Answers to Your Questions

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Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for me to answer. If you have any new ones, feel free to ask them in the comments. This helps me to make sure my posts contain things that interest YOU! Without further ado, here are the questions and answers.

Rachel Turner: What do you think put your book over the top in the Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest? Any advice for those writers looking to enter this year?

I wish I knew! Ha ha. Seriously, all I know is that I wrote the best book I could at that time. The Operation First Novel contest entrants never receive back scores or comments, so we don't really know for sure what makes or breaks our novels.

But with that said, I can offer a few tips for folks looking to enter this year. First, make sure you're submitting your best work. I don't recommend writing a novel and then dashing it off to the contest without editing it yourself first. (Though if I recall that's close to what 2006 Winner Tom Pawlik did, so what do I know? :) But you have a better chance if you give yourself enough time to write multiple drafts if need be.

Second, remember that even if you don't place in the contest it doesn't mean you're a failure and you should abandon your novel. 2007 winner Jennifer Erin Valent (Fireflies in December) submitted her novel to the contest, didn't win, and then after revision entered her book again at a later date, and it won! The same thing happened to me.

Martha Ramirez: Did you ever feel like giving up? How did you deal with rejection?

Oh, my yes, Martha. There were (and still are, frankly) days when I wonder if I'm on the right track, if I should just throw in the towel, if I wasn't meant to be a writer after all. But what I'm learning is that most times we have to disregard the doubts and press on. God puts desires in our hearts for a reason. I have a feeling Satan puts doubts in our minds for a reason too---to thwart the plans of God. It's imperative to press on no matter what!

I heard advice early on in my writing to never take rejection personally. Often it's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Rejection can come for a variety of reasons, only one of which is the quality of your manuscript. Reminding myself of that helped when rejections came. I determined I was going to stick with it until I got where I wanted to go. No matter what. Did I have bad days? You bet. But I tried to keep my eye on the prize on those down days.

Julia Reffner: I think it's really neat that you were homeschooled all the way through. What part did your parents play in nurturing your gift of writing? How do recommend fostering a love of writing and reading in our children?

Mom never said one negative word to me about pursuing writing. Everything was always positive. And still is, I might add. She took the time to notice my interests and provide all the necessary tools. That’s what she believes is so important for homeschooling moms to do. It’s a parent’s job to water the dreams of their kids, not to impose their dreams on their children.

My parents never hesitated to take my sister and I to the library, and they never complained when we came home with bags and bags full of books. Mom created curriculum around our interests. She made sure we read some of the classics like The Scarlet Letter, The Old Man and the Sea, Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, and the like.

She also had us keep a journal from an early age, making sure we knew she wasn’t going to read them (she felt this was important to tell us up front). She just wanted us to be creative and write without editing. I still journal to this day.

And she made us learn how to type! Of all the things I learned homeschooling, that’s one thing I use every single day.

As far as encouraging your kids to read, it’s one thing to tell your kids to read, it’s another to read out loud to them. By doing this you’re practicing what you preach, and you get some great quality time with your kids. This opens up the door to discussing what you read too.

Books are doorways into countries we might never explore in real life. Through books we can travel to worlds beyond the solar system. We can learn history and how not to repeat it and discover what character traits were noteworthy in others. Through reading we learn without even realizing it.

Next post will answer Koala Bear Writer's question, "What's a day in the life of a published novelist like?" The answer might surprise you ...

Go ahead. Ask me questions!

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Okay, guys. I want to make sure this blog is interesting for you to read. Sometimes I come up empty with posting ideas. So I'm turning it over to you! For the next couple days I want to answer any questions you might have for me about writing, books, or whatever. I certainly don't have all the answers but will do my best to answer every one.

So take it away! Ask your questions in the comments, and I'll start answering in the coming days. Thanks!

To my friends who are waiting...

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If you're feeling discouraged...
downtrodden...
depressed...
wondering where God is...
lonely...
wondering when your breakthrough will come...
wondering when your dreams will come true...

Book Cover Design - Using the Same Photo

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Book cover design has intrigued me for quite some time. The perfect cover can sell a book. All it takes sometimes is a grabber of an image. And sometimes that grabber image gets used more than once.

Case in point. Take a look at the first two books in the collage at left (the image will enlarge if you click on it). Unpretty by Sharon Carter Rogers (Howard Books, 2008). Scared woman with hand over her mouth. It's a provocative photo for certain. Which is why I was surprised to see it on another cover in the CBA market only two years later. When the Devil Whistles by Rick Acker (Abingdon Press, Oct 2010).

Believe it or not, I have seen this image also on a movie poster for a secular horror film and in the mockup of a Thomas Nelson title (that was changed before it was published).

So... where does it come from? This stock image was taken by a photographer who goes by "knape" and is also the model. It's available on iStockphoto here.

But here's where things get really interesting. I was looking at this image a couple months back out of curiosity, and lo and behold I was shocked to see that the model featured on the cover of my own novel Thicker than Blood is this same photographer/model! I made this comment online and Kirk DouPonce of Dog Eared Design was intrigued as well, telling me he'd used yet another photo of this model on the cover of The Healer by Linda Windsor.

Fascinating!

Have you seen any books that have the same image on their covers? Do share!

Digital Publishing According to ... Puppets?

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This hilarious video about the opposing views of digital publishing (created by some of my friends at Tyndale House) is funny because it's so true!

Writing news!

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Well, friends. I can finally make this announcement. I am very excited to say that I have just signed a contract with Tyndale House for my second book! This is a sequel to my first, Thicker than Blood, in that some of the main characters from Thicker become minor characters in the second. Yes, you will find out what happens between Hunter and Christy! :)

As of today, the official title of this book is Bound by Guilt (thank you Jan Stob!). I'm excited about the new title as it perfectly conveys the themes of this novel. Right now we're looking at an early 2011 release date.

So there you have it. My big news! The amazing design team at Tyndale House is hard at work on the cover, and I can't wait to see what they come up with! Stay tuned...

For all the dog lovers...

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Don't Hold Back!

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A piece of writing advice I read years ago went something like this, "Don't hold back your greatest ideas until the next book you write. Use them now. You never know if that book of the future will get written, or even get published."

I've had to remind myself of this advice many times. A great idea pops into my head, but I think, "No, I'll wait 'til the next book for that one" or "I can't write that now---what if I can write it better in a couple years?"

Sure, if I'm doing things right, I'm always going to be writing better with each year that passes (I hope!). Maybe I will be able to tell the story better down the road. Or not. That's the issue. I don't want to hold onto my best ideas, because more good ideas will come later!

An example. In my first novel, Thicker Than Blood, I have a character who doesn't even show up in any scenes but was someone who got mentioned in the thoughts of another character. Her name's Abby. Now I liked the name Abby. Enough so that I didn't want to "use it up" for such a minor character. I tried changing it (she was going to be Nora, another name I like). It was a no go. This character had become Abby in my head. I felt like I wasted a good name! But as it turns out, as I wrote my second novel I had the wild idea to include this Abby character. And she took over the book! Which goes to show me the advice I heard was right. Don't hold back good ideas, or character names, for later.

Every book I write needs to be the very best it can be... right now. And this is good advice for life, too. Didn't Mark Twain say, "Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today?" Which goes hand-in-hand with Jesus' words about not worrying about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough troubles of its own.

Let's live life to its fullest today, no matter our vocation!

Debbie Fuller Thomas (Advice for Novelists, Part 113)

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Here's another post in my Advice for Novelists series in which editors, authors, agents and publicists answer the question:

"If you could say one thing to aspiring novelists, what would you say?"

I would stress the importance of meeting with a group of like-minded writers to stay encouraged, to read the best books on writing that they can find and to find a way to attend writer’s conferences each year.

--Debbie Fuller Thomas, author of Raising Rain & Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon. Visit her website for more info.

Because sometimes we just need to laugh...

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Sometimes we just need to laugh, don't you think? Here are a few jokes about writers I've found that crack me up:

A writer died and was given the option of going to heaven or hell.

She decided to check out each place first. As the writer descended into the fiery pits, she saw row upon row of writers chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they were repeatedly whipped with thorny lashes.

"Oh my," said the writer. "Let me see heaven now."

A few moments later, as she ascended into heaven, she saw rows of writers, chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they, too, were whipped with thorny lashes.

"Wait a minute," said the writer. "This is just as bad as hell!"

"Oh no, it's not," replied an unseen voice. "Here, your work gets published."

=====

An author comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside. “What happened, honey?” the man asks.

“Oh, John, it was terrible,” she weeps. “I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn’t notice the stove was on fire. It went up in second. Everything is gone. I nearly didn’t make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is--”

“Wait, wait. Back up a minute,” The man says. “My agent called?”

=====

A hungry lion was roaming through the jungle looking for something to eat. He came across two men. One was sitting under a tree reading a book; the other was typing away on his typewriter.

The lion quickly pounced on the man reading the book and devoured him. Even the king of the jungle knows that readers digest and writers cramp.

Dallas Jenkins & Stephen Baldwin on FOX News

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Great clip here from filmmaker Dallas Jenkins and actor Stephen Baldwin on Hollywood and faith-based films. They talk briefly about The Blind Side and trends in faith-based filmmaking.

The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell

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I've read countless books on the craft, but James Scott Bell's are permanently a part of my library. Writers, you need to get your hands on this book! Here's my official review:

The thing I love most about The Art of War for Writers is that every writer, from newbie to seasoned professional, can glean from its pages. You can pick it up at different stops on your journey and learn something new. It inspires even as it spurs you on in your writing career. And that’s really the focus of this book—how to develop a career in writing. Says Bell, “The writer must understand the essentials of success for a long-term writing career, and count the cost accordingly.” What does that take? How do you overcome the obstacles along the way? The book’s short, meaty chapters share real answers to these questions and more. And while there’s certainly some how-to advice on the craft within its pages, Bell has already covered craft techniques in his two noteworthy books Plot & Structure and Revision & Self Editing. The Art of War for Writers is more a battle plan on how to beat the enemies we all face in our writing pursuits. Let’s face it—writing is a fight. But in The Art of War we’re shown that with the proper attitude and tactics we can be victorious. That’s something every writer needs to hear.

You can pick up a copy at Amazon.com here. It'll be a ten spot well spent!

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!

DiAnn Mills (Advice for Novelists, Part 112)

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Today we enjoy another piece of advice from a bestselling author in my Advice for Novelists series in which editors, authors, agents and publicists answer the question. Take it away DiAnn:

"If you could say one thing to aspiring novelists, what would you say?"

Don’t give up.
Write everyday.
Read the books written in your genre.
Read and reread how-to books.
Attend conferences - yes, spend the money and work the conference
Actively participate in a writer’s group
Share what you know with other aspiring novelists
Pray!

--Diann Mills, author of Breach of Trust, Sworn to Protect, A Woman Called Sage, and more. Visit her website.

Inspiration from Elizabeth Berg

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The March/April issue of Writers Digest Magazine features an inspiring interview with author Elizabeth Berg by Jessica Strawser. In Q&A format she tackles some subjects that hit home for me at this stage of my writing. Perhaps they'll encourage you too. Here are a few of the questions. Pick up a copy of the magazine to read the complete interview, including her take on life after Oprah picking her book up as a selection and how it impacted her career.

Are you often surprised by where stories take you?

I am, and that's part of the mystery and the joy. I never want to know. To me, it would be like doing homework---it would be so boring---if I knew what was going to happen. So, I'm kind of like the reader every day. I go into my study, and I don't know what's going to happen. It's exciting, you know?

I love her enthusiasm here, and her emphasis on the joys of writing. So much is placed on the negative, and here she doesn't emphasize that.

A lot of your characters seem in some way empowering---do you ever set out to empower your readers?

In the most self-protective of ways, I don't think about the reader when I'm writing. I just think about the story. After it's done, I think a lot about the reader. But in the end, always, you need to write what's in your heart and soul, and let the chips fall where they may. Let's say you try to accommodate this imaginary reader, and you produce a work you're not particularly happy with. That will always stay with you, that you didn't write what was true for you. Whereas, if you do write what's true for you, and someone doesn't like it, well, you know, that stings for a minute, but it goes away.

Bravo, Elizabeth, for sharing these words! I totally agree---we must write first for ourselves, and let the chips fall. God puts particular stories in our hearts for a reason, and I need to be reminded of this every day.

So many successful writers talk about writing as agony.

Sometimes I think people say that to keep the competition down! We are in such need of fresh voices, and I worry sometimes that emerging writers pay a little too much attention to what other people say. If I could say anything to aspiring writers, it's to keep your own counsel, first and foremost. There's nothing wrong with listening to what other people have to say---I used to be one of your readers who would gaze longingly at those pictures of people who are published and think, Oh man, what must it be like? But there is something inside of a person that makes them be a writer in the first place. That's a strong and true thing. And you can have your head turned very easily by the business of writing. It's so important to keep it church and state---keep it separate. The process of writing and creating and answering that very unique call inside yourself has nothing to do with agents and sales and all that. And I can tell you as someone who's enjoyed a lot of success in my career that nothing matches the feeling you have when you get it right on the page, when you please yourself in that very intimate way---that's always the best thing, no matter what happens. For me it is, anyway.

This is advice I needed to hear. And it's so true! On this side of the journey, with my debut novel on shelves (and I have so far to go, I know), this advice rings true. We would be wise to heed it. Thank you, Ms. Berg, for sharing.