Funny cat video

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Sometimes you just need to laugh. This video did it for me!

The Biggest Loser

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It's happened to me twice now, and the solution was the same both times. I was buzzing along in my latest WIP (work in progress), and I started to write an important scene from the perspective of my secondary main character. Everything was going along so so, but I could tell sometimes was missing. It didn't flow right. I couldn't put my finger on it entirely. At first I wondered if maybe I was way off base on the events that unfolded in the scene. But then I asked myself a question I've heard as advice before: "Who has the most to lose in this scene?"

For writers, this is a question to ask ourselves when deciding the POV (point of view) in any scene we write. Usually whoever has the most to lose is who's head we need to be in for that scene. (I'm sure there are exceptions, but this is a general rule of thumb.)

When I applied this maxim to the above mentioned scene, I realized the other character in the scene, the one who the point of view character was talking to was really the one who had the most to lose. So I decided to start over in her POV. Guess what happened? The scene flowed ten times better, and I no longer felt stuck in how it was to unfold. The words came.

So if you're a writer and stuck in a scene, ask yourself who has the most to lose. It just might be a different character than you first imagined.

The GPS of God

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Have you ever gotten to a place in your life where you felt you were completely off track? Like there was no bringing you back and God couldn't use you anymore?

As Christians, I think we inherently believe that God has a plan for our lives. Sometimes we even hear his still small voice give us a picture of what that plan will be---or at least the next step we should take to get us there.

But as is often the case, we mess up. We take a direction contrary to what we know in our hearts we should do. What happens then? Are we too far off the path?

I believe that God has a perfect plan for our lives. That's His ideal for us. But I also believe that if we veer off course He's more than able to bring us back.

It's sort of the way a GPS works. There's a perfect way to get from Point A to Point B, and if we follow the directions the GPS gives, we'll get there. But as often happens, we make a wrong turn somewhere along the way and find ourselves out in the middle of a cornfield wondering where the heck we are. That GPS doesn't give up on us at that point. It recomputes our route and shows us the turns to take that will still get us where we were supposed to end up in the first place. The path might be windier, longer, and crazier, but we still get there.

That's the way God works in our lives too. Sure, it would be ideal for us to never make a mistake, or a wrong turn. But we all do. So rather than bemoan this, we can throw ourselves at the feet of the God who loves us dearly, ask for forgiveness and His help in recomputing our way. He'll give it to us. He's a loving Father.

I had this experience recently in my writing. I had felt for a long time I was to write a fast rough draft in my latest manuscript. I felt like it was God's leading. But I didn't do it. Instead I spent months laboring over my characters, plot and whatnot. Finally I decided to quit the nonsense and just push through and write my story. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd missed God in a big way. I worried that everything I was writing was off track and not what He wanted me to write.

Then I received an e-mail from an author friend that was the answer to my heart's cry. She said some things I'd been needing to hear about writing and following my heart to find the story God gave me. After reading her words I knew the story I needed to write. I began a new draft in the peace I'd desperately craved.

A week or two later God gave me a wonderful gift. It was just a little thought, but I felt it. He told me that right now, I was back to where I would have been if I'd followed those early inclinations I'd had about writing the fast rough draft. He'd re-routed my path. He can do the same for you.

Have fun with Goodreads!

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Calling all readers! If you haven't checked out the site Goodreads.com yet, it's a fun stop on your literary road trip. Users can share what they're currently reading (there are plenty of widgets to add to your blogs and websites too), rate books, write reviews, and more. I'm enjoying the ability it gives me to go back and see what I read this year, and what I thought of those books. Like its counterpart Shelfari, you can add friends and favorite authors. I used to visit Shelfari regularly but was disappointed with their latest website update that made it harder (I thought) to do things quickly. Then I found Goodreads. So if you're curious what I'm reading on any given day, you can visit my author page and then make a page of your own.

What's holding you back?

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At this time of year most of us start thinking about the future---future goals, future pursuits, future dreams. It can be a great time of reflection, or it can bring us down as we think about all the resolutions we made and didn't keep.

But instead of focusing on what we haven't done, I'd like to ask you a question. What's holding you back from pursuing your dreams? Not just dreams of grandeur, but little things too. Maybe a desire to lose ten pounds. Or to spend more time with family. Perhaps you want to write a novel.

What if we didn't worry so much and dove in with abandon? What would our lives look like a year from now if we took a step out of our comfort zone and did one thing that God's dropped in our hearts?

How many years have you said things like, "Someday I want to _____"? I know I have many of those someday thoughts. Are they really that unattainable? Why wait for your kids to grow up or your hair to turn white before you pursue the things of your heart?

I'm not talking about shirking our responsibilities, of course. Our bills still need to be paid, our families taken care of. But I bet there's something we could pursue that would get us closer to reaching our dreams. Small steps are the key.

Let's not allow fear or what others think be our guides in 2011, but let's give our pursuits to the Lord who knows the exact next step we're supposed to take.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. --Psalm 32:8

What's your dream for 2011? What tiny step can you take in the coming weeks to get you closer to it?

Bound by Guilt book trailer

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In case you missed it, here's the official book trailer for my next novel, Bound by Guilt. I wrote most of this novel before my first book, Thicker than Blood, was ever published. There are some recurring characters from TTB, but BBG stands completely by itself too. I'm excited about sharing this story with all of you. It's 20,000 words longer than my first book, and I think my writing style has grown too (I hope at least!).

I've been very blessed and honored to receive some kind endorsements for Bound by Guilt, including Francine Rivers who said: "Great job! You kept me turning the pages." Thanks so much, Francine. More endorsements can be read here.




If you'd like to read the first chapter of the novel, I have it up here at my website.

Tested by Praise

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Today in my Bible reading I came across a Scripture that hit me over the head. You know that type? You're reading along and all of the sudden something pops out? This is what I saw:

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised. Proverbs 27:21 (New Living)

Usually we think it's the negative reviews and critiques we have to watch out for. Those are the ones that can derail us and set us off into a hole of self-doubt. Right? Sure, we can be impacted by negative reviews, but what about the positive ones?

Now I'm not saying we shouldn't listen to praise from our peers, family and friends. We all need encouragement. But something I was very surprised to find when my first novel got published was the temptation to believe my own press. Not that I got many huge, glowing endorsements or beautiful reviews in prestigious publications. Sometimes my test came just from someone telling me, "After the years you put into it, you deserved to be published." It would be very easy to think, "Yeah, I do deserve this."

The problem with that type of thinking, for me at least, is it can (notice I say can) lead to a wrong attitude about why, as a Christian writer, I'm doing what I'm doing. The truth of the matter is I don't deserve anything more than the next gal.

This same principle can apply to critiques of our as-yet-unpublished writing too. If someone tells us we're the next Jane Austen, and we let ourselves believe it, it could possibly make it harder for us to receive constructive criticism from an editor. After all, we write like Jane Austen. Why would we need to change anything?

You see what I mean?

So the key in all this is not to beat ourselves up and never receive praise but to remember every good thing comes from above. If our writing or our job or our ministry connects with someone, it's because of God's grace and His giftings in our lives. Not because we're better than anyone else. This will help us keep a balanced perspective when the good reviews roll in, but also when the bad ones come (and they will). Neither one should derail us.

A New Venture - FamilyFiction.com!

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I'm excited to let you know about a brand new e-zine called FamilyFiction.com. You may have heard of it, but the goal of the magazine is to "serve the Christian fiction reader with news updates, up-to-date release lists, reviews, interviews, book trailers, and more."

I'm honored to be one of several contributing editors. My focus is on the suspense/mystery genre as well as Christian and family-friendly movies and dvds. This work won't detract from my work at TitleTrakk.com. If anything, it will make me even more aware of what's new and upcoming.

The premier issue of FamilyFiction Magazine is out today! My profiles are on best-selling author Joel Rosenberg and film maker Dallas Jenkins. Check it out here.

Why I've Been Silent

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Hello, friends!

First off, my apologies for the extended leave of absence here on this blog. Things have been super busy what with the upcoming release of my next novel Bound by Guilt, my work with TitleTrakk.com, and my newest venture as a Contributing Editor at FamilyFiction.com. Oh, and did I mention the day job? :)

I've been learning a lot in the past couple weeks about juggling and making everything work together. I started a new novel and was about 50K into the rough draft when I realized I might've been on the wrong track with the story. It's funny. As soon as I set the book aside for a week or two, another story popped into my head, aspects of which I've been thinking about for many years. That seems to be the way things work for me. My better scenes are usually ones I've mulled many, many times.

So there you have it. I'm back, and plan to hear from me more in the future! You decide if that's a good thing or not ... ;)

The Summary of Bound by Guilt unveiled

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First things first. I've picked seven of your great questions to answer in the back of Bound by Guilt. I loved all of the questions, so it was really hard to narrow them down. But I ended up going with ones that were specifically about this novel. The rest I just might use on my website or blog in the future! Thanks so much. Congratulations to:

Debby
Emma Bedford
Sandi Andrews
Jan Archer
Anonymous (asking about whether I had a sequel in mind)
Diana Prusik
Laura

Could all of you e-mail me at cj at cjdarlington dot com with your mailing addresses? I'd like to send you a signed copy of Thicker than Blood as my way of saying thanks.

And now for the big unveil. Since you've now seen the cover of Bound by Guilt, you're probably wondering what the novel is about. Yes, it is a sequel to Thicker than Blood. But it also stands completely alone. It takes place about a year and half after the events of the first novel, and you will get to see Christy and Hunter again. May and Beth make cameos too. But the girl featured on the cover? Her name is Roxi Gold.

Here's summary:

==========
Roxi Gold has been shuttled from one foster home to another most of her life. She longs for a family and will do anything to fit in - even if it's against the law. Soon she's traveling the country in an RV stealing rare books from unsuspecting bookstores. If she refuses she'll be put out on the streets.

Police officer Abby Dawson has seen the worst of society, and not just at work. Her ex-husband has wrested her daughter away from her in a bitter custody battle. The job she once loved has become a chore - the world isn't safer, and there's no joy in her life.

One night a man's innocent blood changes Roxi and Abby forever. One searches for justice; the other finds herself on the run until a first edition of The Great Gatsby catches up with her. Will the power of forgiveness set them free, or will they both remain bound by guilt?
===========

What do you think? :)

Bound by Guilt is available for pre-order at Amazon.com, Christianbook.com and Barnes & Noble.com

Bound by Guilt cover unveiled!

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Here it is!

I'm so very excited to unveil the official cover of my February 2011 Tyndale House release, Bound by Guilt (click on photo to enlarge).

This book is one I'm really excited to share with you. If you liked Thicker than Blood I think you'll enjoy this one too. It has the same feel of my first novel, but with what I hope is even more depth.

In Thicker than Blood we featured a rare first edition of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. This time we're featuring an even rarer book---The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Some have wondered if Bound by Guilt is a sequel to Thicker than Blood. Yes, it is. Sort of. You don't have to have read Thicker than Blood to enjoy this one, but several of the main characters from Thicker become minor characters in Bound, but we're introduced to several new characters too!

Stay tuned! And in case you're interested, Bound by Guilt is available for pre-order at Amazon.com, Christianbook.com and Barnes & Noble.com

Help me with my next book!

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Okay, friends. I need your help. I have just completed the edits for my next novel Bound by Guilt. Releasing in February, Tyndale is hard at work finishing up the copy edits. I hope to share the cover and summary with you soon. In the mean time, my editor has asked me to provide her with a Question & Answer interview to be printed in the back of the book.

This is where you come in! I want these questions to be something you as the reader would like to read. So ... I'm asking you to submit your best questions to me here in the comments of this blog. I will pick five or more of the best questions and answer them in the back of Bound by Guilt. Plus, if I pick your question, I will send you a signed copy of my first novel Thicker than Blood.

I want to send these to my editor by the end of the week, so you have until August 25th at 12:00 pm EST.

Thank you!

Breakfast At Gingers - funny dog video!

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Dog lovers, you gotta check this video out. It's like Wegman except with a Golden Retriever!

The Mountains Have Labored And Brought Forth A Mouse . . . Or Two

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It all began this spring. I was cleaning out our pantry, organizing some of the dry foods, when I noticed mouse droppings. I tried to ignore them. We'd occasionally gotten a mouse in our house over the years that either went away (at least that's what our cats told us) or we caught and released.

Then I saw the bags of rice. Gone. We're not just talking nibbles here. There were entire bags of rice completely empty except for mouse droppings in the bag! I picture that little bugger chowing down for days living high on the hog.

So I threw the eaten and half eaten bags out, put the remainder in a box together, set them on the shelf again, and hoped the mice had moved on to other houses.

I was mistaken.

Several months later I notice an empty bag of rice on the floor under the pantry shelves. I really, really, wanted to believe this was an errant bag I forgot to throw out. So what if there were fresh mouse droppings beside the box of rice? I like living in a bubble without mice.

Mistaken again.

Finally I pulled the box of rice down to have a look. And discovered more empty bags, and more mouse droppings. Plus we found rice on the washing machine, of all places. Not good. We had a hungry mouse. (Yeah, I hear you experienced mouse catchers snickering.)

I got out the 'ol HaveAHart trap and got ready to set it, but it was broken so we had to make a hardware store run. My dad was enlisted for this. Well, he came home with a HaveAHart trap alright . . . the size of our cat! I pointed at the box where it said perfect for catching rats and small mammals.

Another hardware run later and we had a mouse sized trap. Which I set. With peanut butter.

The next morning I check the trap, and lo and behold, we have a mouse! Success! We'd caught our mouse. I let it go in the field near our house (it almost scampered up my arm when I opened the trap!). But just to be sure, I re-set the trap for that night's mouse parties.

Day 2 we caught a second mouse. Okay . . . trap re-set.

Day 3 we caught Mouse #3. Not so funny anymore.

Day 4 . . . Mouse #4.

Day 5 . . . Mouse #5.

Day 6 . . . No mouse! Had we trapped them all?

Day 7, today . . . Mouse #6!!! I'm getting tired of counting and taking pictures, so this one will remain anonymous.

What does this have to do with books, writing or publishing? I have no idea. But I knew the Mouse Saga deserved to be told. And it's not over . . .

P.S. All these photos are of different mice!

What I'm Learning From Horses

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It started when I was a kid taking riding lessons. Then we got a cute Appaloosa pony named Raisin which my sister and I rode for a couple years. I turned twelve or thirteen and for some reason lost interest in these magnificent animals. We gave Raisin back to her original owners (a happy ending for her) and eighteen years went by with me being horseless. I don't think I ever really forgot this love though. It comes out in my stories. My first novel Thicker than Blood (started when I was fifteen) features a young woman living on a ranch where horses are a part of her everyday life. My second novel also involves the animals.

Now I've started being around horses again, learning what makes them tick, how to communicate with and train them, and how to ride again. As I slowly progress, I'm learning some things I can apply not only to my horsemanship skills, but to life too.

Yesterday I was watching a DVD by a trainer named Mark Rashid. I'm learning a ton from this guy. I love his philosophies and gentle techniques. I heard him say, "It's only a big deal if you make it a big deal." He was talking about your horses' behavior (or your mistakes), but I realized how important this maxim is to life too. How many times do we blow a situation way out of proportion when in fact it really wasn't worth worrying about?

Through horses I'm learning to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy life a little more. It's not all about training and striving for success. There's a place for all of that, but sometimes it's okay to just get on and take a trail ride. Enjoy the scenery. Thank God for what we have. Horses have been a great reminder for me to stop and smell the . . . er, well . . . stop and smell something!