Ace Collins: What Does Zacchaeus, Trevone Boykin, and Writing Have In Common?

He's back… and Everyone's Story is happy and thrilled to again host author Ace Collins. I hope you will enjoy the many facets of Ace this week, from talented and award-winning author, collector, pro at using clever advertising, to last but not least, a heartfelt writer who always delivers a much needed message. Do check out Ace's awesome BookGiveaways. Both Ace and I look forward to hearing from you!

                    BookGiveaway:

Ace is offering a two-book-BookGiveaway to 2 luck winners! Each package will contain a copy of his novel THE FRUITCAKE MURDERS as well as  a special hardback edition of HOLLYWOOD LOST. The winners will be announced here on Friday, November 20th between 5-6 PM EST. To be entered in the Giveaway, please leave your contact information within your comment (you may choose to use the Contact Me form to privately send me your email address--the form is in the right-hand sidebar on the blog's main page, toward the bottom).

Little Things Really Do Mean A Lot Ace Collins

On October 17, 2015, Iowa State hosted Texas Christian University in football. ISU was struggling while TCU was ranked #3 in the nation. There was no upset on the gridiron that day, the Cyclones fought hard but the Horn Frogs from Fort Worth had little trouble winning the game. The story that resonated with the nation on this afternoon was not what happened on the field, but rather an image of a quarterback kneeling in front of a small child’s wheelchair.

Trevone Boykin is one of the best players in the nation. During his career, he has engineered several late game comebacks and is the principle reason for his team’s high ranking. Therefore it is not surprising that he is one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Yet, during the moments just before kick off on October 17th, the Frog’s signal caller noted a small child sitting in a wheelchair wearing an Iowa State jersey. During the coin toss Boykin asked the child her name and spent a little time getting to know her. A photographer noted the moment and took a picture of the Frog quarterback and the seven-year-old Cyclone fan. That photo went viral. When it appeared on a Twitter feed, Boykin tweeted, “It’s bigger than a game. I love touching young people’s lives.”

The girl in the wheelchair, Abby Faber, has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. There is no cure. Like many who are handicapped, she often gets overlooked or ignored. Even at her tender age, it is something she understands well. Therefore she was just as shocked as the tens of thousands of Iowa State partisans in the stands that one of the nation’s greatest players wanted to know who she was and hear her story.

As I look at the photo of Trevone Boykin kneeling before Abby Faber I am reminded of the biblical story of Zacchaeus. At the time the little man climbed the tree, Jesus was the center of the world’s focus. On that day thousands were lining the road and demanding His attention. Yet, Jesus was not so fixated on where He was going or the fame He was experiencing to miss seeing Zacchaeus. That meeting changed a tax collector’s outlook and taught a lesson that is just as relevant today.

Trevone Boykin going to a knee and getting to know a little girl, coupled with a photographer capturing that moment, has led to more than $25,000 being raised for Abby’s treatment and therapy. The little girl has also received messages from all over the world. Boykin’s simple act has changed Abby’s life and brought a spotlight to the disease that has handicapped her. It has also proven that little things really do mean a lot.

I think vision is the most important element of being a good writer. The same holds true for life. If we get so caught up in our schedules that we fail to note the needs of those around us, we will never really make a lasting impact. So each day we need to stop and look out the window to see who can use three of the most powerful forces on this planet…a kind word, a loving touch and a warm smile. If you don’t believe these three things have the potential to make a mighty impact then ask Abby Faber, Trevone Boykin or Zacchaeus.

Ace's Previous Appearance on Everyone's Story:

When The Dedication Page Inscribes the Heart
What Wyle E. Coyote And A Muti-Award-Winning Author Have In Common
The One Thing We Don't Want An Editor To Say

Ace's Ah-hahs To Tweet:

Like to read whodunits? Hate fruitcake? Visit award-winning author @AceCollins for sweet revenge. (Tweet This)

#SuspenseReaders: Just in time for the hoidays, check out @AceCollins’ special #BookGiveaway. (Tweet This)

@AceCollins: What do Trevone Boykin, Zacchaeus, and #writing have in common? (Tweet This)

Author's Bio:

Citing his Arkansas heritage, Christy Award winning author Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. In that capacity, Ace has authored more than seventy books for 25 different publishers that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children’s works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a network television special and does college basketball play-by-play.

One of Ace’s most talked about books was released in late 2015. The Color of Justice earned the Christy Award winner for Best Suspense Book. This novel is a courtroom drama examining racial prejudice in 1964. Also in 2014, Abingdon released Ace’s Man’s Best Hero at the Book Explo of America. This nonfiction book earned the IndieFab Book of the Year Winner and has generated interest well beyond the dog community.

Beyond books, Ace has penned more than 2000 magazine features, appeared on every network morning television show, as well as CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox. He also does scores of radio interviews each year.

Ace is married to the Chair of the Department of Education at Ouachita Baptist University, Dr. Kathy Collins. The couple lives in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and has two sons.

Places to connect with Ace:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Amazon

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Please note:

--I have a title change for my novel coming soon from Elk Lake Publishing: Always With You.

--I will soon launch a specially designed website that will incorporate Eveyone's Story blog. I hope you will follow me on this new site. When it goes live, I'll make the announcement!

Ace Collins: What Wyle E. Coyote And A Muti-Award-Winning Author Have In Common

Everyone's Story warmly welcomes back Ace Collins. Since the time I've become acquainted with Ace I've watched his writing career grow even bigger with not only additional novels in a relatively short time, but now several awards. Yet, what I personally find the most admirable about Ace is his willingness to respect others and his humility. I hope you enjoy this special presentation with Ace this week. Please check out his special BookGiveaway. Both Ace and I look forward to hearing from you!

BookGiveaway:

Ace is offering 1 copy of  HOLLYWOOD LOST to one randomly chosen commenter and 1 copy of THE COLOR OF JUSTICE to a 2nd randomly chosen commenter. Winners will be announced here on Friday, July 17th between 5-6 PM EST. To enter the Giveaway, please include contact information within your comment.

Questions for Ace Collins

Let’s start with a quote you’re fond of: “An author must have the positive characteristics found in Wyle E. Coyote…imagination, desire and a never give up attitude in the face of constant rejection.” With hindsight, have you built your successive writing career based upon these attributes? Was there a time you almost gave up?

I think my whole life has been built on that philosophy. Wyle E. is actually a very positive creature. No matter what happens he believes the next time he will succeed. He never gives up. That is pretty much the way I am, I never give up on ideas or people. My bestselling book got rejected 27 times over ten years before it found a home.

On giving up…I never really have. I’ve been discouraged, but I seem to snap out of that pretty quickly. I just keep plugging along trying to figure out what the trends are and what the market wants.

Between the spotlights on the 1960s in your novel THE COLOR OF JUSTICE, the movie era of 1936 in HOLLYWOOD LOST, and post-WWII in THE FRUITCAKE MURDERS, among many of your other novels, you seem to have a twinkling for these nostalgic eras. What is it about these time periods that capture your interest?

I love history, always have. After all, what happened in the past really determines what is happening right now. Thus, getting to do a bit of time travel allows me to “live” in various eras and still come home to our modern technology at the end of the day. When I am writing about a specific time period, I try to surround myself with things from that time. That includes magazines, newspapers, radio shows or TV programs and especially the music. I also watch movies from that era to get a handle of word usage and speech patterns.

Would you say you have an “author’s theme” and how does it pop up in your novels?

I think I do, though it is not really intention. My lead characters seem to always be searching for a calling and when they are given it, they almost always try to run from it rather than jumping into it. So I guess you could say that my leads are reluctant heroes.

I also think you will find me trying to tackle a few hot button issues for today, such as racism in THE COLOR OF JUSTICE or when morality collides with the law in THE FRUITCAKE MURDERS, in each of my books. In the past I’ve hit on youth rebellion, assault, abortion, and an unfair court system. So, even if the books are set in a different time, they carry an undercurrent of issues from today.

As of the writing of these questions—two days before the Christy Awards—what life lessons has being nominated the “2015 Suspense Finalist” for THE COLOR OF JUSTICE, as well as a 2015 finalist in the Christian Retailing’s Best Awards for MAN’S BEST HERO: TRUE STORIES OF GREAT AMERICAN DOGS unexpectedly taught you?

Winning a Christy for THE COLOR OF JUSTICE was amazing. I was humbled and stunned. The fact that within a day we added the INDIEFAB Book of the Year (Pets) and Christian Retailing’s Best Award for MAN’S BEST HERO made the first part of the last week in June unbelievable. I will be honest: I didn’t learn anything as much as I had something reinforced. Writing is a team effort. The three awards “we” won were because of not just what I wrote, but because of my agent, the editors, the publicist, sales reps and so many other people. Thus, the better your team the greater your chances are for success. So these awards are really Abingdon’s.

Which comes first to you: plot or character?

It is always plot. I come up with the idea and then create the characters that fit into that situation. An interesting note, I usually come up with book concepts while driving or when I am in church. In the case of the latter that means I have a lot of bulletins in my file cabinet with ideas scribbled on them.

Those cars! Tell us about your amazing car collection.

1934 Auburn

I love classic cars from all eras and used to have more than I have now. I’m down to two. I have a 1934 Auburn 652Y sedan that drives like new. The most amazing thing about this car is that it has never been restored. 

I am current restoring a 1965 Mustang 2+2 (Fastback) that we have had for decades. It was our second car for years and both of our sons drove it in high school. Naturally it is red. A bit of trivia, I think we have owned 14 Mustangs as a family. My wife drives a 2014 right now.

And those pets! Tell us about a fond memory you have of either your dogs or cats.

Ace with Sammy

We have one cat, Tiger, we rescued him when he was abandoned in a culvert when he was about 2 weeks old, a collie that is sister to the current Lassie and another collie who is a rescue dog. Sammy was born blind and has taught me more about sight that anyone I’ve ever known. He is a remarkable dog, always upbeat, always happy and always ready for adventure. People who are around him don’t even realize he can’t see until we tell them.

So many memories that it is hard to choose just one. Hmmm. I think I will go with coming in one night two years ago and seeing our 14 foot Christmas tree dancing. I looked two-thirds of the way up and our cat was swatting at the decorations. I guess I should have filmed it, put it on YouTube and had it go viral.

Without giving this much hard thinking: if you were trapped on a desert island, which three books would you hope you’d packed in your suitcase and why?

You might expect the Bible, but I know it so well I think I can apply its principles without having to take it with me. So here are the other three. I’ve never had the time to read WAR AND PEACE, so why not take it? I love to laugh, so I guess I would pack the complete Mark Twain. And then as my other book I would choose one written in 2009 by Tim O’Shei. It’s called, and I’m not kidding, HOW TO SURVIVE ON A DESERT ISLAND.

Ace's other appearances on Everyone's Story:

The One Thing We Don't Want An Editor To Say

When The Dedication Page Inscribes The Heart

Ace's Ah-hahs To Tweet:

#Writers & #Readers: Visit with #ChristyAward Winner @AceCollins on Everyone’s Story (Tweet This)

A good lesson for all: What does Wyle E. Coyote & @AceCollins have in common? (Tweet This) 

@AceCollins: Lessons from a #ChristyAward author. #BookGiveaway
(Tweet This)

Author's Bio:

Citing his Arkansas heritage, Christy Award winning author Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. In that capacity, Ace has authored more than seventy books for 25 different publishers that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children’s works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a network television special and does college basketball play-by-play.

In 2015, Ace released a new novel, Hollywood Lost, a mystery from Abingdon Fiction set against the backdrop of the motion picture business in 1936. Coming in October is The Fruitcake Murders, a comedy/whodunit set in Chicago in the days just after World War II. Elk Lake continues to release new episodes of In The President’s Service, a groundbreaking series that first hit the market in 2014.

One of Ace’s most talked about books was released in late 2015. The Color of Justice earned the Christy Award winner for Best Suspense Book. This novel is a courtroom drama examining racial prejudice in 1964. Also in 2014, Abingdon released Ace’s Man’s Best Hero at the Book Explo of America. This nonfiction book earned the IndieFab Book of the Year Winner and has generated interest well beyond the dog community.

Ace’s first devotional book, Music For Your Heart, was released in late 2013 and earned numerous five star reviews. A fall novel from the same year, The Cutting Edge, mixed suspense, romance and intrigue in a tale of survival and victory. In the summer of 2013, Ace’s novel, Darkness Before Dawn, was chosen by several different book clubs and publications as one of the top reads of 2013. This novel also made the most inspiring book list on iTunes in July and Hope For Women’s “Top Five Summer Reads.”

In nonfiction, Ace has scored bestsellers with The Cathedrals, Lassie A Dog’s Life, Turn Your Radio On, The Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Father Does Know Best, and The Stories Behind The Great Traditions of Christmas. His books have been made into two network television specials and a CBS movie.

Beyond books, Ace has penned more than 2000 magazine features, appeared on every network morning television show, as well as CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox. He also does scores of radio interviews each year.

Ace is married to the Chair of the Department of Education at Ouachita Baptist University, Dr. Kathy Collins. The couple lives in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and has two sons.

Places to connect with Ace:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Amazon

****Please take a moment to take this month's new Poll: When the first paragraph of a novel loses its grip on you. (found on the right-hand sidebar) Thanks so much!

Ace Collins: When The Dedication Page Inscribes The Heart

Everyone's Story welcomes back author Ace Collins, finalist for the Christy Award for his novel             THE COLOR OF JUSTICE. Congratulations, Ace, on your achievement! Perhaps because I'm a writer and a Christian, I admit I think a lot about life and death. Perhaps we all do. When the two elements collide in an author's life, what impact does it have on the writer? This week Ace shares with us the life and loss of a most beautiful young woman who was called home by our loving God, and what it takes to compose a dedication. Please take a moment for reflection, consider lifting Shelby, her family, and Ace in prayer, and share your thoughts. Also, check out Ace's BookGiveaway and intriguing book trailer. Both Ace and I look forward to hearing from you.

BookGiveaway:
Ace is offering 1 copy of either HOLLYWOOD LOST or THE COLOR OF JUSTICE to 2 randomly chosen commenters. Winners will be announced here on Friday, May 15th between 5-6 PM EST. To enter the Giveaway, please include contact information within your comment.

Dedications by Ace Collins

The dedication page…

When it came to my latest novel, Hollywood Lost, there was absolutely no problem identifying the person I wanted to cite in the dedication. So while “the who” was easy, the real issue was how to adequately paint a word picture of this remarkable young woman in just a sentence or two.

When I met her, Shelby was a freshman at Ouachita Baptist University. Barely five feet tall, this cute brunette was a force of nature. She walked in the door with an “awe shucks” attitude, and even though she did nothing to demand attention, you still couldn’t take your gaze off of her. In other words…she owned every room she entered.

I once described Shelby as squirrel because she would dart from place to place, idea to idea and project to project faster than anyone I’d ever seen. Yet she finished everything she started. She was a talented artist, writer, and dancer. She was imaginative, funny and compassionate. I have only known a handful of people with her drive, enthusiasm and character.

Courtesy of the Shelby Seabaugh family

Shelby was also the most giving person on the campus. She was constantly looking for ways to praise others. She lifted up the downtrodden and thanked everyone she observed doing any act of kindness or goodwill. She made people laugh, think and even sing. She was the caretaker of the misfits and yet the most popular kid too. She was known to say, “Smile away your troubles and they’ll burst like a bubble.” And she smiled away a lot of folks’ troubles, and if that didn’t work, she offered to carry their burdens.

Some folks are candles, some are flashlights, a few are spotlights and then there was Shelby…she was a beacon. By simply being herself she changed hearts, attitudes and lives. And then one night, when she was just twenty-one, she went to sleep and never woke up. And suddenly the world was a much darker place. For a moment it was as if the air had come out of life’s balloon.

I cannot begin to describe the sadness I felt as I contemplated this young woman’s death. A death that even an autopsy could not explain. It overwhelmed me and left me numb. Then I considered the profound affect she had during her life. I thought about all the people she’d had touched, inspired and motivated. As I looked around campus, as I observed those who had known this young woman, I saw Shelby everywhere. Because she lived every moment of everyday with the expressed goal of making a positive impact on others, she was not really gone. There were countless people of all ages carrying around Shelby’s remarkable spirit in their actions and attitudes. That’s how deeply she impacted everyone she met.

So how do you sum up a life like that in a simple book dedication? Perhaps, of the millions of words I’ve written, this was my biggest challenge. In truth, though I spent hours writing and rewriting that dedication, I never did do her justice. In the end I just wrote a brief portion of what she had stamped on my heart during her all too short life.

To Shelby Rebekah Seabaugh, whose spirit lit up every room she entered and who positively changed every life she touched. No one defined joy as completely as she did.

Writing a book is not that hard, but composing a dedication is impossible when it’s focused on a person who blessed me and countless others in ways beyond my abilities as an author to describe.

Check out Ace's first appearance on Everyone's Story, The One Thing We Don't Want An Editor To Say.

Ace's Ah-hahs To Tweet:

Everyone’s Story: Visit with #ChristyAward Finalist @AceCollins #BookGiveaway (Tweet This)

Authors: @AceCollins asks which is tougher, writing a book or writing a dedication? (Tweet This)

@AceCollins: When writing an unexpected dedication can break you heart. (Tweet This)

Author's Bio:

Citing his Arkansas heritage, Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. In that capacity, Ace Collins has authored more than seventy books for 25 different publishers that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children’s works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a network television special and does college basketball play-by-play.

In 2014 Ace is releasing Man’s Best Hero, a book on dog heroes, a courtroom novel, The Color of Justice, that examines racial prejudice in 1964, and a groundbreaking ebook series, In The President’s Service, that provides readers with a new adventure each month. He has several more novels set for release in 2015 and one of his books was just optioned for a motion picture. His fiction writing has covered everything from value-driven plots, to adventures, mysteries, historical stories, sentimental tales and comedy.

Beyond his fiction and nonfiction books, Collins has penned more than 2000 magazine features, appeared on every network morning television show, as well as CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox. He also does scores of radio interviews each year. His speaking engagements have taken him from churches and corporations to the America’s Dog Museum in St. Louis and the National Archives in Washington DC. Collins has penned several production shows and speaks to college classes on the art of writing.

Collins’ hobbies include sports, restoring classic cars, Wurlitzer jukeboxes and running. He is married to the Chair of the Department of Education at Ouachita Baptist University. The couple lives in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and has two sons.

Places to connect with Ace:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Amazon

***I'll love for you to take a moment and take this month's short poll on the right-hand sidebar. Thanks so much.