Lemons or Lemonade...Writing Through Adversity by Mary Manners

Are you a lemon or a lemonade sort of person? I think most writers, as least those who are in it for the long haul, develop skills that allow them to turn their lemons into lemonade. You see, we writers pen stories filled with close-knit families, life-long friends, and happily-ever-after's. But real-life isn't always that way. Sometimes the car stalls, you have a spat with your best friend, it rains on a wedding day, or someone you trusted betrays you.

Those times are when it's most important to remember the reason you became a writer. If you're like me, writing is a love, a passion...a safe haven. It's a sane place to go when the world around me becomes less-than-sane. That said, it's easy to let the storms of life detract from what needs to be accomplished. Don't get swept up in them. Hang on and know that however rough the storm may be, God is in control and you will get through it to safe shores.

So when adversity strikes take those lemons and turn them into lemonade. Write the next chapter. Turn those experiences into wisdom and keep writing. Make lists and stick to them, if it helps. Be tenacious and protect your time. Think of writing like eating and breathing. Then write some more. Soon the clouds will break, the sun will shine again, and the lemonade you made is sure, in the end, to be delicious.

~~~~~

Veiled Gems

LILA BROOKS BELIEVES IN HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER FOR EVERYONE BUT HERSELF...

She coaxes her dream of opening a wedding shop into reality when she commissions Morgan Holt to transform a run-down Victorian house into an all-inclusive bridal boutique, Diamond Knot Dreams. Clover Cove’s residents have whispered that the house is filled with spirits, but superstitions have no place in Lila's life.

Morgan Holt spent the better part of his youth transplanted from one foster home to another. Separated from his older brother, Gunnar, at an early age, they’re reunited shortly after Morgan’s arrival to Clover Cove. But the last thing Morgan wants is to trust his heart again to a family—or a woman as beautiful as Lila Brooks. He has plans to finish work on the Victorian and then ride off into the sunset, a move he’s perfected over the years.

Soon Lila and Morgan have a chance at their own Happily Ever After, but will events from the past destroy their future?

~~~~~

Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, 8 rambunctious chickens, and 13 fish.

Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.

Freshen Up by Mary Manners

 

Freshen Up

by

Mary Manners

 

 

It has always been my dream to live on a farm, and a year ago that dream came true. Well, sort of. My husband and I purchased acreage in our small town and it came with a house. I  often say I fell in love with the land, the garden shed, and the chicken coop...and the house was merely a bonus!

 

The house had issues. The flower beds were maze-like jungles that had grown up over the entrance, while a bird's nest sat in the porch light. A pagoda was leaning perilously and the garden pond had dried up. The shutters needed paint and the decks would have to be torn out and rebuilt from the bottom up.

 

But inside the house was warm and inviting, despite the fact that some areas needed a paint job and some serious TLC. We immediately realized the house had good bones...and would soon become our forever home.

 

A year later, the land has been tamed with beautiful flowers and box gardens that produce lovely vegetables nearly year-round. Our rescue dog and cats love to frolic in the yard with the chickens, and my husband and I often enjoy an evening out on the restored porch as we watch the sun set in a breathtaking display of tranquil beauty.

 

 



 



 

So, what does all this have to do with writing? Well, our stories are often like the house on my mini farm--they have good bones but need a little (or a lot) of TLC. Look for the beauty that lies within the pages of that unfinished manuscript, and don't be afraid to renovate in order to make that beauty shine. With a bit of pruning, your story just might call someone home. 

 

~~~~~

 



Proven Love

 

 



HAVE THE YEARS TAUGHT THEM HOW TO FORGIVE...AND TO TRUST THEIR HEARTS?

 

Megann Reilly returns home to Wildwood, Tennessee to help nurse her estranged mother back to health. She's grateful for her newfound job as an administrative assistant at Wildwood Community Church…until she runs into Colton Kendrick, the bad-boy-wannabe who broke her heart.

Colt's job as Youth Director at the church is a cavernous stretch from his high school days as the town's privileged rich kid. The death of his sister has left him with a young niece to raise and an unruly puppy to tame. He's not the self-centered person who once hurt Megann, and all he wants is a chance to prove to her the man he’s become—and to love her.

Is it true that time heals all wounds, or has Colt found Megann…only to lose her again?

 

~~~~~

Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, 8 rambunctious chickens, and a dozen fish.

Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.

 

 



The Diet of a Writer: What Feeds Us – Part III by Susan Tuttle

We’ve talked about what we eat, and we’ve talked about ways to grow our craft. Today we’re going to talk about how we feed our souls and minds with two great ways to recharge. Because if we’re going to be putting out stories, we need to be filled up ourselves. How do we do that?

Susan Tuttle

First we spend time with friends. Other writer friends are wonderful because they understand that we talk to imaginary people or that we can spend hours staring off into space—and it’s actually productive.🙂 These are the people who can make us feel normal. But it’s the friendships outside of our writing world that can truly recharge us. Those friends we’ve had since before our writing days who don’t think we’re crazy when we exhibit crazy writer traits. The ones who pick us up in their Jeep and bring us for shakes and fries, go shopping for nothing, pull out our laughter, or just sit side-by-side in silence. These are the moments we need to re-enter the real world and recharge our batteries.

We also need to read. Read. Read. Read. See what is happening within the genre we write. Read outside of that niche too. Push our vocabulary. Find new sentence structure. See new plot devices. When I was six years old I won my first writing contest and was invited to meet an elderly author. He signed a book for me, looked me in the eye, and said, “Great readers make the best writers. Keep reading.” It’s advice I still take to heart.

What are ways you like to recharge between writing ventures? I’d love to hear!
Be sure to check out Part II and Part I of the series, too!

Susan L. Tuttle lives in Michigan where she’s happily married to her best friend and is a homeschooling mom of three. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire, encourage, and grow women into who God created them to be. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. You can connect with Susan at her blog,

What Are You Going To Read In 2015? by Terri Weldon

I adore Christmas books. So while I’m reading Christmas stories and trying to find time to work in a few uninterrupted hours to write, my To Be Read (TBR) shelf is growing. I have some wonderful books on that shelf. Books I’m already making plans to read. Periodically I look longingly towards one and tell myself to hold off until January.

What about you? Do you have a TBR shelf? What book are you looking most forward to reading? I’ll confess, I can’t pick just one! There are too many good ones and more great titles are releasing after the first of the year. I’ll never catch up. But that’s OK, if I thought I’d run out of great books to read, I’d freak! Trust me, not a pretty sight.

The desire and ability to read is an awesome gift from the Lord. Non-readers may not understand that, but if you’re reading this blog I know you do. Don’t forget, Jesus told stories in the form of parables all the time. God is an author.

Is His book on your TBR shelf for 2015? If it isn’t, I encourage you to give it a place of preeminence. If it is, make sure it is the first book you reach for every day. After all, God wrote the greatest story ever told.

Each year I like to read a version of The Bible In A Year. I’ve read numerous translations and layouts over the years. In 2015 I plan on reading the New Living Translation Chronological Bible.

If you’ve never read a chronological version of the Bible I encourage you to do so. It is eye opening to see what prophets go with what kings and what Psalms, if any, are from the same timeframe.

It doesn’t matter whether you choose to read the entire Bible in 2015 or spend more time on an in depth study of a single book, you can’t go wrong reading and studying any part of God’s word.

I hope you’ll leave a comment and let me know what fiction book you’re looking to reading in 2015 and whether you plan on reading the entire Bible or if you have a particular book you plan on studying.

Oh, have yourself a Merry Christmas!

****

Purchase Link

Misty Winslow is determined to find her prince, and she meets the man of her dreams through an Internet dating service. Or is he, because the new dentist in town also sets her heart aflutter.

It's love at first sight for Tyler Davenport, but before he can finish his first root canal, Misty is involved in an exclusive online romance with Wes99—Tyler’s online persona. How can he tell her he’s the man she’s been waiting to meet, and how rational is it for him to be jealous of Wes99! Soon Tyler's pulling out all the stops to woo Misty.

As Christmas approaches, Wes99 and Tyler both ask her to meet them under the mistletoe. Which man will she choose?

Terri Weldon

Terri is a lead analyst by day and an author by night. She enjoys gardening, reading, and playing in the hand bell choir. One of her favorite pastimes is volunteering as the librarian at her church. It allows her to shop for books and spend someone else’s money! Plus, she has the great joy of introducing people to Christian fiction.

She lives with her family in Oklahoma. Terri has three dogs – a lovable mutt and two adorable Westies.


Terri is a member of ACFW and OCFW, a local chapter of ACFW. Her dream of becoming a published novelist came true in November 2013 when Mistletoe Magic, released from White Rose Publishing. To learn more about Terri visit her website at www.TerriWeldon.com.

Writing Dialogue that Breathes by Debby Mayne

Debby Mayne

Dora here. Last week Debby Mayne offered a great starting point for Writing Dialogue that Breathes. If you missed it, you can read the full version here. This week she's wrapping it up with three more tips. Enjoy! ~Dora

One of the key components to a successful story is dialogue, so spend some time working on improving the skill of writing it. Most newbie fiction authors struggle with dialogue at first, but after you find the groove, you'll look forward to the next conversation between your characters. I've judged quite a few writing competitions, and one of the things that I look for is compelling dialogue. In my opinion, strong dialogue is the foundation of a compelling, character-driven story. 

Tags
Dialogue tags have been beaten to death, and I'm going to give them one more flogging here. If you can avoid using "he blurted," "she hissed," and other such dialogue tags, then by all means do so. Most of the time, you don't have to use any tags if you can show who is speaking through action. Here's an example: Samantha picked up her fork, stared at her plate in disgust, and sighed. "I hate peas." You know that Samantha is talking based on the action. It's fine to use an occasional "she said" or "he asked" if you must, but don't overdo it.

Punctuation and Paragraphing
Punctuation and dialogue paragraphing were designed to prevent confusion in the written word. Learn proper use of quotation marks, periods, commas question marks, and other punctuation. Otherwise, you'll lose your readers. Each time a different person speaks, start a new paragraph. Yes, this is proper, even for single-word grunts. When I judge a contest that has several people speaking in the same paragraph, I view this as work from someone who didn't bother learning the craft. After you practice proper punctuation and paragraphing, it will become second nature, and you won't even think about it.

Read Your Work Aloud
One of the best ways to make sure your dialogue sounds natural and comes across the way you intend is to read it aloud. I do this any time I write long conversations between my characters or have sections where I'm not sure of how it will "sound" to the reader. I'm sure my husband thinks he lives with a crazy person, but he's used to it by now.

Purchase Link

Dixie Belle and Uptown Belles series Blurb 

In Dixie Belle, book one of the Uptown Belles series, sparks fly when Cissy Hillwood arrives in New York City from her Alabama hometown and meets her uncle’s fiercest competitor.

SERIES DESCRIPTION: In this fish-out-of-water contemporary romance series, three Southern belles living and working in New York City develop a friendship based on their fondness and homesickness for the South. Although they’re different from each other in many ways, they share a love for the South and faith in Christ. And they each fall victim to Cupid, one at a time and when they least expect it. At least they have each other for venting, laughing with, and…shopping.

Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars and was named a "Top Pick" by Romantic Times Magazine. Her latest book, Dixie Belle, is the first in the Uptown Belles series published by Charisma House.

Happy Thanksgiving and Thank You!

Image courtesy of  Bing.com

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

I Thess 5:16-18 NIV

The Seriously Write team would like to thank you, dear readers, for traveling this writing journey with us. For faithfully stopping by to read our posts, for brightening our days with your comments, and for sharing us with your friends.

Wishing you a day filled with love and laughter, family and friends, faith and fun.

Happy Thanksgiving 

from your friends at Seriously Write!

Do Readers Love Your Hero?

Incredibly Deep Hole

Yes. 

My dog dug this Incredibly. Deep. Hole. 

Grandma and Grandpa had just left after visiting for a few days. Do you think he was upset?

Hey everyone. Dora here, and when I posted this picture on Facebook, a friend who works at the fire station with my hubby asked if I planned to cover the hole before "the chief" got home.

What? Why would I do that?

Bruiser the puppy

Hubby, aka "the chief", enjoys the antics of his baby, and if you lived through this cutie's puppy stage, you might understand. As a pup, Bruiser loved to swim in our pool. Once, when our older son fell asleep with the sliding door open, Bruiser went swimming, dragging along my hubby's, er...undergarments. He's a bit mischievous, (OK, a lot) so digging a hole that deep clearly wasn't an issue. 

But my friend's comment made me think about...

Perceptions of a hero.

"How could I possibly make that connection," you ask. 

"What correlation does a hole have with a hero?"

Not the hole necessarily, but how different people perceive the same person. 

At the fire station, hubby may be the chief, but at home, he's my husband, my sweetheart, my best friend and life partner. My hero.

While he may be gruff and authoritative at work, at home, he's cuddly and kind, helpful and considerate, devoted and loving. While the community sees him as a public figure, someone who often must reject their building plan, or as a manager, the final decision maker on discipline or firing, I see a man devoted to God and family.


As a writer, I must create heroes that readers admire or like. 
Although my hero may be gruff on the job or around others, he must have redeeming value to the heroine, and ultimately, to my readers. 

How do I do that? Let me show you by giving you an inkling of why I perceive my hubby differently than others might:

• He immerses himself in the Word every morning.
• When one of our sons call with a problem, he drops everything to listen and works together for a solution.
• He rides along with me on all my library presentations (and believe me when I say that's a bunch!) to offer moral support and a helping hand.
• When our grandson spends the night and wakes crying, hubby's the first one out of bed to comfort the Little Man. When I finally stumble into his bedroom, Little Man's already cradled in hubby's loving arms.
• When our cat stranded herself in a tree, hubby dragged out the ladder to rescue her. At midnight.
• Hubby could go to lunch with the guys, but he chooses to share lunch with me. And  sometimes he jots "I love you" on the receipt so I'll see it later.
• On a recent day trip for business, hubby invited me to ride along. He could have just driven himself, but he wanted to share the day with me.

Do you get the idea? 

Your hero may be unlikable to some people, but show him being nice and sweet to your heroine, and your readers are sure to fall for him, too.

How do you perceive your hero?

If your hero is gruff, how do you make him lovable?

Journey's Embrace
by Dora Hiers

After an injury forces Deputy U.S. Marshal Sage Michaelson off duty, he heads to his hometown with two things on his mind: recuperating and reevaluating, but Sage can’t refuse his best friend’s plea to keep a protective eye on his little sister after someone ransacks her house. But Delaney’s not so little anymore—and definitely not the young “Dane” Sage remembers.

Flight Medic Delaney Hunt has loved Sage forever. But, he’s all about control and order while she embraces life and takes risks. As much as the idea appeals to her, she doesn’t need Sage looking over her shoulder. But when things go wrong and she finds herself hanging by her fingertips, who does she call to rescue her?

Will Delaney ever be the woman Sage wants by his side? Can Sage learn to live by grace, recognizing that God is in control? Can they overcome their fears to embrace life together?