Friday, August 10, 2012

Jillian Kent: Never Give Up Your Dreams--But Throw In Some R&R Too

I became acquainted with Jillian when I won her debut novel SECRETS OF THE HEART in a book giveaway featured on another blog. When I received the book I was delighted to find her autograph with the Biblical verse 2 Timothy 1:7--For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid but gives us power, love and self-dsicipline (NIV). I don't know about you, but I welcome those words, and on a daily basis! Seeking to know more about Jillian, I explored her website, really liked what I saw, and invited her to be my guest. I hope you also enjoy your visit with Jillian.


Book Giveaway:

Jill is offering a special giveaway offer. One randomly chosen commenter will receive both SECRETS OF THE HEART (Book 1) and CHAMELEON (Book 2) of the Ravensmoore Chronicles Series. Family Fiction Magazine describes Jill's novels as stories of romance and suspense, and RT Book Reviews Magazine says her characters are lively and well defined.

For contact purposes only, please include your email address within the body of your comment. The winner will be announced on August 17th.




My Personal Writing Retreat: Before, During, and After 
by Jillian Kent

I took my very first personal writing retreat near the end of May this year to finish the third book in my Ravensmoore Chronicles series, Mystery of the Heart, which releases in January 2013.

I walked up and down a long beautiful road every evening, thinking about very little after spending most of the day writing and knowing the evening would be spent writing as well. There were horses and deer everywhere. 

I wasn't sure what to expect since I'd never been to this retreat center. I've never been to any retreat center to stay more than one day. A trusted friend suggested I try it. I stayed an entire week at Potter's Ranch

My cabin was awesome. I brought snacks and breakfast food with me and joined the staff and other guests for lunch and dinner every day at the lodge. There was no television channels but I could watch DVDs. The only thing I brought with me was season one of Downton Abbey. I watched the entire season again but only after I'd met my necessary quota of words for the 
day. :)

One of the horses at Potter's Ranch
I realize that everyone cannot get away from their homes to take a writing retreat. Here is why I went:

  1. To finish the book.
  2. To eliminate distractions
  3. To get away from my typical routine.
During the week I was at Potter's Ranch I:

  1. Spent more time in prayer.
  2. Found my focus.
  3. Accomplished what I set out to do.
When I returned home I had a better sense of

  1. What success means to me.
  2.  How to hang on to my peace.
  3. How to unplug and enjoy.
 I hope you will treat yourself well and think of doing something similar for yourself down the road. We can't always run away from home, but with some good planning you can find a way. Maybe you can't get away for a week but even a couple of days will bless you. And if you can't get away from home try to get out of the house and write at your local library, coffee shop, on your lunch break from your day job.

I recently had to give up my home office when one of my children moved back home. So now my desk is in the dining room! I bought a room divider and headset for my music. So even in a crowded house I can still have my personal space.

Now that I've had my retreat I'm looking for ways to keep retreat alive in my daily life. What about you? Have you enjoyed a personal retreat of some kind? What did you learn? How and where do you get your writing done most of the time? What are your challenges?

~*~
Author’s Bio:
Jillian Kent is a full-time counselor for nursing students and holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from West Virginia University. Her third book in The Ravensmoore Chronicle Series, Mystery of the Heart, releases in January 2013. She’s fascinated with human behavior, how the mind works, and why we do the things we do. Jillian resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband of 31 years, her 87-year-old mother, and an adult daughter who is an animal advocate, which is why there are four cats and a dog in the house as well. Her youngest daughter is working in the mission field.

You Can Find Jillian At:
www.jilliankent.com  Website
http://jilliankent.blogspot.com/ Blog
http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Kent/e/B004IC9TLM/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0  Amazon Author Page
http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/brilliant.html  The Well Writer/Christian Fiction On-line Magazine
http://justthewritecharisma.blogspot.com/  Realms Authors
http://www.rachellegardner.com/   Jill's agent Rachelle Gardner’s blog.  


31 comments:

  1. Sounds like a retreat would be an awesome time to refocus, get some writing done and have quality God-time...I would love that :-) Glad you were able to do that Jillian...sounds like you had a great time!

    So far the only place I've written is up in my bedroom/office(which has enough room for my desk and computer). I think I would feel more inspired creatively if I 'changed it up' once in awhile. I've never been on a retreat, but maybe I could start small...do a one day getaway or even try writing in a coffee shop. Hmmm...that would probably help:) I think sometimes I feel uninspired with the same old place, routine,etc. Sometimes too our teenagers like to be a little too loud...but they are starting to remember mom's need for quietness when writing:)

    I would love to be entered for a chance to win your books:) I've never read your books before, but I really love romance and suspense! BTW love your book cover...it draws my curiousity :-)

    Thanks Elaine for having Jillian as a guest and thanks Jillian for a great post!

    hugs,
    Lorna

    lornafaith at gmail dot com

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    1. Lorna, I really enjoy your visits here :) If it makes you feel better, I don't have an office but do have a desk in my kitchen. Yet, ever since I discovered the joys of using a router for my internet service I've propped myself on the sofa to enjoy the purr and snuggle of my 17-year-old cat. The closest I've come to a writer's retreat was this past spring when I ducked away for a holiday weekend with my father in Vermont. I had a room to myself, and although I didn't spend tons of time writing, did find it very freeing.

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    2. I enjoy coming here too Elaine :-) That is encouraging to know that you don't have the "perfect office space" either... I don't feel so alone in my 'cramped' writing space;(

      I do take my ipad and sit on the couch with our dog(I love the snuggles too:), it works with the wireless connection, but I don't have my 'book' on there. I often write blog posts on there...so that works. Glad you had a nice holiday in Vermont, Elaine...that would feel freeing to have a room to yourself and quietness :-) Can't wait until I can do something like that!

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    3. Lorna, just last week I bought myself an iPad for a birthday present. I never spent that kind of money on myself for presents... but for a host of reasons I decided to "just do it" without the guilt, for a change I'm still learning a lot of what to do on it, but glad to know that you use yours for composting blog posts!

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  2. I enjoyed reading your post, Jillian, but I've got to be honest and tell you I'm jealous of your writing retreat!!!

    I like the cover of "Chamelion"

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    1. Hi Julie! Jillian's covers (check out her website to see the cover of her first book!) are lovely, I agree.

      I'm looking forward to hosting you next week :)

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    2. I can't wait to see what the cover will be for Mystery of the Heart. The anticipation is always fun and a little scary too.

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  3. Hi Elaine! Hi Everyone!
    Thanks so much for having me here on your awesome blog. I've got to tell what a crazy week it's been. I've been back at my day job for 2 weeks now. Getting ready for the college students to return is always a super busy time. My hubby was driving home Tuesday night and the car died in the fast lane on the interstate. All is well, no accident, but it was so scary for him, and then for me when he called. I'm now ready for another retreat! :)

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    1. Jillian, I'm relieved and thankful that you & your husband are both okay! That must have been scary. Sigh. I can relate to crazy times... fighting a migraine while working & then coming home to lose power just when I went to post your blog segment wasn't fun. Ack. Let's forget life & head to the proverbial hills for a retreat. Wait. If we forget life, then there would be nothing to write about, right? LOL. May the rest of your work weeks this school term go super well.

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    2. I just realized I could click the reply button for everyone individually. Sorry about that. I'm trying to get my blog formatted so I can do that too. Much friendlier way to communicate. Don't you hate losing power? It's such a pain. Our computers at work have been upgraded and although switching from XP to Windows 2010, I think, probably isn't a big deal for most, it will be a learning curve for me.

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    3. Re: losing power--when my husband & I first moved to this rural area seemed we lost power whenever anyone sneezed, now it's not too bad. Heavy rain storms had a tree crash down on a wire this afternoon. Funny, I'd praised God for the quiet upon arriving home after a noisy day and I think He went one step further and really gave me the quiet of losing power!

      As for computers, everything is a learning curve. Just got an iPad & do I need to learn a whole bunch of more computer stuff.

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  4. Hi Lorna,
    I highly recommend getting out of the house whenever you can. Any change of scenery is nice and I think it boots up our creativity whether we realize it or not. What genre are you writing in?

    I just got my substantial edit back and it looks to be in good shape but I'll still tweak it over the weekend. So book three, Mystery of the Heart is well on it's way to publication.

    Hi Julie,
    I hear you, but don't be jealous. I've been writing for twenty two years or so and though I've been to a lot of conferences, etc. I've never been on what I would call a true writing retreat until this experience in May. So glad you like the cover!

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    1. I think I will take your advice Jillian, and at the very least borrow my husband's laptop and go writing at a local coffeeshop. I think a change of scenery is exactly what I need...thanks for the idea:)

      I just finished the 1st draft of a historical romance ...with a twist...it also includes God's supernatural realm(dreams, visions, angel-visits, etc.:)...so now I'm doing editing and rewrites. And I have to say I'm finding it all a bit intimidating;(...In a month I'll be bringing to a professional editor...so I guess we'll see how it's looking then:) Sounds like you've been doing the same thing...:)

      have a great weekend Jillian...thanks for sharing with all of us!

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    2. Love those historical romance novels, especially the ones with a twist. :) I've discovered while writing my last three novels that this work is not for the, hmm, how should I say it, non-tenacious. Sounds like you are doing fun things. Don't be intimidated, be courageous, even when you're intimidated.:) Have fun visiting your local coffee shops.

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  5. i have taken personal retreats three times. I took my husband with me, and we enjoyed the time away. The first time, the area was so gorgeous and there was a huge window in the hotel room that overlooked the mountain. It was so pretty, I had trouble writing insteadof staring out the window. But, even if you can't get away from home, there are ways to relax and empty your mind so that you can gain more focus when you work.
    caroline@carolineclemmons.com

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    1. Always a joy having you visit, Caroline :) Can't wait to visit with you face-to-face next month!

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    2. Hi Caroline,
      I haven't thought about being so distracted by the view that it would be difficult to write. If I went somewhere that lovely I think I'd forget the writing and just enjoy. :) One great way to relax is to go get a massage and I'm doing that tomorrow. It's also nice just to soak in a warm bath and dream. With the creativity of us writers we should be good at that.

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  6. Pretty much every day is a retreat at my house since all of the kids have moved out. But there are so many distractions that sometimes I'd like to spend a week without internet, tv, telephone and just listen and write.
    Diana
    dlbrandmeyer @gmail.com

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    1. Hi Diana,
      You need to unplug! Michael Hyatt was just talking about that recently at his blog. Maybe just try a week without television and see how that goes before you go cold turkey.:)

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    2. Diana, welcome back. I'm not sure whether I'd like to totally escape from email & the internet (since it's mainly writing buddies or writing related I find these more as comfort than distractions), but these days with such little time available I am really trying to become more focused, prioritized, and disciplined.

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  8. i am not a writer, but i know we all need to recharge. Today i spent the day by myself in town, doing volunteer work for the Health Unit. Came home relaxed and read to face life again. i don't have TV, and i mostly cut out Facebook. i am on the internet in the morning while i have my coffee, and in the evening while i am relaxing from a day of work! i forgot to include my email address on my first comment, so here it is mitziUNDERSCOREwanhamATyahooDOTcom

    August 10, 2012

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    1. Marianne, nice to see you, as always. I'm honored that with the little time you spend on the internet that you visit this little corner of the world. That means so much too me ♡

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    2. Hi Marianne,
      If you don't have tv you are missing a zillion commercials that work to influence our lives. Good for you! I love the way your volunteer work aids in your refreshment. You're living girl!

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  9. Hmmm...I would love a retreat. I value my mini-retreats, going for coffee to pray. At this stage of life with 2 little ones I think I just need to be thankful for that. But hopefully someday I'll be able to take a writing retreat. Sounds blissful.

    julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Julia,
      Glad you are taking care of yourself with mini-retreats. Moms need all the breaks they can get. Think ahead of time with approaching birthday and holidays, etc. A day at the spa would be nice. Enjoy this time with the little ones and study your craft.

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    2. Julia, nice to see you here on Everyone's Story :)

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  10. Hey Gang,
    I just thought of another post I wrote a couple years ago about self-care. The counselor in me is slipping out. Here you go: http://jilliankent.blogspot.com/2010/11/develop-mission-statement-for-self-care.html

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    1. Jillian, this is a wonderful post. Thanks for sharing it with us. It really packs a punch & I'l be Tweeting it for you.

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    2. Thanks Elaine. Glad you like it.

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  11. Thank you, Jillian, for a fabulous week on Everyone's Story, and for being such an awesome guest. From the looks of it, you've gained quite a few new fans :) Also, thanks for a wonderful book giveaway package!

    And, without further suspense, the winner of Jillian Kent's Books 1 & 2 of the Ravensmoore Chronicle Series is Diana Brandmeyer. Diana, Jillian & I will contact you in a direct email shortly. Happy reading!

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