Poll for readers of Thicker than Blood

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Hey, friends! I need your help. If you've read my novel Thicker than Blood, would you mind voting in this quick poll? It'll help me understand which characters you connected with, and which ones might get included in a future story! Thanks!

How Writing is Like Fly Fishing

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During an interview talented author Candace Calvert recently did with me on her blog, she asked me a question I've never received before. She found out one of my hobbies is fly fishing and challenged me to find some similarities between fly fishing and writing. At first I was stumped. But as I began to think, I realized there was a metaphor sitting right in front of me.

Fly fishing is like the process of a writer searching for a publisher. Our flies are our manuscripts. Each cast is us sending out a query letter or proposal. The fish are the editors searching for a project to buy. It’s important to research what the fish like and when they like it.

But just because we cast the line, doesn’t mean the fish will bite. Maybe they’re not hungry. What if the trout aren’t interested in mosquitoes today? Our fly might be tied perfectly, but the fish just aren’t hungry for it right now.

Then sometimes a fish will bite, but right when we think we have them, they spit out the hook. Does that mean we should give up and never fish again? No, it just means we need to keep on casting. Maybe today isn’t our day. But tomorrow might be.

Candace asked me many other fun questions, by the way. If you'd like to read her whole interview, check it out here. She's also giving away a copy of my debut novel Thicker than Blood. Deadline to enter is January 25th.

Fun Christian Devotions SPEAK-UP Interview

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I had the wonderful opportunity of being interviewed by Marianne Jordan of Christian Devotions Speak Up yesterday. It's now archived, and you can listen to it below if you'd like. We talked about when I knew I wanted to write, homeschooling, the whole story of how Thicker than Blood won Operation First Novel, how much research I do, and much more!

Thicker than Blood featured in Christianbook.com Weekly Insider

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How exciting. Thicker than Blood is one of 4 novels featured in this week's Christianbook.com Weekly Insider. Also featured are Colleen Coble's The LightKeeper's Daughter, Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater and Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand:

Thicker than Blood book trailer unveiled!

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Created by The Perrodin Bros., the book trailer for Thicker than Blood is here! Brothers Jace and Patch did a fantastic job capturing the themes and story of the novel while including some really cool special effects. Jace is a homeschool graduate, and Patch is currently a homeschooler. Thanks, guys!

Win a signed copy of Thicker than Blood before you can buy it!

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I'm giving away 3 signed copies of my debut novel Thicker than Blood ... before you can buy it! Find out how you could win over at my website.

In other news, Christianbook.com has just posted an in depth interview with me about how I got started in writing, where the idea for Thicker than Blood came from, my writing style, and much more. Check it out here if you're interested.

Today I'm blogging over at the Scribble Chicks blog about "Going with Your Gut" in your writing. That can be read here.

This and That and a Writing Update

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As you can imagine, I'm getting really excited. My debut novel Thicker than Blood is due to hit stories officially in about a month and a half (January 1, 2010). However, I suspect it'll be available online at places like Amazon.com and CBD.com mid December. If you pre-order (hint hint) you'll be the first in line. :) But even though the official release date is in the future, there's still a lot going on.

I'm excited that Publisher's Weekly chose to review Thicker than Blood in yesterday's issue. They did a great job summarizing the plot, said some nice things about the rare books angle, but they had their criticism too. That's okay. I'm just honored to be featured.

Christianbook.com has recently posted a writing how-to article I wrote for them. If you're an aspiring author, you might like to read Are You Called to Be A Writer? I share some of what I've learned (and am still learning) about how God often calls us very early in life to our specific calling, but sometimes we don't realize it until later in life.

If you're looking for a good suspense read, check out Terri Blackstock's Intervention. I recently reviewed it for TitleTrakk.com, and that can be read here.

In case you didn't know, I have a free e-newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on all the writing stuff. Usually my newsletter subscribers are the first to know about new projects, reviews, features, etc. You can subscribe by going here and entering your info (sign up for the TitleTrakk.com newsletter too!). I plan to unveil the summary of my next novel to newsletter subscribers sometime in the coming month or two, so don't miss out.

Thanks for all your wonderful support!

Thicker than Blood back cover and spine unveiled!

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I'm very excited to share with you the final cover, spine and back cover of my January 2010 Tyndale House novel Thicker than Blood. Click on the image to enlarge it and see how the designer Jennifer Ghionzoli managed to make the most beautiful cover ever! (I'm not biased at all, am I?) I LOVE the way this book looks like a rare, leatherbound book. So perfect as a used and rare bookstore plays a big role in this story. If you like what you see, and care to pre-order, the book is available to do just that at these fine online retailers: Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Borders.com, and Powells.com.

The Rare Book in Thicker than Blood

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When I was seventeen my sister and I started book scouting for local used and rare bookstores. It started out as a hobby. I loved books, and scouting was a great way to get my hands on a lot of them. My writing and day job of selling used books have dovetailed for years now, and it only made sense I'd incorporate rare books into my fiction.

Christy Williams, the main character of my first novel Thicker than Blood, works at a fictional store called Dawson's Book Barn. It's her area's largest used and rare bookstore. She's a clerk, and has been for several years, but she dreams of being more involved in the actual book buying. It was so much fun to incorporate many of the interesting (and sometimes bizarre) book collecting facts I've learned over the years into this novel.

Taking center stage in Thicker than Blood is a signed first edition of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls (pictured above - click to enlarge). This was one of the very first rare books I learned about from the manager of Baldwin's Book Barn, the first store I scouted for back in the day. What's especially interesting about first editions is a mistake made in the printing of the dust jacket. So while first editions of the actual book all look alike, the first state of the dust jacket differs in later editions. If you click on the picture, you'll notice the photographer is not credited beneath Hemingway's photo. That was a mistake that was later corrected.

It's this key point that plays a big role in the outcome of the novel. Learn more about the story behind the story of Thicker than Blood at my website. And you can now pre-order the book at Amazon and Christianbook.com!

(For Whom the Bell Tolls photo courtesy of The University of South Carolina)

Thicker than Blood available for pre-order!

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It's hard to believe release day is only four months away! But even though my first novel Thicker than Blood releases in January, 2010, it's available for pre-order now at these online retailers:

Amazon.com
Christianbook.com

It's surreal to see the book up there like that, let me tell you! Tyndale showed me the back cover and spine of the book recently, and I was blown away---they did such a fantastic job! The design makes the novel look like an old book, complete with a book spine for its spine.

Advance copies of the book are being sent out to magazines and reviewers soon, and I'm looking forward to hearing what people think of the story.

Here's the new little summary we're going to be using on the back cover:

Christy Williams never imagined that a stolen Hemingway first edition would lead her back to the sister she left fifteen years ago. But when things begin to unravel, she finds herself on May's doorstep, fearing for her life.

After a bittersweet reunion, will the two discover that some hurts can't be healed, or is there a tie that's thicker than blood?

Read the first chapter on my website.

The Evolution of a First Line

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I've just updated my website to tell the story behind the story of my first novel Thicker than Blood. From inception to acceptance, here's the whole shibang in all it's details.

Part of what I share is the evolution of the first line of the novel. Here it is:

From the story written at age 15:
Christy Thomas worked at Robert Kuller Real Estate in Billings, Montana.
Um, can we say boring?

1st draft at age 19:
Christy Thomas didn’t see the red lights until they were directly behind her, flashing madly.
I think the lights were rabid.

2nd draft:
She pulled off the highway, her arms and fingers tense with fear.
This was my melodramatic phase.

3rd draft:
Christy didn’t see the cop until he was tailing her.
I was on the right track with this one, I think.

Manuscript submitted to Operation First Novel contest in 2004:
Christy wished the cop would just shoot her.
Apparently I took too seriously the advice to begin with a bang.

Manuscript submitted to Operation First Novel contest in 2008:
Christy didn’t see the cop until his red lights spun in her rearview mirror.
Eventually I saw the error of my ways and went back to this.

Published first line:
Christy Williams didn’t see the cop until his red lights flashed in her rearview mirror.

Read the full "Story Behind the Story" here.

My author website is live!

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I have just published my author website!

Check out the brand new C.J. Darlington.com and let me know what you think!

There are still many "coming soon" sections, but I'd love to know what you'd like to see that isn't there, what you like about what's there, etc. Don't be shy. Any comments are welcome.

And guess what? There's even a link for the first chapter of Thicker than Blood!

Summer Writing Update

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This weekend I was working on my official author website. Which is kinda weird. I don't feel like an official author. :) I've had in my mind the themes I want to convey through the design, and it's starting to take shape (think mountains and books).

With only six more months to go before my first novel Thicker than Blood releases from Tyndale House, I'm keeping busy. The manuscript is currently in typesetting and then will be proofread. Several wonderful authors have agreed to read advance copies of the book for possible endorsement, so I might have some of those to share in the future.

And here's a tidbit for you. A very well known Christian music artist has agreed to read the novel for possible endorsement, too. I can't share who yet, but you'll be some of the first to know if she (okay, that's your hint!) is able to provide a blurb.

One more thing. I have an exciting feature I'm planning for my website that I'll talk more about in the future. For now, take a good look at the little stuffed ocelot up there at the beginning of this post. You'll be seeing more of him/her in the future. That's all I'm saying for now. :)

This summer I'm going to be putting the final touches on my second novel (working title Innocent Blood) and hopefully starting the rough draft of my third book. In the meant time, you can always find me conducting author interviews and writing book reviews over at TitleTrakk.com Be looking for ones with Donita K. Paul, Randy Singer and Tom Davis soon.

Speaking of, I recently read Tom's novel called Scared. It might just change your view on Africa and the AIDs crisis. If you'd like to read my review, click here. I highly recommend this one.

Interview at Erynn Mangum's Blog

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The lovely Erynn Mangum (author of the Laura Holbrook series and the upcoming novel Cool Beans) asked me some great questions about my writing process over at her blog.

Find out my responses to the Qs:

• Why did you decide to write fiction? How did you get published?
• How do you usually get ideas?
• Do you ever have problems finishing a book or an idea? How do you overcome that?
• Are there any books on writing that have helped you?
• What's your favorite part of writing? Your least favorite part of writing?
• How do you take your coffee? :)

I tell the whole story of how my first novel Thicker Than Blood (coming in January 2010 from Tyndale House) found it's publishing home.

Check out the interview here.

Location, Location, Location ... of my book

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For the past several days I've been laboring over where to set my novel Thicker Than Blood. Should I name the state in which it takes place? Should I name real towns or stick to fictional ones? For me, this is serious stuff. The decisions I make now will affect this book forever!

You might be thinking, "Didn't she already write this book?" Um, yes. I did write it. And I made everything up, including the towns. But now that it's finally going to be read by people, I've been reconsidering my reasoning. I'd stuck to fictional places out of equal parts laziness and fear. Laziness because research is not my strong suit, fear because of thoughts like, "What if I get something wrong?" Neither are reasons not to use a real setting.

So as of today I have officially decided to set my book in Colorado. It's a state I love and have visited often, so I feel I can portray it with some realism. I am naming many real towns, like Longmont and Monument. But the main town of Thicker Than Blood, Elk Valley, will be fictional. It's going to be set in a real area of the state under the shadow of the Spanish Peaks (pictured above) where a town called La Veta sits now. But by replacing that real town with a fictional one, I will have some liberties I might not otherwise have had.

I pray I'm making the right choice! :)

What are some novels you've enjoy that have featured real towns? How about fictional ones? Which did you enjoy more?

I Dream Of . . .

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Lately I've been thinking about beginnings. No, not of books. Of stories. MY story. What was it that compelled me to write? See, for as long as I can remember, I've loved to read and writing stories was a natural extension of that. When I was around eight I started an ambitious project called “The Horse’s Story” on my Dad's old Panasonic word processor. It was about a horse named Loopter (how's that for an imaginative name) who would become Joshua of the Bible’s horse. He was going to be a witness of the walls of Jericho falling down, but . . . I never finished it.

Then there was my epic (started when I was twelve) called “Moby”, about a Labrador Retriever trying to find his place in this world. He tried being a lap dog (with some humorous consequences!), a fire dog, a police dog, a sheep dog . . . he never did find out what he was meant to be ‘cause I never finished that story either.

As I look back I see that writing has been in my life for many, many years. Did God put that desire in my heart? I think so now. At the time, I had no idea. When I was a teenager I remember practically begging God, "Lord, show me what I'm supposed to do with my life!" My parents would always tell me I had plenty of time to find out, I was still young, but at the time it seemed like my life was practically over. :)

When I was fifteen I started a story that would change the way I thought about writing. It was about two sisters who hadn’t seen each other for years but eventually met again. That story became my first novel, Thicker Than Blood, which will be published January 2010 by Tyndale.
If you'd told me at the time that story would be my first book, I don't know if I would've believed you!

I don't recall where I heard this advice, but someone has suggested we think back to the things we dreamed about and wanted to do when we were ten or eleven. Often, those desires are clues into what God has called us to do. And many, many times we forget about those youthful dreams, abandoning them for whatever makes more money, or makes more sense.

The cool thing is, it's never too late to pick up those dreams of your childhood, dust them off, and make them happen. It might take baby steps at first, and years before you see their fulfillment, but I'd encourage you to at least think back to when you were a kid. What were your dreams? Or better yet... what did you enjoy doing?

God really does equip us at an early age for our calling. I'm learning that, and it's exciting to think about.

Nice Write-up on Thicker Than Blood at Christian Writers Guild

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The Christian Writers Guild has a very nice write-up about Thicker Than Blood winning Operation First Novel.

Anyone interested in entering your novel in this year's contest, be sure to check out the just posted details here!

Here are some excerpts from the write-up:

..."A story of two sisters separated after the death of their parents — one growing up to become a Christian, the other running off and making poor choices — is a concept that will appeal to our core audience," says Tyndale senior fiction acquisitions editor Jan Stob. "The fact that one runs a ranch and the other works for a collector of rare books only serves to make the characters more interesting."

...Darlington began working on the story when she was 15. At age 23 she submitted it to the first Operation First Novel contest in 2004, placing as a semifinalist. " Over the next four years, I tweaked and revised," she says.

..."C.J. has been most kind to me and my work through her website," says Jerry B. Jenkins , "so it was particularly gratifying to know that I had judged her winning work without knowing who wrote it. The finalists all come to me without names attached, so I was as thrilled as she to learn she had won."

Read the full piece here.

Thicker Than Blood wins Operation First Novel!

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I am so thrilled to announce that my novel Thicker Than Blood has won the 2008 Operation First Novel contest sponsored by the Christian Writers Guild and Tyndale House publishers. They announced the winner on stage Thursday night at the Writing for the Soul conference, and needless to say, I was incredibly nervous for hours beforehand. Then the moment came. Jerry B. Jenkins took the stage and first announced the winner of the Operation First Book contest for nonfiction. Mal King's Before the Last Leaf Falls took that honor. I had the chance to eat lunch with Mal and his sweet wife Regina. They were a delightful couple, and it was an honor to be in such good company with them.

When the time came for the Operation First Novel winner to be announced, Jerry asked the past winners attending to come up on the stage. Jennifer Erin Valent, Tom Pawlik & Jan Watson all did. Tyndale editors Karen Watson & Jan Stob followed. (The prize for winning is a contract with Tyndale House.)

(l-r: Karen Watson, C.J. Darlington & Jerry B. Jenkins. Photo by Cindi of Selah Studios.)

When he said my name, I was shocked! I can easily say this is one of the most exciting experiences of my life so far.

But one of the biggest thrills was seeing my book cover for the first time! They brought a poster of it out on stage, and I took one look and was instantly awed. It is beautiful! It perfectly captures the themes of the novel. I am so happy with it.

Here's a pic of me posing with the cover:

A Little Background

I was fifteen when I started the story that would become Thicker Than Blood. I finally finished the book when I was 23 and submitted it to the very first Operation First Novel contest in 2004. I was a semi-finalist that year. Then I began the process of submitting to editors---and I received rejection after rejection. Some editors were gracious enough to give me feedback, and over the next four years I tweaked and revised.

But I began to wonder if Thicker Than Blood was good enough to be published. I wrote a second novel and started a third. I was days away from giving up on it. But God always has a way of getting our attention. I was lying in bed and the thought hit me, "Wait a minute. I have a complete novel that's better than before. Why don't I submit it to the Christian Writers Guild contest again?" That was in September of 2008.

I hope my journey will encourage writers not to give up. After all, one of you might be next year's Operation First Novel winner! Visit the Christian Writers Guild website to find out how you can become a member.

And now, for the big unveiling... above is the official cover of Thicker Than Blood! Click to enlarge. The novel will be released in January 2010!

Working Summary of Thicker Than Blood:

Two sisters, estranged for 15 years. Their blood ties weren't enough. Only something stronger could bring them together again.

Christy Williams finally has her life on track. Her career as an antiquarian book buyer at the renowned used bookstore Dawson's Barn of Books is taking off. Hunter Dawson is teaching her the fine points of purchasing collectible books, and so far she's been able to keep her drinking problem from interfering. But when she discovers her ex-boyfriend, who also works at Dawsons, is stealing valuable books right off the store's shelves, she's unable to stop him for fear he'll expose the skeleton's in her closet.

Things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn't commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged family, especially her younger sister May, who she abandoned in their childhood after their parents' untimely deaths. Now the owner of a failing cattle ranch, May couldn't possibly want a relationship with her, the big sister who didn't even say goodbye all those years ago. Could she?

Soon Christy's fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could the Triple Cross ranch be the safe haven she's searching for, or will May's new-found faith give her sister even more reason to reject Christy? Will they realize before it's too late that each possesses what the other desperately needs?

Writing for the Soul photos by Cindi of Selah Studios

Operation First Novel News

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For those who don't know, I entered my first novel Thicker Than Blood in the Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest.

I had entered a much earlier version of this novel in the Guild's first Operation First Novel contest in 2004, and it placed in the top 20 (though not the top 10).

Since I'd made many changes to the book (added 10K, edited dialogue, etc.) I wanted to see if it would place this year. Well, I just heard that it is one of four finalists in this year's contest! The winner will be selected by Tyndale and announced at the Guild's Writing for the Soul conference in February.

This news gives me the push I needed to keep trekking on and work hard on writing my third novel, which I just recently started. I've already written the sequel to Thicker Than Blood (working title is Innocent Blood), so I'm excited.

Here's my working summary of Thicker Than Blood:

Two sisters, estranged for 15 years. Their blood ties weren't enough. Only something stronger could bring them together again.

Christy Williams finally has her life on track. Her career as an antiquarian book buyer at the renowned used bookstore Dawson's Barn of Books is taking off. Hunter Dawson is teaching her the fine points of purchasing collectible books, and so far she's been able to keep her drinking problem from interfering. But when she discovers her ex-boyfriend, who also works at Dawsons, is stealing valuable books right off the store's shelves, she's unable to stop him for fear he'll expose the skeleton's in her closet.

Things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn't commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged family, especially her younger sister May, who she abandoned in their childhood after their parents' untimely deaths. Now the owner of a failing cattle ranch, May couldn't possibly want a relationship with her, the big sister who didn't even say goodbye all those years ago. Could she?

Soon Christy's fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could the Triple Cross ranch be the safe haven she's searching for, or will May's new-found faith give her sister even more reason to reject Christy? Will they realize before it's too late that each possesses what the other desperately needs?

Thicker Than Blood (My Writing Journey, Part 10)

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We left off with me adding 10K to my novel. I now had a 77k manuscript---a much more marketable length, albeit still a little short. (Check out my post here about the lengths of many published novels.)

This novel is tentatively titled Thicker Than Blood and has been a work in progress for almost 13 years. It's a story about two sisters who haven't seen each other for fifteen years. Might I share with you my synopsis?

Two sisters, estranged for 15 years.
Their blood ties weren’t enough.
Only something stronger could bring them together again.

Christy Williams finally has her life on track. Her career as an antiquarian book buyer at the renowned used bookstore Dawson’s Barn of Books is taking off. Hunter Dawson is teaching her the fine points of purchasing collectable books, and so far she’s been able to keep her drinking problem from interfering. But when she discovers her ex-boyfriend, who also works at Dawson’s, is stealing valuable books right off the store’s shelves, she’s unable to stop him for fear he’ll expose the skeleton’s in her closet.

Things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged family, especially her younger sister May, who she abandoned in their childhood after their parents untimely deaths. Now the owner of a failing cattle ranch, May couldn’t possibly want a relationship with her, the big sister who didn’t even say goodbye all those years ago. Could she?

Soon Christy’s fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could the Triple Cross ranch be the safe haven she’s searching for, or will her sister’s new-found faith give her even more reason to reject Christy? Will they realize before it’s too late that each possesses what the other desperately needs?

What do you think when you read this summary? Is the plot intriguing? What is your impression of the genre? I'd love to hear your thoughts.