into my world. It’s what a big brother should do. Most of my friends were cool with Nick hanging out with us.

Now when we get together, I want to spend all my free time hanging out with Nick and his friends.

Nick and his teammate Daniel Cadona.

Nick and his teammate Daniel Cadona.

He’s also a football player, a tight end. Same position I played through high school, college, and into the NFL.

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Nick, a Ragin’ Cajun @ The University of Louisiana – Lafayette

There’s nothing like having a brother, especially one like Nick. God says to give preference to one another. That means putting that person first, be it a brother or one who is like a brother to you. The paybacks are great.

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Sister Betsy and Nick

With Nick at a college football camp, giving him a few pointers while I was with the New Orleans Saints.

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Nick, sister Betsy

*****

So proud of my kiddos, Jake, Betsy and Nick and so pleased that they are all the best of friends–from childhood to adulthood. First and GoalThe devotional above is an excerpt from Jake’s Book, FIRST AND GOAL – WHAT FOOTBALL TAUGHT ME ABOUT NEVER GIVING UP, now available from most all booksellers. Published by Harvest House Publishers 

Bio for Jake: Jake Byrne grew up in Rogers, Arkansas. A type 1 diabetic since the age of fourteen, he has since been proactive combating the disease and mentoring diabetic youth. He played football for the University of Wisconsin as a tight end, and went on to compete in the NFL. Originally an undrafted free agent who signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2012, he has also been a Houston Texan, Kansas City Chief, and San Diego Charger.

Jake blogs at www.typewon.net.

Facebook Page (Type Won): www.facebook.com/typewon1

Twitter: @sugarfreejb82

Instagram: Jakebyrne81

Email: typewonquestions@gmail.com

First and Goal Book Page: https://www.facebook.com/FirstAndGoalTypeWon

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Looking Back…Looking Forward – Amazing Life

16 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by Holly Michael in Betsy Byrne, Books, Christianity, Crooked Lines, Diabetes, Family, First and Goal, Football, Jake Byrne, Nick Byrne, tsunami 2004

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Author, Author Jake Byrne, Betsy Byrne, Bishop Leo Michael, Crooked Lines, Dallas, Dreams, Emma Erickson, First and Goal, First and Goal What Football Taught Me About Never Giving Up, future, God, God's Plan For You, Harvest House, Holly Michael, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Jake Byrne, Kansas City, Leo Michael, NFL, Nick Byrne, Novel, plans, Psalm 16:3, Psalm 31, Psalm 37:4-6, St James Anglican, tsunami 2004, type 1, type 1 diabetes, Type One Diabetes, Type Won, www.typewon.net

Hi Friends,

If you visited my blog about two years ago, you might have read the post about my son Jake, a type one diabetic entering into the NFL draft. At the same time, I was working toward my dream of becoming a novelist. (NFL Aspirations and novelists dreams: Follow the Fairytales as they come true.)

I’m reposting the text of the blog below and then giving an update because I’m simply amazed at how you can make life plans…then hope, dream, and pray, and then look back and smile, knowing that even if everything didn’t go exactly as planned, it went the way it was supposed to go. Life is amazing!

Here’s the blog post, then below that, an update and reflection:

I don’t remember the dream, only the worried face that popped into it. Jake. My four-year-old. Why was his face in my dream? Minutes later, a tap on my shoulder woke me.

“Had a bad dream, Mom,” Jake said.

I lifted the covers, pulled Jake close, and kissed the top of his head, amazed at this strange connection that allowed my son’s fears to travel from his dreams into mine.

Mom’s have connections like that with their children. Sometimes a prickle of worry regarding one of my kids will flash in my mind like a sudden rainstorm pocking up a calm lake. I stop, drop, and pray. Most times, I discover those feelings were on the mark, and my child needed prayers in that moment.

photoaJake had dreams of becoming an NFL player. What little boy doesn’t? Then as a sophomore in high school, he was diagnosed with type one diabetes. Jake refused to accept it as an obstacle. He wanted to play football on a college scholarship. He pushed himself hard: extra workouts, more discipline, never missing a practice. Jake gave his diabetes and his football dreams to God.

“Maybe God want’s me to have diabetes for a greater purpose,” Jake often expressed.

For the last last four years I’ve watched Jake start as a tight end for the Wisconsin Badgers. (Jake Byrne #82) Now, Jake has an agent and a good shot at the NFL.

Like my son, I proclaimed lofty dreams when I was a child. I wanted to be a novelist. I held onto that goal, learning and improving my writing skills in spite of rejection letters and self-doubt obstacles along my path toward publication. Now, an agent is reading my novel.

Jake and I aren’t sitting back, biting our nails as we wait for our dreams to happen. I’m working on my second book, blogging, and preparing to become a novelist. Jake’s preparing for the NFL draft.

If a boy with type I diabetes can work hard and become an NFL player, then his mom can be a novelist. Lofty goals? Fairytales? NFL player and Novelist. Sometimes we just know what we want and with God’s blessing, hard work, a little God-given talent, and support from others, it can happen.

Mother and child connections. Funny we’re both, at the same time, standing at the cusp of our dreams becoming reality, ready to wake up and be the people we were meant to be.

AND NOW, two years later, here are the updates:

20130925-153506.jpgJake: Type 1 diabetic since the age of fourteen, has since been proactive combating the disease and mentoring diabetic youth. After playing four years for the University of Wisconsin as a tight end, he went on to compete in the NFL. Originally an undrafted free agent who signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2012, he has also been a Houston Texan, Kansas City Chief, and San Diego Charger. And he got engaged at Christmas to a lovely, wonderful girl. I welcome Emma Erickson into the family with a great big hug and lots of love!

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Jake is moving forward with new goals and plans: Marriage plans and starting a foundation TYPE WON to help and encourage diabetic youth. He just moved to Dallas and is starting a new job with a PR/Marketing Firm.

hollyHolly: Indie published one novel, Crooked Lines, and have two more to be released this year. Also, after following up from a mission trip after the 2004 Tsunami, indie published a non-fiction book: Tsunami 2004: Still Wading through Waves of Hope.

As a hybrid author-traditional and indie published, I now write write fiction and nonfiction, on a slightly different path than I imagined two years ago. But loving my writing life (fiction and nonfiction) and looking forward to my 2015 book releases and 2016, too!

photo (79)Together: Our “mother-son connections” have brought us a book contract with Harvest House Publishers, due for a release date Early August: First and Goal – What football taught me about never giving up. We are so excited about this devotional and very grateful to Kim Moore, Senior Editor, who had faith in this project and who has been a joy to work with.

The rest of the family is doing great. My husband, Bishop Leo Michael, continues his work as an anglican pastor/bishop. (St. James Anglican Church, Kansas City)

Youngest son, Nick, plays football for the Ragin’ Cajuns at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. (Jake, above, supporting his team and wearing one of his shirts – holding our book contact).

1908477_10203058282048200_7841013063728876238_nAnd daughter Betsy is studying for her Masters and working as a teaching assistant at the University of Louisiana – Lafayette.  All three cuties to the left. Ahh…as a mom, I love that these three are best friends.

Reflection: Looking back, I’m amazed at how far we all have come since that post, two years ago. There have been rough moments. Ups and downs. Times when we didn’t know what was next. Jake was cut and picked up, again and again…even brought back to the same team again. I’ve had my own moments of doubt and worry. But, through our moments of uncertainty, we commit our plans to the Lord. Looking back, we can see God’s Hand has been in our lives in amazing ways. He is good. He is faithful. Always.

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During moments of doubt and insecurity, pray. Ask the Creator to show us the way. We are His creation and He knows us best and what is best for us.

Looking back or forward, Psalms 31 says it all:

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.

Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

Who wouldn’t want to be led by a Greater Power, the Creator and Source of Life and Love. Looking forward, here’s some advice from Psalms 37:4-6:

Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

Simple but profound bit of wisdom. We can never go wrong by committing our life and plans to God.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Psalms 16:3

I may not blog too much in the next few months as I’m in the middle of several writing projects, including a few non-fiction book proposals and finishing three novels…committing it all to the LORD. Will see where He leads us all next. I’m not sure of anything, but only that life is an amazing and wonderful ride with Jesus at the wheel.

Would love if you’d click over and “like” Jake’s TYPE WON Facebook page. While there, would you please subscribe to his mailing list by clicking on the “subscribe” link.

Thanks a bunch!

Looking back, how has your life changed in the last two years? Hopefully, even through the rough times, you’ve moved forward on the path toward your plans, hopes, and dreams. Hopefully, you’ve seen the hand of God in your life. Need direction? Got worries? Let me know. I’d be happy to pray for you.

10999505_10155288525850635_6476870574761653437_nOh, and one more bit of news from me. My novel, CROOKED LINES, is on sale for .99 CENTS this week.

 

 

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Guest Post: Connie Almony Solves Problems for Indie Authors & Readers of Christian Fiction

06 Monday Oct 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Book Marketing, Guest Author

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Author, Author Connie Almony, Blog, Christian Fiction, Connie Almony, Crooked Lines, Holly Michael, ICFS, indie christian fiction, Indie Christian fiction search, www.writingstraight.com

headshot1 (1)Hi, my name is Connie Almony and I am a creative problem solver. If you give me a problem that should be solved, I will shake inside until it is. That’s just how my brain works, and THAT’s why I created the Indie Christian Fiction Search site—Ickfuss (ICFS) to its friends. I saw a problem and I had to solve it.

The Problem …

What was the problem, you ask? Well, there were a few.

1) Avid readers needed to find loads of books that would feed their insatiable need and target their interests, all without breaking the bank.

2) Christian readers needed to find a greater breadth of story, not often available through traditionally published books, while being within a biblical framework.

3) Christian readers needed extra information—that which is often missing from online retailers—before making the decision to buy.

4) Readers needed a way to search through lots of material that is easy, non-cumbersome and directs them right to books that interest them through search criteria and scrolling mechanisms that allow the reader to sift quickly through blurb excerpts.

Why were these my problems to solve? Well, because I knew it could be done, and yet no one was doing it.

The Focus …

Why focus on indie fiction, you ask? … (Sigh) … My, but you’re an inquisitive group!

I haven’t always been an ardent supporter of indie fiction. I believe an author is well served when many eyes see her work before it is published. I also believe any product is best when it is formed by a group of people using their unique gifts (ie. The Body of Christ). So Indie always looked like someone who just didn’t want to play by the rules. (God often humbles me when I get too opinionated). I worried the work would suffer for it. But then the new era of indie publishing steam-rolled into being. A world of critique partners, beta readers, freelance editors and cover artists, Facebook writers’ groups, search engines and social media platforms. Not to mention the low cost (I mean, how much lower than $0 can you get) of uploading your ebook to an online retailer. All these factors increased the ability to create a better quality book with a smaller investment.

The game has changed, and so has the breadth and quality of fiction.

I didn’t mean to be an indie author myself. I sort of got conned into it by my critique partner, Mildred Colvin, and discovered there is a world of fiction out there that is feeding a need not met by the traditional houses. I have found a plethora of Christian fiction which has been deemed unsellable by publishers for a variety of reasons, be they time period (medieval), character choices (Viking, pirate, multi-cultural), settings (universities, cities, space) or subject matter (mistresses, drug addiction), and discovered worlds like the one in which I live, replete with sinners in need of a Savior. Additionally, I discovered that many of my favorite authors, when given the chance to write from their hearts instead of a marketing team’s idea of what “the public” wants, are EVEN BETTER when writing this way. Yes, you read that right—EVEN BETTER. And as an avid reader, indie fiction is a lot less traumatic to my credit card.

Quality of Writing or Marketing Guts?

So what’s not to like?

I’ll tell you what? Many are concerned that because indie authors have not been vetted by the process of acquiring an agent or catching the eye of an editor, their work is not as good. The truth is I STILL suggest authors go through this process and hone their craft, before making the jump. But there is a point where the author realizes it’s not the craft, but the perception of the general marketplace that is holding him back from publication. Yes, it is nice to have someone “important” like you, but just because that someone doesn’t like you, doesn’t mean the rest of the world must ignore you as well. Many novels are rejected because the theme of their work has not been tested in the marketplace. However, in these tough times of the publishing industry it is likely nothing new will be tested until someone has the guts to do so. Therefore, lots of extraordinary ideas fall by the wayside.

Not with indie!

With indie publishing the READER is the gatekeeper, not the executive, nor the marketing team—honest-to-goodness readers who have a love for the written word, and a great story, just like you do. Independent authors often offer early books cheap (and even free) so YOU, the reader, can get a sense of who they are and what they write. Then YOU can decide whether or not you want to continue reading them.

It’s just a matter of finding this new breed of author.

Sifting Through the Muck …

But there is another problem. Traditional Christian publishing didn’t just vet for quality, it also vetted for biblical content. If you’ve ever gone “church shopping” in a very secular area (as I have) and you’ve seen the variety of agenda’s that come from groups that label themselves “Christian,” you will know not all people wearing that moniker promote the same sort of faith. In fact, in one of our independent author Facebook discussions, one of our members found a “Christian” group writing very decadent—and painful—forms of erotica. In these gate-keeper-less times, someone needs to step up and help us wade through the muck. Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS) is designed, asking the author to ensure a level of standard outlined in its Statement of Faith and Content guidelines, while informing the reader so he or she can make a decision as to whether or not the book is right for them. I also hope readers will return to ICFS to comment on books they found either exceptionally inspiring or not quite their cup of tea—respectfully, of course. Again, the reader is King here!

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Finding the Right Books for You…

So now readers will have access to information on a larger breadth of biblically-centered fiction in one place. The next trick is how to search through all the titles to find the one for you.

This is the fun part!

I had a vision from God. Or at least, my mind kept playing images of an old template I’d used for my blog and the many “views” it allowed that would make a quick search of a large amount of material very easy. So I decided to try it out by posting a bunch of friends’ books to the site. I’d been pondering how to do this because, frankly, I find most book retailer sites cumbersome and less fine-tuned to my needs, requiring lots of clicks into things I eventually have no use for. The largest online book retailer comes close, but does not allow for a page full of blurbs under search criteria ready to be scanned. It only gives a page of book titles, cover art and price. With Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS), you can plug in search criteria and watch the cover art float across the page.

Sidebar View--edIt’s really cool :o)!!!

Then you can change the “view” of the site and scroll through book blurbs selected by genre or search criteria and pick through the ones that look good to you. There are a number of ways to do this. It’s just a matter of finding the one view that works best for you.

So if you are an independent Christian fiction author and would like to have your novel listed on Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS), please enter the site, read through the Statement of Faith and Author Guidelines, and if it’s a good fit—submit. Please review the guidelines each time, as they may change. I will be adjusting things to streamline the site’s functionality.

Dynamic Views

If you are a READER, looking for something reasonably priced and potentially unique, please check out the “How to Use This Site” page and see how much fun a book search can be.

Try out all the views and feel free to tell me what works best for you. Indie Christian Fiction Search (ICFS) will be growing vastly over the next few months so make sure you drop by again. There is also a newsletter you can sign up for that will include links to new titles, and hot-picks, keeping you regularly informed of the latest in indie Christian fiction. I promise, it will not be sent out more often than quarterly. And don’t forget to come back and let us know what you think about the books you read. Remember, YOU are the gatekeeper. YOU have the power. Use it wisely ;o).

Sign up for the newsletter NOW and be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card. The winner will be announced on November 1, 2014.

Connie Almony is trained as a mental health therapist and likes to mix a little fun with the serious stuff of life. She was a 2012 semi-finalist in the Genesis Contest for Women’s Fiction and was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Winter 2012 WOW Flash Fiction Contest. Her newest release, At the Edge of a Dark Forest, is a modern-day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast about a war-vet, amputee struggling with PTSD.

You can find Connie on the web at ConnieAlmony.com, writing book reviews for Jesus Freak Hideout, and hosting the following blogs: InfiniteCharacters.com, IndieChristianFictionSearch.Blogspot.com, and LivingtheBodyofChrist.Blogspot.com.

You can also meet her on the following social media outlets:

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

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NFL Aspirations and Novelist Dreams: Follow the fairytales as they come true

23 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Crooked Lines, Diabetes, Family, Football, Jake Byrne

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Author, Author Holly Michael, Crooked Lines, Holly Michael, Jake Byrne, NFL, Novelists, San Diego Chargers

Just over two years ago, I published this blog post, one of my firsts. Jake and I had big dreams. NFL Player and Novelist. We’ve held tight to those dreams and we made it. Jake’s an NFL Player (Please pray for him. He starts camp today). Though as dreams go, it’s not always an easy pathway. He was on a few practice squads and cut a few times before getting on the regular roster with the San Diego Chargers (#81). And me? Yes, I’m officially the author of a novel, now published. Check out my Crooked Lines Page to the left. And for a bonus, Jake and I got a contract from Harvest House to write a devotional. More updates on that later…final stages of edits now. It’s been a lot of work and we’ve come a long way and have a lot of work still to be done, but we’re pushing onward! Thanks for coming along with us on our journeys.

Holly Michael's Writing Straight

I don’t remember the dream, only the worried face that popped into it. Jake. My four-year-old. Why was his face in my dream? Minutes later, a tap on my shoulder woke me.

“Had a bad dream, Mom,” Jake said.

I lifted the covers, pulled Jake close, and kissed the top of his head, amazed at this strange connection that allowed my son’s fears to travel from his dreams into mine.

Mom’s have connections like that with their children. Sometimes a prickle of worry regarding one of my kids will flash in my mind like a sudden rainstorm pocking up a calm lake. I stop, drop, and pray. Most times, I discover those feelings were on the mark, and my child needed prayers.

Jake had dreams of becoming an NFL player. What little boy doesn’t? Then as a sophomore in high school, he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. Jake refused to accept it as an obstacle. He wanted to play football on a college…

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Having a Party: A Virtual Party!

10 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Crooked Lines

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Author, Author Caryl McAdoo, Author Holly Michael, books, Caryl McAdoo, Cover reveal party, Crooked Lines, Facebook Virtual Party, Hearts Stolen, Holly Michael, Vow Unbroken

10421304_10204461434603829_8846725139569896162_nA cover reveal party with Caryl McAdoo! On Saturday at 3:00 PM. 

And guess what? You all can come or as Caryl from Texas says, “Ya’ll come!”

I’ve not hosted or attended one of these Facebook virtual parties before, but thanks to Caryl for arranging it. Looks like a whole lot of fun!

Here’s what Caryl is wearing:

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I thought of wearing this:

h2758617EBut decided, since Caryl is wearing a costume themed to her novel, I should do the same. So, since half of Crooked Lines takes place in India, maybe I’ll wear this:

10489918_10154456561400647_2998781087114348462_nOh, and there will be food, virtual food. This is what Caryl is serving:

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and this

10462410_10204535444614033_5390097934019169891_nI’ll serve this (virtually of course): untitled (2)Actually, in several of my visits to India, I’ve been served food on a banana (plantain) leaf. Loved it!

So, to join the fun and festivities to announce our covers, done by the same artist, Kirk DouPonce, click here.

SO excited. CROOKED LINES will be launched on August 3rd! Woohoo! Caryl’s book, Hearts Stolen will be released in September.

See ya there!

 

 

 

 

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Interview: Best-Selling and Award Winning Author Dan Walsh! Yahoo!

30 Thursday May 2013

Posted by Holly Michael in Books

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

ACFW, ACFW-Kansas City, American Christian Fiction Writers, Author, award winning Christian books, best-seller, Christian Fiction, Christian Love Story, Christian Novels, Christian Romance, Christianity, Christmas Novels, Clean Reads, Dan Walsh, forgiveness, Gary Smalley, Historical Novels, Inspiration, Leave out the parts readers skip, Love, Novels, redemption, Remembering Christmas, Restoration Series, romance, The Dance, The Deepest Waters, The Discovery, The Homecoming, The Promise, The Reunion, The unfinished Gift, Theme of Forgiveness, Theme of Love, Theme of Redemption, Themes of Forgiveness, Writing, writing advice, Writing Tips, www.danwalshbooks.com, www.writingstraight.com

Recently, we were super-blessed at our local Kansas City chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW)! Best-selling and award-winning author Dan Walsh (also an ACFW member) skyped into our monthly meeting from his home in Florida. He spoke about the craft of writing, and answered a few of our questions.

(Psst…hang in there for a HUGE SURPRISE to come).

poster

Dan Walsh writes contemporary and historical novels–mostly love stories and family-life dramas. He’s been called “the Nicholas Sparks of Christian Fiction,” and is often compared to Richard Paul Evans. Currently, he’s working on a novel with Dr. Gary Smalley (family counselor, president and founder of the Smalley Relationship Center and author of books on family relationships from a Christian perspective).

AND…Guess what? Here’s the HUGE SURPRISE!

betsy2 (2)

(I love using this picture of my kids. Hee Hee)

I contacted Dan after the ACFW meeting and he granted me a personal interview! Woohoo! I’m so honored, especially since he’s also done interviews with media such as USA Today.

(Maybe my interview isn’t that big of a surprise since I put it in the title. ;-))

But before we delve into the interview, I’d love to share my story of how Dan Walsh’s books recently impacted my life.

About a week after our ACFW meeting (where I first met Dan Walsh via Skype) I suffered a very painful back/nerve injury. Couldn’t walk for weeks, then only with a walker. During my down time, I turned to Dan Walsh’s novels that I’d purchased on my Kindle. I devoured them like candy for the soul. Read three of them, then bought a few more. His books became my new addiction. I even gave up Candy Crush and that is one addicting game!

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Dan Walsh’s books are way better than crushing candy. His fascinating plots and lovable characters stick with you. Sounds cliché-ish, but Dan’s books sucked me in from the first page, captured me, and held me to the last page and beyond.

DW

For days, I lived in Dan Walsh’s novels with these wonderful, believable characters. Themes of forgiveness, redemption, and love cut through my pain and warmed my heart. Like I said, soul candy. With all sincerity, each one of these books blessed me in its own unique way.

And in my condition, grounded and in pain, I didn’t feel like writing. But thanks to Dan Walsh, I was not only captivated as a reader, but also inspired as a writer. Often “Aha” moments popped into my head on how to really write well.

I’m anxious to get to the interview with Dan, but first, take a quick look at a few of his inspirational books:

Deepest WatersTHE DEEPEST WATERS, based on real events, is an epic tale of a shipwreck and two lost lovers. What began as a fairytale honeymoon in 1857 for John and Laura Foster aboard the steamship SS Vandervere becomes a nightmare when a hurricane causes their ship to sink into the murky depths of the Atlantic. Laura finds herself with the other women and children aboard a sailing ship while John and a hundred other men drift on the open sea on anything they could grab as the Vandervere went down. Suspecting her John is gone but still daring to hope for a miracle, Laura must face the possibility of life alone–and meeting her new in-laws without their son if she ever reaches New York. The Deepest Waters is an emotional and honest story of hope, faith, and love in the face of uncertainty. I read this one without stopping for food or sleep. Actually lost weight this day. Yay. Double blessing!

The Reunion

THE REUNION. Aaron Miller was an old, worn-out Vietnam vet, a handyman in a trailer park. Forty years prior, he saved the lives of three young men in the field only to come home from the war and lose everything. But God is a master at finding and redeeming the lost things of life. Aaron is about to be found. And the one who finds him just might find the love of his life as well. Loved it! I wanted to morph into this book and hug these characters. They were people with real guts, who made me cheer them on, laugh and cry. 

The disc

THE DISCOVERY. Gerard Warner was not only a literary giant whose suspense novels sold in the millions, he was also a man devoted to his family, especially his wife of nearly 60 years. When he dies he leaves his Charleston estate to his grandson, Michael, an aspiring writer himself. Michael settles in to write his own first novel and discovers an unpublished manuscript his grandfather had written, something he’d kept hidden from everyone but clearly intended Michael to find. Michael begins to read an exciting tale about Nazi spies and sabotage, but something about this story is different from all of Gerard Warner’s other books. It’s actually a love story. This masterfully crafted book was my fav! Good thing I was stuck on the couch because I could not have tolerated setting down my Kindle in the middle of this one.  

unfinTHE UNFINISHED GIFT. Set at Christmastime in 1943, The Unfinished Gift tells in an engaging, simple style the story of a family, and reminds us of the surprising things that affect powerful change in our hearts–like a young boy’s prayers, a shoebox full of love letters, and even an old wooden soldier, long forgotten. This nostalgic story of forgiveness will engage readers everywhere. Don’t wait for Christmastime to read this one. It’ll make a wonderful Christmas gift, though. A can’t go wrong gift for women and men alike! Wonderful!

HCTHE HOMECOMING is a sequel to The Unfinished Gift. No sooner is Shawn Collins home from the fighting in Europe than he’s called upon to serve his country as a war hero on a USO bond tour. Others might jump at the chance to travel all around the country with attractive Hollywood starlets. But not Shawn. He just wants to stay home with his son Patrick, his aging father and to grieve the loss of his wife in private. When Shawn asks Katherine Townsend, Patrick’s former social worker, to be Patrick’s nanny while he’s on the road, he has no idea how this decision will impact his life. Could it be the key to his future happiness and the mending of his heart? Or will the war once again threaten his chances for a new start? More heartwarming time with already beloved characters. And I loved the historical aspect.

CHRISTMASDWREMEMBERING CHRISTMAS. Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls on Thanksgiving weekend begging him to come home after his stepfather has a stroke, Rick is more than a little reluctant. He’s never liked Art and resents the man’s presence in his life, despite the fact that his own father abandoned the family when Rick was just twelve. When what was supposed to be just a couple of days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and running off the homeless man who keep hanging about, Rick’s attitude sours even more. Still, slowly but surely, the little bookstore and its quirky patrons–as well as the lovely young woman who works at his side each day–work their magic on him, revealing to Rick the truth about his family, his own life, and the true meaning of Christmas. With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story that will have readers remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas. Another engaging heartwarming read to be enjoyed any time of the year.

***

And now onto what we’ve all been waiting for: Dan Walsh!

 

hm1Holly: Welcome Dan! I’ve enjoyed many of your books and can’t wait to read more. Now, you’re co-authoring a book with Dr. Gary Smalley.

Can you tell us a little about these new books and how that writing relationship came to be? (Sorry, that’s two questions in one)

Dan Walsh

Dan: Sure Holly. The Dance is the first of four books in the Restoration series I’m writing with Gary. It begins with what might appear to be a normal, healthy Christian family; but appearances can be deceiving. Jim and Marilyn Anderson have been married for twenty-seven years but, in many ways, their family relationship has been built on shifting sand. Like that metaphor Jesus uses in the gospels, throughout The Dance and the other books in the series the “winds and rains and storms” will beat against their house, and it falls. When the book opens, Jim is shocked to find Marilyn has left him, but not for another man. The things that have caused their marriage to drift to the point of collapse are very common things that can happen and do happen in many marriages. But the heart of the story, and the other books in the series (which will feature each of their adult children) is restoration. We will explore credible ways that God uses to mend lives and restore shattered dreams.

Sorry, that was a long answer. Hard to summarize four books in a few lines. The shorter answer to your second question is that Gary had decided he wanted to do another fiction series similar to the wildly successful Redemption series he did with Karen Kingsbury. So he set his team on a mission to find someone who’s writing affected him the way Karen’s did. The outcome of that search led them to me. They gave Gary my first two novels to read. He called them while on a speaking trip a few days later saying he couldn’t put the books down and they had him crying at the end (in a good way). They called my publisher and extended an invitation to me, which I quickly accepted.

Gary-and-Dan-on-cover-of-Family-Fiction-233x300

Holly: Pretty cool that you made Gary Smalley cry. It’s a goal of mine to make a famous person cry someday. Speaking of making men cry, you write romance, but after reading your books, I’m convinced that men would enjoy your books as much as women would, maybe even shed a few man tears. “They” say men don’t read romance, but besides Gary Smalley, do you find men among your many fans?

Dan: I think many men don’t read romance, sadly, because men don’t typically read books written by women. It shouldn’t be that way, but there it is. And men won’t read a book with a cover that even looks like a book written for women. Which is why Gary and I objected to the direction the publisher wants to go with the Restoration series. We’ve written these books with more of a 50/50 focus, for both husbands and wives. They are deferring to the market reality, which we agree is true, that 80% of fiction readers are women. Hopefully, wives who love The Dance will be able to prevail upon their husbands to read it, too. We’re also aware that many men use Ereaders like the Kindle, so they don’t have the fear of people seeing them read a book with a woman on the cover.

As for my other stand-alone novels, I do get a lot of feedback from men who really love my books (my other covers are more neutral). But still, I would say the ratio seems more like the 80/20 ratio I just mentioned.

Holly: I’m suffering withdrawal symptoms now and am super-anxious to read more of your books. Please share what’s upcoming.

Dan: Book 2 in the Restoration series, The Promise, is finished and due out in September. I’ve finished another standalone novel set in 1962, called What Follows After, due out next spring. At the moment, I’m writing Book 3 with Gary, then I’ll keep writing Book 4 after that. That should keep me busy for the next eleven months. Beyond that, I have one more Christmas novel to write on my contract (I already have 5 more book ideas roughed out for my next proposal, Lord willing).

Holly: Wow, you’re a prolific writer. As a full-time writer, how much time do you spend each day actually writing?

Dan: A typical day for me begins with a quiet time, then I spend about three hours taking care of all the miscellaneous support tasks for my writing life. Such as: emails, social media, marketing and publicity activity, etc. Then I’ll take a short break for lunch and spend the rest of the day writing the next chapter in my current book. So the actual time spent writing is about 4-5 hours.

Holly: Better let you get to writing then! Thanks for agreeing to this interview. It’s been a pleasure and I’m sure my blog readers will enjoy your books as much as I did. 

***

Wow! So cool to interview the famous Dan Walsh. This expert story-teller also shared some gold nuggets of good writing when he Skyped into our ACFW meeting. I must share them.

Dan said, “My favorite writer’s quote is by NY Times bestselling author Elmore Leonard, who said: ‘In your writing, try to leave out the parts readers skip’.”

Wonderful advice! The notes below (from the Skype meeting with Dan) are keys to becoming a really good writer and also are a pathway to nabbing the dream agent:

Self-Editing

  • One of the greatest challenges is not actually the writing part, the creative part. It’s what happens after, as we try to get our book ready for the market.
  • After the conferences, the how-to books, the critique partners, it comes down to you and what you put on the page. We don’t possess the ability to see ourselves accurately (the flawed lens). We must become an editor before we get an editor (actually, before we even get an agent.
  • The plight of agents and editors today:
  • So many manuscripts, so little time (consider the math…a reality check. They are not rejecting you, just what you write. This is actually good news (something you can change)

Beware Your Literary Heroes

  • Could Classic Authors even get an agent today? Consider Dickens…
  • Great writing is great writing, but the world (and our audience) has changed.
  • A concern about imitating contemporary heroes, too. Maybe you’ve seen some boring parts in some bestselling books and wonder if what I’m saying is really true (Hey look, these guys got published). You are not a bestseller, you don’t get to break the rules (not now anyway).

More on “the part readers tend to skip.”

  • Confession Time: “How many of you skip past the boring parts in books you buy?” Most of us do. What do you do when books have too many “skipping parts?”
  • Agents and Editors are readers, too. Remember the earlier point? Their time crunch?
  • What do you suppose they do if your first chapter has “skipping parts?” What if the first chapter doesn’t, but they start showing up as they read on?
  • On the flipside (the positive side)…what do you think they do when a book has no skipping parts? They keep reading…and reading…then ask for more (that’s what you want).

This is why it’s critical for us to learn how to Self-Edit, especially how to recognize the Parts Readers Skip.

Recognizing Where and When to Snip (and a little about Why)

  • Regarding the Setting…think movie scenes.
  • Regarding the Characters themselves:
    • Old way – every time you introduce a new character, take a paragraph or two to tell us what they look like. New way – don’t do that, anymore (a definite skipping part).
    • A sentence or two, here and there at most, as part of a character’s thoughts, or work it in small doses during dialog.
    • Showing vs Telling. Again, think movie scenes, not some narrator off to the side interrupting the action with clever observations.
    • RUE – Resist the Urge to Explain (imagine intelligent people are buying your books, who don’t need everything explained to them).
    • Make your characters sound like real people saying real things people might actually say. Not like proper British nobility or bad actors in B-movies. Goal is to make a prospective agent or editor forget they are reading a book.
    • Read your dialog out loud (or let someone else read it back to you out loud).
    • RUE in Dialog.
    • He said/she said….works for me. Don’t use “creative” speaker attributions; this is not the place for creative writing. (“Don’t go,” he fumed. “I love you,” she gushed)

Some great books Dan Walsh (and I) recommend:

  • Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – Renni Browne and Dave King
  • Write Tight – William Brohaugh
  • Revision and Self-Editing – James Scott Bell

Dan Walsh’s Closing Tip – Instructions for Test Readers or Critique Partners

Our worst enemy once we think our manuscript is done is not our critics; it’s us, and our craving for compliments. Pick a handful of trusted people who chain-read fiction. Asked them to use both a pen and a yellow marker (or the electronic equivalent). Pleaded with them to write or mark the following:

  • Any place you either skipped or were tempted to skip.
  • Anything that slowed the story down or bored you.
  • Any place you had to read more than once to understand.
  • Any dialog that sounded phony or artificial (like bad actors talking).

They will see things as they read, and they will have constructive/negative things to say. It’s up to you to convince them you really want and need to hear it. Then take all that good advice, get out the scissors, and begin to snip, snip, snip. Give your manuscript a total makeover.

scisosr

***

Wonderful advice. And now, to end this post on a note of inspiration, Dan gave me permission to re-post one of his blog posts. This one really spoke to me during my recovery from my injury:

Feeling Weak and Overwhelmed? A Great Place to Be 

by Dan Walsh

I feel weak sometimes. No, I feel weak a lot.

I wasn’t always like this. For many years, I felt strong and confident. As it turns out, it was an illusion. I was like the Emperor in that Hans Christian Anderson story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” He isn’t wearing anything but, blinded by pride, he doesn’t see it.

Now I do see it, and it’s made me aware of my weakness on a regular basis.

Here’s an example: I’m beginning to write my 10th novel this week. Seven of the other nine are already published by major publishers (Revell and Guideposts). Novels eight and nine are in the pipeline, due out in 2013. I’ve already won three Carol awards (book-of-the-year). All of my novels have received rave reviews in magazines, blogs and on Amazon. I’ve been asked to co-author a fiction series by a mega bestselling author (Gary Smalley). My most recent novel has been optioned by a movie producer who has made several Hallmark films.

You’d think I’d feel confident inside as I set out to write a novel #10. But I don’t. I feel weak. I have doubts about whether I can do it again. What if I can’t? It’s my livelihood now. People are depending on me. What if the well runs dry? What will I do then?

Where does such weakness come from? Was something missing from my childhood? Have I experienced some traumatic things as an adult that have eroded my self-confidence? The answer to both of these questions is “yes.” But that’s not why I feel weak.

The real reason I feel weak, I believe, is a kindness from God. It’s not something I should dread but something I should celebrate. God, in His mercy, has lifted the veil of false confidence and self-sufficiency to help me see my true condition before Him.

By design, I was made (you were made) to walk in a dependent relationship with God. It was Adam’s fall that created the illusion that we can make a success of things on our own. The truth is, God created us for intimate fellowship with Him. This need we have for Him is built-in, intended to continually draw us toward Him.

We are hard-wired for dependence. And that is why we feel weak, when we feel weak. The good news is, because of Christ, the strength we lack is continuously available and in abundant supply. But we won’t benefit from this if we continue to walk in the illusion of strength (or should I say delusion of strength). We must learn the secret Paul learned, learn to become content with this feeling. In fact, woe to us if we ever lose the sense of weakness, because it’s the very thing that draws us near to God.

Here are two scriptures that quickly come to mind:

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:8-10, NLT)

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:11-13, NLT)

How about you? Feeling weak and overwhelmed lately? Where does your heart go when you feel this way? May I suggest you go where Paul suggests? I’ve tried to make this my habit now, and it’s made a HUGE difference in my life.

Lord, thank you for creating us this way, as dependent needy creatures. Help us not resent it but see it from Your perspective…as the very thing that draws us closer to You. Thank you for every situation–including the difficult people and circumstances–that make us more aware of our need for You. Fill us with your love and peace, and Your strength. Strengthen our grip on Your Hand. Thank you for always being there, day or night, no matter what. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

(NOTE: To read the other posts in this devotional feature of my blog, select “Perfect Peace — Hope for the Weary Soul” in the Category section.)

***

Dan Walsh: http://danwalshbooks.com

The Dance – Top Pick from RT Reviews/Released April 1st!
The Reunion – 4.5 Stars/Top Pick from RT Reviews
The Discovery – “A sublime delight that shouldn’t be missed.” – USA Today
Remembering Christmas – CBA, ECPA & Amazon Bestseller
The Deepest Waters – 2012 ACFW Carol Award winner

Thanks again Dan Walsh for sharing so much wisdom and thanks blog readers for stopping by.

Holly

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Guest Blogger Edith Parzefall from Germany shares about Rio on International Day of Peace!

21 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Guest Blogger

≈ 19 Comments

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Author, Author Edith Pazefall, Blog, Edith Parzefall, Holly Michael, International Day of Peace, Strays of Rio, www.writingstraight.com

In honor of International Day of Peace, I’m so thrilled to introduce one of my favorite authors: From Nuremberg, Germany, Edith Parzefall! Her latest novel STRAYS OF RIO is released today. Today, Edith is here to guest blog about her time in Rio de Janeiro, the setting of her latest release, STRAYS OF RIO! Welcome Edith!

Today, on the International Day of Peace, my novel Strays of Rio is published. The thriller genre I chose for Strays of Rio made it difficult to show much of the kind, fun-loving, life-embracing and caring nature of Brazilians.

Now I want to thank the wonderful people, who watched out and cared for me and my companion. A stall owner on the beach ran after us when I accidentally paid double the price for our food and walked away. A man on the street made sure we got on the right bus. A boy chased us down when my friend forgot her shoes in the sand of a beach restaurant. He didn’t even wait long enough for us to give him some money.

When I booked a Rio city tour in advance, the lady who organized it asked where to pick us up. I gave her the name and address of the hostel. A few days later she sent me an e-mail telling me she’d taken a detour on her way to work to check out the place, but the hostel looked abandoned. I tried to call them to no avail. My e-mails went unanswered.

Just in time, we were able to book a lovely quaint hotel in Bairro Peixoto. If this lady hadn’t cared so much, we’d have ended up hauling our suitcases through Rio de Janeiro in search of accommodation. This might have provided some interesting experiences for the novel, but one shouldn’t be too greedy. Come to think of it, Cariocas would likely have immediately taken the two lost gringas under their protective wings.

People never tried to rip us off, quite the contrary. They cared for our well-being and safety. At the hotel, my friend lost fifty Reais in the lounge area of the small lobby. Five minutes after we’d retreated to our room, the concierge called because he’d found the bills on the sofa where we’d been sitting.

As it turned out, the most striking experience for me was how amazingly helpful Brazilians are and how happy to talk to interested strangers, particularly our guide, who took us through favela Rocinha, with the approval of the local drug gang. He showed us the community school and introduced us to the headmistress and an American living and teaching English in the favela. Thank you all!

I hope the International Day of Peace will not only bring me joy over the
release of Strays of Rio, but create cease-fires all over the world and foster
sustainable peace on many levels. My heart and mind are in Rio de Janeiro
today, where the war over drugs and power still rages.

US link to purchase STRAYS OF RIO

http://www.edith-parzefall.de

blog: edith-parzefall.de
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/edith.parzefall

Twitter: EParzefall
Co-author of Wind Over Troubled Waters * http://tinyurl.com/co347j9
Author of Strays of Rio * http://tinyurl.com/7sokbu9

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Virtual Hugs and Marketing Strategies Found Here Today!

25 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Guest Blogger, Inspiration, Writing

≈ 10 Comments

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Author, Bible, Blog, Christianity, Completely Whole, God, Holly Michael, hugs, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, marketing strategies, Paulette Harper Johnson, speaker, wellness, Wholeness, WLN Virtual blog tour, women, writing coach, www.writingstraight.com

Inspirational Author Paulette Harper Johnson: Completely Whole Blog Tour

Today, I’m so pleased to introduce Paulette Harper Johnson, an award winning author, writing coach, and speaker and her book, Completely Whole. For inspirational writers, readers, and anyone who is marketing their books, check out what Paulette has to say. It’s really good stuff! Don’t miss her author interview below. You’ll be so inspired! You’ll feel like you’ve experienced a virtual hug and you’ll learn some things, too.

Paulette Harper Johnson seeks to inspire women from all walks of life. As an inspirational and motivational speaker, Paulette’s desire is to empower, influence and cultivate women to move forward while dealing with issues that hinder women from becoming all they are created to be. Her topics are biblically sound and pertinent to the needs of today’s women.

Paulette is a wife, mother, grandmother, Bible teacher, radio host, writer and the owner of WNL Virtual Blog Tours. Her years of marketing her own self-published books have created a special talent in her—her ability to sell a product well. Not only does she specialize in marketing strategies, but also serves as the publicist for P.F.L. Publishing.

She has been mentoring and teaching women for years though seminars, workshops and conferences. Paulette Harper Johnson serves in ministry as an Elder with her husband Sr. Pastor Tony E. Johnson at Word of Faith Worship Center in Bradenton and North Port FL.

Ministry Book website: www.pauletteharper.com

Now, About the Book:

Completely Whole is resource-filled guide full of practical and Biblically-based principles, real-life application strategies and prayers to give the readers a holistic approach to living a life of wholeness through Jesus Christ. This book is inspiring, optimistic, hopeful and encouraging while providing a clear-cut, scriptural blueprint for each reader to follow as they allow the Word and the power of God to transform their pain and restore their lives on their road to becoming Completely Whole.

Harper plainly states that “words have the power and ability to create” which can place you in a position to be completely whole. The purpose of her book, Completely Whole, is to “bring the reader to the place of wholeness—spirit, soul and body.”  She provides a biblical foundation, personal experiences, prayer and a confession in each chapter to give a voice of reason to the women who cry out to learn more about who they are, where they are to go and why it is so important to know God’s word.  Her personal walk is the example within the text. Jewell Williams

Author Interview

Why the title Completely Whole?

Actually, in the middle of completing my first book, this book came to mind. I had gone through a bad ordeal, which left me broken and scared.  In order for me to write about becoming whole, I had to experience it myself.  There were areas in my own life that I needed to confront and deal with. Those areas that hindered me from moving forward needed to be addressed. Once God began to point out those areas and I accepted where I was spiritually, the healing and restoration began.  The process of becoming Completely Whole is continual for any believer desiring to live, walks, and pursue a life on purpose.

Why did you feel this book needed to be written?

I believe every reader might have something in their lives that continues to either be a reoccurring issue or an area in their lives that they are lacking or feel they have not conquered.  To be whole according to Webster is to be “free from injury or wound; to be healed and to be physically sound and healthy.”  Because we live in a world in which we experience the ups and downs of life, we deal with heartache and pain; sometimes these experiences leave residue that we have not been able to deal with.

What is your main message in Completely Whole?

Completely Whole is one of those books that will challenge the reader to do a self-examination of where they are as it relates to their own spirituality. This life-changing book will help readers to transform their spirit, soul, and body through Jesus Christ, so they can live a life of peace, joy, and fulfillment. In Completely Whole, I offer keys to help those who are searching for answers that can lead to a life of complete wholeness: Spirit, Soul and Body. My focus in writing is to enrich the lives of my readers. I had a reader make this comment about Completely Whole “It speaks” and that’s what I want it to do. I want readers to come away knowing that they have the ability to live a full enriched life.

What has the reaction been like to your book?  

The reviews have been great. Those that have read Completely Whole find it to be a book which speaks to the heart.

How can this book contribute to transforming someone’s life?

A person is transformed when they chose to apply the spiritual principles that are outlined in Completely Whole. Once a person identifies those self-destructive mind-sets then they are able to deal with those issues that have kept them from walking in victory.

How do you prepare yourself when writing a book? Is there a process you follow?

Before doing anything, I make sure I’m in a quiet area, free from distractions. When I’m ready to write, I sit at my laptop and begin writing. Depending on the chapter I’m working on, that determines the direction I’ll go. I am able to write as long as there is a constant flow

Were there any challenges you faced in the writing process?

I think with all authors there are some types of challenges when trying to finish a book. I’m no exception. There are many distractions that will continue to pull for my attention be it, home, ministry, family and/or job. I try to bring balance in my life so I can prioritize those things that are important. I must set deadlines for myself and stick with those deadlines.

What can someone take away from this book?

Becoming Completely Whole is an internal inventory and focuses on making necessary changes of the heart. I write non-fiction, inspirational books; so this means my books should have a lasting effect on a person’s spirit, inspiring and encouraging them to pursue passionately a more fulfilled life. I want my writings to give strength and encouragement in the time of need. As they read Completely Whole, I want my writings to engage, stimulate, and edify them spiritually.

Any words of wisdom for young writers or writers who want to pursue a career in writing?

Promote, promote and promote some more.  Learn how to brand and market yourself so that you are known in the industry.  Don’t think someone else is going to promote you better than yourself.  Create a marketing plan that will expand your territory in reaching readers.

Purchase book: Amazon

Paperback: http://tinyurl.com/425euh7

Kindle:   http://tinyurl.com/3novrjg

Connect with Paulette on these social networks

Facebook author page:     http://www.facebook.com/PauletteHarperAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/pauletteharper

Blog: http://pauletteharper.blogspot.com

Ministry website: http://pauletteharper.com

Write Now Virtual Blog Tours Business website:  http://writenowlit.blogspot.com

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Don’t Give Up! Don’t Quit! by Guest Blogger, Author Lynn Dove

28 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Best Web Sites for Writers, Books, Christianity, Guest Blogger

≈ 11 Comments

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anti-bullying, anti-bullying books, Author, Author Lynn Dove, Blog, Bullying, Faith, family violence, God, gossip, great books, Heal the Wounded, Holly Michael, libraries, Love the Wounded, Lynn Dove, Parents, pastors, powerful, school, Shoot the Wounded, suicide, teachers, teen, teen pregnancy, warning signs, why do bad things happen to good people, www.writingstraight.com, YA, YA books, Young Adult, Youth

Parents, teachers, teens, pastors, youth leaders, librarians, and grandparents: Today’s guest blog by Award Winning Author Lynn Dove is a must read. The topic is bullying. Lynn’s books are powerful and poignant! They are also resources on the world’s largest anti-bullying website. Please check her books out at the bottom of the post. Her novels should be in every library: school, church, home and read by all, especially those affected in any way by bullying or teenage issues. Very honored to have Lynn here today. It’s all yours Lynn!

Someone asked me the other day what motivated me to write the “Wounded Trilogy”.  Easy answer:  I wanted to make sure that every young person and adult that read my books would know that God loves them, He cares for them and no matter what circumstance in life they may find themselves, they are not alone.

This is why my books are listed as resources on one of the world’s largest anti-bullying websites in the world: www.bullying.org  My books deal frankly with the subject of bullying and I want to get the message out that bullying of any kind MUST STOP.

I have three very unique, very different children. I am constantly amazed by them! Certainly there have been times that I (and they) have questioned my sanity…or lack thereof…in trying to parent these children but for the most part I wouldn’t trade a minute of it!

My daughter Laurelle is now a grown, married woman, a wonderful mother to my grandson, Jaxon. She is a phenomenal young woman with a passion for teaching. I had no idea when we signed her up in kindergarten french immersion way back when, that one day she would be teaching french immersion kindergarten! How did that happen? God had a plan and a purpose for her for today but the journey started the day she was born. Who knew? God did.

I remember that little girl learning to ride a bike. She fell off that thing more than she stayed on. At one point, after crashing once again to the pavement, she picked herself up and in tears kicked the seat with all her might announcing to her father that she would never learn to ride a bike! It’s hard for a parent to watch their children struggle, but it’s also a time to instill a value, “Don’t give up! Don’t quit!” her Dad said, and taking her by the hand, straightened her helmet, and plunked her back on the bike. “You can do it!” he said and with a push, he sent her on her way again. Yes, she wobbled and yes she even fell off a few more times but eventually her perseverance paid off and she mastered bike riding. It was hard but she didn’t quit.

In grade seven, Laurelle became the victim of bullying. It was the worst time of our lives. She had become the primary target of some malicious girls at her school who took great pleasure in undermining everything about her.

They called her degrading names; called her stupid, and maligned her every chance they could. They tripped her, pushed her into her locker and laughed at her. Her marks plummeted; she started to look sickly and pale. She started to dress in sombre colours and she rarely smiled. She had few friends and at one point she wanted to die. Her father and I tried to question her about school but she was tight-lipped and was a good enough actress at home to make us believe that everything was okay. We had no idea how serious the bullying situation had become until her piano teacher, who was also a close personal friend, called me and said that Laurelle had confided to her in the middle of her piano lesson that she was thinking thoughts of suicide. In horror and in panic, I ransacked her room looking for anything that she might use to hurt herself, instead I found her diary.

As a parent, you make split second decisions some times. In this case to save her life was much more important than respecting her privacy. I didn’t hesitate. Page after page of heart wrenching pain was written in her handwriting. I wept with grief over what my child was going through at school, things she had never shared with us. When I confronted her later about it, she was horrified I had read her most private thoughts. I had betrayed her trust. I didn’t apologize for that. I wished I had done it sooner.

For a day or two, Laurelle was angrier with me than she was at the bullies at school. I was okay with that. Now that I knew what was really going on in her life I could come alongside her and help, even though she rejected that at first. We immediately contacted the school, set up meetings with the school counsellor, her teachers, and the principal and we elicited prayer support from our church family. Over the next several weeks, everywhere Laurelle turned she heard, “Don’t give up! Don’t quit!” God placed people in her life that supported her, encouraged her, and loved her. Bullying had caused her to lose hope. She felt alone and afraid. Now she was surrounded by people who wanted to help her. She wasn’t alone and it gave her hope.

Laurelle’s school counsellor, a precious young woman, told Laurelle to journal her thoughts and her pain to God and to trust Him to help her. Although I had said much the same thing previously to her, she wasn’t ready to listen to me yet because she was still mad I had invaded her privacy, so I praised God when He used another person to speak to her. It was truly a “God thing” because in this particular public school, teachers and counsellors did not give spiritual advice to their students, they were discouraged from doing so in fact, but I believe God gave this woman boldness to speak to Laurelle about embracing her faith in God and it impacted Laurelle at a critical time in her life. She also gave Laurelle some very practical ways to “stand up” to the bullies at school.

  • Hold your head up. Act confidently. Do not retaliate or get angry. (Bullies are intimidated by those who do not fear them.)
  • Respond evenly and firmly to them or say nothing and walk away.
  • Develop other friendships and stick up for each other.
  • If bullying continues, tell someone, preferably a trusted adult. Tell your parents, a trusted teacher, counsellor, or principal.

Within several weeks, after rededicating her life back to God and then utilizing the strategies her counsellor had given her to combat the bullies, Laurelle’s confidence came back. She developed new friendships and her once tiny circle of friends grew. Eventually her group of friends was much larger than the “bully group” and as such the “safety in numbers” factor cut in. The bullies lost interest in tormenting her, and on occasion if they tried to intimidate her, she was no longer afraid of telling on them. She got her “no quit” attitude back and it propelled her through the rest of the year and has remained with her ever since.

A while back I was on Facebook and noticed that one of Laurelle’s Facebook “friends” was one of the girls who had bullied her that fateful year in middle school. I must admit I was quite surprised to see that Laurelle was actually corresponding back and forth with her quite regularly. I marveled how God had helped her come to a place in her life where she could forgive and forget so completely. When I commented about it to her, she just smiled.

Laurelle has had opportunity through the years to share her testimony regarding that bullying experience. God has given her great sensitivity and compassion towards those young people who are victims of bullying. She shares how angry she was at me for reading in her diary, but how glad she is that I did. She shares how God brought people in to her life to help her, to encourage her and to love her at a time when she thought she was all alone. And lastly she tells them’ “Don’t give up! Don’t quit!”

It’s the responsibility of every parent, teacher, grandparent, youth leader and Pastor to learn the tell-tale signs of bullying. If you see the warning signs it is time to act immediately.  Kids are being bullied to death…they either take their own lives or they take the lives of others. It’s an epidemic that must stop.

For more information about bullying and ways to stand up to bullying, please go to www.bullying.org  or go to my website: www.shootthewounded.org where you can learn more about my books.  You can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter @LynnIDove or my blogs: Journey Thoughts and Word Salt.

“The Wounded Trilogy digs deep into the lives of youth…I feel every parent and teenager should sit down and read these books together.”
-Readers Favorite

SHOOT THE WOUNDED, the first book in the “Wounded Trilogy“ is written for youth and young adults, addresses how lies and gossip destroy a person’s spirit. It speaks to the heart of relevant themes such as bullying, teen pregnancy and family violence all the while pointing the characters and ultimately the reader, to hope in Jesus Christ.

HEAL THE WOUNDED is the much-anticipated sequel to Shoot the Wounded. It delves deep into the real world of teenagers trying to live out their faith in the midst of upset and struggle. Will these youth find God’s healing and hope in the middle of hurt and heartache? Brilliantly written, poignantly told, readers will not be disappointed with the powerful message.

 LOVE THE WOUNDED is the dramatic conclusion to the Wounded Trilogy. For readers who have come to know and love, Jake, Leigh, Mike, Tim and Dylan, their poignant story concludes with each character fighting to hold onto his faith while trying to answer the age-old question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Will LOVE prevail?

“My command is this, love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one other than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus, quoted -John 15:12-13

Lynn is a Christ-follower, a wife, a mom, grandmother, a teacher and a writer (in that order). In 2007, she earned a Masters of Religious Education degree from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary, in Cochrane, AB. Lynn’s books are available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and on Lynn’s website. Readers may also connect with Lynn on Twitter, Facebook, and on her blogs:Journey Thoughts, Word Salt, and on her website Shoot the Wounded.

Thank you Lynn, for coming on over today!

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Guest Author Sherry Gloag: This “Pantster” Discovers Gems in Side Journeys

21 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Guest Blogger, Photography, Writing

≈ 21 Comments

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Author, Blog, England, For Now and Forever, Guest Author, His Chosen Bride, Holly Michael, Norfolk, romance novels, Scotland, Sherry Gloag, www.writingstraigt.com pantser vs plotter

I’m honored to have multi-published author Sherry Gloag as a guest on my blog today. Sherry is a transplanted Scot now living in the beautiful coastal countryside of Norfolk, England.

She considers the surrounding countryside as extension of her own garden, to which she escapes when she needs “thinking time” and solitude to work out the plots for her next novel. She says while out walking she enjoys talking to her characters, as long as there are no other walkers close by.

Apart from writing, Sherry enjoys gardening, walking, reading and cheerfully admits her books tend to take over most of the shelf and floor space in her workroom-cum-office. She also finds crystal craft work therapeutic.

Sherry is also a pantster (one who “flies by the seat of their pants” when they write versus a plotter who well, plots out every bit of their work.) She’s here to share about her “pantstering” and FAITH. Heeeerrrrreeeee’s Sherry:

or a ‘panster’ writer like myself, creating characters is never straightforward. It almost amounts to ‘plotting’! rofl. So how do I ‘get’ my characters when I start writing? Well, strange as it may seem, they come to me. Usually when I’m at the kitchen sink. I’ve still not worked out how or why it happens that way, but it does. Sometime they give me a name, sometimes I’m given a full scene. Then it’s up to me to work out where in the story that scene’s got to be placed. Many’s the time I’ve assumed I’ve been offered an opening scene only to discover it belongs somewhere else in the book.

nother thing about being a ‘panster’ is the capacity for me to write myself into a corner and then spend ages trying to work out how to get out of it. I can hear so may people asking why I don’t get myself better organized and plot my way through the story instead and thus save myself getting sidetracked. It just doesn’t work for me, and there are many times when those side journey’s unveil an unexpected gem of a twist in the plot. Does that also entail re-writing vast tracks of story? Quite often. Does it bother me, sometimes, but not always.

nstead I concentrate on the bonus of the unexpected, that twist that often lifts the story to another level. In From Now Until Forever, the first of my four books Gasquet Princes series, published by Astraea Press in December, Melanie, the heroine’s use of a dust/garbage truck as an escape vehicle had me chuckling all the while I wrote the scene. When I began I assumed they’d use some fast flashy make of car, but no, up trundled a dust/garbage truck!

he arrival of His Chosen Bride the second book was a great surprise to me when Henri, Liam’s eldest brother of the hero in From Now Until Forever demanded I write his story about a week after the first book was published. As for Monica, the heroine in this book, she turned up before I realized she was destined to be Henri’s Bride. She is also a completely different kind of heroine from Melanie. Where Melanie is an ‘in your face, get things done’ heroine, Monica is quieter, more introvert and yet she has qualities that compliment Henri and makes her his perfect choice.

enri and Liam have two more brothers, twins Sacha and Simeon. Writing their stories is creating several problems because they keep walking in and out of each others’ stories, and this makes keeping my plot lines straight quite a headache. 🙂

For this ‘panster,’ FAITH is a big part of my writing. Faith in my characters, faith that the plotline will evolve in a ways that makes sense and faith in my writing as with each new book comes a new challenge that having faith in the unknown will prevail.

For Now And Forever Blurb: For Prince Liam, families meant bad news, unwanted commitments, and the loss of his personal freedom. Love spawned white picket fences, slippers at the hearth with a wife and kids making demands, so why did those images disappear when he met Melanie Babcot? Melanie Babcot fought hard to escape the horrors of her youth and vowed to remain single and free, so when paid to protect Prince Liam from insurgents why did her personal pledge fly out the window?

Purchase: Amazon.com   AmazonUK  Barnes&Noble.com    AstraeaPress.com


His Chosen Bride: Prince Henri Gasquet is happy to let his father, the king, choose his bride for him until he meets Monica Latimer. Monica Latimer is not prepared to risk letting any man close enough to learn about her Gift. A gift that normally has men running for the hills when they find out about it. Purchase through Astraea Press or Amazon.

To contact Sherry:  SherryGloag.com    Twitter    Facebook   LinkedIn   

The Heart of Romance.blog

Amazon Author Page

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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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