News Tidbits

Recent happenings with my books:

1. My backlist is finally getting Kindle-ized. So far these include Dark Pursuit, Exposure, the first three of the four Kanner Lake novels (Violet Dawn, Coral Moon, Crimson Eve), and all four Hidden Faces titles (Brink of Death, Stain of Guilt, Dead of Night, Web of Lies). The only suspense novels remaining to go to Kindle are the two Chelsea Adams books, Eyes of Elisha and Dread Champion, and Amber Morn, fourth in the Kanner Lake series. (Don't know why that one's lagging.) Here is my page on amazon, from where you can explore the various titles. Kindle editions are $9.99 and less--not much less than the great deals amazon gives on my paperbacks. But you get the book in about 30 seconds.

2. Amberly and I have done a couple radio interviews about Always Watching and will do a third--live--on Friday. The first two, Words of Faith and Author's Corner, aren't online yet. I'll alert you when they are. Friday's live interview is with WPOS-FM, a Christian station in Holland, OH, for a special Friday Reading Adventure on their show “LightLine.”

3. The "Live Like a Rock Star" sweepstakes for Always Watching continues for a few more weeks. It's open to teens age 13-18. Grand prize is an $850 night on the town for the winner and five friends, including dinner and limo. Teens can enter the sweepstakes here. (View the trailer for Always Watching on this blog's sidebar.)

4. Amberly and I will be signing copies of Always Watching on the ICRS floor on Monday, July 13 at 9:30 a.m. Current plans are for me to sign copies of Exposure at the same time.

5. Some recent reviews for Exposure:

“Brandilyn Collins, the queen of Seatbelt Suspense®, certainly lives up to her well-deserved reputation. Exposure has more twists and turns than a Coney Island roller coaster … Intertwining storylines collide in this action-packed drama of suspense and intrigue. Highly recommended.” -- CBA Retailers + Resources

"Captivating ... the alternating plot lines and compelling characters in Exposure will capture the reader's attention, but the twist of events at the end is most rewarding."
-- Christian Retailing

“… a hefty dose of action and suspense with a superb conclusion.”
-- RT Bookreviews

“Mesmerizing mystery …a fast-paced, twisting tale of desperate choices.”
-- TitleTrakk.com

“[Collins is] a master of her craft … intensity, tension, high-caliber suspense, and engaging mystery.”
-- The Christian Manifesto

6. I am desperately trying to finish the draft for my current manuscript by the end of this month, as I have little time to write in July due to my travel schedule. This book, featuring skip tracer Joanne Weeks, is a stand-alone and will be released next summer. We're still noodling on the title.

7. After this book is finished I will immediately turn to writing book #3 in the Rayne Tour series, with Amberly editing. This book, also untitled at the moment, will release next spring.

8. My next release is Last Breath, book #2 in the Rayne Tour series (written with daughter Amberly). It starts shipping in early September, hitting all shelves by beginning of October.

9. To keep up on my news, plus read about new releases in all genres of Christian fiction, please sign up to receive my newsletter, Sneak Pique. (Sign-up is in right sidebar.) Sneak Pique is e-mailed every other month. Issues always include chances to win copies of my books. Readers can also e-mail questions about Christian novelists, and I'll try to find the answers.

You have a piece of news you want to tell us about? (Yes, that includes you, Facebook and Twitter pals.) Put it in the comments.

Heightening Character Emotions

One of the hardest challenges we novelists face is portraying characters’ emotions fully and completely. Often we don’t go deep enough. Oh, the novel may be published. But the scenes don’t ring as true to life as they could have done, don’t grab the reader by the neck and pull him into the story. How can we dig deeper?

By exploring all the “colors” of human emotions in our stories.

One common weakness is to portray each emotion as an entity unto itself. In real life, human emotions are much more convoluted. Think of an emotion as a necklace of little beads. Standing back from the necklace, you might see it as basically yellow. But come closer and you’ll distinguish the beads that make the overall appearance. Many beads will be yellow, although in various shades. But others may be green or blue or red, even black. In the same way, any human emotion is comprised of many smaller and varied feelings, sometimes even contradictory ones. Too often as writers, we “stand back” from our characters’ emotions, and see only its main color.

If you want to portray an emotion to its utmost, focus not on the emotion itself, but on the varied “colors” that comprise it.

Often you can go all the way with this—even to portraying the emotion’s opposite. Does your protagonist love someone deeply? Then take that character to a moment of hatred for that person. Yes, love can reveal itself through hate, given the right circumstances. But this has to unfold naturally, as one conflict after another arises, and many other feelings will come between the love and hate. In the same way joy can reveal itself through sorrow, courage through fear, trust through doubt.

Sometimes you can even take the character’s emotion to its opposite in one key scene. Let’s say your character, a middle-aged woman, is deeply in love with her husband. In the last few months, however, he’s begun to treat her badly, staying out late at night with no explanation, ignoring her needs. She’s afraid he’s having an affair. Still, she’s been patient, often saying how much she loves him and trying her best to meet all his needs. Finally she decides this has continued long enough. She must woo her husband back. One night she makes a special dinner for him and squeezes herself into a sexy dress. She has extracted from him the absolute promise that he’ll come home immediately from work. But he fails to arrive on time. She waits. The dinner grows cold. She grows cold in her skimpy dress and adds a sweater. Takes off her high heels. An hour passes. She paces and paces, looking out the window, worrying, wondering. Still he doesn’t show. In time she cries, then cries some more.

After awhile the tears dry up, and then she grows angry. She vows she won’t love him anymore. He doesn’t deserve her! She stomps around the room, throwing at his imagined form all the awful accusations she’s held back over the last few months. Finally she sinks into the couch, spent. Only then does she hear his car in the driveway. Her anger rises again. She faces the front door, waiting, standing stiffly, her breath ragged and her make-up smeared. He eases into the room carrying a dozen red roses. Seeing her expression, he stops in his tracks. Meekly, he holds the roses out to her, saying, “I love you.”

Two hours ago she would have accepted them with tears in her eyes. Now she glares at him with pure, unadulterated hatred. With one sweep of her arm, she knocks the roses out of his hands and onto the floor.

Any doubt this woman loves her husband?

Look at all the “colors” of love this scene portrays. Before the scene even begins it’s based on the woman’s fear of losing her husband. The scene then starts with determination, and goes on to anticipation. Slowly it morphs into discomfort … impatience … mild concern … then absolute worry. The worry cycles her back to fear. The fear is now even deeper than before, because he promised to be home on time, and because she anticipated such a different outcome for the evening. This heightened level of fear leads to deep anger. The anger is sustainable for awhile, then peters out, ending in real tiredness—emotional and physical. The woman may feel she’s totally spent—until the husband comes home. Then all the anger storms back even greater than before. It reaches its peak at the presentation of the roses. As if last-minute flowers could make up for what her husband has put her through. In that moment the anger fractionates into its own multiplicity of colors—a sense of injustice, bitterness, blame, self-denigration at how she’s being treated. Finally, all those emotions swirl together into hatred. The hatred won’t last long. In the next scene she may be crying over her husband all over again. But in that instant the hatred is true and real. And the reader will feel it.

These varying “colors” can be shown through the character’s movement, vocal inflection, perception, and words. Not via the easy way--simply naming them.

It’s easy to look at the above example and say, “Yeah, that all makes sense.” It’s much harder to look at the scenes we’ve written with a critical eye. Does each one effectively portray all the varying “colors” of the overall emotion in the scene? I’m not talking about creating over-the-top drama for drama’s sake. I’m talking about understanding your character—and human nature—deeply enough to know all the “colors” that would naturally arise as a result of the conflicts within the scene. Also look at your novel as a whole. Do your character’s emotions seem too much of one thing? Then find where you can create additional conflict that would naturally lead to more heightened and varied emotion.
----------------------

Adapted from Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors. Post first run on Novel Journey, April 7, 2008.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Ghostwriter
FaithWords (May 28, 2009)
by
Travis Thrasher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


It was during third grade after a teacher encouraged him in his writing and as he read through The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis that Travis decided he wanted to be a writer. The dream never left him, and allowed him to fulfill that dream of writing fulltime in 2007.

Travis Thrasher is the author of numerous works of fiction, including his most personal and perhaps his deepest work, Sky Blue, that was published in summer of 2007. This year he has to novels published, Out of the Devil’s Mouth, and a supernatural thriller, Isolation.

Travis is married to Sharon and they are the proud parents of Kylie, born in November, 2006, and Hailey, a Shih-Tzu that looks like an Ewok. They live in suburban Chicago.

Stop by and visit Travis at his Blog where you can sign up to follow him on Facebook and Twitter!

Also check out the radio interview with Travis on Monday June 8th at BlogTalkRadio/FaithWords


ABOUT THE BOOK

For years Dennis Shore has thrilled readers with his spooky bestselling novels. Now a widower, Dennis is finally alone in his house, his daughter attending college out of state. When he's stricken by a paralyzing case of writer's block and a looming deadline, Dennis becomes desperate. Against better judgment, he claims someone else's writing as his own, accepting undeserved accolades for the stolen work. He thinks he's gotten away with it . . . until he's greeted by a young man named Cillian Reed--the true author of the stolen manuscript.

What begins as a minor case of harassment quickly spirals out of control. As Cillian's threats escalate, Dennis finds himself on the brink of losing his career, his sanity, and even his life. The horror he's spent years writing about has arrived on his doorstep, and Dennis has nowhere to run.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ghostwriter, go HERE.

The Wrong Question

Three nights ago God woke me out of a sound sleep with a Word. Actually, five words. Spoken in a precise, loud sentence--a sentence that reverberated in me as I lay in bed. And reverberates within me still.

Many of you know about my healing from Lyme Disease six years ago. (If you haven't read the story, you can click the link "My Healing" above.) In the space of an hour that day six years ago I went from crippled to completely well. A true New Testament healing.

That testimony has been on my Web site ever since, and people all over the world have read it. I've received many e-mails as a result from people who are fighting that terrible disease or some other. Many have asked me to pray for them, and I've added their names to my prayer card. As a result of that healing within me, God has since given me a healing prayer ministry of my own.

Last fall I began feeling tired. It crept up little by little. By January I was really fighting something. I thought maybe it was underactive thyroid. I was exhausted, falling into depression (which is not typically a problem with me). In later February I tanked. My ability to think went away. I tried to laugh about it--saying my brain was on dial-up. Writing a blog post, e-mail, anything meant staring at the screen, trying to remember what it was I'd been trying to do. My speech would stop mid-sentence, as I couldn't think of a very simple word. I couldn't get through the day without lots of rest. My neck didn't want to hold up my head. Weird.

Thyroid tests came back normal. Then one day the old symptoms hit--the aching muscles, arthritic joints, burning on the bottom of my feet, week knees, a tippiness to my body. Running had been long out of the question. Now I was having trouble walking.

I knew it--I'd gotten Lyme again.

I went for tests, and everything wrong happened. After waiting for weeks for results, I found the doctor hadn't ordered a complete set of tests, and I had to go through the process all over again. But I knew. There is no feeling in the world like Lyme enervation, Lyme pain. I knew those symptoms.

I went to Mount Hermon, where I was scheduled to teach a mentoring clinic in the mornings. I didn't know how I would manage the walking. Or thinking to teach. I asked God for a miracle to get me through. During the conference the director asked for prayer for me. Mt. Hermon, as well as ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), had been a major part of praying for my healing six years ago. I'd expected to attend Mt. Hermon and say nothing to anyone, since technically I didn't know for sure. I didn't have test results yet. But God outed me through the director's announcement, asking for prayer for me.

Man, did I cringe when that word got out. I didn't want people to know. What was I supposed to tell them? God had so miraculously healed me of the same disease six years ago. Why would I get it again?

Now I see that God wanted those dear people at the conference to pray for me. And pray they did. A few came up to me and prayed for me privately--God-sent individuals.

During the conference I became stronger. I did my morning classes fine, then rested in the cabin the entire rest of the day (except for lunch and dinner, when I had to host a table.) I went to no night meeting, did no hanging out with anyone. Just rested. (Except for the final night--the book signing, when I gave Hissy back to Deb. Heh-heh.)

After Mt. Hermon I received the test results. Positive. Different tests showed I had quite a high germ load. I was going to have another difficult battle. Sure enough, I went downhill again. Trouble walking, trouble thinking. I went to the doc to start treatment and came out so depressed. Not until that appointment did I realize how bad I'd become. I could barely follow simple directions he gave me as tests for my body and brain. And of course I could barely write. By this time I'd lost about three months of writing time.

I started treatment in the second part of April. Back to the regimen of high doses of antibiotics and loads of supplements. About 50 pills a day in all, portioned out in six doses throughout the day. You can't take this with that, this has to be taken with food, don't take that with food, separate this one from that one by four hours ... It's a puzzle just to figure out the pill-taking schedule.

In mid-May my book signing was coming up for Exposure. I didn't know how I'd be able to travel and do that signing. But about 10 days before that trip, I started getting better. And better and better--right up until now. For the past two weeks I've been pretty much symptom-free. I've even started running again--a few miles a day until I build back up to my regular regimen.

Looks like God has healed me again. Differently this time. Not in an hour, but still very quickly for Lyme. My doc, last time I saw him, said I'm "rare." He said he wished he knew what it is in my body that "fights the Lyme so well." It's not in my body. It's God.

During these months since January I've been asking God why? Why would I get Lyme again when He'd so miraculously healed me? Then when I got better so quickly--why have You healed me again? Why did You have me get sick, just to make me better so quickly? And why haven't You done the same for many sick people for whom I've been praying for months, some for years? I'm no more deserving of healing than they are. In fact, I'm the least deserving. So why?

In my defense--even as I asked the why question, I'd always follow it with, "I don't understand, but I trust You." And I meant it. I do trust God. His ways are higher than ours. I'm a mere fallible human. How can I possibly understand the mind of the God who created the universe? It's arrogant to think I can.

Then--the sentence from God three nights ago:

Don't ask WHY. Ask HOW.

Whoa, did that wake me up!

God has a way of helping us understand His cryptic meanings. I got it--fast. God was saying I'm wasting my time asking why, even if I am following that question with a declaration of trust. If I really trust God, why am I asking why in the first place? Every time a why question pops into my head, God wants me to ask a how question instead. How can I learn from this, God? How do You want me to respond to this? How can I use this for Your glory in my life? In others' lives? How can I better listen to You? How do you want me to pray for so-and-so who's still fighting an illness? How. How. How.

I don't know why I went through Lyme--again--these past months. I do know God will use it--for me and others. He's already using it in my life to draw me closer to Him. He's teaching me to ask how.

I have a strong sense this word from God is for someone else out there, too. God is efficient, after all. One person's lesson is often taught for many.

Are you asking why when you should be asking how?

New Issue of Christian Fiction Online Magazine

The new issue of Christian Fiction Online Magazine is out. My "Making a Scene" column this month is Part II of a look at symbolism in fiction. Don't miss the cover article on Dale Cramer, who is a wonderful writer.

You'll find many helpful articles about the craft and business of fiction. Happy reading.

Twitter/Facebook

I'm continuing to make good use of Twitter and Facebook as part of my overall marketing. Both media are a great way to connect with readers old and new. And with my Twitter account feeding to Facebook, the tweets themselves keep my Facebook page active.

Facebook is also an effective partner with Twitter because people can send you a longer, private message. Here are three I've received recently about new fans on Facebook:

1. I used to read all the time as a kid. I read R.L. Stine books. I loved how he wrote. Then I went to college and stopped reading ... Then one day a lady my mom used to work with finished Ted Dekker's book "Thr3e" and gave it to my mom to read. She said read this, you will like it. It's a Christian book. My mom said, "And I would like this because?????" The friend said no seriously read it, it is really good. So, my mom read it and and liked it. Then I bought it, read it, and liked it. I went to the book store and said I got through reading Ted Dekker's book "Thr3e" and I like it, is there any one else like that? And she look into the computer and said yes, Brandilyn Collins. I said ok thank you. My first book of yours I read was "Brink Of Death," then "Stain Of Guilt" and now I am reading "Dead Of Night,"then next on my list will be "Web Of Lies," then onto "Exposure." You are my favorite author by far. Now, I admit, I don't go to church, but I do believe in God, and I love how you incorporate suspense with believing in God, and how that can get you through tough times.

2. My husband has never been a reader. However, after seeing me stay up night after night to finish your awesome books, he decided he needed to see what was so interesting. LOL. He is now hooked!! He finished Exposure and is on Stain of Guilt. Read through Brink of Death in about 3 days. So a big thank you!! It is fun to have something to talk about with him other than the 'normal' conversations of life:)

3. I just "discovered" you yesterday on the CBN site. So encouraging to hear about your healing from lyme, and gives me hope that there will be healing for my son and myself as well. I am excited to get into your books, I love to read!

(This third one refers to my taping for The 700 Club, which covered my healing from Lyme Disease.)

On Twitter I hear from readers every day. Remember, these tweets are public to all who follow the tweeter. So receiving such tweets is like receiving favorable public reviews. Here are a few recent examples:

1. Finished EXPOSURE by @Brandilyn. Wow, what a ride! In the end, I wept. In my big honkin' pickup truck. At a tower site. Really.

2. Noon walk: long way to library to pick up GETTING INTO CHARACTER by @brandilyn (7 secrets a novelist can learn from actors)-starting to read.

3. @Brandilyn My mil LOVED your bk, Dark Pursuit, for Mom's Day :) Exposure going out this wk. for bday :) :) :)

If you are a published author and are not yet on Twitter, I encourage you to start an account. It takes time at first to build followers. But at this point--I'm around 4400 followers now--my follow/unfollow is all automated. I don't have to do anything to get followers--they find me, and my account increases.

By the way, I have fun on Twitter/Facebook too. On Tuesday I sent this tweet: "Whoa! Just saw a brown bear run across my backyard. Cool. Last bear sighting was 3 years ago." The tweet prompted almost 30 comments on my Facebook page about wild animal craziness, including a gal who claimed her cat thinks he's a rattlesnake and an alligator. I told her it's time to get a dog.

My Today's Word goes out automatically (through Tweetlater) at 8 a.m. Pacific time. Folks on both Twitter and Facebook enjoy making a sentence with Today's Word. Some on Twitter (@jamesscottbell is the main culprit who started it all) enjoy butchering the use of Today's Word. Jim's sentence for yesterday's word: COEVAL (which means of same age/duration or occurring at same time) went like this: @Brandilyn When two beetles eat the same cotton bud, it's a coeval disaster.

An important marketing statistic: When I tweet about my blog post with a link, I see about a 30% rise in viewers for that post. Now that my blog has been updated, new F&F readers clicking over from Twitter/Facebook will immediately see the covers of my new releases, the trailer for Always Watching, how to join my Facebook fan group, etc.

Yesterday Brian Hanson of CustomTwit created a new theme for my Twitter account in just a few hours. I hired him in the afternoon, and bam, he got right on the job. Check out his work on my page. He used graphics from my Web site to create a seamless look for me. Most impressive is the fact that he could upload a new design at all. Twitter upload ability has been broken for months. Brian knows how to override Twitter and make it work anyway. My months-long frustration in needing a new design was put to rest in a few hours' time. Now when people check out my profile on Twitter, they'll see the covers of all my books, including the latest releases.

Scream

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Scream
Realms (March 3, 2009)
by
Mike Dellosso

I have not read this book yet but certainly plan to. I enjoyed Mike's first novel. This is his second. We did a two-part post about Mike here on F&F--From the Valley--in which he talked about his journey toward publication and his fight with cancer. Part I is here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Mike now lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Jen, and their three daughters. He writes a monthly column for Writer...Interrupted.

He was a newspaper correspondent/columnist for over three years and has published several articles for The Candle of Prayer inspirational booklets. Mike also has edited and contributed to numerous Christian-themed Web sites and e-newsletters.

Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, the Relief Writer's Network, and International Thriller Writers. He received his BA degree in sports exercise and medicine from Messiah College and his MBS degree in theology from Master's Graduate School of Divinity.

ABOUT THE BOOK


Otherworldly Screams...
A Madman on the Loose...
This Time the Stakes Are Higher Than Ever

While talking to his friend on the phone, Mark Stone is startled by a cacophony of otherworldly screams. Seconds later, a tragic accident claims his friend's life. When this happens several more times--screams followed by an untimely death--he is compelled to act.

Battling his failure as a husband and struggling with his own damaged faith, Mark embarks on a mission to find the meaning behind the screams and hopefully stop death from calling on its next victim. When his estranged wife is kidnapped and he again hears the screams as she calls from her cell phone, his search becomes much more personal and much more urgent.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Scream, go HERE.

Forensics and Faith Has a New Look!

Like the new duds?

Kelli Standish and her crew at PulsePoint Design have done a fantastic job. Dare you to find another blogger site with this many bells and whistles. Some of these graphics require a little techie knowledge to understand just how great they are. Note:

1. The navigation bar, complete with drop down menu items that links back to my web site. Drop down menus are common on Web sites. Not, so I hear, on blogger.

2. A custom Twitter feed with cool forensics touches.

3. Facebook badge that links directly to my fan club. (If you haven't joined--you now have no excuse.)

4. A flash animated widget of my new and upcoming books. Hyperlinked to the books' pages on my Web site.

5. A custom YouTube widget that plays the trailer for Always Watching right on the blog.

6. A "Browse Inside" widget from Zondervan that allows you to read a sample of Always Watching.

7. "Big Honkin Chicken's Club" badge that links directly to the BHCC page. (Too chicken to read my novels? Visit the page.)

8. Custom drop-down boxes for popular posts, subscription, and craft and industry posts. Click on a newspaper scrap and a full list will appear below it. (Notice the text on the newspaper? It's from Exposure.)

9. Social media sharing buttons for everybody.

10. Some very cool Previous Post, Home, and Next Post “ransom note” style images.

11. My signature at the end of posts.

I love the header with the fingerprint on my photo.

We also now have a follow button for your convenience. Before, with old blogger, you had to manually type in F&F to follow. Now just click the button.

Kelli's crew at PulsePoint Design rocks! Thanks for Forensics and Faith's new super coolness.

How My Family Went to Pot

Looks like my family has finally gone to pot. We're feeling rather flushed about all the attention. It was enough to cause a scene in Mom's retirement village. Now everyone's talking.

My mother and sisters can blame it all on me. As usual.

Every year I do a family calendar full of pictures from the year as a Christmas present to my various extended family members. (You can have them printed up at Kinkos, or now I use the great calendar software on hubby's Mac, and Apple prints it. Either way calendars are about $30/apiece.) So ... I'm always on the lookout for the next great new pic of mom and her daughters when we all get together.

A few weeks ago I went to Wilmore for the book launch party for Exposure. The first day I was there Mom and I ate lunch in the dining room at her retirement village. (And yes, we tootled over in style in Ruth's Rocket.) At the table Mom happily told everyone the scoop on what's going on in her next-door neighbor's garage. The neighbor doesn't own a car, and the village uses her garage for storage. For, among other things, toilets.

That's all I needed. "Mom, we have to get a picture of the five of us on those things for the 2010 calendar!"

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Mom couldn't wait. But then Mom's always up for anything.

(Mom, parasailing eight years ago at age 84.)

We waited for a few days until more family arrived. After dinner we all traipsed next door and asked the neighbor if we could borrow her toilets. Not something she's asked every day. She managed to keep a poker face as she opened up her garage. There sat the thrones in all their splendor.

Oh, yes. The five of us were carrying copies of Exposure. What else?

Nephew Scott, recent film school graduate, was put in charge of taking the photos. "Okay," he ordered, "first we move all the toilets out to the driveway."

Out they came, one by one. Lined up like soldiers.

By this time one neighbor was peeking out her window. The man across the street came out and sat down on his porch to watch the show. He was having a grand ol' time--about ready to make some popcorn--when his wife made him come inside. Party pooper.

The potties were a little dirty. We put down paper towels to sit on. We tried to get the work done in between bouts of laughter. We could feel the neighbors's eyes peering at us from up and down the street. All shaking their heads. "That Ruthie. What is she up to now? ..."

Once we got the toilets lined up we started talking about who sat where. Mom suddenly got cold feet. "Well, I'm not sitting down 'til the rest of you do!"

We all shuffled ... and sat. Books up, ankles crossed like the gentlewomen we are. (It is a little hard to act sophisticated on a driveway pot.)

I don't know what that stain is at Mom's feet, but it looks like she didn't quite make it in time.


Back shot, queens on their thrones.

It's gonna be hard topping this scene for calendar 2011. I'm already thinking up ideas that'll bowl my family over. Keeping a lid on it for now, though.
-------------------

Winning Caption for Photo Friday: "A book release potty was the unfortunate result of Brandilyn's 3 a.m. invitation writing." --Ron Estrada

Congrats, Ron! E-mail me for your choice of book.

Breathe

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Breathe
(David C. Cook; New edition June 1, 2009)
by
Lisa T. Bergren

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa T. Bergren is the best-selling, award winning author of over thirty books, with more than 1.5 million copies sold. A former publishing executive, she now splits her time between writing and freelance editing and parenting her three young children with her husband Tim. She lives in Colorado Springs.

ABOUT THE BOOK

To make a new life, she'll have to learn how to breathe again...

By the time Dominic and Moira St. Clair get their ailing sister, Odessa, to Colorado Springs in the winter of 1883, she is nearly dead. Odessa has been seriously aling for the past year from consumption, an illness that claimed the lives of four of her younger brothers, prompting her father, to send his only surviving children west to chase the cure.

Moira is beautiful and dangerously headstrong; and pugnacious Dominic is charged with establishing a new arm of the family business--a business he doesn't want.

Several days after her arrival, Odessa witnesses what she fears is the murder of miner Sam O’Toole, friend and neighbor to the charming Bryce McAllan.

What’s more, Sam leaves her a poem containing clues that seem to direct her to his mine, which is purported to carry a fantastic vein of silver. But if she is ever to rise from her bed again, she must first concentrate on conquering the giant that threatens her─consumption. Indeed, she must learn to breathe again─daring to embrace her life, her future, and hope in her God.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Breathe, go HERE.

May '09 List of Today's Word

Two notes before we get to our word list: Please vote for the best caption for Photo Friday. We have lots of great captions but few votes. Winner announced tomorrow. And later this week, due to popular demand, I'll tell the story behind the crazy potty picture.

Now for today: anyone willing to make a sentence using at least six of these great words?

OSCITANCY (AHS-uh-tun-see) adj:--the act of yawning; the state of being drowsy or inattentive.

SECERN (suh-SURN) verb--to discriminate in thought; to separate, distinguish.

EVANESCE (ev-uh-NESS) verb--to dissipate or disappear like a vapor; disappear gradually.

CREPUSCULAR (cruh-PUS-cyuh-ler) adj: of or relating to twilight.

SEDULOUS (SEH-juh-lus) adj.--marked by care and perseverance; diligent in application or pursuit.

EXPATIATE (ek-SPAY-shee-ate) verb--to move about freely; to write/speak at length or in detail.

ABSQUATULATE (abz-KWATCH-yuh-late) verb--to depart quickly and secretively to avoid apprehension.

IGNIS FATUUS (IG-nus FATCH-uh-wus) noun--a deceptive or false goal; a misleading ideal.

ELYSIUM (uh-LIZ-ee-um) noun--abode of happy souls according to ancient Greeks/Romans; state of ideal delight.

CONTUMACIOUS (con-tuh-MAY-shus) adj.--perverse in resisting authority; stubbornly disobedient.

SAPROGENIC (SAP-row-GEN-ick) adj.--producing decay or putrefaction; of or relating to decay.

MEMENTO MORI (muh-MEN-toe MOR-ee) noun--a warning to prepare for death; something that reminds of death.

FOUDROYANT (foo-DROY-unt) adj.--dazzling, stunning; to strike (as lightening).

TENEBRIFIC (ten-uh-BRIFF-ick) adj.--causing gloom or darkness.

LUCULENT (LUCK-yu-lent) adj.--emitting light; transparently clear in thought or expression.

ERISTIC (uh-RIS-tik) adj.--characterized by disputatious, often specious argument.

OMPHALOSKEPSIS (AHM-fu-lo-SKEP-sis) noun--meditation while staring at one's navel.

SYZYGY (SIZ-i-gee) noun--line-up of three celestial bodies, as sun/moon/earth in an eclipse.

MYTHOLOGEM (mi-THAWL-uh-jem) noun--basic (i.e., love, betrayal) or recurrent (i.e., worldwide flood) theme in myth.

CACOGRAPHY (kuh-KOG-ru-fee) noun--bad handwriting.

MUZZY (MUH-zee) adj.--muddled or confused in the mind.

PROLUSION (pro-LU-zhun) noun--a trial run prior to a performance; an introductory, often tentative discourse.

MUGWUMP (MUG-wump) noun--a person unable to make up his mind, a fence-sitter.

LARDACEOUS (lar-DAY-shus) adj.--resembling lard, fatty.

CENOTAPH (SE-nu-taff) noun--monument for person(s) whose remains are elsewhere.

APOTROPAIC (AP-u-tro-PAY-ick) adj.--designed to avert or turn aside evil.

SCREED noun--a lengthy discourse; an informal essay or dissertation.

EFFLUVIUM (eh-FLU-vee-um) noun--something subtle and invisible that flows forth (as an aura); an unpleasant smell.

MOLDERING (MOLE-der-ing) adj.--decaying, crumbling.

INIMICAL (uh-NIM-uc-uhl) adj.--harmful in effect; unfriendly, antagonistic, hostile.

PHATIC (FAD-ick) adj.--relating to words that generate sociability or share feelings, not ideas. ("How are you?")

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Read June '09

It's Photo Friday!

Okay, I realize I'm setting myself up for this one. But the picture's just too good not to use. In case you're wondering, the photo includes me, my mother and three sisters. And yes, we're all reading my latest novel, Exposure. You're probably wondering much more than that, but I'll leave the rest up to your imagination.

So here we go. Write your best creative caption. (Or two, or three.) Come back sometime over the weekend and vote on your favorite. The winner will be announced next week. Prize: his/her choice of one of my novels.

News on Always Watching

Small bits of news: Amberly and I have three radio interviews lined up for our co-written young adult suspense, Always Watching. The first is this morning, taping a program for Words of Faith. More radio opportunities may well come in as a response to Zondervan's press packet being sent out.

We will also be signing copies of Always Watching Monday morning, July 13 on the ICRS floor in July.

Many of you know this is my first YA. (And it's Amberly first book.) Since this is a new market for me, I wondered how Always Watching would fare with adult readers. Would my regular Seatbelt Suspense folks enjoy this story about a 16-year-old? I'm very pleased (and frankly a bit surprised) to see how very much they are enjoying the story.

The first indication was Library Journal's favorable review, which not only recommended the book for all public library collections, but also touted is as perfect for mother/daughter book clubs. The second review, by Jake Chism at Christian Manifesto, was highly favorable. Jake simply loved the story--and as an adult male, he couldn't be further from our major intended audience of teenage girls.

Then my Seatbelt Suspense fans started reading the book. Some of them said they read it, planning on passing it on to their daughter or niece. I love hearing about my books crossing generations in a family. One of the nicest e-mails was received last week from one of my regular readers. She forwarded me a Facebook message from her granddaughter: "I just finished Always Watching, that book I got in the mail! It was really good!! The first book I've read & finished in a long time, I was hooked!"

My reader went on to say this granddaughter never reads. Now grandma had to read Always Watching for herself. Her Twitter private message to me: "I'm reading the novel that caused my non-reading granddaughter to read it. I want to see why." Upon finishing the book, she wrote, "I can hardly wait for the next one!"

Always Watching features Shaley, daughter of a rock star, whose life is not as perfect as it looks from the outside. Especially when her best friend on tour is murdered. Issues of fame and its consequences, friendship, the ups and downs of a mother/daughter relationship, the aching lack of a father, and a teenager's spiritual questions are woven into the fast-paced suspense.

Book two, Last Breath, releases in September. Amberly and I have just plotted book 3, as yet untitled. That one will be written during August and September, to be released next spring. Amberly liked Always Watching, then liked Last Breath more, and now says she's most excited over book three. I suppose it is a good thing to feel the books in your series are getting even better, rather than sliding downhill.

You can read five insightful reviews, including Jake Chism's, on amazon.

If you haven't seen the trailer yet: here ya go.

The "Live Like a Rock Star" sweepstakes continues for another month. It's open to teenagers age 13-18 and has a fabulous grand prize. Teens can enter here.

Taking the Leap--Ace Collins, Part 2

We continue Part 2 of Ace's "Taking the Leap."
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For me the actual writing process was not that much different than nonfiction. I wrote each chapter, then rewrote it four or five more times to assure the transitional flow between paragraphs was strong. When I finally finished Farraday Road I went back through it another time, repeating the rewriting before sending it to Zondervan. In the editing process the storyline did not change much at all, but what they demanded was for me to focus more on point of view. The editor wanted a single point of view per chapter. This was where the learning curve ready hit me. Once I grasped the process, going back through the book was relatively easy.

Then, just when I thought I was finished, came the painful part. The editors cut 22,000 of my 130,000 words. They had a specific length they needed so I lost some things I really loved in my story. That hurt. They also changed my ending to set up the next book in the series. I hated to see that happen as well. Finally, the title, Innocence of Trial was tossed and Farraday Road was placed on the cover. That was one change I didn’t mind at all.

Then came the hardest part — waiting a year for the book to hit the presses.

When I received the first copy of Farraday Road, I was shocked by my reaction. I am used to having three to four nonfiction books released a year. When the preview copies of these projects are delivered, I usually just set the packages on my desk and open them when I have a break. Yet in this case I can’t begin to describe my reaction. I had dreamed of having a novel since third grade. It had long been one of my goals. So my heart was pounding as I pulled the book out of the envelope. I could not believe I was holding a dream in my hand. I actually stared at it for several minutes as if it was a work of art.

My reaction to the first copy was not the only surprise I had when landing in this new genre. If you are a nonfiction writer, which is what I have done for years, you rarely get emails or letters from those who read your books. I have had books sell more than 300,000 copies that have only generated a dozen fan responses. Yet immediately upon release, scores of those who read Farraday Road took the time to find my website and send me their thoughts. I could not believe how real the characters were to these readers. The dialogue I had with these folks via email literally lit up my days. In a sense, thanks to this novel, I made new friends who cared as deeply about Lije, Janie and the rest of this gang as I did.

Farraday Road has gotten great reviews, even from the usually tough Publisher’s Weekly, and now it's fighting to find a place on bookstore shelves. It is a first step in a new direction and an incredible learning experience. It forced me to grow and no doubt improved the writing I am still doing in nonfiction. What I learned in Farraday Road made the process of creating Swope's Ridge, the sequel, much easier. In fact, rather than fight my characters when they tried to take the story in a new direction, I jumped on and enjoyed the ride.

It took thirty years for an outline to become a published book, but having to wait made the experience one of the most rewarding of my life. The bottom line in this whole adventure — never give up on your dreams. If you keep plugging you may someday hold a dream in your hands. I have and it feels great!
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Thanks for writing about your fiction journey for F&F, Ace.

Swope's Ridge releases in October.

Taking the Leap--Ace Collins: Part 1

With a name like Ace Collins, you'd either need to be an actor or writer. Too great of a name to waste. Ace started writing 25 years ago and has written over 50 books since. He's written the range of biographies--from Evel Knievel to Bette Midler, to a book on Lassie. His "Stories Behind" series have covered Christmas songs and traditions, and heroes of faith. Ace's latest nonfiction, Sticks and Stones, is about making the words you use each day count in others' lives.

Besides writing, Ace gets around a lot. He's been on TV, including Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, CNN, Fox and Friends, The NBC Nightly News, Entertainment Tonight, Court TV, E The Untold Story, At Home Live, The Early Show and Crook and Chase. And he averages more than 250 radio interviews a year. In his spare time (?) Ace restores classic cars. And he's very accessible to readers, particularly through his Facebook page.

What's not to like about this guy?

Ace had one thing missing. He hadn't written fiction. Enter Farraday Road, Ace's first novel, and the debut in his Lije Evans mystery series.

How does a successful nonfiction author cross over into fiction? What are the pitfalls, the joys and sorrows? What's to learn? Today and tomorrow I present Ace's story, written specifically for Forensics and Faith, about how he made the leap.
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I had written more than sixty nonfiction books for twenty different publishers when Zondervan asked me if I would like to try my hand at a fiction series. Yes, over the years I had outlined a few ideas for novels and had even written one for fun (still unpublished), but my identity was so firmly cemented in nonfiction I figured I was forever “typecast.” Thus, the chance to break out and grow in a new area was one that I couldn’t refuse.

I submitted several concepts to the editors. I was surprised when they chose an idea, “Innocence on Trial,” that I had actually created when I was college. At the time I was too inexperienced and undisciplined to tackle the project. All these years later I knew I had found the discipline, but I wondered did I have the talent to make the leap? After all, Zondervan had a stable of novelists including Brandilyn Collins, James Scott Bell, Terri Blackstock and Karen Kingsbury, who had set the bar very high. So, for the first time in years, I had strong doubts as I signed the contract.

Before I could actually begin to flesh out my novel I had two nonfiction projects I had to complete. The time it took to write those gave me an opportunity to fill a journal with ideas I wanted to employ in “Innocence on Trial.” Six months later, when I actually stared at the outline, my notes and the finished sample chapters, I was again overwhelmed. Could I really sustain a story?

My editor had set a goal of carving out a new niche for inspirational fiction. I was to create a series of books that were similar to the adventure found in mainstream author Clive Cussler’s initial Dirk Pitt novels. Yet I wanted a much more human lead than Cussler’s Pitt. I wanted Lije Evans to be forced into his role, a man who didn’t want to be a hero but had no choice. Thus, as Lije searched for a calling he could display doubts and fears rarely seen in secular heroes. This concept gave me a chance to not just explore the mystery hidden in the pages, but to delve into the mind of the lead character.

Once I began the actual writing, I found myself surprised by two things. The first was how easy it was to sit down and create. My problem was not with writer’s block, but with having too many ideas wanting to come out of my head all at once. The second element that shocked me was how I soon lost control of my outline. Within the first hundred pages I realized that the folks I had created would not react in the way I had originally written the outline. So as I wrote, my characters changed my story. While the actual adventure and mystery remained firmly anchored, the characters living that story took me into areas I had not foreseen. In my mind that is the biggest difference I found in writing fiction and nonfiction. In the former I always stick to the facts at hand and I direct the flow on the pages, while in the latter the story actually leads me.

In one key part of the book, when I had trapped my “Scoopy Crew” in a cave, I realized none of them had the skills to cope in this environment. Thus, I had to go back several chapters and introduce a new character into the story. Janie, who was blind, was never intended to become a part of the team, but rather to be the person who was needed as a guide for the moment. Yet her personality, insight and wisdom were so strong, she demanded more (yes, fictional characters make demands). So Janie remained an important facet of this story and carved out a spot as a major player in all future Lije Evans Mysteries.
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Tomorrow--Part 2, the highs and lows.

Become Ace's Facebook friend--(tell him I sent you.)

Read his full bio--full of interesting stuff.

Web site, with info on all Ace's books.

Christian Fiction Bestseller Lists for April

The CBA bestseller's list for April was just posted online, so we can now look at our monthly comparison between the CBA and ECPA lists. For you new readers, a recap: The lists are titled differently. The CBA list title is always two months ahead of the month it's representing. Therefore its June list shows bestsellers in the month of April. The ECPA list title is one month ahead, so its May list reflects sales in April. (Although sometimes the ECPA list cuts off a little early in the month.)

Titles appearing on one list and not the other are highlighted in blue.

CBA (Numbers in parentheses reflect ranking on CBA Top 50 list for April, which includes nonfiction and fiction.)

1. (2) The Shack, William P. Young, Windblown Media
2. (3) The Secret, Beverly Lewis, Bethany House (Baker)
3. (5) Take One, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
4. (16) Fireproof, Eric Wilson & Alex Kendrick, Thomas Nelson
5. (24) BoneMan’s Daughters, Ted Dekker, Center Street (Hachette)
6. (36) Double Minds, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan
7. (38) A Love to Last Forever. Tracie Peterson, Bethany House (Baker)
8. (44) A Cousin’s Promise, Wanda Brunstetter, Barbour
9. (49) Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers, Multnomah (WaterBrook)
10. This Side of Heaven, Karen Kingsbury, Center Street (Hachette)
11. Beyond This Moment, Tamera Alexander, Bethany House (Baker)
12. Higher Hope, Robert Whitlow, Thomas Nelson
13. A Widow’s Hope, Mary Ellis, Harvest House
14. Kiss, Ted Dekker and Erin Healy, Thomas Nelson
15. Every Now and Then, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
16. The Centurion’s Wife, Davis Bunn & Janette Oke, Bethany House (Baker)
17. Showdown, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson
18. Where Do I Go? Neta Jackson, Thomas Nelson
19. A Gift of Grace, Amy Clipston, Zondervan
20. Plain Pursuit, Beth Wiseman, Thomas Nelson

ECPA

1. The Secret, Beverly Lewis, Bethany House (Baker)
2. The Shack, William P. Young, Windblown Media
3. Take One, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
4. Fireproof, Eric Wilson, Thomas Nelson
5. A Cousin's Promise, Wanda E. Brunstetter, Barbour
6. Double Minds, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan
7. Adam, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson
8. This Side of Heaven, Karen Kingsbury, Center Street
9. A Love to Last Forever, Tracie Peterson, Bethany House (Baker)
10. Beyond This Moment, Tamera Alexander, Bethany House (Baker)
11. Healing Waters, Stephen Arterburn and Nancy Rue, Thomas Nelson
12. Kiss, Ted Dekker andErin Healy, Thomas Nelson
13. Showdown, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson
14. Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers, Multnomah
15. BoneMan's Daughters, Ted Dekker, Center Street
16. Where Do I Go?, Neta Jackson, Thomas Nelson
17. Michal, Jill Eileen Smith, Revell (Baker)
18. Blink of an Eye, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson
19. Rebecca's Promise, Jerry S. Eicher, Harvest House
20. Conspiracy of Ravens, Gilbert Morris, Thomas Nelson

Behind the Scenes of a Book Signing--Part 2

Continued from Tuesday
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4. Once you have all your plans in place for your book signing, don't forget to send press releases to local media. If you have used the name of a real business in your book, or perhaps set the book in that town, use that fact as the slant for your release. Zondervan sent out press packets for me to local radio, TV and newspapers in the Wilmore/Lexington area. Z wouldn't have known about the most local one--the Wilmore newsletter, put out by City Hall. I contacted the editor of that newsletter early, then sent her all info needed for a half-page article (including photos). This kind of venue may be far smaller than, say, a TV station--but in my case it was targeted toward people who would be the most interested in Exposure.

You can't predict if any media will respond to the press release or not. The bigger the station, newspaper, etc., the less likely you'll garner attention from them. All the more reason not to overlook the smaller venues. Are there local businesses that put out their own newsletters? Maybe an e-mail version? Remember to think out-of-the-box.

5. It's good to include a short talk at the beginning of your signing. That encourages people to show up at the beginning, and it gives you a chance to share some behind-the-scenes info. Keep it short and informal. And go with the flow. I only spoke for a few minutes. I would have spoken longer and had a time for questions, but people were already crowding around the table wanting to buy. So I let them buy. :)

6. Make sure to have adequate help for the signing event so things can go smoothly. Your only job should be to talk to readers and sign their books. Let others do the detail work. I lined up two assistants behind a table. One took the money for purchases; the other made sure every buyer put his/her name in the basket for prize drawings--one entry for each purchase. Those assistants got to sit. I stood behind a tall table, just the right height for signing. Unless you're physically unable to stand, it's far better to stand when you're signing. That puts you on eye level with everyone else. And it makes it easier for customers to take photos of themselves with you. (Wear comfortable shoes.)

7. Speaking of photos, I had a third assistant lined up with my camera and a small notebook in case customers said, "Oh, I forgot my camera, and I wanted a picture with you!" It's a nice extra gesture to offer to take a digital photo for the person, write down his/her email address and promise to send the picture along.

8. To make the book spirals: Four books per layer. Put the first layer down with corners touching, forming an empty square in the middle. Two books will be vertical on the table; two will be horizontal. (Make sure the vertical ones are facing your customers.) Do the same with the next layer, but placing these books across the corners of the bottom books. Do the same with all subsequent levels--always placing the books across the corners of the books directly below them. (Pictured here is a spiral of Always Watching, my newly released young adult suspense that I brought along. Some of the top books have been pushed a little out of place, but at least you can get the idea.)

9. Always, always ask how to spell someone's name when you're signing a book for him/her. Even if you think you know it. I first ask, "How would you like me to sign this for you?" Some just want a signature so they can decide later who to give the book to. Others want it personalized. Even if the person's name is Pat, I ask how to spell it. With all the weird name spellings these days, you never know.

10. Finally--relax. Don't stress over a signing. No matter how much work you put into an event, you can't control how many people come. And remember, much of the success rests on the prior advertising, which puts your name in front of people, even if they don't attend.