Heavy Subject Matter, or Not? by Christa MacDonald

Christa MacDonald

I'm glad to welcome fellow Mountain Brook Ink author Christa MacDonald back to the blog today. She's here with a relatable post about how heavy we make our stories/characters/plots. Check it out. You may relate like I do! ~ Annette

I leave a lot of shorthand for myself when outlining an idea for a new book. Sometimes, I have trouble figuring out what on earth I meant when I wrote it, but this one is easy: “Deep dark past? Light or emotional? Figure this out!” I write contemporary Christian romance and one of the decisions I have to make early on is whether or not to get into the harder realities of modern life. Do I give the characters deep wounds, complicated families, heavy emotional burdens, or do I give them the regular “slings and arrows of fortune” that most of us face?

A few months ago I was helping my father deal with a health crisis. It involved a lot of doctor’s appointments and the stress that goes along with aiding any loved one dealing with illnesses. I reached out to a Christian fiction Facebook group I’m a member of and asked for book recommendations that were light and fun, nothing heavy. They responded with dozens, and I immediately started downloading a few since I desperately needed distraction in the waiting room. There’s something about waiting that chips away at my peace. I need to be distracted or I imagine the absolute worst-case scenario. Books with snappy dialogue, a good plot and relatable characters, but no serious stuff are a perfect distraction, a place to go and visit someone else’s reality. Some might call this “fluff,” but the books I like have depth and meaning aplenty, they just steer clear of the serious.

The stories I have written in the past have the serious stuff in good measure. In fact, I try not to shy away from it and instead find the balance between serious and light. It’s important to me as a person of faith that my books reflect the authentic lives of Christians and that definitely includes some heavy subjects. For me, there is nothing worse than reading a book where Christians are saintly, sinless individuals pitted against broadly drawn secular characters. They end up being cartoonish, I can’t connect to them. When I write, I try to be as real as possible, even when I’m not being serious so readers can feel like they are right there with the characters, experiencing the story with them.

For this new work, I’m writing the kind of book I love to read, one that some other daughter of a stoic dad who never complains and works too hard can read while she waits to see if he’s going to be okay. (My dad is, by the way, and God is good.) In this new project I’m hoping to draw the reader into a small town on the coast of Massachusetts and into the lives of Emma and Finn, the former town princess and the handyman. There will be conflict, sparks, and possibly some swooning. It’s going to be so much fun!

How about you? When you’re reading Christian fiction, do you want to dive into the deeper, edgier topics, or would you rather find something light in order to escape life’s hardships?

Readers of fiction: do you want to see heavy topics in the books you read, or not? @CricketMacD

Writers of fiction: do you want to write about heavy topics, or not? @CricketMacD

~~~~~

The Redemption Road

It’s redemption that he needs, and she’ll pay any price to help him find it.

As the new game warden in Sweet River, Alex Moretti is focused on enforcing Maine’s wildlife laws and little else. Moving from tragedy to a fresh start, all he wants is a way to fix his life in the tranquility of the north woods. Until he meets Annie Caldwell at Coffee by the Book. But his own bitter, dark life is a threat to Annie’s sweetness and light. It’s better for him to stay away.

Annie doesn’t know how to label her relationship with Alex, but she is determined to figure it out. After a few false starts and a kiss under the Christmas lights, their romance goes from fiction to fact. Annie has fallen hard. Then trouble shows up. Someone is stalking Alex, seeking to punish him for a mistake which ended in deadly consequences. When Annie becomes a target, he tries to push her away, but she won’t abandon him. Alex is desperate to keep Annie safe while he attempts to reconcile the past, but what he really needs is redemption. And she will risk her life to help him find it.

~~~~~~

Christa MacDonald began her writing career at the age of eleven, filling a sketchbook with poems and short stories. While at Gordon College she traded the sketchbooks for floppy discs, publishing short personal narratives in the literary journal The Idiom. After graduation and traveling cross-country she settled down to focus first on her career in operations management and then her growing family. When her children reached grade school Christa returned to her love of writing, finding the time between conference calls, dance lessons, and baseball games. This November Mountain Brook Ink will be publishing her first novel, The Broken Trail. When not at her desk working or writing, Christa can be found curled up in her favorite chair reading, out and about with her husband and kids, or in the garden. She lives with her family along the coast of Massachusetts in the converted barn they share with a dog and two formerly-feral cats.

Connect with Christa here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christa-MacDonald/e/B01GGIU8D8
Website: https://christamacdonald.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CricketMacD
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristaMacDonaldAuthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christa-macdonald

The Power of Theme by Carol McClain

The time came to make the plunge and ditch New York for more hospitable climes. My husband and I would head to Tennessee.

Often my novels take a humorous twist. A friend thought it would be funny to show the huge differences between the far reaches of New York and the hills of Tennessee.

I agreed.

Then we moved here.

Aside from cornbread and a sometime indecipherable hill dialect, no differences existed. There went my novel.

Still, my friend nagged about the book as I went about my life. Nothing came to mind because my head wrapped itself around the idea of extremes.

Then one day it hit me. Preconceptions.

How often do we judge others by our biased notions?

With theme, came the book, A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek.

Theme is often underrated in inspirational books. In romances, many writers think only of the love angle, not of a deeper meaning that would draw the reader in.

Suspense writers devise tangled plots to keeping us on our seat’s edge. But what about the nuanced side of things? The flaws that drew the good guys in to solve the problem, especially if they’re not law enforcement? What ideal motivates their fight?

And sometimes, theme is overrated.

In contemporary novels, the author’s conviction is too often preached. I’ve read my share of Christian fiction where a character expounded on the salvation message in detail. She quoted long passages of familiar scripture. With most readers already Christian, the writing became too didactic or too strident. Both turn off the reader.

Or, at least, me.

A book without passion may entertain for a day, but a book motivated by conviction lives for a lifetime. Think of those books that live in your memory. 1984, Grapes of Wrath, The Great Gatsby. These are old books, sometimes too didactic, but they remain in my mind the best books I’ve ever read.

Why? Theme: the methods of totalitarianism, sacrificial love, a foolish quest for an ideal that doesn’t exist. The universal themes resonated. The reach out to me today, even decades since I’ve read the books.

When teachers of writing illustrate their points, they always pick The Wizard of Oz. Why was this so popular? There’s no place like home.

Look at your current work. What controls the story aside from plot? What drives the conflict? Dive deep. Think of your passion and let it subtly direct your writing.

Donald Maas says, “If a powerful problem is a novel’s spine, then a powerful theme is its animating spirit...It starts with having something to say” (Writing the Breakout Novel, 230).

A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek took flight once I nailed the theme it cried out to me to write.

Theme will do that to you.

In romances, many writers think only of the love angle, not of a deeper meaning that would draw the reader in. via @carol_mcclain #SeriouslyWrite #amwriting

~~~~~~

Author Carol McClain is an eclectic artist and author. Her interests vary as much as the Tennessee weather—running, bassoons, jazz, stained glass and, of course, writing. She’s a transplant from New York who now lives in the hills of East Tennessee with her husband and overactive Springer spaniel.

She is the president of ACFW Knoxville and the secretary of the Authors’ Guild of Tennessee.

The world in East Tennessee intrigues her from the friendly neighbors to the beautiful hiking trails and the myriad wildlife.

Life is good in here.

NOTHING GOOD COMES FROM STINKING CREEK

Alone, again, after the death of her fiancé, abstract artist Kiara Rafferty finds herself on Stinking Creek, Tennessee. She wants out of this hillbilly backwater, where hicks speak an unknown language masquerading as English.  Isolated, if she doesn’t count the snakes and termites infesting her cabin, only a one-way ticket home to Manhattan would solve her problems.

Alone in a demanding crowd, Delia Mae McGuffrey lives for God, her husband, her family, and the congregation of her husband’s church. Stifled by rules, this pastor’s wife walks a fine line of perfection, trying to please them all. Now an atheist Yankee, who moved in across the road, needs her, too.

Two women. Two problems. Each holds the key to the other’s freedom.

Buy links:

https://www.amazon.com/New-York-Yankee-Stinking-Creek/dp/057849115X/ref

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-new-york-yankee-on-stinking-creek-carol-mcclain/1131594885?ean=9780578491158

It's All About Discipline by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

My writing time—those moments when I can sit in front of my computer and completely lose myself in my characters my stories—is limited.

Only by acts of supreme discipline, by making sure I commit even a small part of my day—every day—to my craft have I been able to keep moving forward as an author. There are no tricks. No secrets to share. All I have is this, and it’s truth: Long-term writing requires discipline. 

If you find yourself in the same boat as me, keep three words in mind: Sit, plot, type. 

Some of what you produce will be garbage. Some of what you produce will be beautiful, and take you (and maybe even your story) by complete surprise. But at the end of the day, in order to succeed, you have to log the word count. You have to commit yourself to task of sticking to your scheduled writing time even if you’re exhausted, even if that blinking cursor just keeps blinking at you. Push forward, even if you write no more than a few words, a few scene ideas, a few plot twists. 

Also, don’t limit yourself. If you’re trying to write chapter 3, but developments in chapter 5 are calling, write chapter 5. Don’t waste precious time agonizing. Write the scene that’s living in your heart and mind, then save it to be inserted later. Or, outline that plot twist and save it. When I create, I write fresh, and then re-read it the next day when I continue my story. This gives me an opportunity to polish and tweak, to add layers. I review again and again as my story grows, so I don’t hang myself up on writing perfectly the first time. Round one? I simply want to write from the heart. 

The holidays are coming, and there is so much for which to be thankful, so many blessings to rejoice in and to share. As an author, try to remain dedicated to the stories you have to tell. Guard your time as best you can, and keep pushing forward. It’s all about the discipline. 

Until next month friends—be thankful, share richly, and be blessed!

~~~~~

Dustin Farrell is expected to succeed. He’s gifted with the means and ability to take the world of business development by storm…and he’s doing just that, right on plan. 

As Christmas approaches, he’s called home, to Hope Creek, Tennessee. He’s been given a slam-dunk objective from his investors: Take a small, local art shop and expand it into the retail mainstream. 

Lillianna Bennett, Dustin’s former high school classmate, is part owner of Purple Door Art Market. Long ago, her shy sweetness captured his imagination, but nothing came of the affectionate flame between them. 

Until a reunion at Christmas Inn. Dustin presents his offer, realizing the wallflower of his youth has bloomed into a confident, talented woman with the kind of free-spirited heart for which he always longed. And he wonders: Is a life of expectation, and ‘more’ what he really wants? Will his professional quest end up compromising Lillianna if her gifts and business become part of a wider view? 

Most of all, will love be lovelier...the second time around?

~~~~~

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Readers laude her work as “Riveting,” “Realistic and true to heart,” “Compelling.” 

Her Christian fiction debut, Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Her follow-up novel, Forgiveness, earned Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year honors as did her book Hearts Communion. She is also a two-time recipient of the Selah Award for her books Then & Now and Finding Home. 

Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President. You can connect with Marianne at www.marianneevans.com.

Just Do It! By Clare Revell

Clare Revell

Hello, Seriously Write friends! It's Marianne here, passing the Monday Encouragement torch this month to the wonderful and gifted Clare Revell. Clare is an author I love to read, and an author I love even more as a person. Although she lives clear 'across the pond' I've gotten to meet her face-to-face, and she's simply awesome. Enjoy her encouragement, won't you??

Clare...take it away!! .........

Write a book they said. It’ll be easy they said. 

Well, maybe for them, but it can be jolly hard work. Especially when the muse kicks in at 3am on a Sunday morning and that’s the one day I refuse to do anything writing related at all. I know some authors do, but I don’t. I used to, but never sold a single book. Then I stopped and all of sudden things started happening. I can’t not write. The characters voices in my head simply get louder and complain if I don’t. It’s bad enough on a Monday morning, having not written over the weekend.

So writing isn’t easy, but it can be fun. Especially when the story really gets into its stride. To start with things are slow going, setting the plot up, trying to find the best opening line, trying not to info dump even though it could be important stuff the reader needs to know. Then the first plot twist happens and things pick up speed, until you’re over the mid part of the book and speeding towards the end.

That’s where I currently am with plotting the final book in my new series. Five chapters written but I’m up to chapter sixteen with the planning. It’s got to tie up all four books, catch the killer, and give the two main characters separate happy endings (as this one isn’t romance.)

The trick I’ve discovered is to write so much a day. Some days I reach my target of 1666 words – yes, I stick to the nanowrimo target — and some days I barely manage 500. Doesn’t matter. Just get those words down. They may be rubbish. Again it doesn’t matter. That’s what editing and critique partners are for.  The aim is just to get those words down.

And I don’t write straight onto the computer. I hand-write everything first. The advantage of this is I can write anywhere — hospital waiting rooms, my house, my parents’ house, bedroom, kitchen whilst cooking dinner, curled up on the sofa, and so on. The disadvantage is I then have to type it all up — the plus side is that typing up is actually the second draft, so no one ever sees the first draft.

So, just do it. Don’t say you can’t, because if I can, anyone can.

~~~~~

Archaeologist Dr. Lou Fitzgerald is used to unexpected happenings, and they don't usually faze her. After surviving a childhood disability, and dealing with an unfair boss, Lou has learned the art of rolling with the punches. But when she arrives at Dark Lake, what was supposed to be a simple archaeological dig is beyond even her wildest imaginations.

Land owner Evan Close has his own reasons for keeping the secrets of Dark Lake, and this attractive interloper is a menace. Her precious dig threatens to bring his house of cards tumbling down around him, and he feels helpless to stop it.

It soon becomes apparent there are dark forces at work, and Lou's simple assignment turns into a mystery. Solving that mystery comes with a steep price.

~~~~~

Clare is a British author. She lives in a small town just outside Reading, England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, their three children, and unfriendly mini-panther, aka Tilly the black cat. They have recently been joined by Hedwig and Sirius the guinea pigs. Clare is half English and half Welsh, which makes watching rugby interesting at times as it doesn’t matter who wins. Her books are based in the UK, with a couple of exceptions, thus, although the spelling may be American in some of them, the books contain British language and terminology and the more recent ones are written in UK English.

Your Story More Than My Glory by Marie Wells Coutu

Marie Wells Coutu

I need music like I need air.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not musical. Although I took piano lessons for several years and sang in the church youth choir all during high school, I can barely play Chopsticks and, as my daddy used to say, I “can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

But music speaks to me, especially Christian music. Whether it’s traditional hymns whose words I know from childhood, choruses from my youth, gospel, or CCM, I love listening and I have to sing along. I find myself humming a tune or singing the words to a favorite song many times a day—if not aloud, then in my head. (Just so you know how bad my singing is, my daughter used to tell me, “Mommy, don’t sing!”)

As a writer, I often find that a current Christian song mirrors the story I’m working on. Or at the very least, the lyrics reflect the struggles I’m going through.

This morning, I heard (again) Matthew West’s Broken Things, which follows the theme of my Mended Vessels series of novels based on biblical women with difficult pasts (http://www.klove.com/music/artists/matthew-west/songs/broken-things-lyrics.aspx). The song talks about how God uses broken people, weak people, imperfect people.

It occurs to me that those are the people God calls to be writers. It’s our pasts, our scars and broken pieces, which enable us to write stories readers can relate to. And because we have been mended by the perfect potter, we can show redemption and hope in our stories. So we sing along, offering our own brokenness to be used by Him.

I write Christian fiction because I want to share the hope and truth of God’s love. My tagline is “Blessing Lives through Stories,” and my continual prayer is that God will use my stories to restore others to Him.

However, I also feel the tug of fame and fortune (hah!) that the world promises to writers—at least, those who succeed in penning a best-seller. My flesh rears up and tells me I need to do more: more publicity, more promotion, more social media, more sales, more striving.

God has to constantly call me back to the simple fact that my writing is for Him, not for myself. If only one person is blessed by one of my stories, that should be enough. My deepest desire is to hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

That’s why Natalie Grant’s recent release, More Than Anything, speaks to me (http://www.klove.com/music/artists/natalie-grant/songs/more-than-anything-lyrics.aspx).

This song reminds me that my success is not found in awards or best-seller lists, but in being faithful to write redemptive stories. So here’s my author’s adaptation, my prayer for today—and every day:

"Help me want (to write) Your Story more than my glory.”

What songs speak to your writer's heart? We'd love to hear from you.

About the Author

The Secret Heart
by Marie Wells Coutu

Marie Wells Coutu began making up stories soon after she began talking. Her most recent title, The Secret Heart, and its prequel, an e-book novelette titled The Divided Heart, are published by Write Integrity Press, along with the award-winning For Such a Moment and Thirsting for More. She and her husband divide their time between Iowa, near their two children and four grandchildren, and Florida, where it’s warm all winter. Marie is working on a historical novel set in western Kentucky, her home state.

Marie is a regular contributor to Seriously Write. For more posts by Marie, click here.

Embrace The Journey by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

In this latest season of my writing life, I’m forcing myself to embrace the truth that not all writing is linear. Sometimes the process of crafting a book isn’t A-B-C-D. Sometimes it’s more like B-D-A-C. Sometimes stories piece themselves into existence like a jigsaw puzzle of sorts, scenes connecting and blending into a smooth and ultimately beautiful whole, but not in any kind of neat and immediate sequence.

It used to be that when I sat down to write, I’d pick up where I left off, re-read to add polish, layers and any needed corrections. From there, I’d continue to create a story in a very straightforward manner. Now, my writing time is more scatter-shot, and I find I can’t force myself to sit and write what simply isn’t “there” for me yet. It took a lot of writer’s block and coaching to get me to realize my writing has had to shift and evolve—yet remain continuous of flow and most of all true to its story/character arc--due to restricted time at the computer.

What have I learned? How can I encourage you if you face the same issue?

Write the scene you’re called to write. Craft the book you’re called to write. Let passion and your writerly joy of creating drive the process of bringing your characters to life. Breathe to life those three key elements by infusing your book with heart, because what you're called to write comes straight fro)m there. For me, whatever scene (or project) I'm called to create, whether it comes to me in any kind of logical sequence or not, is a nudge from God that moves me forward.

As I type this blog post, I’m in a plane, on my way to Italy (future blog posts on this journey, I’m certain!) with my precious sister Mary. She’s in the process of crafting the book of her heart, about the man of her heart, and it motivates me even further to hold on to the passion and the joy writing has always given me. Don’t be afraid to move from D to A to B…the roads we all walk are never straight and tidy, are they? They’re full of ups and downs and thrilling dips--twists and turns as powerful as any rollercoaster ride.

Embrace the journey. That’s been a mantra of mine since I began writing. It’s great, at times like this, to gain an ordained reminder of why that phrase means so much to me. The journey is the goal…not just the destination. Hope that encourages you!

Until next time, friends.

~~~~~

Nobody's Baby  But Mine

Noah Talbert just lost his twin sister—his closest living relative—to a horrific automobile accident. Her death brings him straight to Angel Falls where he claims guardianship of his five-year-old nephew, Dylan.

Elementary school counselor Charlotte Latherson is focused on Dylan's case for reasons both personal and professional. His mother was Charlotte's best friend, and the loss has transformed the once joyful and engaging little boy into a reticent, downtrodden kindergartner.

Charlotte is well aware of Noah's history. Other than a close relationship with his sister, Noah's life has been solitary; he keeps to himself and builds strong walls of protection around a heart. Can he provide what's best for Dylan?

At times they butt heads over the youngster's life, but as they struggle, God opens a loving pathway in their hearts. While Noah fights for a child he feels is nobody's baby but his, Charlotte wonders if the feelings they share can't create the bridge to a miracle.

~~~~~

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Readers laude her work as “Riveting,” “Realistic and true to heart,” “Compelling.” Her Christian fiction debut, Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Her follow-up novel, Forgiveness, earned Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year honors as did her book Hearts Communion. She is also a two-time recipient of the Selah Award for her books Then & Now and Finding Home. Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President. You can connect with Marianne at www.marianneevans.com.

With Many Such Parables... By Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

With many such parables, He spoke the word to them as they were able

to understand it. ~ Mark 4:33

Know what I love? I love the truth of Jesus being a storyteller. Isn’t it an awesome image? As authors of Christ-centered books, we assume the same daunting but blessed task of the earliest disciples. We are the word-weavers, the scribes, the storytellers of our modern world. We are the keepers, and crafters, of our era’s parables.

Wow. Think about that—not in a prideful, self-righteous way, but in the context of a Christ-centered legacy. I read a devotional recently that shined a spotlight on that fact and left me thinking long and hard about applying it to my writing craft and ministry. Jesus’s favorite teaching technique was the use of short, fictional stories that illustrate a spiritual lesson or truth. He shared his mission, his ministry, through stories. Sound like a familiar occupation?

Taking a page from the lesson plan of the Great Teacher, I find myself looking at each book I create as a message. Not a sermon, nothing preachy or lofty, but something real and relatable that just might touch people’s lives and hearts. Affirm faith, as I like to say. That’s what Jesus did when he shared the Parable of the Talents, The Widow’s Mite, The Prodigal. As authors, we entertain. As authors, we illuminate by using our words, the story ideas given to us by Divine inspiration. As authors, we carry on that legacy.

May I repeat? Wow. 

Now, let’s take that a step further. What is the basic ‘teaching’ of your work? What is the theme of your writing and/or ministry as an author? What is God prompting you to share? What ways is He challenging you to move from familiar pathways and explore other avenues, whether writing or life related?

Give it some thought, and prayer, and trust the Spirit nudges and replies you receive in the silence of that meditation. God bless, friends, and write-on!! 

~~~~~

Click to Tweet!

Christian authors: The crafters and keepers of modern-day parables.

Christian authors: The word-weavers and scribes of Christ's legacy.

~~~~~

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Hearts Communion earned a win for Best Romance from the Christian Small Publisher's Association. She is also a two-time recipient of the Selah Award, Then & Now for Best Contemporary Romance and Finding Home for Best Novella. Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.

~~~~~

Country music bad boy Chase Bradington is on the comeback trail. Fresh from rehab for alcohol addiction, and transformed by the power of Christ, Chase is battling to rediscover the music he loves and a career he nearly ruined. Then he meets up and comer, Pyper Brock, and instantly sparks ignite.

Pyper knows of Chase’s reputation, so despite a rampant attraction to the handsome and talented icon, she soundly dismisses his romantic overtures. Decades ago, her father, in a drunken rage, tossed her and her mother onto the streets. No way will Pyper make the mistake of falling for a man whose done battle with the bottle.

What happens when Chase’s quest to win Pyper’s love breaks down chains of resentment and eases the long buried wounds of her childhood? And what happens when Pyper’s father shows up in Nashville, clean, sober and seeking a chance to apologize?

Can Pyper follow a pathway to peace when it comes to her father? Can she fully trust Chase? Above all, can a sin damaged past be released in favor of forgiveness?

Available in print and e-book formats:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Christian Book ~ Pelican Book Group

Stretching the Benefits of Our God-Given Gifts by Zoe M. McCarthy

I gathered my checkbook and pre-stamped envelopes and opened up my worksheet for my quarterly giving. I hate diseases, the effects of wars, and anything that hurts people. I want to use the monetary gifts God has given me to help people, but I’m convinced that help without the Gospel is sadly only temporary assistance. So my quarterly checks travel to organizations I trust, are committed to helping people in their current circumstances, and offer Christ to benefit their eternal situations.

Zoe M. McCarthy

One of my spiritual gifts is teaching. Besides teaching the Community Bible Study, I write stories. Many people who love to read are hurting. They often read to lose themselves in a story. If I write to simply entertain them, my help is temporary. But if I write from a Christian worldview and offer Christ in a way I hope piques interest instead of anger, I believe I may potentially plant seeds that God will use to save some beyond their current pain.

Recently, a woman clicked on an ad for my book and sent me a message. She said: “Sadly, as much as I read, I tend to shy away from "Christian" romance. I read for the story. In Christian romances, the Christianity often overwhelms the story.”

I wrote back: “I hear you, XXXX. In American Christian Fiction Writers, we often talk about what you brought up. Story is important, and we don't need to hammer readers over the head with the Gospel. We can write from a Christian worldview, but if it's fiction, then the story has to delight and satisfy the reader. Thanks for taking the time to write, XXXX.

She responded: “It is always about the story in any writing. Thank you for your response.”

I praise God for this woman. She didn’t read my book, but she took the time to write what was on her mind. And she could have been rude. Instead, this woman, who loves to read, shared what bothers her about Christian romance stories.

On the other side, my book received a review from a woman who doesn’t read Christian romances. She admitted she liked to read racier stories. She read my book before she realized it was Christian, but said she was glad she did. And why was that? Story. And she recommended the book.

I will still depict heroines and heroes overcoming life’s hurts. I will still write with humor and tenderness. I will still share Christ, but I will work hard to write stories readers, Christian or not, will enjoy and remember.

How about you? What are your thoughts about using your gifts to help people bearing life’s hurts—now and eternally?

About the Author

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little-known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is: Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two of her short stories. Zoe self-published two books of contemporary Christian short stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys leading workshops on the craft of writing; speaking about her faith; planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren; and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John.
Learn more about Zoe M. McCarthy at her website: http://zoemmccarthy.com.

Calculated Risk

What happens when an analytical numbers man meets a mercurial marketing Rep? Romance is a calculated risk…

Calculated Risk
by Zoe M. McCarthy

Jilted by the latest of her father’s choices of “real men,” Cisney Baldwin rashly accepts an invitation to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a sympathetic colleague and his family. Nick LeCrone is a man too much her opposite to interest her and too mild-mannered to make her overbearing father’s “list.” Now, Cisney fears Nick wants to take advantage of her vulnerable state over the holiday. Boy, is she wrong.

Nick wants little to do with Cisney. She drives him crazy with all her sticky notes and quirks. He extended an invitation because he felt sorry for her. Now he’s stuck, and to make matters worse, his family thinks she’s his perfect match. He’ll do what he can to keep his distance, but there’s just one problem—he’s starting to believe Cisney’s magnetism is stronger than he can resist.

Purchase links for Calculated Risk: http://zoemmccarthy.com/books

Editorial Encouragement by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

en·cour·age·ment

noun

• The action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope. Synonyms:    heartening, cheering up, inspiration, motivation, fortification
• Persuasion to do or to continue to do something.
• The act of trying to stimulate the development of an activity, state or belief.

 There are any number of wonderful people in my life who offer encouragement, a pat on the back, or a swift shove to the shoulder, if necessary, and yes, even critique is a form of encouragement.

Sure, it may not feel that way, but let me repeat: Critique is a form of encouragement.

Let’s take editing as an example. I was recently asked to contribute my thoughts to an article my publisher was creating on the topic of dealing with edits. I had to think about that for a moment, because first and foremost, I’m the overly-sensitive type. Oh, it’s not that I think my writing is so superlative and flawless that, excuse me, no edits could possibly be required. Just the opposite. I’m actually a bundle of insecurity, wondering if, with this particular book/round of edits, my publisher is finally catching on to the fact that I’m not really a very good writer and that I might want to just move along.

Therefore, when I get edits, my instinct is to cringe, to look at each change as a failure on my part to make my story excellent. Boy, have I been forced to change my tune. In the course of releasing a good number of books over the last few years, I’ve gone through a lot of editing—some light, some heavy. With each submission I find myself leaning on my publisher’s mantra: ‘If this wasn’t a great story, we wouldn’t have contracted it.’

For me, there are three components to the editing process: mutual trust, mutual faith, and mutual support. I have to trust that my editor has the best interests of my book at heart. My editor has to trust me to deliver a publishable story. I have to have faith that my editor’s skill is going to make my book shine. She’s on my side. In turn, my editor has to have faith that I am ready and able to perform any story/character changes that happen along the way. Via mutual support and open communication, my editor and I should both know, when we reach ‘The End’ we have come together to create something great.

The next time edits have you bugged, I hope this advice comes in handy. It also helps me to remember that the author/editor relationship is about being a team.  Build that relationship, and success will come!

CLICK TO TWEET!

There are three components to the editing process: trust, faith, and support.

The author/editor relationship is about being a mutually beneficial team.

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Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Hearts Communion earned a win for Best Romance from the Christian Small Publisher's Association. Finding Home won the Selah award for Best Novella. Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.

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Country music bad boy Chase Bradington is on the comeback trail. Fresh from rehab for alcohol addiction, and transformed by the power of Christ, Chase is battling to rediscover the music he loves and a career he nearly ruined. Then he meets up and comer, Pyper Brock, and instantly sparks ignite.

Pyper knows of Chase’s reputation, so despite a rampant attraction to the handsome and talented icon, she soundly dismisses his romantic overtures. Decades ago, her father, in a drunken rage, tossed her and her mother onto the streets. No way will Pyper make the mistake of falling for a man whose done battle with the bottle.

What happens when Chase’s quest to win Pyper’s love breaks down chains of resentment and eases the long buried wounds of her childhood? And what happens when Pypers father shows up in Nashville, clean, sober and seeking a chance to apologize?

Can Pyper follow a pathway to peace when it comes to her father? Can she fully trust Chase? Above all, can a sin damaged past be released in favor of forgiveness?

Releasing 11/1/2016 ~ Available for pre-order now at Amazon.com in PRINT and E-BOOK formats