Checklist for Identifying Yourself as a Writer by Mary Davis

Mary Davis

Anyone else need a pick-me-up? Someone to come along and say, "Oh, you do that too?" Today, Mary Davis shares a list of oh-so-relatable fiction writerly items. I chuckled as I read. Enjoy! ~ Annette



You know you're a fiction writer when...

…you fall asleep at night with pen and paper in hand.
…you go shopping at a physical store for your imaginary character’s wardrobe.
…you have an argument with one or more of your characters and lose.
…your made-up story feels more tangible than your real life.

Only a Conversation Writers Should Have

As a writer, I suggest you kill all your characters. All of them. Sit down, and in one setting, write the demise of Every. Single. Character.

"No! I love them too much. And besides, it's not a very nice thing to do."

I understand.

Yet, I suggest you create a death scenario or two for each and every person in your manuscript. You may decide not to kill them. But have a plan in your back pocket to kill them. Why?

Five Ways to Maximize a Writer's Break by Mary A. Felkins

Congratulations! We’ve made progress on our daily word count goal and now a well-deserved break is calling.

Shouting, maybe?

We agree to climb out of our writing cave and then what? How will we answer?

Whether we plan a break or the break comes begging... “Can we stop for a bit, please? My backside and brain is numb”... there’s wisdom in making the break count.

Otherwise, what was meant to refresh and renew the heart, mind, and spirit can result in wasted time.

Five Ways to Maximize a Writer’s Break

1) Gather names and scene ideas
It may sound counter-productive to take a break while also keeping our WIP in mind, but we can still use the time off to tune into our surroundings. The simple observation of a couple enjoying a hot dog purchased from a street vendor and shared while sitting on the dock might be a refreshing change from characters eating at a restaurant. The unexpected always adds value to our readers. Going up the road to run a quick errand? (okay, for me that means a Coke Zero from the gas station) Use the time to study people--without being creepy. We might meet someone whose demeanor inspires the creation of a new character among our current WIP cast. And not only is a kind introduction a neglected common courtesy, someone's first or last name could be a perfect fit for our WIP.

2) Don’t gather names and scene ideas
When we're led to leave our WIP behind, we may be surprised when ideas come looking for us. I’ve often gathered story inspiration when and where I least expect it. For example, working out at the gym alongside another member, learning of their upbringing, career, and/or life experiences, has provided a field ripe for harvesting character backstory. Double bonus if their first or last name is one I can use.

3) Give Our Characters the Floor
Like a child with several siblings, it could be our characters are struggling to get a word in edgewise while our busy brain has been fussing over what to do with them. Hands free from wild keyboard tapping, let’s sit still and let our characters do the talking. They might tell us what they’re feeling about what just happened or what they fear might happen next and we can incorporate their “feedback” into our stories.

4) Pray. Often.
It doesn’t matter how long or rich our time with God was in the morning if we’ve left Him in the dust by lunch time. Stuck on a scene? Plot all wrong? Characters aren’t right? God isn’t baffled. He knows our story from beginning to end and holds the final product in His hands. Let's maximize our break time by asking Him to illuminate our minds, redirect our stories if necessary, and inspire new ideas from His endless warehouse of creativity.

5) Do absolutely nothing
A break is a break for a reason. In my experience, productivity comes to a halt if I persist in writing when God has called me to rest. When away from our work, we’re free to sit outside and stare at a tree, if necessary. Great reward awaits when we completely disengage from WIP and retreat from mental writer land.

I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother…is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2 (NIV)

The best thing about taking a break is God—the Author—doesn’t need one. He never tires. And doesn't scramble to make up for "lost time" because we’ve stepped away for a few minutes.

Hours. Weeks. Or years.

He Who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:3-4 (NIV)

How do you use your writing break? I’d love to hear what’s worked (and what hasn’t) for you.

Let's maximize our break time by asking Him to illuminate our minds, redirect our stories if necessary, and inspire new ideas from His endless warehouse of creativity. @MaryAFelkins #amwriting #writerbreak #SeriouslyWrite 

The best thing about taking a writer’s break is God—the Author—doesn’t need one. He never tires.
He doesn’t scramble to make up for "lost time" because we’ve stepped away for a time. @MaryAFelkins #amwriting #writerbreak #SeriouslyWrite

Mary A. Felkins writes weekly story-style devotionals on her blog and is a contributor to Refresh, an on-line publication of Lighthouse Bible Study magazine. Her debut, inspirational romance novel, Call To Love, (www.pelicanbookgroup) will be released November 15th, 2019. The completed cover anxiously awaits being partnered with the story behind it.

Raised in Houston, Texas–and forever a Lone Star girl-she and her husband Bruce moved to the foothills of North Carolina in 1997. They have four (adolescent to young adult-sized) arrows in her quiver. She can be lured from her writing cave if presented with a large, unopened bag of Pnut M&Ms or to watch Fixer Upper. A surprise appearance by her teen idol, Donny Osmond, would also do the trick, although she’d likely pass out.

If, upon introduction, she likes your first or last name, expect to see it show up in one of her novels.

Call to Love, inspirational romance coming in November...

What if saying yes to love means trusting the kind of man you said you’d never marry? What if pursuing a woman’s heart means restoring a painful past?

Tracy Cassidy, a fiercely independent ED nurse, must choose between her dream job or staying in her hometown to help support her mother’s faltering ministry. Even if it means risking her heart in love with the kind of man she said she’d never marry.

Why sign up to be Laurelton’s next cop widow?

Tom DeLaney, a hyper-vigilant cop and new hire from Texas, is wearied by years of failed rescue attempts to save his marriage to his ex. A free man, he moves to the foothills of North Carolina. Thing is, he hadn’t expected to fall for Tracy, his supervisor’s sister. But when his adolescent son is diagnosed with a chronic illness, he faces the risk of loving another woman with keep-out issues.

Fears related to the death of Tracy’s cop father and Tom’s inability to forgive the past threaten to sabotage any chance at love.

To trust again means surrender. Will they risk their hearts and answer the call?

Connect with Mary
To receive Mary’s weekly story-style devotions and quarterly book news via email, join other #Felkinsfans at www.maryfelkins.com
https://www.facebook.com/MaryAFelkins
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Names by Carol G. Heilman

How does a writer of fiction name his characters?

Does he pull them out of thin air? Not likely.

Here are some possibilities and I’ve used them all.

• Newspapers, especially the obits
• Cemeteries 
• Research 
• Listening to music
• Friends and family

Stu Summers, author of Summer’s Love, used his own name and his main character is a famous author. I’ve never met Stu so I can’t say if their personalities are the same.

That’s the key, I think. The name has to suit the character. Sometimes the name comes first, other times the personality. In Agnes Hopper Shakes Up Sweetbriar, a strong, handsome man, tan and muscular because he has labored in the fields, brings a basket of strawberries to the residents of the retirement home. I knew his name was Jack, but he needed a last name. One of the ladies on the porch that day swoons over his presence. He often has that effect on women. His girlfriend, Shirley Monroe, the manicurist at the Kut’N Loose, calls him “Baby.” Alice, who was also on the porch that day, thinks he looks like Jesus, because of his long, thick hair. His last name? Lovingood.

And his girlfriend? Shirley is a blonde and even though her hair is a mound of teased fluff, don’t be fooled into thinking her elevator doesn’t go to the top. She is full of practical wisdom that women often find in beauty shops. She is a large-boned woman with big feet. Her perfume is loud and so is her laugh. Her last name is Monroe because she reminded me of a long ago star named Marilyn.

And so it goes. Names are fun, but names are also important and not to be taken lightly. My main character living at Sweetbriar Manor, Agnes Marie Hopper, has the spunky spirit of my mother. I love the name Agnes, but the name Marie Hopper came straight from my mother. She never had a middle name so she gave herself Marie. Now that takes courage. Her maiden name was Hopper and somehow it just seemed to fit Agnes. She is small and petite yet strong and agile. She has red hair though it now comes from a bottle. She is a widow who still grieves for her husband, Charlie, who was a small tobacco farmer.

At the beginning of my story, Agnes lives alone, except for her pet pig, Miss Margaret, who is a great comfort to her. The name seems like a dignified, southern name to me. I first heard it used for a relative’s cat. I knew I would have to use it some day.

Where did your name come from? My daddy said he just “thunked mine up.” My sister’s middle name, Rae, came from a family friend. I have passed that name to my son as Ray.

Names are indeed important. How do you choose the names of your characters? I would love to hear your ideas and add them to my list.

~~~~~~

Carol Heilman, a coal miner's daughter, married her high school sweetheart, a farmer's son. She began writing family stories, especially about her dad's Appalachian humor, for newspapers and magazines. One day her mother said, "We don't have any secrets any more!"

Carol's book series, Agnes Hopper Shakes Up Sweetbriar and Agnes Hopper Bets on Murder, was inspired by her mother's spunky spirit and her dad's humor.

She has recently moved, along with her husband of fifty-plus years, from the mountains of NC to Charleston, SC. They love to play cards, go antiquing, hike, and visit grandsons on the east and west coasts.

Invasion of Imaginary People by Peter Leavell

Writers know—characters possess a violent burn to be created. A churning volcano at the best of times, a black hole of unreasonable emotion at the worst. 

We’re depressed when we can’t spend time with our characters, and when we sit down to chat, their interest lies somewhere else. Maddening.

Our characters are so real our spouses are jealous. Parents are confused. Children are impatient. Siblings don't know about "that particular family member."

But the absurdity can’t be overstated. Our imaginary friends are getting in the way of real relationships.

There’s medicine for it all.

The medicine I would suggest is thankfulness. We’re the lucky ones. And you know why. I don’t have to tell you. If you need help in this area, message me, and we'll talk.

Here’s a few pointers, though, for coping with a real and an imaginary world in the same mind.

—Stay calm. Yes, we’ve had breakthroughs in character developments, but jumping up in a church missions meeting yelling, ‘That’s why your promiscuous behavior is so famous…your mother rejected you, and you’re looking for someone to replace her!’ can lead to embarrassing talks with church administrators. Jot down the thought quickly, and move on.

—Divide your time with a thick pen between fiction and reality. Just because you must spend time with your characters to write well doesn’t mean spouses, parents, friends, and utter strangers have to spend time with them. You may find they’re not interested, which is disheartening. I’ve found if I must tell someone about my character, I create another character who is disproportionally fascinated in my imaginary friends.

—Let your real friends be the ones to comfort you. Stoicism may come from working through your own personal issues with your characters, but others will think your perfection irritating. I think your perfectionism is irritating. Let us help.

—Do not discuss murder methods with your characters in public. For example, in the church hallway, when prepping to speak to 2nd graders and your characters appear, do not mention aloud cement shoes, taking someone to the farm, ballistic therapy, tango down, the number 187, or kevorking anyone. We understand. We really do. But you’ll find your sphere of influence at church shrinking.

—Allow your characters to take a role in your life, but do not set a chair at the table for them. Don’t drive them to appointments, unless you’re going there already. It’s okay to fill out job applications for them, but don’t submit them to the company. Don’t tell anyone your crazy new idea for a hairstyle comes from your protagonist. And for goodness sake, don’t let them drive.

Be thankful we have so many interesting people in our lives, real and imaginary. But take care, my friends. The real world is scary. 

~~~~~

Peter Leavell

Peter Leavell is an award winning historical fiction author. He and his family research together, creating magnificent adventures. Catch up with him on his website at www.peterleavell.com, or friend him on Facebook: Peter R. Leavell.

~~~~~

What We Bring To A Story by Heidi Chiavaroli

Last weekend, after the kids were snuggled in their beds, my husband and I settled down to watch Titanic. I was a sophomore in high school when the movie first came out and I watched it several times as a sixteen-year-old, completely engrossed in Jack and Rose's love story.

Last Saturday night, when I made the suggestion to dear hubby that we watch the movie, I looked forward to reliving the romance and adventure.

But I was in for a surprise. One scene (really a snip of a scene) shook me to the core and had tears pouring down my cheeks. And strangely enough, it had nothing to do with Jack and Rose. In fact, I had barely noticed the scene when watching Titanic as a starry-eyed teenager. So why the emotions? Twelve years later, I am a different person. I brought something different to this story: my experience of motherhood.

The scene that grabbed my thoughts wasn't the one I latched onto years earlier—that of Rose releasing Jack to the cold ocean depths at the end of the movie. I was prepared for that. I knew the inevitable. Rather, the scene that took me by surprise was of an underprivileged mother and her two children. They'd been locked beneath the ship to die. Water pooled around them. The mother leaned over her little ones cuddled on a bottom bunk, stroked their foreheads, and told them a story. Calmly. As if this night were like all the others.

The scene was but five seconds, but it tugged at my heartstrings in a deeply personal way and sent my imagination flying. How would I react in such a circumstance? Could I be so brave? What stories would I tell my children? What sweet words of Jesus would I whisper in their little ears?

And why did the scene barely impact me all those times I'd seen it years earlier? Had my heart been cold? Did I not value children?

I don't think any of these were the case. In fact, it was what I now brought with me to the story. My children are the same age as those in the movie. I could relate to this poor mother's predicament in a way I couldn't as a sophomore in high school.

A good story is one that evokes emotion from a reader. A skilled author creates characters and situations that draw on our own emotional experiences. Love, protection, fear, hopelessness. We all know these feelings. It's a writer's job to tap into them, and it’s a writer’s job to know the audience they are writing for so that they can accomplish this well.

How do you go about relating to your audience in your stories?

Heidi Chiavaroli is a writer, runner, wife, mother, and grace-clinger—not necessarily in that order. Ever since taking her first trip to Plimoth Plantation with her sister, mother, and grandmother at the age of nine, she has been fascinated with history and its significance to today’s people and culture. Heidi is the winner of ACFW’s 2014 Genesis Contest, Historical Category. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and Howie, her standard poodle. Learn more about Heidi on her website: www.heidichiavaroli.com.

Heidi will join us on the third Thursday each month.

In This Together by Gail Kittleson

Gail Kittleson

Around New Year’s, we often consider our purpose. Samuel Clemens tried his hand at typesetting, riverboat piloting, soldiering, and silver mining before having his first story published. I wonder how the writer we know as Mark Twain would specify his purpose—to entertain ... to teach a moral ... to change the world? His iconic characters, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and Jim, did all three.

Considering the body of his work, I’d vote for the latter. Twain observed the ills and evils of his tumultuous times, and through gradual alteration, contributed to altering them. Ernest Hemingway said that “all modern American literature” arose from Huck Finn, published in January, 1885 and called the great American novel.

Decades later, To Kill A Mockingbird revealed the depth of bigotry still active in the South, once again through a child’s eyes. In the same way, The Book Thief and Five Quarters of an Orange strip bare the vagaries of war.

Does this childhood perspective subtly open readers to the truth? I don’t know, but those last two books held me spellbound, as did To Kill A Mockingbird.

I have yet to adapt this principle in a novel, but the children I include make a lot of difference to the main character. Dottie, the heroine of In This Together, loves children—long after her own left home, she volunteers with the wee tots at her church. Never one to mind cleaning up messes, she works the remnants of chocolate cake from an adorable little guy’s pocket before his mom comes to pick him up.

Down on her hands and knees after everyone else leaves, scrubbing up bits of chocolate from cold cement and crackly old 1946 linoleum, Dottie longs to meet her two sweet grandbabies, far away in California, and mourns her only son Bill, who died in the North Africa campaign.

Dottie, who rarely allows her emotions to surface, gives in to an avalanche of grief after her time with these children. But down on the freezing floor, she still looks up. And so does Al, the lonely widower next door who watches her walk to work each morning and trudge home at night. He secretly hopes someday she’ll give him a second glance.

It took Samuel Clemons a while to realize his gift of story. Now that I’m focusing on story too, am I out to entertain, teach, or change the world with my first novel? How do I expect this post-World War II tale to affect readers? For starters, I’d like them to see Dottie Kyle as a friend and cheer her on as she faces down some stubborn, entrenched fears. We all must do that, and to think Dottie might encourage somebody on their journey makes my day.

****

After losing her only son to World War II and her husband soon after, Dottie Kyle takes a job at a local boarding house. Her daughter Cora moved to California straight out of high school to work for the war effort, married a sailor and settled down in the Golden State—another loss.

 Dottie contributes to her rural Iowa post-war world by cooking and cleaning, volunteering at her church, and tending her garden. But when troubles arise in Cora’s third pregnancy, Dottie longs to help Cora and meet those two grandbabies out in California. However, old fears prohibit her from making that arduous, cross-country train journey.

            At the boarding house, complications arise that force Dottie to speak up for what’s right, and as her confidence grows, so does the unexpected interest of the widower next door. Nary a reason to blush here, but plenty of opportunity to cheer Dottie on to victory!

Purchase links:

AMAZON

ALLROMANCEEBOOKS.COM 

BOOKSTRAND.COM 

KOBOBOOKS.COM 

NOOK.COM 

Heroines that Dare to Bloom parallels Gail’s long journey to blooming as a writer. She and her husband enjoy gardening and grandchildren in Northern Iowa, and she facilitates writing workshops and women’s retreats.

WhiteFire Publishing released her memoir, Catching Up With Daylight in 2013, and her debut women’s historical fiction, In This Together (Wild Rose Press/Vintage Imprint) released in November. She also contributed to the Little Cab Press 2015 Christmas Anthology https://www.facebook.com/LittleCABpress

Please feel free to contact Gail—meeting new reading friends is the meringue on her pie, as Dottie would say!

Contact Links:

http://www.gailkittleson.com/

www.facebook.com/gail.kittleson

https://www.facebook.com/Gail-Kittleson-author-1799350843625035/timeline/

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/gail-kittleson/43/935/b06

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3459831.Gail_Kittleson

Characters by Terri Weldon

Terri Weldon

A good character can make or break a book. Like most authors, I love to read – voraciously. A lot of the time how well I like the book depends on the characters. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the other elements of a novel aren’t important, but a great plot with a dud or creep for a character just doesn’t do it for me. I’m sure the same is true for you.

Obviously we all want our story people to be memorable. So what do we need to imbibe our characters with to make people fall in love with them? Or hate them? Hey, like it or not some fictional folks stick with us because of how wickedly awful they are. Can anyone say Norman Bates? But I’m digressing here.

Years ago I read a book where the hero had helped out a restaurant owner with a loan. The owner kept the hero’s name on a special list, always had a table for him. That hero fell in love and at one point in the book he treats the heroine atrociously, accuses her of betraying him when everyone knows she’d never do such a thing. With no place to turn she goes to the restaurant and collapses. The owner tells the hero he’s off the list. It’s probably been twenty-five years since I first read that book. I still have it on my shelf and from time to time that story pops into my mind.

Why? Because of how wickedly cruel the hero treated her.

There are other reasons, good reasons, characters take up residence in our minds: fierce loyalty, quirkiness, animal lover, unusual hobbies/careers, and gentleness.

I can think of favorite books to cover all those traits. Needless to say, many of those books were written by favorite authors. Top selling authors. Two good reasons to pay close attention to the characters in your novels.

So, let’s have a mini-brainstorming session. Leave a comment and tell me who your favorite character is and why. Keep in mind, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the hero or heroine. I have a book where I absolutely love my villain – and he is bad to the bone.

****

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 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.

What's In A Name? by Susan Tuttle

So I recently started a new WIP and, as such, was digging into my characters. I have to say, it’s one of my favorite parts of writing. Getting to know them. Searching for their faces. Learning about their idiosyncrasies. But one part that can stump me is their names.

Do I go with something from the year they were born? Or something that tops the 2014 most popular list? I mean, I write contemporary, so really, the door stands wide open. Is my character born in the country or a city girl? Blonde or brunette? I can pour over lists on Nameberry.com all afternoon. It’s like naming one of my children all over again! Because the name has to fit, it works not only with the mood of the story but also helps shape the picture of the character being created.

You can make a name something the character has fought their whole life or deepen how the reader views them. You can have it be a part of the theme you’re weaving or finally get to use that name you would have given one of your kiddos if you’d had more—don’t laugh, I’ve done it:) There are endless options. So I’m curious…how do other writers pick names? What is the most important aspect of grabbing that label for your hero or heroine? And, as a reader, what do you like to see in a character’s name? Would you ever name a city girl Talulah or a businessman Chet?

I’d love to hear how and where you come up with names. So tell me, what’s in a name when you’re writing?

****

Susan Tuttle

Susan Tuttle is a homeschooling mom of three who is crazy about coffee, dark chocolate, and words—both reading and writing them. Combine that love of words with her passion for leading women to a life-changing encounter with Christ, and you’ll find her crafting Inspirational Contemporary Romance stories laced with humor, love, and healing transformations. When not cheering on her Ironman hubby, chasing the family dog, or tackling complex math problems to teach her kids (yes, even the third grader), you can catch Susan at her blog, Steps.

Birthing Great Characters by Dora Hiers

Dora here. Over the last few years, I have been blessed with many writer friends whose encouragement and fellowship make this writing journey so much sweeter. One such friend is award-winning inspirational author, Myra Johnson. Shortly after she moved to NC, we began teaming up to offer presentations covering a number of writing topics. One of our most popular workshops is Creating Characters that Come Alive. With her permission, over the next couple of months I will be sharing a few "teasers" from our workshop.

Are you a visual person? Do you see my hand waving high in the air?

How many times have you shelled out good money to watch a movie after reading the book, and then been disappointed that the actor/actress didn’t look anything like the image in your head? Did it spoil the movie for you?

Or, perhaps as a writer, you have no trouble glossing over body parts without a firm picture in your head...

“Kindness glimmered from his rugged, just-woke-up-and-no-time-to-shave face, and his powerful shoulders suggested he was a man who could carry any burden, no matter how heavy.”  ~Rori’s Healing, coming soon with Pelican Book Group

But what about painting the picture of your hero's face? Do you need something concrete? An image you can relate to, eyes for you to glimpse into their soul and to discover who they really are beneath the mask they show the world?

So what's the first step I take to bring my characters to life? 

I give them a face.

Here is a list of my favorite spots to find faces.

Magazines or department store sales fliers. Sometimes you can get several pictures of the same model in different clothes and poses.

Online sites like IMDb (an entertainment site) or Pinterest. Keep in mind copyright infringement laws. I only use these pictures for my reference.

Wikipedia. Not only is Wikipedia loaded with photos, it’s also a great source for character bios, which can be tweaked for your story.

Someone you know in real life. Maybe you know someone with the right look or a certain characteristic, like hair or eye color. Readers will appreciate and relate to your characters more if they’re not perfect or model gorgeous.

I don’t know about you, but my hero and heroine have to look good together or match. Initially in Journey’s Embrace, my love interests weren’t clicking for me, so a few pages into writing, I switched the hero out with another, and whoa! The words literally flowed from my fingertips, and the romantic tension was exactly what the original characters lacked.

Just a note of caution, though, as we’re discussing characters. Do what works to get the words on the page, but don’t become overly attached to the images you’ve formed while writing. Once you get that contract, you’ll submit a description of your characters to your editor, but it’s up to the publisher to find the closest match from their available stock photos. You may or may not have a final say in their choice.

Writers, what is your favorite destination to find faces for your characters?
Readers, chime in with your favorite fictional characters and why they are special to you.

Join us next month when we’ll give our characters a ...
hmmm, you'll just have to stop back by to find out. :)

Journey's Embrace
Purchase Link

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? 

Dora Hiers

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?

Dora Hiers is a multi-published author of Heart Racing, God-Gracing romances. She’s a member of RWA, ACFW, and the Treasurer for ACFW-Charlotte Chapter. Connect with her here on Seriously Write, her personal blog, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

Rock the Boat by Rachel Allord

Rachel Allord

Please join me in welcoming Rachel Allord as she reveals how to ramp up the conflict in your story. Rock the Boat! Welcome, Rachel. 
~Dora

I recently had a reader tell me he felt his pulse rate increase while reading a relationally intense scene I’d written. Highest compliment ever. He seemed to be waiting for me to say something like, “Oh I’m sorry to put you through that” but what flew out of mouth was, “Awesome!” If I can turn a reader into a hyperventilating, finger twitching, nervous Nellie, I’ve done my job.

Our task, writers, is to make it worse. Not better, worse. Yes, we’ll need to come to some resolution at the end, cause our readers to breathe a deep, satisfied sigh of relief when they close our book, but until then, make it bad. Really, really bad.

Stories thrive on tension. Tension—the thing we try to avoid in reality—is what keeps us turning the pages late at night. We want to smooth things over in real life, keep the boat floating calmly, but in fiction you must rock the boat. I’m certainly not the first to say this but you must ask yourself, what could be the worst thing that could happen to this character at this moment?

There is a catch: The Badness has to be plausible. It has to fit the context of the story and jive with the spirit of your characters. For instance, you can’t suddenly have a plane crash through the roof of your main characters house just to add some sparks, unless of course you’ve somehow set it up where that it makes sense. (And if you’ve managed to do that, good grief, hats off to you.) Your protagonist can’t contract a rare virus halfway through the book simply to avoid a literary sagging middle… unless, of course, you’ve written way back in chapter three that he or she happened to get stung by some creepy-crawly in the Brazilian rainforest. If The Badness isn’t credible your reader will see right through your shenanigans and throw your book across the room. For the reader, The Badness has to be unanticipated but believable. If we don’t believe a character, we don’t give a hoot as to what happens to them, rare disease ridden or not.

So make it bad and plausible.

One more thing: The Badness has to be tempered with periods of calm, increased character development, and maybe even doses of humor. If the story is just one horrible thing after another—car crash, coma, divorce papers, murder—it feels contrived and, ironically, gets a little tedious and brings us back to the whole plausibility factor. No one can have that bad of luck. Unless your character is trapped in a daytime soap.

To summarize, make it bad and plausible and balanced.

So rock the boat. Ruin that imaginary friend’s life. Don’t worry; you’ll get to make it all better in the end. 

Purchase Link

College student Amber Swansen gives birth alone. In desperation, she abandons the newborn, buries her secret, and attempts to get on with her life. No matter how far she runs, she can’t escape the guilt. Years later and still haunted by her past, Amber meets Beth Dilinger. Friendship blossoms between the two women, but Beth’s son is a constant, painful reminder to Amber of the child she abandoned. 

When heartache hits, causing Amber to grapple with the answers to life’s deeper questions, Beth stands by her side. Yet just when peace seems to be within Amber’s grasp, the truth of her past and the parentage of Beth’s son comes to light and threatens to shatter not only their worlds, but the life of the teenager they both love.

Rachel Allord’s debut novel, Mother of My Son, released in May of 2013. Both an adoptive and biological mother, Rachel grew up as a pastor’s kid, vowed never to marry a pastor, and has been happily married to her pastor husband for eighteen years. She resides in Wisconsin where she avidly consumes novels, coffee, and sushi— preferably at the same time.

Character Motivation by Debby Mayne

Debby Mayne

Have you ever had a hard time creating your characters? Multi-published author Debby Mayne addresses what motivates her characters in today's post. Any of them sound familiar? What kinds of characters are in your work-in-progress? ~ Angie

Have you ever been to a class reunion? If not, have you met with old friends or family members that you haven’t seen in a long time? What did you do to prepare for the get-together? Were you more concerned with what they thought about you—how you looked, how you aged, and how successful you were in life—than you should have been?

The very common human condition of insecurity that stems from childhood is what motivates my characters in the Class Reunion series as they get ready to go to the big event. I wanted readers to get to know the people in my story and join them on their journeys. The editor and I agreed that the best way to do this was to write it in first person. Since I wanted to show the lives of more than one person in this group, all of these books are written in multiple points of view. To add to the immediacy and intimacy of the characters’ experiences, these books are present tense.

About the characters and their insecurities:

Priscilla Slater was class Valedictorian and voted “Most Likely to Succeed” back in high school. Everyone expected her to follow in her college professor parents’ footsteps, but she surprised everyone by dropping out of college and going to beauty school. Although she still wants her parents’ approval, she’s not willing to be miserable in a career she doesn’t want.

Tim Puckett’s dad abandoned him and his mama when he was a young boy. His dad’s brother took over and paid for Tim to go to college with the stipulation that he must work for the family business after graduation. Although Tim’s dream job isn’t being a beauty supply salesman he’s not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. The bonus is that he meets the love of his life. Too bad she doesn’t see him as more than a pal. But maybe if he helps out a little more, he’ll win the girl of his dreams.

Trudy Baynard’s beauty pageant trophies and Miss Piney Point crowns gather dust as she navigates her way through being a divorced woman who has packed on a few pounds and needs Spanx to get into her slinky dresses. She had enough sense to leave Piney Point after her no-good, womanizing man dumped her, but now she wants to see her former classmates. Her mission before the reunion is to get her high school figure back and make it look like she’s successful without Michael.

Celeste Boudreaux is tired of being the wallflower, so she forces her way on to the class reunion committee. It’s hard giving up her bad attitude, but once Priscilla works her magic on her and makes her downright pretty, she thinks she might wind up with a full dance card.

Laura Moss is exhausted. I mean, who wouldn’t be after a long day of keeping four young’uns and a sweet but alcoholic husband in line? And now that she has the class reunion to coordinate, she’s found her limits. But she can’t let on, which is why she allows others to contribute, even if they don’t do things the way she does them.

Do you see yourself in any of these characters? As I wrote their stories, I dug deep and found a piece of each of them inside me. Whether looking for acceptance like Priscilla or feeling “put upon” like Laura, my insecurities have shown themselves at some of the most inconvenient times in my life. Even as a writer, I worry that I won’t live up to the expectations of readers, editors, family members, and friends. Sound familiar?

About the Author

Debby has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, 1,000 web articles, and dozens of devotions for women. She has worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, and creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group. She also judges 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 a Top Pick from Romantic Times Magazine in July 2009.


Pretty Is as Pretty Does

Pretty is as Pretty Does
by Debby Mayne

Priscilla Slater goes to her ten-year high school reunion with equal parts dread and eager anticipation. Even though she’s a successful owner of a chain of hair salons and no longer has the mousy brown hair, crooked teeth, and discount-store wardrobe, she still feels like the ugly duckling. But when she arrives at the reunion, Priscilla soon realizes that her old classmates aren’t exactly as she remembers them. With humor and a just a touch of sassiness, Priscilla finds herself facing her own truth—and she may be surprised at what she discovers.

Components of a Great Romance

Reading in bed

Immersed in your latest romance, you stayed up hours past your bedtime to make sure the hero and heroine arrived at their happily-ever-after. A sigh erupts from deep in your chest. Your lips curve. You put the book down and turn off the light, satisfied that all is well with your fictional world.

A sigh and a smile. What every romance writer hopes to achieve, right? What is it that makes a love story sigh-worthy? I’ll share my top five necessary components, but I want to hear from you, too.

Strong, genuine characters. Don’t you love heroes and heroines who struggle with decisions and don’t always make the best choices? Men and women who may have messed up in the past but want to make things right? If I’m going to invest my time, give me real-to-life characters with authentic emotions.

Natural romantic tension oozes from the pages. Yes, I believe the bedroom door should stay firmly closed, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy ramped up tension. Something like this:

          Did she want Hunter to kiss her? An ache, a need, started in her sock-covered toes and  zapped all the way to her lips. Yeah. She did. Her free palm cupped his whisker-roughened cheek and slid down to his jawline, ending with a caress around his lips. “But I’m not laughing, now.”

       His eyes darkened, his nostrils flared. His jaw tensed under her hand. “No. I see that. But are you sure this is what you want, Teal? I don’t play games where matters of the heart are concerned. Yours, or mine.”

That little goodie is from When Truth Whispers, my novella releasing with White Rose Publishing on 3/15. For me, romance isn’t about the bedroom. It’s all about the journey.

Appropriate conflict. Do you enjoy books where the hero and heroine constantly argue? Aren’t they supposed to be falling in love? Not to be confused with teasing, a somewhat electrified banter between the hero and heroine, which I adore and where the reader can tell they like each other. Arguing, not so much. Conflict should arise internally from the characters’ dreams, ambitions, insecurities, and beliefs; and externally, what stands in the way of reaching their happily-ever-after.

A message that wraps around your heart. Such as forgiveness, that it’s never too late. Or that with God all things are possible and you can overcome your fears. When you read a story with faith and romance seamlessly woven together, it’s like savoring a cup of hot chocolate, dark and sweet, and dolloped with just the right amount of whipped cream. So rich with flavor, so satisfying, so comforting on a cold winter day.

Closure. Wrap it up. Unless I know up front that it’s a continuation (and I probably won't buy it until the series concludes), don’t leave me hanging on whether the hero and heroine get together or not. Nothing makes me want to fling a book (or my kindle) across the room more than when the hero and heroine aren’t even together at the end. How can that even be considered a romance? 

Now it’s your turn. What elements make a great romance for you? 
Happy Valentine's Day!

Coming 3/15
with Pelican Book Group

After a humiliating breakup, best-selling romance author Teal Benning flees to Promise Lake to complete her current novel, minus paparazzi and flashing cameras. Suffering from writer's block and a broken heart, Teal accepts the offer of help from neighbor, Hunter Miciver.

Hunter longs to be more than the friend who picks up the shattered pieces of Teal's heart, but when Teal finds out his secret, will she see him for the man he is—a man of faith and devotion, a man who would cherish her for the rest of her days—or will she lump him into the same category as all the other men in her life, including her father?

Will Teal recognize when truth whispers her name?

Sybil Has Nothing On Me by Sharon C. Srock

Sharon Srock

How real are the characters in your novel. I know a fellow writer who leaves Post-it notes for her characters on the kitchen table. Her husband says he'll worry when the characters start answering. Today we're veering a little bit away from Seriously Write as Sharon Srock shares one of her conversations with her "little friends." ~ Angie

Remember Sybil? Sally Field made her and the sixteen personalities living in her head famous in the 1976 movie of the same name.

Poor Sybil lived with sixteen people in her head. I feel compelled to ask…JUST sixteen?

I have writer friends who worry about their next book. Where will it be set? Who will the characters be? How will they interact?

There are days I almost envy them their indecision. I don’t have characters, I have a whole community. I wake up with them, I go to bed with them, they whisper in my dreams, and invade my prayer time with their never ending requests for attention.

Which prompts my earlier question. JUST sixteen? Let’s take a look at the community living in my head every day.

CALLIE: Hey guys, I think she’s waking up. Are you awake yet? Can we talk about the part where I--
Me: Your story is done, go away.

BENTON: You know, I’ve been thinking about a story line we could work on…
Me: It’s called the WOMEN of Valley view for a reason, Sport.

KARLA: Do you plan on getting back to my story anytime soon? You left me in a very difficult situation.
Me: You have three chapters. Be grateful. Kate has none.

KATE: About that…
Me: Oh good grief.

MITCH: I have this great story about I guy I worked with.
Me: WOMEN!!

TERRI: I hope you’re in a better mood since you’ve had your coffee. Can we talk about that whole wedding scene?
Me: I am not writing a wedding scene done in orange and black, even if it is Halloween.

STEVE: Don’t worry, Terri. I’ll write it. I can do a better job than her anyway.
Me: It’ll take me 14 keystrokes to turn you from a successful writer into a starving plumber. Would you like that?

IRIS: If you keep talking to my Dad that way, I won’t speak to you anymore.
Me: PROMISE?

SAMANTHA: You know, I really don’t think starting my story when Bobbie is four is a good idea. We’ll miss so much of her life.
Me: When you can write it, I’ll read it.

PASTOR GORDON: Would you like for me to pray for you, dear?
Me: Somebody needs to.

JEREMY: I see, after paging through the files in your brain, that I’ll be sixteen in book six. Can I have a Lamborghini?
Me: Let me spell this out for you. N. O.

MEAGAN: If he gets a Lamborghini—
Me: There will be no Lamborghini's.

PAM: She’s giving our children Lamborghini's.
HARRISON: We’ll sue.
Me: No words, just banging my head on the keyboard.

PATRICK: Can I say something?
Me: NO!

SISKO: Patrick, let’s go shoot some hoops. Maybe she’ll be more approachable later this afternoon.
Me: Yes, please try me again next year.

LISA: At least you get to play basketball. All I ever get to do is be pregnant and take care of babies.
Me: Go talk to Pastor Gordon. He’s looking for someone to pray for.

I wonder who’ll they’ll get to play me on the big screen?

Have you ever caught yourself arguing with your characters? Does it help to "talk" to them?

About the Author

Sharon Srock lives with her husband, Larry, and two dogs in Rural Oklahoma. She is a mother, grandmother, and Sunday School teacher. Sharon has one and three-quarters jobs and writes in her spare time. Her favorite hobby is traveling with her grandchildren. She is a member of the ACFW and currently serves as treasurer for her local chapter. Sharon’s debut novel, The Women of Valley View: Callie released in October 2012. The second in the series, The Women of Valley View: Terri releases in April 2013.

The Women of Valley View: Callie, released in October 2012

The Women of
Valley View: Callie

Three dire circumstances. Three desperate prayers. One miracle to save them all.

Callie Stillman is drawn to the evasive girl who’s befriended her granddaughter, but the last time Callie tried to help a child, her efforts backfired. Memories of the tiny coffin still haunt her.

Samantha and Iris Evans should be worried about homework, not whether they can pool enough cash to survive another week of caring for an infant while evading the authorities.

Steve Evans wants a second chance at fatherhood, but his children are missing. And no one seems to want to help the former addict who deserted his family.

For Steve to regain the relationship he abandoned, for his girls to receive the care they deserve, Callie must surrender her fear and rely on God to work the miracle they all need.