Everyone's Story

Jennifer Brown--Hitting Home With Young Adult Readers

2012-02-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone's Story welcomes Jennifer Brown as this week's guest. While browsing an independent bookstore's shelves not too long ago, Jennifer's YA novel HATE LIST, with its darker premise, caught both my reading and writing eye. Halfway through this compelling novel (oh, how I wish there was more reading time in a day) I contacted Jennifer with high hopes that she'd like to be my guest and be interviewed. Lucky for us all, she said yes!

Book Giveaway Excitement: Jennifer is offering one signed copy of HATE LIST and the ARC of her novel BITTER END to one randomly chosen commenter. For convenience, please include your e-mail address within the body of your comment. Thanks. Jennifer is looking forward to hearing from you, whether your read or write YA fiction or are a teen or a parent that can relate to her characters.

You pull no curtains in HATE LIST to shield the reader from teens’ anger. Do you see stressed teens as a by-product of present-day chaotic society or do you see teenagers causing more fuel to societal problems (i.e. school shootings)?

I think being a teenager has always been stressful. Hormones, drama, uncertainty, self-doubt, love, hate, danger—all of those things have always been around. What’s changed for today’s teens is how “connected” they are all the time, how bombarded they are with streams of information. It’s impossible to not feel like you’re constantly under a spotlight these days, and to not feel like you’re inundated with information and expectation from being plugged in all the time.

What was the “kernel” that grew into your full-length novel HATE LIST?

It was one of those strange meaningless moments. I got the Nickelback song, “If Everyone Cared,” stuck in my head one night while I was sleeping, and when I woke up in the morning, Valerie was just there in my mind. I could see her, hear her, knew what had happened to her, and knew that there was this undercurrent of “Amen, I’m alive” (a lyric in the song) that was very important to her.

But when it came to giving the characters life, all I needed to do was rewind a couple decades. I was bullied in junior high and part of high school, and it was a very rough time for me. I was somewhat surprised by how many feelings I was still hanging onto 20 years later, but there they were, landing right there in my book.

Many adult novels have teenage and children characters. As you wrote HATE LIST did you target the YA audience or was that more a suggested marketing device? In your opinion, what separates an adult novel with young characters from an all-out young-adult novel?

I was trying to break into the women’s fiction market previous to writing HATE LIST. Because I was so focused on women’s fiction and romance, I never even considered studying or paying attention to YA fiction. I had an idea that what I was writing *might be* considered YA, but I wasn’t trying to write YA.

In my mind, the line between YA novels and adult novels is very, very thin. The plots can be every bit as complex, the characters every bit as deep and dynamic. I read and enjoy YA novels just as much as I do adult novels, and as a young adult, I read and enjoyed adult novels just as much as I did YA novels.

Your upcoming July release, PERFECT ESCAPE, is intriguing. Sounds like a road-trip adventure story with the twist of the trip shared between a sister and her brother, and the latter by force. Please tell us the basic premise. Does this story rise from elements of your own childhood?

PERFECT ESCAPE is a story about a girl who messes up and wants to run away. She “kidnaps” her older brother, in part to cure him of his OCD. It’s an exploration of the complex relationships between siblings, particularly between a sibling relationship where each sibling feels as if she is living under the shadow of the other.

This book was a labor of love for me. I do have siblings, and those relationships have been complex and, at times, difficult and even heartbreaking. But I adore my siblings so much, and as we’ve grown older and have learned to lean on one another and count on one another in new ways, I’ve become more and more interested in exploring these complicated relationships.

Who or what inspired you to create stories? When did you actually start pursuing publication? Was it a major lifestyle change to become a published author?

I have always written stories, though I never even considered trying to write one for publication until somewhere around 2000. I wrote with very little publication (and virtually no pay) for about 8 years before HATE LIST finally sold. HATE LIST was the fifth novel that I’d written, so there were a lot of years and a lot of faith that went into getting published.

The biggest lifestyle change for me has been the travel to speak at schools and libraries. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for almost 12 years, so suddenly having to be out of town and away from my family several times a year was a huge change for all of us.

You’re a two-time winner of the Erma Brombeck Global Humor Award (2005 and 2006). Congratulations! However, your stories seem to lean toward the more serious side of life. Has humor helped you in writing gritty plots? Has humor helped you in the discipline of writing?

Humor writing comes very natural to me. My first humor column actually ran in my high school newspaper my senior year. I wrote a humor column for my local metropolitan newspaper for over four years. I’ve always been more interested, however, in more serious stories, even though they’re more of a struggle for me to write. I don’t know if I can say humor really helped me write gritty plots, but it definitely helped me in the discipline of writing. I had to learn to write on deadline, how to work with an editor, and how to come up with story ideas, even when I had nothing.

You’re a wife, mom, college graduate with a degree in psychology, and an award-winning author. What achievements would you like to accomplish in the future? And, with all that under your belt, how do you prefer to kick back and enjoy down time, if there is such a thing in your life?

There’s not a ton of down time, that’s true, but I am a devoted TV- and movie-watcher. I also read for pleasure for at least an hour every single day. And then once a year, I spend a week at the one place where it’s totally encouraged to wish, dream, imagine, and believe in romance and magic: Disney World.

As far as future goals go, I’d like to try out some other genres, particularly women’s fiction and middle grade. I’d like to stretch myself some, and write about something I currently don’t know anything about. Mostly, I just want to keep pushing myself, whatever that ends up looking like.

Author Bio:

"Two-time winner of the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award (2005 & 2006),
Jennifer's weekly humor column appeared in The Kansas City Star for
over four years, until she gave it up to be a full-time young adult
novelist.

Jennifer's debut novel, HATE LIST (Little, Brown Books for Young
Readers, 2009) received three starred reviews and was selected as an
ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA "Perfect Ten," and a School
Library Journal Best Book of the Year. HATE LIST also won the Michigan
Library Association's Thumbs Up! Award, was an honorable mention for
the 2011 Arkansas Teen Book Award, is a YALSA 2012 Popular Paperback,
received spots on the Texas Library Association's Taysha's high school
reading list as well as the Missouri Library Association's Missouri
Gateway Awards list, and has been nominated for the Oklahoma Sequoyah
Award. Jennifer's second novel, BITTER END, (Little, Brown Books for
Young Readers, 2011) received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly
and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults
list and is a 2012 Taysha's high school reading list pick as well.

Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her
husband and three children."

Jennifer's Twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/JenniferBrownYA
Jennifer's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Jennifer-Brown/165590286859411
Jennifer's website: www.JenniferBrownYA.com
Link to BITTER END:
http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-End-Jennifer-Brown/dp/0316086959/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329756331&sr=8-1
Link to HATE LIST:
http://www.amazon.com/Hate-List-Jennifer-Brown/dp/0316041459/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329756375&sr=1-1
Link to pre-order PERFECT ESCAPE:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Escape-Jennifer-Brown/dp/0316185574/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329756409&sr=1-1

K.B. Schaller--Walking In Two Worlds

2012-02-17T13:07:00.000-08:00

Everyone's Story's guest this week is K.B. Schaller. A member of the Native American Christian Church, K.B. is an award winning author, a journalist, poet, painter, and a former teacher in a Native American reservation academy. She has a lot to share with us . . . so we're getting right to it . . .

K.B. is generously offering a book giveaway of her first novel, GRAY RAINBOW JOURNEY, but with a twist: a contest. To win this novel that has won the USA Book News Best Books Award For Multicultural Fiction and the President's Book Awards For YA Fiction, K.B. challenges you to write in 100 words or fewer, based on the synopsis below, why you would like a copy of this book. Please enclose within the comment, and include your email address. The winner (announced on 2/24/12) will receive the book, plus have their winning composition posted on K.B.'s website.

Synopsis of GRAY RAINBOW JOURNEY
Cheha Youngblood disappeared without a trace from the Bitterroot Confederacy three months ago, and her older daughter, Dina, is determined to find out why.

What do the clues in her mother's journal mean? Who is the giant-winged creature that so terrified her mother, a Native Christian convert? Could any of the tales that are as old as the Indian nations and told in the blackness of deep nights in the South Florida Everglades be true? And why are owls beginning to perch outside of Dina's home?

Then handsome Marty Osceola, the son of the most powerful witch on the Florida East Coast, the boy Dina had a crush on in grade school, arrives back in town...

Now, a few questions for K.B.:

Do you live in the Everglades or close by? Please describe to this Northerner what this area of Florida is like.

I once lived in the Glades before my job took me to the Florida East Coast. Probably the most picturesque description would be to Google the Everglades. It is derived from a Mikasuki word meaning "River of Grass". I lived in Belle Glade, taught in a little school in Pahokee (meaning "Grassy waters"). Both are basically farm towns near Lake Okeechobee ("Big Water"), the largest fresh water lake in Florida, and the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States. You can Google pictures of the lake and the towns. For an idea of what the the Seminole chickees (houses) mentioned in the novels are like, click here

Your bio on your website describe's your debut novel GRAY RAINBOW JOURNEY as "An interplay of romance, mystery/suspense and religion, the story's heroine, Native American beauty Dina Youngblood, must make tough spiritual choices when tradition and Native Spirituality collide with mainstream faiths and values." In true life, are there many conflicts that Native Americans must face in embracing more mainstream Christian denominations? Why do you think these two worlds collide?

The tragic history of what many refer to as the Native American Holocaust was perpetrated by those who professed the Christian faith, but did not practice the love that it teaches. The reservation system confined Native Indians and was viewed by some as little more than concentration camps; while the boarding school era separated families by removing children frequently as young as 5 from their cultures, sometimes until they became young adults. The rationale/slogan was to "kill the Indian, save the man". Long story, and not very pretty.

For more information, I always recommend a brief study of Native American boarding schools and history of the reservation system. Movies such as "Geronimo" (with Native actor Wes Studi in the title role) are fairly accurate, historically. Also, "Son of the Morning Star"; and of course the iconic "Dances With Wolves". I addressed the issue in question in one of my blogs:

http://blogs.christianpost.com/bindings/2011/04/a-native-american-christian-speaks-on-why-11/

Please tell us about your rescue cat?

Chief, my kitty, adopted our family in 2002. He was about 4 months old at the time. We were attending a Wednesday evening prayer services on the Seminole Reservation. As we entered, he leaped from some hedges and befriended my husband, Jim, and me. Afterward, he was still waiting outside and once again, singled us out. His beautiful, irresistible green eyes asked, "Will you take me home with you?" Well, the rest is history. He and his sister, Sabrina, who is four years older than he, presently occupy a very special place in our home and hearts.

A Christmas Aftermath by K.B. Schaller

I know. Christmas 2011 is gone. The trees are tossed, presents opened, I'm still recuperating from exhaustion, and a blog like this seems after the fact. But I wrote it because there are lessons here.

Firstly, there aren't many Native American Christians--only an estimated 3-8% are--so when church attendance falls it really shows. For a number of reasons, ours has fallen to less than half of what it was only a few years ago.

Several pastors have come and gone, so the remnant flock had not held a Christmas pageant--once a "biggie" in our little church--for quite some time.

Then an Oklahoma Creek Indian minister and long-time friend to our congregation notified us that he would serve as interim pastor until a permanent one was installed. He asked no salary. He wanted only to see our struggling church re-embrace a sense of community. His message was simple:

"Unless we love one another as Christ loved us, there can be no regeneration here."

The elders decided that a Christmas pageant complete with speaking parts, costumes and music would be just the spark to re-ignite and unify everyone again--because on "the rez", everybody comes to celebrations!

A friend reminded the elders: "KiKi(that's me) has a degree in performing arts and used to write and direct plays at our academy before it shut down."

I live some eight miles from the rez, but it was a worthy project, so I placed my novel-in-progress on hold and took on a diverse cast of elders (the singers) to 'tweens, teens and 2 four-year-old actors in a church that opened for rehearsals only three evenings per week. More daunting, a lot of activities compete with rehearsal attendance during holiday seasons. And I had only two months to pull it all together.

Script written, there was the challenge of presenting on a stage little more than twice the size of the average kitchen. Not to worry, though: a couple of seamstresses promised to make costumes while others would handle props, scenery, etc.

It seemed simple enough, but there was hardly a rehearsal where there were not absent performers: Soccer practice. Parties. Family outings. Furthermore, as our date inched nearer, involved in pre-holiday preparations, neither seamstress delivered a single costume as promised. Or donated even a yard of fabric.

Well, I'd learned, bed sheets from a Goodwill store could yield a lot of shepherd garbs--and even a red robe for King Herod (portrayed by the Oklahoma pastor). As I churned out some 18 outfits, most nights I didn't get to bed before three a.m.

Then there was the woman who didn't understand fine-tuning a performance--to her, I was continually "changing things", being too demanding, while others bragged on the "great job" I was doing, but invested no sweat.

Performance day drew closer. Key characters still flubbed their lines. Among the adults, tempers flared. Cliques formed. The very divisions we were trying to heal hovered as darkly as ever. I struggled against resentment, prayed for power to overlook. Forgive. Remain focused. And to keep faith.

But in the midst of my angst loomed yet another setback: just before our December 18 performance, our final three rehearsals were cancelled--they conflicted with too many other scheduled activities. We would face performance day "cold". I almost lamented having taken on a thankless project that had morphed into a living thing that was swallowing me alive.

The 18th arrived. There was the usual Sunday sermon, then members and guests gathered for a scrumptious-looking holiday luncheon beneath our thatched, open-air chickee. But for me, costumes needed ironing, the stage to be set up…

Then finally, armed with cameras, beaming parents and others I hadn't seen for a time quickly filled the church. My mouth went dry. What, I wondered, would be the outcome?

The music began. The sanctuary went quiet. I gave the cue. And only then, in that lifting moment, did the atmosphere lighten. Every actor's memory seemed to kick into high gear. With only a few whispered prompts to the youngest, that performance—that Nativity retelling (one of the three kings wore Indian Chief garb and headdress) was our best yet!

After the Indian Hallelujah finale, parents carefully tucked programs into purses and shirt pockets. Some stayed to chat. And upon most of us, a sense of community settled again.

Will it sustain? Bump up membership? Yield the healing fellowship so badly needed? Only time will tell.

The greatest lessons, I think, though, were of sustaining our faith in times of testing when God seems to be silent; and patience with others who are not in step with us--who are "marching to the beat of a different drummer."

Author Bio:

K.B. Schaller, journalist, novelist , conference speaker, is author of Gray Rainbow Journey (National Best Books Award Winner, USA Book News; Winner, President's Book Awards, Florida Publisher's Assn., YA Fiction) and Journey by the Sackcloth Moon (both OakTara). She lives in South Florida, where she is currently writing a third novel in the Journey series. http://www.kbschaller.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=gray+rainbow+journey+by+k.b.+schaller&x=0&y=0

Eden Mabee--A Writer Grounded On The Solid Foundation Of Family

2012-02-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

Eden Mabee is the guest on Everyone's Story this week, sharing with us the story about two very special people in her life whom have inspired her. A full-time mom and loving wife, she is also pursuing publication of science-fantasy stories. And, check out her fantastic photography on the links in her bio. You will be awed!

Who inspires you to keep moving on through the daily grind and sometimes murk life flings up? Eden looks forward to hearing from you and your story.

We Come From Inspiration by Eden Mabee

In lieu of a post about me, may I introduce you to two of the most inspiring people I know? Nanny, my grandmother and Marcus, my son.

Eden's Nanny holding baby Marcus

Nanny will be 89 this May. A product of her time, the Great Depression, World War II--the 20th Century helped mold her but not define her. So let me tell you about a book, breast cancer and 300 home-baked pies.

Women in every generation have had a lot to overcome, and often it seems as if obstacles arrive daily. Twenty years ago, diagnosed with breast cancer Nanny called up the hospital on the day of her radical mastectomy to demand they reschedule. The extra hours of intake and anesthesia testing conflicted with her fund-raising luncheon to build “an elevator for the old people” (her words, not mine) at her church, and she still had another ten pies to bake (out of 300) before 11am. “In no way” she told them could she make it to the hospital before 2:30. She went in for surgery at 3pm and has been breast cancer-free since.

Just last December, she finished her book, an in-depth study of the Keck windows (Mr. Keck apprenticed with Tiffany) of her church and the history of Cicero, NY. She's spoken with the Syracuse University Press (where she also set up a scholarship for two students who participate in their Environmental Studies program), and hopefully it will be released within the year.

How could I not be inspired by this woman?

Or my son, who at five-years-old already creates his own roller coasters, writes his own stories? [Marcus's story -- Tale of Two Tickles: http://edenmabee.wordpress.com/about/a-story-of-two-tickles%E2%80%A6/]
Yesterday he came down from designing a pinball game on his computer to ask me how to spell Einstein. And he's known for years now more about our solar system and space exploration than me.

Marcus designing & creating

Having them in my life reminds me of the song Harry Belafonte made famous:Turn the World Around.For truly we come from the fire. (And coincidentally this was Marcus's favorite song for a long time, especially this version done with Jim Henson's Muppets).[The Harry Belafonte w/Muppets Video -- Turn the World Around 3rd Season Episode 14 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLqb64Pb9So]

"We come from the fire Livin' in the fire Go back to the fire Turn the world around

We come from the water Livin' in the water Go back to the water Turn the world around

We come from the mountain Livin' on the mountain Go back to the mountain Turn the world around"

I see a continuity to life where our part is a small one, a moment of time. Many are probably familiar with the poem by Linda Ellis called The Dash where she compares our lives to that "dash" between the dates of our birth and death on a tombstone.[http://www.bhsclassof1967.org/jjspoem2.pdf]

It's true.But there is another, in my opinion, greater point that this poem doesn't address. When you put a lot of dashes together, you make a line. Actually, you get a multitude of lines, because there is not a one of us who does not touch many others in our time. And with a multitude of lines, you beget tapestries and art and panoramas. You beget worlds. And such is the way of print, as writers and storytellers. We beget worlds from a multitude of dashes all connected to each other.

We come from inspiration; we go back to inspiration. We turn the world around.

Author Bio:

While still learning daily about life, Eden Mabee writes science fantasy stories, teaches herself photography and enjoys the wonderful company of her husband and son. She collects feral cats, odd do-dads, and historical trivia, all of which find homes in prose eventually. In her blog, A Gardne of Delights (http://edenmabee.wordpress.com), she explores those things that inspire creativity. While Many Worlds From Many Minds (http://manyworldsmanyminds.wordpress.com) follows her writing journey with all its twists and turns. You can find her pictures on Imgur (http://kymele.imgur.com/) and Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/64327763@N03/) or under her Twitter name Kymele (http://twitter.com/Kymele). She spends far too much time in front of her computer screen).

Author Lisa Wingate On Women's Fiction, Mennonites, and Quiet Times

2012-02-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

Everyone's Story's guest this week is award-winning national bestselling author Lisa Wingate. After winning her novel DANDELION SUMMER as a giveaway on The Borrowed Book blog and falling in love with Lisa's voice and the novel's characters, I knew I had to ask if she'd like to appear as a guest. And so indeed she said yes. Thanks, Lisa, for taking the time for your visit.

Lisa is graciously offering a book giveaway of her newest release BLUE MOON BAY to one randomly chosen commenter. Lisa looks forward to hearing from you ♡ ♡ ♡

As the title implies, Blue Moon Bay is set in a waterside town. Is Moses Lake, Texas a real place or a fictional one? Can you tell us a little about the setting and why you chose it?

Though the town of in the book is fictional, it is based on a real community. During a family move some years ago, we lived temporarily in a relative’s lake house in a neighborhood that contained an eclectic mixture of people from all walks of life. In the fifties, King’s Landing on Lake Whitney had been the place to be--a shady, luxurious street with a private resort near the shore. Now, the resort lay abandoned, and life was quieter. Over time, life near the lake changes people and bonds them together. They take on the rhythm of the water and the seasons. They adapt to a slower, more relaxed pace. In a time when so many of us, like Heather in the story, live lives that seem a little too stressful, overscheduled, and disconnected, the idea of life in a quieter place feels tempting, comforting, alluring. It occurred to me that such a community would be the perfect location for someone like Heather to contemplate her life, reconnect with family, and maybe even rediscover the boy she left behind in high school.

So much fiction centers on female relationships, but this book delves into the brother-sister sibling relationship, instead? Can you tell us why you chose to explore that territory? Does any of this come from real life?

The simple explanation of where Blue Moon Bay comes from would be that it came from a conversation with my editor. We were sitting at dinner one night, talking about stories, and story ideas, and what things haven’t been talked about a lot in fiction. Somewhere in that conversation, it was mentioned women’s fiction often mines the territory of the relationship between sisters, but not nearly as many stories delve into the sibling relationship between brothers and sisters. My editor pointed a finger at me and said, “You know what, you’re right. You should write about that.”

So, that’s the simple answer, but you end up finding that much of what you write comes from life in some way. I enjoyed taking on the brother-sister relationship, because that’s how I grew up—as the little sister. I feel sure there must be a special place waiting in heaven for those left-behind, tag-along, nicknamed little sisters who grew up with older brothers teasing them all the time. The truth is that I owe my brothers for a few things in my childhood. They never knew, back when they were leaving me in their dust, that their little tagalong sister would grow up to be a writer and one day put some of those brother-sister moments in a book ☺

Heather and her brother find themselves in a culture clash about Heather's ambitious project to sell the family land as part of a planned industrial development that will bring much-needed jobs to the Moses Lake area. Both seem to have valid arguments, and this is such a timely discussion, given the world we live in. Can you talk a bit about that?

Heather and her brother, Clay, are on opposite sides of a dilemma that affects many communities, both rural and suburban. Industry provides jobs, but when factories and industrial facilities are built, natural habitat is destroyed, neighboring property is devalued, and quality of life is affected. When Heather and Clay discuss the future of the family land in Moses Lake, they find themselves in conflict about whether the sacrifice of the land is worth it to create jobs that could provide low-income families living in Chinquapin Peaks with viable sources of employment. Is inherent risk of industrial development simply too high? Does there come a time when those who don't want things to change must accept change? The debate has no easy answers, and it’s something many communities struggle with.

A very interesting character in the book is Ruth, the Mennonite housekeeper who cared for Heather during a difficult part of her childhood. Through Ruth, Heather learns some of the struggle of Russian Mennonites, displaced during World War II. Why did you choose to include a Mennonite character and her historical thread in the novel?

When you’re working with a main character who has some serious issues to work out (as all good characters do) one thing you’re looking for in the story is a reflection character—someone who ads to the main character’s objective, who grounds the hero or heroine of the story, who often sees in the character a deep-seated need.

Many people don’t know it, but in Central Texas, where the book is set, there are several Mennonite communities, where residents live various levels of conservative lifestyles. Since the Mennonite communities were mentioned in the first Moses Lake book, but not really explored, I thought a Mennonite character in the book would be a natural fit as a grounding force in Heather’s gadget-obsessed life. When Heather returns to Moses Lake, she begins remembering the quiet, gentle, unassuming person who had worked as a housekeeper for her uncle years before. Heather remembers Ruth’s patience and her love, as well as her gentle faith. With Heather’s life now in turmoil, she is drawn to Ruth again, and there are lessons for her learn from Ruth’s stories, as well as from Ruth’s history. Though Heather has let the trauma of her own past limit her future, Ruth has risen above a difficult history through family bonds and an abiding faith. Because of Ruth, Heather begins to see that it is possible to overcome a difficult past and have a life that is bountiful and filled with hope.

2011 American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award

When you're not writing, what's your favorite way to spend the day?

We live in the country, and I’m a mom of boys, so my favorite place to spend a non-writing day is anywhere outdoors. I love to wander through the woods, take care of our farm animals, or pack a backpack and journey to the boys’ swimming hole on a rocky creek in the back pasture. The solace and soul of being out of reach of technology helps me to relax, to focus, and think. Aside from that, it’s just good to know that, even in this high-tech age, a creek can still entertain a gaggle of boys all day long.

Where can readers find you online?

I love visiting with readers and new friends online. People can find me on:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lisawingate

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Wingate-Readers-Circle/132187520154779

Blogging Mondays at: www.SouthernBelleView.com

My website: www.Lisawingate.com

Author Bio:

Lisa Wingate is an award-winning journalist, magazine columnist, popular inspirational speaker and a national bestselling author. Lisa is one of a select group of authors to find success in both the Christian and general markets in mainstream fiction. Her works have been featured by the National Reader's Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Women’s World Magazine, Family Circle Magazine, and have been short-listed for various awards, including the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Award, which her book Never Say Never won in 2011. Lisa also spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via Internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women's literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteers teach adults to read. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa for the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.

Thanks To My International Viewers

2012-02-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Google Images

Everyone's Story is blessed with quite a large international viewership. I'd like to take this time to thank not only viewers in the United States and Canada but from a wide range of countries. Recent viewers have been from El Salvador, Mexico, Russia, Israel, Cyprus, Bosnia, Morocco, Iraq, Chile... and many more places. Thank you so much. It takes all of us to make the world spin in peace.

Please, if you would like, I invite you to comment. You are all so very special and make my life meaningful.

Author Tracy Krauss--The Reason To Develop That Thick Skin Against Rejection

2012-01-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

Tracy Krauss is our new guest this week on Everyone's Story. Tracy describes her novels as "Edgy Inspirational Fiction"but what stands out about her books is her independence and courage to write the story she wants to write and not worry about the market... write it and the reader will come! And because of this, Tracy is my new hero. A mom of four children, she has mastered the art of juggling a career and family, and in addition to publishing fiction (she was a finalist in the Indie Excellence Book Awards), she is also a playwright, artist, and teacher.

~*~Tracy is graciously offering one printed copy of her novel PLAY IT AGAIN to one randomly chosen commenter. She looks forward to hearing from you. And as always, I'd be pleased if you could Follow this blog.~*~

Short blurb about PLAY IT AGAIN

An unlikely duo meet in Play It Again, a story of love, life and faith. Sparks fly when an ex-rock and roll junkie and a stuffy accountant rendezvous at a local resort, but neither are prepared for the emotional entanglements, family complications, and threat from the past that unexpectedly resurfaces. Set in the 1980s, this story brings two opposing forces together in a clash of romance and danger, while its musical undertones highlight the theme that God can turn anything into beautiful music. Play It Again is the much anticipated prequel to Tracy’s debut novel And the Beat Goes On. Find out where Mark Graham’s journey began in this, the story of his parents.

Looking Rejection In The Eye by Tracy Krauss

I often cite the birth of my first daughter as the beginning of my writing adventure. It was during this time, about twenty-six years ago, that I sat in front of an old typewriter I had borrowed from my mother and began my first novel. I looked forward to my baby’s naptime each day and savored those few hours alone with my imagination. It took me years to finish that first book, writing in those precious snippets of time, and when it was finally finished it was … well, it was terrible.

Courtesy Google Images

I can admit that now, a couple of decades and a few hundred rejections later. At the time I thought it was brilliant and figured the first publisher I sent it to would snap it up as the next great breakout novel. I’ve learned a few things since then. When I think about it now, I can’t believe how naïve I was. Now that I have several published works under my belt (three novels, two stage plays, plus a couple of magazine articles) I know that an author never stops growing and learning. There is always room to improve your craft and admitting that is the first step to success.

I got to thinking, though, that my obsession with the written word goes a lot further back than I normally recount. I wrote my first full-fledged stage play when I was in Grade Four, based on a book called Ghosts Don’t Eat Sausages by Marion Koenig. I was so absolutely thrilled with this book that I wrote a play and then convinced about ten of my friends to act it out at recess. In those days, there were no photocopiers, so I actually had to handwrite each person’s part out multiple times so that they could each have their lines. I guess this goes to show how excited I was about the whole idea. In any case, our teacher saw us rehearsing recess after recess and when she found out what we were doing, she arranged for us to use the school auditorium. It turned out so well that she then arranged for us to perform at the next school assembly.

This was my first foray into the role of writer/director and I have since gone on to write, produce and direct numerous plays in my capacity as a high school drama teacher. I’m proud to say that two of my plays have been picked up by major theatrical publishers, but I really owe a lot to Mrs. Sullivan, my Grade Four teacher, for seeing the potential in what I was doing and then encouraging me to make my dream a reality.

Courtesy Google Images

It’s this kind of support that every writer needs at some point or other. Sure, there is going to be lots of rejection. Get used to it. It’s inevitable and it’s one of the best ways to grow as a writer. But somewhere along the line we all need someone to say, “You’ve got something here. This is worth something.” This glimmer of hope is what keeps us writing. I was hurt after my first novel was rejected, but I also recognized the truth in much of the feedback I was getting.

Interestingly enough, this first novel lay on my computer’s metaphoric shelf for years after its first, early rejections. I went on to sign contracts for two different novels and saw them both published before I decided to dust it off. After a ton of revision, it’s been resurrected as my third novel PLAY IT AGAIN. I never would have imagined that after all this time this little novel would now be available for the entire world to read.

I guess my message here is twofold. Follow your dreams, and thank those whose encouragement has given you hope to carry on.

Author bio

Tracy Krauss is a high school teacher by profession, and a prolific author, artist, playwright and director by choice. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan and has gone on to teach Art, Drama and English – all the things she is passionate about. After raising four children, she and her husband now reside in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC where she continues to pursue all of her creative interests. Her first two books, AND THE BEAT GOES ON (2009) and MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER (2010), were both nominated for the ‘Indie Excellence Book Awards’ for religious fiction. A third novel, PLAY IT AGAIN, the much anticipated prequel to her first book, released in 2011.

Website: http://www.tracykrauss.com

Blog: http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpress.com

FB: http://tinyurl.com/Tracy-Krauss-Author-Fanpage

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TracyKrausswrtr

Amazon link: http://www.kraussamazon.com

Cindy Procter-King: An Author With A Touch Of Humor, Romance, Present Day Issues, And One Fine Dog

2012-01-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

Everyone's Story welcomes contemporary fiction author Cindy Procter-King who lives in gorgeous British Columbia, Canada. I've met Cindy back some years ago during my RWA days and I'm glad we've remained in contact. A multi-published author, Cindy reveals how the right attitude has helped her pen her novels as well as to cope through difficult times.

Cindy would enjoy hearing from you...perhaps with your anecdote of the right attitude that has gotten you through a trying time. Or, a mention of your grandpa and the age he lived!

The February 2012 RT Book Reviews gave your new contemporary romance a 4-star review. Congratulations! Two things caught my attention. First, one of the themes explores the need for a child/adult-child to come to grips that a parent needs their own life and love. And second, that out of anguish comes hope. Can you please address this, perhaps relating it to your own experiences?

Thank you very much for the kudos on the nice review, Elaine, and thank you for having me on Everyone’s Story! It’s great to be here. Wow, you’re starting with a difficult question.

As far as the mother-daughter relationship in WHERE SHE BELONGS goes, let me say up front that it is entirely fictional. I have a close relationship with my own mother. However, when I was 21, my then-boyfriend (now husband) and I backpacked through Europe. Upon our return, both my parents remarked that I now saw them as people rather than as authority figures. My mother felt a lot more freedom to share her emotional life experiences with me, and we have related to one another in a “friend” as well as a mother-daughter capacity ever since. I’ve often wondered what it would be like NOT to have a close relationship with one’s mother, because it’s such a vital relationship. So I explored that in WHERE SHE BELONGS.

Most of the anguish I’ve experienced in my life has been from losing those I love, usually to old age, but sometimes a precious soul is just snatched away from you and it’s difficult to understand why. I lost someone I was very close to when I was 21 (a pivotal year!). It was very difficult, but eventually I chose to view his unexpected passing as a life lesson—that his death could teach me how to live, to not be bitter and drown in what-ifs and what-might-have-beens, but to embrace the future with a positive attitude. When I hear people complaining about aging, for example, hey, I’m no more eager to turn 80 than the next person, but with every birthday I think of the years and love and joy I’ve experienced that the person I lost was not given the opportunity to experience. To me, that’s hope.

Danny in WHERE SHE BELONGS is nothing like the person I lost. Not the same age or personality or relationship or reason for passing. However, I was able to draw from the experience of losing a dear friend at a young age to explore how it might affect Jess if the boy she thought she would marry died.

You have two novels, HEAD OVER HEELS and BORROWING ALEX, released on audio. What was your reaction when you learned about this opportunity? How much of a role did you, the author, have over the recording of the books?

HEAD OVER HEELS and BORROWING ALEX were both originally published in trade paperback and ebook formats, and my contracts allowed me to retain subsidiary rights (like audio and foreign rights). I’ve always been interested in pursuing those rights. However, I’m not agented and that makes it more difficult. When I learned about the new (at the time) audio publisher, AudioLark, I asked some of the authors who had signed with them about their experiences. I liked what I heard and so I submitted my two novels. I was thrilled when they were accepted. AudioLark’s third-party distribution has grown since I became one of their authors, and in the summer of 2011 the audio book for HEAD OVER HEELS appeared on Audible’s ChickLit Bestseller list for several weeks. BORROWING ALEX is in the queue for uploading to Audible and will hopefully be available around mid-February, as well as being available (as HEAD OVER HEELS currently is) on iTunes and Overdrive. Now, WHERE SHE BELONGS is in production, with a targeted publication date of March 2012.

As for author involvement, when you sell to an audio publisher (as compared to hiring narrators and producers and paying their expenses up front yourself, which would be the equivalent of audio self-publishing), the audio publisher has final say in all facets of production. They create a new cover and story blurb that differs from the paper versions, and they hire the narrators. The author doesn’t pay a dime and isn’t involved with production until the narration is complete. When narration is complete, I’m given a chance to proof the audio files (listen to them on my computer and advise the publisher of any errors). The narrator makes the corrections, and the publisher puts the audio book up for sale on their website and third-party vendors.

The books that I’ve sold to audio have all already been through the editing process with their “paper” editors, so it’s not necessary to do more editing. They go to audio “unabridged,” that is, narrated as they were originally published in paperback. The books are not shortened for audio (which is what “abridged” means).

You’ve traveled to many exotic and fascinating countries that some of us can only imagine. Do you have an experience(s) from one of these trips that perhaps inspired your writing, whether story-wise or personal motivation-wise?

I did travel when I was young, the backpacking trip to Europe part way through university, but other than writing conferences and taking the kids to Disneyland and Disney World, my husband and I didn’t begin to travel again until our children were in their late teens/early twenties. For our 25^th anniversary, we went to Peru for three weeks and we are now planning a trip to Ecuador. We also had an opportunity to visit Newfoundland last year, and in the future we plan to visit Australia (he has cousins there) and Chile. To be truthful, my traveling has not inspired my writing story-wise, but it might some day. For example, if I wanted to write a story set in South America, I like knowing I’ve been there (I’m a research hound). As far as motivation goes, I suppose I’m motivated to finish a project before I leave on a trip! However, traveling has taught me, more than anything, that life is about more than the next publishing contract. It’s necessary to refill the creative well, and traveling helps me do that. Plus, learning about other cultures broadens the mind, in my opinion. If travel motivates me in any way, it’s to do more of it! I just love “exploring.”

Tell us about your beloved grandfather, William, and how he had inspired you to persevere in the face of tough times.

Cindy's Grandpa is the smiling man in the middle.

My grandfather, William Procter, was always known as Duke. The story has it that when he was three, he strutted around “like the Duke of Wellington” (if you can imagine the Duke of Wellington strutting around in the backwoods of British Columbia). His father, William George Procter, started calling him Duke, and he was Duke until the day he died at 106…and a half.

Duke enlisted to fight in the Great War (WWI) when he was 16. He might have been 17 by the time he got to England (I’m not sure), but he was still underage. Many underage men were sent to France to fight in the trenches, and Duke planned to be one of them. They felt they were doing their duty. One of the reasons Duke volunteered for the army was because he didn’t want to get sucked into logging back home. Well, somebody upstairs had a different plan in mind for him, because the very day he was lined up prepared to board the train to travel to the English Channel and cross over to France, he was plucked from the line-up not only for being underage but also because he knew how to log. They needed men in Scotland to log wood required to build the trenches in France. My grandfather was sent to Scotland for the duration of his time in the War (three years). He felt a great guilt about this, because most of his regiment/battalion (I can’t keep the terms straight) were killed in France. Those who didn’t die overseas were affected by the gas. Duke carried his survivor’s guilt throughout his life, but he also believed in living life to the fullest, especially as he aged, to, in a way, help atone for the young men who died in his stead.

He was a man who didn’t know the meaning of “can’t”. He raised three sons during the Great Depression as a farmer/rancher. I once asked him what it was like living through the Roaring Twenties. His reply? “The Twenties didn’t roar down on the farm. It was just darn hard work.” He darn-hard-worked his entire life.

When he was in his early sixties, I believe it was, a tree fell on his head while he was clearing land for a pasture, and he required surgery. He nearly died. For the rest of his life, he had this soft spot in his skull, like a baby. They didn’t have steel plates to put in his head in the sixties, I guess. But did that slow him down? No. When he was 81 or 82, he participated in the first Terry Fox Run (a run that raises funds for cancer research, named for Canadian Terry Fox, who had to end his cross-country fundraising venture when his own cancer returned). Now, Duke had never run as a sport in his life. In fact, he didn’t own runners. He wore his square-dancing shoes. My grandmother died when Duke was around 90. He took up five-pin bowling and didn’t stop square-dancing (he became very popular with the widows). He bowled his last strike at 104 or 105, before the last of three falls (that had occurred over a period of years) that finally made him have to move to a nursing home at 105. He lived on his own from about 90-105, albeit beside my parents. He canned his own fruit, changed his own tires in his nineties, drove until 100, and played horseshoes every day in the front yard from the time he was 75. At one time, he was the oldest competing horseshoe player in Canada, and when he died he was the oldest surviving British Columbian WWI veteran. So he knew a lot about perseverance!

Did I mention that he went skydiving for his 100^th birthday? What can I say? He was a Leo.

I grew up either down the road or next door to him until I left for university. It’s hard NOT to be affected by such a strong personality. How can I not persevere when I had this fellow as a role model? When I think of all he achieved when he didn’t have a formal education, to me, with the opportunities available to me and my children that just were not available to Duke in his youth, it’s silly not to persevere. It’s practically disrespectful.

You’ve done an amazing job designing your own website and blog. Kudos. Are you a techie at heart? Any advice on how-to or what not to do?

Thanks! Oh, gosh, no, I’m not a techie at heart. I’m a terminal do-it-yourselfer, and also, when I first published, I could not afford a website designer. So I bought the necessary software, bought a bunch of how-to books, and taught myself enough HTML web design to build my first website. My current website was the third I designed. I also designed a site for an author friend and another for a business.

I discovered that I love web design! But it’s a time-suck. So I had to choose—web design or writing. I chose writing.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer and have time to take away from your writing to devote to web design, the great thing is YOU’RE in control. And it’s fun! But, for example, when I built my website, free software like WordPress, which a lot of web designers now use to build entire sites, not just blogs, was around but not in common use for web design. If I had it to do over again, I would probably design a site (the look) and then hire a professional to transport my design into WordPress. These types of sites are easy to update on your own. Even with my current site design, I had to hire a professional designer to code the blog so it looked like the rest of my site. I can understand HTML but CSS layout is like Martian to me.

And for fun: which authors do you tend to gush over during the writing conferences you attend?

I don’t gush because I don’t want to make authors feel uncomfortable. Can you imagine being a celebrity and people are gushing all over you? That sounds like a weird experience to me! After all, to you you’re just…you. But my favorite romance authors are Jennifer Crusie and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I have sat in on their workshops and talked to them briefly at signings, but I can’t say that I’ve gushed. I’m more likely to gush over my personal author friends, because then they’ll buy me cheesecake.

I’m in it for the cheesecake.

Author Bio:
As a child, Cindy dreamed of becoming a writer. Well, okay, thanks to her grade three teacher reading a chapter of The Little House on the Prairie books to Cindy's class everyday, Cindy actually dreamed of becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder. It made so much sense. After all, Cindy's blond older sister always got to wear blue while Cindy with the "dark as cinders" hair was often relegated to wearing dull old pinkjust like Laura. Laura was part of a pioneer family, and until Cindy went to school she lived in a minuscule farming community where her father and grandparents were born. What further confirmation for her future does an eight-year-old with an avid imagination require?

When Cindy realized becoming Laura meant learning to travel back in time and usinggasp!outhouses where she believed evil trolls were hiding to gobble her up, she decided to remain in the present and become a writer instead. Her first poem began, "My father is a logger, He stirs his coffee with his thumb, He has a dog named Blackie, And in his truck they both look dumb." Thus another illustrious literary career was born.

Cindy earned a first class B.A. in English Lit. from the University of Victoria before unleashing herself on the unsuspecting workforce. However, she quickly realized her aversion to fluorescent lights and the numbers 9-2-5 wouldn't gain her kudos from her various bosses. Luckily, she married Steven King (note the lack of a "ph"), who whisked her to a tiny logging town where she couldn't find a job...unless you count her stint as secretary to the warden of a minimum security prison. There, Cindy began writing novels, and she hasn't looked back. Because, honestly, what other employer in their right mind would want her?

A Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® nominee, Cindy's mission in life is to see her surname spelled properlywith an E. So take heed. That's P-r-o-c-t-E-r. Not, no, never, under any flippin' circumstances should you spell it with two O's. Cindy lives in Canada with her husband, their two amazing sons, a tortoiseshell cat obsessed with dripping tap water, and Allie McBeagle.

Links:
Website: www.cindyprocter-king.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/cindyprocterkingauthorTwitter: www.twitter.com/cindypkGoodreads: www.goodreads.com/cindyprocter-kingAmazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/cindyprocter-king

James H. Pence--Encore Visit

2012-01-20T11:48:00.000-08:00

I've been so impressed and spell-bound by Jim's visit on Everyone's Story last week that I've asked him a few additional questions. I hope you enjoy his responses.

No matter how many times I have read your account of how God united you and Terry Caffey, I am awed at how God led you to this grieving man by way of a single page from your novel to help lift Terry up from what must be one of the worst tragedies for the human heart to endure. A true testimonial of God at work! As for you, other than this incident turning your career around, has it served to uplift you on a personal basis? In other words, has it changed the man James Pence?

It's changed me in a number of ways. First, it's totally changed my perspective on writing for publication. So much in publishing is about sales figures, platform, marketing, etc. We tend to measure the success of a book by how many copies it sells. I don't think that way anymore, because this showed me that it's not about numbers; it's about the lives God touches through my writing. That takes a lot of the pressure off. God wants me to be faithful to Him in my writing and trust him with the results.

It's also changed me on a personal level because I realize that, while we tend to look at the big picture, God is in the details. I'm more attentive to the little things I do and how God can use them in the lives of others.

With the publication of TERROR BY NIGHT you became a collaborator. Are there any other collaborations happening in your life that you are more aware of now since meeting and working with Terry Caffey? Do you believe all of us need to tap into a collaboration--a working partnership--with a God who we don't see and therefore cannot sit across a desk from in an office and sign a legal document liable for penalties if invalidated?

Most definitely. This experience brought me to the realization that, whether I know it or not, I am in a "collaboration" with God. As I write, I trust him to use my words for his glory. I think that applies to whatever we do. As we trust Him to work in and through our gifts and abilities, God can do great things through us.

And for fun: if you had all the time in the world, along with no financial concerns, and let's throw in a binding publishing contract no matter what you wrote, what would you like to (or dare to) write about?

Probably the next wildly-successful ten-part end-of-times novel series. (Just kidding.)

I have to be honest here. I don't have the slightest idea. Unlike many novelists, I've never been overflowing with story ideas. In fact, most of my fiction ideas have to be pulled out of me kicking and screaming. That's why I've begun to gravitate to narrative non-fiction. I enjoy being able to tell true stories of God's amazing works.

With that in mind, if I had all the time in the world, no financial concerns, and a publishing contract, I'd be waiting for someone to come to me with an awesome, knockout story about what God has done in his or her life.

James H. Pence--Trusting God In Tragedy

2012-01-13T13:13:00.000-08:00

This week's guest on Everyone's Story is author James H. Pence, or Jim, as he prefers. Jim caught my attention when I read his account on another blog of how God reached out to two men, Jim, at a seemingly crossroad in his life, and Terry Caffey, a man who just lost his family in a tragedy too cruel to even imagine. I contacted Jim and he graciously accepted my invitation to share this fascinating story, that though sad, is uplifting and inspiring.

Jim is graciously giving away his novel BLIND SIGHT to one randomly chosen commenter. Please either include your email within the comment or email me privately with your email address. As always, I'd appreciate if you would Follow this blog.

You never know… by James H. Pence

Are you discouraged? Keep writing.

You never know what God might do with your words.

In the late ‘90s I wrote Blind Sight, a suspense novel about a man who was struggling with God’s goodness in tragedy. Near the end of the book my protagonist, a man who lost his wife and two children in a car accident, understands that God is good even when circumstances are not.

Like all new authors, when Blind Sight was released in 2003 I had dreams of a bestseller. But that wasn’t to be. The book’s sales were mediocre at best and, when my second royalty statement showed massive returns—and a large deficit—I was crushed.

I pouted for a few weeks, but eventually realized that I was being selfish. Finally I prayed, “Lord, I wrote this book for you and I’m giving it back to you. If you’ll use it in even one life, I’ll be happy.”

Time passed and Blind Sight was consigned to the ranks of out-of-print books.

But God wasn’t finished with it.

The page from Blind Sight

On March 1, 2008, a terrible tragedy happened not far from where I live. Two men broke into the home of Terry and Penny Caffey. They shot Terry, Penny, and their two sons. Then they set the house on fire. Even though he’d been shot five times at point blank range, Terry survived and managed to escape the burning house. Terry’s wife and sons died. Even worse, his teenage daughter Erin was implicated in the crime.

Although Terry was a Christian, he struggled deeply in the aftermath of the tragedy. He couldn’t understand why God took his family or why He made him go on living.

Jim Pence (left) and Terry Caffey (right)

About six weeks after the murders, Terry went back to his property to “have it out with God.” He stood on the ashes of his house and cried out, “God why did you take my family? I need an answer and I need it today.”

At that moment, he saw a brown, scorched piece of paper leaning against a tree. Terry picked it up.

It was a single page from my novel. But it wasn’t just any page. It was the page where my protagonist—a man who has lost a wife and two children—comes to grips with God’s sovereignty in his loss.

The first words on the page were, “I couldn’t understand why You would take my family and leave me to struggle along without them…but I do believe You’re sovereign. You’re in control.”

God used the words on that burned page to turn Terry Caffey’s life around. He forgave his daughter and the others who were involved in the murders, and even lobbied to have the death penalty taken off and now he travels all over the country sharing an incredible story of grace and forgiveness.

God also used that page to change the direction of my writing.

In January of 2009, Terry asked me to help him write a book that would tell his story.

I hadn’t written or published in four years and collaboration was not in my long-term plans. However, because I wanted to encourage Terry, I agreed to help him write a book proposal.

Because of the intense media interest in Terry’s story, Tyndale snapped up the proposal and put the book on an accelerated publication schedule. We signed a contract in March of ’09 and the book was set for a September release.

I had to write it in twelve weeks.

The accelerated writing schedule was probably a good thing, because I didn’t have the time to give in to sheer panic. I’d never collaborated before and I had no earthly idea how to go about it. But it was a door that God had opened, and so I trusted Him for the wisdom.

I dusted off my little digital voice recorder and began interviewing Terry. Then I worked at outlining the book, selecting the stories that would go into it, even using my fiction-writing skills to lay out a plot-line.

As I worked with Terry and wrote what would become Terror by Night, I began to notice something unexpected.

I was enjoying myself immensely.

I love telling stories, but I had no idea how much I would enjoy helping other people tell their stories.

And so now I happily call myself a collaborator. I spent most of 2011 writing a book about Nate Lytle, a young surfer who made a miraculous recovery from a massive traumatic brain injury. I also collaborated on a novella with bestselling author Stephen Arterburn. And I’ve got proposals in the works for two more collaborations, one fiction and the other nonfiction.

I never intended to be a collaborator.

But God led me through an unexpected door and down an unplanned path. And in doing so, He changed the direction of my writing ministry.

Has God placed some unexpected doors or unplanned paths before you? I hope that in 2012 you’ll take a chance and go through them.

You never know what God might do.

“A person plans his course,but the Lord directshis steps,” (Proverbs 16:9, NET Bible).

Do you have an experience of God acting His will in your life? Jim would enjoy hearing from you.

Author Bio:

James H. (Jim) Pence is a published author, an accomplished singer and speaker, a performance chalk artist, and in his spare time he teaches karate, writing and art to home-schooled children. Jim, a Renaissance man, prefers to be known simply as a storyteller and follower of Jesus Christ. Jim turned to writing in 1988 as a helpful means of expression after the death of his baby daughter Michelle.

A versatile writer, Jim has been published in both fiction and nonfiction. He is the author of Blind Sight (Tyndale, 2003), a suspense/thriller set in mind-control cults. His second novel, The Angel (Kregel, 2006), is set against the backdrop of the euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide movements.

Jim moved into collaboration and narrative nonfiction with Terror by Night (Co-authored with TerryCaffey, Tyndale, 2009), and collaborated with bestselling author Stephen Arterburn on a book titled The Encounter: Sometimes God Has to Intervene (Thomas Nelson, Nov. 2011).

Also a talented chalk artist, vocalist, and speaker, Jim has shared Christ across the United States through music and art. Jim often takes his art and music into prisons, where he is able to share the grace of Christ with an often forgotten and rejected people.

He and his wife Laurel recently celebrated their thirty-first wedding anniversary. They live on six acres northeast of Dallas, Texas, and have two grown children and a granddaughter.

Contact Information:

For Jim:

Web site – http://jamespence.com
Facebook Page – http://tinyurl.com/jameshpence
Twitter -- @jameshpence
Amazon Author Page – http://tinyurl.com/jimpenceamazon

For Terry Caffey:

Web site – http://terrycaffey.com
Facebook – Terry Caffey

My Friend Diane

2012-01-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

Diane at age 14 (left) and Elaine (right) at age 15

Today is January 13th. To be more specific, it's Friday the 13th. This isn't a blog segment on superstition, though that could be fodder for a story since my mother had died on a Friday the 13th).

Rather, this is a tribute to my childhood friend, Diane Kamm (Freidman) who passed away January 13th, 2008 after a thirteen-year-old battle against Stage 4 breast cancer. She lived long enough to see her only child graduate from high school.

Diane slipped into eternal rest the day before her 46th birthday.

A kindergarten teacher, a talented cellist, she was a loving mom, a wife, and for the majority of my life, the closest I've had to having a sister.

Born into a Jewish family, she embraced Buddhism the last few years of her life. I pray the One, All Loving God, will one day unite Diane and me so I can hear her wild laughter and see her mile-wide smile again. I pray that no matter what we here on Earth believe that we all will live, in peace and love, in eternity.

Diane, my friend, may you be enjoying the sights of heaven and playing a beautiful hymn for our Lord, making Him smile, as you have done for me. May God bless you and love you always.

Diane Kamm Freidman

1962-2008

Jean C. Gordon--A Multi-Published Author With A Big Heart From A Small Town

2012-01-06T12:58:00.000-08:00

This week's guest on Everyone's Story, author Jean C. Gordon, and I grew up on the extreme opposites of New York state. Jean from a small town in the western part, and me in Brooklyn. We met in-between at a writer's group and have been friends since. Jean, a devoted wife and mom, is a strong, versatile, and most beautiful woman. It's been exciting to watch her publish so many books through the years.

Although I'll be asking her some questions, Jean would enjoy hearing from you. She is also graciously offering one book giveaway of her newly released Love Inspired novel, SMALL-TOWN SWEETHEARTS to one randomly chosen commenter. Please leave your email address within your comment, or contact me directly if you're aiming for privacy. And, I'd love for you to Follow this blog if you choose.

As a fellow New Yorker I cannot resist this question: why do you set your stories in New York, particularly upstate New York, a place seldom visited by novelists, especially the Christian author?

Because I’m a native Upstate New Yorker, a native Western New Yorker to be precise, and proud of it. I have a personal crusade to share my part of New York with others that started when my husband and I were first married and living and going to college in Los Angeles. It seemed that everyone I met, from all over the country, thought the entire state of New York was like New York City and within a short driving distance of the City. It’s a seven-hour drive from my hometown to New York City. At that point in my life, I’d never even been to there.

Upstate is quite different from the Downstate New York City area. Upstate we have dairy farms, mountains, lakes, orchards, and lots of villages and hamlets with fewer than 5,000 people that aren’t near any major cities. Wyoming County in Western New York, where I grew up, is the number one diary county in the state and has about the same number of milk cows as people (40,000). I also think that small-town New York has as strong a Christian element as small towns elsewhere in the country.

Your just released novel, SMALL-TOWN SWEETHEARTS, a Love-Inspired book, is your first venture into category fiction. Have you found writing for this market and its reader different from your other novels? Are you self-promoting it any differently?

I have to disagree that SMALL-TOWN SWEETHEARTS is my first category fiction. I think all of my novels from Avalon Books are also category fiction. The big difference between them and SMALL-TOWN SWEETHEARTS is the stronger faith element in my Love Inspired novel. I’ve found that many Avalon Book readers also read Love Inspired romance.

I am doing a lot more promotion for my Love Inspired book, though, since the main market for Avalon is libraries. I’ve been blogging more than I ever have before and am taking part in a contest on Fresh Fiction with my fellow The Story Garden: Where good books make good friends authors. I have an author page on Facebook, www.Face.com/JeanCGordon.Author and am on Twitter, @JeanCGordon. I also went around to all of the stores in my immediate area that sell Love Inspired books counted the number of books available and put local author stickers on all of the stock. I plan to go back later in the month and see how they sold.

This Love Inspired release is also your first venture with working with an agent. How has this collaboration varied for you?

My agent, Diana Flegal with the Hartline Literary Agency is great. I like knowing I have someone who believes in me and my writing mission working for me. I don’t really need an agent to write for Love Inspired, but Diana brings more than just selling the manuscript to the table — encouragement, promotion guidance, career guidance, a connection with her other authors though her Pencilbox Crew email group.

As a professional financial planner and editorial manager for a financial publisher, do you ever have right-brain vs. left-brain wars when it comes to the more creative side of writing fiction?

Although I do take an organized, more linear approach to writing my books, I don’t find that my analytical side interferes with my creativity.

Do you see an author’s theme developing from one novel to the next?

That’s an easy one. Home, or coming home, is the theme of all of my books, so far, at least.

You favor writing love stories/romances. Do you itch to try another genre?

No, I like writing and reading happy stories. My favorite reads are romance, women’s fiction, and historical novels. I’m not much of a mystery or suspense reader. But, whatever I read, I like it to have a happy ending.

Between working full-time outside of writing, and writing, family and church, are you able to enjoy any downtime? Any secrets on how to have such pleasure without the tag of guilt?

To be honest, I don’t have much downtime. When I do, I like to spend it with my family. And, sorry, but I have no insights into how to indulge myself without having at least a tiny tag of guilt. But I’m working on that.

Please indulge the fantasy: if someone were to give you a never-ending check to do what you want, what would be your top three priorities? And for fun, since finances wouldn’t be a worry, what three things would you like to try (think bucket-list)?

Remember that I’m a financial planner. I’d (1) retire from my day job, (2) set up college funds for my grandchildren, (3) and work on restoring our nineteenth century farmhouse. My fun things all involved travel. I like to (1) visit all of the U.S. states I haven’t been to, (2) visit Scotland, especially the highland areas where my and my husband’s families came from, and (3) go to the Grand Ole Opry. One more thing I’d do that doesn’t quite fit either category is start a nonprofit organization or donor advised fund with my husband to help those less fortunate. We always say we’ll do this if we ever came into a large amount of money.

Author Bio:

Jean C. Gordon’s writing is a natural extension of her love of reading. From that day in first grade when she realized t-h-e was the word “the,” she’s been reading everything she can put her hands on. A professional financial planner and editorial supervisor for a financial publisher in Albany, NY, Jean is as at home writing retirement- and investment-planning advice as she is writing romance novels, but finds novels a lot more fun.

She and her college-sweetheart husband tried the city life in Los Angeles, but quickly returned home to their native Upstate New York. They share a 170-year-old farmhouse just south of Albany with their daughter and son-in-law, two grandchildren, and a menagerie of pets. Their son lives nearby. While Jean creates stories, her family grows organic fruits and vegetables and tends the livestock de jour.

Although her day job, writing and family don’t leave her a lot of spare time, Jean likes to give back when she can. She and her husband team-taught a seventh-and-eighth-grade Sunday school class for several years and currently serve on her church’s Evangelism Committee. She also shares her love of books with others by volunteering at the church’s Book Nook.

Links:

Website: www.JeanCGordon.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/JeanCGordon.Author

Twitter: @JeanCGordon

Harlequin Love Inspired website: http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?cid=236

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeancgordon

Excerpt on Harlequin: http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?itemid=25171&cid=416

Melanie N. Brasher: My Reason For Writing

2011-12-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever kept running into a particular person time after time, both in real time (at writing conferences) and in cyberspace that you know you're destined to become friends? That is what has happened with my new guest on Everyone's Story this week, Melanie N. Brasher. Actually, since she first introduced herself by the pen name of Joy, I think of her as Joy because she is truly a joy to know. A great way to jump-start the New Year with an uplifting perspective, this mom of two young sons has a story for both the writer and the reader... and all those in between.

The Day the Sun Shone Brighter by Melanie N. Brasher

The sun over St. Louis, captured by
Melanie during a conference

Last March, I typed two words on the last page of my first novel.

And though the next day I drank chai, brushed my teeth, and nursed my baby, I felt different.

I was officially a novelist with dreams of an agent and contract. I couldn’t turn back. And though my eyes dropped and my fingers cramped, I felt like a giddy school girl.

I had a lilt in my step, fire in my belly, and a permanent smile. The brown grass grew greener, my toddler’s whining sounded sweeter, and even the sun shone brighter.

But, this moment didn’t arrive without time and patience, tears and doubts. The journey took two and half years of pulling hair, grinding teeth, and click-clacking keys in moonlight. Not to mention stealing hours away from sleep. And on those days I felt tempted to trash the entire project; I remembered the reason I began three years ago.

Courtesy Google Images

After giving birth to my first born son, I decided it was a good time to write a book.

Perhaps it was the smell of downy blankets, touch of tender skin, or sound of infant mewing that initiated the sentiment. Or perhaps it was my foggy, sleep deprived brain that conquered all rational thought. Whatever the reason, I found myself staring into my precious son’s eyes somewhere between dusk and dawn, realizing the family stories wouldn’t write themselves.

I had to write them.

So, that Christmas, with my six month old on my lap, I sat down with dad, and I asked him to tell me the stories I’d heard as a girl in pig tails. The ones I’d listened to countless times while ripping off flatbread and scooping up curry—our family name change, his faith journey and immigration to a new country.

My son cooed on his Nana's knee, and I laughed picturing dad’s bewilderment at having to pay for his own cup after his North American friend asked him to “go for coffee”. I cringed at the thought of him arriving on new soil with nothing but five dollars and a hope of a better life. And that afternoon, I walked away with a new resolve.

Courtesy Google Images

I would write stories to leave a heritage for my children, encourage others, and worship God with the gift He's given me, though I knew nothing about the craft of writing.

Approximately two years and another baby later, I typed “the end”. I made the mistakes of first time novelists: plotted by the seat of my pants, utilized clichés like crazy, faced a sagging middle, and overused the semi-colon. And in just twenty four months, I faced the incredible highs and lows of the writer life. But, by God’s grace {and the help of faithful critique partners and writing friends}, I accomplished my goal.

Something changed the day the sun shone brighter. God birthed a new desire within me--to leave a legacy with words. I’m not sure what this baby means. Publication? Maybe. Maybe not. Accolades? Probably not. Satisfaction knowing I’m leaving stories for my sons and using my gift for God? Most definitely. I don't know what the road holds, but it's going to be an incredible ride.

So, on the brink of a new year, I resolve anew to write the stories God puts on my heart, keeping the reason I began at the forefront of my mind, and I’ll leave the results—the timing—up to God.

What’s your goal this year? What’s hindering you from accomplishing the desire God has put in your heart?

☀Melanie also looks forward to receiving comments

about what makes the sun shine for you☀

Author Bio:

Melanie N. Brasher is a full time mama of two boys and wife to an incredible husband who understands her bicultural upbringing. She moonlights as a fiction and freelance writer, crafting stories and articles toward justice and change, and dreams of becoming a voice for the unheard. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com) and has placed as a semi-finalist in the 2011 Genesis Contest in the Contemporary Fiction Category. She contemplates faith, family, and writing at her personal blog (www.ourjourneyhome.net). Though she’s an aspiring author, she’ll never quit her day job.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-30T09:26:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

May you be blessed with a gentle New Year full of joy & health.

May we hold our neighbor's hand and offer a smile.

Although I am not a party reveler I give thanks for every new year. It's the one holiday that everyone in the world experiences and hopefully enjoys. Everyone's Story has a growing international viewership . . . if you have a second, and especially if you're from a country outside of the U.S., please leave a holiday greeting comment. We'd love to hear from you.

Author Molly Noble Bull: Toppling A Learning Disability And Shining Bright

2011-12-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

Everyone's Story's guest this week is author Molly Noble Bull, a woman who has redefined the term perseverance. Molly is a Texan, hailing from a family of true cowboys. Perhaps that is where she inherited her grit to overcome a learning disability that usually brings hardships to so many. Or, perhaps she leaned at an early age to hold God's hand when facing troubles. Come visit with Molly as she talks about her new non-fiction release The OVERCOMERS: CHRISTIAN AUTHORS WHO CONQUERED LEARNING DISABILITIES that she had co-authored with several authors.

Want a great read? Molly is graciously offering one copy of her prize-winning historical novel SANCTUARY that is set in 1740 France. Just leave a comment (and your email address within the comment for contact purposes only) and one person will be randomly chosen to receive this novel. And of course, it would be greatly appreciated if you became a Follower of this blog.

First, a few questions for Molly:

I can definitely relate to that awful childhood syndrome of being "The Last To Be Chosen." Although I loved to dance, bike, and walked (for miles) I never played team sports, nor did anyone want me. One rainy day in gym class we played softball (it was a huge gym). Of course I was the last one to be picked when it came to choosing teams. . . but enjoyed a great comeback when I hit a home run! Molly, do you have an anecdote to share with us?

Yes. In about the fifth grade, I was a shortstop in a game of softball. I never expected to do much, but when the other side hit the ball, I caught it. Nobody was more surprised than I was. I think maybe I dropped it after it fell into my hands, but I still felt good about actually catching a ball for probably the first time in my life.

How have you taught your children and grandkids that everyone is indeed different and that often our differences are a blessing, even if we don't realize it at first?

I never called my children hurtful names as some parents do. As you said, children are a blessing from God.

Why Molly Couldn't

Read, Spell, or Do Story Problems in Math by Molly Noble Bull

I talked earlier than some children. My parents thought I was some kind of genius. In fact, I have always communicated well verbally. Papa and Mama expected me to do well in school. Imagine their surprise and disappointment when I didn’t.

Yes, I am a published novelist. I am also married, the mother of three grown sons and a grandmother.

My newest book (non-fiction) is just out and titled The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities by Margaret Daley, Ginny Aiken, Jane Myers Perrine, Ruth Scofield and me, Molly Noble Bull. Yet I make spelling and punctuation mistakes galore (even today) and for a good reason.

I am dyslexic, and dyslexia never goes away. You just learn to go around it. Cope. I didn't learn to read until I was in the fourth grade. I wasn't good in sports, and spelling skills and seeing my own mistakes were beyond me. Yet today I write books that other people read.

Maybe you or somebody you know has a learning disability. If so, you are aware of the strain this person is under daily. Hurtful names like stupid and retard are not rare. For a while, I was convinced that they were right—that I was retarded.

My father and my maternal grandfather were ranch managers. Cowboys. I spent part of my growing up years on a sixty thousand acre cattle ranch in South Texas. Below is a photo of me at the age of twelve on the Santa Rosa Ranch in Kenedy County, Texas. I’m the little girl on the left.

My mother home-schooled me on the ranch during part of my first grade year. Then we moved to Corpus Christi, and I attended what was left of that year as well as second and third grade in what might be called a progressive public school that never gave letter grades. I got straight S’s—meaning satisfactory. My parents thought I was doing well until we moved to another town, and I was forced to begin my fourth grade year at a traditional public school.

The teacher divided the children into three reading groups—the Bluebirds, the Redbirds, and the Yellowbirds. Four of us didn’t fit into any of these groups, and we weren’t given a group name. We met at a table in the hallway outside the classroom, and I guess we were the buzzards. I eventually graduated from college and so did the other girl. But I think at least one of the two boys might have been institutionalized. Let’s call him Johnny. He was almost fifteen and in the fourth grade.

Johnny got to draw all day while the rest of us did school work. Since I liked to draw, too, I got to thinking. We are both buzzards. So why can’t I draw pictures? I went up to the teacher desk and said something like, “Johnny gets to draw. May I draw, too?”

And she said, “No, Molly. You have to do your work.”

At once I realized that maybe I wasn’t retarded after all.

I was always the last child to be chosen in sports and the first child to sit down during a spelling Bee. I would study my list of spelling words diligently every night for an entire week. Still, the best I could hope for on the Friday test was a C or C-. The letter grade of D was not unusual.

But through all this, I learned to study until my head felt as if it was about to pop open like an overripe watermelon. I thought all the kids studied as hard as I did. Nobody knew much about dyslexia in those days.

Some children dislike the dumbest kid in school, and in my mind, that was me. But I learned to use my imagination and communication skills and became the class clown. Everybody likes the class clown because he or she is amusing and non-threatening.

My sense of humor was the tool that got me through high school, and I even managed to acquire some really good friends along the way. My imagination also attracted English teachers who stated that I was talented. Nevertheless, I was a poor student.

One English teacher in high school gave me a B on every essay I wrote. She would write at the top of the page —A for content—C for spelling and punctuation—equals B. Her simple act of kindness and encouragement kept me pressing on.

I think of myself as living on the other side of the mirror. What is right to you is left to me, etc. Can you spell klutzy? Though I am a fair to middling speaker, I hesitate to speak in front of a group because I might trip walking on stage or knock over the podium.

These truths were still my secret. But after Charlie and I married, I had to tell him I was dyslexic. He would notice my rather strange behavior whether I mentioned it or not. Yet he hardly ever complained in all the years we’ve been married. Instead, he’s learned to ”cope” as well.

When we leave a mall or a movie theater and I want to go left when the car is right, Charlie gently grabs my arm and says, “Not that way, Molly. This way.”

The Lord also gently reminds me to go in the right direction. He pointed to the saving Grace of Jesus Christ, and I will be eternally grateful.

I learned to read, and I can spell well enough to get by. Yet even today, I refuse to read aloud. I don’t even read my own books aloud in front of a group. When I do, all the old hurt and trembling returns like a flood. Still, it is my prayer that this article as well as The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities will encourage others and give hope to many.

May the Lord, Jesus Christ, bless you and keep you—every day of your lives.

Author Bio:
Molly Noble Bull is a native Texan and a published novelist. Her Christian novels have been published by Zondervan, The book division of Guideposts, and Love Inspired/Steeple Hill.

Tsaba House published Sanctuary, and that historical novel won the 2008 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in the Inspirational category for published novelists. Sanctuary also tied for first place in the 2008 Winter Rose contest for published authors in the inspirational category. However, Tsaba House is no longer in business.
To learn more about Molly, her writing and her Christian walk, please visit her website. www.mollynoblebull.com And her blog, Writers Rest. http://writersrest.blogspot.com

To order THE OVERCOMERS: CHRISTIAN AUTHORS WHO CONQUERED LEARNING DISABILITIES:
http://www.amazon.com/Overcomers-Christian-Conquered-Learning-Disabilities/dp/1449727441/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324673256&sr=1-1

Have you overcome a learning disability? In what ways have you found the strength to push forward despite the obstacles? Molly would enjoy hearing from you. Please leave a comment.

Eric Maywar--The Makings Of A Successful Independent Book Store

2011-12-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

Eric Maywar owns Classic Books in Trenton, New Jersey. What caught my attention about Eric and his store is that not only is it successful but that Eric gets his customer, his community, and the love of a good story. Everyone's Story invited several authors and readers to ask Eric questions. Please join Eric as he replies. If you have questions that you would also like to ask, send a comment. Eric will enjoy hearing from you this week.

From Donna: How one would go about setting up a book signing with a storeowner? Do small independent bookstores sell e-books and do you offer book signings?

At our store (Classics in Trenton NJ, www.classicsusedbooks.com) an author just has to drop in and have themselves put on the calendar.

Our customers can order eBooks through our website and we do signings and discussions for eBook authors.

From Christine: Do you ever stock books by smaller publishers when the book is receiving rave reviews and won awards?

We’re a used bookstore, so we don’t purchase books. We are proud to feature a section of the new books of local authors who have provided their books for consignment sales. Many of them are self-published or published by smaller publishers.

From Diana:

What do you think the most challenging aspect today for an independent bookstore owner?

I think this is a good time to be an independent. While e-Books battle the chain stores, the independent customer is staying faithful to the independent store. In addition, I am getting former Borders customers who aren’t yet ready for an e-Reader.

What can authors do to help your sales?

I have had authors post links to my website from their website and leverage their book-signings to get their friends and family to come and support them. For the most part, though, I see it my responsibility to help their sales!

What type of promotion items would you like to receive from authors?

Fliers, bag stuffers and bookmarks before an event are good promotional tools.

Where do you see the book market in the future? What do independent booksellers need to do/be aware of to ensure their presence is a driving force in today's ever-changing market?

Booksellers need to adapt to changes in the marketplace. Used bookstores that were slow to use the Internet for sales and pricing fell. Chain booksellers who developed their own e-Reader (Nook) were in a better position than those who did not.

At the same time, play to your strengths. The independents beat chains and Internet sales with good customer service, a sense of place, easy browsability, and community involvement. Maximize these areas and remind people why independents are not going anywhere.

What's a really fun memory you have during an author event at your bookstore?

Dodge Foundation poet Doc Long brought a jazz trio with him for his poetry reading. That was cool!

What author really touches you emotionally?

I am never prepared for the emotionality of Ursula Le Guin’s short story “Guillam’s Harp,” even though I have read it many times.

What's one thing you'd like to do at your bookstore you haven't done?

That’s a stumper. Everything I’ve wanted to do I’ve made it happen:

Jazz band in the Science Fiction section? Done.

Rock band in the Mystery section? Done. (http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150267908485169&comments).

Run a games night, because I am a games addict? Done.

Make a customer laugh so hard she became incoherent? Done. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPYZoxTK_wc)

Raise thousands of books for kids in our struggling school system? Done. (http://www.classicsusedbooks.com/?page_id=13)

Foster a community that responds to civic problems? Done. (http://www.classicsusedbooks.com/?page_id=65)

From Mary:

Romance and women’s fiction has dominated the consumer market for many years. Does your store carry this genre?

Yes. We try to carry something for everybody.

Do you personally have an e-reader? Why or why not?

I do not. I like the physicality of books, the weight of them in my hand, the smell of paper. I like seeing them in bookshelves like old friends.

In what direction do you see the relationship between e-books and print books going?

E-Books are going to forever change publishing. Print runs will dramatically shrink, but not disappear. There will always be people who want bound books. (Here’s a list of the types: http://www.classicsusedbooks.com/?p=474.)

If you have book signings, how do you set them up? Is the author at the front or back of the store? How do you advertise the author before and during the event?

The author chooses if they want to be in the presentation area in mystery, in the back in Science Fiction, at the front near the rare books section or, in nice weather, out front on the sidewalk.

We have a 700 person emailing list of qualified book lovers we email book-signing information. We do FaceBook. We send local media calendars the event information. We contact other local promoters with overlapping interest (kids event people promote our kids books; food blogs promote our cookbooks, etc).

From Everyone's Story:

Please tell us about The Books At Home Program and Social Capital.

The Books at Home Program provides free books for kids in Trenton’s struggling school district. We hand out between 2000 and 4000 books a year through schools, community groups, the police and churches.

Social capital is a measure of the connections between members of a community. It is a measure not of just do you know your neighbors, but do you hang out with them. Do you bowl alone, or do you bowl in a league? It is the community equivalent of business networking events. Business people understand the power of networking–community people need to harness the same power.

Social capital is not just important in a touchy feely kumbaya way–fostering social capital produces tangible results. In communities where social capital is high, kids do better in school, more people volunteer, more people vote and other wise care about their city and there is less crime. By hanging out in casual settings (not just at rallies, for example, but at a regular spades game), people increase their networks and when a problem arises, whether it is personal or community-wide, solutions are easier because there are more people to help solve it. The more diverse the group (by religion, by race, by age, by socio-economic class) the better, as it more dramatically expands the resources of the group.

For example, Classics Books has a Scrabble Club on Warren Street in Trenton. In 2009, 138 people played there, but there are 20-30 regulars. When one of the regulars was unemployed, another one of the other regulars was able to get her a job at his company. This happened twice. When the mural on Warren Street was vandalized, the club took up a collection. Several of the members noticed the need for a Trenton-focused literary magazine, and the Trenton Review was born. One of the members of the club starting a knit and stitch group at Classics, which in turn knitted and donated skullcaps to the troops in Afghanistan. Whether personal or national, this group is able to pool their resources to address problems.

Tell us about yourself, and how you came to establish such an unusual but necessary book Mecca in an inner city.

I am sure it was my destiny to start a bookstore wherever I was. I am from Michigan, but my wife was from Trenton NJ, so that’s where I ended up.

Trenton is a great place for a bookstore. My customers come from the 85,000 residents in this 7 square mile city, from the 20,000 state workers who work downtown and from Scrabble players from around the state.

The fondest memory I have of my mother is when she made a pleasant sensation in front of the librarians when I received my very first library card. Like her, I was always an avid reader. I was also fortunate enough to have my aunt (my father’s sister) entertain my brother and I with wonderful oral stories. In short, story—both in written word and verbally told—shaped my young life and in many ways probably kept my sanity intact. Has your love of books started in childhood? Do you see parents spending more or less time sharing the love of books with children?

Oh yes! My parents were avid readers and without a doubt passed that along. The much anticipated yearly trip growing up in Michigan was always to Ann Arbor which had 25 independent bookstores in a square mile. While my parents went to the original Borders Books, my brother and I bounced from one used bookstore to another.

I see lots of parents coming into the bookstore with their children. I don’t think that that is dying out anytime soon!

Are you an author, reader, agent, or editor who has a question for Eric? Send a comment to Everyone's Story. He looks forward to hearing from you.

Links for Eric and Classic Books:

Blog: http://www.classicsusedbooks.com/

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/eric.maywar

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

Author Anna Patricio--Writer & Lover of The Ancient Biblical Days

2011-12-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

Like Joseph from the Old Testament days, I've had dreams come true (sorry Jeffery about that busted appendix back in 6th grade), family members come and go (by choice), and have been both envied and ridiculed by my spirit of hope and perseverance. I think that's why I've always related to Joseph. When Anna, from Australia, queried me about possibly doing a blog segment on Joseph I couldn't type yes fast enough.
Anna's debut novel, ASENATH, is the story about Joseph and his wife. This week she shares with Everyone's Story about her love for Joseph as well as dynamic photos of her trip to Egypt.
Do you enjoy the story of Joseph? Please visit with Anna and tell her why. She'd love to hear from you.

First, 3 Questions for Anna:

Meaning to viewing this positively rather than negatively: When you go to your glory in heaven and are able to have countless hours of conversation around a dinner table or long walks with your eternal companions (please indulge the fantasy), Joseph being one, what top three questions would you like to ask him?

Oh boy, what a fun question this is! Me, meeting JOSEPH......*calms down* OK, OK... though I have like a million questions... they would be:

a) How did you retain your faith in God despite first being sold into slavery, and then imprisoned for a crime you didn't commit? That must have been extremely difficult to do.

b) So during which Pharaoh's reign did you really live in? There have been numerous debates: some think you lived during the Hyksos invasion (and served under the Hyksos Pharaoh), some think you served

Akhenaton, the monotheistic Pharaoh, some even say you were before the Hyksos invasion....

c) And lastly, being the author of 'Asenath' - how accurate orinaccurate is my portrayal of your wife?

And a bonus, if I may: how did the coat of many colours look like, exactly? I really wanna know!

What has your research on ancient civilization taught your about the present day world?

Well, at the risk of sounding cliche: that the ancient people were no different from us today. It's true!

Romantic love, for instance, has withstood the test of time. You hear about kings building monuments for the wives they loved so much, such as Ramses building the temple of Abu Simbel for Nefertari; the Indian

king building the Taj Mahal for his wife; King Mausolus building the mausoleum for his beloved.

Family life as well has been the same as it has for many centuries, with all its ups and downs - as we could see in the family of Joseph, for instance!

Even in everyday situations: I remember hearing about this place in Egypt called the Workmen's Village in Deir el-Medina. The workers in that place laboured on the tombs of the Pharaohs. And like many workers today, not everyone wanted to go to work. There have been found the remains of the ancient equivalent of excuse slips: "I can't go to work today because I'm sick. I can't go to work because I have a hangover." Really amusing!

And being a dog lover, I was pleased to learn that fondness for pets has existed since the ancient times. There are many portrayals of doting owners with their furbabies - on tomb paintings, statues, etc. Way to go!

If there were such a thing as time-travel, what time periods other than the ancient biblical days would you like to visit? Would you like to peek into the future?

Hmm.... maybe the Renaissance, when there was a rebirth of interest in the arts. The medieval times, I hear, were rather dark. Everything was all about the church, the Pope etc. So yes, the Renaissance would have been more my type of era.

The future would be interesting, though I am more into eras of the past. But sure, why not? Although I don't think my eyes could take all the high-tech radiation of inventions such as ebooks and stuff. For all you know, everything then will be e-something! Just the thought of it makes my eyes hurt!

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE by Anna Patricio

Anna at Mount Sinai

I think that if some dramatic events in my life had not happened, I would not have written my novel Asenath. If what happened didn’t happen, I would not have been spurred to explore the Joseph account so intensively and thus grow intrigued about his little-known wife. I daresay that I might not have even become a novelist period, because I never really wrote before Asenath.

But back to how my Joseph interest began.

Though I had known about Joseph all my life, what with having attended Sunday School and all, it was only later on that I really got to know him. I was 17, making the transition from the school I had known all my life to the unfamiliar and rather frightening world of university. Later on though, I would like university even far better than my former school, as it afforded me freedom I never knew until then. But in the beginning, it was really overwhelming.

I had a teacher who intimidated us from the very first meeting. He often said, "I don't like giving easy exams. I like difficult ones. After all, wouldn't it be an insult to your intelligence if I gave you an easy exam?" Then he added all these implications about how we would flunk and such. Thus, every time his class would approach, my stomach would hurt.

As if that wasn't stressful enough, my little sister was going to have surgery for scoliosis. This would shock and stress anyone but for me, it was rather apocalyptic for until then, I had thought my family to have healthy genes, let alone be free of anything like scoliosis. So the news came as a really hard blow.

I was weary and lonely. I didn't have anyone to talk to, no one who I knew would understand. Eventually, that dreadful first semester came to a close - and I passed that horrid class by the skin of my teeth (when the teacher saw that nearly no one was passing his exams - and alas, I am not exaggerating - he gave us some extra projects which saved our hides). A few weeks later, my sister had her operation which, thank God (and I mean this literally, not as an expression in vain), was successful.

Some weeks after the operation, I came across a movie of Joseph (not the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat one). And though I knew what was going to happen, for the first time, I felt like I was getting to know Joseph - really getting to know him. I didn't realise I would be able to relate so much with him. Until then, I always thought of him as a distant Biblical character from a remote time and place. But despite the years between him and me, despite the differences in our circumstances (him being in the ancient times, me in the 21st century) there was so much we had in common. I admired how he remained sweet, kind and faithful to God, despite enduring travail after travail. And as we know, his ending was triumphant.

So inspired I was, that I sought to get better acquainted with him. And it was through my extensive readings on him that I got to know Asenath, grew curious about her and, after finding hardly anything on her, decided to write a novel about her.

Joseph is truly a rare person, a very noble and seasoned man. I owe inspiration to him, not just in writing but also in the way I approach life. And I've heard that lots - millions, actually - derive inspiration and encouragement from him as well, which doesn't surprise me the least bit.

Author Bio:

Anna Patricio is a lover of ancient history, with a particular interest in Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome. She undertook formal studies in Ancient History at Macquarie University. She focused mostly on Egyptology and Jewish-Christian Studies, alongside a couple of Greco-Roman units, and one on Archaeology. Though she knew there were very limited job openings for ancient history graduates, she pursued her degree anyway as it was something she had always been passionate about. After graduation Anna wrote her first novel, ASENATH. She is currently working on a second novel, which still takes place in Ancient Egypt, but hundreds of years after ASENATH.

Links for Anna:
Website/blog - http://www.annapatricio.blogspot.com
Publisher - http://www.imajinbooks.com
Facebook - http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Anna-Patricio/100002375265599
Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/annapatricio
Amazon listing -
http://www.amazon.com/Asenath-Anna-Patricio/dp/1926997263/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Jill Starishevsky--Assistant District Attorney, Fighter Against Child Abuse, Children's Book Author

2011-12-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

This week's guest on Everyone's Story is Assistant District Attorney Jill Starishevsky. Not only does she fight child abuse/sex crimes but she has written a children's book on the subject. The School Library Journal just endorsed MY BODY BELONGS TO ME: "In only 19 sentences, this simple book will empower children while promoting open communication."

Please join us in this important segment as Jill shares through interview questions and video what to look out for and how to help victims who are way too young to understand what is happening to them. Jill will also be graciously giving away one copy of her book MY BODY BELONGS TO ME to one randomly chosen commenter. Please include your email address... and consider becoming a Follower to this blog.

Please tell us about your personal as well as professional self. Are you able to separate Jill the Mom from Jill the Assistant District Attorney and now Jill the author?

I have been a prosecutor of child abuse and sex crimes in New York City for the past fifteen years. I discovered that children don’t disclose right away when they have been sexually abused. By the time I see the children they are already hurt. When I had children of my own and wanted to talk to them about a subject that I am painfully aware of, I realized there was nothing out there to guide parents in having this discussion. I prosecuted a case at trial where an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show prompted the child victim’s outcry after three years of silence. It occurred to me that after three years, all it took to end her nightmare was a television show that encouraged her to tell a teacher. I decided that I need to make that message more accessible to children and spread it as far as I could. My Body Belongs to Me is my effort to spread the message of prevention.

Whether I am able to separate Jill the Mom from Jill the ADA and Jill the author is a great question. Certainly when I am Jill the ADA, I have to put Jill the mother away somewhere. The cases I see are heartbreaking and if I think like a mother, I would not be able to get anything done. It is my sensitivity to this issue as a mother that drives me, but it is my passion to pursue justice for the victim that enables me to perform my responsibilities effectively. Being an author just means that there is more pressure on me to write really meaningful things inside anniversary cards.

I applaud you for your stand on fighting childhood abuse and sex crimes. Obviously this passion has ignited a proactive fire within you. From your myriad perspective, why do you believe others—specifically adults—who are aware of abuse happening (whether in their own homes or in someone’s they know) slip into a don’t see/don’t hear/don’t speak frame of mind?

I think it is often too painful to accept. In order to believe that a child was sexually abused, even if you observe it with your own eyes, one has to accept that true evil does exist. I cannot speak for the people who do nothing when they see it, other than to say that children have no voice. They need trusting adults around them to speak when they cannot be heard. We are each responsible for molestation occurring if we fail to get this topic out of the closet and into family rooms. Parents must stop believing "it will never happen to their children” so they don't need to discuss it.

Is it only fear that keeps the child victim from speaking out or is it often more complicated than suffering the backlash of more abuse?

There are innumerable reasons why children do not tell when they are being abused. I think parents have a hard time accepting that children often do not tell. Parents liken child sexual abuse to a child falling down and scraping his knee. When a young child scrapes his knee, the first thing they do is run over to Mommy or Daddy and tell them. Parents think a child would certainly do the same thing if someone sexually abused them. But when a child scrapes his knee, theoretically, no one is saying to that child, “Don’t tell anyone, no one will believe you.” “Don’t tell anyone, they are going to say it is your fault.” “Don’t tell anyone, it will make your Mommy really sad.” “Don’t tell anyone, Uncle Joe will go to jail.” “Don’t tell anyone, this is our special secret.” There is a lot of guilt and shame involved in being a child victim. Children often feel that somehow the behavior is their fault.

Can you share with us a “happily ever after” abuse story? Is there such a thing?

I am not sure if there is a happily ever after. There are people who go on to have happy, productive lives after suffering abuse, but a lot of that depends on the support they are given when they disclose. I can tell you a story about a little girl who was very sad all the time because her grandfather was sexually abusing her on a continuous basis and she hadn’t told anyone. One day, she was home with her little brother who was a little tired of seeing his big sister moping around the house all the time. The little brother said to his sister “Why are you so sad all the time? At least Grandpa is not ______ing you.” With that, the little girl realized for the first time that Grandpa was doing the same thing to her brother. The two children decided to tell their mother about what her father had been doing to the two of them. When they told her, the mother cried and said “I am so sorry. I thought he would stop.” It was then that the mother told her children for the first time what her father had done to her when she was a child. The mother decided that she cannot keep this secret any longer and called a family meeting to tell her brothers and sister what their father had done to her and to her children. Of course, the story ends with the two brothers and the sister disclosing that the father had done the same thing to each of them when they were younger. Each child thought that they were the only one being victimized and kept that secret into adulthood. After disclosing, the offender’s new wife became aware of the behavior and was able to keep her grandchildren safe. Ending the cycle of silence is the only happily ever after I can see at this point.

Comparing present day times, with all its luxuries, medical advances, and freedoms, the modern world is bathed in riches compared to societies hundreds and thousands of years ago, yet abuse still thrives. Do you believe this evil/sickness is the ugly side of culture that has been passed on for generations and sadly will continue to be passed on or is it more a situation that an abused child grows into an adult who abuses and perpetuates a vicious, ongoing cycle?

Yes, abuse has gone on for many years, but I would like to think with prevention education, we could eradicate child sexual abuse in the next few generations.

What warning signs of abuse can adults look out for in children?

Physical sign of abuse are uncommon. If caught early, there sometimes may be redness to the genitals or a urinary tract infection. Neither of these signs are dispositive of abuse.

Emotional and behavioral signs are more common. A sudden change in a child’s behavior could be an indicator of abuse (but it can also be an indicator of some other problem).

Age inappropriate sexual behavior and knowledge are certainly red flags. Parents need to familiarize themselves with what is age appropriate in order to be able to recognize the warning signs. In some children, there are no signs whatsoever.

For ABC News Video:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/talking-kids-sexual-abuse-10255396

Are abused children who speak up against abuse more at risk for more suffering? In speaking up against the abuser, do children also begin to wonder about their moms/dad’s girlfriends/other relatives or friends and why they’re silent enablers? Is counseling provided for these children? For the entire family?

It is important that children are able to confide in someone who will get them help. Sometimes, if a child tells a parent that the other parent is abusing them, there may be reluctance to contact the authorities. Children need to feel that they are supported and they need professional help. If the appropriate action is taken, the abuse will end. Counseling is essential in providing a child with support. Whether or not a child has the intellectual capacity to question why the people around him are silent enablers is uncertain, but as they grow into adults, it will likely be an issue they have to confront.

Tell us about your children’s book MY BODY BELONGS TO ME. Is it written only for the child or for the parent as well? What is your favorite line from the story?

My Body Belongs to Me is a story for the 3-8 year old child, but a tool for the parents. It is intended to be a conversation starter. There is a section in the back called “Suggestions for the Storyteller” that guides the reader through the discussion that should follow the book. There is also a section called “Where to Find Help” that has great resources to utilize if a child makes a disclosure. I have never been asked what my favorite line from the story is. I think it’s “I learned if I was too scared to tell my mom or dad, I could have told my teacher, what made me feel so sad.” Children need to be told that they can come to their parents with anything that upsets them or makes them feel angry or uncomfortable. They should also learn to identify who is their “safe zone” person. A safe zone person is someone your child can talk to if they do not feel comfortable coming to mom and dad. Identifying a safe zone person is vital not only for child sexual abuse prevention, but for bullying, peer pressure, drug abuse prevention and countless other issue. My Body Belongs to Me received a glowing review from School Library Journal.....In only 19 sentences, this simple book will empower children while promoting open communication.

Please share with us about your poetry website and the how’s your nanny site.

The Poem Lady is my alter ego. The work I do as a prosecutor is so heavy and sad that I found I needed some sort of release. Ever since I was little, I had a talent for writing poems that rhyme. People would often ask me to write a poem for someone's birthday or going away party and I would do so happily. A few years ago, I created a website called http://www.ThePoemLady.com where I write customized poems for bar/bat mitzvah candle lighting ceremonies and baby/bridal showers. People send their information to me and I turn it into a cute rhyme. Being able to share in the joyous events of total strangers somehow balances out some of the sadness I deal with in my regular job. The best part is that people love the poems. I enjoy being able to help people express themselves when they are unable to find the right words. I recently started a blog where I provide poem writing advice so I can reach even more people. http://askjillthepoemlady.wordpress.com/

HowsMyNanny.com is an innovative service through which parents can purchase a license plate for their stroller that enables the public to report good or bad nanny observations. Registered parents instantaneously receive an email alerting them to the confidential report. One day while I was eating lunch on a park bench, I noticed two young girls playing on the jungle gym. The girls ran over to a woman who was engrossed in a book. It occurred to me that this woman was their nanny and the toddlers were essentially unsupervised. After observing the girls play for nearly an hour as the nanny continued to read, I realized these girls could have easily run off into the busy Manhattan streets or wandered off at the hand of a stranger. I wanted to communicate to the girls’ parents about the substandard care their daughters were receiving. But how? Who were these girls? As a working mother, I knew I would want to be notified if my nanny was being negligent so I created a way to do so. Featured on Good Morning America, Fox News National and endorsed in New York's Daily News, HowsMyNanny.com has been hailed "an honest solution to a tough problem."

And for fun: in your next life, any plans on kicking back in an “easy” occupation?

Funny you should say in your next life. By no means is it an easy occupation, but I always tell people in my next life I want to be a second grade teacher. I have always been told I have a gift with children and I think being a teacher is a true gift. I figure in this life, I have seen more than anyone’s fair share of horror and tragedy involving children. In my next life, I want to watch them soar.

Author's Bio:

Jill Starishevsky is a mother of three and an Assistant District Attorney in New York City where she has prosecuted hundreds of sex offenders and dedicated her career to seeking justice for victims of child abuse and sex crimes. Outside the courtroom, Jill's fondness for writing led her to create thepoemlady.com, where she pens personalized pieces for all occasions. In October 2006, Jill launched HowsMyNanny.com, the first online nanny reporting service that works to keep children safe by enabling parents to receive positive and negative feedback on their child’s caregiver. Jill is also the author of “My Body Belongs to Me”, a children’s book intended to prevent child sexual abuse by teaching 3-8 year olds their bodies are private.

Website http://www.MyBodyBelongstoMe.com

Facebook Fanpage http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/My-Body-Belongs-to-Me/121318191793

Author Elizabeth Ludwig--A Funny Woman and Gifted Author Who Knows How To Spread God's Love

2011-11-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, I admit it. I was one of "those" some years ago who doubted I'd prefer e-mailing to hand-writing letters (never think about the latter now) or even as of last year wondering why I should ever get involved hosting a blog. Blogging has truly changed my life for the better. It's been a blessing connecting with people from all over the world, as well as helping others promote themselves and/or a great cause. And that's why I'm honored to have as this weeks's guest on Everyone's Story Elizabeth Ludwig. She has made me feel like a treasured guest on her own blog, The Borrowed Book, and has helped me navigate through a few blog black-holes.

Since this is a holiday weekend here in the US, Elizabeth has chosen to help lighten the mood by interviewing a character from her novel DIED IN THE WOOL (co-written with Janelle Mowery), a very fun, excellent read. She's also offering a giveaway of one copy of this novel to a randomly chosen commenter . . . so please do leave a comment. If you have any trouble, please email me directly (email address is in the right-hand corner of the blog page).

But first, please enjoy this hilarious You-Tube video that Elizabeth has made:

Character Interview of Mike Brockman--by Elizabeth Ludwig

Meet Died in the Wool’s leading man, Detective Mike Brockman…

Brief physical description

Life as a cop isn’t always easy, even in a town as small as Pine Mills. In two short years, Det. Mike Brockman has seen more murder and intrigue than he ever did in Boston. But while working the beat may have chiseled the softness from his body, it hasn’t affected his tender heart. Every now and then, he lets his guard down and allows others to glimpse the gentle man behind the brooding eyes and wavy brown hair.

Strengths and weaknesses

Mike’s strength lies in his ability to love deeply and laugh abundantly. While there may not be much to joke about on the job, he finds plenty to enjoy outside of the station…including his new girlfriend, Monah.

Quirks (if any)

Mike’s a man’s man, thank-you. He doesn’t believe in being quirky, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love every one of Monah’s wacky character traits. In fact, he rather enjoys picking on her!

Background to the story

A woman with a secret. . .

Monah Trenary takes great pride in how she runs the public library, touting it as a quiet place of learning and discovery. But that peace is shattered when she discovers a body in the ladies restroom and the people of Pine Mills Massachusetts learn they once again harbor a murderer.

Will Monah uncover the truth in time to save her own life, or will the trail to the real killer also lead to secrets she would rather keep hidden? As the mystery unravels, Monah discovers there’s only one person she’s desperate to prove her innocence to, Detective Mike Brockman—the man who could send her to prison.

The man she loves.

And now, an interview with Detective Mike Brockman:

Hi, Det. Brockman! Thanks for visiting with us today.

Please, call me Mike. And thanks for having me!

Tell us a little about yourself. Have you always wanted to be a detective?

I always wanted to be cop, but it wasn’t until I worked my first homicide that I really started thinking about becoming a detective. Something inside me responded to the victim’s family and their need for answers. I realized it was important to me to provide those answers…maybe add a little bit of closure in the process.

This last case really took some twists and turns. Were you surprised by the outcome?

Well, without giving too much away, yeah, I was surprised. Just when I start to think I’ve honed my investigative skills, someone throws in a monkey wrench. Tell you what, though, I NEVER thought I’d be forced to investigate Monah. That was a real gut-wrencher, all the way around.

And speaking of Monah, tell us a little about her. How long have the two of you known each other?

I’ve known Monah for a while now, and I’ll tell you what, I have never met a more beautiful, interesting person, inside and out. She has this amazing faith—I mean, she challenges me to live better, walk closer to God. She’s funny, smart…I don’t think she has any idea how attractive she is, which in a way, is pretty lucky for me.

Lucky?

Monah could have any guy. I mean that. Absolutely any guy would be lucky to even have her look his way. But she chose me. That still blows me away.

Sounds like you might be in love! Any plans for the future?

(Clears throat) Uh…well…let’s just say I’ve got lots of plans. I just hope she shares some of those. LOL!

LOL! Okay, I won’t press about your relationship with Monah anymore. Let’s talk about Pine Mills. Including the mystery that Monah and her best friend, Casey Alexander, managed to solve last year, this makes two murders in as many years. Are you spotting a trend?

I sure hope not! Honestly, I think it’s more that God is just forcing a lot of things to light that have been covered for too long. Pine Mills is no different than any other place—it just happens to be experiencing a spiritual battle right now.

Spiritual battle? Can you explain that a little bit?

What I mean by that is, any time people start looking to God, warfare is gonna happen. God wants people to depend on Him, and if exposing sin is what it takes to make that happen, then that’s what He’s going to do—what He did do when Casey uncovered the truth behind her aunt’s disappearance.

Oh, you’re talking about your first case in Where the Truth Lies.

Yes, that’s right.

Do you have any other cases you’re working on?

Actually, yes, but I gotta admit, this one has me stumped. The answers are eluding me, but I feel like the clues are all there—in plain sight, ya know?

Indeed, I do, Mike. I look forward to reading all about your latest case—Inn Plain Sight, which just released as an e-book this month. Best of luck, and thanks for stopping by!

Thanks again for having me!

Please visit with Elizabeth and leave a comment. Perhaps ask Detective Mike a question--he's really a good sport-- or just say a hello to Elizabeth. And please consider becoming a Follower to Everyone's Story--thanks ♡ ♡ ♡

Author's Bio:

Elizabeth Ludwig is an award-winning author whose work has been featured on Novel Journey, the Christian Authors Network, and The Christian Pulse. Her first novel, Where the Truth Lies, which she co-authored with Janelle Mowery, earned her the 2008 IWA Writer of the Year honors. This book was followed in 2009 by “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” part of a Christmas anthology collection called Christmas Homecoming, also from Barbour Publishing.

In 2010, her first full-length historical novel Love Finds You in Calico, California earned Four Stars from the Romantic Times. Books two and three of Elizabeth’s mystery series, Died in the Wool (Barbour Publishing) and Inn Plain Sight, respectively, are slated for release in 2011.

Coming in 2012 is Elizabeth’s newest historical series from Bethany House Publishers. No Safe Harbor, the first book in the Edge of Freedom Series, will release in October, with two more books following in 2013 and 2014.

Elizabeth is an accomplished speaker and teacher, and often attends conferences and seminars, where she lectures on editing for fiction writers, crafting effective novel proposals, and conducting successful editor/agent interviews. Her popular literary blog, The Borrowed Book, enjoyed a wide readership in its first year, with more than 14,000 visitors in 2010. Along with her husband and two children, Elizabeth makes her home in the great state of Texas. To learn more about her work, visit her at www.elizabethludwig.com.

Author Kathi Macias--Helping To Deliver God's Cry Against Evil

2011-11-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

Have you a passion--a cause--that burns within you so furiously that it shows in your work, whether it is writing, what you volunteer at...what you speak up for or against? Remember the 60s and 70s, with media blitzes of civil rights for all, such as the Billy Jack movies or Hair or what about John Lennon singing Give Peace A Chance? Whether this shaped me as a child or I picked it up elsewhere, the fight against prejudice has shaped my writing, my life. This week's guest on Everyone's Story, Kathi Macias, a multi-award winning author of more than 30 books, rallies as many people as possible to fight against human trafficking, a horrific infliction that has been around since mankind and sadly continues in today's times. Please join Kathi as she explains about this cause.
♡♡Kathi is also offering a book giveaway of her novel DELIVER ME FROM EVIL to one randomly chosen commenter. Please leave your email within the comment for contact purposes only. As always, I'd appreciate any new Followers to this blog.♡♡

Deliver Me From Evil
Deliver Me from Evil introduces readers to Mara, an eighteen-year-old girl who has been enslaved for nearly ten years, having been sold by her parents in Mexico and then smuggled across the border into San Diego where she was forced into sexual slavery. Readers will also meet 18-year-old, Bible-college-bound Jonathan and his 16-year-old sister, Leah, whose paths cross Mara’s and who become involved in her dramatic rescue.
Interwoven between the stories of Mara, Jonathan, and Leah is the heartbreaking story of another young woman in captivity in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, whose past life mysteriously connects to the young people in San Diego.

“Let My People Go!” by Kathi Macias

The term “human trafficking” or “trafficking in persons” (TIP) often draws raised eyebrows and skeptical expressions—until statistics are laid out to show that approximately 27 million people are enslaved today, whether for the purposes of slave labor, prostitution, or involuntary organ “donations.”

The Salvation Army has made the rescue of those enslaved around the world their number-one goal at this time, holding seminars and conferences to educate people and to garner support from various individuals and organizations.

The United Nations describes TIP in this way:

“The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

In a nutshell, human trafficking is modern-day slavery, and it is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. It is currently tied with the illegal arms industry for the second largest criminal industry in existence, with the drug industry being the only one to edge it out.

Oh, I know. Most people naively believe that human trafficking happens only in faraway countries—Thailand or Cambodia, perhaps. True, it does occur there at a tragic rate. But it also takes place right here in the United States daily, to such an extent that some states are instituting task forces to try and stop it. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot promises that their new task force “will take an aggressive stand against human traffickers, who have turned Texas into a hub for international and domestic forced labor and prostitution rings.” (www.humantrafficking.org, “News and Updates,” April 5, 2010)

Another myth about human trafficking is that it only involves adults. Millions of children around the world are crying out in pain and terror over the heartbreaking error of that statement. According to Wikepedia, trafficking in children may come about as an “exploitation of the parents’ extreme poverty. Parents may sell children to traffickers in order to pay off debts or gain income, or they may be deceived concerning the prospects of training and a better life for their children. They may sell their children for labor, sex trafficking, or illegal adoptions.”

Can there be anything that grieves the Father’s heart more than the forced enslaving of people made in His own image—by others bearing that same divine imprint? I believe each time anyone becomes aware of such evil and cries out against it, that cry is spurred by the Father’s own pain. If ever the Church needed to be involved in helping to right a human wrong, it’s now. Human trafficking must stop! And each of us who names the Name of Christ must ask the Father what He wants us to do to help make that happen.

In my case, that includes writing about it—every chance I get, including blogs, letters, articles, and a new three book fiction-based-on-real-life series that has just begun releasing with book one, Deliver Me From Evil. Will you pray with me that these books will reach many with the message of the reality of human trafficking and the challenge to get involved to stop it? Please pray too that God will show you what you can do to answer His heart cry of “Let My people go.” Millions of enslaved human beings around the world, including children, are depending on you to respond.

Kathi looks forward to hearing from visitors who'd like to share their thoughts on human trafficking, other causes dear to their hearts, or even a warm hello. And since this is the week before Thanksgiving and this is such a poignant subject, please pass the word around on this special blog segment. ~*~Thank you~*~

Courtesy Google Images

Author Bio:

Kathi Macias (www.kathimacias.com) is a multi award-winning author of more than thirty books, as well as a popular speaker. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Al, where she is affectionately known as “Easy Writer.”
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathi-Macias/75996188045
Twitter: @alandkathi

Author Tessa Afshar--Knocking Down Mighty Walls To Tell A Great Story

2011-11-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

Everyone's Story's new guest is Tessa Afshar whose debut novel centers around Rahab, a woman of the Bible. Although Rahab was frowned upon by many, her faith demonstrates the powerful potential we all have. Like myself, Tessa also became a Christian in her twenties. Since then she has reached out to many women urging them to hold onto their faith. This week she's also reaching out to writers and readers of historical fiction.

And a bonus:

Tessa is offering a giveaways of her novel PEARL IN THE SAND to not one but two randomly chosen commenters. Please leave a comment or even just a hello, as well as your email address.

♡♡And I'd appreciate any new Followers to this blog♡♡

First, three questions for Tessa:

You've lived in Iran for the first 14 years of your life. Any fond memories you'd like to share of your birth nation?

Hospitality is a great part of life in the Middle East. When I was a kid, we would get together with extended family about once a week. There would be table-tops filled with mouth-watering foods, fun games, and time just to relax and talk. In the summers my family spent one or two months by the shores of the Caspian Sea. Often family and friends would come for a short stay. I loved those days so much that I named one of the characters in my upcoming book, A Harvest of Rubies, after the Caspian Sea.

Your novel, PEARL IN THE SAND, tells the untold story of Rahab and the "walls" that surround her, both the physical and emotional walls. I love the visual that you give by using the wall analogy. As the director of your church's women's and prayer ministries, do you see a sharp contrast between the walls that surrounded women in Rehab's times and the ones that enclose modern day women?

Thanks Elaine. I love the wall analogy too, which is why I continue to use it in various way in my next two books. I wanted to write a sort of wall trilogy.

I think that human nature hasn’t really changed over time. Culture evolves, beliefs change, our measures for right and wrong shift, but the human condition is essentially the same. Who doesn’t know what rejection feels like?

And what about your own walls? How do you break them down? Do you prefer the Hey-God-let's-chat method or do you tend to hide the superglue so walls don't get built in the first place?

That’s a cool question. I’m not sure that I have one specific mode of dealing with harmful defense mechanisms. I do know that my first step toward freedom was acknowledging that I had them! I had to name them: fear of rejection. Fear of failure. Being achievement oriented. Then I had to ask Jesus to exchange them for His healthy defense mechanisms: the knowledge that I am a delight to God not because of anything I can achieve, but simply because I am. The knowledge that God chose me and caused me to belong to Him. The reality that I am now a daughter of the most high God.

Of course I have to remember and choose to live out of the truths I have already learned. Some days I do better than others.

Tessa's Favorite Tips On How To Write Historical Fiction

Tip One: Don’t Misplace Your Sense of Humor

Henry Tilney, the hero of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, has a cynical attitude toward women. For example, he says, “no one can think more highly of the understanding of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much, that they never find it necessary to use more than half.” Austen wrote those words over two hundred years ago, and they’re still rich with a biting wit. Dante, Bronte, and Dickens frequently make you laugh. The Bible is also rich with humor. So don’t misplace yours, just because you are writing about people who lived a long time ago.

Tip Two: Love the Period You Are Writing About

When you write a historical novel, you will spend endless hours researching your period. If you like that time in history, the research will be a pleasant pastime as opposed to an onerous chore. More importantly, your love will spill out on the page; it will show through your writing. The reader can feel it in your words. And it will influence the way she or he responds to your story.
Rahab's House and scarlet cord (Courtesy Google Images)
Tip Three: Know the Period You Are Writing About

Some years ago, I was reading a good novel based on the life of Esther. Suddenly, I came upon the phrase, “Arabian night” and the magic was gone. I was no longer in another world. The reason? The phrase should have read, “Persian night”. Although Arab tribes existed at that time, they lived leagues away. Persians are not Arabs, and therefore, their nights aren’t Arabian. Even small anomalies can snap the reader out of the world you are trying to create, so research, research, research.

Tip Four: Watch for Anachronisms

Anachronisms have a nasty way of creeping into historical novels. For example, one of my editors found the word “raccoon” in the manuscript of the novel I am currently working on, A Harvest of Rubies, which is set in ancient Persia. It turns out raccoons are a North American animal and would not have existed in ancient Persia during the time of Nehemiah. That small detail would have ruined the moment for a zoologically savvy reader.

Tip Five: History Is Exciting

Of Gods and Men is a French movie about eight monks living in North Africa. While this is an amazingly well made film, what makes it utterly spell-binding is the fact that the movie is based on a true story. The truth has a way of grabbing your attention. To take advantage of this reality, try to insert historical events into your storyline without sounding like a history book. The events of history are often stranger and more exciting than anything the human imagination can manufacture. Inserting true events—or scenes that are inspired by a true event—into your story will lend your novel an air of believability that will increase your reader’s involvement. The best historical novelists such as Alexander Dumas and Robert Louis Stevenson knew this trick. It’s part of what makes their novels a charming read in spite of the passage of time.
Courtesy Google Images
Tip Six: Exercise Grace Frequently

Have grace both for yourself and for other novelists! You will probably make mistakes; most of us do no matter how careful we try to be with our research and editing. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

Author Bio:

TESSA AFSHAR was born in a nominally Muslim family in Iran and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She survived English boarding school for girls before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her mid-twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDIV from Yale University where she served as co-Chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School.

Tessa was the 2011 winner of New Author of the Year Readers Choice Awards, sponsored by the prestigious Family Fiction Magazine. Her debut novel, Pearl in the Sand, based on the biblical story of Rahab, made the top ten list in the Novel of the Year category of Readers Choice Awards.

Website: http://www.tessaafshar.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/AuthorTessaAfshar

Julie Webb Kelley --Painter of Words, Nurse, Breast Cancer Conqueror

2011-11-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

Everyone's Story warmly welcomes Julie Webb Kelley. When I first stumbled across her writing on her blog, Anti-Writing, Words to Satisfy the Uncommon Soul, my mouth literally fell open and a soft "ooooh" whispered out. Julie is a true artist with her words, painting an awesome landscape to ponder and entertain. Each word is a powerhouse selection that grips and lures the reader into the story. I'm honored Julie is sharing with us a story making its debut appearance entitled COME ON. After reading this inspirational tale, please take a moment and share your thoughts with Julie. She'd love to hear from you.

♡♡And I'd appreciate any new Followers to this blog♡♡

COME ON by Julie Webb Kelley
“Come on,” he says.
I fall behind his vast strides. We’re getting close. I stop.
God takes my hand. “Come on.” A gentle tug moves me back in step.
Within moments we’re facing the swollen mound of flesh blocking the pathway of my life.
Seeing the colossal heap up close overwhelms me. I let my hand fall from his; my legs feel like a bolt of lightning hit them – they buckle and tremble all at once. “It’s hopeless.”
“There’s nothing here that can’t be fixed.” He says.
“A heart should be pink, not grey. It should be pumping, not just sitting there oozing blood and pus . . . and the lid, I can’t get the lid off. It’s stuck.”
“It is worn, but once we unpack it and get the pressure off, it’ll pink up and find its rhythm again.” He is circling the structure, studying the wreckage, witnessing the rusted craters and inflamed holes.
Then, as if distance had never existed, he kneels beside the lifeless receptacle.
I watch as his grand form dwarfs the crusty container and am startled as the God of the universe moves with gentleness and precision upon the surface of my heart. As he stretches his fingers across the lid and drives his nails beneath the lip, I realize that nothing important yet everything that matters most is inside that thing.
“Stop!” I feel separated inside, like his mission isn’t really as pure as he’s letting on, like I want desperately to trust him, but can’t find a way.
He moves closer. “Do not be afraid, I am with you. I am your God . . . I will make you strong and help you.”
The infusion of his Word forces certainty through my veins. I nod.

Again, he works the lid – pulling, lifting, never yanking –until finally with one complete screech it is up and off. A putrid odor assaults us. I cover my nose while he waves me toward the opening, acting like he can’t smell a thing.

“It’s awful.” I say.

“It’ll get better as we clean it out,” he promises.

I reach into the muddled tissue. The slime of anguish is smeared on everything making it difficult to know what’s what. I lift out a rectangular, metal pot. God grabs the other handle, sharing the weight.

I look inside the pot – confusion, distrust, fear, anger, loneliness, betrayal, yearning, emptiness – the stench of my accumulated sorrows forces a million tears to fight for first place behind my eyes.

“I don’t know why I’ve kept this.” I say, releasing it into his hands.

In that moment, the mortal coil within me begins to loosen and I am sure I hear a cry of relief break from his lips. But when I look at him, I see only the mingling of relief and care at the edges of his smile.

Reaching in again, I pull up a gray and crumbling brick. “Take this.”

He wipes the drippy, ooze from the brick, exposing the inscription, reading, “If only.”

I pull out another brick, and, another, and another, and another, handing them all to him. When the last one is in his hands, he asks if I’m sure.

“I’m tired of this wall of regrets, tired of bumping into it at night.”

I reach again -- the malignant smell fighting me. Digging under a damp wad of misery, the thing I’m after is sticky, wedged between tones of sepia tinted disappointment. I yank it free and something inside my chest twists sending distress up my neck and down both arms. The tiny black box is slimy. Its glass surfaces cracked; it emits a flash of light.

“It’s the only one left. I’ve thrown the others away . . . they were shattered, dead . . .” I hold it out.

He takes the square, turning it over in his hands. “I’m glad you kept this one.”

“I didn’t want you to see it. My faith in you is weak and splintered. It’s dying the same way all the other faith died. My faith in myself, it melted away. And my faith in others . . . smashed, like a bulldozer went over it. But that one,” I point at my faith in God, “the light still works once in a while . . . look! There’s another flash.”

“All faith can be renewed.” He says.

I turn toward the echo of the empty structure before us and notice a black crust coating the inside. I pick at it.

“What is this?” I ask.

As God scratches his nails through the sooty, baked-on glaze, I recognize the pressure of his presence within my defective heart scrapping away the worthlessness I’ve worn like a protective varnish.

When he finishes, the still, cold chunk swells with the tension of luster and life. For the first time, I see a pure reflection of myself and I recognize the magnificence of what he has created. This truth snaps my eyelids shut. I stoop to my knees, covering my face, wishing God would go away.

“The absence of my worthlessness leaves nothing but unworthiness pressing at me.” I cry from behind my hands.

I feel him near and am scared to open my eyes. Then it comes to me -- he will never be content to let me be until he has loved me into worth and worthiness. I open my eyes into the face of God; the air around me thins, he’s too close, he’s knows too much. I want to scoot away but I can’t move. His countenance holds me steady as the mystery of grace pours from the radiance of my Father.

As he takes me hand, his delight in me whispers to my heart, “Come on.”

Author Bio:

Julie Webb Kelley is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications. In the last 25 years she has written for newspapers, non-profits, and websites in which she has had numerous articles and short stories published. As a breast cancer conqueror, one of Julie's passions remains writing about issues of women's health and wellness and alternative approaches to medicine.

In 2010, Julie’s novel, Darkness Trembles, was awarded and recognized at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. In 2011, she won awards for her poetry and article writing at the Blue Ridge conference.

Julie worked as an RN and Communication Coordinator in the PICU at The Children's Hospital of IL for 13 years before leaving to join her husband in running their business, Kelley Construction Contractors, Inc. while doing freelance medical writing.

In 2005 Julie was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award in Business as part of the annual Women's Recognition Awards sponsored by the YWCA, Pekin, IL. She was recognized for the outstanding marketing and public relations skills she demonstrated while working at The Children’s Hospital of IL and for Kelley Construction Contractors, Inc.

Julie and Michael have been married for 25 years. They have two daughters: Lauren, 23 and Megan, 13. She resides and writes among the endless cornfields of Central IL.

Julie hosts the blog Anti-Writing, Words to Satisfy the Uncommon Soul and has been heading up and blogging for the Pekin Writers Group since 2009. You can also check out more of her writing at the Kelley Costruction nBlog. Follow her on Twitter @juliewebbkelley.