Welcome to debut month for my first Utah book, "Love's Winding Path." Journey with our hero, Dan, as he attempts to discover himself and God's will for his life while encountering adventure in Moab, rafting the Colorado River and the beauty of Arches National Park.
Red rocks. River rafting. Freedom! Maybe?
After years of impatient living and working on his parents’ peanut farm, Dan has finally escaped. Life as a river guide in Moab, Utah, is as far from peanut farming in Virginia as a man can get, and Dan revels in the newness of this life. An awesome job, a cool jeep , a place of his own—and a gorgeous girl.
Gorgeous or not, Jo has no intention of hooking up with Dan. First off, he’s just a bit too sure of himself, and second, he shows no interest in God. He’s also got issues to deal with…but then, so does she, so maybe she’ll leave that particular area alone. But as long as Dan avoids God, Jo will avoid Dan. At least, that’s the theory.
When life in Moab takes some unexpected twists and turns, Dan must face who he really is. Maybe all that God stuff is true. But will he let go and believe, or continue to tough it out alone?
Softcover, 170 pages from Heartsong Presents, Barbour Publishing
This book can be ordered directly from the Publisher right now! See here for more information or call Barbour Publishing to order HP#890 Love's Winding Path (740) 922-7280 to order.
Coming Soon!
Next week I will be the featured guest on several blogs highlighting this new release. Check back here for more information as it becomes available.
And coming March 8th - GUEST blogger Susan Page Davis with her article on writing a series PLUS a book giveaway!
Iam so pleased to have Martha Rogers as my guest this month on Blissful Writing Thoughts. This remarkable lady has seen her dream come true with the publication of her first full-length novel, Becoming Lucy, through Realms, a division of Strang Publishing Group. Come read her story of faith and find out how to win a copy of her new book!
"My writing journey began when I realized how much I like to make up stories. My mother called it daydreaming, but I liked living in my fantasy world. I made up stories for my paper dolls and my dolls using them as the characters. I wrote short stories as a teenager and my first novel as a freshman in college. My love of writing continued, but I had no clue as to what it took to be published. A short story I sent to a magazine in 1959 was rejected with a form letter. I entered several contests after that but never won any awards.
Through the years I learned that perseverance was the only way to keep my sanity. Rejection after rejection disappointed me, I kept on writing. I met DiAnn Mills at a writing conference, and she took me under her wing and mentored me. She also convinced me that joining ACRW would really help me improve my writing. I took her advice and it’s the best thing I could have done. She formed a critique group with Myra Johnson, Kathleen Y’Barbo and me as members. Later Janice Thompson joined the group then Marcia Gruver and Linda Kozar.
Through ACRW and then ACFW, I met Brandilyn Collins, Lena Nelson Dooley, Deb Raney, Lynn Coleman, and Rebecca Germany as well as my agent, Tamela Hancock Murphey. The most important lesson I have learned from them is patience. Giving God time to work on His schedule and not mine was difficult for me to do because I’ve always been a “take charge” sort of person. It didn’t take long for me to realize that catching the eye of an editor was more than being in charge.
DiAnn, Kathleen, Janice and I collaborated on a novella anthology, Sugar and Grits and submitted it in 2001. Patience paid off as we waited and left it with Barbour until 2005 when we were offered a contract for it. When it was published in 2007, I thought now I would be on my way. Two years later I still didn’t have another contract, but I didn’t give up.
I had adopted Galatians 6:9 as my writing verse because I knew if I didn’t give up on what I believed God wanted me to do, I would reap a harvest.Then in 2009, Tamela called me with the news that Strang was interested in Becoming Lucy. They first sent an offer letter then a contract for one book with an option for three more. I started working on the manuscript and after I turned it in, a got another email from them saying they were ready to contract the next three in the series. In September of 2009 I signed the contract to finish out the Winds Across the Prairie series.
Since then I have signed for Christmas novella that will be released in September 2010. When God opened the door, He kicked it wide open with five books in one year. Unbelievable.
The road has not been easy, and the rejections hurt. But I learned from the rejections. I paid attention to what my critique partners and judges in contest said. Of course some of what they said made me a little angry, but then I settled down and began to think things through. The best way to further your writing is to attend conferences. There you will have an opportunity to attend workshops with great authors and learn from them. Books on improving your writing are usually available, and you have the opportunity to meet and network with others who are on the same journey you are as well as meet those who are well established and long down the road ahead of you. Detours, bad roads, hazardous conditions, stop signs and other road difficulties with pop up to distract and take you away from your writing. The key is to keep on with your writing. However, we sometimes have to put our writing aside for a season because what is happening in our lives is more important than a manuscript. Spend time with the Lord, and He will direct your paths in the right direction. Listen for His instructions and follow Him in all that you do. Be patient because our time tables are not God’s and seldom do they match. If it’s to be, it will be, when He ordains that it’s time."
Martha's book credits include the novella, Sugar and Grits, seven Bible studies, contributions to compilations by Wayne Holmes, Karen O’Conner, and Debbie White Smith. Martha has contributed devotionals to several anthologies including soon to be released Whispers of Wisdom for Step-Moms from Barbour. Martha served as editor of an eight page monthly newsletter for the writer’s organization, Inspirational Writers Alive! for six years and is the state President.She is also the director for the annual Texas Christian Writer’s Conference.
After her parents’ deaths , seventeen-year-old heiress Lucinda Bishop travels to Barton Creek, Oklahoma in 1897 as the ward of Amelia and Ben Haynes, her mother’s sister and brother-in-law. There she meets Jake Starnes, a drifter now employed by her uncle. With Jake, she faces emotions she’s never before experienced. When Jake must return to Texas to face murder charges and certain execution, Lucinda is forced to go on with life which includes Luke Anderson. When Jake is found innocent, he heads back to Oklahoma,but can he arrive in time to prevent Lucinda frommarrying the wrong man?
To be entered into a drawing for a copy of this book, please leave a comment along with your e-mail address. If you are on Twitter and RT the announcement for this special guest blog, you will be entered a second time. Thanks for visiting!
I am pleased to have Lyn Cote here to blog about the importance of a synposis and to introduce you to her brand new release, Her Inheritance Forever. This is the first of a series of guest bloggers I plan to have on Blissful Writing Thoughts.
Writing a synopsis is a huge stumbling block for many aspiring writers. How can they compress 200 or more pages into a succinct package for an editor? And how long should it be? And what should be include, excluded? And why do editors need synopses anyway?
Well, over the past decade of writing, I have discovered the importance of writing a strong synopsis. After a writer becomes published, she no longer writes the whole book before she shows it to the editor. Editors have this habit of not liking everything an author writes. So to save everyone time and frustration, published authors sell books and series of books by writing proposals which consist of a synopsis for each book and 1-3 beginning chapters of the first book. So if you want to be published and with more than one book, you must learn to write a synopsis. In fact, you need to get good at it. Because you will do it over and over. It's part of the business of novel writing.
I'm going to give you the basic elements which every romance synopsis must include. You will be surprised how with a little practice how easy it will become for you to give the editor the elements she's looking for. This list is primarily for romances but any author can take this recipe and tailor it to meet the needs of the genre they write for.
List of Synopsis Elements:
1-The setting-time and place 2-Heroine-age, an adjective identifying character trait and her occupation and life goal 3-Hero-the same as above. 4-The main external plot— what’s happening around them and impacting their lives- Is it a mystery to be solved, a family home to save, a child to be found? 5-The internal conflicts of hero and heroine—what keeps them apart from within, the old scars, the sadness 6-Their romantic conflicts-what keeps them apart, what bad lessons have they learned about romance in the past? 7-The story question. If you include each of these elements, you will be giving the editor what she needs to evaluate your story idea. These are the basic ingredients for a successful romantic novel.
Lyn's Bio
When Lyn Cote became a mother, she gave up teaching, and while raising a son and a daughter, she began working on her first novel. Long years of rejection followed. Finally in 1997, Lyn got "the call." Her first book, Never Alone, was chosen by Steeple Hill. Lyn has had over twenty-five novels published since then. In 2006 Lyn's book, Chloe, was a finalist for the RITA, one of the highest awards in the romance genre. Lyn’s brand “Strong Women, Brave Stories,” always includes three elements: a strong heroine who is a passionate participant in her times, authentic historical detail and a multicultural cast of characters. Now, Lyn spends her days writing books that show the power of divine as well as human love.
Lyn helped found two RWA chapters Heart of Iowa Fiction Authors in 1994 and Faith, Hope& Love Inspirational Chapter in 1997. She served as president of both. She is Pan Liaison of FHL now. Lyn has also written three articles for the RWR on Classic Romantic Conflicts and the inspirational romance market. Lyn has also taught regional and national workshops for RWA. Now she is an active member of the Wausau WI group of Wisconsin Romance Writers.
Her Inheritance Forever - 2nd in the Texas Star of Destiny series Avon Inspire ISBN # 9780061373435
In 1836 Texas, Alandra Sandoval is the lady of Rancho Sandoval, determined to prove to a doubting world that a woman alone can run a ranch as well as any man. But when Comanches attack her ranch and kidnap her, Alandra must admit she needs protection. A top hand at a nearby ranch, Scully Falconer, is chosen for the task and though Alandra tries to pretend she doesn't need his help, he quietly stays by her side.
Though they believe their paths to be worlds apart, the rugged American cowboy with a troubled past and the proud lady of Mexican descent are united when Alandra's greedy relatives burst into their lives. And when General Santa Anna's army crosses the Rio Grande—marching toward a rendezvous with destiny at the Alamo—Alandra and Scully are swept up together in the tide of history...and their world will never be the same.
This week I have a special announcement - a wonderful lady from Germany, interested in books and authors, has posted a special interview with me on her website. Read the interview here.
She has also posted promos as well for my recent and upcoming books here.
I enjoy interviews as it gives me a wonderful opportunity to describe writing, my books, and give encouragement to those looking to write as well. And to reach others around the globe with my work.
I hope you enjoy it.
And with that, I will be gone on a trip across the USA to research more upcoming books. I will be back online to report about my experience June 22. See you then!
Reposted with permission. Interview was conducted by Cara Putnum.
April 8, 2009 01:03:57 Posted By Kathi Macias ***NOTE: Sara Mills, whose new book Miss Match (to follow the first release, Miss Fortune) from Moody Press, has just lost her husband to a heart attack. Please pray for her and her children as we help her promote her new book. Thanks to Cara Putman for allowing us to use her excellent interview. You can find Sara at http://www.saramillsbooks.com/.
Miss Fortune and Miss Match are delightful books set in NYC in 1947. Tell us how you got the idea for Allie and these books...
I got the idea for Miss Fortune in the middle of the night, when all good ideas come to me:One sleepless night I was watching The Maltese Falcon and I started to wonder how different the story would be if Sam Spade had been a woman. She'd never have fallen for Miss Wunderly's charms and lies. She'd have been smart and tough and she would have solved the case in half the time it took Sam because she wouldn't spend all of her time smoking cigarettes and calling her secretary Precious.The thought of a hard-boiled female detective got my mind whirling.I paused the movie and sat in my darkened living room thinking about how much fun a female Sam Spade could be. Intrigued but not yet ready to dash to my computer, I changed disks and put on Casablanca (my all time favorite movie ever). The sweeping love story, a tale full of hard choices and sacrifice was what finally made the whole idea click in my mind. If I could just combine the P.I. detective story of the Maltese Falcon with the love story from Casablanca, and make Sam Spade more of a Samantha, I could have the best of all worlds.
These books are so good, I wish I'd written them. How did you set the stage to capture that gritty PI feel without being dark?
I find that a lot of PI stories are gritty and dark, focusing on the worst of the humanity, and while I wanted the Allie Fortune mysteries to be exciting and tension-filled I didn’t want them to be stark and hopeless.One of the things I tried to do to counteract the darkness was to give Allie a multi-layered life. She has cases, relationships, friends and family, all of which I hope combine to make the stories textured, rich and full of life.
Allie is a character I'd love to have coffee with. What did she teach you while you wrote these books?
Allie was a great character to write. One of the things I learned from her was that human relationships (man/woman, mother/daughter, friends) are complicated and full of unspoken rules and expectations. Allie is a rule-breaker at heart and it complicates her life on a regular basis. One of the storylines I loved most is Allie’s relationship with her mother and how it grows and changes and how it’s shaped her.Another dimension of Allie’s character that really taught me a lot was her willingness to do whatever was needed to help those she loves. There is no price on that kind of friendship and it’s a characteristic I’d like to see more of in myself. Okay I admit it, I’ve got a bit of a friend-crush on Allie.
LOL.One last question: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would that be and who would you take with you?
If I could go anywhere right now I’d head to Monterey, California (I’m writing a book set there right now) and I’d plant myself on the beach with a notebook, writing my story as the waves crashed. Sounds like my idea of heaven on earth. There’s something about the wind-shaped Cypress trees and the crash of the surf in Monterey that calls to me. I don’t know why, it just is.
In 1947 Allie Fortune is the only female private investigator in New York City, but she's kept awake at night by a mystery of her own: her fianci disappeared in the war and no one knows if he's still alive. Until Allie finds out, she will have no peace. When there's a knock on her office door at four in the morning, Allie suspects trouble as usual, and Mary Gordon is no exception. Mary claims someone is following her, that her apartment has been ransacked, and that she's been shot at, but she has no idea why any of this is happening. Allie takes the case, and in the process discovers an international mystery that puts her own life in danger. Meanwhile, the FBI is working the case as well, and she is partnered up with an attractive, single agent who would be perfect for her under other circumstances-if only she knew whether her fianci was still alive. Miss Match, Allie Fortune Mystery Series #2 By Sara Mills / Moody Publishers
FBI agent Jack O'Connor receives a letter from Maggie, a woman he used to love, saying she's in trouble in Berlin. The FBI refuses to get involved, so Jack asks Allie Fortune to help him investigate. Allie and Jack pose as a missionary couple who want to bring orphans back to the United States. A child finds important documents that everyone in the city - Soviets and allies alike - want for themselves. Maggie refuses to tell Jack what the documents are, saying if things go wrong, they are better off not knowing. Through the course of the search, Allie's past is brought back to her, half a world away from home.
Welcome to debut month for my first Utah book, "Love's Winding Path." Journey with our hero, Dan, as he attempts to discover himself and God's will for his life while encountering adventure in Moab, rafting the Colorado River and the beauty of Arches National Park. 
