Category: Writing

Perception

On By Betty OwensIn Art, photography, scripture, Writing

Art. According to Webster’s Dictionary, art is something created with imagination and skill that is beautiful, or expresses important ideas or feelings.

You might be wondering what that has to do with perception. The best and most beautiful art inspires. It touches the heart, or spurs the imagination. But do we all perceive it the same?

_MG_0490 as Smart Object-1Photography as art can please the eye…

9a4ea-kalnik2b050stimulate the imagination…

cooking-chocolate-674508_1280even make you hungry.

oldhouseFor a writer, a photograph can spur a memory, and inspire a story. One person’s perception.

Because…

writing is also art. It is definitely something created with imagination and skill. The outcome can be beautiful, thought-provoking, expressive.

Poetic…prosaic…melodic…

These three words sound nice, but two of them can imply beauty. One of them means ordinary, commonplace, run-of-the-mill. Prose: ordinary language.

Why did I toss an ordinary word in there? To show how perception plays a part in everyday life. The most ordinary things become extraordinary on occasion.

bird-838735_1280Gaze at this photo for a moment.

What stirs inside you? Feral. Stark. Dangerous.

But quite ordinary, if you’re the bird.

My aunt lost her sight and had a difficult time adjusting. She lived in a rural area, bordered by several acres of woods. She lived in fear of stepping on a snake, or touching poison ivy, so she seldom went outside. Her world was dark. Feral, stark, and dangerous. A world haunted by memories of what she could no longer see.

A friend of mine also lost her sight. Perhaps it was her age, she was younger when it happened, and she adjusted to it. Her world was filled with light, but not the kind you see. We stepped out onto her back porch on a beautiful day.

I took a deep breath and exhaled, thankful for the gift of sight.

She touched my arm. “Isn’t it a lovely day?”

I said yes, but wondered how she knew.

She gave a soft laugh. “I feel the air, the warmth of the sun. I hear the birds singing, and I know it’s a beautiful day.”

We live in troubling times, often bombarded by shocking images and violent words. Your perception, when your soul is darkened by worry, fear, even weariness, or illness–any or all of these things–can send you into a panic. You may want to withdraw and stay inside your shell, where it’s safe. Until you can’t function.

But when your soul is full of light, your perception is enlightened also. You see beyond the ugliness of the images. It doesn’t make them go away, but your perception helps you deal with what you see. It’s not always easy. I start each day with prayer. It calms me and turns my thoughts to something or someone other than myself.

Whoever looks at me is looking, in fact, at the One who sent me. I am Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in me won’t have to stay any longer in the dark.–the words of Jesus Christ, John 12:45-46 The Message

Perception.

 

Annabelle's Ruth FRONT final CoverI think you’ll like my latest release, especially if you’re a fan of the biblical story of Ruth. It’s inspired by Ruth, set in 1950’s rural West Tennessee. Annabelle’s Ruth is book one in the Kinsman Redeemer series, from Write Integrity Press.

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And I am one of several Write Integrity authors featured in the romantic novella, Unlikely Merger, just 99 cents on Kindle.

You can find all my books here: Betty Thomason Owens at Amazon.com

What’s Up?

On By Betty OwensIn #amreading, Betty Thomason Owens, fiction, Writing6 Comments

WorkinProgress-MeA work-in-progress. That’s what’s up with me. I’m always trying to improve myself and update my knowledge of various computer technologies. As a writer, I run into glitches all day long and have to solve problems and iron out difficult wrinkles in the system or on my webpage, etc. If I had to wait for someone else to do it…well…it might actually be quicker than me working through a learning process. But now I know how to do it myself!

As of yesterday, my website is now located right here. Moving from Blogger to WordPress was an adventure (extreme understatement). But I love the results! What do you think of it?

That is, if I can remember what I did.

I’m also nearing the end of a work-in-progress–my second book in the Legacy series, Carlotta’s Legacy. This has been a learning process also, and extended beyond my self-imposed deadline more than I care to admit. I’m pleased with how it’s turned out. I hope my editor and publisher agree.

Those of you who’ve read Amelia’s Legacy, will remember Nancy’s perky best friend Rebecca Lewis. Rebecca falls on hard times and has to make some tough decisions. She may have second thoughts, but backing down is not in her makeup. Though she’s knocked down again and again, she keeps getting back up and back in the game.

I have to admit, I’m kind of crushing on Rebecca’s love interest, Riccardo Alverá. He’s an Italian count faced with some tough decisions of his own. To prepare myself for this story, I watched several movies from the era (also set in Italy). In Love and War (a Hallmark movie), Tea With Mussolini, A Month by the Lake, and Enchanted April. There are numerous wonderful novels set in the pre-WW2 era. And fantastic YouTube films about everything from sailing on an ocean liner (in the 1920s & 30s!!) to harvesting olives.

512px-French_Broom2One of my absolute favorite websites, because it was so informative, was Anne’s Italy. And then I happened across a list on YouTube that included movies and photographs from Umbria, which is the setting for Carlotta’s Legacy. Oh the hours I spent watching these beautiful scenes! If I had a bucket list, visiting Umbria would be at the top.

As I write this post, I’m a matter of weeks away from the release of Annabelle’s Ruth. See information below. This story is close to my heart, because it’s fashioned after the Book of Ruth and loosely based on some of my mother’s life experiences. It’s set in a small town where I spent part of my childhood. Here’s a sneak-peek at the setting for Annabelle’s Ruth (Pinterest Board).

I’ll keep you posted on these releases. Follow this blog or like my Facebook author page, to keep up with what’s going on (and help me reach 500 likes this summer). For instance, next week, the Authorview post features Becky Wade and her hot new release, A Love Like Ours. You will want to be here for that.

bluetick-coonhound-2Annabelle’s Ruth is a 1950’s era “Ruth” story, set in the area of Trenton, Tennessee. Constance “Connie” Cross determines to follow her mother-in-law, Annabelle, east to Tennessee after their husbands perish in a fishing boat accident. After Southern California, 1950’s West Tennessee gives Connie culture shock. How will she adapt to her new life amid the cotton farms, rank with prejudice?

Diane Tatum – Authorview

On By Betty OwensIn ACFW, Christian Fiction, Diane Tatum - Authorview, ebooks, Gold Earrings, historical, Romance, Writing


Diane Tatum

Diane Tatum began writing in 5th grade. Diane and her husband Ken have been married 36 years. They have two sons , two daughters-in-law and two, grandsons. She’s a member of the John 3:16 Marketing Network (#John316authors) and American Christian Fiction Writers (#ACFW).
Nickname or “wannabe” name: Marion Uekermann of ACFW Scribes in South Africa has dubbed me the “Comma Queen.” (English teacher, what can I say?)
I am: Diane E. Tatum
My best trait: Flexibility – I taught Middle School Language Arts, ‘nough said! Now I teach college Composition and Literature. Not much difference.
My bad habit: Naivety, which is really wanting to believe the best about people!
Qualities I admire: Openness and truthfulness. Don’t tell me ‘you’re fine’ when you’re not. Let me encourage you if I can.
What I like to read: Historical fiction, bonus points for romance.
What I write: Historical romance, Bible study for youth, lesson plans for college English
What I watch: crime/spy drama, movies (no horror or blatant sex), Dr. Who, Downton Abbey
My family: husband Ken, sons Dan & Brad, daughters-in-law Becca & Julie, respectively, grandsons Kellan & Ethan, also respectively
My favorite food, snack, or beverage: pizza, almonds with chocolate chips & raisins, Café Mocha Frappe or frozen Coke
What I love to do: knit, read, counted cross-stitch
What I admire: coolness under stress, careful words to fragile persons
What makes me happy: my grandsons, my Jack Russell terrier Tyler, and a sunny day at about 70 degrees, no humidity, and a light breeze.
What makes me sad: bullying, violence
I believe: Jeremiah 29:11 God has a plan for my life which is for good and not evil to give me a future and a hope.
That I am His child and He has saved me for heaven with Him.
That He has called me to teach.
Gold Earrings by Diane E. Tatum
 
Daughter of a bordello madame and an Italian captain of the seas, Angelina Mercy longs for a new life, free from the condemnation associated with her mother’s home in Boston. A former navy man, Jonathan Thomson has accepted God’s call and become a minister of a small congregation. Adrift from his Yankee heritage in the Missouri plains, Jonathan longs for a family of his own. Pursuing Alice, the daughter of the town’s wealthy patron, Jonathan believes he can tame her wild ways and accomplish more as a preacher once so established. When Angelina’s guardian and Jonathan’s seminary professor learns of Jonathan’s misguided intentions, he seeks out a solution to aid both individuals, providing a new home for Angelina in St. Joseph, and Angelina and Jonathan are brought together with a strong initial attraction. Can Jonathan ignore Angelina’s Gold Earrings, a constant reminder of the implications of her less than pristine parentage? And will Alice succeed in keeping Jonathan from Angelina? The resilient heroine of Diane E. Tatum’s novel will inspire you in this touching tale of love against the odds.
Buy Link
Diane E. Tatum Website

Dianne Butts – Authorview

On By Betty OwensIn author, Bible Prophecy, Dianne Butts - Authorview, gardening, motorcycles, nonfiction, photography, Prophecy, Writing1 Comment
Dianne Butts
Nickname or “wannabe” name (If you don’t have a nickname, you can choose one you’d like, that tells us a little bit about who you are): I never had a nickname. Unless you count the one young man I worked with at a gas station/rental shop who called me Lady Di. If I could choose one? I’d choose “Sandra Bullock.”

I am: a magazine writer, book author, speaker, screenwriter, and Bible prophecy geek.

My best trait: I’m a student and teacher at heart. I have to study then share what I learn.

My bad habit: workaholic

Qualities I admire: Deep thinking.

What I like to read: nonfiction, especially about Bible prophecy. The one thing I can’t put down.

What I write: Mostly nonfiction. Working on fiction. Developing future film screenplays (which are also fiction).

What I watch:   This season we’re enjoying the new shows Legend, Gotham, Scorpion, and N.C.I.S. – New Orleans. From past seasons we still enjoy the original N.C.I.S, Blue Bloods, Royal Pains, Ice Road Truckers, and catching up on Listener though it’s no longer on. We recently discovered Longmire but now that’s canceled – hoping another network picks it up. There are certain shows we at my house used to watch but quit watching because of the continual, gratuitous sexual connections, including Cover Affairs, Defiance, and Bones. I also enjoy fun family and faith-based movies, like God’s Not Dead, and corny holiday movies on the Hallmark Chanel. We’re often filling our “watch time” with reruns of Touched by an Angel, Murder, She Wrote, or Diagnosis Murder. That might sound like a lot of watching, but I’m lucky because at my house we call all TV-watching and movie-going “research.”

My family:  One husband. One cat.

My favorite food, snack, or beverage: Ice cream. Chocolate. Any other flavor is a waste of ice cream.

What I love to do:  Besides my work? Riding motorcycles. Gardening. Photography.

What I admire:  Strong godly leaders.

What makes me happy:  Christians who firmly but lovingly stand up to erroneous or sin-tolerating thinking.

What makes me sad: Compromising the Truth of God or softening that truth in order to “accept” sinful behavior, whether due to political correctness or fear of being slammed.

I believe: Jesus is coming soon. Not a cliché. I mean really, really soon. And that when He does He will fulfill all the remaining prophecies. That the current set of four lunar eclipses are prophetically significant. That people need to come to Christ for salvation now, but there’s not much more time left.

Thanks, Dianne!  

Read more information about Dianne and her books:


BIO

Dianne E. Butts has been writing for more than twenty years with over 300 published print articles and dozens of online articles. Her work has been published in Great Britain, Bulgaria, Poland, Canada, and Korea. She has contributed to 20 books. Her book Prophecies Fulfilled in the Life of Jesus completes her 3-book “Prophecies Fulfilled” series and is her sixth print book.

Dianne is also a screenwriter. Her feature-length screenplay placed as a semifinalist in the Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays and a short script was a finalist in the 168 Film Project’s “Write of Passage.”

Buy Links & Book Info:
You can find out more about her books on her blog www.BiblePropheciesFulfilled.blogspot.com and web her site www.DianneEButts.com. For writers, Dianne offers the e-book How to Get Published by Magazine and Book Publishers and her blog www.ButtsAboutWriting.blogspot.com. 

How to Get Published by Magazines & Book Publishers

Nike Chillemi, Author, Publisher

On By Betty OwensIn author, Crime Fictionista, Grace Awards, Harmful Intent, Nike Chillemi, Publisher, Sanctuary Point, suspense, Writing4 Comments

I became acquainted with Nike Chillemi on an ACFW critique loop. So I was privileged to read her suspenseful stories before they went through the publishing process. I was in the background, watching and waiting as she started her publishing company. I waited for the book I’d so enjoyed critiquing, Harmful Intent.

I’m so excited for her to share a little of her story here today. Thanks, Nike for taking the time to answer my questions about your publishing journey.

*She’s giving away the ebook, Harmful Intent, to one of our readers (see details below).

1. Why did you decide to start your own publishing company?

Nike: It started with the moniker Crime Fictionista. Before I started seriously writing for publication, I worked in the bridal industry. I traveled to industry bridal fairs in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, and of course in my home town, New York City. That’s where I heard the term “fashionista.” When I got my first contract, I jokingly called myself a crime fictionista and it stuck. I liked the name and thought it would be just the thing to publish under when I went indie. So, the name of my company is Crime Fictionista Press. BTW, if you notice detailed descriptions of fabrics, necklines, and the like in my stories, that is a throwback to my days in bridal.
http://crimefictionistapress.wordpress.com/


2. How do you stand out from other small publishers?

Nike: Crime Fictionista Press has only one name on its author list, one author…moi. The name is part of my brand and is identified with me. So, that, in and of itself makes it stand out. At present it has only one title as well: HARMFUL INTENT, a Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels/Dawson Hughes Novel. ~ Betrayal runs in private investigator Ronnie Ingels’ family. So, why is she surprised when her husband of one year cheats on her? The real shock is his murder, with the local lawman pegging her as the prime suspect. 
My very talented daughter Delayne drew the Crime Fictionista Press logo.   

3. How did you get started? (Research? Study? Jump in and learn along the way?

Nike: I was quite naïve and simply started writing. I still keep my first manuscript around for a good laugh. I didn’t understand character point-of-view. Didn’t know what head hopping was. But I caught on quickly. I took the free online writing course then offered by Harlequin. I also came across a quote, by Stephen King, I believe, advising writers to read the best authors in their genre. To read the authors who excite them, whose book they can’t put down. He wasn’t advising to copy a bestselling author, but to see how they construct things. One aspect of Michael Connelly’s writing I’ve noticed is he doesn’t waste anything. In one novel, I think it was LOST LIGHT (there are so many Harry Bosch novels) Harry drinks a can of soda. He loses hold of it and it falls over the side of his deck into the weeds below his house, hanging over a canyon. Later when the bad guys come to kill him, he flees with a younger, faster bad guy following him under the house. The bad guy trips on the soda can and Harry lives long enough for the police to arrive. I’ve done things like that a few times in my novels, and it tickles me every time I do.

4. What are some of the obstacles you have encountered?

Nike: When I first started out, things I thought were obstacles were simply part of the process. Everybody has to pay their dues. The publishing business is changing so quickly the biggest obstacle is to keep informed and one step ahead. 


5.  Everyone always likes to share their horror stories, so let’s go another way. What has been your greatest blessing since you started your publishing company?


Nike: My blessings started before my publishing company. My greatest blessing since I started writing seriously has been the friendship of other writers, most of them Christian fiction writers, but not all. You, Betty, are one of them. I can’t tell you what the support, encouragement, and the laughs shared with other authors means to me.

*Crime Fictionista Press would like to give away an ebook for Kindle 

to the most interesting, creative, and engaging comment.

A Bit About Nike –
Like so many writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (colored might be more accurate) as a little girl about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad and her good guys smarter and better.
Nike is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chairman, a reader’s choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category, a judge in the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories, and a judge in the Eric Hoffer Awards in 2012 and 2013. 
Her four novel Sanctuary Point series, set in the mid-1940s has won awards and garnered critical acclaim. Her new contemporary whodunit, HARMFUL INTENT released under the auspices of her own publishing company, Crime Fictionista Press, made an impressive showing in Amazon’s mystery > private investigator category.
She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Christian Indie Novelists (CHIN). http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/