Under Construction by Mary Manners

Mary Manners

Under Construction

By Mary Manners

My husband and I recently decided to turn our back yard to an oasis with the addition of an in-ground pool. As the backhoes moved in to break ground, scooping the earth into mounds of sun baked dirt that rival Mount Everest, I realized that the pool-building process has a lot in common with the road I’m walking…life.

My life’s journey has been an adventure. As I approach the close of my fifty-first year I realize how precious each moment has become. My daughter entered college two years ago and we’re in a period of countless transitions. The child I once drove to basketball practice and choir rehearsal now chauffeurs me. I have learned, depending on the day (sometimes even the hour), that I know nothing…and everything.

My husband has retired (well…partially) and that has tremendously altered our daily routine. He’s become the chief cook and bottle washer while I trek off to my day job as an assistant principal at our local intermediate school. I hope to join him in partial retirement (I will always be a writer) within the next few years.

Recently, a college friend of mine sent a photo that was snapped our sophomore year (1982). Looking at the photo, I thought my daughter was staring back at me. Was I ever that young, thin and…unwrinkled? My daughter took one glance at the picture and gasped, “Mama, is that really you?” as if I could have never—possibly—been that smiling young woman in the snapshot. And, after a good laugh, I thought about the passage of time and how happy and truly blessed I am to continue down the path that remains…under construction.

~~~~~

http://www.amazon.com/Daffodils-Danger-Wildflowers-Wishes-Book-ebook/dp/B00IZPHA8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403278700&sr=8-1&keywords=daffodils+and+danger

Wyatt Cutler manages to break away from family-owned Cutler Nursery--and Clover Cove—until his father perishes in a tragic accident. With no choice but to abandon his prestigious position at world-renowned Messer Dynamics and return to Clover Cove, Wyatt's only goal is to help his mother and brother, Reese, keep Cutler Nursery in business.

The laughter that surrounds Kami Moretto at her family's pizzeria has faded. Her mom is gone and, for her dad, depression has set in. With Pappy’s Pizzeria hanging on by a thread, Kami longs for days of the past and a time when her faith carried her through every storm. Across the street, she watches Wyatt scowl as he works and wonders how he can take his family—and his business—for granted when hers is in such shambles.

When tragedy strikes, Wyatt realizes he must let go of the past and cling to hope for the future; he’s in danger of losing his family, his business, and the only woman he’s truly loved.

~~~~~

Mary Manners is an award-winning romance writer who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and the cherished cats they've rescued from local animal shelters...Lucky and Gus. She writes romances of all lengths, from short stories to novels—something for everyone.

Learn more about Mary Manners at her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.



If Not Now, Then When? by Deb Kastner

Deb Kastner

Do you sometimes find yourself making excuses for putting off the things you want to do most? I can relate—and so can author Deb Kastner. Enjoy as she shares some of her experiences and the wisdom she gained concerning decisions that impact our personal and writing lives. ~ Dawn

If Not Now, Then When?

by Deb Kastner

I recently had the very great pleasure of seeing my all-time favorite singing group, The Texas Tenors, perform live. I even got to meet them personally and have my picture taken with them. Amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it. Best night ever. (If you want to see a totally freaked-out, wild-eyed fangirl photo, just check out the background pic on my personal Facebook page. Have a good laugh, and while you’re there, friend me!)

It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And then I found out they were sponsoring a cruise. Seven. Days. Of. Musical. Heaven. Talk about refilling my creative well!

My first response (after a deep sigh of longing) was the same as it’s always been when I consider doing something special just for me. It’s not practical. We need the money for other things. What if the family needs us while we are gone? I can’t afford to take the time off. You get the picture. No matter how much it means to me, I could list a hundred reasons why it isn’t a good idea to even consider the possibility.

But my mind just wouldn’t let it go. My husband Joe and I have only vacationed together once in our twenty-seven years of marriage, a three-day cruise for our 13th anniversary (we didn’t even have a honeymoon!). It was a lovely experience and we’ve always wanted to cruise again. But year after year, life, finances, health and family obligations got in our way. And they still do.

Will The Texas Tenors do another VIP cruise in the future? Maybe. Maybe not. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this particular cruise was truly another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one I would regret not pursuing. I didn’t want to live with that if only. Not this time.

I took a leap of faith. I booked the cruise. Because if not now, then when?

The same theme applies to my writing career. Stepping out of my comfort zone, taking leaps of faith, takes a great deal of courage. Writing takes courage, for it exposes my heart and leaves me vulnerable. Even after twenty-some-odd published novels I still have to face my fear every time I sit down at the computer. Looking at a blank page is scary. As soon as I finish one book I can’t even catch my breath before the next one rises up to taunt me. What makes me think I can write a whole book, one that anyone would want to read? What if I can’t do it? What if the words don’t come? What if life gets in the way? What if I can’t meet my deadline?

Being a writer isn’t the easiest choice you will ever make. If you’re like me, it’s not so much a choice as that you can’t not write. But if you’re hesitating, if the what ifs and the I can’ts and the if onlys are keeping you from following your dreams, just ask yourself this:

If not now, then when?

And as The Texas Tenors sing in their latest Billboard hit—You Should Dream!

What keeps you from taking a leap of faith in your writing? How do you overcome the obstacles that keep you from reaching for your dreams?

Tweetables:

If not now, then when? Click to tweet.

Author Deb Kastner shares what she’s learned about putting off things we want to do most in life. Click to tweet.

If the what ifs and the I can’ts and the if onlys are keeping you from following your dreams, just ask yourself this: If not now, then when? Click to tweet.

Redeeming the Rancher

Redeeming the Rancher

Her Perfect Match …

Successful businessman Griffin Haddon just wants a quiet place to start over again—alone. Griff doesn't realize that in a small town like Serendipity, Texas, solitude's hard to come by. Especially at Redemption Ranch, where the stunning Alexis Grainger struggles to keep her ministry for troubled teens afloat. The last thing Alexis needs is a distraction like slick city-boy Griff with his designer jeans and boots. But her meddling, matchmaking twin has other plans. As Alexis and Griff work to save the ranch, can they also heal his broken heart?

The only thing that beats a romantic happily-ever-after ending is a happily-ever-after ending in Christ. Writing for Harlequin's Love Inspired series line, award-winning author Deb Kastner strives to create a cord of three strands between the hero, the heroine, and the Lord. 

Deb lives and writes in beautiful Colorado. She shares her life with her biggest blessings—her family—her husband Joe, their three daughters, and her granddaughter and grandson. Deb is currently working on her 24th novel for Harlequin's Love Inspired line. She's thrilled that most of her backlist is now available for the Kindle. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters lives.

To learn more and connect with Deb, please visit:

http://www.debkastnerbooks.com

http://www.facebook.com/debkastnerbooks

and

http://www.facebook.com/debkastner

 

Looking for Chameleons by Delia Latham

Delia Latham

They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures. They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light.
Job 28:10-11

"Where do you get your ideas?"

A valid inquiry, but every writer needs to understand from the get-go that there is no pat answer. Cold, hard fact: Neither babies nor ideas are delivered by a stork with a basket in his beak.

• They aren’t for sale on department store shelves.
• No recipe exists for mixing one together, complete with baking instructions.
• They can’t be shot down, beheaded and hung over your doorway as a trophy.

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / shiffti

But they’re out there, hiding in plain sight. Think of them as chameleons. 

Want to play a little hide-and-seek? Chameleons blend into their surroundings.  A sharp eye and intentional observation is required to spot them. Honing those spotting skills should be a deliberate daily effort for any writer.

Truth into Fiction

Rewrite the news. What kind of storyline can you manufacture from the most bizarre headline in each edition of your local paper? Television news also offers rich fodder for the imagination of a writer who’s looking for a chameleon.

Beyond the Obvious. Deep depths of possibility lie behind every face and every interaction you witness. How did the homeless man you see on the street every day come to be in that position? Why did the visitor who sat across the aisle from you in church look so sad and hopeless? What happened to the scarred teenager who serves your morning cuppa at the corner coffee shop? Think! Ask yourself questions. Find the possibilities just beyond your line of sight.

Spotting ideas in everyday circumstances is like a mental muscle…it withers away from lack of use. How do we tone muscles? Through exercise, of course. Strengthen, tighten and tone your observation and idea-spotting skills by working them...every day.

Take the exercises below and run with them, but don't stop there—come up with some of your own.

• Find a good website or buy a book that provides daily writing prompts. But don't just read the prompts—carry them out! You aren't practicing until you're doing something. You’ll find an enormous amount of help and information here: http://www.creative-writing-now.com/
• Take a walk, go shopping (people watching), volunteer somewhere (exposure to a world of experiences), etc. Ideas are hiding in life, and you must live if wish to see them.
• Flip through the pages of a magazine or browse photos on a stock photo website. Choose three photos that grab your attention for whatever reason. Create a storyline around those photos.
• Free write. Set your timer for 15-30 minutes, then start writing. Don’t plan. Don’t worry about whether it makes sense, or if one sentence relates to the next. Just write whatever comes to mind. You’ll be surprised what nuggets you can glean from these sessions.
• Perhaps most importantly...pull out the old enthusiasm and fervor that you wore like a cloak when you first started writing. It still fits.

Ready? Set? GO—play a game of hide-and-seek with the chameleons.

****

Love in the WINGS

Church secretary and praise team leader, Aria Robbins isn't happy when she  has to work with the new youth minister. She also has to grin and bear it when he moves into the cottage next to hers at Heart's Haven...but she doesn't have to like him. Truth is, she'd be much happier if Corbin Bishop would take his charm and his big, fancy ideas right back to Austin where he belongs.

When a spiritual attack on Angel Falls lands Aria and Corbin on the battlefront as part of a team of prayer Warriors in God's Service (WINGS), they must fight for their town, their church, and their pastor, and Aria sees Corbin in a whole new light.

But emotional scars from an unspeakable childhood have distorted Corbin's acceptance of certain Scriptural truths, and Aria won't trust her heart in the hands of a man whose faith is unsure. Aria wraps her prayer wings around him tightly. Will Corbin finally trust God to heal his soul?

DELIA LATHAM is a born-and-bred California gal, raised in a place called Weedpatch and currently living in the lovely mountain town of Tehachapi with her husband and a spoiled Pomeranian. She enjoys multiple roles as Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings. She has a "thing" for Dr. Pepper, and loves to hear from her readers. Contact her through her website or send an e-mail to delia@delialatham.net. Find her also at the following online locations:

Living the Write Life (blog)

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon Author Page

Using Blogs to Promote E-books, Part Two by Pauline Creeden

Today Pauline Creeden returns with the second part of her post about using blogs for promotions. Read Part One for information on blog hops. -- Sandy

Blog Tour 

Most of us already know about virtual blog tours. And they can run the gambit of expensive from $400 for 10 stops to as cheap as $50 for 20 stops. Or you can even organize your own blog tour. The goal is to be featured on as many blogs as possible during the time period - usually one week to one month. And you do not have to limit this to new releases, any undiscovered book is a new release to new readers.

Benefits 

Blog Tours can contain promo posts (where the book is just featured), reviews, guest posts, and interviews. Again, this can be tiresome if you have a 20 stop tour and 15 of the stops are guest posts and interviews, but if you request a tour made up of reviews only - or reviews and promo posts, you can use this opportunity to give your book more credibility on Amazon and Goodreads through increased reviews. Additionally, if you add a giveaway, you can increase Facebook Fans and Twitter Follows as well.

Suggested Blog Tour Hosts

Promotional Book Tours Itching for Books

Tips for a Successful Tour 

• Always find a host who is well organized and follows up with you and bloggers. 
• Comment on each blog of the tour with a thank you - even if they leave a mediocre review. 
• Do not give away eBook copies of your book - this discourages sales. Giving away money will double your entrants. Even a $5 gift card will increase the number of entrants you have. 

Blog Blitz

As an alternative to a full blog tour, you can do a blog blitz. This can be the perfect way to get the word out about your new release, as the host will place your book's synopsis, buy links, and excerpt on as many blogs as possible. Usually these last only one or two days rather than the week of a tour and for half the cost. Another option is to use a Blitz to get the word out about a sale on your eBook.

Suggested Blog Tour Hosts

Crossreads YA Bound Book Tours

Tips for a Successful Tour

Consider putting your book on sale for the blast - 99¢ sales get you noticed!
Adding a creative giveaway will draw in more people to take a look at the blast.

Blog Mentions

Just as a last note, getting a mention on a big "book themed" blog will typically give you a rise in sales. Specifically one of the bigger sales blogs such as BookBub or Ereader News Today -- or for Christian books -- SFK Books or Christian Book Finds. Some of these charge a fee for the feature, and some do not. If you search out the best book blogs to feature your book when you have a sale, you can see a significant spike. As a blogger and social media specialist, I have concentrated on eBook sales for the books we publish at AltWit Press. So far, we have found success in using blogs to get the word out, so that we've had several titles hit #1 Amazon Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction, as well as get noticed well enough to gain nomination for readers' choice awards - winning one so far. Every year, eBooks gain momentum in the general book market, and many readers find their next book through blogs they follow. Gain your piece of that share by learning how to utilize blogs to get the word out about your book.

Have you had success with promotion through blogs? Do you have experience that would add to our knowledge? 

~~~

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil
between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long. Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy.


Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and is now available as an audiobook. #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Christian Sci/Fi and Fantasy (October 2013)


Connect with Pauline at www.paulinecreeden.com.