Home For Holidays by Gail Gaymer Martin

Gail Gaymer Martin

We're so happy to have award-winning author Gail Gaymer Martin back with us! Today the topic is Christmas stories. Because of family members I've lost around the holidays, it takes a bit longer each year to prepare my heart for Christmas. Today Gail shares how to take tough situations and turn them into uplifting Christmas stories. Enjoy! ~ Angie

Holidays are a time when most everyone wants to be home with their family and friends. Whether birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, home is where the heart is. But when my mom was a little girl, her mother had a stroke shortly before Christmas. Since she was the youngest child and needed care, she was sent to spend Christmas with affluent relatives living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, hours away from her home and family. While the experience frightened and saddened my mom, later in life she talked about her visit with a few warm memories.

Most of the remembrances revolved around the family’s Christmas traditions—the gifts she received, the Christmas décor and music. But the memory that stood out in her mind happened on Christmas Eve. Mom said the main parlor doors remained closed during her stay, but on Christmas Eve, the doors were opened and she gasped at the huge Christmas tree decorated in a multitude of ornaments and lighted with real candles. Buckets of water sat nearby to put out a possible fire.

Yet a child wants to be with family at Christmas time, and the poignant situation settled in my mind and became a Christmas novella called Yuletide Treasure, a romance with a thread of mystery involving a package Livy, the heroine, is asked to deliver in secret. Instead of a young girl as my mother was, I wrote about a young boy named Davy. Though the story is fictional, the basic idea came from my mother’s situation and the Christmas memories of that experience.

These types of occurrences make great fodder for story ideas, but they are also touching and sad. I have never been away from family at Christmas, except one time by choice, and I’m grateful. I’m sure some of you may have had that experience and can remember how you longed to be home with loved ones.

If you would like to read Yuletide Treasures, it is included in An Old-Fashioned Christmas Collection from Barbour Publishing along with nine other Christmas novellas by various novelists.

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Preparing for Christmas: Christmas memories with @GailGMartin.
Using poignant situations for uplifting stories.

About the Author

An Old-Fashioned Christmas Collection,
anthology by various Christian authors
including Gail Gaymer Martin

An Old-Fashioned Christmas Collection
Many of us have a secret picture of Christmases past—a time when windows shimmered with lacy
frost and candlelight, fireplaces kept a home warm and snug, ladies’ skirts swirled and gracefully skimmed the floor, and gentlemen were gallant and true. Experience Christmases spanning over one hundred years through nine inspiring historical romances, beautifully and economically packaged for you and all your gift-giving needs.

Gail Gaymer Martin
Award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction with 52 novels published and nearly 4 million books in print. Her novels have received many national awards, including: the ACFW Carol Award and RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. Gail is the author of Writer Digest’s Writing The Christian Romance. CBS local news listed Gail as one of the four best writers in the Detroit area. She is a cofounder of American Christian Fiction Writers and serves on their Executive Board. She is also a member of Advanced Speakers and Writers and the Christian Authors Network. Gail is a keynote speaker at churches, civic and business organizations and a workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S. She lives in Michigan with her husband Bob.

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Carrying the Writing Load by Gail Gaymer Martin

Gail Gaymer Martin

Sometimes life gets in the way of a good thing. When I wrote my first novel, being published was the only thing that weighed on my mind. I wanted to write the best book I could so I studied the craft, experienced rejections from editors and agents, and waited for the day when the telephone would ring offering the first sale. I was thrilled to hold that first book in my hand. But as my career unfolded and the expectations of publishers, agents, and even my own expectations grew, the once joyful experience now placed a heavy load on me. Being a writer isn’t all there is anymore. Now writers must also be promoters and marketers.

Would I give it up? Not for a moment. But I’ve learned that a writing career cuts into a novelist’s life and time. Social media and emails dig into our writing hours and it’s far more difficult to write four and five books a year than when we first began. Now it means blog posts, responding to readers and Facebook friends, keeping active on GoodReads and Twitter, and keeping our website active with new material. It can become overwhelming for us at times, and often what we need beside prayer and a good night’s sleep is someone to listen and understand, to encourage us and remind us that with talent comes responsibility and work. Everyone needs support and understanding, someone to share our frustrations and to pray for us.

Paula, the heroine in my latest novel, Rescued By The Firefighter, needed someone to care and to listen, but she also needed to admit her frailty and her problems. Sometimes we don’t want to let others know we doubt our writing, we fear the rejections, we’re tired of missing all the fun we once had because now we’re behind on our email, blogs and deadline novel. Paula, as you and I, needed someone to understand and to trust that she would still be loved even though she wasn’t Superwoman and perfect. We must face that too. We need help and support, and thank the Lord, we can find writing groups and organizations that teach and support us as well as offer fellowship and prayer. As Paula finally learned, don’t let what you love weigh you down because of fear of failure or shame. Lift it up with the help of those you can turn to for support. And don’t forget the Lord is always there waiting to carry your burdens for you.

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Sometimes life gets in the way of a good thing. 
Everyone needs support: to share our frustrations & pray for us.
The writing life can become overwhelming at times. 
The Lord is always there waiting to carry your burdens.

About the Author

Award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction with 52 novels published and nearly 4 million books in print. Her novels have received many national awards, including: the ACFW Carol Award and RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. Gail is the author of Writer Digest’s Writing The Christian Romance. CBS local news listed Gail as one of the four best writers in the Detroit area. She is a cofounder of American Christian Fiction Writers and serves on their Executive Board. She is also a member of Advanced Speakers and Writers and the Christian Authors Network. Gail is a keynote speaker at churches, civic and business organizations and a workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S. She lives in Michigan with her husband Bob.

Rescued by the Firefighter
by Gail Gaymer Martin

A Fresh Start
Paula Reynolds is looking for a new job, a new home, a new everything—except for love. Determined not to repeat old mistakes, she's staying away from romance. She never counted on falling for handsome firefighter Clint Donatelli. Clint is used to saving lives, but with the beautiful Paula, he faces a challenge. Getting to know her is a daunting task, especially since he's just as wary of relationships. When he learns a stunning secret from her past, he must choose—to live the way he's always lived, or trust in a new love.

Romantic Times Review - 4 stars Paula's determination to change and her emotional growth are realistic. Readers will clearly see the characters' vulnerabilities. The pace is steady pace and the conclusion satisfying in the final Sisters story

Website: www.gailgaymermartin.com
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LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/gailgaymermartin
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83354.Gail_Gaymer_Martin

The Story Within A Story Within Another Story by Gail Gaymer Martin

Gail Gaymer Martin

Deep grief is a part of life, reflecting the losses we’ve experience: the loss of a friend, a job, the death of a loved one, or a divorce. In marriage we make an oath “for better or worse,” but sometimes the words crumble and we find ourselves alone. I am a divorced woman who didn’t want to be one. My promise to God “until death do us part” shattered. I sank into the doldrums of loneliness and shame, feeling duped and stupid not suspecting my husband’s affair. At night I turned to the Lord for help. I asked for a sign that I would be okay, that life would be bright and I would feel whole again. Without a sign, I adjusted, moved on, grew as a single woman, made new female friends and then one day, I met my soulmate and knew the Lord had provided the answer to my earlier prayer. We’ve been married twenty-eight years–the best years of my life.

As authors, awareness comes each time we begin a novel. We bring to the story a reflection of ourselves. This doesn't mean a memoir or autobiography. It's far more subtle than that. Our attitudes, values and beliefs come from who we are, our past experiences, family, friends, lifestyle, education, and values. Our writing voice, our characterization and development of plot, though very different from our personal lives, still echoes exaggerated experiences, a merging of characterization from people we know and from ourselves, and those heart things we value.

Sometimes I see blatant examples of me in novels, not always flattering but a bit of who I am. Sometimes I see who I would like to be or who I'm glad I'm not. Questions about life, doubts, hurts, experiences or faith examples I've witnessed through family and friends become woven into plots. News stories, disasters, and reflections from non-fiction reading can inch their way into the storyline.

Our imagination takes these pieces of our lives and weaves them into a creative work so subtle sometimes we don't realize it, but think about it. If we had not experienced that fear or longing, if we had never been in an accident, if we'd never loved a dog, if we'd never been abandoned by someone we loved, our story could be different. The emotion would not be as true nor the need to tell the story.

So within each piece of fiction our storyline adds a smattering of our personal story within it. Most of us realize this, but have you also considered an extension of this idea. What makes our stories even more unique to each reader is that they bring their own story into our fiction which houses our personal story too. They are touched by incidents that remind them of their own fears, their own wants and needs, their own abandonment, their own disaster, and their own family dysfunction.  

As you write, dig deep to discover those embedded memories that you avoid, those hurtful experiences that seem insignificant now, those conflicts that took you down when you were trying to find yourself, the flaws you face, the family attitudes that affected your life, and the things you value most. Allow them to surface so that you're story can be real and healing to readers also scarred by the past, readers who feel alone and hopeless. Digging deep brings truth to light and truth can set you free.

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As you write, dig deep to discover those embedded memories that you avoid.

As authors, awareness comes each time we begin a novel. 

About the Author

Multi-award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction with 52 contracted novels and over 3-1/2 million books in print. Her novels have received several national awards, including: the ACFW Carol Award and RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. CBS local news listed Gail as one of the four best writers in the Detroit area. Gail is the author of Writer Digest’s Writing the Christian Romance. She is a cofounder of American Christian Fiction Writers and serves on their Executive Board. Gail is a member of Advanced Speakers and Writers (ACFW) as well as Christian Authors Network (CAN) and is a keynote speaker at churches, civic and business organizations and is a workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S. Gail lives in Michigan with her husband.. Visit her at:

Website at www.gailgaymermartin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gail.g.martin.3
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GailGMartin
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/83354.Gail_Gaymer_Martin

The Firefighter's New Family
Love Inspired - January release in stores now
This is Book #2 in the Sisters series

The Firefighter's New Family
by Gail Gaymer Martin

(Book #1 Her Valentine Hero) 

A tornado may have left Ashley Kern injured beneath a fallen tree, but it’s her rescuer who plays havoc with her emotions. Firefighter Devon Murphy is everything the single mom could wish for in a husband: handsome, a doting father and ready to join his family to hers. But how can the pretty war widow make a life once more with a man whose career is full of danger? Devon has fought some pretty big battles in his life, but can he help Ashley conquer her fears and show her the safest place of all is in his arms?

When Your Novel’s Going Nowhere by Gail Gaymer Martin

When my mom died, I was facing three book deadlines, so despite my grief, I plugged away and got the first book finished. A few weeks later, the book came back from my editor with a few revisions she’d marked with sticky-notes. I couldn’t believe what I’d done. Every scene involved eating: pizza, ham and cheese sandwiches, cookies, lemonade, coffee, ice cream, popcorn, and elegant dinners. Food is comfort, and I must have used the idea of food to comfort myself in my grief. I made the changes, and it ended up a successful novel. But I also learned a lesson, and I’ll share it with you here. Sometimes our amazing prose needs fresh eyes, time, and lots of perseverance.

Even under regular circumstances, authors sometimes look over the pages of their novel and realize something happened to their inspiration. The book seems to be going nowhere. It’s lost its punch and seems to be mundane. While some of it is great, you’ve found portions that are lackluster. Instead of giving up, take steps to rev the motor and add zip to the stalled novel.

Take A Break
If you’ve been working on the story for weeks, even months, your mind is saturated with the plot and the characters. Set the manuscript aside. Take a vacation. Work on a new project. The important action is to stop thinking about the story and characters. Allow your mind to move in other directions. Sometimes stepping away from a project and returning a later will give you a fresh perspective. In the lapse you can identify where the novel is weak. Do you need more action? More hooks? Deeper characterization? Is the dialogue dull? Use colored highlights or symbols in the margin to indicate where and what you need to add, change, or cut. Once through the manuscript, you will have a better idea what’s needed and how you can get the novel back in the race.

Try Fresh Eyes Besides Yours
Another new perspective is finding an avid reader who loves your genre Instead of a critique, ask your friend, acquaintance or family member to read the story and make notes in the margin where the story drags, when they don’t care about the characters, when they feel no concern or emotion, when they long for the good part. These notes from fresh eyes can be invaluable to provide ideas on how to make it sparkle.

Scrutinize The Story
Authors are inspired by a story idea. The plot forms around the purpose for writing the book—to show how trust is a must in any relationship, to show that happiness is internal and not external, or demonstrate the strength of a mother or father’s love. Novels come with a purpose, a message, a lesson, a truth. Review your novel by scenes and ask if the scene moves the story forward toward its purpose and the character’s goal.

Search for Weaknesses
Most authors know what techniques or elements of fiction are their weakest. If dialogue is a problem, dissect the conversations between characters and cut the go-nowhere verbiage. Unimportant dialogue doesn’t move the plot forward. If descriptions are a weakness, make sure scenes come to life in a vivid surrounding by meaningful description through character action or introspection. She set the teacup on the saucer, kicking herself for agreeing to meet Milly in a stupid teashop. You know where the scene is set and character’s attitude.

These are only a few of the techniques you can use to improve your novel, and remember though everyone loves food, you can’t build a plot around it. 

Multi-award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction with 52 contracted novels and over 3-1/2 million books in print. Her novels have received several national awards, including: the ACFW Carol Award and RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. CBS local news listed Gail as one of the four best writers in the Detroit area. Gail is the author of Writer Digest’s Writing the Christian Romance. She is a cofounder of American Christian Fiction Writers and serves on their Executive Board. Gail is a member of Advanced Speakers and Writers (ACFW) as well as Christian Authors Network (CAN) and is a keynote speaker at churches, civic and business organizations and is a workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S. Gail lives in Michigan with her husband.. Visit her at:

Website at www.gailgaymermartin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gail.g.martin.3
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GailGMartin
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/83354.Gail_Gaymer_Martin

The Firefighter's New Family
Love Inspired - January release in stores in mid-December

This is Book #2 in the Sisters Series (Book #1 Her Valentine Hero) 

A tornado may have left Ashley Kern injured beneath a fallen tree, but it’s her rescuer who plays havoc with her emotions. Firefighter Devon Murphy is everything the single mom could wish for in a husband: handsome, a doting father and ready to join his family to hers. But how can the pretty war widow make a life once more with a man whose career is full of danger? Devon has fought some pretty big battles in his life, but can he help Ashley conquer her fears and show her the safest place of all is in his arms?

Making Passive Writing Active by Gail Gaymer Martin

Good Manuscript Monday to you, dear readers. We like to dig into writing craft on this first day of the week. Grammar is a key element in good writing. Today we welcome Gail Gaymer Martin to discuss active vs. passive writing. There's something for everyone in this article. Enjoy!

Making Passive Writing Active*
Gail Gaymer Martin

Suspense, mysteries, and westerns are not the only genres that need action. Keeping your story filled with action-packed verbs helps move the plot and creates a "page-turner." Passive voice is only one kind of inactive writing. Selecting inexplicit verbs and "deadwood" sentence structure also keeps you from creating a moving, active plot.

PASSIVE VOICE
The English class definition of passive voice is exchanging the positions of the subject and the object in a sentence. In active voice, the subject is doer; it does something. In passive voice, the subject receives the action. The note was signed by him rather than He signed the note. In most cases, the subject should carry the action.

Notice the word "was" in the first example. The "to be" verbs, such as: is, was, are, were, be, been, and being are usually connected with passive voice. Still, writers should not totally exclude these verbs in their writing. The "to be" verbs are sometimes needed in predicate nominative and predicate adjective sentences, like, She was beautiful, He was quiet or They were soldiers.
CHANGING PASSIVE TO ACTIVE:
Different forms of passive writing can dilute a good story. The overuse of predicate adjectives and nominatives, using weak or general verbs, using "deadwood" phrases, and telling not showing are all forms of writing that keeps the reader from feeling the action of the novel.

Predicate Nominatives and Adjectives
Obviously, showing is better than telling. When you use predicate nominatives and adjectives, use them when a description will not enhance the action or when descriptive language will slow the scene.

While predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives are useful at times, you can be far more affective and enhance the description by forgetting the "to be" verbs and creating word pictures that say even more. Let’s look at those three examples above:

Predicate adjective: She was beautiful.
Improved: Her angel face glowed in the sunlight while golden curls surrounded her cheeks like a halo.

Predicate adjective: He was quiet.
Improved: If she didn’t see him sitting there, he could have been a mouse in the corner, silent and cautious.

Predicate Nominative: They were soldiers.
Improved: They paraded into the room, their feet moving in procession, their uniform buttons glinting like their spit-polished boots.

Notice the lack of the "to be" verb (was and were) in each of the improved sentences. In each case, you can envision the person rather than just being told something about them. The improved version of these sentences are much more active than passive.

Explicit Verbs
Using explicit verbs is an excellent way to improve writing. Rather than saying she walked through the doorway, try a word that better describes her movement: bolted, dashed, charged, paraded, moseyed, sashayed, meandered, ambled, glided.

Deadwood Kills Action
Another writing problem is using "deadwood" phrases. These are words that add nothing to the sentence except length. In Strunk and White’s, The Elements of Style, the authors use these examples: There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground compared to Dead leaves covered the ground." Notice fewer words, yet a more lively sentence.

Showing not telling
We show when we use vivid words that bring the scene to life. When our descriptions create word pictures, emotion and emphasis action rather than only telling the reader. He was angry, for example, creates no emotion, we cannot see the anger nor the action his anger elicits, and again the telltale "to be" verb is the culprit. He sprang from the chair, toppling it to the ground, and smashed his fist against the tabletop. Now that’s anger. We see it. We feel it. We react to it.

Active Writing
As you inject more action into your writing, remember that action is more than doing things and going places. If well-chosen active verbs are used to create vivid word pictures, internal thoughts can draw the reader into the story and create emotion as effectively as a car chase scene in a movie scene.

Improve your writing by avoiding the straight predicate adjectives, by removing the "deadwood" from your sentences, and by selecting the most vivid, descriptive verb to show action, but remember that active writing is more than using an action verb or filling the narration with descriptive passages. It is grabbing your reader by the hand and pulling them into your story with compelling and emotional narration and dialogue.

*Originally posted on Gail Gaymer Martin’s site: http://writingright-martin.blogspot.com/search/label/Active%20Writing in January, 2008. Used by permission.

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To learn more about Gail and her books, visit her website here. Her book A Dad of His Own releases February 15, 2011 from Steeple Hill Love Inspired.

Featured Genre Day - Why I Write Romance by Gail Gaymer Martin

We had a great response Monday with our Featured Genre Day, so we're doing it again. Today's author is well recognized in her chosen genre--Christian romance. Whether you write inspirational romance or not, we're hoping you're encouraged by today's Featured Genre Day post featuring Gail Gaymer Martin.

Why I Write Romance

When asked why I write romance, I answer it was the Lord’s doing. Romance was not a genre I read. I enjoyed romantic suspense with authors such as Phyllis Whitney and Mary Stewart, but romance is the genre that I’ve written since my first novel was published in 1998. How did that happen? When I attended my first writers’ conference in 1997, I met Gayle Roper who told me about an AOL writers' board. I visited the site and learned some helpful information about writing and the world of publishing, but the most significant thing that happened was an announcement from an author asking if people writing Christian romance might like to form a loop. I didn’t even know what that meant, but I contacted her. Little did I realize from author Annie Jones’ invitation I was joining a group with some of the top writers in Christian fiction—Francine Rivers, Liz Curtis Higgs, Karen Ball, Lisa Tawn Bergern, Linda Windsor, and so many others. This group of writers became mentors for me. I asked dumb questions, and they graciously gave me answers. I believe that the Lord guided my walk to this genre, and though I prefer women’s fiction and romantic suspense, I found my start in pure romance.

I chose to write Christian fiction because my faith is woven through every fiber of my being. I live with a Christian worldview that affects how I look at life and what I value. When I am struggling with problems, I turn to the Lord. When good things happen, I praise Him. I chose not to write explicit sexual content or use curses or God’s name in vain in my fiction. I want my stories to reflect who I am—a Christian—and this has connected with readers and has opened doors to a speaking ministry for women’s groups where I speak on human struggles that touch us all.

Why I believe the romance genre was God’s doing is that Christian fiction has a huge following and is the perfect genre for me. As a licensed counselor, I am able to use my expertise to present emotion-filled stories that allow me to entertain as well as to touch lives with stories that deal with life issues and struggles and with God’s truths. These stories provide readers with hope and leave them with God’s promises of love, forgiveness, grace and salvation through Jesus.

No matter what genre I write—women’s fiction or suspense—romance will always be woven into the novel because I see it as the glue that makes a story adhere to readers. Everyone enjoys a fast paced story to which they can relate because it presents real life situations, but most of all everyone loves to be loved, and that’s what romance is about.

~~~~~~~~~

Hey readers, Annette here. I've appreciated Gail's heart to mentor other writers and have personally emailed questions to her, which she has graciously answered time and again. Check out her Web site for writers (see below) and her book from Writer's Digest (also mentioned below).

Gail's latest romance--Dad in Training -- released September 1st from Steeple Hill Love Inspired! Here's the cover and blurb:

How is Brent Runyan supposed to reach his troubled nephew? The workaholic businessman knows nothing about providing a real home to the orphaned boy who needs him so much. Special education teacher Molly Manning thinks the answer is threefold: love, time—and a dog. But Brent can barely let his nephew into his heart, let alone a golden retriever. With his tragic past, Brent knows what can happen when you love anything: you can lose it. Until Molly asks this dad-in-training to start with the basics by letting her stay…forever.

Gail also has a post up at Love Inspired Author's blog. Check it out here.

Multi-award-winning author, Gail Gaymer Martin writes fiction for Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing, where she was recently honored by Heartsong readers as their 2008 Favorite Author. Gail has written forty-two contracted novels with three million books in print. She is the author of Writing the Christian Romance, a Writers Digest Books release. Gail is a co-founder of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She is a keynote speaker at churches, libraries and civic organizations and also presents workshops at conferences across the US and abroad. Gail has a Masters degree and post-master’s classes from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and is a licensed counselor. She lives in Michigan with her husband. Visit her Web site and her Writing Fiction Right blog.