Month: June 2014

ONE Big, FUN Thing!

On By Betty OwensIn ancestors, contest, FUN Thing, giveaway, granny, Interview, July, ONE Big, Publishers, Tennessee, Writing


Why am I smiling? Because I know a secret. You’ll know too, in a couple of weeks. But for now, here’s my latest post and a couple hints: ONE Big, FUN Thing.
It seems some people have the most interesting lives. Surely, that should’ve been my life. I could’ve done that. WAIT. I could still do that. 
We are witnessing amazing days. Oh, I know the word amazing is overused and cliché—there are better words. My thesaurus brings up astonishing, astounding, mind-blowing, incredible, wonderful… I could go on and on. The sights we behold on a daily basis–it’s truly mind-blowing. 
What would our ancestors think of sending a message from one side of the world to the other, received in seconds, answered seconds later? 
What would Granny think of sitting in front of a screen in her home in Tennessee while talking to a beloved family member stationed in Afghanistan? She’s gone on to glory, so we’ll never know, but it’s a part of Granny’s great-great grandchildren’s everyday life as her great-great-great grandchildren talk to their daddy.
What would she think of millions of books available to us, instantly downloaded to our electronic devices? As a sightless individual, she would’ve loved the audiobooks! These would have opened a whole new world for her.
ONE. This brings me to the subject of my post today, the ever-changing world of publishing. Who could have predicted what has happened in the last twenty or so years? The last ten years? Astounding, incredible…
During the month of July, I will post an interview on Thursdays with an individual on the cusp of the changes in the publishing world. Editors, publishers, writers taking the plunge to create something truly wonderful. To impact the world. But I’ll let them speak for themselves. 
I hope you’ll drop in each week, to read their interviews and get an inside view of their lives and purpose. Perhaps you’ll find a niche for your story. Or a mentor to guide your way through the new world of writing and publishing. 
Who will be interviewed? I’ll publish my list on Thursday, July 3rd. On every subsequent Thursday throughout the month of July, you’ll meet one of the publishers. I’ll also publish the list on all my social sites.
Mark your calendars, sign up as a member of this blog, or have my posts emailed to you. If you prefer, connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+, because I don’t want you to miss these interviews. More importantly, I don’t think you want to miss them!

FUN. There will be giveaways. I love giveaways. At least one of the publishers has already requested to give away a book, so watch for it. Leave a comment there for a chance to win a book.  

See you next month!

Where Does the Time Go?

On By Betty OwensIn Claude Monet, Facebook, forgetfulness, July, Publishers, time
The Artist’s Garden at Vétheuil – Claude Monet

I’ve officially missed two posts because … I forgot. I didn’t set anything up ahead of time and–whoosh!–the days passed in a flurry. Still nothing set to post.

Have you ever had weeks like that? So here I am two weeks later and it’s almost July!

I’m excited about July, because the theme is: 

Small Publishers 

I’m interviewing three or four small publishers to find out who they are, how they got started, and why they do what they do.

So I think you may want to “pop” back over in July to see who stops in. You can join my blog or “like” my Facebook page to receive updates. Have a wonderful weekend!

Bloggity-Hop and Taking a Bite Outta Crime

On By Betty OwensIn Ann Gabhart, bloghop, interrogation, Linda W. Yezak, Nike Chillemi, Victoria Bylin5 Comments

There’s nothing I love more than sitting down to read another of Nike Chillemi’s chapters on our critique loop. So I was more than happy to help her out with this blog hop.

Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She writes literature that reads like pulp fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad, and her good guys smarter and better. She is the founder and chair of the Grace Awards, a member of ACFW. She has judged numerous literary awards including the Grace Awards, Carol Awards, Inspy Awards, and the Eric Hoffer Awards.

So tell me, how could I say no? If I did, she might write me into one of her stories and find a really creative way to murder me, or worse yet, delete my character completely.

Here is an official transcript of Nike’s interrogation of me:

What am I working on?
Carlotta’s Legacy, Book 2 in The Legacy Series, for Write Integrity Press. The first book, Amelia’s Legacy, is due out later this year. Amelia’s Legacy is a 1920’s historical that follows the life of Nancy Sanderson, the heiress of a vast fortune built by her grandmother, Amelia Woods-Sanderson. Her best friend is Rebecca Lewis, the main character in Book 2, which takes place in 1930’s Italy. After the death of her father and her family’s financial crisis, Rebecca decides to marry an Italian count. Marrying him will secure her and her mother’s future, but will it bring her the love she’s always desired? Well, it doesn’t hurt that Riccardo Alvera is stunningly handsome and owns a couple of villas…

How does my work differ from others?
I suppose the only real difference is my voice. Most of my stories are not outright Christian. My characters are flawed, but they have good roots. Redemption happens when you return to the things that are most important in life.

Why do I write what I write?
To entertain. To inspire. To give hope to those who need it. I want my characters’ story to inspire hope in the heart of the reader. But most of all, I want my readers to enjoy the read, because that’s what I want most from the books I read for pleasure.

How does my writing process work?
I’m a big fan of Scrivener. I put together an idea, assemble some characters, decide on a location and an era then build on my idea. I usually write chapter-by-chapter and work a few chapters ahead of my critiquers. When the critiques are all in, I go back and edit the earlier chapters.

So when I had answered all her questions, Nike demanded to know the names of my co-conspirators. I held out as long as I could, but in the end, blabbed it all.  In my defense, she came at me with a raccoon. Yeah, you read that right. A raccoon. It was incredibly cute.

Linda W. Yezak holds a BA in English, a graduate certificate in Paralegal Studies, and a bucket list as long as her arm. Among the things on the list is owning a stable full of horses. Since that’s not likely to happen any time soon, she includes horses in each of her novels, from her contemporary western romance Give the Lady a Ride and her newest release, The Cat Lady’s Secret, to her works-in-progress. Until the day she can retire with her husband to their land in Central Texas and ride to her heart’s content, she’ll continue with her writing and freelance editing careers.

She is a two-time finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest (in 2008 for Give the Lady a Ride, and in 2010 for The Cat Lady’s Secret) and a finalist for the 2012 Carol Award (for Give the Lady a Ride). She is a member of Women’s Fiction Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and The Christian PEN, a professional editors organization. 
Last known address: 777 Peppermint Place

Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. She’s published over twenty-five books for both adults and young adults. Scent of Lilacs, her first inspirational novel, was chosen as a Top Ten Books in Christian Fiction by Booklist magazine. Her first Shaker book, The Outsider, was a finalist for ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year and was a Top Pick by Romantic Times Book Review Magazine.

Ann lives on a farm in Kentucky not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann loves hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dog, Oscar.
You can find out more about Ann at annhgabhart.com.

Victoria Bylin is a romance writer known for her realistic and relatable characters. Her books have finaled in multiple contests, including the Carol Awards, the RITAs, and RT Magazine’s Reviewers Choice Award. A native of California, she and her husband now make their home in Lexington, Kentucky, where their family and their crazy Jack Russell terrier keep them on the go. 
For more information: victoriabylin.com. 

In exchange for surrendering all my informants, I have been granted leniency. But I have to do penance by publicizing this on Facebook and Twitter. Please help me out and share liberally!